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The bar scene in Tokyo is compelling, diverse, fun and ever-changing. There are elegant establishments with besuited bartenders, hidden dens that feel like well-provisioned apartments, exuberant themed venues that leave senses jangling and artisan studios that treat cocktail creation as an art. This teeming metropolis has it all.
Here are some favourite bars for Tokyo drinking in 2025 (and some other things to do in Tokyo).
Cabin Bar
Styled like a North American hunting lodge, Cabin is a cocktail lounge by the Meguro River in Nakameguro, a walkable neighbourhood with cool shopping and restaurants. In spring, you’ll be looking towards cherry blossoms lining the banks. In cool weather, Cabin is a cosy hideaway with a fireplace and s’mores to toast on tabletop burners. Sit on a leather banquette to sip an Americano lifted with green tea.
Find it: Riverside Terrace 101, 1-10-23 Nakameguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo
Bar Bumpkin
Barely signed and tucked in a basement, you’re winning if you even find this sweet little bar. Owner and lone staff member Ryota Hayashi will make you a classic, or craft something for your mood, but his menu is definitely worth trawling for wonderful sippers like the Leche de Pantera with lemon gin, seaweed-infused vinegar and dill oil. Hayashi studied in Australia so his English is good and he loves a chat.
Find it: Uguisudanicho 8-8 Shibuya, Tokyo
Little Rock Bar
Roppongi has a lot of swanky restaurants and shopping centres… and then there are places like Little Rock, a colourful and informal hideyhole bar in a building that is crammed with tiny bars. Being here feels like you’ve landed in a hospitable friend’s somewhat chaotic lounge room. Order a beer, shochu or simple mixed drink and settle in.
Find it: 5 Chome-9-14 Roppongi, Minato City, Tokyo
Bar Loose
There are dozens of bars in Shibuya’s Nonbei Yokocho (‘Drunkard’s Alley’). Loose is a sweet spot with six seats made from old skateboards: even if you don’t share a language, you’ll surely end up in conversation. The signature drink is the Lemon Sour, served in a few spiced variations, and they pour natural wine by the glass. Upstairs from Loose is Tight, one of the oldest bars in the alley, accessible by a staircase as steep as a ladder.
Find it: 1 Chome-25-10 Shibuya, Tokyo
Mori Bar Gran
Legendary bartender Takao Mori opened his first bar in 1997; this elegant 13th floor parlour has a terrace as well as views along a handsome counter where white-jacketed bartenders work with seamless sophistication. The cocktail menu is a large and potentially overwhelming compendium but you can’t go wrong with the Mori Martini, a signature drink that’s stirred for a whole minute.
Find it: Sakura Marks Ginza 13F, 6-12-12 Ginza, Tokyo
Yoyogi Milk Hall
If colours could talk, this retro bar would be screaming. Milk Hall is a bright, loud izakaya with a fondness for the 1970s and 80s. Vintage pop records plaster the walls and there’s one of the most silly and fun drinks lists in town. Sip on alcoholic creamy sodas in the colour of your choice, knock back a sour with whole frozen tangerine, and snack on skewers and fried dishes.
Find it: 1 Chome−32−12, Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo
Discover Tokyo
Image credit: Rob Locke.
