Thanks to Michel Bouchet, Ben's Cafe's has been on this site for a very long time, but it was given only a cursory review, and I think it's time to pay more attention to it. As a matter of fact, it's my favorite bar or pub, far above the more noisy and clumsy competition. Not that it needs my review (it's already deservedly famous), but I would like nonetheless to give you my opinion.

Good old Ben is long gone, who knows where to, but his name is not the only thing he has left behind. With some changes, the place is still the way he conceived it, with a strong emphasis on quality, originality and variety. Just to give you an example, to my knowledge Ben's Café is the only place in Tokyo that has REAL tiramisu, that is, tiramisu made with Savoiardi biscuits and mascarpone cheese, as it should be. Everywhere else they serve fakes.

Good taste (in both meanings of the expression) imprints the whole menu, so it will keep you busy for a while.
Its tables are one of the very few places where Japanese and Gaijin mix spontaneously, without friction and letting each other be.

If you want to surf the Net, there are two computers at your disposal for free. If you bring your own machine, wireless access to the Web is available everywhere in the premises.

I personally don't care much about most of the many cultural activities BC hosts. I am a strong believer of separation between beer and art. With a big exception. Adrian Beard and Paul Knighton host a wine tasting at 8:00 in the evening on the third Tuesday of every other month, and the thing is so interesting that I go even if I am not crazy about wine. It costs 4000 yen and it's worth every penny. One learns, gets drunk, relaxes and meets soul mates, all at the same time. I have seen Paul at work only once, so I am not very familiar with his style, but I have met Adrian several times, and I like the way he talks. None of the pompous bullshit the French like so much when they talk about wine, lots of info and a pinch of British humor.

Alas, it's now time to mention a little problem. BC used to buy Kyle's Good Finds' pies and brownies. Now Eriko-chan does the job but, while she does well enough, she can't even hold the candle to old Kyle.