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Kanazawa Restaurants and Nightlife
Kanazawa has plenty of choices for restaurants and clubbing. This is not an exhaustive list. If you have any friends in Kanazawa, let them show you around Katamachi or just wander around there yourself; it’s chock full of nighttime attractions. Everything from hostess bars and karaoke boxes to tiny shot bars, izakayas and dance clubs can be found here.
Domino’s Pizza
Craving real American pizza? Tired of the lousy tuna, corn and mayonnaise pizzas that are the standard in Japan? Well wait no more, ‘cause this is the real thing. A tiny little oasis of a store which specializes in delivery, they can make your pizza in about 12 minutes if you drop in to order. Prices are a little higher than back home but the crust, cheese and toppings are authentic taste.
Getting there: Located on road #146 near the intersection with #45, it is a short walk from Nishi-Kanazawa train station. Look for the tiny blue delivery car at the front and a bakery next door.
El Torito
If your cravings for Mexican food can be sated by tex-mex chain-restaurant food, then El Torito is for you! You can find it on the restaurant floor of Forus Mall, right next to Kanazawa station. It’s a little on the expensive side but when you don’t have any other Mexican options, it will do! Good cocktails, Corona, and a decent-sized menu.
Hanbey
WW2-style theme with wartime posters and an old-style TV on the wall, this restaurant serves anything that can possibly fit on a skewer, deep fried. Great choices are the ebi-fry, cheese-fry, age-pan (deep-fried bread), gyoza and croquette. All items are around 100 yen or a bit more, and beer is cheap. In Katamachi on the main street with all the karaoke bars, just down from Mr. Donut.
La Campagna
La Campagna is a small Italian restaurant on the same street as CJs in Katamachi - just a bit further down on the left. They have a good selection of Antipasti, Mains and Desserts - the portions are slightly on the small side, but the prices are reasonable, and the garlic toast is amazing! There's also the possibility to put tables together if you fancy going with a larger group of friends.
Pole Pole
A cool place with a mix of gaijin and locals, the floor is covered with peanut shells and both the atmosphere and music are heavily reggae. It’s just off the main road in Katamachi, on one of the narrowish-side streets (the last one on the right before the big bridge, heading away from Kanazawa station) on the ground floor of a thin multi-storied bar / restaurant building (you know the type). Once a year, on June 30th they have a special anniversary party where you can drink as much Corona as you want for… 500yen! The catch is you’re not supposed to sit inside cos they have a seating charge but they are pretty relaxed and there’s lots of seating outside anyway! There’s also a really cool Okinawa cuisine restaurant several floors above Pole Pole in the same building, and an Indonesian restaurant called Legian.
Starbucks
Toyama now a 2 Starbucks prefecture but if you head to Kanazawa you will be literally tripping over them! Starting at the station there is one in the Forus mall, right next to the bus stops, and then as you head into Katamachi you will see another 3! According to their website there’s a drive-through Starbucks somewhere in Ishikawa…perish, the thought!
There is also Life is Peachy, Musasabitei and an offshoot of Takaoka’s legendary Shangri La Indian restaurant.
For live music, try Meromeropochi. It’s downstairs in Omicho market.
There are heaps of little places scattered around, like the Cordona Bar. Very close to Katamachi, this small upstairs bar is ran by a chilled bloke and filled with bongos, djembes and didgeridoos. He is a trance DJ who has played at several events, but has a wide range of musical tastes. Bring along some instruments and have jam, or just bang away with the tunes. Nice.