Kurand Sake Market

Going here, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. All I knew was that there was sake, you had to bring your own food, and it was tough to get a reservation (one month before!). Thankfully, I was thoroughly satisfied with my experience and had a great time.
The concept is you stand at a table with friends and sample from a selection of dozens and dozens of sake from all around Japan. I’m hardly the sake connoisseur (I knew of only sake bombs before moving to Japan), but thankfully, the staff are very helpful at recommending a sake that suits your taste, ranging from dry to sweet to dry and sweet!
The atmosphere is more like a house party than a restaurant. You bring in your own food (it seems like everyone had the same thought of going to nearby Tobu) and can stand around all evening sipping sake, eating food, and chatting with friends (or strangers as the night lets on). The nice thing is there is no time limit; when you make a reservation, you have a spot for the whole time it’s open. We were there from 5 pm until almost 11 pm. To ensure it doesn’t get too rowdy, there is a water kanpai every hour.
If you are a fan of sake, or curious about sampling a bunch for a decent price, I recommend it. Just note it’s not really a restaurant; it’s more like your home, if your home had loads of sake. Just be sure to reserve now if you want to go anytime next month.