Fans both in Japan and across the globe we’re saddened to hear of the closure of Harajuku’s KAWAII MONSTER CAFE at the end of January this year. A casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic, the sudden closure of the iconic venue came as quite a shock when it was announced only a month earlier.

Whilst the closure of the venue seemed to mark the end of an era, what many didn’t realise is that the company had not said goodbye forever, as it makes a reappearance in Osaka’s Hu+g Museum from this November as pop-up version ‘KAWAII MONSTER KITCHEN’.

Though not quite as big as it’s previously occupied area, the pop-up cafe is as vibrant as ever and comes complete with a three metre-tall colourful ‘monster cake’ photospot, an eye-catching food menu, and the return of the cafe’s resident monster mascot Choppy.

As far as food goes, KAWAII MONSTER KITCHEN and Hu+g Museum have put their heads together and come up with three monster-fied burger set meals. Choose from a red-coloured burger bun filled with tonkatsu pork cutlet and bacon, a blue coloured burger stuffed with shrimp fritters and tartar sauce, and if you can’t choose between the former, the final set comes with mini versions of both.

Colourful Monster Burger Red (tonkatsu pork cutlet and bacon): 1,380 yen
Colourful Monster Burger Blue (shrimp fritters and tartar sauce): 1,380 yen
Colourful Pop Mini Monster Burger Blue & Red (mini tonkatsu and mini shrimp fritters): 1,280 yen
*All set meals come with potato wedges and a drink.
*Those who purchase a burger will be given a quiz rally card. Answer correctly and receive a limited edition mask case prize.

In addition to the garish food menu, KAWAII MONSTER KITCHEN also has a monster cooking experience where you can get involved in the fun and turn regular cupcakes into cute monster cupcakes using your choice of cream and sweets for decoration.

Included in the participation fee of 700 yen is an original KAWAII MONSTER KITCHEN apron and a quiz rally card.
For 300 yen extra, you can take a set of original KAWAII MONSTER KITCHEN cutlery home with you.

Those looking to bring a little bit of the crazy fun home with them will be to hear that just like the former Harajuku location, KAWAII MONSTER KITCHEN has a number of original merchandise up for grabs. The lineup includes T-shirts, ball pens, keychains and chopsticks.

You can find the reinvented KAWAII MONSTER KITCHEN at Osaka’s Hu+g Museum. Unfortunately, the collaboration isn’t permanent, and will only be here until the 31st of October 2021. But, the appearance of the store in Osaka may give us a hint that although the KAWAII MONSTER CAFE in Harajuku is no more, the company itself isn’t quite done with us just yet.

KAWAII MONSTER KITCHEN

Address: Hu+g Museum, 3-59, Chiyozaki, Nishi-ku, Osaka
Hours: 10: 00-17: 00
Closed on Wednesdays, and during the New Year holidays