No dogs here I’m afraid, but there’s still lots of fun to be had with a card game or two to go with your drinks.

When I first heard we’d be visiting Dogberry, the dog-lover in me got incredibly excited. From the name, I imagined Dogberry would be something akin to Sound Bar Lip, a bar with a dog running around, happy to play with and love customers. However, Dogberry turned out to be dog-less. In spite of that, my visit to Dogberry has made it one of my favorite places.

Walking in, my first thought was that Dogberry looked like a shisha joint: low coffee tables and couches as opposed to regular tables and chairs. Lighting is dim and unintrusive, with just a few ceiling lights and a handful of small standing lamps by each table. There are cloths of various colors and patterns and nets hung along the walls and from the ceiling, serving as decoration and curtains, creating a homey, cosy atmosphere. I felt as though I was in someone’s basement-turned-room.

Once you’re seated, one of the first few things you’ll notice is a little tin on your table. Inside it you’ll find two small notebooks and some coloring pencils. While you’re waiting for your (reasonably-priced) food and/or drinks, feel free to doodle or write in the notebooks, or flip through them and take a gander what other people who’ve previously sat in your seat before have drawn and/or written.

The highlight of my visit to Dogberry was a little shelf full of board games and playing cards. There was Othello and Jenga and UNO and Old Maid and regular packs of trump cards and more. Play a game or two with your friends. It gets increasingly fun as you and your friends get increasingly drunk on Dogberry’s fairly strong drinks.

Located three or four minutes’ walk from the closest station (Koenji station), Dogberry is a convenient visit. If it isn’t to your liking, have no fear, there are plenty of other bars in the area for you to check out and have a good time in as well.