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What happened to Kin No Kura 金の蔵? What's a good replacement?
Any solid replacement that'… I just want confirmation that they're no longer around. If so, it's a sad loss. They were a great place that didn't require reservation for cheap food and drinks at night.
Any solid replacement that's similar?
honestly i think the closest thing now is Shirokuma (白熊) in Shibuya. not quite the same as Kin No Kura but it's got that same chaotic energy no reservation needed and drinks are like 300 yen. they do this thing where you order on a tablet and food comes out stupid fast. food's decent for the price too, nothing fancy but it hits the spot after a few drinks
there's also the chain called HUB. not japanese izakaya, more of a british pub vibe but same concept - walk in, cheap drinks, no reservation fuss. the one in Roppongi gets rowdy late night if that's your thing. just dont expect the same variety of japanese dishes you got at Kin No Kura
Yeah, Kin No Kura is gone. The whole chain shut down back in 2020, pandemic did them in along with a bunch of other izakaya chains. It's a real shame, those cheap drink sets and the crazy menu variety were hard to beat.
For a similar vibe now, check out Torikizoku. It's a yakitori chain but they've got the same no-reservation, pay-as-you-go system with most things under 400 yen. The one near Shinjuku's south exit is always busy but turns tables fast.
The other comments are right that Kin No Kura's gone, but for a slightly different angle you could try Uoshin (魚真) in Ikebukuro. It's a fish-focused izakaya with the same walk-in, no-reservation setup, and their drink sets start around 500 yen with a small dish included. The vibe is less flashy and more of a local spot, but the portions are generous and they stay open until midnight most nights.
If you want something closer to the old Kin No Kura chaos, there's also a chain called Genkiya (元気や) that still has a few locations in Shinjuku and Ueno. They do the tablet ordering thing with most food under 400 yen, and the drink menu is huge. Just avoid the one near Kabukicho on weekends unless you like shoulder-to-shoulder crowds.
Where can I find crispy, pan-fried bacon similar to a certain international style?
if u have a costco membership the kirkland thick cut is the move, 4 packs of 500g for around 2500 yen and it crisps up proper in a cold pan. for smaller runs, precce in azabudai hills & the basement at isetan shinjuku both carry imported US & danish brands in the chilled case, just read the label for "thick cut" or "smoked" and not "loin". also worth knowing japanese bacon is often wet-cured so pat it dry before frying or it steams instead of crisping
kaldi coffee farm is hit or miss but their smoked bacon from denmark shows up pretty regular, the 200g pack runs about 600 yen. what actually works better for me is asking the butcher counter at peacock or life to slice the block bacon thick, like 5mm, they do it for free and it crisps way better than the pre-packed stuff. also fwiw cheap bacon crisps faster, the fatty supermarket kind at 300 yen a pack works fine if u cook it from cold in a dry pan and pour off the fat as it renders.
tbh the gyomu super store brand bacon is surprisingly decent for crisping up, its not thick cut but if you cook it low and slow it gets pretty crunchy. the key is the dry cure vs wet cure thing, wet cure steams. also check hanamasa if you have one nearby, they sell big packs of american style bacon thats actually smoked and firm.
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