Sake specialists
Open 5pm-midnight (LO) daily.
Excellent heirloom-breed pork dishes served with an impressive selection of premium craft sake - that's the simple but appealing formula at this unpretentious drinking spot. There are around thirty...
Open 5pm-midnight (LO) daily.
Open 5-11pm (LO) daily.
Located in the thriving izakaya-filled back alleys southeast of Yoyogi Station, Haretoke offers a fantastic sake list and a menu heavily focused on meat, and horsemeat in particular. You can choose...
Open 5-11pm (LO) daily.
Open 5-11pm (LO) daily.
Zokkon is a tastefully decorated, upscale izakaya with good food and an impressive sake selection. The sake list emphasizes daiginjo and other higher grades of sake, with three-part tasting flights...
Open 5-11pm (LO) daily.
Open 5-10:30pm (LO) daily.
Maishin is worth knowing about for their serious sake selection and their Sunday hours, a day of the week when many sake specialists are taking a holiday. You'll find lots of limited-edition...
Open 5-10:30pm (LO) daily.
Open 4pm-midnight. Closed Sundays.
This small, mostly counter-bar shop serves creative cuisine and an interesting sake selection, with an emphasis on the dry, karakuchi end of the scale. (This is the new incarnation of Sakanatei, a...
Open 4pm-midnight. Closed Sundays.
Open 6pm-4am daily.
This popular and very lively sake-specialty dining bar offers an impressive selection of craft sake from around Japan, accompanied by richly flavored dishes designed to complement the drinks. The...
Open 6pm-4am daily.
Open 6pm-1am (LO) daily.
If it weren't for the illuminated sign advertising "Fish and Sake" in English, you might have trouble finding this second-story hideaway in Ebisu. The interior is modestly appointed with a few small...
Open 6pm-1am (LO) daily.
Open 11:30am-1:30, 6-10pm. Closed Sundays.
Seasonal Japanese cuisine plus a special menu of limited-edition sake and wines. Full-course menus are Y6000-8000, or you can order a la carte.
Open 11:30am-1:30, 6-10pm. Closed Sundays.
Open 5pm-midnight (LO) daily.
Soregashi is a laid-back, very unpretentious local izakaya where you can explore a good range of craft sake along with an interesting food menu. There are a couple dozen sakes to choose from,...
Open 5pm-midnight (LO) daily.
Open 4-11:30pm daily.
If you like both craft beer and craft sake, and you find yourself in Ebisu, this branch of Otsuka's legendary Bakushuan beer bar is the place for you. Ten mainly Japanese craft beers are served on...
Open 4-11:30pm daily.
Open 6:30-11pm. Closed Mondays.
Kiraz is not only one of our favorite sake bars in Tokyo, it's also one of our favorite Spanish restaurants. It turns out that sake and Spanish food work surprisingly well together, and Kiraz's...
Open 6:30-11pm. Closed Mondays.
Open 6-11pm. Closed Sundays.
An amazing selection of sake and top-rate food in a cozy setting. The sake list changes with the season, and it helps if you know what you're looking for.
Open 6-11pm. Closed Sundays.
Open 11:30am-2:30, 5-10pm (LO) daily.
Hinai-jidori is a flavorful heirloom-breed chicken from Akita Prefecture, and it's the main ingredient on the grill at this Akita-based yakitoriya. But there's more than just fantastic chicken here...
Open 11:30am-2:30, 5-10pm (LO) daily.
Open 6pm-4am daily.
The fantastic sake list here (more than 200 varieties) is supported by a solid sake-friendly food menu, including many Okinawan dishes and luxurious items like foie gras and uni. Budget around Y7000...
Open 6pm-4am daily.
Open 6-11pm (LO; Sat -10pm). Closed Sundays.
If you're a sake afficianado you'll be delighted by the stellar selection at this unpretentious little izakaya. Chances are you'll make some interesting discoveries, and perhaps even meet a brewer...
Open 6-11pm (LO; Sat -10pm). Closed Sundays.
Open 5-11:30pm (Sat, Sun -10:30) daily.
Fine food and an excellent sake selection at this very unpretentious after-work izakaya. Budget around Y3000 for food and drink.
Open 5-11:30pm (Sat, Sun -10:30) daily.
Open 4pm-midnight daily.
Innovative, thoughtfully designed original cocktails are the hallmark of the Mixology group of bars, and this tiny branch in the stylish Hibiya Okuroji corridor is no exception. The folks at...
Open 4pm-midnight daily.
Open 11:30am-10:30pm (LO; Sun -9:30) daily.
The excellent sake list (some 130 labels are generally in stock) is supported by a reliable menu of standard izakaya fare - charcoal-grilled meats and fish, yakitori, and sake-friendly nibbles like...
Open 11:30am-10:30pm (LO; Sun -9:30) daily.
Open 11:30am-2, 5:30-11:30pm (Fri -2am) daily.
Among the ranks of craft-sake specialty pubs in Tokyo, Musshu (the name means "sake dream") stands out for its balance of cozy atmosphere, good food, and decent prices. The eclectic food menu is...
Open 11:30am-2, 5:30-11:30pm (Fri -2am) daily.
Open 5-11:30pm. Closed Sundays.
Hearth-grilled seafood fresh from northern Honshu is the specialty at this attractive "slow-food" izakaya. Prix-fixe menus feature several types of grilled fish, sashimi and locally grown chicken...
Open 5-11:30pm. Closed Sundays.
Open 11am-2, 5-9:45pm (LO). Closed weekends.
It may not be as fancy as some izakayas around town, but Torarenbo offers a solid, reliable sake list and first-rate seasonal cuisine, with food designed to enhance your sake-drinking experience. ...
Open 11am-2, 5-9:45pm (LO). Closed weekends.
Open 5:30pm-midnight. Closed Sundays.
Craft sake from small, often obscure, breweries in Nagano Prefecture and elsewhere is the focus at this popular sake specialty bar. Servings are in small-size glasses and sharing is encouraged, so...
Open 5:30pm-midnight. Closed Sundays.
Open 5-11pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
The sign outside this old-school sake pub entices with the promise of jizake - local sake - and makes good on that offer. On Friday nights, the crowd consists mainly of beer-drinking salarymen, but...
Open 5-11pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
Open 6-10pm. Closed Sundays.
Nearly thirty well-chosen craft sake from relatively obscure small breweries are on offer at this cozy neighborhood drinking spot. There are also sake-friendly nibbles like grilled dried fish and...
Open 6-10pm. Closed Sundays.
Open 11:30am-1, 5:30-11pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
Aomori Prefecture in Northern Japan produces some very nice sake, and Ringo no Hana is a good place to try it out. Some twenty different types of local craft sake are served either in ichi-go flasks...
Open 11:30am-1, 5:30-11pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
Open 5pm-midnight (Sat, Sun -11:30pm) daily.
Muku is a small neighborhood izakaya serving excellent charcoal-grilled meat and fish alongside a very serviceable sake list. You can choose from around 40 different craft sakes from both large and...
Open 5pm-midnight (Sat, Sun -11:30pm) daily.
Open 5-11pm (LO) daily.
Unlike many sake-connoisseur pubs, the food here stands on its own, and would make Seigetsu worth a visit even if they only served tea. The charcoal-grilled chicken is especially outstanding, and...
Open 5-11pm (LO) daily.
Open 5-11:30pm daily.
This down-to-earth izakaya is a nice spot to explore a huge and varied sake list, including an ever-changing roster of seasonal monthly specials. The food menu is reliable, showcasing seasonal...
Open 5-11:30pm daily.
Open 5-10:45pm (LO; Sun 3-10:15) daily.
The mood at Mister Happy is festive, to say the least. The floor staff are relentlessly cheerful, telling jokes, leading toasts and pulling small pranks on unsuspecting customers. But this is more...
Open 5-10:45pm (LO; Sun 3-10:15) daily.
Open 11:30am-1:30, 5:30 to closing. Closed Sundays.
Jusanya is a small neighborhood yakitoriya with above-average chicken and an unusual sake selection. The sake list isn't huge, but it's deeper than usual, with two or three varieties of some small...
Open 11:30am-1:30, 5:30 to closing. Closed Sundays.
Open 11am-11pm daily.
There's a nice selection of some three dozen craft sake to explore at this stylish little bar, with an unusual fish and seafood-centered food menu to accompany your drinks. It's run by a...
Open 11am-11pm daily.
Open 6pm-midnight. Closed Mondays.
The specialized sake selection at this small neighborhood izakaya is beyond reproach, with many seasonal bottles and a number of hard-to-find labels from the elusive Juyondai brewery. The food menu...
Open 6pm-midnight. Closed Mondays.
Open 6pm-1am. Closed Mondays.
Although it looks like an old-fashioned izakaya inside, Bakushuan serves a modern selection of ten Japanese and US craft beers on tap in addition to its very respectable sake list. In fact customers...
Open 6pm-1am. Closed Mondays.
Open 5:30-11pm. Closed Mondays.
Tokyo has no shortage of good yakitori shops, but Souten really stands out from the the crowd thanks to the quality of both their chicken and their craft sake. The entrance sports an extra-large...
Open 5:30-11pm. Closed Mondays.
Open 5:30-10:30pm (LO). Closed Sundays, Mondays.
A tiny, legendary sake pub with an unusual selection, including many rare koshu (aged sakes). There's also a big list of shochu made from sugar cane. Food highlights include the anago dishes and...
Open 5:30-10:30pm (LO). Closed Sundays, Mondays.
Open 5pm-midnight. Closed Sundays.
The extensive sake collection here includes a good range of Juyondai, including some rare bottles. The master is quite exacting in his recommendations, so be prepared to be quizzed about your tastes...
Open 5pm-midnight. Closed Sundays.
Open 5-11pm (to 10:30pm Sat.) (LO). Closed Sundays.
Once known for their amazing sake selection, excellent food, and good prices, Sasagin still offers an amazing sake selection. There's some decent food too, but the menu is hit-and-miss, as is the...
Open 5-11pm (to 10:30pm Sat.) (LO). Closed Sundays.
Open 5-11pm. Closed Sundays.
An astonishing selection of sake, with a full menu page of new, limited-edition arrivals every week. The food tends towards simple, country-style fare, and the atmosphere is very down-home - it's a...
Open 5-11pm. Closed Sundays.
Open 5-11pm (LO; Sun 3-10:30) daily.
One mark of a serious sake bar is whether they offer limited-edition seasonal specials, and we're happy to report that this stylish izakaya has a whole page of them, all at very reasonable prices. ...
Open 5-11pm (LO; Sun 3-10:30) daily.
Good sake lists
Open 5:30-11pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
Sake is the star at this friendly little izakaya, with a smallish menu of charcoal-grilled seafood, meat and vegetables designed to go well with your drinks. Budget around Y6000 in the evening for...
Open 5:30-11pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
Open 5-11pm daily.
Excellent grilled chicken, sushi and much more in this glitzy, high-rise yakitori restaurant. There's a good selection of premium sake to go with your food; dinner with drinks averages around Y6,000.
Open 5-11pm daily.
Open 4pm-5am (LO) daily.
Superlative izakaya-style fare in a lively, noisy setting. They have an impressive and ever-changing selection of jizake (regional sake), plus good sashimi and grilled fish. Intriguing...
Open 4pm-5am (LO) daily.
Open 5pm-5am daily.
This basement branch of the Donjaca chain offers a wide menu of izakaya-style fare and Japanese sake. The Japanese dishes are much better than their multi-cultural experiments.
Open 5pm-5am daily.
Open 5pm-6:30am (LO) daily.
Inexpensive jizake (regional sake) and good grilled fish. Seating can get a little cramped during peak hours, so check out the much larger Suehiro-dori branch just around the corner. No...
Open 5pm-6:30am (LO) daily.
Open 11am-3, 4-11:20pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
Who can resist a restaurant called "Mom's", especially when the kitchen and waitress staff is a squadron of fifty-ish, motherly types who look like they'd be disappointed in you for not finishing...
Open 11am-3, 4-11:20pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
Open 4pm-3am (LO) daily.
Imaginative pub-style Japanese food and regional sake at great prices.
Open 4pm-3am (LO) daily.
Open 11:30am-2, 6-10:30pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
Kiiro is a comfortable local izakaya with very good food and sake. The sake list showcases well-chosen craft sake from small breweries around the country, and it includes a good number of special...
Open 11:30am-2, 6-10:30pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
Open 5pm-12:30am (LO; Sat, Sun -11:30) daily.
This very hip late-night dining bar near Gaienmae might be the best place in the neighborhood for sake after 11pm. The kitchen specializes in organ-meat dishes, and a glance at the menu reveals a...
Open 5pm-12:30am (LO; Sat, Sun -11:30) daily.
Open 4-10:30pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
Inexpensive sashimi and other fish dishes, offering good quality for the price. There's an assortment of premium sake brands as well as shochu to drink. (Formerly called Higashi-no-17.) Cash only.
Open 4-10:30pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
Open 5-10:30pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
Unosato was a pioneering sake specialty pub that's been here for decades, although nowadays their list looks fairly dated - decent-enough regional brands that you'll find at a hundred other izakaya,...
Open 5-10:30pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
Open 11:30am-1:30, 5:50-11pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
Gyossantei is a great place to sample the regional cooking of Miyazaki Prefecture, along with good sake from around the country. The dining space is comfortable and informal, and large windows on...
Open 11:30am-1:30, 5:50-11pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
Open 11:30am-2, 5pm-5am daily.
Good-value grilled fish, snacks and sake in this lively late-night drinking spot. The specialty is himono (grilled dried fish) from around Japan. Budget around Y2000-3000 per person. There's often...
Open 11:30am-2, 5pm-5am daily.
Open 6-11:30pm (LO) daily.
Occupying the second floor of a newish office building, Nakamura is a very tastefully appointed modern izakaya, with sophisticated lighting and sleek furnishings. A full crew of chefs work in the...
Open 6-11:30pm (LO) daily.
Open 5pm-2am (LO; Sun 1-10) daily.
Casual French cuisine served with premium sake from Akita Prefecture - that's the inspired culinary pairing offered at this stylish late-night sake bar. Besides sake, Akita is also famous for their...
Open 5pm-2am (LO; Sun 1-10) daily.
Open 11:30am-2, 5:30-10:30pm (LO) daily.
The sophisticated oden served at Konbuya is a far cry from the usual convenience-store fare, with standout items like grilled anago eel wrapped in tofu skin, kakuni stewed pork in fried tofu, and...
Open 11:30am-2, 5:30-10:30pm (LO) daily.
Open 6pm-1am (LO; 11pm Sundays). Open every day.
Although it's best known in its convenience-store and yatai manifestations, oden can be a cuisine of great subtlety and refinement, and Konbuya in Nishi-Azabu is an excellent place to investigate the...
Open 6pm-1am (LO; 11pm Sundays). Open every day.
Open 6pm-midnight.
Ibiza calls itself a "fisherman's diner," and this unpretentious neighborhood spot offers a great selection of fresh-caught fish and seafood. Simple home-style recipes rely on the high quality of...
Open 6pm-midnight.
Open 5-11:30pm (LO) daily.
The specialty of the house here is himono - various types of dried fish that are grilled over charcoal. There's plenty more on offer as well though - lovely fresh-seafood sashimi platters that...
Open 5-11:30pm (LO) daily.
Open 5pm-1am daily.
Perhaps it's the chic, modern decor or the DJ booth at the front of the bar, but for some reason Another8 seems to attract a more stylish and cosmopolitan crowd than your typical beer bar. In...
Open 5pm-1am daily.
Open 11:30am-2, 5pm-1am daily.
Akita Prefecture is famous for its excellent sake, but its regional cuisine isn't as widely known. Wattaribozu, a cozy little basement izakaya near Gotanda Station, is a great place to explore both...
Open 11:30am-2, 5pm-1am daily.
Open 11:30am-1:30, 5-11pm (LO; Sat -10:30). Closed Sunday nights.
This Kyushu chicken specialist offers unusual items like chicken-liver steak and heart steak as well as more typical charcoal-grilled yakitori skewers. The shop is named after the main ingredient...
Open 11:30am-1:30, 5-11pm (LO; Sat -10:30). Closed Sunday nights.
Open 11:30am-1:30, 5:30-11:30pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
Very good yakitori and game-bird cuisine along with a respectable sake list. Budget around Y7000 for dinner, Y1000 for lunch.
Open 11:30am-1:30, 5:30-11:30pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
Open 5pm-2:30am (LO; 3am Fri, midnight Sat). Closed Sundays, 3rd Sat.
Sliding open the door of Kuri feels like unearthing a secret treasure. Hidden on the second floor of a drab building in Ginza, this cozy bar seats a scant twelve, yet boasts a menu featuring over 100...
Open 5pm-2:30am (LO; 3am Fri, midnight Sat). Closed Sundays, 3rd Sat.
Open 11:30am-11pm daily.
A joint venture between Mushu sake pub and several sake companies, Takara serves both Japanese food and Spanish tapas, plus sake, awamori, shochu, beer and Spanish wines.
Open 11:30am-11pm daily.
Open 10am-10pm (LO) daily.
The famous Akita-based yakitoriya serves fantastic grilled chicken - an heirloom cross-breed called hinai-jidori - along with local Akita sake. Budget around Y3000 for food and drink at dinnertime,...
Open 10am-10pm (LO) daily.
Open 11am-2:30, 5-10pm (LO; Sat, Sun -9pm) daily.
The cuisine of Yamagata Prefecture is the specialty at this stylish upscale izakaya, accompanied by a nice selection of local craft sake. The sake is served in your choice of tasting flights or full...
Open 11am-2:30, 5-10pm (LO; Sat, Sun -9pm) daily.
Open 11am-10pm (LO) daily.
While this is ostensibly a soba shop, most evening visitors are here for the deep-fried kushiage skewers, served with sake, shochu or beer. Skewers come in a nice range of both seafood and vegetable...
Open 11am-10pm (LO) daily.
Open 11am-2:30, 5-10:30pm (LO) daily.
You'll find exceptionally good regional cuisine from Shimane Prefecture at very reasonable prices at this old-fashioned izakaya. The menu showcases fish and seafood flown in from the region as well...
Open 11am-2:30, 5-10:30pm (LO) daily.
Open 5-11pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
We first noticed this charming hole-in-the-wall drinking spot thanks to the prominent display of their daily sake menu on their front wall. Although they're not a sake specialist, their selection of...
Open 5-11pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
Open 11am-11pm (LO; Sat -9). Closed Sundays.
There's a good selection of sake to go with your grilled himono (dried fish) and other izakaya fare, all at quite reasonable prices. Lunch is served until 4pm.
Open 11am-11pm (LO; Sat -9). Closed Sundays.
Open 11am-2, 5-11pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
Fantastic Hokkaido seafood and a nice selection of premium craft sake are served at this unpretentious basement izakaya. The sashimi platters are reliable, and often feature fish that you don't see...
Open 11am-2, 5-11pm (LO). Closed Sundays.
Open 5pm-1am (Sat 4-12). Closed Sundays and holidays.
Wakana serves excellent charcoal-grilled chicken and pork on skewers along with a well-chosen list of around twenty types of sake. The restaurant stays open a couple of hours later than most other...
Open 5pm-1am (Sat 4-12). Closed Sundays and holidays.
Open 4-11pm (LO) daily.
Oden is known as a fairly humble cuisine, but it reaches new heights of sophistication at Konbuya, where it's paired with well-chosen craft sake and shochu in an elegant dining room. In addtion to...
Open 4-11pm (LO) daily.
Open 11:30am-2, 5:30-10pm (LO). Closed weekends.
Gauche has assembled one of the better sake lists in the Kudanshita area, with comfortable seating in a cozy basement setting. The food tends towards simple home-style cooking, playing more of a...
Open 11:30am-2, 5:30-10pm (LO). Closed weekends.
Open 3-11:30pm daily.
Super-fresh seafood from the Noto Peninsula, north of Kanazawa, is the specialty at Notomi. To go with the seafood, there's a decent selection of a dozen or so well-known sake from around the...
Open 3-11:30pm daily.
Open 11:30-2, 4:30-10pm (LO; Sat, Sun -9:30) daily.
Sake fans can choose from more than fifty different labels here, most of them served in smaller, 90ml pours so that you can try a few different types at one sitting. The food menu features creative,...
Open 11:30-2, 4:30-10pm (LO; Sat, Sun -9:30) daily.
Open 11:30am-2:30, 5-10pm (LO; Sat, Sun -9pm) daily.
More than forty craft sakes from small breweries around the country are offered here for your delectation, with most priced at around Y500-700 per 90ml serving. The food menu offers appetizing...
Open 11:30am-2:30, 5-10pm (LO; Sat, Sun -9pm) daily.
Open 11am-10:30pm (LO; Sat, Sun -9:30) daily.
We were intrigued by the menu categories at this after-work izakaya - charcoal-grilled meats, charcoal-grilled small fish and charcoal-grilled big fish - all of them prepared over top-grade bincho...
Open 11am-10:30pm (LO; Sat, Sun -9:30) daily.
Open 5:30pm-midnight (LO) daily.
Great sake, from a list that changes every week, at this local, hole-in-the-wall drinking spot. You'll find bottles from small breweries that are seldom seen in retail shops, and the staff are ready...
Open 5:30pm-midnight (LO) daily.
Open 5pm-midnight daily.
Great yakitori, a few well-selected sakes, and reasonable prices at this neighborhood yakitoriya. No English menu.
Open 5pm-midnight daily.
Open 11:30am-2, 5:30-11:30pm (LO) daily.
There's an impressive selection of craft sake to try out at this stylish izakaya, and you can put together your own tasting flights quite easily and economically, as small 60ml glasses are priced at...
Open 11:30am-2, 5:30-11:30pm (LO) daily.
Open 4pm-12:30am (Sat, Sun 12-) daily.
Hakata cuisine - traditional cooking from Fukuoka in northern Kyushu - is the specialty of this rather boisterous izakaya in Nakano's bar zone. Besides serving excellent food, Jidoriya offers a...
Open 4pm-12:30am (Sat, Sun 12-) daily.
Open 5pm-midnight (LO) daily.
Warayaki, or straw-roasted cooking, is a technique for quickly searing ingredients like chicken and bonito at very high temperatures. It's entertaining to watch, and the straw imparts a pleasant,...
Open 5pm-midnight (LO) daily.
Open 5:30-11:30pm (LO) daily.
Seasonal izakaya fare and gourmet oden, plus very impressive lists of shochu and sake.
Open 5:30-11:30pm (LO) daily.
Open 5pm-midnight. Closed Mondays.
A cozy izakaya located directly in front of Yoyogi-Uehara station, Marche offers a nice selection of seasonal craft sake at very reasonable prices. Sake-friendly dishes like miso-marinated avocado...
Open 5pm-midnight. Closed Mondays.
Open 5-11pm (Sat, Sun 3pm-) daily.
A self-styled "craft-beer izakaya," Apart offers an impressive selection of craft beers from their eleven taps, representing breweries like Pipeworks (Chicago), Jester King (Austin), Swanlake...
Open 5-11pm (Sat, Sun 3pm-) daily.
Open 6pm-2am (LO; Sun -10pm) daily.
Limited-edition seasonal sake is the drawing card at this rather minimalist drinking spot. They bill themselves as a Hakata-style udon-based izakaya, and there's a good selection of tempura, other...
Open 6pm-2am (LO; Sun -10pm) daily.
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