Kudankaikan Beer Garden, Kudanshita 九段会館ビアガーデン、九段下

Having spent most of the summer harping on about the need to fit in some beer garden action, come mid-September I’d still not managed it. For the most part this was due to repeated failed attempts to book those that seemed of interest. More to the point, so late in the season all the best were fully booked until they shut down for the year. Even my once beloved Meiji Kinenkan’s Sekirei Beer Terrace let me down, having gone “Premium,” which basically means it now costs twice what is used to, with no discernable upgrade in service or experience (the food was always pretty crap there anyhow).

Despairing, I thought I might settle for a couple of cans of Nodogoshi on a park bench somewhere, when at the eleventh hour our Dear Leader suggested the Kudankaikan’s rooftop beer garden. It was duly booked.

Situated in Kudanshita, a short frogmarch from the Yasukuni Shrine, this beer garden (on the roof of a 1930s officers’ club), which runs from May through September, offers all-you-can-drink options supplemented by various food sets. Furthermore, as if vats of wine were not enough to occupy even the thirstiest, depending on the day of the week, entertainments are provided. There’s a bunny girl night, Samba, Ladies’ Night and BBQ grill, depending on when you visit. For example, on the night of our visit, the three-girl dance troupe, Shekira, were strutting their non-too shabby stuff. Three girls in sparkly kimono and high leather boots (tradition is not an issue) prance about on stage, sing classic English love songs, and endure the leering and cheering of drunk, balding middle-aged salarymen. Eventually, when the titillation levels are suitably ramped up, the girls rip of their kimono to reveal skimpy, military/manga pop-whore costumes. And then, something to eat?

Our drinks plan, the offering mainly consisting of thinned Kirin beer, cheap red wine and some sours, was accompanied by a yakiniku set per head. It actually turned out to be a fairly generous table that was spread, with plenty of vegetables to turn to charcoal and assorted cuts of beef and pork, mostly of the marbled, fatty variety so highly esteemed in these lands. Not the best yakiniku you’ll ever have, but not the worst either. Besides, it’s meant to line the stomach in order to facilitate the consumption of near lethal quantities of beer, not win Michelin Stars.  

The atmosphere was good. Noisy, cheerful, and lecherous. Service was surprisingly quick considering that the few staff (including a bunny girl) were trying to keep up with orders from a couple of hundred greedy drinkers. Not much more to say. Cheap drinks and food, fun surroundings, good company.

Tel: 03-3261-5521