I'm curious to know what peoples favorite off-base finds are... bars? restaurants? clubs? book shops?  ? 

 A few fav's of mine are:
The Pancake Ristaurante just on the other side of the canal on the Gap end of Motomachi. 
The book store in Landmark Tower (5th floor?). Good selection of books in English. 
The Udon place with the hippopotamus logo, also across the canal at the other end of Motomachi. 
El Torito Mexican restaurant in the Yokohama Sky or "Y Cat" building (27th floor?)
And, The Forest Cafe.. wonderful little cafe with wi-fi.. not far from Negishi.

Hey don't forget about Bubby's! That's some GOOD coffee!

And a BIG, endless cup of coffee at that! Bubby's is great. The banana walnut pancakes are SO damn good!

Could you tell me what station and exit you use to get to the Pancake Ristaurante and Bubby's? Thank you!!

Bubby's is in the Minatomirai station building, but the entrance is from outside.  (It's where UniQlo used to be).  I'm really not sure which metro stop it is for the Pancake Ristaurante, there seems to be two for Motomachi. Either way it's not a terribly far walk and it's a nice area.  If you walk along the street on the other side of the canal in the direction of the ocean you will come across an incredibly skinny building just before a gas station (Esso?), the Pancake restaurant is right in between.  ~And the have an English menu. 

Woops!!! The Pancake Ristaurante directions.. yeah.. the gas station is gone! lol Empty lot there. So.. Go from the end of Motomachi.. after you pass Starbucks and Brooks Brothers.. cross the canal on that street right there, then cross the street and go left, the restaurant is on the right at the first side street.  They have heaters so that you can eat outside when it's chilly. 

Great thank you!! So my son wants to know if they really sell Pancakes at The Pancake Ristaurante?

Oh, my goodness! The best, most delicious pancakes!! And, pancakes come with pretty much every meal.    Seriously.  You order an omelet or a salad, you get a side of pancakes with it. And they have real maple syrup and a big mug of coffee with free refills.  The avocado salad has just a hint of wasabe in the dressing.. it is SO good.  Today I splurged and got the blueberry pancakes.. fresh blueberries on top and homemade whipped cream.  Just be aware that if you go on the weekend there may be a wait for a table - but if you're flexible to sitting outside it's usually pretty quick - and they have heaters and blankets for you.  Enjoy!!

Hope this works! Here's me with my avocado salad and my pancakes. 

Wow those pancakes are pretty thick!

Yes, but they're fluffy. Have you been to this place yet, Adam? 

you guys are killing me. There is utterly no breakfast restaurant in Iwakuni unless you want fish & seaweed for breakfast. There are definitely no pancakes to be found, no coffee shop with wifi, and no "bottomless cup" coffee shops anywhere. I"m gonna make a trip up there just for Bubbys and Starbucks. I am sooooo envious!!

Here's a pic of the place. It's on the corner of a little side street right across from the canal.

So, Adam, what are your favorite off-base spots??? 

Kua 'aina has some of the best burgers and fries in the area.

I am a sushi lover, so I have tried several places all around Yokosuka/Zushi areas.

ThaiGuy - You'll be glad you did! Walking the waterfront in Yokohama is great too and Yokohama is beautiful at night.. and there's an amusement park in the midst of it all.

Gaijin - Where is Kua aina? Thanks!

There is one in Kamakura right across the street from the fire depatment near the beach on the main street. There is also on near Tokyo station. There is also one in the Red Brick Warehouse in Yokohama. I know there are some others, but I can't think of them right now.

http://www.kua-aina.com/

I feel bit strange that avongirl doesn't write the name of the restaurant. That is "Motoya. Pancake Ristorante" If you know the name, it is easier to find info about the restaurant.

Location Map
Small
http://www.e-loupe.jp/map.html
Large
http://www.e-loupe.jp/map/

Menu
http://www.e-loupe.jp/pancake_r.html

I've been there and love it. It is also some of my friends' favorite. As avongirl said, the restaulant is a small and thus there is always a queue in front of the restaurant.

BTW, does anyone go to Tycoon at south part of Yokohama port? That's also a nice place.

Tycoon
http://www.tycoon.co.jp/

And... bills. They are at Shichirigahama, Kamakura, and they recently opend a new restaurant at Yokohama Red Brick building. Their Ricotta pancake is great.

http://bills-jp.net/

Okumura--I find it strange that the name on the the sign that is on the building AND a picture of the place AND instructions on how to get there are not enough for you!

I really love sushi go round, but don't know how to get there by train.  Anyone have directions from Negishi to sushi go round?

Ok, first, i need to ask, what city the Matoya Pancake Ristorante is in. I am asking my hubby if he knows of this place (since it looks and sounds great). But he is unsure what canal everyone is talking about.

Also from the pictures it looks like a Japanese IHOP.... is it like it but better?

Okumura - I'm guessing you speak and read Japanese? If so, you've got one up on me! I had no idea that the restaurant was called Motoya, but thanks for the info!! From what I am able to read on the sign, I believed it was called Pancake Ristaurante and that's the name I referred to it as.

Photodrm - As far as where it is.. read above... it is just outside Motomachi which is in Yokohama. We drive there, so I apologize for not being able to give good directions from the metro.

Gaijin - Thanks for the info on the burger place!! My husband will love to check that out! =) Have you had the burger at the little British pub in Motomachi? It's really great. I think the place is right behind the Gap.

Thanks avongirl, he was thinking it was in Yokohama but wasn't 100% sure. We really enjoyed Garlic Joes in Yokohoma when we were there.

photodrm, Motoya is in Yokohama city. The canal people are talking about here isn't actually a canal, but a river whose name is "Nakamura gawa". Motoya is between Yokohama China town and Motomachi shopping street. If you will go there by train, it takes about 1 hour from Yokosuka. (Take Keikyu line from Yokosuka-chuo and change to Yokohama subway Minato-Mirai line to Motomachi-Chuukagai station (the terminal) It costs 350 Yen (Keikyu) + 200 Yen (Subway)

Is it like iHop? I don't think so. It is more sophisticated one. (Also much expensive...)

There had been iHop restaurants chain in Japan until early 2000 (I don't remember exactly but 2001 or 2002) but they gave up this market and quitted.

From Motomachi-Chuukagai station, use "Exit 3". When you get to the ground level, go right (face to the road), turn right at the 1st big intersection. (There is an another small intersection, ignore that.) Walk along with the street a bit, Motoya is at the 1st corner on right.

Photodrm - Do you remember where Garlic Joes is? I love Garlic!!

As talking about Pancake shop, did you know there is famous pancake shop in Kamakura? The shop called IWATA Coffee shop.

It is known as thick/big pancake.

Unfortunatelly, I havent been there yet, but that is the one of place I will definitelly go when I go to Kamakura next time. All my friends said it is soooo yummy

That looks good! Looks like ice cream in the middle...it's all pancake?

Yuko - OMG! I am going there... soon!! Wow!!

Garlic Joes.... IS GREAT.... If I remember correctly (If I was there I could show you but that would mean you have to wait till September) It was in the mall where the BIG train station is and the mall near the convention center. I think it's the queen mall??? It was between the street and the train station level in the mall. There were several floors, there was also a beer garden in this mall too... Lot's of restaurants.

http://www.bento.com/rev/1312.html WOW I was sooo close... Queen's Square.

bills Shichirigahama serves very nice ricotta cheese pancake.
They recently opend a new restaurant at Yokohama Red Brick building.

http://bills-jp.net/

Ricotta cheese pancake (whole)


I shared with my wife. This is cut for me.


You can see some white things among the pancake that is ricotta cheese. This combination - ricotta and pancake is great.

Tammy,
I m sorry for late reply... Yes it is only pancake.
I heared this place is known as John Lennon and Yoko Ono have visited long time ago.

Okumura - Wow! That looks so delicious! I will definitely go and try that. Thanks for posting the pics!

Yuko that's ok, we're all busy!
Oh that looks good...never thought of mixing ricotta with pancake. Must try!

deleted it

Great pics Taka! Gotta try this place

I can't see the pictures --is it something wrong on my side?

I wanna see the curry. T_T

adam - ya , you should try it !

elizabeth - oh i dont know what happend , I can see the pics T_T

elizabeth - oh i dont know what happend , I can see the pics T_T

Taka,

You added the pictures the wrong way.

You cannot add from your profile, because your settings only allow friends to see those images. I can see, them, and you can see, them, but all the people NOT YOUR FRIEND, will not be able to see them.

Here is what you have to do.

Go to the edit link for the post.

Once your in the edit, look below and you will see an option to add attachments. Expand that.
Upload each image, and once they are all in your library, you just select the link that says ADD IMAGE TO POST. Then you can position your images anyway you like. They always remain in your library, so you can always re-use in them in the future.

i got it ! arigatou Adam.

once again my favorite funny curry restaurant . there is near Enoshima station

the restaurant's name is  "Big Sur"



why storekeeper named his restaurant Big sur? 
because when he was young,on trip in California. he fell over from big Sur cliff  with car. (800 feet cliff ! )


but he was fortunately saved !!
 Local old man in CA told him "are you Buddha? " as american joke XD

the accident was in local newspaper of CA  



he is the storekeeper, look at the shirts. "EGO" 



but I don't recommend this restaurant if you are hungry, because he is too talkative to cook !  
it takes about 1 hour until he serve you curry , so you have to talk to him with Beer 

Playmate pour Beer for you



then he will serve you the curry , his curry is very famous among Japanese curry addicts .  this is keema curry.
but last weekend of month, he serves "Decadent Curry and New Century Curry"  I don't know what that is




after ate it , he serves Chai tea


it is funny and delicious curry restaurant 

Oh wow, that looks like fun! Thank you for the fixing the pictures! When my Husband returns I am going to take him there for sure!