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.
Midnight Diner (Season 1)
Fried eggs and red wieners (Episode 1) 7.4
Air date: 2009-10-09
Runtime: 25 min
Overview: 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”.
Cat Food (Episode 2) 7.0
Air date: 2009-10-16
Runtime: 25 min
Overview: Struggling singer Miyuki orders her favorite “nekomamma”. Master recalls another regular who is a lyricist. He later writes her a song as a gift.
Ochazuke (Episode 3) 7.5
Air date: 2009-10-23
Runtime: 25 min
Overview: 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.”
Potato Salad (Episode 4) 7.0
Air date: 2009-10-30
Runtime: 25 min
Overview: 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.
Butter Rice (Episode 5) 7.0
Air date: 2009-11-06
Runtime: 25 min
Overview: 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.
Katsudon (Episode 6) 7.0
Air date: 2009-11-13
Runtime: 25 min
Overview: 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.
Egg Sandwich (Episode 7) 7.0
Air date: 2009-11-20
Runtime: 26 min
Overview: Hopeful star Risa meets struggling student and newspaper delivery boy Nakajima at the diner. They share an egg sandwich together. Could this be love?
Sauced Yakisoba (Episode 8) 7.0
Air date: 2009-11-27
Runtime: 25 min
Overview: 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.
Grilled Aji (Horse mackerel) (Episode 9) 7.5
Air date: 2009-12-04
Runtime: 23 min
Overview: 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.
Ramen (Episode 10) 7.8
Air date: 2009-12-11
Runtime: 26 min
Overview: 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.
