30 best bars in Tokyo for co*cktails, beer, sake and more (2024)

This is simply one of the most inventive bars in Tokyo. When Gen Yamamoto opened back in 2013, it was one of the first bars in the world offering omakase co*cktails. In other words, there's no menu to order from here. You simply choose a four- or six- or seven-drink tasting set (¥4,800, ¥6,900, ¥7,800, respectively). If you've everordered a 'bartender's choice' menu, there's a good chancethe concept here was the inspiration behind it.

Yamamoto will serve the co*cktails one at a time, explainingthe origins of each ingredient (in English as well as Japanese). The whole experience lasts about 90 minutes. Don't worry about getting too tipsy – the drinks here are typically smaller and less alcoholic than what you'll find at most bars. But rest assured, you'll be getting value for money. The menu is constantly changing according to what's in season, so no two visits are likely to be the same...

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From the people who brought you The SG Club comes this outstanding bar inspired by the old school kissaten (coffee shops) of the Taisho era (1912-1926).The Bellwood's boozy drinks feature alongside menu items that put a modern twist on classic kissaten bites like egg salad sandwiches and hayashi rice.

The co*cktail list is created by legendary bartender and Chivas Masters World Champion Atsushi Suzuki, and includes inventiveconcotions, many of which use coffee or tea as a base, in keeping with the theme.

The real magic happens in the bar's intimate backroom known as The Bellwood Lab. It hosts regular co*cktail and food pairings, like the ongoing Bellwood sushi omakase dinner. For¥6,050 per person, you get eight pieces of genuinely groundbreaking nigiri sushi devised byexecutive chef Ayaka Terai, plus two co*cktails. Simply put, it's one of Tokyo's best bar experiences.

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The SG Club knows how to have fun with co*cktails while still maintaining the level of professionalism that has come to exemplify Tokyo's co*cktail scene. A jetsetter and frequent award-winner, founder-bartender Shingo Gokan has recently added a couple moretrophies to his mantle: he was awarded the 'Altos Bartenders' Bartender' title at the 2019 Asia's 50 Best Bars while The SG Club came in at No. 13 on the list.

The bar is spread out over two floors, each with a different concept and menu. The ground floor space, named Guzzle, is a casual watering hole. The basem*nt, on the other hand, is named Sip, a sophisticated den with the vibes of a speakeasy and a shoe-shine service. The elaborate drink menu is as eclectic as The SG Club's clientele, often blending influences and ingredients from both Japan and abroad to great results. The best part is, there's an English menu and there's no table/cover charge for Guzzle (Sip, however, adds on a service charge).

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As the name suggests, fresh, seasonal fruits form the basis for the co*cktails at this classy bar near Ginza Station. Always innovating, the bartenders here are what you'd call open-minded traditionalists, drawing on a strictly limited array of mixology approaches to give their concoctions a little extra fizz. Look out for smoke rising from behind the bar, as they experiment with liquid nitrogen to create wild-looking but perfectly balanced 'frozen' co*cktails. Their antics resemble an old-school magic show: not too flashy, a little mysterious, and always ending in a way that satisfies the viewer.

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Tucked away in a basem*nt on a quiet Daikanyama side street, Flying Bumblebee is the kind of bar that seems destined to spread by word-of-mouth. The entrance, via a nondescript concrete staircase, means you’re unlikely to stumble upon this place by chance. Once inside, the low lighting, sleek design and trip hop soundtrack make Flying Bumblebee feel like a secret you just can’t keep to yourself.

Owned and run by bartender Ai Igarashi, whose experience ranges from managing Ebisu stalwart Bar Trench to stints at Singapore’s D2tllry and Maison Ikkoku, Flying Bumblebee is decidedly different from your typical Tokyo co*cktail bar. Instead of a standard setup with the bartender on one side and the customers on another, Flying Bumblebee has an open plan layout. A dark marbled island bar dominates the room and there are stools on both sides, creating an instant sense of intimacy as Igarashi glides back and forth, serving drinks and chatting to regulars...

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Qwang has been serving up quality co*cktails and mouth-watering Thai food in its cosy Roppongi basem*nt since 2000. Don’t let the address fool you – the bar is a world away from the more touristy spots the area is known for. In a part of the city often dominated by restaurants, shops and clubs as ephemeral as they are expensive, Qwang’s more casual vibe and straightforward service are a breath of fresh air...

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There are two types of tequila bars – the kind where you slam back shots of unaged spirit between licks of salt and lime wedges, and the kind that offer more premium stuff meant to be sipped, not chugged. There are appropriate occasions for each of these places, but the latter is admittedly rarer in Tokyo. This is all the more reason to treasure Faramarz Lounge & Gallery, a hidden gem found next to Udatsu Sushi in the backstreets of Nakameguro.

Headed by bartender Faramarz Khademhosseini (Ferri, for short), Faramarz has copper-backed shelves lined with everything from Cazadores Añejo Cristalino made with 100-percent blue agave to vintage bottles by Jose Cuervo Reserva. The house special, however, is of course the Clase Azul collection, distinguished by its hand-painted ceramic decanters and rich notes of vanilla and caramel. And while the venue prides itself on offering a discerning list of top-shelf labels, its intimate lounge setting, with walls lined with art, makes you feel as though you’re having drinks in the living room of a close friend.

Faramarz is also the place to go if you’re looking to learn more about the ins and outs of tequila production. The bar offers a tasting menu where guests can sample a series of single-origin tequila and mezcal with a dinner course as they learn everything about the process, from the soil agave is grown in to the bottling stage.

Dishing up the courses of the tasting menu is chef Ivalu Acurio, whose cooking is based on a foundation of her Peruvian heritage paired with formal training at Le Cordon Bleu Tokyo. Dishes range from piquant clam ceviche with leche de tigre to golden-brown corn empanadas that ooze with buttery goodness.

The tasting menus are ¥20,000 per head and you can book them for 10 people at a time. You can even add grilled wagyu steak for an extra ¥5,000. Thankfully, you don’t always have to book an entire tasting menu to sample what is easily the best bar food in Nakameguro. Chef Ivalu’s empanadas and BBQ pork sliders are also available on the bar food menu to enjoy as you sip on a fresh margarita or bloody maria.

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Easily accessible on the 13th floor of Ginza Six, Mixology Salon looks more like a modern tea bar than an alcoholic one – and there’s a good reason for that. Specialising in what they call ‘teatails’, Mixology Salon’s signature co*cktails are all made with its house blend of tea-infused spirits. You’ll find a wide range here, from hojicha-infused bourbon andsoba cha vodkato oolong tea-flavoured rum and sencha gin.

For first-timers, we recommend you go for a teatail course, where you can choose between three to five drinks made with a particular tea in mind. Otherwise, you can’t go wrong with the Green Tea Fashioned (¥1,700), a fresh take on the classic Old Fashioned. Got a sweet tooth? Order the Soba Cha co*cktail (¥1,600), which is a mix of buckwheat tea-infused vodka and pineapple and finished with a surprising hint of miso. Note: ¥800 table charge applies per person.

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Just your everyday coffee shop...or is it? Unlike other speakeasies, accessing Janai Coffee isn’t as simple as locating a secret passageway. Getting a seat at this coffee co*cktail speciality bar requires a reservation, and making a reservation requires cracking the Janai Coffee website to access the secret booking site. We don’t want to spoil all the fun, so we’ll leave you with this tip: when on the Janai Coffee website, pay special attention to the shop logo and trace clockwise. (It’s easier on your phone.)

If you’ve successfully made a reservation, head to the coffee shop, pull up the secret website on your phone and show the barista who will guide you to the hidden doorway. If you can’t prove you’ve deciphered the riddle on the website, the barista might deny there’s a bar hidden in the venue somewhere – they’re very dedicated to this well kept secret.

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Seasonal co*cktails are the speciality at Ishinohana, Shibuya's answer to the high-end co*cktail bars of Ginza. At a basem*nt location just a minute's walk from Shibuya Station, owner Shinobu Ishigaki wields an array of fresh fruit and vegetables when creating his distinctive drinks: a gin and tonic is enlivened with kumquat, a margherita gets an injection of housemade cassis confiture.

There are entire menus devoted just to mojitos and martinis, plus a sizeable list of originals including Ishigaki's award-winning Claudia (martini with pineapple juice and caramel syrup) and Polar Star (aquavit, apple syrup and lemon juice). The quality is generally very high indeed, and first-time visitors should find the atmosphere considerably less intimidating than at Ginza's bartending temples.

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Tucked away on the second floor of an apartment block in Yoyogi-Uehara, No (the abbreviation for ‘number’) is a café and bar where you’re also welcome to whip out a laptop and fire off some emails with a coffee or a co*cktail in hand. The interior is a fresh, spacious modern take on Japanese aesthetics, with slatted blond timber panels, clean lines and minimal furnishings.

The co*cktail list is the handiwork of bar consultant and bartender Soran Nomura, whose experience spans The SG Club, Fuglen Tokyo and Ao Bar in Tokyo. He’s created an impressive list of co*cktails (from ¥1,100 to ¥1,500) that changes seasonally. Past menus have included the No 4, a short co*cktail of dark rum, pinot noir syrup, walnut liqueur, lemon and oat milk, alongside classics a decadent old fashioned.Plus, there are also similarly creative mocktails (all ¥900).

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Opened in 1989, this Tokyo institution is themed after the historic members-only Gaslight Bar in 1950s Chicago, which once counted Elizabeth Taylor as one of its many celebrity clients. While you’re unlikely to spot any Hollywood stars enjoying a nightcap in Kasumigaseki, this classy bar has a similarly discreet air and is known for featuring bartending greats such as Takao Mori.

Now nearing its 30th anniversary, this elegant bar is currently helmed by owner-bartender Noriyuki Iguchi, a big name in the local bar scene who won the 2007 National Bartender Skills Competition. Take a seat at the 20-foot long counter made from African teak and order Gaslight’s famous dry martini, which comes served in a Bohemia Crystal.

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Virtù is a handsome co*cktail lounge on the 39th floor in the luxe Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi. With an art-deco interior reminiscent of The Great Gatsby, this Paris-meets-Tokyo spot is a relative newcomer on the city’s bar scene, celebrating its first anniversary in September 2021 and launching a new menu the very next month.

For all its shiny newness, Virtù also has a strong sense of history. The bar’s entrance is via a corridor-length library lined with books on food and drink from around the world. Once you’re inside, it’s hard to know where to look first. The floor-to-ceiling windows face east, offering spectacular views over Kanda towards the Sumida River, with the Tokyo Skytree in the background.

The light fittings hang like a brass sculpture over the room and the bar itself is a sight, with its retro chequerboard-pattern feature wall and row after row of ornate bottles. If the entrance is a library, the bar is an encyclopedia. The co*cktail menu (from ¥1,898) is largely a mix of French aperitifs and liqueurs with Japanese shochu and whisky.

Pair your co*cktails with a selection of bar snacks, including savoury options like truffle french fries (¥2,277) and a decadent beef katsu sando (¥8,855), or sweets such as matcha crème brûlée (¥2,024). If you really want to explore the extensive selection of spirits at Virtù, you can even book a private room with its own separate bar and a skyline view to boot.

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The luxe red interior and furnishings, brimming bookshelves and mood lighting at this secluded little lair are enough to get you through the door – and that’s before you even look at the incredible co*cktail list. This self-described ‘library bar’ pays homage to Eiichi Shibusawa, a 19th century businessman and banker with a passion for tea and reading, who helped turn the area into the ‘Wall Street of Japan’.

Appropriately, you’ll find Asian tea blends featuring in brewed, stirred and shaken drinks. The co*cktail list is produced by bartenders Soran Nomura (creator of many of our favourite co*cktails in Tokyo, including those at The SG Club) and Kai Tanaka (owner of The Open Book in Shinjuku), with regal-sounding concoctions like TheShogunal Car, featuring Denki Bran, mezcal, tea and yuzu.

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The beloved Old Imperial Bar is classic Tokyo: a genteel atmosphere, all decked out like a gentlemen’s club in dark wood and leather, presided over by a staff of immaculately dressed bartenders. It is the only place within the iconic Imperial Hotel which still retains art deco traces of its former 1923 building designed by the famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

While the quality at most bars can be directly linked to the skills of an individual bartender, at Old Imperial Bar every mixologist is equally adept at creating an impeccable co*cktail. For a drink that’s almost as storied as the bar, order the signature Mount Fuji, which has been on the menu since the early ’20s. It’s a perfectly balanced mix of gin, pineapple, lemon and egg white – and to match the bar’s old-world vibe – garnished with a glacé cherry.

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Some of the city’s bartending greats once worked at this basem*nt drinking den, such as Yuichi Hoshi, who has gone on to open eight outlets throughout Japan, and Fumiyasu Mimitsuka, who now has his own bar in Ginza. Meanwhile, Kazuma Matsuo, who still works at the bar today, is a famed bartender on the local circuit.

Although it’s been open for 25 years, Little Smith still pops up in conversions about the top bars in Ginza. You wouldn’t guess its age based on the contemporary interior design, which boasts an unusually high four-metre ceiling. The sleek island bar made of wood and wrapped around an imposing column remains a much-loved aspect of Little Smith. It is the work of the late renowned architect Takahiko Yanagisawa, who was also responsible for some of Tokyo’s most iconic landmarks such as the Yurakucho Mullion and the Opera City Tower.

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If it's Japanese whisky you want, Zoetrope is the place to head. Tucked away on a back street in Nishi-Shinjuku, this intimate, dimly lit bar boasts a collection of bottles that's unrivalled anywhere else in the city: there are 300 varieties on offer, many of which are no longer even on the market. Whisky geeks will relish the chance to sample rare bottlings from the likes of Mercian and up-and-coming distillery Venture Whisky, while beginners can start with a sampler set of choice malts from big dogs Suntory and Nikka (or opt for some draft microbrew, courtesy of Osaka's Minoh Beer).

Owner Atsushi Horigami isn't just a whisky fan – he's also a massive cinema geek, and recruited the late Takeo Kimura – a legendary art director in the world of Japanese film – to do the bar's décor. Horigami likes to screen films during the evening, meaning you can watch an old silent comedy or vintage animation while sipping your malt.

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This bar is attached to the Tokyo Riverside Distillery in Kuramae. A slick single room that’s all copper fittings, polished concrete and pot plants, Stage is where the distillery really gets to strut its stuff.

The co*cktails here are made to showcase the company’s own spirits and its sustainability ethos, like the mojito (¥1,200) made with TRD's Elegant gin and mint from the building’s own rooftop garden. Be sure to order the co*cktail from Beer (¥1,200), a fruity clarified milk punch featuring Revive (a gin distilled from leftover beer).

You can order any of the gins in a G&T, or just neat if you really want to sample the spirit. There’s also a considered list of quality non-alcoholic co*cktails – we recommend the grapefruit-based Ruby Girl, using herbs from the roof garden (¥1,000).

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A trifecta of rough stone, warm wood and faint light welcomes the thirsty to Hulotte – 'owl' in French – an Azabu watering hole that regularly appears in flashy bar features praising its unique atmosphere. But this is no trendy date spot – far from it. It's much better suited to lone imbibers, who are prepared to make the hike from Azabu-Juban Station for the chance to sit quietly, sample a fine cigar and sip on a co*cktail mixed up byHulotte's master bartender, a veteran of Aoyama's extraordinary Radio. There is a seat for two at the very end of the room, but you'd probably have to come here at least a dozen times before they let you use it...

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The sister shop of Kyoto-based craft beer and sake bar Before 9, Another 8 opened in posh Meguro in a space that used to be a garage. It's a cool place for laidback drinking, and it tends to get very crowded on weekends, especially when there's a guest DJ playing.

Local craft beer is the speciality at Another 8; the place is equipped with eight taps and the selection changes frequently. However, there is also a small but well-curated selection of sake. The bar bites are pretty good too – we’re big fans of the marinated octopus and celery, while those looking for something more substantial will want to try the shirasu (whitebait) and daikon omelette.

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Originating from Copenhagen, Denmark, Mikkeller Tokyo is set in a corner building in Shibuya’s love hotel-infested Hyakkendana. Offering a smallish but comfy stage for sipping both house brews and guest beers from Japan and beyond – there are 20 taps in total – it’s a wonderful addition to an offbeat neighbourhood where sex shops co-exist with stylish restaurants and even a Shinto shrine.

Partially opening up onto the street, the ground floor is where to enjoy a drink on your feet and always gets crowded once the sun goes down, while tables are found in the quiet space upstairs. Bringing a touch of Scandinavian flair to Shibuya, Mikkeller is the kind of place we’d like to stop by every night.

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When the sun begins to set over Oku-Shibuya (‘inner Shibuya’), the trendy back streets of Tokyo’s buzziest neighbourhood, you might spot more than a few suit-wearing characters making their way towards this shrine to Norwegian craft beer. Øl Tokyo is the local outpost of Oslo Brewing and exudes Scandinavian style: the furniture and part of the décor was flown in straight from Norway. The 20 taps serve a range of Nordic brews plus a rotating selection of guest beers. Food trucks occasionally park in front of the bar to compensate for its very sparse food menu, although we love the house-made waffles, filled with goat’s cheese.

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This small watering hole, located off an alleyway just a few minutes' walk from Ebisu Station, stocks herbal liqueurs like Chartreuse and Picon as well as quality absinthe, appropriately served with a sugar cube and cold water. Their original co*cktails are also well worth a shot – who could resist names like 'Corpse Reviver #2' or 'Monkey Gland'? Complete with a pseudo-aristocratic bartender and an interior that reeks of fin de siècle France, this has to be one of the most interesting bars in Tokyo.

Note: this bar is still temporarily closed, but its sister bar Bar Triad is open.

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This Belgian beer pub is a copy of its original Brussels location, with a little bit of Japanese flavour thrown in for that local feel. The changing craft beer lineup ranges from ubiquitous Belgian beers to a few Belgian-Japanese collaborations – think a yuzu-infused weissbier for example, brewed in Kyoto with guidance from the Belgians. Prices are similar to those at other craft or import beer pubs in the area (from around ¥850 for a regular glass) and their food menu is worth a gander too. Most dishes go around the ¥1,000 mark and are somewhere between actual meals and elaborate, filling bar snacks.

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Just down the road from the famed Shin Udon, this casual brewery/gastropub is a great place to wind down from the intensity of Shinjuku. The first floor brewery pub is where to go for a craft beer, or three: the changing line-up of beers includes house brews and domestic favourites such as Niigata's Swan Lake. If you want something to nibble on with your beer, head to the seventh floor 'beer kitchen', which serves the same line-up of craft beers alongside a Western-inspired food menu.

Considering themonocromatic, sleekdécor, it's a surprise that YYG won't set you back that much: beers go for ¥800 to ¥1,000, most appetisers are around the ¥800 mark and mains are from ¥1,000,with generous portions to boot, too.Unlike many other craft beer joints in Tokyo, YYG has a full English menu as well.

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Everybody's favourite secret wine bar in Shibuya, Ahiru Store's reputation has far outstripped the size of its premises. Located at the far end of Tomigaya (it's actually closer to Yoyogi-Koen Station than Shibuya), this corner bar is run by a sibling tag-team: he takes care of the wine list, she bakes the bread and oversees the food. Both are consistently interesting: sommelier Teruhiko Saito sticks to natural wines, predominantly French and many from little-known producers, with a rotating selection available by the glass from ¥800. Meanwhile, the kitchen serves up some superior bistro fare, running from sister Wakako's excellent rustic breads to generous salads to housemade sausages and pates. Portions are generous, and the food can be pretty imaginative, such as a wasabi-infused salad of chunky avocado and octopus. Good luck scoring a seat, though: Ahiru Store only takes reservations until 6.30pm at the latest, and it's not unusual to see hungry customers queueing patiently outside during the evening.

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Located on a quiet corner in Shibuya, Utsura Utsura has that type of enticing nighttime glow that just beckons you in. Through the wooden door you’ll find a bar counter that seats eight, running along the narrow open kitchen where you can watch the chef and sake sommelier at work. The latter is, uniquely, a hot sake specialist, and watching him warm up the drinks to their precise temperature can be rather hypnotic.

The concept of this gastrobar is to find the right sake to match the dish you’d like to eat, or vice versa. Sake comes by the glass, starting around ¥500, or 180ml carafes ranging from ¥700 to ¥1,500, with about 40 varieties of regularly changing labels on offer. The elaborate otoshi (quick bites, much like an appetiser) platter is a standout, with around six tiny seasonal dishes like strawberry with tofu and sesame cream, and duck steamed in soy sauce with poached kumquats.

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Established 40 years ago, the aptly named Grandfather’s started out with a playlist style that was uncommon at the time, blending together rock LPs one song at a time. Today, the tunes are a selection of popular music (mainly AOR and funk and soul) from the ’70s, when vinyl records were mainstream. However, the owner is constantly on the lookout for new music and if a modern artist wins his favour they’ll get some ‘airtime’ too. After all these years, the interior is still well maintained, giving off a rich ambience that’s appropriate for such a venerable bar and that lends an extra level of charm to the music.

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A mixture of shochu, club soda and lemon juice, the humble lemon sour (the Japanese kind, not the co*cktail base) isn't the kind of drink you would think merits a specialist bar. You'll change your mind, however, after a visit to The Open Book at Shinjuku's Golden Gai. Upon entering, your eyes are sure to fixate on the massive back wall, covered with books all the way to the ceiling.

Mr Tanaka, the owner, is actually a grandchild of the late Komimasa Tanaka, a Naoki Award-winning author and translator who is of course well represented in the Open Book library. The unique collection also includes tomes brought over by Komimasa For his signature sours, Tanaka uses a double-chamber Randall filter to bring out the zesty best in the lemonswhile mixing them with power-packed shochu and homemade lemon syrup, resulting in a harmony of sweet, sour and crisp.

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Great bartenders are like modern-day alchemists – and this analogy is especially true for Hiroyasu Kayama of Bar Benfiddich, who’s famed for creating spirits, liqueurs and co*cktails from scratch, using herbs, spices, roots, fruits and plants harvested from his family farm. As such, there’s no menu; state your preferred base (whisky, gin, absinthe…) and taste, and Kayama will concoct your drink off-the-cuff, often using a pestle and mortar to mash up the botanicals as much as a conventional shaker.

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No need to save up for a night out – these affordable Ginza bars serve co*cktails, beer, wine and food for under ¥1,000

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Hidden bars and speakeasies with concealed entrances, secret passwords, mysterious interiors and, of course, great drinks

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Avoid the crowds with an evening stroll to see Tokyo Skytree, Nakameguro, the Rainbow Bridge and more when they’re all lit up

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