This is an Izakaya (Japanese bar with light snacks/food available) specifically it’s a Maid Cafe style Cosplay Izakaya. It’s located on N. Josey Ln just south of Spring Ave. in Little Tokyo.

When a customer first walks into the Meido Kafe, a young woman in a French Maid costume or a young man in a Butler costume greets the person with “Welcome Home, Master/Mistress” and offers a warm wipe towel and menu. Unlike in Japan which caters to usually only one or the other gender, this Izakaya has mostly female (maid) staff, but also has a few male (butler) staff as well. All employees are in costume and act as a servant, with the customer as their master.

This facility shares the same duplex office building as the Blue Jade Clinic (plastic surgery… coincidence?)

How Does the Meido Kafe actually “work”

• Human Interaction
  • Absolutely no touching the server in a sexual/inappropriate way
    • Since this is the USA: Generally speaking shaking hands and pats on the back, are ok.
    • Very regular/good/familiar/“not creepy” customers might get hugs.
      • However, this is extremely rare as it may cause other customers to feel that they “aren’t as special” and potentially lead to bad tips/loss of business.
      • Since it sets a bad precedent, even in the USA a hug is extremely uncommon and a very, very high indication of trust/regard.
  • Flirting is perfectly permissible
• Reservations are for 1 hour blocks. Reservations can be made when you first walk in (newbie maids/butlers usually get the walk-ins).
  • Meal
    • Upon arrival for your reservation you purchase your initial snack and drink for $10 (always a pastry of some kind decorated by the maid/butler) – this replaces the concept of a “cover charge”
      • Midori’s costs $20 as she makes it herself as well. Clients on her regular list get their first reservation each month for free (i.e. she pays the “cover” to the restaurant herself)
    • All food is “decorated” by the maids/butlers in their own unique cutesy way (the most common is to have stuff drawn on it with ketchup, mayonnaise, tonkatsu or some other kind of sauce – or cream/whipped cream/frosting/sprinkles if it’s dessert)
    • Food and Drinks are expensive (average $5 for alcoholic drinks, $10-20 for a meal) – this is the same for all Maids/Butlers
    • It is unusual to leave a tip (though some customers do)
  • Music
    • Every hour around the :45 minute mark Midori does one J-Pop song from the Kafe’s “jukebox” for the enjoyment of everyone – the customer that reserved her table that particular hour gets to pick at no additional cost.
    • Midori also has CDs and DVDs available for sale of her singing these songs (some of the other Maids/Butlers also have CDs/DVDs for sale)
    • At any other time any of the other Maids/Butlers may be asked to sing/perform on stage as well but the :45 time-slot is reserved for Midori. This is done by the customer putting money in the “jukebox” (each song costs $2).
  • Otaku
    • Various Anime & Video Games are available to be rented to help liven up the meal (usually only a $1-2 to rent the equipment)
    • A Manga library exists and various issues (usually the latest and classics) are brought to the table by request (no charge)
    • Each maid/butler have various handcrafts they’ve made for sale to their customers around their table(s).
      • Offerings vary from decorated photos (think scrapbooking) – to hand drawn manga – to plastic or vinyl models they’ve assembled and painted themselves.
        • Each month Midori has one new decorated cosplay/costume picture of herself she gives to her regulars at no cost.
  • Conversation
    • … or a customer can just ask the maid/butler to sit and talk while they eat.
  • Massage
    • One additional service that only Midori and a handful of other Maids/Butlers offer is traditional Shiatsu massage (face/scalp, neck, shoulders, back only – clothed only).
    • However since this runs dangerously near the “no inappropriate touching” custom… only very regular and very close clients are offered this service.
    • This costs around $10 per five minute increment.
      • Midori doesn’t charge folks that have been on her Reservation/Client list for a while.

Face

Midori