So you're in the mood for a nice little barbecue evening with a few pals.

Not the low 'n' slow, long-time-smoking, American roots type of 'cue, but a "throw a shrimp on the barbie" type affair, maybe with some prime scallops, jidori chicken wings and even some venison steaks. With all your favorite beer and wine to go with it.

The trouble is ... your pad's not big enough; the neighbors complain about the noise; the smoke gets everywhere; there's far too much garbage; and there's always someone who curls up in your living room and refuses to go home.

BBQPit, up on the fourth floor of the Atre store in Meguro, could be the answer. For ¥3,000 an hour (up to six people; ¥4,000 for eight), you get your own place, the use of a Weber grill and a sturdy awning to keep off the sun. Plus you can buy whatever food and drink you fancy from the supermarkets just a few floors down or bring your own carefully marinated ribs and a few bottles from home.

The drawbacks? You grill over gas, not charcoal. There's no stunning backdrop of nature — just the neighboring rooftops. And, unless you book out the whole place, you can't stream your own music at any volume. But it sure beats having to clean up the grill and clear up the trash in the morning.

Open daily 10 a.m.-9 p.m. (L.O.) except on days Atre Meguro is closed; grill rental from ¥3,000/hour (plus tax); little English spoken