Going to be in shinjuku for one night! Looking for the best casual eats and fun cocktail/small bars in the area.
Any and all recommendations are welcome!
I hear this is an interesting area to explore
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Shochu tasting (over 200 varities): HAVESPI http://havespi.jp/market/shinjuku/
Sake tasting (over 100 varieties): KURANDO KURAND SAKE MARKET
Umeshu & Liqueur tasting (over 100 varieties): SHUGAR 新宿で女子会するならSHUGAR MARKET渋谷 ー果実酒、梅酒100種類、飲み放題、時間無制限、持ち込み自由。 - 梅酒・果実酒専門店
Bonus: They are all in the same building! (They are all owned by the same company.)
Address: Japan, 〒160-0022 Tokyo, Shinjuku, 新宿3-9-9 新宿ワタセイ・タマビル 6階
Google Maps Link: Google Maps
Bring your own food.
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Then stumble on down to Omoide Yokocho (aka Piss Alley): Google Maps
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What part of Shinjuku, it’s pretty big?
Shinjuku Ni Chome (2 Chome) is the famous gay district and a lot of cross dresser bars, might be fun to stroll through and see what’s going on.
Ben Fiddich is in Nishi Shinjuku and it’s supposed to be one of the top cocktail bars in Tokyo (the most famous being Ginza Bar High Five, but Ben Fiddich is no slouch…can’t remember if Bourdain went to this one or not).
I went here last year on my first night, https://oden-den.com/ it’s a basement level izakaya. No English spoken unfortunately but the food and sake are pretty good. Their oden is decent (supposedly Kyoto style). At least website has menu and you can use google translate (as will waitstaff worst case). There is also
Omoide Yokocho as Starchtrade recommended is a must to check out (post drinks hangover bang bangs) 新宿西口思い出横丁 there is an eatery that has a super old school shoyu ramen for like 500 ish yen. Not far away is the unagi skewer specialist restaurant (also featured in a youtube episode of Begin Japanology) where one of the specialties is grilled unagi head (lots of bones but great beer food). Look for Ucchan if you are adventurous, focus on the innards skewers. I went to this one small place (forgot the name) and their focus is on grilled fish, tonjiru (pork miso stew), yaki tarako…so damn good and affordable (lots of salarymen in suits). There are a few other izakaya too and one of them has a ton of Juyondai bottles outside (this is like the DRC of sake, or Bordeaux first growth)…they have English and shorthand Chinese menu on iPad format, but the gems are in the Japanese menu.
If you have time, Shinjuku also has two major department stores about 15 mins walk from each other. Takashimaya Times Square, and Isetan. The basement alone will provide lots of visual food and drink candy.
Cocoromusubi (izakaya) was high on my to try list, but I never made it there. It’s closer to Shinjku 2 Chome
Omoide Yokocho + Golden Gai might just be your best bets to make it easier, along with Starchtrade’s recommendation for drinks.
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Thanks for the recommendations. We’ll be near golden gai so I think we’ll just stick around that area and check out the places you guys recommended.
You may be wheeled out on a stretcher with fulminant liver failure, but with damn good stories to tell (that is, if you remember them)…
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A few other suggestions for food:
Nagi Golden Gai Ramen - I haven’t been but have read about it and walked past it in Golden Gai - they are known for their strong niboshi-based ramen, and they’re open 24/7 (!!)
Moyan Curry - the nearest one to you I think would be in Shinjuku Sanchome
Fu’unji Ramen - west of Shinjuku station - it’s a pretty iconic tsukemen shop - make sure you get there early, as the lines build up
Shin Udon - never been, but supposed to be a fun, modern take on udon (e.g., udon carbonara)
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