SHINJUKU: Yakitori MaruKin 299yen-30min Nomihoudai (all you can drink)... I've landed on Gulliver's Island with tiny yakitori chicken sticks! Lets drinks!!

March 20 is a national holiday "Spring Equinox Day" (shunbun no hi) so it was time to begin drinking at an early 6pm... where to start?  

I've passed by this sign many times in Shinbashi... 60yen Yakitori and 299yen all you can drink for 30 minutes.  Just had to check out their Shinjuku branch.

Its your very own bar!  They had everything... lots of Sake (even Okinawan Awamori), Korean Makkori, Wine, Hi-Balls, Sours, Draft Beer, Hoppy and you can create your own mixed drinks.  All self service...

The yakitori sticks are mostly 60yen... I've never seen it so cheap before... but there is a very good reason for this pricing. 

Honest to goodness... the yakitori sticks were sooo tiny!  Its felt like we were ordering off the kiddy menu.  But I guess you really only get 60yens worth... and nothing was really that good.

Special ultra garlicy sauce for your sticks.  Had a great kick.

Potato salad... pretty good.  

Normally my absolute favorite... but it was rather hard here.  Not the usual crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.

Shop recommended Tofu.

This was interesting... I think it was like a chicken ball with red radish normally seen as a topping on Okinawan Soba.  Hmm....

Oh boy... I really can't remember what we paid for this tiny bowl of seasoned bean sprouts.  If you are broke in Japan and really need to eat just goto the supermarket to get a pack of this for 29yen.  Its THE least expensive veggie in all of Japan.

Oh, there's a mandatory 1 hour minimum for the drinks so just think about 600yen per hour for Nomihoudai (all you can drink)... atmosphere was cozy, BGM was alot of famous Japanese hits from the 80s, nice mixed crowd of salarymen-young girls-college students... Overall the food was very lackluster but who really enters this place for the food.  Our bill came out to 4,200yen for 1 hour... so be careful.  Its really not a bargain if you order too much mediocre food.  I suggest using this place as a Ichijikai (1st spot) for an hour then move onto a place with better food.

Restaurant: Yakitori Marukin Shinjuku Main Branch

Restaurant J: やきとり○金 新宿本店

Foodie Website: https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1304/A130401/13134341/

Address J: 東京都新宿区新宿3-34-16 池田プラザビル4F

Address E: Tokyo, Shinjuku-ku, Shinjuku 3-34-16, 4F

Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/7f4nqe7wgPzeSK2n7

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焼き鳥、もつ鍋、居酒屋, 新宿駅, Japan, Japanese, foodie, yelp, tokyobelly, cheap, pub, bar, chicken, skewers, izakaya, shinjuku, 

SHIBUYA: HIRO Wine Bar for 60min/1,000yen All-You-Can-Drink beer and wine!

My MBA classmate was in town on some business and needed to kill an hour before dinner... so check out Tabelog and found Hiro!  Entrance had some cushy seats that flowed into the back end with counter and round hi-table seating.

Draft beer for the 1,000yen 60min drinks was Heartland... not too bad.  Other items were red/white wine, soft drinks and wine cocktails. 

Just ordered one Pate but it was as small as a 500yen coin... wish there was more volume.

View from our counter seating facing outside was this... 

Ended with a few glasses of wine.

I'd suggest sitting at the bar counter to watch the Chef do his magic.

Overall it wasn't too bad in a town that usually charges 500yen per drink on top of a "Otoshi" fee... but as usual the dangers of all-you-can-drink (Nomihoudai) is you try a bit too hard.  Cozy spot, clean and fashionable spot... I'd highly suggest it if you are in the mood to drink more than 3 drinks.

Shop: HIRO Wine Bar

Foodie Website: http://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1303/A130301/13104399/

Address J: 東京都渋谷区道玄坂2-6-7

Address E: Tokyo, Shibuya-ku, dogenzaka 2-6-7, 2F
MAP:

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SHINJUKU SAN-CHOME: Bistro Gomaya for 1,000yen 2hr drinks!

There are few places that I've found in Tokyo that will let you do an all-you-can-drink for a fixed amount without having to go for a set menu course.  But my random search in Shinjuku for an inexpensive spot led me to Bistro Gomaya!

And there it was... 2hrs of drinks for only 1,000yen and you can order Ala'Carte too~.  No fixed meal plan that normally accompanies All-You-Can-Drink or in Japanese "Nomihoudai."

Most of the menu is in Japanese... but I'd suggest stepping outside to look at all the pics...

Food pictures at the entrance of the shop~... very helpful!

Friend Terry tried out the Goma (Sesame Seed) Shochu with Hoppy... 

Fried chicken with Goma seasoning... hmm...

Nice Avocado Tuna tartar with Goma sauce... tasty!

For kinds of Potatoes... As you can see we really weren't there for the food... just drinks and catching up.

You'll definitely have to try the Goma-Shochu... very smooth!

Even included  real mid-size bottled beer in the 1,000yen drink menu... not the inexpensive Happoshu.  

Interior was very clean and comfortable... there is a little buzzer in the booths to call on waiters.

Interesting umbrella stand...

Well worth the trip in a city where draft beer can go for 1,000yen.  If you are in Shinjuku and on a budget you'll have to give this place a try.

Oh!  Most important... for the 1,000yen 2hr drink special you have to enter the restaurant by 6:30pm... then you are good for the 2hrs!  Last call will usually come around the 1.5hr mark if the waiters are not too busy to notice...

Shop: Bistro GOMAYA (Shinjuku Sanchome station exit C3)

Shop Website: http://www.jack-pot.co.jp/map/

Gnavi Website:  http://r.gnavi.co.jp/g203606/ 

Foodie Website: http://r.tabelog.com/tokyo/A1304/A130401/13024639/

Address J: 東京都新宿区新宿3-4-1 カルムビル ５Ｆ

Address E: Tokyo, Shinjuku-ku, Shinjuku 3-4-1,  CALME Bldg 5F
MAP:

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