I attended a company-related drinking party with industry colleagues. It had been a few years since I last attended, but it was as crowded as ever. After toasting with beer (I had non-alcoholic beer as I was the designated driver), the organizer ordered a variety of dishes for us, so many that they couldn't all fit on the table (laughs). There were skewers, sashimi, and the usual favorites, but the homemade thick fried tofu with melted cheese was delicious! I also learned that Tsubohachi is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Thank you for the delicious meal.

Thursday's lunch was at Tsubo Hachi, as per His Majesty's request. His Majesty ordered the sushi soba set for ¥1290, while I, the servant, ordered the mini tendon and udon set for ¥1290. The waiter, Niisan, seemed to have some trouble understanding the order, as he had to confirm it twice. However, His Majesty remained patient and kind throughout. The mini tendon and udon set included two pieces each of shrimp, eggplant, pumpkin, and sweet potato, with the udon having a good texture and a slightly strong saltiness. The miso soup seemed unnecessary. The sushi soba set was surprisingly delicious, with both the sushi and soba being very tasty. The soba was a bit soft and stretchy, though. Overall, the lunch menu prices seem a bit high for a weekday lunch, especially for working individuals. It might be better to reconsider the pricing and perhaps aim for something under ¥1000. Also, the waiter, who seemed a bit older, could use some improvement in his customer service skills. Thank you for the meal.

Today, I had a drink with someone I have a business relationship with. The venue was chosen by the other person, and it was Tsubo Hachi Kurayama Branch. It was just the two of us, but they had reserved a private room that could seat four people. When I arrived at the restaurant, my companion was already there, so we quickly ordered drinks - both of us chose beer. After the initial order, we used a touch panel tablet to place our orders. I'm not very good at it, but my companion kindly took care of ordering everything for us. Cheers! The beer mugs were ice-cold, with ice included. Delicious! We also enjoyed edamame, assorted sashimi, and various skewers. My impression of Tsubo Hachi is that the dishes are neither exceptional nor disappointing. They are decently tasty, but I wish there were more standout dishes. Nevertheless, today's main focus was on chatting with my companion, so I made the most of it. Thank you for taking care of me. It was a great meal!

I was so hungry or maybe just too eager to eat that there are no photos of the food! (There was actually a photo of grated meatballs, but it seemed sad so I didn't include it) So here is a photo of the cold sake poured by the lovely waitress (;´д｀). I had a 160g beef steak, a sushi set, simmered tripe, summer vegetable skewers, and various other dishes, but I forgot due to old age. However, everything was delicious. I'm sorry, Tsubohachi.

Today, I revisited a regular work-related drinking party. I ended up going to this restaurant quite often because of such occasions. Tsubohachi Kurayama branch is the place. It was a drinking party full of middle-aged men, and as usual, they were quite loud for their age. They drank a lot, and ate a lot too. Well, I also didn't lose when it came to drinking. I went with just one beer without eating much. But today, Tsubohachi was surprisingly quiet. Normally, every room would be packed and it would be noisy and uncomfortable, but today it was overall quiet and there were fewer customers. However, the people around me were as lively as ever. I have to say, the food at Tsubohachi itself is not that great. But I think the Kurayama branch has slightly better quality compared to other branches. I used to like it a lot when I was younger, but now that I'm older and have eaten at various other places, I'm not so keen on it. If I were drinking with young women, I might consider going there, but with middle-aged men, I'm even less inclined to go. Nevertheless, restaurants like this are necessary in town. It was delicious!! Thank you for the meal♪

Daririn and Tsubo Hachi from outside the city. It was the first time for just the two of us to come together. In the past, Tsubo Hachi in Kurayama was famous for its large shrimp fry like in Nagoya, but gradually the shrimp stopped being included and the menu disappeared or the owner passed away. Nevertheless, this lively restaurant in town remains unchanged. Many families use it, so private rooms are essential. They also have a TV. This style has been adopted here since a very early stage. I used to drink freshly squeezed grapefruit juice a lot. I remember there were kids drinking Pink Shower as well... Although Masayan and I usually don't drink much besides beer at the Tsubo in the Okura Building. During this season, we were both hooked on lemon sour, so we both ordered sour drinks... The order system was also on tablets, just like at the Okura. When I was living in Minami Ward, I used to think that Tsubo was tastier than Sapporo, but I think the King of Tsubo is the kitchen staff at the Okura store because they are skilled. They also have all-you-can-drink, so that's another plus. Of course, regional stores have their strengths with unique menus. That cannot be denied. We were both really craving ramen since spring but kept missing out, so we found a pot ramen and tried it. It was delicious. It was satisfying without feeling lacking. We liked the volume as well. We left feeling content. It's nice once in a while.

Today, I had a work-related meeting followed by a drinking party. Honestly, I'm not very excited because it's just a bunch of old guys getting drunk, but I can't skip it due to work obligations. The meeting was quickly over and we moved on to the drinking party. There were so many heavy drinkers that even I was taken aback. I ended up switching from beer to sake after about 5 beers. The food was average, nothing special at Tsubohachi. But I think the quality is higher than other branches. I couldn't take many photos in this situation, so this is all I have. I don't even remember what I ate. I didn't even eat the sashimi in the photo. Tsubohachi is good for this kind of use. If you want to properly enjoy the food, you should go to a different restaurant. I politely declined the second round. My wife picked me up and I had a drink at home before going to bed. It's a bit painful to have to pay for this kind of event, but it's unavoidable. That's life as a working adult. Thank you for today! Good night!

I had the following dishes: tuna sashimi, zangi (fried chicken), chicken skin skewers, seared mackerel with grated nagaimo (Japanese yam), and fluffy grilled fish (recommended by the female server without mayonnaise). I ate while hopping between restaurants today, so I was full, but everything was delicious. Thank you for the meal.

4/26/2019 Today I had another work-related drinking party. I wasn't really looking forward to it, especially since it was held at Tsuboya Kuriyama branch. Well, Tsuboya is actually pretty decent for a chain restaurant. The sashimi is fresh enough and the quality of the dishes is better than other Tsuboya branches. But there are still limitations to chain restaurants. The old guys at the party kept praising the food that I didn't find particularly delicious. I left the restaurant without eating much, as usual. It's just the usual Tsuboya standard. I don't really want to come here, but for some reason, there are a lot of parties held at this branch in Kuriyama. I'll probably end up coming back when I least expect it, but honestly, I'd rather not. Thanks for the meal.

On February 15, I revisited a New Year's party for a certain organization. The venue was Tsubohachi, the busiest izakaya in Kuriyama. The party started normally with dishes coming out one after another from the original menu. The food was decent, as usual for Tsubohachi. I personally think the food at the Kuriyama branch is tastier than at other Tsubohachi locations. Even though I don't eat much at parties, the most delicious thing I had was probably the pizza. It had a crispy thin crust and was served piping hot. The best part was the drink-all-you-want beer server set up in the tatami room. It was great to be able to pour and drink beer freely. The party fee was 5,000 yen with all-you-can-drink, but I felt that the amount of food was a bit lacking. Nevertheless, it was delicious! I will definitely use their services again in the future. Thank you for the meal!

I had seared mackerel, grilled pork, salmon sashimi, scallop sashimi. Thank you for the delicious meal (*´﹃｀*)

Today, I had a work-related meeting followed by a social gathering. The venue was Tsubo Hachi Kuriyama branch. There were about 10 people in total, and I was the youngest, so I ended up taking care of things as the secretariat. I took the lead in ordering food and refilling drinks, as everyone was focused on drinking. I ordered beer in batches of 10 because that's what everyone was doing. I'm more of a drinker than an eater, so I just casually ordered some dishes to snack on while drinking. I had a bit of sashimi, one piece of Zangi, and one skewer. I barely ate anything, but that's okay! I had a total of 11 medium-sized beer mugs. In the future, it seems like there will be more of these drinking parties, which also serve as a form of entertainment. I want to build good relationships with people, so I'm looking forward to more events like this. It was delicious today too! Thank you for the meal!

Welcome.---------- July 2018 ----------There are many chain restaurants along Kurayama Ekimae Street that anyone would like. If you're looking to drink with a large group at short notice, this is the place to go. With private rooms and raised seating areas, it's almost always full and perfect for a cozy drink. The counter is the best spot. To start, we had minced gobou (burdock root) with spicy mayonnaise, which went well with drinks. The flavor-packed grilled beef misuji steak, which only appears during the anniversary festival, was not as well-prepared as the picture. There were a lot of tendons, particularly on the inside of the scapula or maybe the front leg? The sweet and salty onion sauce combined with pepper really brought out the flavor. The spicy tantan tofu, a rare tofu dish, was surprisingly delicious with its smooth and soft texture. It had a mild spiciness with a touch of shimeji mushrooms, chives, and a sprinkle of ichimi pepper. The zangi (fried chicken) was served hot and crispy with a juicy and flavorful meat inside. It's something to be proud of. The cost performance is great. It's loved by locals and groups, so thank you. Thank you for the meal.

Today, on my day off, there was a special show featuring Hokkaido on a certain TV program and they were showcasing Genghis Khan (grilled lamb dish) that looked incredibly delicious. So, I suggested to my wife that we should go to a local yakitori place or a yakiniku restaurant like Ooyari-ryou or Itou Section Chief to have some Genghis Khan for dinner. She agreed and drove us to a restaurant, but for some reason, we ended up at Tsubohachi. I didn't really understand why, but oh well. As expected of a popular izakaya, everything we ordered was delicious. It was quite crowded, with customers coming in one after another even after we arrived, and it ended up being full by the time we left. Thank you for the meal, it was a great experience.

Today, I had a party at my friend's local area! It was a course meal! Salad, pork shabu-shabu, sashimi, grilled fish, zangi (fried chicken), yakitori, fried shrimp, tempura with mushrooms and asparagus, pickled cucumbers, sake-steamed clams, kamameshi, and finally dessert with ice cream! There are no photos (lol) It was so much food that I couldn't finish it all! And it was all-you-can-drink! Moreover, the Tsubohachi here is one of the most delicious I've ever had! My stomach is satisfied, and I drank a lot too! I want to visit again! Thank you for the meal! The Kuriyama branch is great!

2017/12/13 Revisit "177th cup in 2017" Today, it's not a workplace, but a year-end party for a certain organization. A small gathering of 5 people. The venue is here: Tsubohachi Kurayama branch. I haven't been to Tsubohachi much lately, so I'm looking forward to it. Cheers with everyone! The beer is delicious! We leave the food choices to the organizer. We order various dishes, but they come out slowly. One thing I can say is that despite the crowd, there are definitely not enough staff members. They are clearly overwhelmed. However, the food eventually arrives. We mainly eat medium fatty tuna sushi. I'm not a big eater at drinking parties, so I ate moderately today. The taste is the same as before. We chat and drink noisily together. When everyone's chopsticks have stopped, I order the Tsubohachi ramen! This is another item I usually order here. It's a regular soy sauce ramen in a pot, about half the size of a normal ramen. The taste is nothing special, just a regular soy sauce ramen. It's convenient as a finishing ramen. I'm satisfied and my stomach is full. However, during this year-end party season, they should consider having more staff members. This is the most popular restaurant in Kurayama at night, so they should think about it. It was delicious! Thank you for the meal!

I was in Tokyo for training until the end of March, and after returning safely, I faced various unfortunate events and couldn't even have a meal with my family. My parents suggested having a meal together today, so we went to Tsubohachi Kurayama branch. It had been a while since we last visited Tsubohachi. I made a reservation in advance, so we were seated smoothly. We left the food choices to my wife and mother, and started with some cold beer, which was delicious. Personally, I only had sushi and tsukune. I had planned to finish with Tsubohachi ramen, but my stomach seemed to have shrunk and I had to give up. Nevertheless, it was a pleasant and enjoyable time. I am grateful to have a family that celebrates my safe return even at this age. However, the restaurant was crowded and the serving time was too long. My father was getting impatient. It seemed like they were understaffed, so improvement is needed. But the food was delicious! Thank you for the meal!

On 2016/12/12, I revisited Tsubohachi for the 210th time. Today, I attended a drinking party at Tsubohachi, which is a yearly tradition. It had been a year since my last visit. The Tsubohachi in Kurayama has a variety of unique menu items, making it more appealing than other Tsubohachi locations. However, I am not a big fan of chain restaurants. Although I tried various dishes today, nothing stood out as particularly delicious. One interesting item was the tuna with ponzu sauce, which was probably a seasonal dish. It was really tasty! And of course, when you think of Tsubohachi in Kurayama, you think of ramen! I also had the Tsubohachi ramen, which is served in a hot iron pot. The taste was average, and I opted for the half-size portion. I also enjoyed plenty of beer and left feeling satisfied. It was delicious! Thank you for the meal! --------------------------------------------- When I visited Tsubohachi on 2015/12/14 for the 159th time, I attended a drinking party in the evening. It had been a while since my last visit, but I always make sure to have the Tsubohachi ramen as the finishing touch to my meal. The Tsubohachi in Kurayama has a good selection of unique menu items, and I indulged in the fatty tuna sushi. As always, I ended the meal with ramen! The Tsubohachi ramen, with its half-size portion, was just right for me. Currently, they only offer miso flavor, but I preferred the soy sauce flavor they had in the past. Nevertheless, it was still enjoyable to have ramen without having to change locations. I had a delicious meal today. Thank you for the feast! --------------------------------------------- On 2014/12/19, during a year-end party, I visited Tsubohachi for the 203rd time. I wasn't planning on writing a review, but I couldn't resist counting the ramen I had (laughs). After enjoying plenty of food and drinks, I ordered ramen as the final dish. When I placed my order, the server informed me that the Tsubohachi ramen had changed from soy sauce to miso flavor. I was surprised by the change, but it didn't bother me at all. The ramen arrived in the usual hot iron pot, with a half-size portion. The soup was noticeably different this time, with a clear miso flavor. It was slightly sweet and had a strong seasoning taste, but the sesame added a nice touch. The noodles were slightly thin and cooked well, complementing the soup nicely. Overall, it was a decent ramen, and I was happy to be able to have ramen as the finishing touch at Tsubohachi. This ramen is one of the limited menu items at the Kurayama location, and I hope they continue offering it for a long time. It was delicious! Thank you for the meal! --------------------------------------------- On 2012/9/14, during a revisit for the 101st and 102nd time, we held a drinking party to celebrate the recovery of our boss from illness. We decided to have the party at Tsubohachi. I usually don't post about work-related drinking parties, but since I had ramen, I had to count it and share it. As we reached the climax of the party, I suggested having ramen as the final dish, and only one person agreed with me (laughs). We ordered two servings of Tsubohachi ramen. However, when the ramen arrived, there were three bowls instead of two, and only two out of the three beers we ordered were served. It seemed like a mix-up in the order, but it didn't matter much in our celebratory mood. So, I ended up eating both servings of ramen myself (laughs). The Tsubohachi ramen is served in a hot iron pot and has a light soy sauce flavor. Despite ordering two servings, the portion size wasn't too large, so I had no problem finishing both bowls! I know, I'm silly (laughs), but it's true. I left feeling satisfied. Thank you for the meal! --------------------------------------------- On 2011/2/4, during my 15th visit, I attended a work drinking party, and after the second party ended, three guys of the same age group decided to have ramen at Tsubohachi. We ordered two servings of Tsubohachi ramen. The ramen arrived, and instead of two bowls, there were three. Also, only two out of the three beers we ordered were served. It seemed like a mix-up in the order, but we didn't want to nitpick on such a joyous occasion. So, I ended up eating both servings of ramen myself (laughs). The Tsubohachi ramen is served in a hot iron pot and has a light soy sauce flavor. Despite ordering two servings, the portion size wasn't too large, so I had no problem finishing both bowls! I know, I'm silly (laughs), but it's true. I left feeling satisfied. Thank you for the meal!

On December 24, 2010, I visited Tsuboya on Christmas Eve. It's become a tradition for me every year to gather with some idle young people, and Tsuboya's Kurayama is the only place where a big beer mug awaits me. I always sit in the same spot on the right side of the room. My go-to dishes are fried cartilage and stingray fin, of course, but today being Christmas Eve, I ordered half-fried chicken to set the Christmas mood. Although champagne was recommended by the waitress, it didn't suit my taste, but it did help me get into the Christmas spirit. The Kurayama branch offers a variety of original dishes, and for some reason, the shrimp fry and medium fatty tuna sushi are popular choices.

It has been 40 years since I left Kurayama, but my mother is still doing well, so I frequently visit from Nagoya to check on her. I come with 5-10 classmates from junior high and high school 3-4 times a year. The restaurant has completely private rooms with TVs, and I am surprised by the variety of menu items typical of chain restaurants. There is also sushi, which tastes decent. Considering the price, I am satisfied with the taste of the dishes. However, if I had to mention two things, the wine selection is a bit lacking. It would be better to increase the options or change the existing wines. Another point is the service during busy times. Often, even after ringing the bell attached to the table, the service staff does not come. If they could at least say "just a moment" and give a sign that they have heard the bell, it would improve the experience. Overall, I am a fan of this place. Coming to Kurayama where the streets are getting quieter and quieter each year, it is always a bit sad, but seeing many young people here makes me happy.