34 editor picks in Tokyo.
34 upscale places in Tokyo, editor-picked. occasion restaurants in Tokyo: destination kitchens for celebrations and visits. All Tokyo food.
Bar High Five in Tokyo's Ginza is Hidetsugu Ueno's basement cocktail counter, World's 50 Best Bars 2011-2023. Hand-cut ice, custom drinks to your taste.
TipCover charge is 1,000 yen with snacks. Open Mon-Sat from 17:00, closed Sundays and national holidays; arrive early for a seat at the counter.
SG Club in Tokyo's Jinnan is Shingo Gokan's two-floor cocktail bar, Asia's 50 Best No. 9 in 2023. Order the showa-era cocktails on the two floors.
TipReservations advised for Friday and Saturday. The sip floor is the quieter calmer counter.
Gen Yamamoto in Tokyo's Azabu-Juban serves an eight-seat seasonal cocktail tasting flight only. Four or six courses of seasonal-ingredient cocktails, no food.
TipTwo seatings nightly; phone or email reservation only. Closed Sundays and Mondays. Strict no-phone policy at the counter.
Yakiniku Jumbo Shirokane in Tokyo is the wagyu yakiniku counter that the city's chefs eat at on days off. Hand-cut Chateaubriand sukiyaki is the signature.
OrderChateaubriand sukiyaki and the marbled sirloin; finish with cold reimen noodles.
TipPhone reservation only, 30 days ahead. The Hongo and Hanare branches share the same kitchen team.
Yakitori Omino in Tokyo's Meguro is the one-Michelin-star yakitori counter where Akihiro Omino grills jidori chicken over binchotan in a hidden basement.
OrderThe 14-skewer omakase; the tsukune meatball with quail yolk is the signature.
TipClosed Sundays. Reserve through Pocket Concierge two months ahead; dinner only.
Star Bar Ginza in Tokyo's Ginza is Hisashi Kishi's pressed-tin temple of classic cocktail technique since 2000. The Sidecar is the order on a first visit.
TipCover charge applies. Wear smart casual; phone reservations are accepted but the standing space at the counter turns fast.
Bar Trench in Tokyo's Ebisu-Nishi is the absinthe and classic-cocktail counter Rogerio Igarashi Vaz opened in 2010. Asia's 50 Best Bars, back-alley den.
TipReserve for groups; the back-room booth is the prized seat. Cash and cards. Open Sun-Thu to 02:00, Fri-Sat to 03:00.
Zoetrope in Tokyo's Nishi-Shinjuku is Atsushi Horigami's whisky bar specializing in Japanese spirits. Three-hundred bottles and silent black-and-white film.
TipClosed Sundays. Reservation by phone; the by-the-glass list rotates with each visit.
Bar BenFiddich in Tokyo's Nishi-Shinjuku is Hiroyasu Kayama's apothecary-style cocktail bar. Herbs from his own farm, fresh-muddled and tea-steeped each pour.
TipReservation by phone strongly recommended. The herb-and-vegetable garden menu is the canonical flight.
Ahiru Store in Tokyo's Tomigaya is sommelier Teruhiko Saito's natural-wine counter, sister Wakako's bread on the side. The 12-seat room queues from 18:00.
TipNo reservations after 18:30; arrive at 18:00 for the second seating or before opening for the first.
Winestand Waltz in Tokyo's Ebisu-Nishi is the cellar-bar that built Tokyo's natural-wine ritual. Standing-counter only, 30 by-the-glass pours, no reservation.
TipNo reservations. Walk-in standing room only; arrive by 19:00 for a counter spot.
Asakusa Imahan Honten in Tokyo's Nishi-Asakusa has cooked sukiyaki tableside in private tatami rooms since 1895. Wagyu sirloin, kimono-clad attendants.
OrderThe sukiyaki course with wagyu sirloin; lunch is the easier and cheaper seating.
TipReservations strongly recommended. Lunch from 11:30, dinner from 17:00; private rooms only.
The Aviary Tokyo in Tokyo's Nishi-Shinjuku is the Tokyo outpost of Chicago's Alinea Group. Multi-course cocktail-and-food pairings in avant-garde format.
TipReservation only via Tock; courses run two to three hours. Closed irregular days; check the calendar.
Tokyo Whisky Library in Tokyo's Aoyama holds 1,200 whiskies, the largest English-friendly whisky bar in the city. Yamazaki, Hakushu, all the Scotch.
TipReservation strongly advised. Tasting flights cover Japanese, Scotch and Irish; the rare-Japanese collection is the standout.
Bar Orchard Ginza in Tokyo is Takuo Miyanohara's fresh-fruit-only cocktail bar. Whatever seasonal fruit hangs over the counter becomes that night's pour.
TipReservation by phone. Closed Sundays. Cocktails are bartender's-choice from the fruit lineup.
The Bellwood in Shibuya is Atsushi Suzuki's Taisho-era cafe-themed cocktail bar in Tokyo, kaiseki-as-cocktail menu, hidden 12-piece omakase counter at back.
TipReserve via TableCheck; the kaiseki cocktail set takes 90 minutes. Closed Tuesdays.
Bar Tram in Tokyo's Ebisu-Nishi is the sister bar to Bar Trench, on the same back alley. Absinthe-and-herb cocktail focus, dimmer brick room than Trench.
TipOpen daily 19:00-03:00. Smaller and more intimate than Trench; walk-ins welcome.
Bar Sunface in Tokyo's Yotsuya is master Yamamoto Manabu's rum-focused bar. 1,200 rums by the bottle, cocktails and tasting flights of aged Caribbean spirits.
TipClosed Sundays. Reservation by phone advised; the staff guide every flight.
New York Bar Park Hyatt in Tokyo Shinjuku is the 52nd-floor jazz bar from Lost in Translation. Live music nightly, panoramic Mount Fuji views on clear days.
TipCover charge after 20:00. Reserve a window table for sunset; jazz starts at 20:00.
Peter Bar at Peninsula Tokyo is the 24th-floor cocktail bar overlooking the Imperial Palace gardens. Modern classics with Asian flavours, red lacquer.
TipReserve a window seat at sunset; closed Sunday for renovation through mid-2026. Live music Thursdays and Saturdays.
Gold Bar at Tokyo EDITION Toranomon is a Golden Age cocktail room above the city, classic Martini and Manhattan rebuilds, Japanese spirits as the base notes.
TipOpen daily 17:00-01:00; window seats face Toranomon Hills and Tokyo Tower.
Wineshop Flow in Tokyo's Hatagaya is a cellar-bar behind the station, blond timber with a porthole-shaped cellar door. Natural wines and natural sake.
TipDrop in for a glass and a bottle to take home; the small plates are Japanese-seasonal, perfect for two.
Fuglen Tokyo in Tomigaya turns into a Scandinavian cocktail bar after 19:00. Norwegian-trained bartenders, vintage Scandi furniture (all for sale).
TipOpen until 01:00 Wed-Sun. The aquavit Old Fashioned is the move; Mondays and Tuesdays close at 23:00.
Omoide Yokocho in Tokyo's Shinjuku is the post-war yakitori alley north of the west exit, 70 tiny eateries seating six to eight. Highballs and meat.
TipMost stalls open from 17:00; weekend nights are tight. Bring cash and a willingness to share a counter.
Bar Leopard in Tokyo Andaz Toranomon is the 51st-floor cocktail bar with skyline views and a 200-label spirits shelf. Hotel-bar polish, top bartenders.
TipReserve a window-side counter seat at sunset. Open daily 17:00-24:00.
Memento Mori in Tokyo's Shimokitazawa is the cinema-inspired cocktail bar with a projector running silent movies. Modern cocktails, low-lit film-club.
TipClosed Mondays. Walk-in welcome; the back-room is the calmer seating after 21:00.
Fuglen Tokyo in Tokyo's Tomigaya flips at 19:00 from Norwegian cafe to natural wine and cocktail bar. The vintage Scandinavian furniture stays the same.
TipWeekday late seating after 21:00 is the calmest window. Cocktails are champion-level under bartender Halvor Digernes.
Senrogiwa in Tokyo's Ebisu-Minami is an izakaya-DJ-bar hybrid above the tracks near Garden Place. Natural wines, yakiton skewers, 90s vinyl on the decks.
TipSaturday nights tilt DJ-set late; arrive by 19:00 for the dinner-shaped first seating.
Apero in Aoyama in Tokyo is the Dupeperier family wine bar opened 2014, natural French selection shortlisted by Simon Bianco, family-recipe bistro plates.
TipReserve via the official site for the counter; bottle list rotates seasonally.
Le Cabaret Vin in Tokyo's Yoyogi is sommelier-couple Suzuki's natural-wine bar near Shinjuku. Twenty by-the-glass pours, candle-lit standing-and-sitting room.
TipClosed Mondays. Walk-in friendly; arrive before 20:00 for counter seats.
Bistro Rojiura in Tokyo's Sangenjaya is the back-alley wine bar pouring natural Beaujolais and Loire. Long communal counter and Japanese-French bistro plates.
TipClosed Mondays. The pate en croute and the Beaujolais cru flight are the canonical pair.
Shinjuku Golden Gai in Tokyo's Kabukicho is six narrow alleys of 200 themed bars, each seating four to ten guests. Music, film, literature, every micro-genre.
TipMany bars charge a 500-1,500 yen seating fee. Look for English-friendly signs or guided tours after 21:00.
Shibuya Cheese Stand in Tokyo's Okushibu makes mozzarella and burrata on-site each morning and pours Italian wines to match. The wine flight is the order.
TipThe 5pm fresh mozzarella batch is the one to time it for. Reserve online to avoid the wait.
Trader Vic's Tokyo at Hotel New Otani is the only surviving Asian outpost of the Trader Vic's tiki chain. Mai Tais, Polynesian decor, hotel-bar polish.
TipReserve for the polynesian dinner menu; bar seating walks in fine.
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