AUX BACCHANALES TAKANAWA — Restaurant in Tokyo

This is a perfectly no-frills kind of place, so if you're looking for something more upscale, you may be disappointed. However, they have indoor and outdoor seating, a tasty standard menu, an ever-changing daily special board, and fairly quick service. What's more, the staff is happy to leave you alone to chat or relax over a drink or snack, and I've never felt rushed.

I quite like the salads here, as well as the simple worker's sandwich of ham and cheese on baguette, which is so much more than the sum of its parts. I almost always drop by for a small meal or a snack, and have never been turned away for lack of space, though the restaurant always seems to be bustling.

If you're looking for a proper meal, the steak frites is always good, or a sampling of many small dishes is great, too…just don't forget the French onion soup, which is spectacular and bubbling hot.

My only caveat: the desserts are mostly nice, but can be a bit hit and miss. Definitely try the Peach Melba when it's available, or a simple crème brûlée…but the Tarte Citron varies from pleasantly balanced to face-puckeringly sour, and many other desserts are kept chilled, so they aren't as good as they would be at room temperature, and can taste a bit like the inside of a refrigerator. However, if you've had a few French cocktails, and you're relaxing amidst the ambience, you...

3 people were queuing before me and I was told that I could be served straight away if I seat at the bar counter. However, when I crossed the restaurant to go to the toilets, I could see some tables for 2 ready and asked if I could seat at one of them instead. I’ve been replied that if I go before customers who were waiting before me, they would be angry, although they were waiting for a table for 3 people.. Once seated at the bar counter and having my food served, another waiter offered other single customers to be seated first… is it a good way to treat...

Food was alright. A little bland. It wasn't anything special so I'd give it an average score. However the front of house is in terrible shape. Service was extremely slow. I watched people wait up to 10 minutes to be seated when the only issue was tables needing to be bused. I counted at least 7 staff members up front so there was no shortage of help. Visits from our waitress were far and few between. We had to ask 2 people for a total of 5 times to get our check. They need a front of house manager that's a...