There’s a couple of places in Tokyo that can thank their patronage on being immortalized in Western cinema classics. There’s the New York Grill in Shinjuku that has become the place for late night drinks thanks to Lost in Translation. Then there’s Gonpachi, a restaurant in Nishi-Azabu near Roppongi that is famous as the scene of a classic battle between Uma Thurman and Lucy Liu in Quentin Tarentino’s Kill Bill.
Whether you’ve seen the movie or not, Gonpachi is great for atmospheric, foreigner-friendly Japanese dining in Tokyo. The restaurant features multiple levels of dining within a huge space themed to look like an old-style Japanese warehouse. Dimly lit with lantern light, stepping into the restaurant is like stepping back into another time.
The restaurant offers a wide array of Japanese food, including fresh soba noodles, tempura and grilled skewers. It’s not cheap and you’re likely to be dining with a lot of other tourists, but the upside of Gonpachi’s popularity is that you can order easily from English menus and communicate with English-speaking staff. Overall it’s worth a visit for the Hollywood connections, the nostalgic atmosphere and the great food.
Address: 1F/2F 1-13-11 Nishi-Azabu, Minato-ku Tokyo
Getting there: 12-minute walk from Roppongi Station (Tokyo Metro Hibiya and Toei Oedo Lines)
Nearby: Mori Art Museum, Nezu Museum, Roppongi Hills, Tokyo City View
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