Harajuku
Picks:
Western: Bistrot d'Artemis (French), Kurkku Kitchen (International)
Middle Eastern: Hannibal Deux (Tunisian), Bistro Hitsujiya (lamb)
Budget: Kowloon (ramen/Chinese), Camp (curry), Himalaya Curry (Nepalese)
Drinks: Belgian beers at Brussels, stand-up sake at Hasegawa
Build-your-own-treehouse decor: Ai ai
This guide covers the area along Meiji-dori between Yoyogi Station and just north
of Shibuya. (Listings are arranged from north to south.)
Please check the guides for Gaienmae/Sendagaya and
Omotesando for
other restaurants nearby.
See area restaurant map.
Yoyogi station
Everyone's favorite Yoyogi-area all-lamb restaurant. They do kebabs from all over, cous cous and lamb steaks. There's also a big menu of Cajun specialties, including some serious gumbo.  Yoyogi 1-59-1. (located midway between Nishi-Shinjuku and Yoyogi) Open 11:30am-2:30, 6-10pm (LO). Closed Sundays. | |
Artica is not just a water bar - it's a water jazz bar! There's live music most evenings, with a music charge of Y1000-2000, and a water list featuring more than forty choices. If you want something stronger there's also a diverse cocktail and cafe menu, and inexpensive dishes like curries and pasta.  Yoyogi 1-41-3, 2F. Open 11am-2:30, 6pm-2am. Closed Sundays. Imahan (Shabu-shabu). 3370-8565 Kyushu pork shabu-shabu from Y3500; Hokkaido lamb from Y4000; Wagyu beef from Y5000.  Yoyogi 1-45-4, B1F. Open 5:30-9:30pm (LO) daily. At lunchtime this neighborhood coffee shop serves a dazzling assortment of "British-style" curries, with variations like smoked pork and egg; mushroom, clam and egg; and smoked chorizo sausage and egg. At lunchtime this neighborhood coffee shop serves a dazzling assortment of "British-style" curries, with variations like smoked pork and egg; mushroom, clam and egg; and smoked chorizo sausage and egg.
We tried the special demi-glace version, and the recipe seems to be rather heavy on one spice - cloves perhaps - very different in character from the usual European curry interpretation and a little unbalanced for our taste. In the evenings Hutte Manx is a bar specializing in single-malt whiskeys. [Show more] [Show less] Yoyogi 1-23-7. Open 11:30am-9:30pm (LO). Closed Sundays. | |
Nicely prepared, authentic Vietnamese fare. The dining room is fairly ordinary, but the terrace is pleasant in warm weather. Sendagaya 5-24-3, NTT Docomo Annex 1, 2F. Open 11:30am-2, 5:30-10pm (LO) daily. | |
A fairly basic menu of Thai standards, and a list of 20 different wines starting at Y1,500 a bottle. (from Yoyogi station go past the koban and through the tunnel on the way to Sendagaya -- it's on the left) Sendagaya 4-26-12. Open 11:30am-2, 6-9:30pm (LO). Closed Sundays. | |
Vegetable-centered curries - variations include four-bean keema, asparagus and bacon, and German potato and soft-boiled egg. Lunch and dinner sets average around Y1000. Sendagaya 4-29-11, B1F. Open 11:30am-10pm (LO). Closed Sundays. | |
This is the kind of unpretentious neighborhood trattoria that we love, serving good grilled meats and nice pastas, with some very reasonably priced wines in the Y3000-5000 range. Budget around Y2500-4000 for food at dinnertime. | |
This bistrot branch of the highly regarded L'Artemis restaurant in Jingumae offers a more casual experience and convenient late-night hours. The extensive wine list starts at around Y3000; budget Y4500-7500 for dinner. 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. [Show more] [Show less] | |
Jingumae 2-chome
The menu here is French-influenced casual cafe fare - liver mousse, ratatouille, mussels and clams steamed in white wine, roast beets with Roquefort cheese. French wines start at around Y3000. Budget around Y2500 for food at dinnertime. Jingumae 2-33-12, Villa Bianca 1F. Open 11:30am-midnight daily. | |
Having conquered the worlds of music and fashion, "A Bathing Ape" founder Nigo has turned his attention to curry rice. The small Curry Up shop on the northern edge of Harajuku was designed by Wonderwall and reportedly named by hiphop producer Pharrell Williams. Having conquered the worlds of music and fashion, "A Bathing Ape" founder Nigo has turned his attention to curry rice. The small Curry Up shop on the northern edge of Harajuku was designed by Wonderwall and reportedly named by hiphop producer Pharrell Williams. The look is simple but stylish - a white concrete storefront with a yellow neon sign, and lots of stainless steel and concrete on the interior. The modern style is tempered by subtly kitsch elements like the faux-wood-grained table and counter tops, old-fashioned white curtains in the window, and the gold-bordered shop logo with a smiling, mustachioed chef.
The music is old-school, mainstream reggae - we enjoyed both "You Don't Love Me (No No No)" by Dawn Penn and "One Love" by Bob Marley during our first ten minutes in the shop. The high point of our meal (from a design point of view) was the little dish of pickles that came with our curry. They've taken the vivid pink, green and white curry-shop standard pickle assortment, diced everything up very fine and mixed it all together in a pretty, bright swirl of colors. [Show more] [Show less] Jingumae 2-35-9-105. Open 11:30am-2:30, 5-8:30pm (LO) daily. | |
"Korean organic" is how Nabi bills itself, with a menu covering the usual bases of modern Korean cuisine (including yakiniku). The beautiful basement dining room, which looks like a cross between a cafe/lounge and a furniture showroom, was decorated by the Idee design shop, which also manages the restaurant. | |
Inexpensive sashimi and other fish dishes, offering good quality for the price. There's an assortment of premium sake brands as well as shochu to drink. (Formerly called Higashi-no-17.) Cash only. Jingumae 2-19-16. Open 4-10:30pm (LO). Closed Sundays. | |
This tiny, funky ten-seat bar run by Guam native Jamie Skye attracts a mostly local crowd, both Japanese and foreign. Music ranges from String Cheese Incident to Style Council to Scandinavian jazz. Jingumae 2-20-12. Open 8pm-2am. Closed Sundays. | |
This comfortable sofa-furnished lounge attracts a Japanese hipster crowd and features jazzy DJs and occasional live performances; there's also a tiny art gallery and chill space upstairs. The hidden entrance is at the back of another bar. Jingumae 2-23-4. Open 8pm-1am. Closed Sundays. | |
Skillful Italian cooking in a casual but comfortable trattoria setting. Main courses include game in season, and the finest small-farm-raised meats and regional seafood year-round. There's a good selection of wines under Y7000, with at least a half dozen by the glass. Jingumae 2-25-4. Open 11:30am-2, 5:30-10:30pm (LO). Closed Thursdays. | |
Bessho (Liquor shop). 3401-1991 From the outside it looks like an old-fashioned convenience store, but about half the space is devoted to well-selected wines from around the world, sold at very reasonable prices. Jingumae 2-25-5. Open 9am-11pm. Closed Sundays. | |
With its double-height ceilings and wrap-around windows letting in the afternoon sun, the smoke-free second floor of Mother Kurkku is a luxurious space to relax in. The food is well above average, with mains like grilled swordfish with mentaiko and two kinds of cous cous (with lamb tajine or sausage and root vegetables). The Y1000 lunch is especially good value. There's a selection of reasonable wines and other drinks, and a DJ setup downstairs. Lunch is served until 3pm weekdays, 5pm weekends. | |
Kurkku's attractive and spacious dining room is tucked into the back of a trendy-looking design shop, and the main focus is on the wood-burning grill at the heart of the open kitchen. The menu is built around premium grilled meats but also includes hefty portions of vegetables and greens. Prix-fixe dinners of ample size start at Y5500, and they include a vegetable-centered chef's menu. A few decent wines can be found for under Y6000, but it's easy to spend more if you want to splurge. The Y2800 three-course lunch is an especially good deal. | |
Excellent French cooking and a substantial wine list (around 180 varieties), starting in the Y3000 range but covering all the bases. They also have an extensive and unusual selection of eaux-de-vie. Lunch starts at Y1000; three-course dinners from Y4000. [See FULL REVIEW.] | |
Ai Ai (Okinawan). 3403-5575 An entertaining cave-like space with tiny doors, miniature rooms and lots of nooks and crannies. The menu features tasty and reasonably priced Okinawan, Thai and other Asian dishes along with assorted cocktails.  Jingumae 2-31-8. Open noon-2, 6pm-midnight (LO). Closed Sundays. | |
The decor of this cute little cafe is a mix of early-sixties batchelor-pad modern with African and Asian knick-knacks, while the soundtrack covers the range of Afro-pop and world music. There are plenty of cozy seating areas, including a couple of chairs perched in the tiny back garden. The menu features flavored teas, original cocktails, Singaporean chicken rice and Thai curries. | |
Well-prepared Hungarian food and an excellent selection of around 40-50 Hungarian wines, mostly under Y10,000 and mostly served by the glass. The dining space has an old-fashioned European air about it, with a big wide counter area, three tables and a tiny private room off to one side. Well-prepared Hungarian food and an excellent selection of around 40-50 Hungarian wines, mostly under Y10,000 and mostly served by the glass. The dining space has an old-fashioned European air about it, with a big wide counter area, three tables and a tiny private room off to one side.
Lunches are Y1200 (main course) and Y2500 (three courses), and feature dishes like sauteed sea bass, stuffed cabbage and chicken stew. There's a wider menu at dinner, with starters like foie gras, Hungarian salami, stuffed mushrooms and beef tartar, plus assorted soups. Budget around Y6000 for food and a few glasses of wine. [Show more] [Show less]  Jingumae 2-19-5, Azuma Bldg B1F. Open 11:30am-2, 6-9:30pm (LO). Closed Sundays. | |
North of Takeshita-dori
This casually hip bar and sometime music performance space is often open many hours later than the official midnight closing time. No cover charge. 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. | |
Good panini and other Italian-style sandwiches, desserts, coffee, tea, and wine by the glass. There's a small counter area, but business is mostly take-out. No smoking. Sendagaya 3-15-12. Open 8:30am-midnight. Closed Sundays. | |
A very pleasant garden-style cafe with decent food and drink. Lots of good curries, great momo dumplings and "special nan" - potato, keema, coconut, etc. - at very affordable prices. The tiny basement dining space is enlivened by Nepalese music videos. Open all day long, with lunch served to 4pm. Sendagaya 3-3-3, Executive Harajuku B1F. Open 11:30am-midnight daily. | |
A luxury-level Italian trattoria, with lunch from Y1500, dinner from Y6500. This lively cafe serves authentic Jamaican dishes like stamp and go (fish fritters), pepperpot soup and jerk beefsteak. Lunch specials start at around Y900, and in the evenings there's a full menu along with Appleton Rum cocktails and plenty of good music on the stereo. Jingumae 1-21-15, ATM Bldg 4F. Open 11:30am-3, 5-10pm. Closed Mondays. Very good Indian curries, tandoori dishes, and Nepalese specialties. Full-course dinners from Y2500 (or Y2000 for the vegetarian special). The dining room is tiny but cheerful. Jingumae 1-21-15, Napole Harajuku 2F. (about one minute N of Harajuku Sta Takeshita-dori exit) Open 11am-3, 5-10:30pm daily. Great, authentic Tunisian cooking in a cheery and spacious basement dining room. The roast fish is especially recommended. [See FULL REVIEW.] Sendagaya 3-53-3, B1F. Open 11:30am-2, 5:30pm-midnight. Closed Sundays. | |
Sen (Taiwanese). 3479-5337 A popular neighborhood hangout with good mid-level Taiwanese cooking. (Saturdays, Sundays dinner only.) Jingumae 3-24-1. Open 11:30-2, 5-10:30pm (LO) daily. Plain and simple is the motto of this unpretentious Harajuku cafe-bar. Drinks start at Y500, and kushiage is available from Y80-250 per skewer. At lunchtime they serve Japanese teishoku sets. Creative izakaya fare and a decent sake selection from this Kyoto-based shop. (They also have a famous branch in Paris called Guilo Guilo.) The prix-fixe, nine-course dinner is Y4000. Jingumae 3-25-8, Takeyama Bldg B1F. Open noon-2pm, 5:30-11:30pm (LO) daily.
Takeshita-dori
Good burgers and other simple California fare at this most "express" level of the Puck family of restaurants. Jingumae 1-17-1. (at the entrance to Takeshita-dori, across from the trains station) Open 11am-11pm daily. Good craft beers from Baird Brewery in Shizuoka, plus decent yakitori and similar light fare. The bar is popular with a foreign crowd and the atmosphere can be quite lively. Jingumae 1-20-13, No Surrender Bldg 2F. Open 5pm-midnight daily. | |
Sitting atop the tech-heavy and design-savvy KDDI Designing Studio, this popular cafe is an oasis of greenery and art magazines, with nice panoramic views overlooking Harajuku. The menu features light food as well as coffee and other drinks, and it's a nice place to take a break from an afternoon of shopping. Jingumae 4-32-16, KDDI Designing Studio 5F. Open 10am-7:30pm (LO) daily. | |
South of Takeshita-dori
One of the few places in Tokyo serving spicy Szechuan-style cuisine. Jingumae 1-8-5, B1F. (on Meiji-dori near Takeshita-dori) Open 11:30am-3, 5-9:30pm (LO). Closed Sundays. Above-average curries and other Indian fare. Budget around Y2000 for dinner, Y1000 for lunch. Jingumae 1-15-1. Open 11:30am-3, 5-10:30pm (LO) daily. | |
 Brussels (Belgian rest/beer bar). 3403-3972 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. Jingumae 1-10-23. Open 5:30pm-2am (Sat-11pm). Closed Sundays. | |
Famous Kyushu ramen; kakuni (Chinese-style stewed pork) is one of their specialties, and helps explain the long lines at lunchtime. Designed to resemble a stylish Tokyo dwelling (complete with bedroom, living room, and dining room), this popular Harajuku cafe offers shoppers a comfortable place to sit and watch the world go by. Lunch sets from Y840 on weekdays and Y945 on weekends. | |
Spicy grilled chicken wings with pepper, all kinds of yakitori, chicken stews, and chicken sashimi are just a few of the superb dishes from the extensive chicken-oriented menu. Try the tori senbei -- this shop's answer to fried pork rinds -- they're crispy, amazingly flavorful "sembei" crackers made from deep-fried chicken skin. The elegant, modern interior is large enough for big groups of customers, but they won't take reservations for groups of only 2 or 3. Service can be hit or miss. | |
A very well-stocked sake shop, plus a small stand-up bar where you can try samples in small 50ml tasting sizes. Usually there are around ten sakes open for tasting, priced Y200-400. There's also a small snack menu - prosciutto, cheese, dried mentaiko. The retail side of the shop stocks over 100 premium brands of sake, and unlike many shops that seem to specialize in those humongous isshobin bottles that won't fit in your fridge, most of the sake here is in convenient 720ml bottles or in tiny single-serving mini-bottles. | |
In addition to their standard ramen (Y1200-1450), Mist also offers a Y3000 prix-fixe ramen dinner (with salad, grilled pork and other dishes), and a Y5000 ramen "concept menu." The Y5000 menu must be ordered in advance. | |
The tiny cafe area attached to this spice shop serves spice-oriented dishes like lamb tajine and yogurt blanc mange with cardamom and lemongrass; at lunchtime there are curries and a bread and deli platter. The take-out counter handles standard and special-blend spices, cheeses, small deli items, Indian biryanis, olive oil, pasta and other assorted goods. | |
Healthy vegetable-oriented cuisine is the concept at this attractively appointed dining bar - everything from bagna cauda and vegetable terrines to robatayaki-style skewered morsels. Drinks include wines, shochu and sake - budget around Y5-6000 for food and drink at dinnertime. Lunches like their Japanese vegetable curry start at Y1300. Jingumae 4-12-4, Omotesando Hills 3F. Open 11am-11pm (LO) daily. | |
Zazza (Italian). 5785-1665 Reasonably priced pizzas and pastas from the XEX group (Salvatore Cuomo, The Kitchen) in a lively and stylish trattoria. You can sit at the spacious counter if you just want a glass of wine and a snack. Jingumae 4-12-4, Omotesando Hills 3F. Open 11am-11pm (LO) daily. | |
This unusual wine bar and retail shop offers more than 80 wines by the glass - mostly French, but with a good selection from elsewhere around the world. Wines come in three different tasting sizes (20ml, 50ml, 90ml), with prices averaging Y300-700 for the 50ml size. A new-fangled nitrogen dispenser system keeps the wines fresh, and automatically dispenses your selected wine when you insert a prepaid card. (Cards are sold in various denominations.) The chef here trained in France and New York, and his food menu ranges from simple small-plate dishes (in the Y500-1000 range) to full meals; at lunchtime you'll find mostly sandwiches. | |
South of Omotesando
A quiet spot hidden on a back street just a few steps from central Harajuku. There's a spacious cafe up front with fresh-baked pastries, a nice outdoor courtyard where dogs are allowed, and a full bar up on the balcony level. In back is a sprawling dining room where you can even get breakfast (8-11am). Jingumae 6-32-10. (in the street behind Condomania) Open 8am-midnight daily. | |
A tiny hole-in-the wall bar with a friendly proprietress and thousands of jazz albums from the fifties and sixties. During the day it's a jazz kissa (coffee shop), and at night there's a Y2000 cover charge. Jingumae 6-29-6, 2F. (in a tiny wedge of a building on the west side of Meiji-dori, a couple of blocks south of La Foret) Open 11am-11pm. Closed Sundays. | |
Harajuku doesn't offer a lot of options in the izakaya category, so we were happy to discover this stylish spot in the architecturally ambitious b6 shopping mall. The dining room is buzzing, service is friendly and efficient, and the food and sake are consistently good. [See FULL REVIEW.] | |
The open-air cafe inside this upscale furniture shop looks out onto a quiet miniature garden in back of Harajuku's b6 shopping complex. There's beer, wine, cappuccino, and a small Italian-themed menu - panini sandwiches, pasta, buffalo mozzarella with Parma ham. Jingumae 6-28-6, b6 B1F. Open 11am-8pm daily. | |
A bit smaller than the average cat cafe, Chamamo makes up for it with a good location (in central Harajuku) and a great view of Tokyo. They have nine cats "on staff" and charge Y500 for the first thirty minutes. Jingumae 6-5-6, Sanpo Sogo Bldg 5F. Open 11am-11pm daily. | |
This surprisingly spacious cafe is quiet enough for conversation or reading, and provides ample space between tables. The small food menu includes tasty curries, donburi dishes and cakes and pastries; the Harajuku Curry house special is made with cubes of kakuni stewed pork. Jingumae 6-6-2. Open 11am-10pm daily. | |
A cozy little neighborhood place with a limited menu of Thai standards, nicely prepared but adapted to Japanese tastes. Portions are on the small side. Jingumae 6-1-5. Open noon-3, 5:30-10pm (LO). Closed Sun. lunch, Mondays. Premium burgers, with Y1000 lunch sets till 4pm (2pm weekends). Jingumae 6-12-7. Open 11am-10:30pm (LO) daily. Zip Zap (Sandwiches/burgers). 3499-1150 The inside may look like a Harajuku cafe, but the menu is straight out of an American diner - fantastic burgers, big sandwiches, Mexican favorites and simple starters like fried calimari. Lunch specials are served until 3pm weekdays, and brunch runs till 5pm weekends. Jingumae 6-9-11. (from the Gap intersection walk towards Shibuya on Meiji-dori, take the first left, then right; it's on the left) Open 11:30am-10pm daily. | |
The first Japanese branch of Marc and Philippe Delacourcelle's popular Parisian wine bistro, Le Pre Verre offers French organic wines and modern, casual French food (the same menu as in Paris). Mix-and-match three-course dinners are Y4500, and in the daytime you can stop by the bar for cheese, charcuterie and wines by the glass. Jingumae 5-10-1, Gyre 4F. Open 11am-10:30pm (LO) daily. | |
The food and drink of sunny Madeira Island in Portugal is showcased here. There are 4-glass tasting sets of Madeira and Port wines, priced at Y1800 each, and a six-course prix-fixe Funchal menu featuring culinary specialties of the island is Y6300. The dining room is attractively laid out, and there's a separate bar are (LO 11pm) and some terrace seating. Jingumae 5-10-1, Gyre 4F. Open 11am-2, 6-10pm (LO) daily. | |
Top-class teppanyaki in a glitzy 1920s-style setting. Specialties include abalone and lobster, and premium beef from their own ranch in Hyogo-ken. Prix-fixe lunches start at Y6830, dinners from Y16,800. This gourmet grocery store offers a big selection of both imported and hard-to-find regional Japanese foods. Everything from goat butter and Hokkaido artisinal cheeses to fresh ramen noodles from Kyushu. They also carry dozens and dozens of unusual jams, preserves, dips and relishes. And if you can't find it here you might find it nearby - four more gourmet shops, including a well-stocked tea shop and an excellent bakery, share the basement of the Gyre Building. Jingumae 5-10-1, Gyre B1F. Open 11am-8pm daily. | |
A tiny cafe with pleasant outdoor seating beneath the Farmer's Table shop in Harajuku. Lunch sets are available for Y1000, and dogs are welcome on the patio. Jingumae 5-11-1. Open 11am-8pm daily. | |
Many Tokyo cafes have succeeded in creating a laid-back, Bohemian-style atmosphere, but none quite so literally as this charming Old World-inspired Czech cafe. In the evenings they serve popular national dishes like bramborak - potato pancakes served with various accompaniments - smoked salmon, mushrooms and ham, or spinach and egg. [See FULL REVIEW.] Shibuya 1-20-3. Open 11am-9:30pm (LO) daily. | |
A large conveyor-belt sushi restaurant on Omotesando; very popular with tourists. Jingumae 5-8-5. Open 11am-9pm daily. | |
Bamboo (Sandwiches/deli). 3406-1828 20 kinds of sandwiches, salads, fruit juices and coffee in a funky little cafe that seems like it's been here forever. Jingumae 5-8-8. Open 11am-10pm daily. | |
The sprawling, comfortable space off a Harajuku side street is filled with mismatched furniture and charmingly primitive artwork (or perhaps projects from a kindergarten art class). Eating utensils are nestled in empty Spam cans. We nearly tripped over a big shaggy dog asleep just inside the entrance. A DJ setup stands ready for the cafe's regular music nights and occasional art events. The sprawling, comfortable space off a Harajuku side street is filled with mismatched furniture and charmingly primitive artwork (or perhaps projects from a kindergarten art class). Eating utensils are nestled in empty Spam cans. We nearly tripped over a big shaggy dog asleep just inside the entrance. A DJ setup stands ready for the cafe's regular music nights and occasional art events.
The food menu focuses heavily on avocados - prize-winning guacamole, avocado fritters and numerous other avocado dishes in the evenings as well as daily pasta and risotto specials. At lunchtime there's a terrific Indonesian-style coconut and avocado curry, made with mushrooms and ground meat and seasoned on the spicy side. Take-out is available. Drinks include Belgian beers (all three colors of Chimay), coffee awamori and pear- and grape-flavored makkoli (milky Korean sake, for a limited time only). Budget around Y3000 at dinnertime. [Show more] [Show less] Jingumae 5-28-7. Open 11:30am-3, 6-10pm (LO) daily. | |
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: Wine served in Riedel glasses
