I like to party hardy as much as the next person on a Saturday night, but found myself not satisfied with another week of karaoke and clubbing is not my thing. I was looking for something different and found it at Bee: Dining and Darts Bar. Bee is a national chain with stores in such major cities as Tokyo, Osaka, and Hiroshima. I went to the location in Sendai.
Bee is set up for socializing. Starting with their downtown locations, fun music and lighting set the scene. A long counter and many tables, both standing and sitting, provide a nice lounge atmosphere. A game of pool or table tennis is 260 per person. Note not all locations offer these. There is also a private karaoke room for party rentals. An interesting feature are the iPads on the counter loaded with game applications. These are free to use. A game is a useful technique to making a friend or distracting your loneliness if your conversation skills are not up to par.
Darts is what Bee is famous for and they do it very well. The location I visited was equipped with eleven computerized dart boards. At just 100 yen a game, you can play all night and still stay on a budget. Each machine can be used by up to four players with solo, team, and various game settings optional. Ask a staff member to reserve a machine and for help selecting a game if you want to play. Bee even welcomes the occasional pro or want-to-be professional dart player. Catering to them is the display case full of luxury darts and accessories, with some products exceeding 10,000 yen!
I was impressed with the selection of food and drink at Bee. The drink menu is bilingual and serves almost every type of alcohol (beer, wine, shochu, champagne, etc.) with many variations. I ordered one of the 21 variations of whisky they offered. The food menu is only in Japanese but with its large and clear pictures, ordering is easy. I chose a chicken basket with chicken pieces and fries. I was expecting it to come with sauce. It didn't but I couldn't complain because it was flavorful and not greasy at all.
Balancing fun and money can be hard, but I felt I got a great value for my hour and half stay. Your bill is kept track by a number stamped in invisible ink on your hand. It is checked by black light for confirmation. Do note there is a 540 yen charge for entry into the bar. By the end of the night, my dining partner and I each enjoyed a drink, shared some light food, played two games of darts, and had way too much fun playing iPad games for less than 3000 yen. With its social and relaxed setting that is perfect for an after party, the bull's eye is Bee.
