10 Best Bars In Ginza, Tokyo

1. Bar Atrium

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You know a bar means business when they limit your party to a maximum of four and aims to provide a calm atmosphere where guests can relax and enjoy themselves without rowdy behaviour. At Bar Atrium, the menu is straightforward with the usual spirits and liquor, including an extensive Japanese whisky selection, and the snacks are simple, but you can expect quality drinks and a cosy ambiance to end your day with a few friends. Maybe this time, you’ll be able to have a conversation at a bar without having to shout over each other.

Bar Atrium

Address: Okura Building annex,3-4-4 Ginza Chuo-ku,Tokyo 104-0061 Japan

Website: Bar Atrium

2. Bar Mimi

In a small cocktail bar in the heart of Ginza, the champion of the 38th NBA National Bartender Competition and winner of the technical prize in the 2012 IBA World Cocktail Championship has been shaking drinks up since its opening in 2014. Fumiyasu Mimitsuka, owner of Bar Mimitsuka, or Bar Mimi for short, has been joining cocktail competitions for 17 years so you can be assured that you are drinking creative and quality mixes. Call for the Shining Bloom and have a taste of the drink that won him the best after-dinner cocktail award at the 2012 World Cocktail Championships.

Bar Mimi

Address: 6 Chome-6-19 Ginza, Chuo City, Tokyo 104-0061, Japan

Website: Bar Mimi

Opening hours: Mon - Sat: 6pm - 2am (closed on Sun; holidays: 6pm - 12am)

3. Bar Lupin

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You don’t doubt a bar that has stayed open since 1928. Strip away the pretentiousness of trendy bars today and experience a bit of the old-school Japanese bar vibe with dim lighting and no fancy music or neon lights at Bar Lupin. It gained the support and was frequented by the literati of the Showa period, including writers such as Kyoka Izumi and Kikuchi Kan, among other painters and actors. Grab one of their old school cocktails and immerse in its charm.

Bar Lupin

Address: 5-5-11 Ginza B1F, Ginza, Chuo 104-0061 Tokyo Prefecture

Website: Bar Lupin

Opening hours: Tue - Sat: 5pm - 11pm (closed on Mon & Sun)

4. Bar Hoshi

Candle-lit and slightly mysterious, Bar Hoshi is a popular choice for chill after-dinner drinks in Ginza area. Try the Sakura Sakura, which won the International Bartenders Competition 2011, or the fruit tomato cocktail, a spicy, unique combination of tomato and three kinds of vodka. If you are feeling adventurous, you can consider ordering basashi (horse sashimi), which is also a delicacy from the owner’s hometown of Aizu-Wakamatsu.

Bar Hoshi

Address: 6 Chome-3-7 Ginza, Chuo City, Tokyo 104-0061, Japan

Website: Bar Hoshi

Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 6pm - 3am; Sat - Sun: 6pm - 1am

5. Gas Light EVE

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As the first Japanese woman to have her cocktail, the Wisteria, win Best Aperitif in the 2013 IBA World Cocktail Championships in Prague, Naomi Takahashi is a trailblazer in a scene that is still highly dominated by men. She opened up Gas Light EVE in 2015 and hires female bartenders as her staff–which is still a rarity in the Japanese bartending scene.

Gas Light EVE

Address: Ginza Fujii Bldg 3F, 8-4-24, Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

Website: Gas Light EVE

Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 6pm – 3am; Sat: 5pm – 11pm (closed on Sun)

6. Star Bar Ginza

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When the owner of the bar is the director of technical research for the Nippon Bartenders Association and the youngest winner of the national scotch cocktail competition, you know that you are in for a treat. Hisashi Kishi opened Star Bar in 2000, serving their signature Sidecar cocktail, a delicious blend of brandy, curacao and lemon juice shaken in signature Kishi style and chilled with a single, handcrafted ice cube in the glass. The bar does not take reservations so head their early for a seat at the bar which made it to the list of Asia’s top 50 bars in 2018!

Star Bar Ginza

Address: Star Bar, Sankosha Building B1F, 1-5-13 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

Website: Star Bar Ginza

Opening hours: Tue - Sun: 5pm – 11:30am (closed on Mon)

7. High Five

Hidetsugu Ueno, former bartender at Star Bar Ginza, is the founder of this equally popular and famed Ginza bar – Bar High Five. Ueno is said to have amazing ice carving skills and a signature cocktail shake so if you manage to catch him in action at the bar, you are in luck. The bar does not take reservations or a party of more than four so arrive early for a taste of their specials, including the Japanese Garden, a mix of whisky, Midori, and green tea liquor.

Bar High Five

Address: Efflore Ginza 5 Bldg. BF 5-4-15 Ginza Chuo-ward Tokyo

Website: Bar High Five

Opening hours: Mon - Sat: 5pm - 1am (closed on Sun and public holidays)

8. MOD

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MOD Bar has proved that people would be willing to stand in a compact space for the night if you give them a good drink. This standing, cash-only bar is a hole in the wall but established itself in Ginza as a popular spot serving a wide variety of cocktails and beers at reasonable prices. With room for only six guests, simply walk up to the counter, order and enjoy–no fancy decor or pretense in your drink!

MOD

Address: 3-4-121 | 1F Bunshodo Bldg., Ginza, Chuo 104-0061, Tokyo Prefecture

Website: MOD

Opening hours: 3pm - 12am (daily)

9. Orchard Ginza

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If you are looking for some creative flair in your cocktails, Bar Orchard Ginza is the place to visit. The bar may be small and cosy but the menu is extensive and fun. Husband-and-wife team Takuo and Sumire Miyanohara make use of props such as toy mailboxes, milk bottles, and fancily shaped glasses to present your drink. Pick a fruit from the selection of seasonal fruits on the counter and the bartender will make an inspired unique cocktail for you. Even if you are not a heavy drinker, their innovative presentation would warrant a visit.

Orchard Ginza

Address: 6-5-16, Ginza, Chuo 104-0061, Tokyo Prefecture

Website: Orchard Ginza

Opening hours: Mon - Sat: 6pm - 11:30pm (closed on Sun)

10. Ginza 300 Bar

Keeping true to its name, Ginza 300 Bar has established themselves as the go-to place for cheap but high-quality cocktails, all for JPY 300 (USD 2.60). With its welcoming ambiance and international crowd, it is a hit with tourists and locals alike. They have three outlets alone in Ginza, each with their own specialty: 300 Bar 8-Chome, hosting live music events and drinks; Ginza 300 Bar Next, a larger space for bigger groups; and Ginza 300 Bar 5-Chome, a standing-only bar. Pick your spot and enjoy your JPY300 drink–we recommend the mojito, which was awarded “Japan’s Best Mojito” by the Cuban Embassy!

Ginza 300 Bar

Address: Check website for exact location for each outlet

Website: Ginza 300 Bar

Opening hours: Mon - Thu, Sun: 5pm - 2am; Fri - Sat: 5pm - 4am

Experience the best of Ginza through its bars

Ginza is more than just expensive shopping and boutiques. By night, it comes to life and holds a different charm with its nightlife, ranging from fun and experimental bars to luxe ones. Pop by a different one each day to experience a different side of Ginza while you are there!