Shirube Shimokitazawa

Great location. Very authentic Japanese food. Staff was very helpful. Food was very good. Beef and potatoes was great. Sake was served in a large bamboo. Very good experience

Very lovely atmosphere. Recommend getting a reservation ahead of time. We came specifically for the fact that the sake is served in a large bamboo container. The bamboo flask is chilled and holds about 6 full cups of sake. The food is also amazing! Loved the giant daikon Oden and it was the best nikujaga (beef and potato stew) I've had.

Really atmospheric place with great food and fast service. They have english menus as well. We had some oden, cucumber, squid, stew and two types of sake. Overall service was fast, but we did come just as they opened so maybe later it gets slower. For 4 people all od this was 11 000 yen. I will definitely come again!

Dinner for 7 family & friends on a Thursday night during Obon. Online recommendations led me to book Shirubee, and I was pleased to get a large pre-booked table at short notice. Friendly welcome by staff who speak good English. Popular venue that seats over 80 people and had mix of Japanese and international groups. We opted for the 2-hour free flow with the set course menu. Food, beers & service were very good, and attractive price at Y5500 per head. Sashimi, pickled fish and the karage were favourites. There are meat and vegetarian options too. David W, August 2025

Great Izakaya well placed in Shimokitazawa, not so far from the station. The food is really good, fresh and tasty, the plates that they propose are original compare to other Izakaya. Menu in english available. The staff is really friendly and the atmosphere is really great, I highly recommend this Izakaya! Great time and great food !

I think when we become a foodie or trying new foods in different cultures, we always look for a hole in the wall kind of restaurant and not a chained restaurant. We stumbled upon this great small entranced restaurant but it turns out to be a very vibrant, busy, big spaced place. I highly recommend this place if you stop by japan. Food was fresh and delicious.

Seems chaotic but the staff were super organised. There’s fires going on , shouting of orders and generally a very manic atmosphere. Food quality very much surprised us. Every dish was great. Well prepared. Looking at the staff at work is like a theatre on display with million of actions all happening simultaneously. Some might find this environment not so appealing tho.

10 out of 10. I still dream about the corn. I do not remember what the sauce was but it was GODLY. I can eat that every single day. The sake can come in a bamboo cup so you can share with the whole table. The food is absolutely amazing. The ribs were juicy and delicious! Affordable place with amazing atmosphere! Absolutely awesome place will come back soon.

At Shirube Shimokitazawa's branch, my wife and I were treated to an evening that surpassed mere dining; it was an experience that lingered long after the last bite. The staff greeted us with warmth and humor, instantly making us feel at home in their traditional yet vibrant izakaya. Our culinary journey unfolded with an array of dishes that blended tradition with innovation. The negitoro avocado, a delightful fusion of tuna and avocado tartare, paired exquisitely with the accompanying garlic bread. Fresh sashimi from Toyosu Market showcased the purity of the sea, while the karage jan elevated fried chicken to an art form with its garlic-soy vinaigrette. The nasu agebitashi, a chilled marinated eggplant in dashi, offered a refreshing interlude before we delved into the comforting embrace of tamago kake gohan and daikon oden. Each dish, from the steamed rice adorned with fresh raw fish to the simmered daikon radish and fish cakes in Japanese dashi broth, whispered tales of tradition and craftsmanship. But it wasn't just the food that left an impression; it was the ambiance and attention to detail that elevated our experience. Seated at the counter, we were treated to a front-row view of the chefs in action, their skill and passion infusing each dish with a sense of artistry. The fragrant pot of oden bubbling away added to the sensory symphony that enveloped us. As for libations, Shirube offered a comprehensive selection that catered to every palate. We indulged in everything from wine and beer to sake and shochu, each sip enhancing the flavors dancing on our tongues. Located amidst the charming chaos of Shimokitazawa's backstreets, Shirube stands as a beacon of culinary excellence. It's a place where tradition meets innovation, and where locals and foreigners alike gather to savor the finest flavors Japan has to offer. In a town brimming with dining options, Shirube shines as a hidden gem waiting to be discovered. Whether you're a seasoned foodie or a casual diner, a visit to Shirube promises an experience that transcends mere dining - it's a journey into the heart and soul of Japanese cuisine.

I really had high hopes for this place. I'll start with the food, I'd rate it 8/10. Best dish I had was the braised beef with potatoes. Now, onto the service... it was a group of 12 women (we reserved in advance) and just by that you can tell the minute we walked in that the staff was already annoyed at such a big group. We sat at a long table surrounded by groups that had been there already. Our original group had 15 but day 3 cancelled due to illnesses so when we sat down there were a few open seats and they rushed up to scoot over so they can open up another table to serve other guests who ch was all good but they snatched dishes from us when we were moving and we're just real rude about it all. As the night goes on we are served our course meal but we are also ordering off the regular menu Al la carte as a few of us have a seafood allergy. We were also ordering bottles of champagne so in a sense we were spending additional money in addition to the set menu and noumihodai price. I got a sense they wanted to rush us out as fast as possible but their service was slow as far as getting us our drinks and a few of the menu items we ordered in addition. We tried ordering water many times and this female waitress with short hair was just so rude, about everything. Then when THEY were ready for us to leave they were super 速い with the check and literally came back every minute to collect money. It's a group of bloody 12 of us, why are we being rushed after an hour, we haven't finished our drinks or bottles of champagne let alone digested anything we ate that came out super late like the karaage. We were told since we reserved for a set menu we only had 90 min, the surrounding people who were there eating when we got there were not being disturbed at all. We ordered off of the regular menu and bought champagne bottles. Why are we not allowed a little extra time to finish our drinks and food that were delivered late. The staff was just so rude about it all and not understanding. They just kept reiterating the same thing over and over again about us having a set menu but didn't care that we ordered from off the menu. It was an experience I haven't ever had in my 4 years of living here and I felt bad for my friends who are new to Japan or just visiting that had to have this experience. What was supposed to be a nice ladies night out for once without our kids and spouses turned into an upsetting night for us all and left a bad taste in our mouths. I would not recommend this place.

Great place for traditional izakaya type of food. They have oden and other grilled items. We're vegetarian but it was so easy for us to order at this place and also very delicious! We got shiitake mushrooms, eggplant, burdock root, squash and fried tofu!! It was delicious and healthy :) And the warm sake is so good! Back at home I always get cold sake so Tokyo was the first time we tried warm and mmmm soooo good!! :)

I came here 4 years ago and it was awesome. The food was good, the service was great and we had fun. This time kinda sucked. We had a reservation but had to wait outside. Then they were out of sashimi. The straw that broke the camel's back was when we ordered the cheese tofu with baguette. Instead of baguette it came with regular bread, which is much cheaper and not baguette. We ordered another dish and after waiting 30 min gave up. Sad trombone. A good place for tourists perhaps but as locals we will not be back.

One of my favorite places I went. Ask for the "all you can drink" special (No may ho dai) and they'll just bring out food and drinks for a really reasonable price. Everything was really good.

Very friendly, delicious food, fun atmosphere. Lots of locals. Lots of vegetables choices and vegetarian friendly.

So, I ended up there with an invitation from friends who had eaten there before and from the beginning loved the place. It's a little hard to find and non-descript, but worth it. I like the lively, crowded and authentic ambiance, and even though it seemed chaotic, the service was impeccable. Someone had spilled a glass of water i kept on the wall behind where I was sitting, as the table wasn't that big, and immediately a brigade of staff armed with towels and a fresh glass of water surrounded the scene! The food was incredibly tasty, fresh and innovative. Simple, yet innovative. Please order the highly recommended dishes, including the dried chicken, shrimp in Mayo, all salads, and the Mackeral that they cook in front of you. I can't remember all that we had, as the entire weekend in Tokyo was a blur, but it felt incredible. Definitely a return trip is in order for me!

Ok food, but just ok. Probably really great if you are a twenty-something, not so much if you are over forty. Greasy food, very loud, warm beer, quite inexpensive. Mostly college age foreign crowd, very few locals.

Great izakaya recommended by a friend who lived in Tokyo. Super atmosphere and interaction withy the waiters and others customers. And the food is really nice, but diversity could be improved. The best of all the izakayas we've been to in Japan (in 7 days though ). Highly recommended if you're looking for a real Japanese 'bistro' atmosphere.