Clubs in Tokyo

Restaurants in Tokyo

Bars in Tokyo

Geronimo Yamamuro Bldg 2F, 7-14-10 Roppongi, Minato-ku (3478 7449) Roppongi station. Open 7pm-6am daily. Credit. Amex, V, MC, DC, JCB. Branch: Mogambo, Osawa Bldg 1F, 6-1-7 Roppongi, Minato-ku (3403 4833), Roppongi station. http://www.geronimoshotbar.com This place and its sister bar, Mogambo, are two of the liveliest bars for foreigners in Tokyo, skirting the ridiculous excess of nearby Gas Panic, but only just. Like most places in Roppongi, Geronimo doesn't really get going until 1am. If you can drink 15 different shots here, you'll make your way into the hall of fame, get your name on a plaque, a free T-shirt and a terrible hangover. Mon B1, 28-13 Udagawa-cho, Shibuya-ku (3476 7236)Shibuya station. Open 4.30pm-1am Mon-Thur, Sun; 4.30pm-2am Fri, Sat. No credit cards. A long-established bar on one of Shibuya's main drags with a good reputation for cocktails and super-efficient service. Every order is greeted with a shouted chorus of `Hai!' and then repeated across the bar until it finally reaches the ears of the uniformed barmen. Prices are firmly mid-range, with beer at ¥600, gin and tonic ¥700 and frozen Margaritas ¥800. There is, however, a ¥500 table charge. Bernd's Bar Pure 2F, 5-18-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku (5563 9232)Roppongi station. Open 5-11pm Mon-Sat (bar open till empty). Credit AmEx, MC. If you're German, you'll feel right at home in this friendly second-floor bar. Fresh pretzels are stacked on the tables; Bitburger and Erdinger, among other beers, are ready at the tap for washing down your Wiener schnitzel. Even if you're not German you'll like it. Try and get a table by the window, for the view over the nightlife area of Roppongi is worth catching. If you happen to meet the owner, Bernd Haag, you'll find he can chat with you in English, German, Spanish, as well as Japanese. Bon's 1-1-10 Kabuki-cho, Shinjuku-ku (3209 6334) Shinjuku station. Open 7pm-5am daily. No credit cards. Two minutes' walk away from the neon of Shinjuku is Golden Gai, an area of barely one square kilometre that houses around 200 nomiya, or Japanese bars. Most bars here do not welcome foreigners, but this is one of the few that does, even though you'll have to pay a ¥600 cover charge for the privilege. It's bigger than most, too. Kind House Ruins B1, 1-8-5 Kichijoji Honcho, Musashino-shi (0422 21 6269) Kichijoji station. Open 5pm-2am daily (last orders 1am). Credit V. Tokyo is not short of theme bars, but even connoisseurs of the tacky will be impressed by this place, a short ride out of the centre. From the outside, Ruins looks like nothing special. It's not until you descend the staircase to the cavernous basement that the first shock really hits you. You're climbing down a dinosaur's gullet. Once inside, you may need a drink from (around ¥700) while you take in the surroundings. In one corner a dead dinosaur (possibly a brontosaurus) lies on its back while locals happily tuck into izakaya-style food sitting at tables in its ribcage. At centre of the room there's a fountain with an ichthyosaur in it, while the far wall boasts a stegosaurus, a triceratops and a variety of trilobites. After all this, you probably won't notice the food, which is good, but unremarkable. You will, however, almost certainly need another drink to steady your nerves before getting up that staircase. Rock 'n' Roll Diner Big Ben Bldg B1, 2-5-2 Kitazawa, Setagaya-ku (3411 6565) Shimo-Kitazawa station (Odakyu/ Inokashira lines). Open 5pm-midnight Mon-Fri; 4pm-2am Sat; 4pm-midnight Sun. Credit AmEx, MC, V. Loud, large, popular bar and restaurant in the heart of trendy young Shimo-Kitazawa with 1950s/'60s music and motif, non-stop videos and loud rock 'n' roll. American-style food, heavy on pseudo Tex-Mex fare, like fajitas. Huge drinks selection includes Margaritas by the pitcher. Good place to meet people before you head off to explore the neighbourhood. Kaga-ya B1, 2-15-12 Shinbashi, Minato-ku (3591 2347) Shinbashi station. Open 5.30-11.30pm Mon-Sat. No credit cards. When the awards for the strangest place in Tokyo are handed out, the master of this bar, who goes by the very un-Japanese name of Michael, will be somewhere near the front of the queue. On arrival, you will be handed a cocktail list which is nothing more than a list of countries. Once you've placed your order, the master will disappear into a cupboard and reappear dressed in a costume which reflects the country you've chosen. The drink itself may be in a vibrating glass, a glass that moos when picked up, or a soup bowl. Once the drinks round is over, you will be encouraged to play games and dress up. Small portions of delicious food are provided as part of the ¥500 cover charge, cooked by the master's tolerant mother. Go with a party of at least six people (call to book, it's a small place) and you'll have the time of your life. The billing system is mysterious; no matter how much you eat and drink here, it always seems to come to ¥2,500 a head.