Jens recommended: "one of the few places in Tokyo where you can actually sit outside in green surroundings and enjoy a Mojito"
Omoide-yokocho in Shinjuku, or "piss alley" as it's also known, a tiny street lined with small izakayas ready to serve you yakitori and full of salarymen who are happy to chat after a beer or two
A ping pong bar set in an apartment building in Naka-Meguro. Good food. Tournaments among guests; winners play the owner who looks like Mister Miyagi & plays with a tiny paddle to make things fair
There'a a street near Sensoji shrine in Asakusa that has several semi-outdoor izakaya, always lively at night.
Weird place. You have to strike a big gong to get in and a mechanical doll will ask you questions and decide whether to let you in or not. Make sure to go to the bathroom if you decide to go.
Crazy lively place! The place you wanna be if you're up to meeting the locals and trying out local delicacies or small eateries. Lots of expats and blue collared workers. Beers, shocho.. tons of them!
Mock sumo restaurant (compare to the sumo equivalent of Medieval times, perhaps?). Sometimes hosts matches, always hosts decent food & drink
They're changing locations soon, and their website warns patrons in July to check with them for closed days Read more.
They have a cover, but it’s because there are free snacks and stuff. It’s basically a 10-seat steampunk jazz bar
The original Chanpon ramen establishment. I first visited in 2005 and since then they've spawned to dozens of stores as far as Hokkaido. Great spicy, cabbage-rich ramen.
Regarded as one of the best coffee bars in the world, featured in Blue Bottle's book of coffee craft.
"Fuglen is located near to Yoyogi Park between Shibuya and Shinjuku… The atmosphere in Fuglen was really different. I didn’t feel like it was like a Coffee shop, instead it was like visiting a bar." Read more.
A really silly public bath modeled after an imagined Japanese town, replete with little food & drink vendors that connect to the baths. The baths are extravagantly themed by public bath standards
A really beautiful shrine and garden, whose rock pond was famously featured in Lost in Translation
Haven't made it there yet, but positive reviews on tripadvisor and has a nice-looking sky bar Read more.
If you have a chance book in advance a private one! It's worth every yen! True Japanese experience! Priceless!!! You get 300 yen discount with Hakone pass.
Recommended by Bourdain on No Reservations, apparently has a Michelin Star. From yelp: "bit of a trek but worthy as moi just loved every bite of chef Aihara-san's omakase ($50)." Read more.
Go here if you want to eat a traditional, delicious Soba (buckwheat) in the vicinity of Azabu. My recommendation is "Kakiage Mori or Kamo-Seiro". ★★★
Yes, full of tourists. And yes, every one of your friends told you to go here. It's batshit crazy in a way you won't see batshit crazy in the US. Maybe get super cranked before you go.
One of the best sushi i have ever eaten! Jiro-san is almost 90 better try this! Once in a lifetime experience. Be prepared for your dialogue in japanese as well. Bring around Y30,000+ for sushi course
"Kyoto-based Katsukura offers nice side dishes like yuba (tofu-skin) croquettes and excellent Kyoto-style pickles. And they're open all afternoon if you need a late lunch." Read more.
"Five floors of okonomiyaki action here at Chibo headquarters overlooking the river. Actually the top floor - called "President Chibo" - specializes in grilled steaks." Read more.
"I went here not knowing what to expect, but loved what I found. The bar was lined with games, many I remember from my childhood, and set up in a way that was so easy to play." Read more.
Designed to agree with the adjacent Meiji Shrine, it's a fun shrine-themed design that makes it certainly feel more natural than, say, the Tokyo Dome.
"The first words out of my mouth were crispy, crispy, crispy. Wow. I loved these little bite sized gyoza. The pork and other secret ingredients was excellent" Read more.
"This Takoyaki, on the other side, came topped with black pepper and squeezed lemon. And somehow, the flavors worked. I don’t know how. " Read more.
Popeye boasts 70 beers on tap, including the world's largest selection of Japanese beers – from Echigo Weizen to Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout. The happy-hour deal offers select brews with free plates Read more.
Pronouced tayzay, this delightfully quirky, nook-ridden space calls itself a library lounge and overflows with armchairs, sofas, and books on the shelves and on the bar. Read more.
For a few nights a week, the futuristic cruise-boat Himiko, designed by manga and anime artist Leiji Matsumoto, morphs into this floating bar. Board on the hour at Hinode pier and half-hour at Odaiba Read more.
On weekends, this subterranean club has two shows: live music in the evening and a DJ-hosted event after hours. Acts range from Japanese indie bands to overseas artists making their Japanese debut. Read more.
This groovy basement performance space, also a cocktail lounge and club of sorts, stages everything from hula-hoop gatherings to literary evenings and creative presentations in the 20 x 20 PechaKucha Read more.
With 40 shiny taps, Good Beer Faucets has one of the city's best selections of Japanese craft brews and regularly draws a full house of locals and expats Read more.
This slick and elegant bar in the Garden Oriental complex, right in the heart of the Southern Higashiyama sightseeing district, is a real stunner. Read more.
An excellent place for a beer and light conversation most nights of the week, Mickey House really picks up on Friday and Saturday nights during international parties of their own Read more.
Amazing interior, done with retro wooden Japanese feel. Breakfast sets are delicious!
Fu-Unji. Simple put, the best ramen I've ever had thus far. Get the 950Yen Tsukemen and take a seat. Separate plates for broth and noodles which is nice. Leave with the biggest smile on your face.
Great location (subway exit 2) 3 min walk, restaurant great food nice view! Best and cleanest shower in town!
Good for a stroll or a sit when the weather is nice, but most areas don't provide much cover when there's searing heat (as you'd expect to find in mid-July)
Try a few different places to get a feel for how the various vendors compete with one another on style and service
