49 Best Bars in Tokyo, Japan

If you want to experience Asagaya’s jazz scene outside of the area’s annual jazz festival, stop by this tiny, somewhat ramshackle jazz café. It was one of the areas first jazz venues when it opened several decades ago. Local musicians jam or perform here every night, in confines so narrow you might disrupt a gig trying to get to the toilet, but it’s a very friendly hangout with a reputation for great music. There is a cover charge, which varies by the show.

On the seventh floor of the Shin-Marunouchi Building, you’ll find a 360-degree terrace that boasts a number of lively restaurants and bars. Take in the night views of the Tokyo Station building and Imperial Palace gardens and bar-hop 'til the early morning. On certain days, the venue hosts DJs and special events.

Positioned halfway down the prestigious shopping street Omotesando-dori, within spitting distance of such fashion giants as Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Tod's, this hip restaurant-bar is a great place to rest after testing the limits of your credit card. With smoky floor-to-ceiling windows and cushy armchairs, the place attracts a hipper-than-thou clientele and young fashionistas. The bar food consists of prosciutto, salads, cheese plates, and the like.

This 10-story entertainment complex on the main Roppongi drag of Gaien-Higashi-dori has seven floors of karaoke rooms, some Bali-themed, with more than 10,000 foreign-song titles. Both large and small groups can be accommodated. A Mexican-theme darts bar and a restaurant are also on-site. Rates run ¥700–¥2,000 per hour, and there are also all-you-can drink deals to keep your tonsils nicely lubricated for singing.

Like most of Tokyo's high-end hotels, the Peninsula has a high-rise bar. But unlike many staid hotel bars, this 24th-floor spot with a forest of chrome trees, designed by Yabu Pushelberg, is lots of fun.

Koji Ozaki is the closest thing Tokyo has to a superstar bartender. This demure septuagenarian, who still works one week per month, has been crafting cocktails for half a century, and he's known for both his perfectionism and creativity. Ozaki designed not only the bar he works behind, but the glasses he serves his creations in (some of the best in the city). All bartenders arrange the bar's flowers. You need to dress up (avoid short pants or flip-flops by all means), and remember, this is a place for quiet relaxation.

An ever-popular, long-running venue attracts everyone from their late teens to early forties. This is a great place to catch promising local rock bands. Admission runs ¥2,000 to ¥6,000.

Most major jazz musicians have played at least once in this classic Tokyo club. The veteran club stages mostly mainstream fare with the odd foray into the avant-garde. The emphasis here is strictly on jazz—and the place resembles a small concert hall. Entry runs ¥1,400–¥5,000.

A sake and beer store specializing in drinks from Nagano prefecture, this standing-room-only place also functions as a very casual bar where you can sample approximately 50 kinds of sake (pay by the 110-millileter glass), a dozen craft beers from brewers such as Shiga Kogen, and interesting snacks like spiced cow's tongue. A great option is one of the many reasonably priced three-sake sampler sets. It's tricky to find, being on the first floor of a very dated office building opposite the west exit of Shimbashi Station, but look for the big statue of a tanuki (raccoon dog) with extremely large testicles that's outside the building, then go in and turn right. The staff are very friendly and speak enough English to help with the sake choices. Beers are in bottles and cans in the fridge in the tiny backroom; you have to take them to the counter yourself to buy them.

A small, basic venue in western Tokyo that been going strong since the late 1990s, Showboat attracts semi-professional and professional performers. Entry runs ¥2,000 to ¥5,000.

It's often said that Ginza has all the best bars, and Star Bar may be the best of the lot. Owner and bartender Hisashi Kishi is the president of the Japan Bartenders Association, and his attention to detail in the narrow, dark, and calm room is staggering.

The concrete walls are adorned with rock musicians' autobiographies and posters of the Sex Pistols and Ramones, who also provide the sound track. Artist Yoshitomo Nara has been known to show up here, so if you're lucky, you can drink with him and watch him draw on the walls.

Asakusa has plenty of izakaya, especially on Hoppy Street, but for just a drink (and without the smokiness of many izakaya), the Tavern has a great selection of local and overseas whiskies, as well as sake and cocktails, not to mention Ken, the very cheerful owner-bartender. It's closed on Tuesday.

Perched on the top of the Solamachi complex, this bar-restaurant attracts locals and tourists for overwhelming, breathtaking views of Tokyo Skytree. Signature drinks include Amaou-brand strawberry cocktails. The music's mostly jazz, and spacious and cushy seats, with sprawling views of Tokyo through the oversized glass windows and ceiling, make you want to linger.

Aoyama's dressed-up drinkers hang out on the stylish terrace. Drinks are big, pricey, and modern—think martinis in multiple fresh-fruit flavors such as kiwi. The terrace overlooking the Shinjuku area is particularly comfortable in spring and summer.

Specializing in seasonal sake, this little bar serves about 100 varieties from around 40 breweries, with prices starting from ¥300 per glass. Food is limited to appetizers that include salted squid, pickled cheese, and sea urchin. Dim lighting creates a nice mood, and the staff is happy to help you choose the right sake. Note that the surrounding Shinbashi district is a popular nighttime hangout for businesspeople, so don't be surprised to encounter wandering hordes of inebriated accountants on the streets.

This spacious pub in Ebisu feels more authentically British than many of its rivals, thanks partly to a menu of traditional pub grub, including hearty pies. Using aged logs, the second floor feels like a nice tree house. The place hosts regular live music (funk, folk, jazz, rock, reggae—anything goes here) and other events, so it can be very loud, particularly on Friday and Saturday.

Well-known techno and break-beat DJs make a point of stopping by this Shibuya uberclub on their way through town. The turntable talent, local and international, and four floors of dance and lounge space make Womb Tokyo's most consistently rewarding club experience. Drawing adults from their late twenties to forties, the place gets packed sometimes after 1 in the morning. Entry costs around ¥1,500 to ¥3,500.

As the name suggests, beers from around the world are for sale, including 300 kinds in bottles and 20 more on tap. The large outdoor terrace with low-key downtown views is quiet and pleasant. The English-speaking German staff, when available, can help you choose the right beer.