I’ve been dying to check out Tokyo Record Bar after reading about it on Eater last summer and then again this spring on The Infatuation. Here’s the setup: you walk through Air Champagne Parlor and head downstairs where you’ll find an 18-seat space complete with a floral ceiling. You’re presented a drink menu and a song menu. Spend some time going through both and then give the staff your selections (I picked Amy’s Back to Black and Matt chose Mariah’s Always Be My Baby. He’s a keeper.)
Over the course of two-hours, we listened to vinyl tunes picked out by our fellow diners while feasting on a 7 course Izakaya-inspired tasting menu. The standouts in my opinion were the tartar and the chirashi bowl. There was a playful touch at the end of the meal when they served pizza and fries (post-dessert!). You know how you do some tasting menus and you leave feeling hungry? Yeah, this is a tongue-and-cheek way of acknowledging that scenario. So New York.
We were seated at 6:30, which meant promptly exiting the venue by 8:20 so they could start setting up for the 8:30 group. If you don’t want to do the full tasting menu, they start a la cart service at 10:30 and you can walk-in or snag a reservation online.
All in all, this is a fun date spot that won’t break the bank ($50 per person not including drinks or gratuity). Already looking forward to going back for their late night service and trying their sake selection!
