Tokyo has always been on the forefront of weird and wacky ways to eat a meal. From cafes with owls/cats/rabbits, vampires, fishing off a boat to catch your own fish, locked in a prison hospital eating sausages in the shape of a… “ah-hem”… to sexy ladies riding Robots around an arena & ninja’s performing tricks for you (just to note this is not all one restaurant). No matter what your fix, this list of awesome places to grab a unique feed will help you on your merry way. Let’s dig in…
What’s Covered:
- A Ninja Themed Restaurant
- Alice In Wonderland Themed Restaurant
- Prison Hospital Themed Restaurant
- Vampire Themed Restaurant
- Robot Restaurant (DOMO ARIGATO MR ROBATO!)
- Super Cute/Kawaii Overload Cafe!
- Pirate Themed Restaurant
- A Fishing Boat (Catch your own fish from your table with a rod!) Restaurant
Ninja Akasaka
This unique restaurant hold a special place for most adults and children who have always dreamed of being a ninja (Tenchu on Playstation was my favourite!). The concept is pretty straightforward, you, the casual diner, has entered the Ninja’s lair and are now lucky enough to feast on Ninja delicacies, I must mention this is a fine dinning establishment, so wear nice clothes!
As you enter you must wait to be escorted by your Ninja Waiter/Waitress (They must be a terrible Ninja to have this title) through a labyrinth of tight wooden corridors, drawbridges and secret switches. This all adds to the atmosphere that what you are about to embark on is special and by no means for the average commoner.
The food here is quiet expensive ($80 → $100+ aud per person) for a standard 2 course meal and drinks. But the overall experience is one to remember, and the food isn’t that bad unlike some “themed” restaurants where the food is not worth eating. The atmosphere is definitely what you are here for, each table is uniquely placed in what seems to be a little wooden city within a building, giving it a very traditional and special feeling. Running water, rock faces, wooden lanterns and everything you can think of that would have existed in the EDO period is in this restaurant.
The highlight of this experience is the Ninja Magician who comes and gives you a personal magic show. Excellent and mind boggling.
Bookings are a must and your hotel can help you make one.
Jamie & Sarah’s Rating: 5 out of 5
Price: $$$
Accessibility: Easy to get to, close to Akasakamitsuke Station.
Website: http://www.ninjaakasaka.com
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/5hSn4wdTnA12
Alice In Wonderland Theme
Alice In Wonderland is big in Tokyo, there are 6 Fantasy Dining Restaurants in Japan (5 in Tokyo, 1 in Osaka) and they are all Alice themed, just different stages in this poor girls (what seems like) drug fuelled eating rampage.
Sarah and I visited the “Alice in a Labyrinth” in Ginza, located on the 5th floor of an office building (above Bally). I assume all of the Fantasy Dinning Alice restaurants will be almost the same, just with slightly different decor, but the food and service would be replicated across the chain.
As you enter, there is a huge book (a giant, 2 meter tall book) and pages/inscriptions on the walls. As you continue though the hallway you will see lots of cards, teapots, grass and clocks and everything weird and wonderful about being on LSD. Your menu is a weird book cube thing!
The waitresses are all dressed as Alice, adding to the “I’m freaking out” factor you may feel, but it’s cute. Pretty sure I saw a mad hatter running around too, but few too many drinks and I have forgotten.
Although the decor and our company who joined us was what made the night, the food is below what I would say is good. Don’t get me wrong, the food is super cute (SUGOKU KAWAII DESU!) and is made into the shapes of characters, it lacks flavour and variety. Having said that this was awhile ago that we visited, maybe the food is better? If you have been recently let me know.
The bill was moderately priced.
Overall it was a cool experience and I would head this way if you want to have some fun with your friends.
Jamie & Sarah’s Rating: 3 out of 5
Price: $$
Accessibility: In the middle of Ginza!
Website: http://www.alice-restaurant.com/
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/RNXBa7o5sj72
Alcatraz E.R
Alcatraz E.R is, as you would imagine, a prison hospital themed restaurant. Although Sarah and I haven’t been to this restaurant, we have heard some great things about the atmosphere and food.
Each table is located inside a jail cell where you are locked in to peruse the menu and get slightly intoxicated. When you want to order just hit the jail cell bars with your lead pipe and the decapitated nurse will head your way!
The cocktails at this place are plentiful and prices from around $14 aud. Pick your poison from medical bottles, prosthetic heads and syringes.
There is a show on at 8pm, something that you shouldn’t miss. Leave the kids at home for this one though as there is some adult humour involved (think dildos and injecting a fake syringe into someones butt).
Some food is oddly shaped into sexual parts for your amusement.
Jamie & Sarah’s Rating: ??? (haven’t experienced)
Price: $$
Accessibility: Walking distance to Shibuya Station.
Website: http://alcatraz-er.net/explains/index/00004
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/aEgRA9zanem
The Vampire Cafe
An obvious themed restaurant that has some mixed reviews for it’s mediocre food, but you’re here for the atmosphere right? The Vampire Cafe is located in the Ginza area and has been a hit amongst the locals.
Coffins, candles, black wood and red. If these are your favourite things (I’m talking to you Count Von Count) then you will be sucked dry! Serving a selection of blood related drinks (Blood Bags and more!) this place might have you salivating. The food is blasphemy-shaped, so pop on in blood curdling good time.
Hostesses are all dressed in black, vampire fangs and all. It has a gothic charm to it, somewhat romantic.
Jamie & Sarah’s Rating: ??? (haven’t experienced)
Price: $$
Accessibility: In the heart of Ginza.
Website: http://r.gnavi.co.jp/g600100/
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/BbWeyKPzR5r
Robot Restaurant
Well this is a true weird and wacky restaurant where nothing makes sense, nor should it! It’s a damn robot show, complete with sexy scantily-clad robotic women.
Dinner is a simple Bento box as the show is really why you are here. The decor is completely decked out in mirrored surfaces, LED lights and metallic everything.
The show consists of radio and human piloted robotic tanks, dinosaurs, and robots dancing lively to techno dance music.
Jamie & Sarah’s Rating: ??? (haven’t experienced)
Price: $$
Accessibility: Short walk from Shinjuku Station.
Website: http://www.shinjuku-robot.com/pc/
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/WjKYSttdSaQ2
Kawaii Monster Cafe
If you like a mish mash of colour, super cute girls and amazingly colourful food, then this is your place. Newly opened (1st August 2015) in Harajuku this cafe has attracted the attention of stars such as Steve Aoki, Adriana Grande and more.
Food is a colourful selection of ice creams, pancakes, spaghetti, simple burgers and fried foods. Check out the menu here: http://kawaiimonster.jp/pc/menu
The atmosphere and decor is super large and colourful, hugh cakes as seats, cherries, macaroons, candy and sprinkles adorn the interior.
Jamie & Sarah’s Rating: ??? (haven’t experienced, but looks amazing!)
Price: $
Accessibility: Close to Harajuku Station and the main walking street.
Website: http://kawaiimonster.jp/
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/sTEyqos9oP32
King Of The Pirates
Aharrrr me matey’s, if sword fighting and swash bucketing is your thing then this be thee place!
Odaiba has a pirate themed restaurant serving swords and hoards of booty! (The gold coin kind). Has a bit of a tiki feel of the south pacific, the interior is that of inside the hull of ship, full of netting, chains and eye patches.
Food is western focussed with meals such as a stone-cooked beef fillet (¥2,880) and King of Sausage (¥1,380) which you sliced with a large sword. Drinks are also plentiful and delicious sounding with names such as; Brilliant Blue, Passionate Voyage and Brave Jack (¥730-¥780).
There is a large outdoor terrace where you can commandeer the ship (aka the restaurant) and get some good photos of you pretending to be a pirate idiot.
Jamie & Sarah’s Rating: ??? (haven’t experienced)
Price: $$
Accessibility: Close to Harajuku Station and the main walking street.
Website: https://www.facebook.com/dd.kingofthepirates.daiba
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/Ut12tJpRhSN2
Zauo (Boat Fishing Theme?)
If you like fishing, but not that much you would actually do it, then this is place for you. Tables are placed on 2 boats surrounded by water where you can throw your rod in and ask the chef to cook what you catch!
Great place for families and a unique experience in Tokyo.
Jamie & Sarah’s Rating: ??? (haven’t experienced)
Price: $$
Accessibility: Close to Shinjuku Station.
Website: http://www.zauo.com/
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/zsfCh8oZfjM2
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