A note on the words: tachinomi is a casual Japanese standing bar where patrons drink and snack on their feet. Nikomi is a beloved pub staple of tender offal and tofu gently simmered in a savory broth. Kobukuro refers to pork uterus, atsuage is thick fried tofu, shiro is intestine, and hamukatsu is a slice of ham coated in breadcrumbs and deep-fried.
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Takioka on Tabelog (English) — opening hours, payment details and the Japanese address are kept up to date there, not here.
Hello, this is Hangover Meshi. It is 9:30 in the morning and I am in Ueno. I thought Ueno would be the best place for drinking in the morning, but most spots only open around 10:00. The savior at times like this is “Takioka”, a tachinomi (standing bar).
I don’t know when they started doing it, but they are open for morning hours at 9:30 am, ha.
Naturally, everyone heads right here, so it is packed even in the morning, but knowing a spot like this really comes in handy.
Even at 9:30 the area near the entrance was practically full, but as you head further in there is a slightly wider space where it looks like you can relax a bit more.
Nikomi (simmered offal) — 200 yen
Salted cabbage — 250 yen
Kobukuro (pork uterus) — 200 yen
Simmered bamboo shoots — 250 yen
Simmered atsuage (thick fried tofu) — 250 yen
Hamukatsu (a crumbed, deep-fried slice of ham) — 280 yen
Shiro (intestine) — 240 yen
Tan (tongue) — 240 yen
In the morning, deep-fried items aren’t available and part of the menu is restricted, but as a stopgap until other places open, it is more than enough!
By the way, at this shop you pay for each item as it is handed to you, the way an Irish pub works is delivered when you order.
So please keep that in mind.
It is cash only!
First off, a draft beer first thing in the morning! Drinking a beer from 9:30 am somehow feels especially delicious, ha. Perhaps it comes from a slight sense of guilt, ha.
The kombu in this is so good. Salted cabbage and beer are quite enough for a drink on their own, but I ordered one more dish.
This is just 200 yen! And it happens to be thoroughly delicious. The tender horumon (offal) and tofu create great flavor.
Just this nikomi and the cabbage, considering it was morning, already left me completely full, ha.
That said, I did end up drinking three beers!
So if you arrive in Ueno too early in the morning, or want to spend the whole day drinking in Ueno and need a spot to gather and make plans from morning, Takioka with its morning drinking is highly recommended! Being able to pop in quickly and duck out quickly makes it so easy to use. Morning draft beer is great!
Takioka (Stand-up bar / Keisei Ueno Station, Ueno-okachimachi Station, Okachimachi Station)
Tabelog lunch rating ★★★☆☆ 3.4
I ate here and paid for it myself. Nothing on this site is a comped meal.
One more for the road?
