Cafe Shino

ITs not called café shino — Its called Murasaki Lounge, Unilocal it!
Its got awesome reviews.

I’ve been going back and forth on whether or not to review/​add this place for a while now.
On the one hand, it is my favorite place in the city and I have this burning itch (like I would imagine the clap feels…) to share things.
On the other hand, part of the reason it is my favorite place in the city is because it is so authentic and under appreciated. Will telling people about it ruin that? Is it selfish to feel that way at all?
Café Shino is a tiny trip to Japan. A slice of backstreet Tokyo transplanted to Streeterville. There’s a piano with a talented old woman to play it and drunk salarymen to croon along with it. There’s a back room packed with smoke and spiky-​haired young men. There’s an excessively polite and ingratiating hostess that will bring you as much sake as you can drink. Hot or cold. There’s even (normally) some gaijin sitting at the bar, acting ‘wrong’ while the bar back thinks about kicking him out.
The only possibly negative that I can think of is that they don’t open until 8:00 which means I can’t pop over there after work for a quick drink every day.