2020.04.11 2026.01.26

A trip back to Akihabara in the 2000s... 10 long-established maid cafes that opened in the 2000s

Akihabara BC

Even though they call it a maid cafe, the girls who solicit customers on the street are mostly girls from girls' bars. For all you hardcore otaku out there wondering where the maid cafes of the good old days have gone... we'll introduce you to a long-established maid cafe that has been in business since the early 2000s!

INDEX

Opened in 2001 CURE MAID CAFE

Opened in 2001 CURE MAID CAFE

The original maid cafe
http://www.curemaid.jp/
G-Store Akihabara 6F, 3-15-5 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
月-木11:00-20:00/金土祝前日11:00-22:00/日祝11:00-19:00
Closed on Tuesdays

[Today's daily menu]

Melty cheese tomato spaghetti
¥800+tax

Spaghetti with lots of cheese and tomatoes.
Please appreciate it.#Daily menu　#lunch https://t.co/LQa5DKCEIc pic.twitter.com/6D1aATuD9C

— Cure Maid Cafe (@curemaidcafe) April 7, 2020

According to Wikipedia, this is the world's first maid cafe, which actually began operating as a cafe after a tie-up project with "Welcome to Pia Carrot!!" There is a cover charge only during live music performances on Saturdays.
Since the project originated as a tie-up project for games, it has carried out numerous collaborative projects with anime works such as "Fate," "Re:Zero," and "Made in Abyss."

Opened in 2001

A handmade maid cafe and izakaya run by maid girls
https://twitter.com/hiyokoyamaid
Ueno 1-chome Building 2F, 1-8-10 Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo (same store as Moja☆Monja)
ランチタイム12:00-15:00/居酒屋タイム17:00-22:00 ※土のみ23:00まで
Closed Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpaqEKeyD5A
This privately run maid izakaya opened in November 2001. There is no cover charge. The official website features manga and promotional animations are available on YouTube, giving the impression that it is truly run by otaku.
Every Friday, the maid okonomiyaki restaurant "Okonomi Kitchen Moja☆Monja" is currently open for business.

Cafe Mai:lish opened in 2002

Maid & Cosplay Cafe
https://twitter.com/cafemailish
2F FH Kyowa Square, 3-6-2 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
11:00-22:00

The second half of the event has begun. Christie has also appeared (^^) She's waiting for you in her usual pose ♫
Don't call me Tina!! #MakiseKurisuBirthday #Makise Kurisu #Maylish #Steins;Gate #maid #Akihabara shops pic.twitter.com/JHSHMEMcNd

— Cafe Mailish (@cafemailish) July 25, 2018

The Maid Cafe is a long-established establishment that was recently renovated in 2019. There is no cover charge. It has been treated as a sacred place since it appeared in the anime "STEINS;GATE."

Opened in 2003 Pinafore

A long-established maid cafe that opened in 2003
2F Kogure Suehiro Building, 3-15-6 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo (Labyrinth store)
12:00-5:00 the next day
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0uIFz9lGsQ
Although the first store closed in 2017, the affiliated "Labyrinth Store""Ichibanboshi Theater" is still open in Akihabara. They also run a guesthouse in Ueno.
The Labyrinth branch is a girls' bar, and the Ichibanboshi Theater is a venue for idol live shows, so it seems like the cafe format wasn't very profitable to begin with.
The maid cafes that followed also basically rely on alcohol and idol-related contact businesses as their main sources of income.

Opened in 2004: JAM Akihabara

A cafe quietly located on the outskirts of Akihabara
https://twitter.com/jam_akihabara
Yamaguchi Building B1F, 3-2-13 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
11:30-23:00 / Fridays and holidays 11:30-5:00

Good morning ☀

Today's daily lunch
△Chinese set meal

The pasta of the day is
△Spinach and salmon cream pasta

JAM will be closed this Saturday and Sunday! (>_<)

Be sure to come and replenish your JAM supplies before your break!#maid #coffee shop #JAMtta #Akihabara shops pic.twitter.com/lyHge7kQQs

— JAM Akihabara (@jam_akihabara) April 3, 2020

There is no cover charge. They hold many collaborative events with bishoujo games, giving it a very "otaku" feel from the 2000s. People under 30 are not welcome!

Opened in 2004 @Home Cafe Akihabara Donki store

The epitome of a moe maid cafe
https://twitter.com/athome_cafe
Don Quijote Akihabara Store 5F, 4-3-3 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Weekdays 11:00-22:00 / Saturdays, Sundays and holidays 10:00-22:00
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAC8sc_TDxY
Fighting king Akira Maeda, producer of the underground fighting tournament "THE OUTSIDER," also has this smile when he comes to @Home Cafe!
It's a representative example of the Moe-style maid cafe. It has been featured in the media a lot, and I feel like it played a role in the idol-like era before AKB48 (prejudice). There was even a term for it, the "Akihabara Boom."
It is currently run by a subsidiary of Space Shower Network, which gives you an overwhelming sense of security thanks to its strong capital base.

Opened in 2004 LittleBSD (Little BSD) Little Devil's Feast

Cosplay Izakaya
https://twitter.com/little_bsd
Isamiya 8th Building 3F, 4-7-12 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
月-水18:00-23:00/金土祝前日18:00-翌5:00/日祝17:00-22:00
Closed on Thursdays
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHXjdY3Yxns
This cosplay izakaya opened in 2004. There is no cover charge. The operator, Light Create, has many stores in Akihabara, and is known for itsLittleTGV""Akiba CIA""Panic”, as well as “Akihabara Meeting Hall""Akihabara Production Center""High Up Akiba" is also a sister store.

Opened in 2004, basicBar [bB]

A long-established maid bar
https://twitter.com/basicbar_bB
KT Building 2F, 1-25 Kanda Sakumacho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Weekdays 18:00-23:30 / Saturdays, Sundays and holidays 17:00-23:30

As I'm organizing my shelves, I'm getting rid of the mini bottles I used as decorations.
Drink it while feeling the 15 years we spent together at bB! (*´ω｀*)
There were some that had a lot of the angel's share taken away though lol pic.twitter.com/IG7P8XBmKZ

— basicBar_bB (@basicbar_bB) March 2, 2020

This was one of the first concept bars. It doesn't have many of the typical con cafe elements, so it's probably best to go in with the mindset of a regular bar with maid outfits.

Filles opened in 2005

A maid cafe where girls serve you as they are, without any characters.
https://twitter.com/filles_maidcafe
Sumiyoshi Building 4F, 3-16-17 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Weekdays 17:00-23:00 / Saturdays, Sundays and holidays 13:00-23:00

Thank you for coming home! See you next week! pic.twitter.com/AVG9F5GNqX

— Korone 🌼 Maid Cafe Fille (@56ne_filles) March 21, 2020

A maid cafe that lends maid outfits to female customers for free. The official Twitter account is not functioning due to automated tweet bombing, so you can get information about the cafe from the cast's account!

2006 Akiba Women's Dormitory

A shop where you can chat with girls in pajamas and play games.
https://twitter.com/akibajoshiryou
Saison Akihabara Building 3F, 4-8-3 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
13:00-21:30
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkhVi9hPQEo
The video aspect ratio is 4:3! This was before digital terrestrial broadcasting, yay yay.
It was a pioneering establishment that introduced a concept other than maid cafes, but it was so pioneering that it sometimes felt out of place. Recently, it has become more commonplace to go with the concept cafe "One room""Claris Veil" will also be exhibiting.