Stand Gonta

Fifteen seconds out of Hankyu Sannomiya's west gate, up one flight of stairs, and you're holding a ¥190 draft beer. Stand Gonta is the great equalizer of Sannomiya drinking: a big U-shaped standing counter wrapped around an open kitchen, forty-odd people deep on a good night — students, salarymen, aunties, everyone.

Order the 高架下ビフテキ — a 150g 'under-the-tracks beefsteak', medium rare under garlic chips, for ¥590. That's not a typo. Add the sashimi trio and a ¥300 glass of wine and you've had a genuinely good dinner for about ¥1,500.

Fair warning: this is an old-school joint and smoking is allowed indoors. It's also open from noon, which makes it the correct answer to 'is it too early for a beer?'