Fonda de la Madrugada
Fonda de la Madrugada is a somewhat upscale Mexican restaurant located in Harajuku right on Meiji dori. This place is a bit more expensive than the other selections on this site, but PERFECT if you have a date and you want to make it special.
What makes this place so cool is the atmosphere. It's like somebody transplanted an old Mexican castle to downtown Tokyo but planted it upside down. When you walk in you go down, and down and down, like 3 levels. Then, the place opens up into a dining area which feels like a nice open-air courtyard. There are balconies and plants, and you expect to see fat women in white smocks hanging out their laundry to dry in the sun.
Believe me, if you hadn't just walked down the stairs, you would not know you were 3 floors underground. You will, however, realize it fairly quickly if you try to use your cell phone from this place.
The food is quite good, with standard Mexican dishes and lots of nice fish dishes. The beer selection is quite extensive as well, as well as a whole page of tequilas to choose from (remember, you still have to get back up those stairs)
They have a band, really nice guys who will ask you for requests and they know a LOT of songs. Give them a try. It's pretty funny to hear Japanese pop songs done with a Mariachi flavor.
The place is pretty big as they have 2 main dining areas and another sort of alcove with a few more tables. When I was last there, the Mexican embassy happened to be having a huge party, which was a lot of fun. Reservations are not necessary unless you have a big group, but it doesn't hurt to call them to be sure.
Fonda de la Madrugada is pricey, but I wouldn't say it is unreasonably expensive. For a nice dinner for 2 with drinks, you can expect to spend from 12,000 to 18,000 yen. As I said, this place is HIGHLY recommended for dates.
They are open from 5:30 to 2 a.m. Monday-Thursday and from 5:30 to 5 a.m. Friday-Sunday. The number for inquiries and reservations is (03) 5410-6288. Here is a simple map to get you there:
visit:
Fall 2006 for Hawaii Lovers www.hawaiidaisuki.com