Italian Chizubaru Barubaru Hakataekimae

I really wanted a drink before I went back to the hotel for the evening, and stumbled upon this place. First of all, they wanted to put me in a corner behind the door - basically a stool with a ledge. I asked for another table which I was given. I ordered one cocktail (which was terrible, and weak),... and the girl placed a small container of peanuts on the table , I noticed they were on all the occupied tables, so didn’t think twice about it. I ate maybe two of them, but they were too salty for me, so I moved the bowl aside. When I got the bill, it was almost double what the price on the menu said for the drink. I asked about the extra charge and she pointed at the nuts. I had been at a bar earlier in the week, and before I even sat down, I was warned at the door that there was a cover charge. I entered anyway. When I sat at the bar, I was again warned that there was a cover charge, verbally, and in a little note that they handed to me that was written in many different languages. But, they said, there were snacks ( nuts and candies) that I was welcome to eat in exchange for the cover charge. At least that place was honest, and I had the choice whether to stay or not. And, those snacks were quite delicious. I told the girl (via a translation app) that they really should warn people about the charge … she read the note and laughed. I’d suggest skipping this place and heading somewhere else in the neighborhood.

Visited October 2023