Midnight Diner

Synopsis

Set in a small restaurant in the corner of a shopping district. The unusual eatery is only open after midnight, and its standard menu consists of just a single choice. However, the customers still come for the amusing chatter and the proprietor's willingness to cook any dish that they request. This drama depicts the lives of the restaurant's patrons, including a yakuza, an unsuccessful actor, a group of office ladies, a newspaper delivery boy, and a stripper.

First Air Date: 2009-10-09

Last Air Date: 2014-12-22

Number of Seasons: 3

Number of Episodes: 30

Networks: TBS, MBS

View Technical Specifications on IMDb

Top Cast

Kaoru Kobayashi as Master
Mansaku Fuwa as Chu-san
Toshiki Ayata as Kosuzu
Shohei Uno as Komichi
Asako Kobayashi as Rumi
Kiyobumi Kaneko as Kanemoto
Yutaka Matsushige as Ryu Kenzaki
Joe Odagiri as Katagiri
Risa Sudou as Miki
Nahoko Yoshimoto as Kana

Seasons

Season 1 (2009) - (10 Episodes)

Season 2 (2011) - (10 Episodes)

Season 3 (2014) - (10 Episodes)

Season 1 (2009)

Each night a midnight diner serves up just four dishes, but customers aren't really there for the food: They've come for advice and a sympathetic ear.

Episodes:

Ep. 1: Fried eggs and red wieners (2009-10-09)

The stern-faced master of this diner only wields his knife from midnight to 7 am. The yakuza Ryu has been a regular since he tasted the “red wieners”.
Ep. 2: Cat Food (2009-10-16)

Struggling singer Miyuki orders her favorite “nekomamma”. Master recalls another regular who is a lyricist. He later writes her a song as a gift.
Ep. 3: Ochazuke (2009-10-23)

Miki, Rumi and Kana meet at the diner to eat “ochazuke” (hot tea over rice) and gab about men. Master secretly calls them the “ochazuke sisters.”
Ep. 4: Potato Salad (2009-10-30)

Master starts each night by making potato and macaroni salad. A recent regular and charismatic porn star has become a fan of his potato salad.
Ep. 5: Butter Rice (2009-11-06)

Komichi brings food critic Toyama to the diner, who kills the mood. Goro comes for his usual butter rice which turns Toyama into a weekly patron.
Ep. 6: Katsudon (2009-11-13)

Boxer Kacchan always eats katsudon (pork cutlet over rice) after a win. He falls in love with another regular Akemi. A big match suddenly comes up.
Ep. 7: Egg Sandwich (2009-11-20)

Hopeful star Risa meets struggling student and newspaper delivery boy Nakajima at the diner. They share an egg sandwich together. Could this be love?
Ep. 8: Sauced Yakisoba (2009-11-27)

Ex-idol Rinko visits the diner. Her former fan club members get excited when they hear she ate a plate of pan-fried noodles topped with a fried egg.
Ep. 9: Grilled Aji (Horse mackerel) (2009-12-04)

Yachiyo, an older lady, visits the diner two days in a row. She becomes friends with Marilyn the stripper and they go out clubbing together.
Ep. 10: Ramen (2009-12-11)

Gen, who usually comes with his “big bro” Ryu, is alone tonight when he orders ramen. He then stabs the leader of an opposing gang and disappears.