Lights! Camera! Food!
Neon dining in the new Shinsaibashi PARCO

Underground dining is all the rage these days, from the restaurants in Lucua to Whity Umeda’s NOMOKA, there’s so much to choose from!

And now we have a new spot that opened Mar. 18, 2021 in Shinsaibashi PARCO’s second basement floor. Choose from 25 devastatingly unique bars and eateries or visit them all. Here’s a preview of what you’ll find when you go♪

［Contents］

• Large-scale dining and Korean bars! Take your pick of 25 unique eateries
• 5 restaurant recommendations
• Undeniably Instagrammable! A world of photo-spots

●Large-scale dining and Korean bars! Take your pick of 25 unique eateries

Shinsaibashi PARCO reopened in Osaka after a 9-year hiatus in November of 2020. And one of my favorite attractions is the restaurant floor in the 2nd basement. It’s called Shinsaibashi Neon Restaurant Street (心斎橋ネオン食堂街) and it’s amazing!

Remember the North Building of Shinsaibashi Daimaru? That’s exactly where it is! And if you don’t know the building never fear, it’s extremely easy to find. Take the escalator from Osaka Metro’s Shinsaibashi Station to the B2 floor and you’ll see it. Glowing lanterns are sure to catch your eye and draw you into the dining area.

There’s lots of variety and an impressive selection of international fare! The 25 restaurants include French cuisine with a Japanese flare at Kohaku (紅白), the Japanese-style pub atmosphere at Cheap Restaurant Stands Sonoda (大衆スタンドそのだ), and entertainment meets dining at Korean Bar K-LOVERS (韓国酒場K-LOVERS) among others.

Here’s a complete list of the restaurants:

[First location in Japan]
・THE NEW WORLD (ザ・ニューワールド) –a modern Japanese-style pub
・Irish Curry and Pub (アイリッシカリー＆パブ) –curry & pub
・Korean Bar K-LOVERS (韓国酒場K-LOVERS) –authentic Korean food and drink
・China Dining Wakabayashi (大衆中華酒場 若林)
・Tantanmen indigo blue (担々麺 青藍) –Szechuan noodles
・James’ dream –Hawaiian bar & dining
・アイリッシカリー&パブ
・Japanese Craft Whisky Bar common –whiskey bar
・Grilling foods on an iron plate meat bal wheat and the earth (鉄板焼き肉バル　麦と大地)
・TANK bar/cafe (TANK酒場／喫茶) –culture bar
・Shop of Mr.Shin (Mr.Shinの店) –magic bar

[First location in Kansai]
・BUTCHER & WINE –wine, meats, & hamburg steaks

[First location in Shinsaibashi]
・Kohaku (赤白) –French oden & wine
・Cheap Restaurant Stands Sonoda (大衆スタンドそのだ) –teishoku set meals, restaurant, & bar
・Tachigui Sakaba Kinjishi (立喰酒場 金獅子) –standing-only bar
・Shinobuan (しのぶ庵) –sobą, tempura, & drinks
・Tachinomidokoronanatsuya (立呑み処 七津屋) –standing-only bar
・da pai dang 105 (ダパイダン イチマルゴ) –fried xiaolongbao, dim sum, & Taiwanese dishes
・Spanish bal massa (スペインバル massa)
・Odoridako (踊りだこ) –takoyaki
・New Tsurumatsu (地下酒場スタンド ニューツルマツ) –tempura, sashimi, & bar
・New Sushi Center (ニューすしセンター) –sushi bar
・Fuyoen (芙蓉苑) –Sichuan dishes
・Honmani Chicken –Korean-style chicken
・Yakitori Masaya (やきとり正や) –tsukune (chicken meatballs) & yakitori

・Farplane –shot bar

*Some restaurant names have been taken from the Shinsaibashi PARCO website, which is machine translated and may not reflect the actual name of the establishment. Restaurants who have established their names in English are written as such. Please also refer to the Japanese names in parenthesis as many of the restaurants do not have English signage.

This neon restaurant floor is bursting with unique styles and variety. Undoubtedly there is something for everyone! Sadly, I haven’t been to all 25 yet, but here are 5 highlights out of the restaurants I have visited♪

●5 restaurant recommendations

Cheap Restaurant Stands Sonoda (大衆食堂スタンド　そのだ)

Theres always a line at this popular dining spot in Tanimachi 6-chome. And now there is this new location in Shinsaibashi. This cafeteria-like restaurant brings back styles from the Showa era for a nostalgic yet somehow modern dining experience. The menu has lots to try including a meaty tofu, ramen, and anchovy-egg potato salad.

New Sushi Center (ニューすしセンター)

New Sushi Center is a favorite for sushi-lovers at the Tennoji and Nishikujo locations. The prices are great at this sit-down sushi bar. The jomaguro (tuna) is only ¥100 and local sake starts at ¥390 per cup.

Korean Bar K-LOVERS (韓国酒場K-LOVERS)

This bar fuses eating and entertainment with exciting projected images on the restaurant walls. Have fun meeting workers who are training to be K-pop idols and revel in real Korean food and drink.

Tantanmen indigo blue (担々麺 青藍)

Delicious Szechuan noodles from this specialty shop in Osaka’s Tanimachi neighborhood. Homemade jiang paste, chili oil,  ground meat, domestically grown sesame seeds come together for an extraordinarily delicious broth filled with thick noodles made from domestically grown wheat. The spicy soup will leave your mouth tingling and craving more.

China Dining Wakabayashi (大衆中華酒場　若林)

Chinese from a 5-star Michelin chef creating Chinese food you’ll fall in love with. The menu has a little bit of everything and features a sweet and sour pork that’s to die for. It’s a large cut of pork, fried and coated in sweet and sour sauce served with a knife and fork.

●Undeniably Instagrammable! A world of photo-spots

Shinsaibashi Neon Restaurant Street has amazing food, but that’s not all! Most people recognize the bright lights of Dotonbori as one of Osaka’s most famous scenes and now there’s something in nearby Shinsaibashi that’s right on par. The new neon shine in this underground food zone looks amazing in photographs so snap some photos in the retro atmosphere for your memories and your social media.

Funny phrases and fashionable signs, this is a fun retro-looking spot!

And when you get off the escalator, you’ll see this big LED display in the middle of the restaurant floor. The art here is retro-inspired but with a hint of psychedelic.

Plus there are all of these smaller photo-spots you can find when exploring the restaurant area. There’s lots of color so it’s fun to try different angles in front of all the restaurants.

The Shinsaibashi Neon Restaurant Street is a new destination located in Shinsaibashi PARCO and it’s perfect for lunch, day-drinking, dining, and bar-hopping. Come check it out!

*Please see the official Shinsaibashi PARCO website for the most current business hours.

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