How to Reserve Kinopio’s (Toad’s) Café in Super Nintendo World Japan
Imagine… You finally make it inside Super Nintendo World at Univeral Studios Japan only to discover that reservations to eat at Kinopio’s Café (also known as the Toadstool Café) are sold out.
That’s what happened to us the first time we visited!
This wouldn’t be such a big deal if you didn’t intend to go in the first place. However, take note that Kinopio’s Café is the only restaurant inside Super Nintendo World.
While there are popcorn stations, turtle-shell calzone-style snacks at Yoshi’s Island, and a Donkey Kong hot dog stand, there isn’t much else to eat or drink inside Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan.
Little did we know then that standby reservations for Toad’s Café actually refresh every hour and are only available to book once inside the park (and within a certain distance from the café).
Once you know how to get tickets, snagging a seat to taste Chef Kinopio’s fun creations is pretty simple—but you have to be on it! ⏰
In this short and sweet guide (like Chef Kinopio himself!), I’ll tell you the easy way to get table reservations at Kinopio’s Café.
How to Get Reservations at Kinopio’s Cafe at Super Nintendo World Japan
Kinopio’s Café reservation system is a bit… odd?
At first, I was a bit frustrated you couldn’t make reservations, but it makes sense.
Kinopio’s Café works on a first-come, first-served reservation system.
Here’s how to get inside and taste Chef Kinopio’s fun Super Mario-themed dishes!
1. Go in person to the cafe to scan the QR code
The only way to get a reservation to eat at Toadstool’s Cafe inside Super Mario Land is to scan the QR code outside the cafe entrance in person on the day of your visit.
You can’t book online in advance or while not physically near the café, as the booking system requires your GPS location to complete the reservation.
(You have to be within 80 meters for it to load correctly.)
Available reservation times will load on the hour (e.g., 10am, 11am, 12pm, 1pm) and will show about six 15-minute entry timeslots for the next 1.5 hours.
This means if you want to eat at 2pm, you should be near the café and have scanned the QR code right around 1pm, when new times become available to reserve.
If you wait too long, the screen will display SOLD OUT on all timeslots—but fret not!
2. Select an open entry timeslot
If all the timeslots are sold out, plan to return at the start of another hour.
Scan the QR code and refresh the page as soon as the minute changes to be among the first.
Crowds always hang around Toad’s cafe checking for reservations, but few actually know how the system works.
This is how we snagged a 1:15–1:30pm entry time—just in time for a hearty lunch!
If you scan the QR code in the morning, you can’t choose a timeslot for later in the day.
The only times available that will be displayed are for dining within the next 1 hour to 1.5 hours, so plan accordingly (and generously around your designated ride entry times).
3. Fill details and return to the cafe at your seating time
You can reserve either by LINE app or by email. I recommend by email as it seems easier (I kept getting errors with Line).
Fill out your name, party size, and email to receive your reservation confirmation by email.
Return to the cafe at the start of your seating time (you have a 15-minute window to get in).
Show the email reservation (the staff do not accept screenshots).
Inside Kinopio’s Café — Menu, Food, & More
You might be surprised to see how big the Kinopio Café is inside! Sneaky Toadstools…
While waiting in line to order, you can check the menu on your phone.
Unless they’ve changed, the menu items we saw were:
- Mario’s burger
- Luigi’s curry sandwich
- Yoshi’s carbonara pasta
- Fireplant meatball & tomato pasta
- Star rice and teriyaki chicken
- Mushroom soup
- Caprese “Pirahna-Plant” salad
- Toad’s Pizza bowl
- Question box tiramisu
- And more!
We ordered the Star rice, Mario burger, Toad soups, and tiramisu.
You can pay by tap, credit card, or cash. After ordering with an attendant, you’ll receive a table number and wait in line for your drink.
Then, after picking up your drink, you’ll be seated (no choice of location), and wait for your food!
Once your food arrives, your server will snap a photo of you. (I thought it was cute how she turned the mushroom soups to face the camera!)
Everything was pretty decent, except portions were on the small side (I’m glad we got the soups in addition to a main), and the food wasn’t piping hot when served.
I would’ve preferred a more crispy teriyaki chicken as well! My partner said the Mario burger was juicy and herbed with spices.
Sure, it’s not gourmet cuisine, but it’s at least filling and fun.
The menu offers a variety of food and drink options, including a couple of plant-based options.
Final Thoughts — Eating at Kinopio’s Café at Super Nintendo World
Overall, we found the food here to be better than all the other food we tried at Universal Studios, so that’s also worth considering!
The price was above average compared to regular meal prices, but this was to be expected because it is Super Nintendo World’s only sit-down restaurant.
Since we wanted to spend most of our day (5-6 hours) inside Super Nintendo World exploring both Super Mario Land and Donkey Kong Country, having a mid-day, sit-down food break at Kinopio’s was SO welcome—not just for our bellies but for our knees and feet!
Even though we could have eaten at DK’s “Wild Hot Dog” stand or grab a snack at Yoshi’s Island, being able to rest, relax, and get warm (it was a cold, rainy day when we went) was so lovely and much-needed.
I highly recommend making a reservation to eat at Kinopio’s Cafe, as it adds a unique experience to the day!
(Having missed out the first time—definitely can say filling up with a proper meal is better and worth carving out time for.)
Let me know if you have any questions in the comments below!
I hope this little guide helps you snag a table, and you can create fun memories eating Mario-themed dishes by Chef Kinopio. 🍄
