Tokyo cocktail bars & pubs

[rykomatsu]

http://www.ukemochi.com/index.html

Seems like a fun place to go to sample a lot of different things while grabbing a quick drink or 2 while standing...

Thinking about including it on my itinerary for when I goto Japan possibly this winter, if not next April

[Ohba]

http://www.ukemochi.com/index.html

Seems like a fun place to go to sample a lot of different things while grabbing a quick drink or 2 while standing...

Thinking about including it on my itinerary for when I goto Japan possibly this winter, if not next April

←

You didn't say what brought it to your attention/why you choose that one in particular. There are a lot of stand bars now, as it's become a bit of a fad. Your one looks fine, but I should mention that Tokyo is absolutely heaving with good bars, even if you limit your requirement to those that serve excellent food. As I usually do for questions of this type, I would recommend that you look at the website of Metropolis magazine and trawl through their archived reviews. You should be able to pick up some really good ideas there.

[tikibars]

Hi

Wondering if anyone knows places to get high-end cocktails in Tokyo.

Not looking for trendy sugar-filled "appletinis", but rather for traditional drinks like Gibsons, Sazeracs, Sidecars, and Negronis - or even better, the indigenous Japanese equivalent.

In other words, some place like New York's Pegu Club, FlatIron, or Milk and Honey, or Chicago's Violet Hour, or Cleveland's Velvet Tango Room.

Not so interested in posh, trendy, or clubby atmosphere, just want great tasting, carefully prepared drinks.

Any suggestions?

Edited April 14, 2008 by tikibars (log)

[MoGa]

Kuroitsuki (black moon?)

黒い月 in Shibuya

Map: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&hl=en&ge...z=17&iwloc=addr

3rd Floor, 33-10 Udagawacho (In Japanese 東京都渋谷区宇田川町３３−１０, 3F)

０３－３４７６－５４９７

I stumbled on this place trying to find another cocktail bar in the same area (I visited the other bar during my first trip to Tokyo, all the drinks were named after movies and served in appropriate vessels, the bartender there shook those drinks fast and he shook them hard). Failing in my quest I asked a stranger and got the Kuroitsuki recommendation. The lady who prepared my drinks was awesome, so I made sure not to 'lose' this bar too.

You'll need to find this copper coloured door to find Kuroitsuki:

http://www.townnet.com/tokyo-hit/hit/bmoon.html

[buffy]

For old Tokyo atmosphere try the Old Imperial Bar at the Imperial Hotel. Designed in 1923 by Frank Lloyd Wright and preserved from the original Imperial Hotel. They also have some signature drinks that capture the essence of Japan.

[JasonTrue]

I've probably been unlucky so far, but Hiromi also complains that it's hard to find remarkable cocktails in Tokyo. Presumably, this, like most problems in Tokyo, can be remedied with sufficient financial resources.

As a result, we tend to focus on shochu and sake when in Japan, and cocktails in Seattle and Vancouver.

I suspect that the very exclusive piano hostess bar that a charcoal salesman took me to in Ginza might have been a good place to ask for a traditional cocktail, but my friend and I had already had enough at dinner earlier, and we switched to Sprite while our host continued to sip copious quantities from his "keep bottle" with the couple that owned the joint.

Most of the bars and cocktail lounge-like places I've been to seem to be somewhere between slightly worse than to slightly better than the standard "sour mix and well spirits" that you find at average "full bars" in the US.

That being said, traditional cocktails aren't necessarily impossible to find; I see the Negroni on far more izakaya and restaurant menus in Tokyo than in Seattle.

Personally, I'd recommend searching for places that do house-infused shochu, such as jikasei (house-made) umeshu, anzu-zake, karin-shu, yuzu-shu, and the like.

[tikibars]

Thanks for the suggestions so far -- keep 'em coming!

The Wright bar at the Imperial Hotel sounds great, I plan to track town the 'mysterius copper door', and yes, I do plan to explore Sochu too.

[MoGa]

I couldn't remember a cover charge at Kuroitsuki and looked to see if it had anything written about it in English (I can't read Japanese, I can just about decipher parts of it) and found this by putting in the address - 33-10 Udagawacho

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fg20080125nc.html

The name isn't quite right, in the article it's 黒月 - Kuro Tsuki, they've left out the い (i) part of 黒い月, but it's a good description.

Unfortunately, they don't mention the cover charge either.

This page has a bit more information

http://www.netlaputa.ne.jp/~TANTAN/mise/mise3c.html

but it is 10 years out of date.

Hope the Japan Times article is of use.

P.S. cheese is particularly expensive in Japan (has a 40% import duty). Be wary of ordering it without knowing the price, it's very much a luxury food.

Edited April 16, 2008 by MoGa (log)

[tikibars]

Ah, that Japan Times article is perfect.

Three to definitely hit, and one to avoid.

Not a bad ratio.

Thanks for all the info, guys.

Now...

That Times article also mentioned Zacapa 23, one of my fave rums (possibly my fave, period... on certain days...).

I was also going to make a post asking what rums are available in Japan, and how prices compare to US prices in stores. Good to know that I can get some Zacapa in a pinch.

But there - I have asked.

How much does a bottle of Zacapa 23 go for in Tokyo (it is about $40 here in Chicago)?

Can you get Havana Club?

El Dorado?

Pampero?

Matusalem?

Santa Teresa?

St. James................

[MoGa]

No Zacapa 23 here, but most of the other brands you are asked about are in this link which shows the Tokyo prices

http://www.rakuten.co.jp/shinanoya/567466/472086/

Address of Shinanoya shop: Kabukicho 1-12-9, Shinjuku - more info here: http://www.bento.com/rev/0595.html

An even larger selection can be seen here:

http://store.shopping.yahoo.co.jp/kawachi/a5e9a5e028.html

Keep clicking as every link will give you a wider selection

Address of this store is: Udagawacho 30 - more info here: http://www.bento.com/rev/0417.html

Ron Zacapa Centenario prices here: http://item.rakuten.co.jp/loj/c/0000000170/

Zacapa 23 - http://item.rakuten.co.jp/loj/11303/

It's an online shop.

You can drink Zacapa 23 here: http://www.orange-tokyo.com/menu/rum.html

Another place that should have Zacapa 23 is Bar King Rum: http://www.kingrum.jp/rumlist/index.html#GUATEMALA

Let me know if you need help figuring out either bar address (I can write the English equivalent but it takes time. Just copy the address in Japanese and post into Google Maps if you want a general idea as to location

Bar Orange: 東京都 港区西麻布1-5-16

Bar King Rum: 東京都豊島区池袋2-9-1 (don't paste in the 太田屋ビル1F part)

Edited May 9, 2008 by MoGa (log)

[nakji]

Here's a list of wine and liquor stores in Tokyo. In fact, bento.com is a great all-round food link for Tokyo. Any time I'm looking for something in particular, I go straight there. I wanted to find a decent bottle of marsala once, like one without a cook on it, and it lead me right to an amazing liquor shop in Ikebukuro.

As for cocktails, in my experience, you're always better off trying to "drink local", if you know what I mean. I imagine you'll find a lot more disappointing cocktails than disappointing sakes/shochus in Tokyo. That being said, if you're living here, and just want to have a really good drink once in a while, Tokyo seems to have everything - I'm sure there's a place somewhere on the Yamanote line that has just what you want.

This magazine does a reasonable job of reviewing what's available. Good luck, and if you find some place, please, let us know!

[tikibars]

Cool.

Looks like there is plenty of selection available, and prices are pretty similar to here.

I do plan on sampling lots of sochu and sake, and I do always try to slip into local custom whenever I travel, but I will be there for three weeks and an occasional western-style cocktail might just be what keeps me sane, be it in a bar hidden behind a copper door, or a Zacapa nightcap from a bottle in my room!

[tikibars]

I found (with no small amount of help from the people who replied above) no less than six very nice cocktail bars in Tokyo.

My report is much too long to post here, but if you'd like to read it (with pics) see here:

http://www.cocktailsnob.com

Click the JAPAN link on the left side of the page.

I also visited six or eight Tiki bars in Tokyo and Yokohama, for info on those, see my Summer 2008 article in Tiki Magazine (Vol. 4, no.2, which was released a few weeks ago).

http://www.tikimagazine.com/

Thanks for all of the help, fellas!

Edited August 20, 2008 by tikibars (log)

[MoGa]

I found (with no small amount of help from the people who replied above) no less than six very nice cocktail bars in Tokyo.

My report is much too long to post here, but if you'd like to read it (with pics) see here:

http://www.cocktailsnob.com

That's a fantastic report, and I'm glad you persevered and found Kuroitsuki (sorry I couldn't give better directions, I only found out about it in a random way myself).

Looks like you didn't get hammered with a cover charge either. Definitely somewhere I need to return to (hopefully just 3 months from now)