If you are like me and grew up playing, watching, and reading Pokémon, you cannot miss visiting this character-themed Pokémon Cafe in Tokyo, Japan! The Pokémon Cafe first opened in 2018, reopened once in 2020 and has been wildly popular ever since, garnering social media and Internet fame. If you’re wondering how to visit Pokémon Cafe in Tokyo for yourself, make sure to keep reading.
I’m no stranger to Tokyo, but I hadn’t been to the Pokémon Cafe before due to its closing over the pandemic period. When we came to Tokyo for the first time after Japan’s re-opening, I just knew I had to make it to this themed cafe! Themed cafes in Japan tend to be expensive and often low-quality, but I only heard good things about this one.
However, getting a space at the Pokémon Cafe was harder than I anticipated. I didn’t know much about it beforehand or what to expect. Which is why now that I’ve experienced it for myself, I’ve put together this comprehensive guide on all things Pokémon Cafe—how to make a reservation, what to eat, and what else you can do here.
How to make a reservation at the Pokémon Cafe
Because the Pokémon Cafe is extremely popular, it is highly recommended that you make a reservation well in advance. Reservations open up on the Pokémon Cafe’s official website one month in advance, and I would definitely try to be one of the first people to grab one! I’ve never seen a day where there are walk-in openings for the cafe and the reservations are usually gone at least 2-3 weeks before the actual dining date.
If you aren’t able to grab a reservation a few weeks ahead, don’t worry—there’s still hope. Keep checking the website daily as people do cancel their reservations from time to time, and you’ll want to be the one to grab that coveted spot!
This is actually what we did—we only started looking for a reservation less than 1 week in advance (I really don’t recommend this!) and luckily there was one slot available in the entirety of the next month for a few days in the future. You know I snapped that reservation up on the spot! However, this is a last resort option and I urge you to start planning your visit well in advance.
If you’ve tried all of the above but still haven’t been able to get a reservation, you can try and show up in person at the Pokémon Cafe to join the walk-in line. Occasionally, there will be no-shows or same-day cancellations and the cafe will be able to take you. This has a pretty low chance of success, but for the best odds, show up first thing in the morning (before the cafe even opens) and be the first one in line. If anyone has canceled or missed their reservation, you’ll have an in!
Make your reservation at the Pokémon Cafe here.
No reservations left in Tokyo? Don’t worry, there’s another Pokémon Cafe located in Osaka! While you’re there, make sure to check out my Osaka guide.
What to eat at the Pokémon Cafe
All the food items at the Pokémon Cafe are Pokémon-themed and absolutely adorable. You can indulge in seeing themed cafe items around your favorite characters and Pokémon, presented artfully on the cutest plates.
The Pokémon Cafe actually has a special menu that changes every so often in addition to their classic plates. If you’re interested in seeing the special menu, you can check it out here for the most up-to-date offerings. I’ve seen Chinese-style set menus, adorable Jirachi dessert sets, and character-themed ramune ice cream floats.
If you’re more interested in the classics, there are three main choices: Everybody’s Favorite Pikachu Plate, Everyone’s Attracted to Eevee Plate, and Snorlax’s Tummy Filling Nap Lunch Plate. We got the Pikachu set and Snorlax set.
The Pikachu set (1,848 yen) is a staple of the Pokémon Cafe, featuring a cute Pikachu casserole, omelet, hamburg steak, and shrimp tempura on a cute plate shaped like Pikachu’s face. The Snorlax set (1,958 yen) comes on a piece of wood on a grass mat and has a bowl of rice arranged in Snorlax’s tummy, plus chicken and salad decorated with sleeping Z’s on the side.
Like most themed character cafes in Japan, the food was nothing special—you’re mostly paying for the cute characters and branding. However, it wasn’t bad either, which is more than I can say for most themed cafes in Tokyo.
The drinks are similarly Pokémon-themed and very charming. We got the Eevee Royal Milk Tea and the Gengar Smoothie. The Eevee drink (1,298 yen) is particularly cute in my opinion, decorated with a fluffy whipped cream head and little Eevee crackers on top. It’s also not too sweet, which I really appreciated.
The Gengar Confuse Ray Smoothie (990 yen) is a grape-flavored slush that comes in a cup shaped like Gengar. If you pay for the extra option of 1,980 yen, you’re allowed to take the cup home afterward. The staff will give you a clean and packaged Gengar cup at the exit counter.
We also ordered the I Choose You! Pokéball dessert bowl (1,848 yen), which is a strawberry cream and sponge cake in a huge ceramic Pokéball. The website’s menu states that the Pokémon inside is a secret, but I’m pretty sure they are all the same—all the pictures and videos that I’ve seen online show the same Pokémon inside as the one that we got.
What to do and expect at the Pokémon Cafe
Obviously, the main draw of visiting the Pokémon Cafe is dining and enjoying the Pokémon-themed decor and food that makes you feel like your childhood dreams have come true.
The cafe is very cutely decorated, with Pokémon everywhere you look and incorporated into every design. There are several designated seating zones around the cafe, but the cutest one is the solo dining table in the center. This long table has several Pokémon statues as centerpieces, including crowd favorites Pikachu himself and the adorable Eevee. While your seat is assigned and you cannot sit at the center table unless you come as a solo diner, you are free to roam around the cafe and take pictures.
In typical Japanese fashion, there are glass cases around the cafe with faithful plastic replicas of the food so you know exactly what you’ll be ordering. There’s also a TV that shows clips of Pikachu, which was so cute I could have watched it all day.
There’s also a charming corner with Plusle and Minum dressed as chefs under a Pokémon Cafe logo and a bench that you can sit on to take pictures. This spot is probably the most popular in the cafe for photos, but we didn’t have to wait in line.
Besides the decor, there are small interactive surprises for diners at the Pokémon Cafe. When you sit down at your table, the placemats will be upside down. Each placemat has a random Pokémon on it, so flip that mat over and see what you get!
If you order a drink, you will also receive a complimentary coaster also with a random Pokémon on it. A staff member will come over and have you play a simple card game where you choose a random card and receive the coaster in return.
Of course, the biggest highlight of the Pokémon Cafe experience is when Pikachu comes out and dances for the cafe patrons. This happens about halfway through the dining period (which lasts about 90 minutes). A life-size Pikachu plushie will come out onto the dining floor and a staff member will play music, encourage the audience to clap, and direct you to interact with Pikachu at certain times. Of course, all the direction is in Japanese, so we didn’t quite understand, but we still had a lot of fun!
You aren’t allowed to get out of your seat while Pikachu is dancing around the cafe, but don’t worry. No matter where you are sitting, you will have a decent and unobstructed view.
Conclusion
If you love Pokémon like I do, then visiting the Pokémon Cafe is one of the top things you must do while in Tokyo.
It takes a bit of planning and forethought to have the experience to dine with Pikachu for yourself, but ultimately the work you put in will be totally worth it! We left our cafe evening with full bellies, bright smiles, and happy nostalgic memories.
