Seasonal kaga-ryori specialties from Kanazawa, along with 13 different types of sake from Tengumai (a local Kanazawa brewer). The sake ranges from Y400 to Y1,800 per glass, with a Y600-per-person table charge.[feedback]

Nishi-Shinjuku 1-11-11, B1F. (on the side street directly behind Yodobashi Camera honten) Open 5-10pm (LO). Closed Sundays.

Excellent Kyushu food and local sake brands. Often they'll bring the day's fresh seafood to the table for inspection before preparing it.[feedback]

Nishi-Shinjuku 1-14-1, Nisshoku Bldg. Open 5-11pm (LO) daily.

Kyushu-style regional cuisine and an assortment of Kyushu sake brands. The menu includes specialties from various parts of the island, including an enticing Kagoshima-style tonkotsu (pork stewed in shochu) and a well-balanced sara udon with crisp fried noodles (from Nagasaki). [feedback]

Udagawacho 17-2. Open 5-11pm (LO) daily.

Excellent southern Kyushu specialties made from freshly flown-in ingredients. The tonkotsu-ni, chunks of pork stewed in shochu overnight, was especially outstanding, as was the chawan-mushi. The bar stocks more than 50 different kinds of shochu, and several of the walls are covered with shochu labels and descriptions. The decor is modern and stylish; the crowd is diverse. Budget around Y5000. [See FULL REVIEW.][feedback]

Shinsen 10-10. Open 11:30am-2, 6pm-2am. Closed Sundays.

Beautifully constructed country-style Kyoto cuisine in an elegant setting; they offer lavish multi-course menus featuring home-made tofu, yuba, and Kyoto vegetables. Full-course dinners start at Y3990.[feedback]

Dogenzaka 1-12-3, Mark City East 4F. Open 11am-3, 5-11pm daily.

Obanzai-ryori (Kyoto-style home cooking) is the main draw here; budget around Y4000 for dinner.[feedback]

Shibuya 1-14-16, B1F. Open 5-11pm (LO) daily.

Country-style fare - soba, natto, and tofu dishes, and an intriguing sansai (mountain vegetable) full-course dinner at Y3500, along with sake from Niigata (six different kinds of Kubota!).[feedback]

Konan 2-16-3, Grand Passage 1F. Open 11am-11pm daily.

Free-range chicken dishes and other specialties from Miyazaki Prefecture in southern Kyushu, plus shochu and microbrew beers from down there. The atmosphere is funky-casual izakaya-style.[feedback]

Akasaka 3-14-7, Tani Bldg. 2F. Open 11:30am-1:30, 5:30-11pm. Closed Sundays.

Udon-suki from Osaka is the specialty of the house (Y3,500 per person); they also have seasonal dinners priced at Y5,800-7,800, and their own house brand of sake.[feedback]

Shimbashi 2-5-6. Open 11:30am-8:30pm (LO). Closed Sundays.

A small-ish branch of this excellent izakaya chain, with a salaryman-centered audience and good honest Kyushu grub. Great gyoza, mysterious mustard-stuffed lotus root, and fantastic daily specials, including seafood fresh from the island.[feedback]

Yurakucho 1-4-1, Hibiya Sanshin Bldg. B1F. Open 11:30am-2:30, 5-10:30pm (Sat. to 8:30). Closed Sundays.

Interesting Kaga regional specialties from the Kanazawa area.[feedback]

Ginza 5-8-17, Ginza World Town Bldg. B1F. Open 11:30am-10:30pm daily.

A casual, inexpensive izakaya that also serves as an informal Ainu cultural center. (The name means "Wind House" in Ainu.) Ainu food is a lot like Hokkaido cooking (lots of salmon dishes, potato dumplings, etc.) but with more garlic and ginger. The soups are definitely worth a try.[feedback]

Arai 1-37-12. Open 5-11pm (LO). Closed Sundays.

This cozy izakaya specializes in himono (grilled dried fish), with a big menu of different varieties from around Japan. There's also plenty of good good regional sake. Budget around Y2-4000 per person. [feedback]

Takadanobaba 4-11-8, 2F. Open 5pm-4am 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 English spoken.[feedback]

Shinjuku 3-9-10. Open to about 6am 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 original creations include maguro kimuchii yukke, made with raw tuna and raw egg and flavored with kimchee and sesame oil. No English spoken.[feedback]

Shinjuku 3-6-12, 2F. Open 4pm-5am daily.

Excellent grilled chicken, sushi and much more in this glitzy, high-rise branch of the popular Shinjuku yakitori restaurant. There's a good selection of premium sake to go with your food; dinner with drinks averages around Y6000.[feedback]

Shinjuku 3-32-10, T&T Bldg 7F. Open 5-11pm daily.

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 your vegetables. But the main draw here is the sake -- they promise a "journey through Japan by sake", and they stock close to 100 brands, from every part of the country, with most varieties running Y500-Y800 per glass. There's also a respectable menu of izakaya-style food, with grilled chicken wings, duck steak, and plenty of seasonal items. No English menu, no English spoken.[feedback]

Nishi-Shinjuku 1-11-11, B1F. (on the side street directly behind Yodobashi Camera honten) Open 11am-3, 4-11:20pm (LO). Closed Sundays.

Seasonal kaga-ryori specialties from Kanazawa, along with 13 different types of sake from Tengumai (a local Kanazawa brewer). The sake ranges from Y400 to Y1,800 per glass, with a Y600-per-person table charge.[feedback]

Nishi-Shinjuku 1-11-11, B1F. (on the side street directly behind Yodobashi Camera honten) Open 5-10pm (LO). Closed Sundays.

Great charcoal-grilled dishes, seasonal fish and vegetable items and a nice sake selection. The attractive interior is built around an open grill area, taking advantage of the city view. [See FULL REVIEW.][feedback]

Nishi-Shinjuku 2-6-1, Shinjuku Sumitomo Bldg. 50F. Open 11:30am-2, 5-10pm (LO) daily.

Gorgeous modern stone/wood/tatami/glass dining rooms (designed by Yanagiya Manabu), floor-to-ceiling windows, and a world-class view. The Japanese menu is complemented by the very good sake list, priced at Y600-800 per flask. An excellent place to entertain and impress jaded out-of-towners who deride Tokyo as a backwater. [See FULL REVIEW.][feedback]

Nishi-Shinjuku 2-6-1, Sumitomo Sankaku Bldg. 52F. Open 5-10:30pm (LO) daily.

Unlike some skyscraper restaurants, this place has the energy and atmosphere of a down-to-earth izakaya. The food menu is impressively diverse, including soba noodles, kushiyaki (both yakitori and other meats on skewers), homemade tofu, "Kyoto-style oden," and lots of good seasonal specials. There are over a dozen different sakes to try, and you can choose any three as a "tasting set" for Y1000; other drinks include awamori cocktails, shochu, beer and wine.[feedback]

Nishi-Shinjuku 2-4-1, Shinjuku NS Bldg. 29F. Open 11:30am-2, 4:30-11pm daily.

First-rate seasonal Japanese cuisine and well-selected sake in a beautiful setting high above Shinjuku. Dinner around Y20,000 per person. [See FULL REVIEW.][feedback]

Nishi-Shinjuku 3-7-1-2, Park Hyatt Tokyo 40F. Open 11:30am-2, 5:30-10pm (LO) daily.

A deluxe-edition izakaya from a restaurant chain known for their home-made tofu. The decor is visually stunning, blending traditional and modern Japanese design elements. Unfortunately the overall effect is on the sterile side, and the aloof service doesn't help. The food is good but not outstanding, with a decent selection of sake to go with it.[feedback]

Nishi-Shinjuku 3-7-15, Shinjuku Park Tower B1F. Open 11:30am-2:30, 5-11pm daily.

A very well-stocked sake shop, plus a small stand-up bar where you can try samples in small 50ml tasting sizes. Usually there are around ten sakes open for tasting, priced Y200-400. There's also a small snack menu - prosciutto, cheese, dried mentaiko. The retail side of the shop stocks over 100 premium brands of sake, and unlike many shops that seem to specialize in those humongous isshobin bottles that won't fit in your fridge, most of the sake here is in convenient 720ml bottles or in tiny single-serving mini-bottles. [feedback]

Jingumae 4-12-4, Omotesando Hills 3F. Open 11am-10pm (LO) daily.

The large menu features unusual meats like rabbit, boar, deer, horse and frog as well as more common ones. You'll find a nice sake selection and over fifty kinds of shochu. Budget around Y5500.[feedback]

Shibuya 1-5-6. Open 6pm-1am (LO; 10pm Sun) daily.

The pace of life here is relaxed, with most cooking done over a simple charcoal hibachi at your table. The menu is practically an agricultural tour of Japan - Kumamoto venison; Nagoya pheasant; and sake and shochu from selected small breweries throughout the country. Bamboo trees and lanterns set the mood out front, and the interior is wood-and-stone Japanese modern. [See FULL REVIEW.][feedback]

Minami-Aoyama 3-12-4. Open 6pm-2am (LO; Sundays 10pm) daily.

This stylish little izakaya offers excellent food, a good sake selection, and an entire menu page devoted to different varieties of salt - 12 of them in all. Charcoal-grilled seafood and vegetables are among the food highlights. Budget around Y2500 without drinks. [See branch review] [feedback]

Jingumae 3-6-5. Open 6pm-3am daily.

The dining space here is warm and comfortable, with a big charcoal grill area at one end of a spacious counter. The large food menu features top-grade meats and vegetables from around Japan, including unusual cheese and oil fondues. The draft beer is Kirin Braumeister, and they serve around a dozen premium sakes. Budget around Y6000. [feedback]

Jingumae 3-42-5, Spinach Hill 1F. Open 6pm-1am (LO; 3am Fri/Sat) daily.

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) [feedback]

Jingumae 2-19-16. Open 4-10:30pm (LO). Closed Sundays.

Excellent late-night sake and grilled fish in a comfortable, attractive setting. [feedback]

Udagawacho 33-8, B1F. (across from Tokyu honten) Open 11:30am-2, 5pm-5am daily.

This is the original gourmet stand bar that started the trend - they serve premium sake in attractive one-cup containers along with a huge menu of well-prepared food, all at reasonable prices. There's a sit-down restaurant down in the basement if you start to get wobbly. [See branch review] [feedback]

Shinsen 9-7. Open 5pm-3am daily.

A sophisticated but casual dining bar with black walls and dim lighting, and a good selection of premium sake and shochu. The surprisingly big menu (Japanese only) is organized around game meats, and there are lots of seasonal and daily specials. [feedback]

Hiroo 1-15-6, Hiroo Bldg B1F. Open 6pm-3am (LO). Closed Sundays.

This stand-up bar specializes in one-cup sake from around the country; the selection perhaps isn't as exciting as a regular sake bar, but the food menu is good.[feedback]

Ebisu-Nishi 1-14-1. Open 5pm-3am daily.

The wide menu here covers a lot of ground, but particularly notable are the top-quality meat dishes featuring Hokkaido lamb, game birds and gourmet pork. The cozy dining room has mostly counter seating, with two small hori-kotatsu tables. Budget around Y4000.[feedback]

Ebisu-Minami 1-2-8. Open 6pm-3am (LO; 10pm Sun) daily.

The impressive sake list includes a number of small-kura limited-edition seasonal sakes; there's also plenty of shochu. The food is also top-notch, with unusual specalties like satsuma-age (Kyushu-style fish cakes, here available in eight different variations). [See FULL REVIEW.][feedback]

Ebisu-Minami 2-3-14, Conze Ebisu 2F. Open 4:30pm-5am (to 10:30pm 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 mysteries of gourmet oden preparation. There's also a very nice selection of sake and shochu to go with it. [See FULL REVIEW.][feedback]

Nishi-Azabu 4-10-5. Open 6pm-1am (LO; 11pm Sundays). Open every day.

A relaxed late-night izakaya with good food and drink. One of the specialties is himono, various types of dried fish that are served grilled.[feedback]

Kami-Osaki 2-14-5, Crystal Tower B1F. Open 11:30am-2, 4:30pm-5am daily.

This small but stylish bar specializes in koshu (vintage sake), and they offer several different tasting sets to guide your explorations. The Y1260 set features three different types of koshu, and changes weekly. There's also a set comparing three different mature koshu (Y1890), and a set comparing 5-, 10-, and 32-year-old vintages from the same brewery (Y3150). The food menu is very simple - assorted cheeses and smoked dishes. There's a Y450 cover charge; budget around Y4000.[feedback]

Takanawa 4-10-18, Wing Takanawa West 2F. Open 5-11:30pm (3-11:30pm Sat/Sun) daily.

A branch of Aburiya in Omotesando, serving local fish, meats and produce from around the country, plus sake and shochu. The downstairs counter is especially cozy. [See branch review] [feedback]

Azabu-Juban 1-8-6. Open 6pm-2am (LO; Sundays 10pm) daily.

Buri offers superb traditional Japanese food in small dishes at reasonable prices. The sake serving size is also smaller than usual - 120 ml instead of 180 ml - with correspondingly lower prices, allowing you to try more varieties while putting less strain on your wallet and your sobriety. The well-chosen selection numbers about thirty, most of them standouts. Budget around 4,000 yen per person.[feedback]

Akasaka 3-13-12. Open 11:30am-2, 5-11pm (LO). Closed Sundays.

A stylish izakaya-slash-dining bar serving modern Tokyo cuisine - a mix of Italian, Spanish and Japanese regional dishes made from premium ingredients. There's an excellent sake list that rotates regularly. Budget around Y5000 at dinnertime. [feedback]

Kasumigaseki 3-2-6, Tokyo Club Bldg, Kasumi Dining 1F. Open 11am-2, 5-10:30pm (LO) daily.

Good food and an excellent selection of hard-to-find premium sakes make this hidden-away basement spot worth looking for. The ceiling is plastered with sake labels, and customers include serious sake connoisseurs as well as the usual after-work Shimbashi crowd.[feedback]

Higashi-Shimbashi 1-2-17, B1F. Open 5:30-11:30pm. Closed weekends.

Definitely the fanciest spot in the Pedi complex, this lively dining bar is decorated with illuminated orange fiberglass bamboo trunks and shochu bottles mounted in museum-like display cases. The menu features lots of daily sashimi specials, charcoal-grilled fish and chicken, and original dishes, along with a serviceable selection of craft sake. Budget around Y4000. [feedback]

Higashi-Shimbashi 1-9-1, Pedi Shiodome 2F. Open 11am-2, 4:30-11:45pm daily.

A joint venture between Mushu sake pub and several sake companies, Takara serves both Japanese food and Spanish tapas, plus sake, awamori, shochu, excellent Japanese microbrew beer (Baird's), and Spanish wines. [See FULL REVIEW.][feedback]

Marunouchi 3-5-1, Tokyo International Forum B1F. Open 11:30am-11pm daily.

Premium regional sake (from the Morita brewery south of Nagoya) is the main draw here, along with a food menu featuring grilled chicken, fresh seafood and similar fare. Lunch averages around Y2000, dinner Y8000. [feedback]

Marunouchi 1-6-4, Marunouchi Oazo 6F. Open 11am-2:30, 5-10:30pm (LO) daily.

This small, hole-in-the-wall shop in Tokyo Station's underground shopping complex boasts a surprisingly large selection of hard-to-find premium sake - 80 kinds in all - including multiple varieties from popular breweries like Kubota and Denshu. There's good sashimi as well as dishes like crab and horsemeat shabu-shabu. Budget around Y3500 at dinnertime.[feedback]

Yaesu 2-1. (on "Orange Road" in the Yaesu underground shopping complex, near stairway 15) Open 11am-9:30pm (LO; 9pm weekends) daily.

A well-stocked sake specialty store; don't miss the refrigerated rooms down in the basement. There's also a stand-up bar in back with around a dozen sake by the glass along with simple, inexpensive bar food. [feedback]

Yotsuya 1-10. Open 9am-9pm. Closed Sundays.

A deluxe-level izakaya with great food and a wide sake selection, including 17 types from the Juuyondai brewery alone. The dining room is very spacious, but it can still get smoky as the evening wears on.[feedback]

Kojimachi 3-4. (above exit 3, Kojimachi station) Open 11:30am-1:30, 5:30-10:45pm (LO food). Closed Saturdays, Sundays.

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 the various Korean-influenced dishes are worth a try. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable, with specially designated shochu consultants available should you need their services. The atmosphere is relaxed and cozy. [See FULL REVIEW.][feedback]

Kagurazaka 6-77-1. Open 5-11pm (LO) daily.

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 kura. There's also a separate shochu list. [See FULL REVIEW.][feedback]

Kanda Ogawamachi 2-4. Open 11:30am-1:30, 5:30 to closing. Closed Sundays.

A cozy counter bar with a big selection of shochu, plus one-cup sake from all over the country. For food they serve small, inexpensive side dishes including many Kyoto home-style items. [feedback]

Soto-Kanda 4-14-1, Akiba Ichi 3F. Open 11am-2, 5-11pm daily.

Top-quality Kansai-style oden - not only does Ohdako have some of the most delicious oden in Tokyo, they have the good sense to serve with it some of the finest sakes available. [See FULL REVIEW.][feedback]

Ueno 2-3-1. Open 5:30-11pm daily.

Chef Trevor Blyth, a veteran of several top-tier restaurants in France and the UK, has opened an unusual restaurant in Oji (6 stops north of Iidabashi on the Namboku line). Aiming to provide high-end cuisine without the high prices, he's devised a modern tapas-style menu combining Mediterranean and Japanese ingredients and techniques, plus a selection of sake, wine and Champagne. [feedback]

Kishimachi 1-1-11, Kouei Ekimae Bldg 2F. (at entrance to Otonashi-gawa park, 30 sec. from Oji Sta.) Open 11:30am-11:30pm (from 2:30 Sat). Closed Sunday.

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 the thick, juicy satsuma-age fishcakes, which are brimming with bits of onions, carrots and water chestnuts. (No English spoken or English menu.)[feedback]

Tsukishima 1-18-10. Open 5:30-10:30pm (LO). Closed Sundays, Mondays.

Excellent seafood, chicken, tofu, and charcoal-grilled items in this lovely modern Japanese pub-style restaurant. There's a nice panoramic view of Tokyo Bay and the Rainbow Bridge, and sleek Japanese modern decor. Choose from a good assortment of sake, shochu, wines and cocktails. Budget around Y4000-5000 for ample food and drink.[feedback]

Daiba 1-7-1, Aqua City 6F. Open 5-10pm (LO) daily.

A neighborhood izakaya with a focus on regional premium sakes. There's a hand-written list of limited-edition sake that changes every month.[feedback]

Asagaya-Kita 2-15-4. Open 6-11pm (LO). Closed Sundays.

Seasonal izakaya fare and gourmet oden, plus very impressive lists of shochu and sake.[feedback]

Kichijoji Minamicho 1-17-10, F&W Bldg. B1F. Open 5:30-11:30pm (LO) daily.

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 service. [feedback]

Uehara 1-32-15. Open 5-11pm (to 10:30pm Sat.) (LO). 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 mother-and-son operation, with mom in the kitchen and her son (the "ko" in Tsukushi-no-ko) out on the floor pouring sake and making recommendations.[feedback]

Higashiyama 3-1-11. Open 5-11pm. Closed Sundays.

One of Tokyo's premier sake pubs, with around 100 varieties at any given time. You can order a sashimi platter ahead of time, when you make your reservation, to get a better selection of fish. No smoking at the counter.[feedback]

Sangenjaya 2-15-3. Open 5:30-11:30pm (LO) daily.

Charcoal-grilled meats, fish and seasonal vegetables from the management of Kuu restaurant in Nishi-Shinjuku. Full-course dinners start at Y3500, but there's plenty to order a la carte.[feedback]

Sangenjaya 2-10-16. Open 5pm-1am daily.

This Yokohama branch of one of our favorite izakaya offers good soba, tofu and grilled chicken along with some nice regional sake choices. Counter and table seating is relatively spacious.[feedback]

Kinkocho 1-10, Yokohama Bay Quarter 5F. Open 11am-10pm (LO) daily.