Orion

This place is right next to the Apple Store in Shibuya on the second floor. The draught beer is great, as well as the food. One of the specialties here is smoked foods such as cheese, nuts (nooo, not that kind of nuts), olives etc… The prices are reasonable and the atmosphere is pretty cozy. The space is not that big so if you have a group make a reservation in advanced. This place is getting popular. So hurry up and give it try. The smoked foods, drinks, food, and ambient will surely not disappoint. Ohhhh… and for you Chicks out there or dudes who are into dudes… there’s a bartender here thats rumored to look like one of the Arashi boy band members Hahahaha
If you’re a tourist… do your best to communicate and just point at the pictures on the menu. And remember they have a service charge per customer (500yen) but in exchange you get your choice of smoked nuts, olives, cheese etc… Don’t get butthurt about it! Lol

Orion is my favorite bar in Shibuya, and the kind of bar you don’t want to tell too many people. The location is not visible from the streets and I feel that’s the only reason it isn’t well known yet. The store is accessible via elevator.
All You Can Drink:
If you are new to the concept of All You Can Drink (AYCD) in Japan, then welcome. You have just found the best bar to have your AYCD! I am personally not a big drinker, and have had my fair share of experience in AYCD in my early 20’s. Now if I had to drink, I seek quality drinks rather than quantity. So when an old friend asked me to meet up with him at this bar for an AYCD, I was not excited at all. Usual AYCD just means watered down beer and cocktails that are a meh — just like the ones you find in big chain izakaya places in Japan. Meanwhile, my friend insisted on how great this bar was, but I just kept on thinking he was biased because he was friends with the owner. We sit down and order the AYCD, start with a «kanpai», I take a sip…
«Whoah! This beer is fantastic for an AYCD!» my friend smiled back saying «I told you so!» Their AYCD beer says it’s Kirin, but it’s not your typical Kirin beer. They get a special type called the «Kirin Brau Meister» which is not sold in cans or bottles, only in kegs. Talk about quality beer for an AYCD.
That got me interested in actually taking a look at their AYCD menu for the first time. For￥2100 /​2hrs (￥700 for every 30min extension) there were 70 drinks you could pick from. I was in doubt with the price and how good the beer was, so I started ordering off more to try. I assure you, all are good! They had fantastic selections of casual glass wines which the owner hand picks seasonally from different regions. If you want to get to know different types of cocktails and want to explore what you like, this is a great opportunity. They are super accommodating with orders and can do virgin drinks for the non-​drinkers that tag along, can recommend you drinks according to your liking, love to talk about different alcoholic beverages. Keep in mind, this is still an AYCD. If you want really amazing ￥1500 cocktails, there are great bars to visit in Tokyo, but I haven’t found any AYCD that beats the quality of Orion.
With their knowledge about drinks, of course they provide even better drinks if you opt for the normal drink menu. Sometimes they have special /​limited bottles of hard liquor, wines, beers, seasonal cocktails so it’s really a pleasant surprise to see what they have every time I visit.
(To be honest, I personally wasn’t very fond of their Mojito by the way.)
Food:
Ok, let’s talk about food because this is what makes Orion special too.
Orion keeps a small smoker in their kitchen and specializes in smoked foods. I didn’t know the beauty of smoked foods and this place has totally got me hooked! Smoked anything off the menu is all good. You can try the different smoked foods they have through an assortment plate too.
Now I want to rave about their SMOKED NUTS. First of all, if you order the AYCD, it comes with a small portion of smoked nuts or something else smoked. I don’t even remember the other option because the smoked nuts are SO amazing! Go for their smoked nuts! I am so crazy about their smoked nuts, I literally dream about them. For people like me that fall in love with their smoked foods, they are available for take outs. I sometimes just go to Orion to buy their smoked nuts, not even drink there. I bring them to picnics, friend gatherings, hiking, etc. All my friends that try get hooked too.
Besides their specialty smoked foods, they serve salads, fresh pasta, risotto, and main dishes, which are alldelicious too. The owner himself cooks everything, and he’s constantly experimenting /​testing before he puts anything on the official menu. You can expect great food here, just like everything else is!
Atmosphere:
The restaurant /​bar is small, dimly lit, the tables have candles, and the atmosphere is very intimate. If it’s a one on one «let’s talk» kind of day with a friend, the bar counter is my go to spot. If you want to take a lady on a date, it’s a good place too.
Orion has some hard core regulars that come alone and sit at the bar to drink, eat, and talk. The restaurant /​bar functions with only two guys (the owner and the bartender). They are very friendly and if not too busy, they love to talk with you. There are nights I stop by when I’m alone and crave good pasta for dinner but don’t feel like going to a restaurant to be seated at a table. Their bar is perfect to eat /​drink solo, and I see both men and women that do the same.
Beware:
Because this restaurant /​bar is run with only two people, if it gets crowded, service can get really slow. The regulars don’t care about the slow service, but I’ve seen some customers getting a little irritated since the AYCD has a time limit.