Something Different : Showa Retro Bar Dagashi

 

The Showa era is a long-bygone era that still resonates with the Japanese, even today. An era where we saw the post-war economic miracle and the development of Japan being a major player in the world. And many do wish they can go back to those glory days. And for 2200 yen, perhaps you could!

Childhood flashbacks!

Showa Retro Bar Dagashi (昭和レトロBAR駄菓子) in the Sumiyoshi area of Hakata provides its customers a literal blast into the past. For a mere 2200 yen, you are given a special all-you-can-drink menu and an all-you-can-eat snacks bar. It has been designed with the retro in mind. So if you are a fan of old tokusatsu and anime characters, this place will fit you nicely. 

Old school classic...

It should be noted that your experience will change slightly depending on the size of your party. A group of 4 onwards will be sat in front of a tatami mat and equipped with a video game emulator of classics from days gone by. We played a lot of Street Fighter 2 and classic Mario Kart which was great. However, this blog, in the end, is about food and drink. So what is the ensemble like? It was pretty impressive. Let us first start with the drinks. 

I am not going to lie, this is a massive spread. 

There is a huge variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks available. A customer is given a beer glass for the duration of the visit, and you are to reuse it. But do not worry, as the store will wash after every refill. There are the classics like beer and certain variations of shochu and nihonshu. And certain specialty cocktails that are only found in Japan like Calpis sour. 

Booze and Mario Kart is actually an amazing combo. 
I do not think this count as drunk driving right?

Do not knock it off until you actually try Calips sour. It was actually pretty refreshing. And upon further inspection, I found vodka milo. I missed the opportunity to order this one, but it will definitely be on my ordering list the next time I am here. 

A friend checking out the options. Look at that spread! 

The snacks were on another level. Imagine that you are in the candy store and you can eat whatever you want. That was how it operated here. From potato chips, gummies, chewing gum, ice cream, lollipops, cookies, crackers, and rice puffs, it goes on and on!  It will not be possible to cover every single snack item in this place. But let's just say that once you leave this establishment your sodium and sugar levels will go dangerously high!

Figures... figures everywhere. 

After 2 hours of lots of booze, lots of games, and lots of sugary and salty snacks, my group of friends left here very happy. This was definitely one of the more interesting drinking sessions that I had and I truly enjoyed myself. However, I probably may not do a return visit any time soon. I think I would let my body clear out all that MSG, cheese powder, and various other artificial seasonings that I had ingested. Not to mention at least 4 popsicles!

Another angle inside. Pardon the lighting as it is pretty dim. 

If you are into all things retro, like a bit of nostalgia, or just need to drink until the wee morning (yes this place opens up to 6 am!) then this bar is for you. It is strongly recommended that you book in advance first as the place is kinda pokey. However, its quaint interior is part of the charm. So if you would like to fancy a go, the address is as follows:

〒812-0018 Fukuoka, Hakata Ward, Sumiyoshi, 3 Chome−9−18 3F

Front of the house, you cannot miss it.
I mean, there is a literal robot busting out of the walls!