The Robot Restaurant + Bar – Tokyo, Japan
Happy Throwback Thursday! I’m in Tokyo for the next little bit and am scheduling up this post for those considering a trip to Japan
Domi arigato, Mr. Roboto. Your eyes will not know where to look upon entering the lobby lounge of Tokyo’s Robot Restaurant.
Is this Liberace’s palace?
Is this the future?
THIS my friends is what $10 billion yen will buy you – gold shell swivel chairs, crystal chandeliers, wall-to-wall mirrors and LOTS of neon sparkle. It’s seriously what the owners spent decking out the place and I really hope they’ve made that money back.
Since it was our first time in Tokyo, many friends suggested we check out the Robot Restaurant in the Shinjuku district. It’s sort of like a Medieval Times dinner theatre experience except with robots and the same sort of level of cuisine, one might expect.
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The Robot Restaurant was also recently featured on Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown– and he proclaimed that it was, “The greatest show on earth!” Agreed. There is NOTHING like this and it could only happen in Japan.
Pre-Show – Once you weave your way down two levels into the basement, you’ll be greeted by a robot – er person in a segway-like robot costume and into the bar and lobby area. They have animatronic toys and dinosaurs hanging out on each table and you’ll have a bit of time to absorb the craziness of the room and have a drink at the bar. Trust me, it feels even more trippy when you’re jet-lagged.
Once the theatre opens, you are handed your bento box dinner on the way in. You then squeeze yourself into an elementary-like school desk (space is limited in Tokyo) to eat and watch the show.
The opening number features Japanese bikini babes showcasing traditional drumming. It’s loud, fun and complete sensory overload. The cast hangs out on a bunch of remote-controlled floats – singing, smiling and dancing along. We were instructed to watch our heads and check our clearance or else we would get clocked by a moving float – robots AND danger? AWESOME.
Since it was Christmas, we were treated to a pole dance number to Mariah Carey’s, “All I Want for Christmas” – uh wha? I thought this was robots – but there’s also some acrobatic pole dancing….because why not add another layer of complexity to it all?
One of the moving floats
Robots on wheels!
The Food – It’s okaaaay. You don’t really come for the food. I picked a bit at my rice and fish. I was sick earlier in the week, so I didn’t want to dive back into fish right away. As well, the restrooms are sort of blocked off during certain acts of the show, so I decided to hold off and wait to grab dinner after the performance. The bento box did include a mini bottle of green tea and alcoholic beverages were available before the show and during intermissions when they were setting up for the next act.
Glowsticks! Halfway through the show, the crew hands out glowsticks to the audience so you can wave along to the music and cheer on your favourite robot! A bachelor party even brought homemade signs. After awhile, everyone just goes with it and waves along.
Robot wars!
Getting Tickets – The admission price of $50 includes a bento box dinner. If you make a reservation through ANY hotel concierge, they will likely have a 2 for 1 coupon and for $25 per person – it ends up being worth it for the 60 minute show.
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You are then instructed to show up 30 minutes early so they can seat everyone on time. Three shows run nightly Monday – Saturday at 7 pm, 8:30 pm and 10 pm, so you’ll likely get a seating on any given night, but reservations are still recommended. Seating is tight. So there’s a complimentary coat check and lockers in a space that the restaurant rented across the street.
At the end of the show, the audience is invited on to the floor to take pictures with as many of the robots as you want. Since the staff know this place is a major tourist attraction, pictures are allowed throughout the show. I mean who doesn’t want a photo with a DJ robot?
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The Robot Restaurant is a must-do on your first trip to Tokyo. I promise you that you will never forget it and it will be the best $25 you’ve ever spent on a bag of crazy.
Shinjuku District – Make sure you give yourself some time to explore Shinjuku, the entertainment district is full of bars, restaurants and clubs. We grabbed a bowl of ramen after the show and checked out a couple of the bars in the area for drinks afterwards.
For more information check out:
The Robot Restaurant
Shinjuku District – Tokyo, Japan
Reservations: 03-3200-5500
The Robot Restaurant is almost indescribable, so I will leave you with this video of what to expect here:
Have you been to the Robot Restaurant in Tokyo, Japan before? What did you think?
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