Tokyo is never short of ideas when it comes to themed restaurants and cafes. Some of Tokyo’s famous unusually themed cafes are animal cafes, owl cafes, and even a restaurant dedicated to “Ted”, an American movie franchise starring a foul-mouthed anthropomorphized teddy bear.
Aside from those, here are two more dreamy and out-of-this-world cafes in Tokyo.
@Home Café
In the electric Akihabara, do not hesitate to stop @Home Café, where waitresses dressed as maids serve you coffee or snacks to the sound of “okaerinsai” (Welcome home!). The café shows how the maids serve their masters, from food and drinks to entertainment.
@Home Café offers 4 basic services to make you “moe” (a special power to make your heart burn with passion and love).
Food and drinks are specially customized to look cute and adorable. It is believed to become tastier because of the moe magic power provided by the maids. You will not only enjoy the delicious food and snacks served by the maids, but also have the chance of playing games and taking pictures with the maid of your choice.
You may choose one of the maids to play some interesting games with. If you win, you will have the chance to challenge the moe machine to win some extraordinary prizes. Before you leave the café, you can pick a maid you like to take a photo with a Polaroid, presented in a cute frame as your memento. The cafe makes your experience extra special by celebrating your birthday with a moe birthday cake and song, and if you are lucky enough, the dancing maids will entertain you, too.
@Home Café is open from 11 AM until 10 PM daily, even on holidays. The admission fee is ¥700 and each person is required to order at least one item above ¥570. To limit the crowd and give others the chance to experience the café, each table is limited to one hour only. It is recommended to come early because the café does not accept reservations.
The Lockup
The Lockup is undisputedly one of the most bizarre themed restaurants in Tokyo in terms of pursuing realism in both interior design and in the entertainment they perform to knock the customers flat. In its Shinjuku branch, guests have to walk through the darkness that welcomes them at its seventh-floor lobby. Walking through the darkness also means passing by skeletons and putting your hands in the guillotine holes to open the prison gate. Lady Wardens are on standby at the gate to handcuff guests and charge them with crimes and lock them up in prisons.
The restaurant offers food and drinks served in a spooky and monster-themed presentation. You can order non-alcoholic drinks that comes with five test tubes filled with colored sweet liquids, a dropper, and a beaker to mix a drink of your choice. Some of their best-sellers are the Interview With the Vampire cocktail (named after Anne Rice’s novel), Medusa Eyeball, Pink Vaccine, Fried Cheese Balls, pizza, and French fries.
There are many themed eateries to choose from in Tokyo, and if you are interested in jail-themed izakaya, try The Lockup in Shinjuku. This location is open from 3 PM into the evening most days of the week. Reservation is unnecessary, but the waiting time can be long, especially on the weekend.
Have you been to any kooky cafes in Japan? Let us know your recommendations!