01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
A spirited cry of "Play ball!" often kicks off the drinking at Homerun, a Nishi-Shinjuku izakaya infused with the cheeky humor of a baseball scoreboard. The drinks menu leans just as much into fun: house specialties include a craft-cola-flavored Homerun Lemon Sour, a nostalgic ramune cream soda sour topped with ice cream, and a refreshingly crisp, unsweetened black tea highball.
Snacks and small plates are filed playfully under baseball jargon like "Single Hit" and "Double Base Hit." A perennial crowd-pleaser is the cheekily titled salmon and cheese yukhoe, alongside fiery scallop changja and towering tro-taku tartare stacks that instantly brighten up the table. Heartier cravings are answered with substantial pork options, including classic fried-egg-topped chashu, rich cheese-smothered chashu pork, and Japanese fried chicken served in a wide array of seasonings.
When the evening heads into the bottom of the ninth inning, the pinch-hitter section steps up with satisfying finishers like garlic chashu mazesoba and classic fried rice. For a final pitch before heading home, dessert takes an adult turn with Hakushu whisky vanilla ice cream and a lemon-kissed scoop. With both counter stools and communal table seating open into the early morning hours, it offers a welcoming dugout whether you arrive with a lively group or slip in late for one last round.
