Tanuki is a shape-shifting Japanese spirit creature that, according to Shinto folklore, travels from sake shop to sake shop, tricking owners into accepting his useless leaves as money, while he imbibes, eats, and philanders to his fill. He’s basically the Japanese version of Bernie Madoff. What’s not to love?

This party animal promises good times inside the tiny place, which looks exactly like a take-out café. Tables are so cheap they might as well have come from Taco Bell. It’s cute, cozy, and frustrating; there are probably all of 15 seats in the place—half are at the counter. As tempting as it would be, don’t come with a group larger than four, ever. Let Tanuki be your company.

Whoever you bring, you will be eating and drinking fairly delicious stuff. It’s rare to see a Japanese menu that changes seasonally, let alone one that uses local ingredients. And it’s great to see things like soondae outside a serious Korean restaurant. This isn’t the classic Korean blood sausage—it’s more of a boudin noir. Nothing wrong with that.

Dried, shredded squid is an addictive bar snack: sweet, spicy, and salty. House-made pickles are fine, as is kimchi—the menu will be quick to remind you this is all humble, spicy, salty bar food.

But that doesn’t preclude disappointment (unless you’ve already had a lot of sake): natto, fermented soybeans over rice with raw egg, sounds terrific, but is very boring, with little flavor. Okinawan pork belly, however, is some of the kitchen’s best work.

Come nightfall, Tanuki turns into a raucous, dark bar with excellent sakes and debauchery. Understand this fact, have plenty of sake, and you’ll learn to put up with the hassles—the cramped quarters, the occasional attitude.

There are nightly specials, like Tuesday night pork belly discounts, and $5 noodles on Thursdays. On Wednesday and Saturday nights, Tanuki shows Japanese films (of both the classic and culty genres), which just plain rules. Every city in the States needs a few of these.