Enter Chamber of Raven, a Magical Realm Cafe in Tokyo

Chamber of Raven is a cafe set in the fantasy world of Mid-Erd, “a magical realm full of adventure that exists in a universe not our own,” in the words of the official website. The world-building of this theme cafe nestled in Tokyo’s Ogikubo district is indeed spectacular, although budget-wise for the average patron it is probably best reserved for special occasions.

Welcome to Mid-Erd

The cafe’s operator Raven Studios Co. was founded by Hidemi Matsuzuka, a former employee at gaming giants Bandai Co. and Square Enix Co. So it comes as no surprise that the atmosphere of Chamber of Raven is nothing short of immersive.

The cafe opened in July 2018, and is located on a small street in Tokyo’s surburbia. You can’t miss it because a sign on the front gate mysteriously proclaims, “Witches and wizards only.” The entire front entrance also gives off strong Harry Potter vibes, and pulling open the door transports you immediately into the world of Mid-Erd.

Interior of Chamber of Raven

Chamber of Raven consists of two floors. The first floor has four table/booths plus a bar and small merchandise section where you can buy an assortment of related goods.

Merchandise for sale inside Chamber of Raven

The second floor consists of a few more seating arrangements, but the majority of the space appears to be dedicated to antiques and other fantasy-inspired decorations.

Chandelier on second floor of Chamber of Raven
Interior of Chamber of Raven

Most customers are given a table on the main floor, but those with parties of up to eight can also book Cecilia’s Room for an additional 4,000 yen charge. With the exception of this private room, you are free to roam around and take as many photos as you like within your booking timeslot.

Menu & Budget

Every customer must order at least one drink and one food item each, and be warned, they do not come cheap. While some theme restaurants do have reasonably priced dishes, Chamber of Raven is not one of them. You will pay for the novelty, which is kind of understandable given the total immersive experience the cafe offers.

Our meal at Chamber of Raven

Drinks start from 1,500 yen a pop, while dishes are mostly upwards of 3,000 yen. All fit in with the theme, and the drinks especially have some very creative names. You can choose from Ravens Love Potion, Mermaid’s Tears and Vampire Heart.

Ravens Love Potion

Most drinks are non-alcoholic, although there are some cocktails like this sangria-based Festival of the Fairy Folk. With some of the drinks you can take the souvenir (plastic) bottle and coaster home.

Festival of the Fairy Folk

In addition to a drink each, we ordered the Birdie Plate (which, to our surprise, ended up being pork ribs) and the Vincul Strawberry Pancake. Our bill totalled 10,600 yen.

Birdie Plate

Visually, everything we ordered met expectations, and taste-wise, it was also better than average. But were it not for the novelty factor, the prices would be exorbitant for the portions and ingredients. Even with the novelty, we felt it was a little steep.

Making a booking

Chamber of Raven operates on a reservation-only system, with three slots available per day. Each slot is for 2 hours, with the last order half an hour before the end.

1) 12:00〜14:00
2) 14:30〜16:30
3) 17:00〜19:00

Bookings can be made up to 15 minutes before each slot on the official website (English available). I advise against booking until you are absolutely sure about going during that time, as the establishment takes rather hefty cancellation fees from 72 hours prior. On-the-day cancellations or no shows have a cancellation fee of 3,000 yen per person.

Getting to Chamber of Raven

Chamber of Raven is around a 5-minute walk from Ogikubo Station on the JR and Marunouchi Metro lines.

Address: 東京都杉並区天沼3-29-10
3-29-10 Amanuma, Suginami-ku, Tokyo

For another fantasy-themed experience, I recommend Tír na nÓg in Ginza. If you’re looking for other interesting theme cafes, particularly in Tokyo, check out the full list of my reviews.

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