らんぶるCoffee L'ambre
Long-standing cafe with plush seating & chandeliers, offering coffee, desserts & lunches.
- 3 Chome-31-3 Shinjuku, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 160-0022, Japan
Today · 9:30 am–10:30 pm
- Wednesday: 9:30 am–10:30 pm
- Thursday: 9:30 am–10:30 pm
- Friday: 9:30 am–10:30 pm
- Saturday: 9:30 am–10:30 pm
- Sunday: 9:30 am–10:30 pm
- Monday: 9:30 am–10:30 pm
- Tuesday: 9:30 am–10:30 pm
- +81 3-3352-3361
- e-shinjuku.or.jp
Google reviews
Visitor reviews on Google Maps
This isn’t a café that simply looks retro—it’s a place where the Showa era still feels alive. The first floor is small and cozy, but once you walk downstairs, it feels like you’ve stepped back in time. Soft classical music fills the air, the vintage furniture has aged beautifully, and even the floor tiles are charming—each one slightly different, adding to the nostalgic atmosphere. The cheesecake isn’t the modern fluffy style. Instead, it has the simple taste and texture of the cakes I remember from childhood. One bite instantly brought back old memories. If you visit, I’d recommend putting your smartphone away for a while. Instead of looking at a screen, enjoy the aroma of the coffee, the classical music, and the timeless atmosphere. It’s one of those rare places where you can truly feel like a time traveler. A perfect café for anyone who wants to slow down and experience a piece of old Japan. One more thing I really liked was seeing so many staff members around the café. It somehow added to the old-fashioned atmosphere, reminding me of how cafés used to be. I couldn’t tell if it was intentional or just a coincidence, but a few of the staff had hairstyles that reminded me of The Beatles (though it’s probably just a modern Korean style!). It somehow fit the nostalgic vibe perfectly.
View on GoogleHere’s a well-balanced, honest Google Maps review with a neutral tone: This coffee place has an old-school vibe that gives it a unique and slightly nostalgic atmosphere. The coffee is acceptable — not outstanding, but decent enough if you’re stopping by for a quick break. The service, however, can be quite moody and inconsistent, which affects the overall experience. If you’re mainly interested in the atmosphere and don’t mind a more detached service style, it may still be worth a visit.
View on Googleapparently lunch is only served on weekdays. service is lacking. cake was delicious but coffee was not.
View on GoogleGreat coffee shop to take a break and relax. Vibe is very unique and has an old aesthetic to it. Staff are super nice, very helpful, and friendly. They made us feel very welcome and comfortable as we got seated quickly as well. The coffee shop is in the basement down the stairs on the left, the upper floor looks closed when you enter. The coffee was good but very very strong and slightly bitter, however this suits strongly the very sweet desserts. Ask about portions and items you are not sure of before ordering as me and my partner accidentally over ordered. Things we ordered: Coffee Wiener, coffee jelly, chocolate cake, and apple pie. The chocolate cake was not the best, however the apple pie and coffee jelly I highly recommend. My mistake was I assumed the coffee jelly came in a drink however it came as a big jelly with a vanilla ice cream scope and creamer on the side.
View on GoogleThis cafe has apparently been open since 1947 and I definitely understand why it's still a favorite among locals ☕️ If you aren't paying attention, you just might walk right past the cafe while strolling around Shinjuku. Once you enter the cafe you may think it's rather small but looks can be deceiving. On the left side, you'll find stairs that lead to the basement floor that has a capacity of 200 people 🤯 Although there was a line when I arrived it moved rather quickly and I was able to get a table in less than 15 mins. The interior of the cafe is the main reason people come here and I have to say it certainly lives up to the hype. For a moment, I was able to get a glimpse of what life was possibly like back in the Showa era. Everything inside from the comfy red seats to the retro chandeliers are a sharp contrast to the modern brutalist cafes that seem to be on the rise in Tokyo these days. A much welcomed change of pace! As for the food and drinks, I highly recommend you stick with the set menu items. Ordering items not included in the set will prove to be quite expensive and you'll most likely find yourself spending 2000-2500 yen per person. However, if you order the set it'll only be 1400-1500 per person 💴 I ordered the shortcake and hot coffee set. The shortcake was lovely and was not too sweet. I also like how fresh it tasted and you can sense a difference in quality from the ones you can buy at the convenience store! The coffee was good and not too bitter. I think even those who don't enjoy black coffee will be able to drink this just fine! Though it does come with a side of milk and sugar so don't worry 😊 I've seen some reviews saying that the staff can be rude but I had a pleasant time with them during my visit! They were very honest and informed me that I would actually end up paying a lot more if I didn't order the set 😅 TLDR: The perfect cafe to experience Showa era vibes with decent coffee and dessert.
View on Google
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