Bar Martha is a listening bar in Ebisu, Tokyo.
Editorially verified May 20, 2026 by Elliot Marsh, TableJourney editor. Source.
Tip: Cover charge plus a whisky-led menu. Strict no-conversation rule; arrive solo or in pairs and don't ask the bartender to skip a track.
Guided tour · 3 hours
One roofed alley in Ebisu with a dozen bars under it. You sit at one table and food arrives from all of them - five dishes and your drinks are already paid, so nothing...
Private tour · 5 hours
Discover Tokyo's electric nightlife. Neon-lit streets, invitation-only restaurants & hidden bars, guided by a local. Private car & hotel pickup included
Guided tour · 3 hours
Enjoy a classic Japanese experience at select Izakaya spots. Savor fresh local food and drinks while exploring Shinjuku's vibrant area. Price covers full dinner sampli...
Address: 1-22-23 Ebisu, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0013
JBS in Shibuya is short for Jazz, Blues, Soul. Master Kobayashi's 10,000-record library on a second-floor counter, no cover, single-malt Scotch.
TipNo cover charge, rare for a Tokyo listening room. Cash and drinks at the bar; ask for a Kobayashi pick if you don't know where to start.
Meikyoku Kissa Lion in Tokyo's Shibuya is the classical-music kissa founded in 1926, rebuilt 1950 after the war. Custom three-metre wooden speakers.
TipCoffee and tea menu only, no liquor. Silence enforced; choose a pew facing the speakers and stay through a movement.
Bar Bonobo in Tokyo's Jingumae is a two-storey old house behind Harajuku with vintage Altec speakers and a David Mancuso rotary mixer. Tatami second floor.
TipMid-week is quietest; weekend nights run late with guest DJs. Drinks from 800 yen, cover only on featured events.
Bar Music in Tokyo's Shibuya is DJ Tomoaki Nakamura's 5th-floor listening room. Jazz to Brazilian, well-shortlisted wine, espresso coolers from his own Hiroshima.
TipRecords on the wall are for sale; if a track catches you ask the price. Quiet conversation OK, low volume preferred.
Albatross G in Tokyo's Golden Gai is the goth-leaning bar on the 5th alley, chandeliers and taxidermy, three small floors, English-friendly.
TipSeating fee 500-700 yen, drinks from 600 yen. The roof floor is the quietest; arrive before 22:00 for a stool.
Death Match in Hell in Golden Gai is the metal-and-horror bar covered wall-to-wall in posters, VHS, and figures. Owner Go speaks English and runs B-grade.
TipNo cover charge; drinks 600-900 yen. Six seats; if it's full, walk the alley and try the next door.
