49 Best Nightlife in Tokyo, Japan

Even before Lost in Translation introduced the Park Hyatt's signature lounge to filmgoers worldwide, New York Bar was a local Tokyo favorite. All the style you would expect of one of the city's top hotels combined with superior views of Shinjuku's skyscrapers and neon-lighted streets make this one of the city's premier nighttime venues. The quality of the jazz and service equals that of the view. With the largest selection of U.S. wines in Japan, drinks are priced as you might expect, and there's a cover charge of ¥2,200 after 8 pm (7 pm on Sunday). Local jazz bands play on Sunday.

In this authentic Mexican cantina, your palate will be tempted by a choice of more than 550 kinds of tequilas and mescals—making this the world's largest selection. Most of the varieties here aren't available anywhere else in Japan, so the steep prices may be worth paying. Foods are mostly Mexican appetizers.

Don’t let the name “beer hall” confuse you: this Harmonica Yokocho institution is shoulder-to-shoulder snug, as many of the best yokocho watering holes in Japan are, helping to make it a very convivial place for Belgian beers on tap, as well as sake and spirits. To go with your drinks, try the fish-and-chips. It’s a small portion but done well.

Almost every great gay night out begins at this welcoming street-corner pub with a large red shrine gate, where the patrons spill out onto the street. This is the perfect place to put back a few cocktails, meet new people, and get a feeling for where to go next. The crowd is mixed and very foreigner-friendly.

The emphasis here is nama, unrefined, unpasteurized sake. About 80 kinds from 60 brewing companies are available daily. You may want to sample this unique beverage while in Tokyo, since you won't find it at home: nama is short-lived, too delicate and fresh to transport or export, so it's not widely available overseas. You can accompany your choice with authentic Japanese fare, served here as small bites. Reservations are recommended.

Cheap and cheesy, Arty Farty is a fun club, complete with a ministage and stripper pole. Those with aversions to Kylie Minogue or Madonna need not bother. The crowd is mixed and foreigner-friendly.

Baird Beer, one of Japan’s leading microbrewers, opened this taproom in 2019. In keeping with Kichijoji’s hip vibe, it’s a small venue, but it packs a big punch with a fantastic line-up of Baird’s year-round and limited release beers. Those include the hop-heavy Suruga Bay IPA, rich Kurofune Porter, and refreshing Wheat King Witte. It all goes well with the American soul food on the menu, such as tacos, burritos, and chili nachos.

This tiny, artsy bar adorns its walls with paintings and deer heads, along with its many chandeliers, attracting crowds with its friendliness and affordability. The clientele will likely be an eclectic mix. Luckily its sign will light your way in Golden-Gai's tiny alleys.

This dimly lit basement bar has become a late-night haunt for anime fans. Beer, whisky, and cocktails are on the menu, while anime figurines dot the counter, and anime plays endlessly on the bar’s TV. The owners have several thousand anime DVDs in their collection, so you never know what will be on.

Should a cocktail be on your mind, hit up Bar Six, on the sixth floor of the Amuse Museum, and enjoy the views of the Senso-ji Complex from the outdoor balcony.

With everything from rock and J-pop to soul and funk, this three-story joint makes one of the best food-and-live music experiences in Tokyo, all with panoramic views of Roppongi. Patrons love this venue partly because they're so close to performers like George Clinton, Dicky Betts, Neneh Cherry, and Howard Jones; they often end up on the stage dancing and singing or shaking hands. Shows usually kick off at 7 and 9:30 pm on weekdays, 6 and 9 pm on Saturday, and 4:30 and 7:30 pm on Sunday.

This premier live jazz venue isn't for everyone: prices are high, sets short, and patrons packed in tight, sometimes sharing a table with strangers. But if you want to catch Pat Metheny and Larry Carlton in a relatively small venue, this is the place. Expect to pay upward of ¥11,000 to see major acts, and ¥6,500 to ¥9,000 for most others.

Buri serves up tasty ji-zake (local sake) from around Japan in the one-cup style; think sake in a mini mason jar, pairing it with a range of tapas-like servings of sashimi, yakitori, salads, and prosciutto, albeit in a standing-room-only setting. They also have beer on tap. Just a five-minute walk from Ebisu Station, this casual bar fills up quickly on weekends, so it's best to stop in early if you want to grab a table.

Alongside the Meguro River, a few minutes southeast of Naka-Meguro Station, the very hip Cabin—designed with what it describes as a “cotemporary rustic” theme—has an extensive range of world whiskies and rare local tipples, as well Champagne and cocktails.

This 100-year-old tenement house, all dark woods and creaking sounds, is one of Koenji’s most unique bars. Part library (you can pick up and read any of the hundreds of books), it also serves cocktails and bar snacks, and even has some cocktails on the menu inspired by literary legends. Although it's only open after 6 on weekdays, it's also open from noon to 3 on weekends.

In these intimate and luxurious surroundings you can listen to not only jazz but also a diverse range of music: soul, R&B, J-pop, and world music. The club has such an excellent sound system that musicians such as Ron Carter record here. Fine French cuisine lures music lovers for special nights out and important business entertaining.

Part cocktail bar, part event space that runs DJ nights, movie screenings, recitals, and art exhibitions, neon-lit Debris is a very chic hangout for Daikanyama’s creative set. The mixologists here can mix up classics, but also get creative with artisanal spirits from around the world. Most events have a ¥500 cover charge.

This venerable bar claims to be Shinjuku's oldest—established in 1951—and has hosted Yukio Mishima and Akira Kurosawa among many other luminaries. It's also one of several bars that claim to have invented the popular chu-hai cocktail (shochu with juice and soda). The vibrant atmosphere feels more like a pub, and the four floors are almost always packed.

Tokyo's swankiest gay lounge, this neon-lit space would look right at home in New York or Paris.

Video monitors at this club show contemporary music hits. On weekends the place is packed with rather quiet and reserved gentlemen, mostly in their thirties and forties, and is also quite popular among foreign residents and visitors—especially before a night out clubbing.

Tucked away in a side street of Azabu Juban, this stylish cocktail bar has just eight counter seats, so it's worth booking ahead if you fancy some of the most innovative tipples in Tokyo. The bartender uses in-season Japanese produce like Okinawan pineapple and ume from Wakayama, along with fine liquor, to produce superb cocktail tasting menus.

This bar, in business since 1899 and occupying the same stately Chuo-dori location since 1934, is remarkably inexpensive for one of Tokyo's toniest addresses. Ginza shoppers and office workers alike drop by for beer and ballast—anything from Japanese-style fried chicken to spaghetti.

This relaxed bar for "women who love women" is a cozy den of vintage lamps and cafélike ambience. Men are welcome on Friday; Saturday is women-only.

This could very well be the world's smallest jazz club. An evening here is like listening to live jazz in your living room. Live acts are trios at most, with no space for a full set of drums or amplifiers. Simple, homemade Japanese cooking (free of charge) helps make this a truly intimate experience. With 10 seats and no standing allowed, reservations are recommended. Entry costs ¥3,500–¥4,500.

This small basement jazz joint is home to one of the best jazz experiences in Tokyo, with a Saturday "12-hour jam session" that stretches until 5 am. Live sessions run throughout the week except Monday and Friday, when the regulars enjoy listening to the owner's extensive vinyl and CD collection. Italian food is available.

Tokyo's oldest Western-style bar hasn't had a face-lift for decades (the main building is registered as a tangible cultural property) and that's part of what draws so many drinkers to this bright, noisy venue. The other major attraction is the Denki Bran, a delicious but hangover-inducing cocktail (comprising gin, red wine, brandy, and curaçao) that was invented here about 100 years ago and is now stocked by bars throughout Japan.

This large, glitzy karaoke joint has plenty of English songs and private rooms for small and large groups. If you are five or more people (or willing to pay for five people) and don't mind the surcharge, ask about the VIP rooms. Daytime weekday rates (noon to 5 pm) are quite cheap, but at other times expect to pay about ¥500 per 30 minutes per person on weekends and evenings (5 pm to 5 am). You can order all kinds of food and drinks delivered to your room, and there are all-you-can-drink plans if you're feeling frisky. If you have a large group and want to make reservations, you can do so in English at the very top of the website by pressing the tiny "English" button.

This small brewpub produces a frequently changing line-up of craft beers, often including pale ales and white beers. Whatever is on tap on any given day will be scrawled on chalkboards on the walls, as will the list of beer-friendly snacks.

It should come as no surprise that French cinema is the proprietor's big passion. La Jetée is covered in Euro-cinema posters and was named after a French movie. It's a tiny place, but that means for more intimate conversations in Japanese, French, or English. If you're looking for a hard-to-find, quirky bar up a narrow staircase to round out your Tokyo experience, look for the cats painted on the door and head up.

Relaxed, quiet, and intimate, this local favorite in the bustling western suburb of Kichijoji attracts an eclectic group of performers. Cover charges range from ¥2,200 to ¥4,500, and usually include a drink.