Lacto
Beer/Wine
Middle Eastern
African
Arabic
Non-veg
Serves meat, vegan options available. Middle Eastern and African cuisine with some veg choices like falafel, vegetarian mezze, and couscous. Vegans to specify no dairy. Open Mon-Sat 12:00pm-3:00pm, 6:00pm-9:00pm. Hours are flexible - call ahead.
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104 Papier Bldg, 41-26 Udagawa-cho (at Shibuya), Tokyo, Japan
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Last update on 25 Nov 2021 by tokyonick
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26 Reviews
First Review by Sianspheric
ForestLights
Points +130
Cosy ambience and varied menu - Edit
The first time I went here it was closed, the second time I arrived on time and was the only person there for about 15 minutes. It's a small izakaya-style restaurant, so no room for many people. The restaurant can't be seen from the street, but there is a small hallway in a building (the map is correct) with various izakaya and Barbados is one of them.
Read moreAs a main I had maffe with rice. There was no fufu left so that wasn't an option. It was so nice that I practically inhaled it. Also piklz from Haiti as an appetiser, and some very very delicious bissap drink that was pure heaven. For pudding I just ordered all three vegan options, the Caribbean gateau au chocolat, Sudan coconut cake and Moroccan almond cream fried sweets (briouats). The coconut cake was my favourite. And I had some tea from Rwanda to wash it all down, and Afro-vegan soup to take with me, which they put in a takeaway cup. Basically, I ate as much as my stomach would allow! It's not often that I can have African food, and this restaurant has a bit of everything. It's a good introduction to the continent.
I'll certainly be visiting again in the future.
Pros: Lots of vegan options, Varied African cuisine
Guest
fabiane
Points +726
Delicious and authentic - Edit
I’ve been trying to eat in this restaurant for months, but was always or either full or closing, but finally made it, the place is tiny and super authentic, went there with my friend from Madacascar, and she said it was a very authentic African food.
Read moreGuest
kaus19
Points +942
African cuisine - Edit
Quite a different experience and some may like it, but somehow it didn’t clicked with me and I did not enjoy as much as I would have liked. Lots of vegan options mentioned in the menu.
Read moreGuest
tokyonick
Points +263
So many options, all of them delicious - Edit
I’ve been eating here for ten years and haven’t had anything less than extremely good. It’s always packed with flavour and incredible value. So many vegan options, clearly marked
Read moreGuest
Minoria
Points +441
Exotic experience in Shibuya - Edit
This place became one of my favourite restaurants in Tokyo!
Read moreThey have wide variety of African / Middle Eastern menus for vegan and the food has home-made atmosphere witch nourishes your soul at the centre of the city.
The interior design has a little chaos with afro music and the contrast with the well organised food gives me energy and makes me feel alive!
Pros: Good food with reasonable price, Interesting selection of alcohol, Nice staffs
Cons: Cash only
Guest
HansBobànovits
Points +179
Amazing food - Edit
Be ready to enjoy a trip outside of Tokyo with the food! It's sooo good, cheap and the ambiance is cute
Read morePros: Lots of vegan options, Good price, The vegan dinner course is amazing
Cons: Small
Guest
JayVunBerry
Points +26
Rich food ! So good and drinks - Edit
Eat vegan and drink with friends perfect place
Read morePros: Has so many vegan options! , If you want to get lit you can drink , The couple that work there is so nice
Cons: There are so non vegan option
Guest
GrayHorwitz
Points +2008
Good options, tasty food, but on the small size for portions - Edit
Definitely one of the best vegan-friendly non-vegan restaurants I’ve been to in Tokyo. Almost everything was vegan, or could be made vegan, and the flavors were great and different than almost anything else you’d find in Tokyo. As others have said, it is a small place and the portions match that; we were here for after dinner drinks, and the food was a nice compliment, albeit a little expensive.
Read moreGuest
JackieJans
Points +1228
Absolutely love this place! - Edit
One of my top favorite places in Tokyo! Mostly vegetarian menu with unique flavors and atmosphere. Definitely gets hot in the summer time though so keep that in mind. Also very small so maybe a reservation is needed before!
Read moreGuest
jessinjapan
Points +35
Delicious options! - Edit
Look forward to returning! The service is excellent and so many good options to choose from
Read morePros: Great atmosphere and service, Good for solo diners, Tastes great
Cons: Small portion - need to order pita on the side
Guest
matchan
Points +39
Great food, cozy atmosphere - Edit
The menu has vegetarian and vegan options. I had the Beans, Beans, Beans which is a sampler of their fare. All was tasty. It’s a very small bar style restaurant where you can watch your host cook, serve and clean.
Read morePros: Vegan options are clear. , Tasty.
Cons: Small. There are 8 seats.
Guest
sa20180201
Points +118
good - Edit
Ordered appetizer set and lasagna both were good
Read moreThey have AC but it's too hot inside.
Better to book before becauseonly 8 seats are available
Guest
FRLL
Points +23
I love this place! - Edit
I really do! The food and atmosphere is great and I love taking Japanese friends here as they usually have never had African or middle Eastern food and they are amazed that such a place exists in Tokyo! The lunch set is really reasonably priced too and the staff are very friendly. It is tiny though so be aware that you might have to wait/not get it - it's better to book in the evening
Read moreGuest
UrVeggieMate
Points +1028
Major respect for the one guy who runs this place! - Edit
Ordered: Congo bean stew. Got exactly what I ordered haha; a simple dish of bean stew and white rice. There were about two or three varieties of beans used — memory is fuzzy but I think it was pinto beans and cannellini beans with possibly chickpeas. Also got some complimentary entrees; picked cabbage, carrots, and homemade hummus.
Read moreRun by one guy! I wasn’t planning to do a review for this place originally but I remembered the guy who ran this place and felt so much respect for him running the place by himself, cooking fresh meals, as well as doing take-away orders over the phone. The guy himself does not speak much english but appears to understand it quite well. He was quite helpful in explaining that some of the options came with rice and some came with couscous. I have a feeling that if we understood Japanese, we might have been able to ask for either rice or couscous with any of the menu options.
The menu was small with five options. Option 1 was a salad. Option 2 was a lamb dish. 3 was the bean stew. 4 was a chicken stew. 5 was a pumpkin leaf and cashew curry. Options 1, 3, and 5 are vegan. We arrived a bit after the lunch rush so options 1 and 2 had sold out. Everyone was happy with what they ordered though and perhaps it was a blessing in disguise that we came at the time we did though, because this place is TINY. It only seats 5 people and we had 5 people travelling in our party. The items on the menu are also all priced the same. Good value for money!
I enjoyed the stew greatly. It was simple and hearty. Of the people travelling with me, the only other person who ordered a vegan option was my aunty. She ordered the pumpkin cashew curry and enjoyed it so much that she wanted to try and recreate it at home. I can’t say anything about the authenticity of the food because this was the first time I’d ever had a stew from Congo. This doesn’t matter too much to me though, because the food was delicious.
As an extra pro: If you value authentic ambience in a restaurant, this place definitely has it!
Updated from previous review on 2018-02-28
Pros: Cooked fresh in front of you, Good value for money and very filling, Entrees were on the house! :)
Cons: Would have liked to see a bigger menu, but I guess, when you run a place by yourself, you'd want to , keep a manageable number of options.
Guest
edwardbc
Points +1021
Tasty - Edit
The food here is pretty tasty and delicious. The ambient is also veeery nice. Too bad the portions are quite small and you’re forced to order for more.
Read moreI had the platter which was very very good but incredibly small for a plate with that name and price.
If you don’t mind the price, give it a try .
Guest
MariHerrera
Points +25
great feeling - Edit
Little nice place, 8 people max, great atmosphere.
Read morethe chef cooks right in front of you and the decoration is unique. Really warm and cozy in winter.
My food was excelent, a little spicy, but really really good
Pros: excelent food, english menu, cooking in front of you, no waiters, just the owner
Cons: The place is small, if it is full of people you ei, 8 people max in the whole place
Guest
EricaBland
Points +18
Delicious and MOSTLY VEGAN - Edit
love Love LOVE !! Barbados is so good the menu is almost completely vegan they offer like one meat dish and two fish on the dinner menu and 4 out of the 5 lunch dishes are vegan !! It's so tasty and the music is awesome as well. Go here you will not regret it
Read moreGuest
Shanghai Sally
Points +302
great atmosphere and food - Edit
We went last night - booked and came at opening time 6.00 - just one other couple there - tiny restaurant but so great to see the chef in action close up and chat with her. Beautiful design of space very African and the food was fabulous. We had the appetizer plate - pizza- spring rolls and most exciting was the cheese plate ! Smoked vegan cheese - that's a first for me. Lovely night out - highly recommended
Read morePros: clear vegan menu choices , dishes from all over Africa , fun vibe - music was really happy
Cons: chairs ( high ) might make it difficult for pregna
Guest
curiosity3
Points +103
Culinary feast in Shibuya. (FIVE STARS!) - Edit
This is where I had probably the best dinner since going vegan 3 1/2 years ago, outside my own home.
Read moreLos Barbados isn’t a vegan or vegetarian restaurant per se but large parts of its menu are, and they are clearly marked. To call this a "restaurant" is perhaps misguiding: this is a hole in the wall in an inconvenient backstreet in Shibuya that seats at most eight people. But the food, mostly African, is the bomb, a feast, a culinary celebration. We ate almost everything vegan on the menu and would have ordered it all again if our stomachs hadn’t called for time out. I’d like to point out highlights but that’s impossible since everything was a highlight. That said, if pressed, I would pick the appetizer platter (Matzah), Nbika (slices of pâté made from seeds), the Moroccan spring roll, the vegan cheese platter, and the Gâteau au Chocolat. The two chefs make everything themselves, including the cheese, the falafel, harissa, hummus etc. The drinks menu is also well diversified, both the alcoholic and non-alcoholic parts of it. Hard to believe all this can be done in such a tiny place. This is a most welcome challenge to the standardized tastes served up in so many traditional vegan places around Tokyo. It *is* possible to do so much better!! Reservations accepted, English spoken.
This is hard to find, by the way. It's in a narrow back alley and I doubt a taxi could drop you off directly in front of it. It's in an old building with a narrow corridor on the ground floor that has several other eateries and pubs in it. Outside the building a lit directory lists all the places but Los Barbados is only listed in katakana. However, it is closest to the entrance to the building. A phone call may be necessary to get someone to find you.
Happycow does not allow 5-star reviews for non-veg restaurants so that's why there are no 5-star reviews here.
Updated from previous review on 2016-04-06
Pros: Explosion of tastes, Nice drinks menu, too , Nice team in the kitchen
Cons: Very small and cramped
Guest
TaraMurray
Points +271
Fresh and flavoursome! - Edit
We arrived early (530pm) on a Saturday night to this tiny restaurant and the very friendly Japanese cook / owner (the only staff member) let us know she had lots of reservations for the night but we could stay until 630, we obliged.
Read moreThe menu clearly states (colour coded) what is vegan so it was easy to make our selection. All of the meals are made in front of you while you watch, the chef is a great master of juggling multiple meals while welcoming new guests and even answering the phone!
To start, we chose the mez style plate to share (medium) with pita bread as a side. This dish was amazing! The ingredients incredibly fresh and the pita seemed homemade, so fluffy!
Next was the veggie spring rolls which were different to what we were expecting but still delicious.
The lentil curry was next and although we had been warned this was very spicy by the chef, we decided to take the risk. I am so glad we did! The spicyness was perfect, the flavours intense and this was by far my favourite dish of the night. An absolute winner!
Lastly was the pizza (which isn't a traditional pizza) which was my partners favourite dish of the night.
We also had 2 beers each but had to move along due to the lingering couple awaiting our departure.
We were very grateful for the food and service and would recommend this restaurant for those visiting Tokyo. Be sure to call ahead and make a booking though!
Guest
meme
Points +71
Good food but portions are a bit small - Edit
This is a tiny place and can be very crowded in which case you have to wait for your food quite a while. It was really tasty in the end but the portions left us hungry.
Read moreGuest
Cicaeda
Points +42
Cozy African/Middle Eastern food - Edit
The guy who runs the place is really friendly, and his food is good, too. Lots of vegan options. The owner/cook was even kind enough to point out that the creamy dip was made from soy before I needed to ask.
Read moreDon't miss this place!
Pros: Thoughtful and accommodating, Tasty, Cozy
Cons: Small venue
Guest
SunnyJudy
Points +41
Friendly and cozy - Edit
This place is a bit hard to find and isn't very spacey, but has great dishes! The dishes are mainly decorated with various fresh and raw vegetables. Best thing about it here is that all the dishes were 850yen! (it could be just for lunch time though) I live the atmosphere, with all the african decorations and various souvenirs on the walls. Be careful with choosing the dishes, because not all of them are veg dishes! Probably it is better to ask the owner before you make your order.
Read morePros: fresh, raw vegetable centered dishes , reasonable price
Cons: tricky to find, not so roomy
Guest
muzzle_walsh
Points +48
Excellent - Edit
Nice staff with reasonable English. Great vegan options
Read morePros: Food, Service
Cons: Small May Need To Book Ahead
Guest
Konekiene
Points +30
Warm. As it has to be for an African restaurant - Edit
Very homy bar, accessible from small alley, ideal for rainy days and dark evenings to warm up your belly and heart.
Read moreFood is very rich, well spiced. I go there when feeling particularly hungry, otherwise would be a bit too much. Actually if you prefer less cooked and lighter food, this is not a first place to go..
No matter very tight intimate space, feels ok to dine alone.
I couldn't help not chatting with owners wife which is very friendly. Her husband, the owner, cooks at the day time, and he is usually very into what he does.
Pros: Food, Owners
Cons: might need to wait in a line for lunch
Guest
Sianspheric
Points +10
Awesome spot, great decor. Vegan and Non-Veg food - Edit
Loved Los Barbados.
Read moreReally nice little spot near Shibuya. Only about 7-8 seats and a bit hidden away but glad we went there for our final dinner in Tokyo.
My girlfriend is Vegan and I am Non-Vegetarian so sometimes that presents some challanges for us, but I love a good vegan meals and Los Barbados delivered.
We had a really nice spicy Daal, a veggie plate with falafel balls, veg, hummous, veggie kababs (?), we split two homemade veggie burger patties (very unique and tasty), a delicious desert too.
Food and drinks were a bit pricy (but that's common in Tokyo) and the portions were not very big (at least by North American vegan restaurant standards).
But the quality of the meal itself was excellent.
Los Barbados itself has great atomosphere for a small place, the owner/chef is into African music and culture so there are lots of African posters and souveniers around, really makes the place feel unique and special and warm.
The menu also did have some meat/fish items for non-vegetarians, as well as plenty of vegetarian and vegan options.
Pros: Delicious and inventive vegan food, Great atmosphere, Friendly staff
Cons: A bit expensive, small portions , Not a lot of seating, bit hard to find, Smoking allowed inside
Guest
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