A friendly neighborhood hang-out with a selection of sake and a few Japanese microbrew beers, along with appetizing izakaya-style dishes. [feedback]

Ikejiri 3-3-3. Open 5pm-5am daily.

An astonishing selection of sake, with a full menu page of new, limited-edition arrivals every week. The food tends towards simple, country-style fare, and the atmosphere is very down-home - it's a mother-and-son operation, with mom in the kitchen and her son (the "ko" in Tsukushi-no-ko) out on the floor pouring sake and making recommendations. [feedback]

Higashiyama 3-1-11. Open 5-11pm. Closed Sundays.

Behold the ume El Dorado, where up to 250 kinds of umeshu await you: Bar Kutoma. A tiny realm with room for about twenty, benevolently ruled by a soccer-loving umeshu expert, this late-night Ohashi spot offers tasting flights (umeshu kikisake set) for Y1000. Choose on your own or ask the owner to tailor a set to suit your tastes. [See FULL REVIEW.][feedback]

Ohashi 2-16-24. Open 8pm-3am (or later). Closed Sundays.

A big, sprawling antique shop with a charming little cafe and dessert corner; the best seats seem to be out front, looking out onto the street. [feedback]

Ikejiri 2-7-8. (on Mishuku-dori, just south of Route 246) Open 11am-8pm daily.

A hole-in-the-wall French place on a tiny side street off Tamagawa-dori (turn left at the Sunkus store). The cramped coffeeshop tables and cable-radio French music could get annoying over the course of an evening's meal, but their Y1,000 two-course lunch offers a nice change of pace from the nearby pasta joints and family restaurants. Full-course dinners from Y3,000, wines from Y2,500. [feedback]

Ikejiri 1-8-8. Open 11:40am-1:40, 6-9:30pm (LO). Closed Mondays.

Inexpensive, competently prepared pastas and other dishes that are very popular with a young, local crowd. [feedback]

Ikejiri 1-9-11. Open 11:30am-3am (LO) daily.

One of Tokyo's premier sake pubs, with around 100 varieties at any given time. You can order a sashimi platter ahead of time, when you make your reservation, to get a better selection of fish. No smoking at the counter. [feedback]

Sangenjaya 2-15-3. Open 5:30-11:30pm (LO) daily.

Charcoal-grilled meats, fish and seasonal vegetables from the management of Kuu restaurant in Nishi-Shinjuku. Full-course dinners start at Y3500, but there's plenty to order a la carte. [feedback]

Sangenjaya 2-10-16. Open 5pm-1am daily.

A casual cafe serving real Moroccan cuisine - lamb and dried fruit tajine, grilled snapper flavored with garlic, and spicy meat kebabs. Prix-fixe dinner is Y3900. Open till 2am Fri/Sat; lunch served on weekends. [feedback]

Tamagawa 3-10-11. Open 5-11:30pm. Closed Mondays.

A casual bar/ cafe/ restaurant with a very varied but always appealing izakaya-style menu, with dishes like beef cheeks stewed in beer, Vietnamese spring rolls, and a lavishly constructed Salad Nicoise. The drinks list is similarly eclectic, with very reasonably priced wines. [feedback]

Tamagawa 3-23-24, B1F. Open 6:30pm-3am daily.

Chinese, Korean and Western-style dishes served tapas-style in a very lively izakaya setting. [feedback]

Tamagawa 3-4-2. Open 5-10:30pm (LO) daily.

Fantastic, authentic Taiwanese-style dumplings; including the hot-broth-filled shoronpo dumplings for which they're most famous. [See branch review] [feedback]

Tamagawa 3-17-1, Takashimaya Minami-kan 9F. Open 11am-10pm (LO) daily.

Gourmet pork from Kagoshima is the specialty here - charcoal-grilled, and served as shabu-shabu, dumplings and cutlets. The drinks menu includes a good selection of shochu from that part of Kyushu as well. From the Cardenas group, until now known mainly for their California cuisine restaurants. [See branch review] [feedback]

Tamagawa 3-20-13. Open 11:30am-2, 5:30pm-2am (LO) daily.