Tokyo Theme Restaurants
Cheap, Fun, and Unique Japanese Dining Experiences
Whether you're looking for a fun experience for the kids, an interesting date night, or a lively party with friends, Tokyo theme restaurants may be the place to go.
Tokyo restaurants provide no shortage of dining options. In fact, the Japanese capital dwarfs even New York and London in the number of eateries available. But for a truly memorable and unique dining experience that won’t empty your wallet, head to one of many Tokyo theme restaurants. The establishments are so named because they are all centered around a particular "theme" such as Arabia or Prison or Ninjas (they are indeed a varied lot).
Everything in the restaurants caters to the theme-- from the waiters’ outfits, to the restaurant décor, to the menu. And there are usually some gimmicks thrown in for good measure.
The Best
There are theme restaurants for a plethora of different "genres" and certainly finding one to suit your taste should not be a challenge. Ninja(+81 03 5157 3936, Akasaka Tokyu Plaza 1F, 2-14-3 Nagatacho, Tokyo. About 3 minutes on foot from Akasaka Mitsuke Station, Tokyo Metro) may be the best in terms of food and overall atmosphere, but the price is a tad on the steep side (think $30-50 a head with drinks and all included). Cheaper options include Christ-On Café(+81 03 5728 2225, 2-10-7 Dogenzaka, Shibuya Ku, Tokyo. About 5 minutes from Shibuya JR and Tokyo Metro Station) with its Catholic Church theme (it may offend some religious people), Vampire Café(+81 03 3289 5360, 7F La Paix Bld., 6-7-6 Ginza, Chuo Ku, Tokyo. 7 minutes from Tokyo Metro Ginza Station) for the Goths out there, and Lock-Up(+81 03 5728 7731 B2F Shibuya Grand Tokyo Bld., 33-1 Udagawa-Cho, Shibuya, Tokyo. 7 minutes from Shibuya JR and Tokyo Metro Station) for those into kitschy experiences with lots of alcohol in prison cells.
Turning Japanese?
Dining at a Tokyo theme restaurant may be a quintessential Japanese experience. Renowned for the so-called “cult of cute” which pervades the culture, Japanese people seem to love a good campy, tacky night out. You’ll find everything from businessmen and groups of housewives to romantic couples, groups of teenagers or university students. Theme cafes seem to have nationwide appeal.
American Equivalents
The U.S. and other Western countries do have their own versions of theme restaurants. We have the Hard Rock Café, Rainforest Café, and Medieval Times. While those places have a certain décor, atmosphere, and some even have gimmicks or performances to offer, they are nowhere near as elaborate or over-the-top an experience as a Japanese theme restaurant.
Up A Notch in Japan
Japanese theme restaurants take the kitsch, childish abandon, and Disneyland-ish atmosphere to a different level. In Lock-Up, for instance, they don’t just sit you in prison cells with black and white clad waiters and prison named oddities on the menu. They do that, but they also offer narrow hallways with spook house-like surprises, props, etc., a “surprise” which includes masked “escape convicts” who run around with chainsaws as the lights are turned off and heavy metal music blares (can you imagine the lawsuits in the U.S.?), and sexy “prison guards” who lead you around with real handcuffs.
So, if you’re up for a wild and wacky night or you just want to escape to another world for a night, you must try one of these Japanese oddities. You really do have to experience one to believe it.
