Very authentic Thai cooking served in a modest little shop. They also run a small Thai grocery store across the street. [feedback]

Ikebukuro 2-62-6. Open 4pm-3am (LO) daily.

Spicy chicken wings, yakitori and Nagoya miso specialties. [feedback]

Minami-Ikebukuro 1-20-1, Yokota Bldg. Open 5-11pm (LO; 5am weekends) daily.

If you find yourself in Ikebukuro with a hankering for umeshu, look no further than Butazo, where giant pig lanterns hover luminously above the main dining space to add a dash of the bizarre to your dinner. Discover eighty kinds of umeshu and almost as many kinds of shochu as you nibble on tasty kushiyaki, miniature nabes and shabu-shabu, in addition to well-prepared izakaya standards. A couple of drinks and some substantial snacks will set you back about Y4000. No English. [feedback]

Minami-Ikebukuro 2-16-8, Fujihisa Bldg East #3, B1F. (proceed down the spiral staircase of the "Fantasy World" entrance, and Butazo is the middle restaurant) Open 5pm-4am daily.

Late-night cocktails, jazz, light meals, and garlic chips in a relaxed neighborhood bar. Some outdoor seating. [feedback]

Takadanobaba 1-31-8. (to get there turn right from Takadanobaba station, turn right again and go up the hill past Big Box, keep walking for 5 minutes, then turn right again just before Suwa-dori - it'll be on the left) Open 5pm-3am. Closed Sundays.

Late-night cocktails and snacks, with jazz in the background. Terrace seating is available on the first and second-floor cafe areas. [feedback]

Takadanobaba 1-17-14. Open 6pm-5am daily.

Slightly less crowded than the main shop, this branch is just around the corner on Waseda-dori, just east of Meiji-dori. [feedback]

Nishi-Waseda 3-21-18. Open 11-4am daily.

A big, spacious branch of this late-night budget Italian restaurant, open all afternoon and convenient to visitors to Shinjuku Gyoen. [feedback]

Shinjuku 1-1-7. (along the park, near the northeast (Okido) entrance) Open 11:30am-3am (LO) daily.

Inexpensive jizake (regional sake) and good grilled fish. Seating can get a little cramped during peak hours, so check out the much larger Suehiro-dori branch just around the corner. No English spoken. [feedback]

Shinjuku 3-9-10. Open to about 6am daily.

Superlative izakaya-style fare in a lively, noisy setting. They have an impressive and ever-changing selection of jizake (regional sake), plus good sashimi and grilled fish. Intriguing original creations include maguro kimuchii yukke, made with raw tuna and raw egg and flavored with kimchee and sesame oil. No English spoken. [feedback]

Shinjuku 3-6-12, 2F. Open 4pm-5am daily.

Choose from about fifteen wines by the glass or bottle, or pick a Latour or Mouton from the back and put it on your expense account. France is amply represented, with biodynamic wines comprising nearly half of the choices on the frequently changing list. [See FULL REVIEW.][feedback]

Shinjuku 3-7-5. Open 5pm-2am daily.

The smart drink list offers eleven choices of popular umeshu like Saika and Kakutama, plus a few liqueurs based on anzu (apricot), yuzu and even decopon (the orange-tangerine hybrid). Lots of shochu, a short but sweet selection of nihon-shu, and oodles of cocktails give you more reasons to sit and linger, while dainty servings of chazuke - twelve kinds, as a matter of fact - and other small dishes provide delicious distractions from the hectic world outside. Budget around Y3000 for drinks and a light meal. No English spoken. [feedback]

Kabukicho 1-21-2, Itoh Bldg 3/4F. Open 6pm-3am (LO) daily.

Hazelburn offers an impressive line-up of Scottish whiskies, along with English draft ales and well-prepared Scottish and English pub food. [See FULL REVIEW.][feedback]

Kabukicho 1-6-6, Hashimoto Bldg B1F. Open 6pm-3am (5am Fri, Sat) daily.

Serving relatively expensive German beers and decent pub grub in a cavelike basement, this branch of the Franziskaner group is worth knowing about for their late-night hours. [feedback]

Nishi-Shinjuku 1-4-6, Ida Bldg B1F. Open 5pm-5am daily.

The sumptuous Sunday brunch buffet in the Hilton Hotel lobby includes plenty of breakfast dishes, Japanese breakfast items, a special children's menu and roving clowns. Y3500 for adults, Y1750 for children. There's also a breakfast buffet every day from 6:30 to 10:30am (to 11am on weekends), and a "night owl" menu late at night. [feedback]

Nishi-Shinjuku 6-6-2, Hilton Hotel. Open 24 hours a day.

This spacious, two-story bar from the Brussels chain serves very good Belgian food along with a wide assortment of beers. [feedback]

Yoyogi 2-20-2. Open 5:30pm-2am (Sat. to 11pm). Closed Sundays.

This bistrot branch of the highly regarded L'Artemis restaurant in Jingumae offers a more casual experience and convenient late-night hours. The kitchen covers the standards very well - excellent grilled lamb and pork confit - but they also turn out dishes we don't often see at the typical bistrot - blood sausage served with chunks of baked apple, avocado-shrimp salad, and an eye-opening red pimento creme brulee. The extensive wine list starts at around Y3000; budget Y4500-7500 for dinner. Tables are a bit snug, but there's no smoking, except in the tiny garden area out front. The restaurant is very popular with a young local crowd, so advance reservations are recommended. [See branch review] [feedback]

Sendagaya 4-5-11, Victoria Plaza 1F. Open 5pm-1am (LO). Closed Tuesdays.

The specialty of the house is dragon ramen, made with large chunks of kakuni (stewed pork), tomatoes and octopus. They also offer garlicky gyoza and simple stir-fry dishes, all of very high quality. [feedback]

Sendagaya 2-1-8. (Meiji-dori, just north of Sendagaya Shogakko) Open 11:30-2am (to 10:30pm Sun.). Open every day.

Umetsubaki is a pleasant place for novices to get to know plum wine. Serving one hundred kinds of umeshu and shochu, this chilled-out izakaya in Harajuku makes sampling a cinch, particularly for big groups. The drink menu logically organizes the choices according to base alcohol, while the staff will gladly offer recommendations. [See FULL REVIEW.][feedback]

Jingumae 4-32-13, JPR Jingumae 432, 7F. Open 5-11:30pm (4am Fri, Sat) daily.

Original pita sandwiches and an impressive assortment of Belgian beers. The big tables can accommodate larger groups than average (5-8 people), but you may have to share a table when they're crowded. There are also a few seats at the bar. [feedback]

Jingumae 1-10-23. Open 5:30pm-2am (Sat-11pm). Closed Sundays.

This newest venture from the popular budget Italian chain promises to serve "an Italian mama's home-cooked meals." [feedback]

Udagawacho 20-11, Shibuya Mitsuba Bldg B1/B2F. (across from HMV, between Seibu A and B) Open 11:30am-2am daily.

A modern "wine izakaya"; part of the design-trendy La Fabrique complex. [feedback]

Udagawacho 16-9, Zero Gate 4F. (at the foot of Spain-zaka) Open 11am-3, 5-11:30pm (5am Fri, Sat). Open every day.

Excellent late-night sake and grilled fish in a comfortable, attractive setting. [feedback]

Udagawacho 33-8, B1F. (across from Tokyu honten) Open 11:30am-2, 5pm-5am daily.

One of Tokyo's first Australian-only wine bars, with one of the largest selections of rare and expensive wines from that country. The food is mainly Italian, and consistently good. [See FULL REVIEW.][feedback]

Shoto 1-26-22. Open 6pm-2am daily.

Finally a yakitoriya that's suitable for a date or a relaxing evening with friends - with swank decor, dramatic lighting and plenty of original chicken dishes. (Formerly known as "Shichimi-dori") [See FULL REVIEW.][feedback]

Dogenzaka 2-10-10, Sekaido Bldg. B1F. Open 5pm-4am daily.

"Hemel Belgian Beer and Food" lives up to their name - this comfortable wood-paneled bar offers an attractive selection of Belgian and European food to go with their extensive list of over 100 beers. [feedback]

Dogenzaka 2-16-8, Sakamoto Bldg B1F. Open 5pm-3am daily.

Excellent southern Kyushu specialties made from freshly flown-in ingredients. The tonkotsu-ni, chunks of pork stewed in shochu overnight, was especially outstanding, as was the chawan-mushi. The bar stocks more than 50 different kinds of shochu, and several of the walls are covered with shochu labels and descriptions. The decor is modern and stylish; the crowd is diverse. Budget around Y5000. [See FULL REVIEW.][feedback]

Shinsen 10-10. Open 11:30am-2, 6pm-2am. Closed Sundays.

This is the original gourmet stand bar that started the trend - they serve premium sake in attractive one-cup containers along with a huge menu of well-prepared food, all at reasonable prices. There's a sit-down restaurant down in the basement if you start to get wobbly. [See branch review] [feedback]

Shinsen 9-7. Open 5pm-3am daily.

A two-story late-night Spanish bar and restaurant, with your choice of bar snacks and wines or a complete Spanish meal. The upstairs restaurant has a nice selection of charcoal-grilled meats. They even do breakfast! [feedback]

Dogenzaka 1-11-3. (behind Tokyu Plaza) Open 8am-4am daily.

Modern, hip chanko nabe from one of Japan's more famous retired sumo wrestlers. Budget around Y6000 at dinnertime. [See branch review] [feedback]

Dogenzaka 1-11-3, B1F. Open 5pm-4am daily.

A very unpretentious, comfortably scruffy bar that looks like it's been frozen in time from the late seventies. They have a smattering of interesting beers from England, Belgium, Germany and Czech, plus lots of mixed drinks and bar foods. [feedback]

Sakuragaokacho 2-9. (underneath JTB) Open 5pm-5am (1am Sundays). Open every day.

This bar, attached to the design-conscious Shibuya Grandbell Hotel, serves up reasonable food and drink 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Cocktails, draft beer, and wines by the glass start at Y500, with two or three daily drink specials. The "World Beer" list features eleven bottles from various countries - including the non-alcoholic Nova Schin from Brazil. [See FULL REVIEW.][feedback]

Sakuragaokacho 15-17, Shibuya Grandbell Hotel 1-2F. Open 24 hours a day.

The Buri group run a couple of popular standup sake bars (Buchi in Shibuya, Buri in Ebisu), and now they've opened a standup French bistrot, with similarly inexpensive food and 100 different wines. If you get tired of standing there's also a sit-down restaurant in back; snacks up front average around Y700, with main courses in the restaurant averaging Y1500. [See FULL REVIEW.][feedback]

Shibuya 1-10-12, Miyagi Bldg 2F. Open 5pm-3am daily.

Cheap prices, stylish decor, good music and a bustling atmosphere have drawn crowds of hip young patrons to this sprawling cafe space in a trendy corner of Shibuya. The kitchen offers entertaining variations on standard cafe fare - Vietnamese sandwiches, pastas, pizzas, rice bowls, and salads - along with some decent California wines by the bottle and a big cocktail list. [feedback]

Shibuya 1-11-1, 2F. Open 11:30am-2am daily.

This stylish two-story cafe-bar looks like a ski chalet that's been sliced along the diagonal, with big windows looking out over the picturesque (at least at night) Shibuya River. Stop in for a late-night drink (there's plenty of reasonably priced wine by the glass or bottle) or a full meal. The menu is a mix of creative Mediterranean (brussels sprouts stuffed with seafood; pork-belly rilettes) and Thai classics (Isan sausage; green papaya salad). No cover charge; budget around Y3500 for dinner. [feedback]

Higashi 3-16-10. Open 11:30am-3, 6pm-2am (4am Fri, 11pm Sun) daily.

A place worth cultivating in late-night Ebisu - the staff is friendly, the hours are accommodating, the music and decor are hip, and the food can be entertaining, although it's more of a drinking spot than a full-fledged restaurant. Food includes Korean items, a big miso section, and various izakaya permutations. [See FULL REVIEW.][feedback]

Hiroo 1-33, SPC Japan Bldg. 1F. Open 6pm-3am daily.

A sophisticated but casual dining bar with black walls and dim lighting, and a good selection of premium sake and shochu. The surprisingly big menu (Japanese only) is organized around game meats, and there are lots of seasonal and daily specials. [feedback]

Hiroo 1-15-6, Hiroo Bldg B1F. Open 6pm-3am (LO). Closed Sundays.

The Tokyo branch of a renowned Hakata ramen shop (they also have a branch at the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum), they serve thin, slightly chewy noodles in a pork-based broth ("red" or "white"), with or without extra chashu. You can add your own freshly grated garlic -- you'll find bowls of whole garlic cloves on the counter along with graters. [feedback]

Hiroo 1-3-13. (along Meiji-dori towards Hiroo, just past the post office) Open 11-4am daily.

The decor here captures the feeling of the French countryside, with mirrors everywhere, wood panels, and ducks and a deer head mounted on the walls. The restaurant is connected with Hazel Grouse Manor in eastern Hokkaido, which supplies them with fresh vegetables, seafood and wild game. [See FULL REVIEW.][feedback]

Hiroo 1-10-6. Open 5pm-2am. Closed Mondays.

Very modern cooking - Chinese ingredients and preparation methods filtered through a California/fusion sensibility. Typical dishes include risotto of bean paste, zucchini, and pancetta with fried conger eel; and snow crab dumplings with 3 different sauces: corn, basil and balsamic. Dinner is a set-price Y3900 for three courses, which surprisingly includes all the wine you can drink, plus dessert and coffee. You can also bring your own wine - just let them know in advance. [feedback]

Hiroo 5-22-3. (on the right side of Meiji-dori going towards Hiroo/ Tengenjibashi) Open 11:30-2am (LO) daily.

The owner of Grape Choice has an encyclopedic knowledge of wine, and his list covers France, Italy, Australia, California, Washington and even Japan, starting around Y5000-6000 and climbing rapidly. Food includes grilled meats and fish, and unusual items like pig's-foot croquettes, squid fritters and cheese fondue with organic vegetables. Budget around Y7000 for dinner with a few glasses of wine. [feedback]

Hiroo 5-22-3, Hiroo Nishigawa Bldg B1F. (on the right side of Meiji-dori going towards Hiroo/ Tengenjibashi) Open 6pm-2am (LO). Closed Sundays.

A huge, bustling branch of this popular Tex-Mex chain. The open-air rooftop seating can be very pleasant when the weather is warm. [feedback]

Ebisu 1-22-1. Open 11:30-5am daily.

Name-brand "black" pork from Kagoshima is the specialty at this izakaya run by the Cardenas restaurant group. [See FULL REVIEW.][feedback]

Ebisu 4-9-5. Open 11:30am-2, 5:30pm-2am (LO) daily.

Okinawan dishes and steaks. A 150g tenderloin steak is Y2310; budget around Y3500 for an average-sized dinner. [feedback]

Ebisu 4-9-13. Open noon-3, 6pm-2am daily.

A very French-style multi-story cafe with a relaxed atmosphere; they serve light food items and desserts as well as coffee and drinks. [feedback]

Ebisu 3-28-12. Open 10am-2am daily.

It's easy to appreciate the beauty of Bar Guapos, where Y1500 is enough for a glass of tinto or blanco and one or two tasty tapas. There are about fifteen Spanish wines on the drink list, plus a number of Sherries. [See FULL REVIEW.][feedback]

Ebisu-Nishi 1-3-8. Open 5pm-3:30am (LO; 5-11:30pm Sun, Mon). Open every day.

This stylish little late-night stand-up bar serves a nice variety of hot and cold Spanish tapas and pinchos (small snacks on bread), along with Spanish wines. Most food items are Y250-500, with wines from Y400/glass. [feedback]

Ebisu-Nishi 1-13-5. (near Ebisu Jinja) Open 5pm-5am (midnight Sundays). Open every day.

Smart, cutting-edge California-influenced cuisine, with an emphasis on grilled items and sashimi. The mostly California wine list is well assembled and comfortably priced. Tables are adequately separated, and the large two-story space, which is reached by crossing the entrance moat, is unusually luxurious for Tokyo. Dinner with drinks will probably start at around Y6000 per person. [See FULL REVIEW.][feedback]

Ebisu-Nishi 1-12-14. Open 11:30am-2, 5:30pm-2am (LO) daily.

This stand-up bar specializes in one-cup sake from around the country; the selection perhaps isn't as exciting as a regular sake bar, but the food menu is good. [feedback]

Ebisu-Nishi 1-14-1. Open 5pm-3am daily.

A small dining bar serving creative modern Vietnamese cuisine in a pleasantly cozy setting. The food occupies a middle ground between elaborate French-influenced Vietnamese grand cuisine and more down-to-earth noodle-shop fare, and the dishes are presented very attractively, with the servingware selected to show off each dish. [See FULL REVIEW.][feedback]

Ebisu-Nishi 1-15-8. Open 11:30am-midnight daily.

If you're in the mood for fantastic fresh fish and seafood, Ebisu Kaigan is the next best thing to an early-morning trip to Tsukiji Fish Market. Occupying a renovated old Japanese house, this cozy little restaurant (whose name means "Ebisu Beach") exudes a relaxed and homespun atmosphere. You can take your dinner at the counter downstairs while you chat with the chefs, but the second-floor tatami-mat area is even more fun - it almost feels like you're visiting friends or relatives at their beach house as you enjoy the best of the day's catch. [See FULL REVIEW.][feedback]

Ebisu-Minami 3-4-1. Open 5pm-1am (LO; -11pm weekends). Open every day.

The wide menu here covers a lot of ground, but particularly notable are the top-quality meat dishes featuring Hokkaido lamb, game birds and gourmet pork. The cozy dining room has mostly counter seating, with two small hori-kotatsu tables. Budget around Y4000. [feedback]

Ebisu-Minami 1-2-8. Open 6pm-3am (LO; 10pm Sun) daily.

The impressive sake list includes a number of small-kura limited-edition seasonal sakes; there's also plenty of shochu. The food is also top-notch, with unusual specalties like satsuma-age (Kyushu-style fish cakes, here available in eight different variations). [See FULL REVIEW.][feedback]

Ebisu-Minami 2-3-14, Conze Ebisu 2F. Open 4:30pm-5am (to 10:30pm Sundays). Open every day.

Good Peking Duck and side dishes at unbelievable prices. [See branch review] [feedback]

Ebisu-Minami 1-16-12, ABC Mamies Bldg 3F. Open 24 hours a day.

A very spacious, relaxing place to while away some time. Wine and other drinks are relatively inexpensive, and there are plenty of light dishes to nibble on. Pets are allowed, and dog biscuits and water bowls are available. [See FULL REVIEW.][feedback]

Sarugakucho 2-11. Open 11:30am-3am (LO) daily.

A large, lively izakaya that occasionally hosts performances of Okinawan musicians. There's a long counter and big tatami mat area - both usually packed. The staff wear Okinawan costumes, there's non-stop Okinawan music in the air, and the counter is decorated with cans of Spam, taco sauce, and other Okinawan delicacies. The food is wonderful and fairly cheap - highlights include their goya champuru, goat soup, and the papaya pickled in miso. The drinks menu includes original awamori cocktails and Okinawan microbrew beer. [feedback]

Koenji-Kita 3-2-13. (located along the shopping street on the north side of the station) Open 5pm-5am daily.

A trendy bar/restaurant run by Mugendo, a cute ethnic trinket shop. The food is Vietnamese, Indian, Thai and Okinawan; the music and decor are similarly eclectic. Small dishes start at around Y500. [feedback]

Koenji-Minami 4-22-5-B1F. Open 11:30am-2, 6pm-1am (Fri.,Sat. all night). Closed first Wednesday.

A bohemian-style cafe with music and food from Southeast Asia and the rest of the world. The menu at lunchtime is mostly Vietnamese, but there's a wider selection in the evening, including pastas. [feedback]

Nishi-Ogi-Kita 3-31-5, 1F. Open 11:30am-2am (4am Fri,Sat) daily.

Inexpensive deli-style dishes and drinks from this seemingly ubiquitous chain of casual cafes. [feedback]

Kichijoji Honcho 2-2-2. Open 11am-2am daily.

Spicy chicken wings and yakitori; one of four Toriyoshi branches in the neighborhood. [feedback]

Kichijoji Honcho 1-14-8. Open 5pm-2am daily.

Spicy chicken wings are the specialty, but they have every other kind of chicken dish as well, from yakitori to chicken sashimi. [feedback]

Kichijoji Minamicho 1-1-10, MA Bldg. 1F. Open 5pm-2am daily.

An unpretentious basement bar stocking an excellent selection of craft beers from Japan (particularly Baird and Hitachino Nest) and around the world. [feedback]

Kichijoji Minamicho 1-1-8, Keyaki Bldg B1F. Open 7pm-5am; Sat/Sun 6pm-5am daily.

A cozy, warm bar with a nice selection of Belgian beers and also several wines by the glass (surprising for a beer bar). [feedback]

Matsubara 3-42-1. (30 sec. from Shimo-Takaido station) Open 6:30pm-1am (LO) daily.

A three-story Okinawan restaurant - the first floor has a noodle-shop atmosphere, with inexpensive Okinawan soba. The second floor is more of a nomiya, with some 50 different types of awamori; while the third floor is more of a Western-style bar. The same food menu is available throughout, with nicely prepared Okinawan standards. [feedback]

Daizawa 5-32-7. Open 6pm-1am. Closed Mondays.

The decor here is all earth tones, raw concrete and slabs of wood, with a big tree sitting right in the middle of the floor. Music ranges from reggae to laid-back rock, and the atmosphere is totally chilled-out - people talk in hushed voices, which may be exactly what you need when you stumble in here at 3am. It's "cafe time" from 2-7pm, with coffee and cake. No table charge; no English. [feedback]

Kitazawa 2-14-1, OT Bldg 3F. Open 2pm-5am daily.

They've pulled out all the stops to recreate the feel of an open-air Italian caffe-bar here - barrel tables, chalkboard menus, old advertising posters, grafitti on the walls, hams hanging from the ceiling, with Italian radio providing the soundtrack. [See FULL REVIEW.][feedback]

Kitazawa 2-14-14. Open 3pm-2am (LO) daily.

This tiny, ramshackle hole-in-the-wall is a late-night Shimo-Kitazawa legend, going strong since 1974. The space behind the bar is filled with mountains of CDs and shelves of vinyl (many of them 70s UK glam rock and local Japanese bands), and the seating area is so small that you have to step outside to let other customers in and out. When you order a drink the bartender telephones the similarly dilapidated sister bar just upstairs (Trouble Peach) and they deliver. (Y400 cover charge.) [feedback]

Kitazawa 2-9-18. Open 8pm-8am daily.

A friendly neighborhood hang-out with a selection of sake and a few Japanese microbrew beers, along with appetizing izakaya-style dishes. [feedback]

Ikejiri 3-3-3. Open 5pm-5am daily.

A casual bar/ cafe/ restaurant with a very varied but always appealing izakaya-style menu, with dishes like beef cheeks stewed in beer, Vietnamese spring rolls, and a lavishly constructed Salad Nicoise. The drinks list is similarly eclectic, with very reasonably priced wines. [feedback]

Tamagawa 3-23-24, B1F. Open 6:30pm-3am daily.

Gourmet pork from Kagoshima is the specialty here - charcoal-grilled, and served as shabu-shabu, dumplings and cutlets. The drinks menu includes a good selection of shochu from that part of Kyushu as well. From the Cardenas group, until now known mainly for their California cuisine restaurants. [See branch review] [feedback]

Tamagawa 3-20-13. Open 11:30am-2, 5:30pm-2am (LO) daily.

A casual bar-restaurant from the folks who brought us the original gourmet stand-bar, Buchi, and its French cousin, Bongout Noh. Drinks include wine by the glass and plenty of premium sake brands, and the food menu covers seafood, charcoal-grilled meats, tofu and vegetables, with dishes like foie gras and daikon miso dengaku (Y1400). [feedback]

Aobadai 1-27-12. Open 5pm-1am daily.

At first glance this elegant space looks like a typical cafe - artful ikebana arrangements on the eight small white tables, a small counter, and Bossa Nova music playing softly in the background. So it may come as a surprise to learn that they offer more than just good espresso - they also have excellent Kyushu-style udon noodles. [See FULL REVIEW.][feedback]

Higashiyama 1-11-15. Open 11:45am-2:30, 7pm-2am daily.