We have come up with a top 10 maid café recommendation ranking for Akihabara.
The criteria for this “maid café” is basically for stores that do not have a Castdrink*!
*Castdrink is a drink that is bought for the cast member by the customer.
Welcome to the fascinating world of Akihabara maid cafes!
Akihabara is known as a town of subcultures such as anime, games, figures, and cosplay.
An essential part of Akihabara is the “maid café” culture.
In this article, we will thoroughly rank the 10 most popular maid cafes in Akihabara based on the latest information available in 2024.
Whether you are a beginner, an expert, or a cost-conscious customer, you can enjoy 120% of Akihabara maid café fun with this one guide.
It is packed with useful information on how to choose a popular store, café etiquette, and more.
How to choose a maid cafe
There are many maid cafes in Akihabara, and first-time visitors may be at a loss as to which one to choose.
When choosing a maid café, it is a good idea to check the following three points.
Concept
The best part of a maid café is the unique world view that comes from the interior design and the maids’ attitude toward customers.
There are various types of cafes, including antique cafes with a relaxed atmosphere, cafes where you can enjoy “moe” at its best, and cafes with a unique concept.
Find a store with a view of the world that suits your taste.
Menu
The menu, including food, drinks, and desserts, is also an important factor in choosing a restaurant.
Choose a restaurant with a rich food menu, a restaurant with a reputation for its special sweets, a restaurant with an all-you-can-drink menu, etc., according to your purpose.
Service
You also need to check the services offered by the store, such as the hospitality of maids, event planning, availability of live performances, and cheki photo shooting.
Keep these points in mind to find the best Akihabara maid café for you.
Ranking
Let’s get right to the rankings!
No. 10 Maid Cafe Tougenkyo
Maids do everything from cooking and baking to cleaning.
New maids first learn cooking and pastry making thoroughly for three months, and then demonstrate their skills in front of the master and the ladies.
Each maid has a different specialty, and the menu of the day is always changing.
One of the main attractions of Tougenkyo is that each time you visit, you will encounter different maids’ homemade dishes and sweets.
No. 9 My First Maid
My First Maid” is a traditional maid café with the concept of “I want to be your first maid. It is popular for its cute pastel atmosphere and unique maids. There is a live stage, and in addition to checkers, there is a menu that allows you to interact with the maids, such as “hourglass (1,000 yen)”.
An idol unit “Yumeiro Vision” formed by the maids of this store is also active.
No. 8 Akiba Zettai Ryoiki
This maid café is based on the concept of “otaku x kawaii,” which is fitting for Akihabara, a sacred place for otaku culture.
The girls are dressed in cat ears and maid uniforms, and their knee-high socks peeking out from the “Zettai Ryoiki” will catch your eye.
They put their heart and soul into each customer’s spell and give a hot performance in their live show.
No. 7 CURE MAID CAFÉ
CURE MAID CAFE, which opened in 2001 and is rooted in Akihabara, Tokyo, is known as the first maid café in Japan.
CURE MAID CAFE is distinct from other maid cafes that sell “moe,” or “moe” (moe is a word that means “cute” in Japanese), in that it does not offer services such as drawing pictures of menu items with ketchup or taking pictures with the maids.
Rather than enjoying the interaction with the maids, the real pleasure of the café is to savor your meal in a relaxed atmosphere while being served in a relaxed manner.
No. 6 Cafe Mai:lish
The main attraction of this café is the diverse personalities of the maids and the various costumes they wear.
From classical maid uniforms to cosplay outfits brimming with individuality, the costumes change according to the theme of the day and the event.
If you listen to the story behind each costume, you will gain a deeper understanding of the maids.
You can enjoy special costumes on certain days, such as Classical Maid Day on Wednesdays and Hobby Day.
No. 5 HoneyHoney Akihabara
Starting with the Yokohama branch, which opened in 2006, this popular chain group now has branches in Akihabara, Omiya, and Ikebukuro.
Unlike other maid cafes, HoneyHoney is more of a classic maid café that emphasizes a relaxed atmosphere rather than entertainment, allowing customers to spend a relaxing time while admiring the cute maids.
The quality of the homemade food and drinks is highly acclaimed, and the reasonable pricing makes it cosy and attractive.
As a legitimate maid café, HoneyHoney is a great place for even light users to stop by.
No. 4 Maid Cafe MAID MADE Akihabara
The most distinctive feature of “Maid Maid” is its overwhelming world view.
The “magical dolls (magiaroids),” who are set to come from the future, use magic to make your meal delicious.
The interior of the restaurant is designed to look like a fusion of cyberpop and classic magic, and once you step inside, you are already in a futuristic world.
The restaurant is full of eye-pleasing experiences, such as drawing magic on omelettes and powerful live performances.
No. 3 Isekai maid
The space decorated with accessories and ornaments that give the impression of classical fantasy seems as if you have wandered into a bar of another world.
This space, created by maids who say they have been reincarnated from another world, is a perfect fusion of the concepts of “Akiba × another world × maids.
There are five different set menus recommended for first-time customers, ranging from otherworldly gourmet food to otherworldly drinks, allowing you to fully enjoy the hospitality of the maids.
Also, if you order from the live menu, you can watch maids perform up close, and the traditional Akihabara art of “wotagei,” or “otaku-gei,” is also noteworthy.
No. 2 At Home Cafe Akihabara
Since its opening in 2003, the cafe has enjoyed strong popularity over the years.
I still vividly remember my first visit. When I opened the door, I was surprised to be greeted with “Welcome, master! I was surprised when I opened the door and was greeted with “Welcome, master! The pink wallpaper and lace curtains inside the store were stylish, and the atmosphere of the maid café I had always dreamed of seemed to jump out of the screen.
No. 1 MAIDREAMIN AKIHABARA
Meidreamin is Japan’s largest maid café, with 20 locations in Japan and abroad, and claims to be the “No. 1 Entertainment Maid Café”.
The main store in Akihabara is the birthplace of the company, and it has opened stores widely in major cities in Japan, including Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, and Sapporo.
One of the attractions of Maidreamin is the live performances that can be enjoyed at all stores.
Cast maids perform songs and dances from a stage set up inside the store.
For the sake of convenience, we have chosen to use the ranking format, but we recommend that you go to any of these 10 restaurants. We hope you will try to conquer all of them.
Other Recommended Cafes
Besides the ones mentioned above, there are many other recommended maid cafes in Akihabara.
Here, we introduce some of them.
These cafes also generally do not offer cast drink services.
JAM Akihabara
“JAM Akihabara” is a long-established maid cafe located in a quiet area of Akihabara.
Its classic decor and calm atmosphere provide a sense of nostalgia and relaxation for visitors.
The availability of free Wi-Fi and a well-rounded food menu makes it an ideal spot for working or relaxing.
It remains one of the beloved symbols of Akihabara, cherished by fans over the years.
BLUE EGG
“BLUE EGG” is a maid cafe & bar in Akihabara themed around “ultimate cuteness.”
It features a clean white and mint green interior and distinctive, carefully designed maid costumes.
With a concept of bringing happiness through “eggs of joy,” it also offers various entertainment perfect for fans.
Its reasonable pricing allows guests to enjoy a special experience casually.
Lilian Plian – Maid Cafe of the Ice Country
“Lilian Plian – Maid Cafe of the Ice Country” is a refreshing maid cafe themed around snow and ice.
The cast, known as “fairies,” wear unique blue and white costumes, and the hexagonal counter design facilitates enjoyable conversations with the fairies.
It also features unique and visually appealing menu items like Aurora Tea and Snowman Stew.
Magical Twintail
Magical Twintail is a maid cafe themed around magic and twintails, located just 3 minutes from Akihabara Station.
The cafe’s pink and white interior creates a cute, macaroon-like atmosphere.
It’s a dreamlike and healing space, perfect for those wanting to experience a small journey to a magical land.
Column: The History of Akihabara Maid Cafes
The history of maid cafes in Akihabara began to take shape in the late 1990s, gaining widespread recognition with the opening of Cure Maid Café in 2001.
This is considered the world’s first permanent maid cafe, sparking the rapid spread of maid cafe culture centered around Akihabara.
Following this, “Hiyoko-ya” opened in 2001, and Cafe Mai:lish in 2002.
Particularly, Cafe Mai:lish established a new type of maid cafe where maids had specific cosplay names and emphasized communication between maids and customers.
This style has since become the standard seen in maid cafes worldwide.
In the early days of maid cafes, it was common for cosplayers to work as maids, attracting fans of these cosplayers as customers. This era marked the beginning of the maid cafe culture.
During this period, maid cafes began to split into two main themes: classic-style cafes and moe-style cafes, leading to further diversification.
In 2003, “Pinafore” opened, followed by JAM Akihabara and At home Cafe in 2004, accelerating the maid cafe boom.
“Pinafore” gained additional fame by being used as a filming location for the TV drama “Densha Otoko,” contributing to increased media coverage of maid cafes.
In 2005, the waitress unit “Kanzen Maid Sengen” from At home Cafe was nominated for the New Words and Buzzwords Awards, signaling the widespread recognition of maid cafe culture both in Japan and abroad.
This boom, alongside the success of “Densha Otoko” and the debut of AKB48, helped establish maid cafes as a key aspect of Akihabara culture and as symbols of Akiba culture.
How to Choose a Maid Cafe
With so many maid cafes in Akihabara, first-time visitors might find it difficult to choose where to go.
When selecting a maid cafe, it’s helpful to consider the following three points:
Theme
The charm of a maid cafe lies in its unique atmosphere, influenced by its interior design and the demeanor of the maids.
There are cafes with antique and serene settings, cafes that fully embrace “moe,” and those with unique concepts.
Find a cafe that matches your preferred theme.
Menu
The food, drinks, and desserts offered are also important factors when choosing a cafe.
Some cafes have extensive food menus, others are famous for their carefully crafted desserts, and some have a wide selection of all-you-can-drink options. Choose a cafe that aligns with your needs.
Services
Check the services provided by the cafe, such as the maids’ hospitality, planned events, live performances, and opportunities for photo shoots with the maids (cheki).
By considering these points, you can find the best maid cafe in Akihabara that suits your preferences.