50 Best Bars in Tokyo, Japan

In this authentic Mexican cantina, your palate will be tempted by a choice of more than 550 kinds of tequila and mezcal—Japan's largest selection. Most of the varieties here aren't available anywhere else in the country, so the steep prices may be worth paying. Food options are mostly Mexican appetizers. Just be aware this place also offers cigars, so things can get smoky.

Unlike most beer halls—but like many of Japan's best watering holes—this Harmonica Yokocho neighborhood institution is shoulder-to-shoulder snug, which actually helps to make it a very convivial place to enjoy Belgian draft beers or Japanese spirits. To go with your drinks, try the fish and chips. The bar is on the second floor; the ground floor has a well-stocked liquor shop.

Many great gay nights out begin at this welcoming street-corner bar, which is hard to miss because of its torii shrine gate and all the patrons spilling out onto the street. This is the perfect place to put back a few cocktails, meet new people, and get a feeling for where to go next. The crowd is mixed, with locals and visitors mingling for hours or just meeting up for a quick drink.

The emphasis here is on nama, unrefined, unpasteurized sake. Tons of types of sake from over 60 breweries are available daily. Since nama is short-lived, too delicate and fresh to transport or export, it's not widely available overseas. You can accompany your choices with Japanese fare, served here as small bites in the izakaya style. Reservations are recommended.

Cheap and cheesy, Arty Farty is hit or miss. It's a good spot to go with a group of friends to kind of take over the place. Or it might be a nice spot for single travelers to find a group of like-minded folks. Be ready to pay to get in, though this cover charge does include a drink.

An eclectic clientele is drawn to this tiny, artsy bar decorated with gilt-framed paintings, deer heads, and numerous chandeliers. Luckily, its sign will light your way in Golden-Gai's tiny alleys.

A drink in this dimly lit, late-night, basement haunt favored by anime fans, would be the perfect way to finish a day of shopping at Nakano Broadway. Beer, whiskey, and cocktails are on the menu, anime figurines dot the counter, and anime plays endlessly on the bar’s TV. Indeed, the bar's name, mugen, means "infinite," and the owners have several thousand DVDs in their collection.

Should a cocktail be on your mind, hit up Bar Six, on the sixth floor of the Amuse Museum, and enjoy the views of the Senso-ji Complex from the outdoor balcony.

With everything from jazz and J-pop to soul and funk, this three-story joint offers one of the best food-and-live music experiences in Tokyo, all with panoramic views of Roppongi. Patrons love this venue partly because they're so close to performers like George Clinton, Neneh Cherry, and Howard Jones. Shows usually kick off at 7 and 9:30 pm on weekdays, 6 and 9 pm on Saturday, and 4:30 and 7:30 pm on Sunday.

This premier live-jazz venue isn't for everyone: prices are high, sets short, and patrons packed in, sometimes sharing a table with strangers. But if you check what is on and want to catch someone in a relatively small venue, this is the place. Expect to pay upward of ¥10,000 or more to see major acts.

Buri serves tasty ji-zake (local sake) from around Japan in the one-cup style. Imagine sake in a mini mason jar, paired with a range of tapas-like servings of sashimi, yakitori, salads, and prosciutto, albeit in a mostly standing-room-only setting. There's also beer on tap. Just a five-minute walk from Ebisu Station, this casual bar fills up quickly on weekends, so it's best to stop in early to grab that bench by the window.

Alongside the Meguro River, a few minutes southeast of Naka Meguro Station, the very hip, rustic contemporary–style Cabin has an extensive range of world whiskies and rare local tipples, as well champagne and cocktails. Since the inspiration was a yamagoya, or mountain hut, meat dishes dominate the food menu.

Though there's jazz here most nights, on Friday evenings, the basement of this club is the place to be for nearby, sister-property Jazz Spot Intro's jam sessions. You can enjoy Tokyo's take on Italian food while you're waiting for the music to start.

A 100-year-old tenement house, all dark woods and creaking sounds, houses one of Koenji’s most unique bars. You can pick up and read any of the hundreds of books that are on hand in addition to ordering snacks and cocktails, some of them inspired by literary legends. Occasionally, the bar hosts events featuring authors or sketch artists.

In these intimate and luxurious surroundings you can listen to not only jazz but also soul, R&B, J-pop, and world music. The club has such an excellent sound system that musicians such as Ron Carter have recorded live albums here. Fine French cuisine lures music lovers for special nights out.

Part cocktail bar, part event space with DJ nights, movie screenings, recitals, and art exhibitions, neon-lit Debris is a stylish hangout for Daikanyama’s creative set. The mixologists here can mix up classics, but they also get creative with artisanal spirits as varied as Cocalero from the Andes or Indonesian Nusa Caña rum made with cloves and nutmeg. Most events have a cover charge.

This venerable bar claims to be Shinjuku's oldest—established in 1951—and has hosted actors and filmmakers like Yukio Mishima and Akira Kurosawa among many other luminaries. It's also one of several bars that claim to have invented the popular chu-hai cocktail (shochu, a distilled grain spirit, with juice and soda). The atmosphere is vibrant, the four floors are almost always packed, and food is served. There is a small outdoor seating area, but keep in mind that smoking is allowed in some areas.

This might be Tokyo's swankiest gay lounge—just over-the-top enough to put you in the mood for a great night out. It hosts a variety of DJs, as well as nights with go-go boys, and the staff will whip you up a cocktail as soon as you can make your way to the bar.

Claiming to be the one of the friendliest bars in the neighborhood, GB has been a fixture in the Ni-chome gay district for decades. On weekends, rather quiet and reserved gentlemen, mostly in their thirties and forties, gather around the wooden bar, and it is also quite popular among foreign residents and visitors—especially before a night out.

Tucked on a side street of Azabu Juban, this stylish cocktail bar has just eight counter seats, so it's worth booking ahead if you fancy trying some of the most innovative tipples in Tokyo. The bartender uses in-season Japanese produce like Okinawan pineapple and ume (apricots) from Wakayama, along with fine liquor, to produce superb cocktail tasting menus.

Japan's oldest beer hall, in business since 1899 and occupying the same stately Chuo-dori location since 1934, is remarkably affordable for one of Tokyo's toniest addresses. Ginza shoppers and office workers alike drop by for beer and ballast—anything from Japanese-style fried chicken to spaghetti.

With vintage lamps and a café-like ambience, this is a relaxed, cozy bar for women. Men accompanied by women are welcome on most days, but Saturday is a women-only night. The location on a lively corner in the center of the Ni-chome LGBTQ+ area makes it another good starting point for a night out. It also hosts events that you might want to stay for.

This could very well be the world's smallest jazz club. An evening here is like listening to live jazz in your living room. Live acts are trios at most, with no space for a full set of drums or amplifiers. Simple, homemade Japanese cooking (free of charge) helps make this a truly intimate experience. With 10 seats and no standing allowed, reservations are recommended. Entry costs ¥3,500–¥4,500.

This small basement jazz joint hosts many up-and-coming acts from around Tokyo nightly. Though these jam sessions often don't cost more than the price of a drink; other nights, when well-known acts are playing, there's a cover charge. Either way, this place provides some of the best jazz experiences in Tokyo, particularly during Saturday evening jam sessions. A Friday night jam session and other events are held at its sister location, the Cotton Club, which has more space and serves Italian food.

Tokyo's oldest Western-style bar hasn't had a face-lift for decades (the main building is registered as a tangible cultural property), and that's part of what draws so many drinkers to this bright, noisy venue. The other major attraction is the Denki Bran, a delicious but hangover-inducing cocktail (essentially, gin, wine, brandy, and curaçao) that was invented here about 100 years ago and is now stocked by bars throughout Japan.

This large, glitzy karaoke joint has plenty of English songs and private rooms for small and large groups. Daytime weekday rates (noon to 5 pm) are quite cheap, but at other times, expect to pay about ¥580 per 30 minutes per person on weekends and evenings (5 pm to 5 am). You can order all kinds of surprisingly good food and drinks and have it delivered to your room. There are also all-you-can-drink plans if you're feeling frisky. If you have a large group and want to make reservations, you can do so in English at the very top of the website by pressing the tiny "English" button.

Owned by Baird Beer, one of Japan’s leading microbrewers, this small, hip Kichijoji taproom serves a fantastic line-up of the company's limited-release and year-round offerings, including the hop-heavy Suruga Bay IPA, the rich Kurofune Porter, and the refreshing Wheat King Witte. Everything goes well with the Tex-Mex food menu's tacos, burritos, and nachos.

This small brewpub offers a frequently changing line-up of craft creations, often including pale ales and white beers. Chalkboards on the walls indicate the nine staple brews as well as whatever else is on tap. Comfort foods, such as Japanese fried chicken (karaage) or homemade sausage, pair nicely with the beer.

Covered in Euro-cinema posters and named after a French movie, La Jetée is a tiny bar, which makes conversing (in Japanese, French, or English) a challenge. To find it, look for the he cats painted on the door, and head up the narrow staircase. If you can't find it, Golden Gai has hundreds of other equally quirky and hard-to-find places you might stumble upon.

Relaxed, quiet, and intimate, this local favorite in the bustling western suburb of Kichijoji attracts an eclectic group of performers. Cover charges range from ¥2,200 to ¥4,500, and usually include a drink.