Ueno

The TRAD is an authentic bar and cigar bar in Yushima that opened in 2016, with more than 1,000 single malts on the shelves and cocktails made with seasonal fresh fruit. The room has 20 seats in total, 10 at a single-slab counter and 10 at tables, with records played through a vacuum-tube amplifier. All prices on the menu include tax, and the menu is printed in both Japanese and English. Smoking is allowed everywhere inside and no one aged 20 or under may enter.

Good to know

• No one aged 20 or under may enter, under the local ordinance.
• Smoking is allowed throughout the bar, so it does not suit non-smokers or families.
• Alcohol is not served to anyone who arrived by car or bicycle.
• Cover charge ¥1,200 per person (tax included); a private room adds ¥2,000 per group.
• Cigars cannot be ordered within the last hour before closing.
• Payment is by credit card (JCB, VISA, Mastercard, AMEX).
• Closed over the New Year period.

The Auditorium opened by Ueno Station on 1 November 2022 as a bar specialising in Japanese whisky, with more than 300 bottles alongside craft gin twists, signature cocktails inspired by well-known songs and Japanese craft beer. There are 26 seats, including 10 at a single-slab counter, plus a DJ booth, a room with a large projector, a 1974 Wurlitzer jukebox and about 3,000 records. All listed prices include tax and there is no seating or service charge. Smoking is allowed throughout, so no one aged 20 or under may enter.

Good to know

• No one aged 20 or under may enter.
• Smoking is allowed throughout the bar, so it does not suit non-smokers or families.
• Alcohol is not served to anyone who arrived by car or bicycle.
• Opening times on Saturday and Sunday are listed differently on the official site and the menu, so check with the bar before you go. The Friday closing time is also listed differently.
• An English menu is available, but the bar states in English that some staff are not confident in English and asks guests to use a translation app if needed.
• The price list on the website is marked as of June 2023 and prices may change.
• Closed over the New Year period.

LIVER is a third-floor bar in Yushima specialising in malt whisky, with more than 300 bottles kept in stock at all times and southern soul playing in the background. Half-shot tasting sets let you compare several whiskies, and the bar also makes whisky-based cocktails described as suitable for newcomers. The bar states that there is no dress code at all. Reservations are required on Saturdays; on other days walk-ins are seated when space allows.

Good to know

• Reservations are required on Saturdays. On other days you can be seated without a reservation if there is space.
• Closed on Sundays and public holidays.
• Reservations are taken by phone on 090-3148-6253 (a mobile number).
• The latest news post on the official site dates from May 2023, so call to confirm opening hours before visiting.
• The bar is on the third floor.
• Whether prices include tax is not stated on the official site.

Bar LUKE opened in September 2017 as the sister bar of Chianti PoP, which the site describes as a long-standing bar in Okachimachi, and the two are only a few seconds apart on foot. Between them they pour over 90 whiskies and more than 190 drinks in total, including cocktails, wine, sake and shochu, and both serve the same food menu. LUKE has 6 counter seats and 15 table seats and is in the basement. Both bars stay open until 4:30 the next morning, but they close on different days: LUKE on Sunday and Chianti PoP on Tuesday.

Good to know

• The two bars close on different days: Bar LUKE is closed on Sundays, Chianti PoP on Tuesdays. Chianti PoP opens at 18:00 and also closes at 4:30 the next morning.
• Bar LUKE is in the basement.
• For groups of four or more it helps to call ahead so that tables can be rearranged. LUKE 03-6240-1795, Chianti PoP 03-3831-8962.
• When booking, the bar asks you to mention that you saw the website.
• It is not clear when the official site was last updated, so call to confirm that the bar is open before visiting.
• Payment methods are not stated on the official site, and whether prices include tax is not stated either.

Ueno Shojyo is a bar specialising in junmai sake, run by an owner who holds both sake sommelier and wine sommelier qualifications and selects bottles from across Japan. The chilled sake line-up changes daily, while the bottles kept at room temperature are mainly kimoto and yamahai styles that can also be served warmed. Seating is an L-shaped counter only, and the bar says solo guests are welcome; the corner of the counter suits groups of three or four. Last orders are at 1:00 and the last entry is at midnight.

Good to know

• Guests who do not drink alcohol cannot enter on their own; the bar does not admit parties made up only of non-drinkers.
• The stairs up to the bar are steep, and the bar states that staff cannot help guests up or down them. It is not suitable for wheelchair users or anyone unsteady on their feet.
• Anyone who is already drunk will not be admitted.
• Table charge ¥500 per person, which includes a small appetizer.
• Last entry is at midnight and last orders are an hour before closing.
• Closed on Mondays and public holidays, and the bar may close early if ingredients run out.
• Payment methods and whether prices include tax are not stated on the official site.

2nd COOPER is a craft beer gastropub in Okachimachi and the sister bar of COOPER ALE'S in Shimbashi. Real ale is poured from a hand pump, with at least 12 beers on tap and around 80 bottled beers, each served in the glass of the brewery that made it. The room has 7 counter seats and 35 table seats, with large windows and a high ceiling in the style of a European pub. Signs inside state that the whole venue is non-smoking.

Good to know

• When the pub is busy there is a two-hour limit on tables.
• Reservations can be made online or by phone on 03-6806-0130. For a table after 20:00 the pub asks you to call directly, and it recommends booking for groups of five or more.
• If you will be more than 10 minutes late, contact the pub; otherwise the reservation may be cancelled.
• Beer and other drink prices are not published on the official site.
• Monday opening hours are not listed on the official site, and no closing day is stated, so check before going.
• Payment methods are not stated on the official site, and whether prices include tax is not stated either.

THIS BREWING is a taproom attached to its own brewery on a back street that the brewery describes as being in Yushima. The beer recipes change from batch to batch, and there is a counter with the beer taps at the back. The ground floor is glazed, with the brewing tanks lined up behind. The taproom closes at 21:00 on most days, 22:00 on Friday and 20:00 on Sunday, and is closed on Tuesdays.

Good to know

• Closed on Tuesdays, and closing time is early (21:00 on most days, 20:00 on Sunday), so it does not work for a late night out.
• Prices in the taproom are not published on the official site; the prices shown there are for the online shop.
• Whether reservations are taken, the payment methods accepted and the smoking policy are not stated on the official site. There is only a contact form.
• The official site does not give the nearest station or walking time.

Eitaro Sushi serves aged sushi, ageing the fish for several days to draw out its flavour, with omakase courses at the heart of the menu. The counter is reserved for guests having a course and lets you watch the chefs work; nigiri sets are served at the tables, and there are two tatami rooms that take up to 18 people when the partition is removed. A course includes two appetizers, sashimi, three prepared dishes, eight pieces of sushi, a soup and a sweet. Sake comes from breweries such as Kokuryu, Isojiman, Denshu and Utou, and the wine list is mainly white to go with sushi.

Good to know

• Prices are listed differently on the Japanese and English pages of the official website, so check the current prices with the restaurant before you visit.
• Counter seats are for guests having a course. Nigiri sets are served at tables.
• Reserve online at regli.jp, by phone on 03-3828-5472 or by email. Lunch courses also need to be booked in advance.
• Cancellations should be made at least two days ahead; the restaurant may charge the full amount for a same-day cancellation.
• Credit cards are accepted at dinner only. At other times payment is cash.
• The restaurant is closed on irregular days, so check before you go.
• Children are welcome, but the restaurant may be unable to take them depending on other bookings, so ask when you reserve.
• The restaurant cannot be hired privately, and there is no car park; there is paid parking nearby.

Ueno Torifuku is a chicken restaurant a minute from Ueno Station, on the third floor of Delicious Plaza, serving charcoal-grilled skewers, mizutaki hot pot and whole roasted chicken leg. It has 51 seats in all, including two at the counter, tables, sofa seats, window seats with a night view, and a private table room for 10 to 14 people. The whole restaurant is non-smoking, with no smoking booth. It stays open until 23:00 every day and opens from 13:00 on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.

Good to know

• A per-person charge is added on top of food and drink. The amount is listed differently in different official sources, so check it at the restaurant. It does not apply when you order a course.
• Torifuku-yaki takes about 30 minutes to cook.
• The whole restaurant is non-smoking and there is no smoking booth.
• Book online or by phone on 03-3835-4822. Courses with all-you-can-drink are available.
• No closing day is given on the official page, and hours over the New Year period may change, so contact the restaurant directly.
• An English menu is not mentioned on the official page.

Nihonshu Genka Sakagura is an izakaya specialising in sake, pouring it at close to cost price. The Ueno Okachimachi branch has 30 sake on the standard list plus around 10 branch-only and seasonal bottles. Every sake except the sparkling ones is decanted into the company's own bottles to keep it fresh, and chilled or warmed service can be discussed depending on the bottle. Tell the staff what you like, such as dry or sweet, fruity or clean, and they will suggest something. Food stops at 22:30 and drinks at 23:00.

Good to know

• An entry fee of ¥540 per person (tax included) is charged on top of food and drink. App members get ¥110 off from their second visit.
• Food orders stop at 22:30 and drink orders at 23:00. When the izakaya is busy there is a two-hour limit, with last orders 30 minutes before the end.
• Book online or by phone on 050-5786-7613. Walk-ins are sometimes possible, but it fills up at busy times; even when it shows as full there may be space for a one-hour or 90-minute seating, so it is worth calling.
• If you book a table for up to three people you may be seated at the counter.
• Limited-period plans change often, so check the prices and details on the branch page before you go.
• Opening hours change on some dates (3, 15 and 23 November, 13 December, 1 and 11 and 17 January), so check the branch page.
• Allergies are accommodated where possible; mention them when you book.
• This is an izakaya specialising in sake, not a bar.
• No closing day is listed on the official page.