A group night in Ebisu comes down to one question
For a group night out in Ebisu, the deciding question is not the menu but whether everyone can sit down and talk without shouting. Within walking distance of the West Exit there is a robatayaki where every seat is a private room, a vegetable-led restaurant, and craft beer bars built for the second round, and on Friday and Saturday it is worth booking. If the group meets on a Sunday, once a month there is Pirates of Tokyo Bay at What the Dickens!: English and Japanese improv comedy. Unscripted, unpredictable.
Quick Facts (the Pirates of Tokyo Bay show)
When: one Sunday a month, January to November (no December show). Doors 7:00pm, show 7:30pm. About 2 hours including a 15-minute break.
Where: What the Dickens!, 4th floor of Roob 6 Building, 1-13-3 Ebisunishi. A 3-minute walk from JR Ebisu Station West Exit, 1 stop from Shibuya.
Price: ¥2,500 per person with your 1st drink free. Early-purchase pair ¥4,400 until one week before the show. There is no group discount.
Group seating: request a table together through the contact page.
Where in Ebisu can a group sit and actually talk?
Pick places with booths or private rooms. From the venues in our Ebisu night itinerary:
炭焼と炉端テント 恵比寿店 (Sumiyaki to Robata Tent; birthdays, farewells): robatayaki where every seat is a private room, charcoal-grilled fish, over 100 sakes. A 1-minute walk from the station, opens 4pm on Sundays. Price and booking: about ¥5,000 to ¥8,000 per person; book by phone on 070-3277-7015.
WE ARE THE FARM Ebisu (a lighter first round): organic vegetables from its own farms, grills and cocktails. Open until 10pm on Sundays. Price and booking: about ¥2,000 to ¥8,000 per person. Reservations are required: call 03-5784-3877.
Hours change, so check before you go.
Why Ebisu for the second party?
Because the second bar is a short walk from the first. Ebisu is calmer than Shibuya and easy on the last train.
Tap & Tumbler (second round, birthdays): self-pour craft beer. You get a tap card and pour your own, which is half the entertainment. Open until 11:30pm on Sundays. Price and booking: about ¥1,000 to ¥2,000 per person; book by phone on 03-6456-3235.
iBrew Ebisu (easy second round): basement craft beer bar with Japanese and imported taps. Cash only, open until 11pm daily. Price and booking: about ¥2,000 to ¥5,000 per person; book by phone on 03-6451-2048.
Birthdays and farewells in Ebisu: what counts as an experience, not just dinner?
Something the whole table watches and laughs at together, sitting down. On one Sunday a month, that is the improv show at What the Dickens!: scenes and songs built on the spot from audience suggestions, half in Japanese and half in English, so a group with friends visiting from abroad laughs at the same moments. You do not need both languages, and nobody goes on stage who did not volunteer.
If you want a show built from the guest of honour's true stories, that is "This Is Your Life!", a private show (private shows).
Can a group of 6 to 10 get in, and do we need to book?
For restaurants and bars in Ebisu, book. On Friday and Saturday nights, walking in with ten people is a gamble. For the show, each person buys a ticket on the shows page; to sit together, email info@japancomedy.com or use the contact page with your numbers after you buy.
Can our group sit together on show night?
Yes. Buy tickets individually online, then send your group size to info@japancomedy.com or through the contact page, and we will do our best to seat you together.
What is the largest group that can sit together?
Groups of up to about 20 can sit together. Buy your tickets online first, then email info@japancomedy.com and we will do our best to seat your group together.
Is there a group discount?
No. Tickets are ¥2,500 per person with your 1st drink free. For two people, the early-purchase pair ticket is ¥4,400 until one week before the show.
What if the group is meeting on a Sunday?
Ebisu is quieter on a Sunday and tables are easier to get, but some places close early. The robatayaki opens at 4pm, WE ARE THE FARM closes at 10pm and Tap & Tumbler at 11:30pm. Once a month, gather at 7:00pm when doors open, order food, and watch about 2 hours of show including a 15-minute break, then stay in the pub or walk to the second bar. The Ebisu night itinerary puts it all in walking order. If you are weighing up comedy nights in Tokyo, our guide to the best live comedy in Tokyo compares stand-up, improv and open mics in one place.
Show details
Next show: Thanksgiving Comedy, Sunday, November 29
Venue: What the Dickens!, Ebisu. 4th floor of Roob 6 Building, 1-13-3 Ebisunishi. A 3-minute walk from JR Ebisu Station West Exit, 1 stop from Shibuya
Time: doors 7:00pm, show 7:30pm. About 2 hours including a 15-minute break
Price: ¥2,500 per person with your 1st drink free. Early-purchase pair ¥4,400 until one week before the show. No group discount
Group seating requests: contact page
The hardest part of a group night is finding a date everyone can make. On a Sunday, once a month, the date is already chosen.