Chocolate Bank — Restaurant in Kamakura

Update: 5/23/2021

I finally came back to see whats inside the vault and I wasn't disappointed!😊 A great chocolate infused dining experience to be had inside a legit bank vault!!!

In order to eat inside the vault, you have to make a reservation online using ROBB (it will make sense when you visit their website). Minimum party of two to a max party of six people. And its ONE party at a time. So when my friend and I went, we had the whole vault to ourselves.

When making your reservation online, you will get to chose what menu option you'd like (ranging from 5-7 courses). With covid restrictions in place, no alcohol could be served. Otherwise we would have gone with the 7 course that came with drink pairings.

I'm not going to a spoil the magic by revealing too much, but I will say this: Definitely a great place for date night or girls (or guys) night. If you don't like chocolate, obviously NOT the spot for you. And it would be helpful if you can understand and speak a little bit of Japanese. Not a deal breaker, but I know I would have learned a whole lot more. The wonderful man (Taka--, I feel bad that I can't remember his entire name) presented each course and he was awesome! Talking with him was fun! Everything was delicious!

And yes, I would do this again!

As I said in my previous review..

CACAO VINEGAR + SODA WATER taste so good!!! 美味しいですね

4 stars only because I haven't had a chance to sit in and eat anything from there yet. I literally walked in there because I wanted to take a picture of the colorful gorilla that's at the entrance.

I ended up leaving with a bottle of CACAO Vinegar. In other words, chocolate vinegar. I know 😳. But they offered my friend and I a sample (cacao vinegar + soda water) and well..... 🤯. What??? How?? It definitely was vinegar, alright, but the chocolate taste was there, too! And it freaken worked well together! It's not going to be for everyone, but I really enjoyed it. I was so thrown by it that I just had to buy a bottle! Lol.

I also have to mention that the staff there were pretty awesome and helpful! Thank you to Yumi-san for being so helpful!

Oh and they legit have a vault door in there. Like the kind you see in banks. The thing is, the place originally use to be a bank, but rather than get rid of it, they made it work with the theme of the place. And behind the vault is more of a restaurant with a food menu and all. Up front is more coffee and pastries.

Definitely coming back to see the magic...

Found this place about a 5-minute walk from the quiet side of Kamakura Station — yes, the one where tourists mysteriously vanish. It’s called Chocolate Bank, and I mean, with a name like that, how could I not go in?

At first glance, it’s a chocolate-themed café that also sells beautifully packaged sweets. Inside? Bustling. I stood there blinking like a confused deer until a kind staff member rescued me with some solid recommendations.

I told them I’m on Team Bitter (no sugary sweet nonsense, thank you), and they pointed me toward the darker, more mature members of their chocolate family. Naturally, I bought almost all of them. No regrets.

Most items tasted like well-done versions of chocolate treats you might find elsewhere — enjoyable but not earth-shattering. That is, until I met The One: Bank Fromage Bitter Chocolate (yes, that’s its actual name — sounds like a secret code to a VIP dessert club).

This was it. Rich, smooth, not-too-sweet, and with a melt-in-your-mouth texture that made me temporarily lose my grip on reality. I had one bite and immediately thought, “Okay, who do I need to gift this to so they can experience this too?” It’s the kind of cake you want to share with people you like… or at least want to impress.

The café itself has a slightly artsy, minimal aesthetic. Personally, if you’re dining in, I would’ve preferred a bit more privacy. Something about this chocolate feels too elegant to be eaten in public under fluorescent lighting.

Also — important PSA: Do not try to “savor it slowly over several days” like I did. This isn’t a vintage wine. It’s fresh. Cherish it, yes — but don’t hoard it. It will mold, and then your heart will too.

So yes, 10/10 would return next time I’m back in Japan. And next time, I’m buying a whole stash of that cake. For friends, for family… and let’s be honest,...

Lovely little place - my wife was feeling heat exhausted and was quite dizzy due to the very hot day in Kamakura, so we went in to the nearest cafe to get a cold drink and get her into the AC.

She ended up staying over an hour as she was a bit worse off than she originally thought. The staff came out with a bag of ice more than once to help her out!

I can't speak highly enough of the staff here and how wonderful they are. If there's somewhere you can go where you know you'll be taken care of (though hopefully in more pleasant circumstances than ours) it's here.

Also, the chocolate croissants were delicious and I thoroughly recommend trying the plum vinegar...