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Have you heard? Monday, August 4 is Beer Hall Day at The Dubliners’ Irish Pub. What is Beer Hall Day, you might ask? For one day only, pints of draft beer will be sold for just ¥500. At which branch? All six of ’em! And if you can’t wait until then, stop by any of the locations (in Shibuya, Shinjuku, Akasaka, Shinagawa, Toranomon or Ikebukuro) between July 28 and August 3, and for every pint you drink, receive a ¥100 discount ticket redeemable on or after August 5.
It’s easy to grow tired of visiting the same Roppongi watering holes week after week. Opened last month, Zero Bar (1F Roppongi 410 Bldg, 4-10-5 Roppongi, Minato-ku; 03-5775-0100; www.zerobar.jp) promises something fresh—and refreshing. This new champagne bar just steps from the Tokyo Midtown complex offers a selection of over 100 bottles of bubby and wine. The small-ish space is dimly lit, with a wood counter and comfy low-back bar stools and the drinks illuminated under red lights. To find it, look for the number “0” in the bar’s ground-level window.
Up for some live jazz, pops, bossa nova, samba or chanson from leading Japanese musicians? At Boston Dreams (B1 Roppongi Five Bldg, 5-18-20 Roppongi, Minato-ku; 03-3583-3988), just off Gaien-Higashi Dori, you can enjoy three sets of live music (7:40-11pm) six days a week. Stop by during happy hour (5:30-7:30pm) and pay ¥1,000 for two drinks and popcorn, with additional drinks just ¥500. Entry starts at just ¥3,000, but mention Metropolis and get in for half-price. BJM
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by Steve Trautlein
Mako Lounge
A sophisticated Roppongi dining
spot has an upstairs bar to match
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| Photos courtesy of Mako |
One of the things we look forward to when visiting fusion
restaurant Mako Tokyo is an after-dinner drink in the bar
area. Situated in a mezzanine above the main floor, Mako Lounge
not only offers the perfect spot to enjoy a nightcap, it even
merits a trip in its own right.
Unlike the restaurant proper, which occupies a large, high-ceilinged
room that’s done up in white linens and wine-red curtains,
Mako Lounge is invitingly dark and plush. What the two spaces
share is an atmosphere of sophistication and style—these
are spots for adults to enjoy themselves over drinks and food
in eye-catching surrounds. In the lounge, a luxuriant carpet
runs under well-cushioned benches and smart chairs, right
up to a striking, marble-backed bar. A DJ booth looks out
over the restaurant below, while funky wall-mounted lamps
cast a dim glow. Though not large, the room seems spacious,
thanks to an airy table arrangement and uncluttered decor.
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On a recent visit, the lounge’s candlelit seating areas
were being put to good use by an interesting mix of well-dressed
professionals. A trio of OLs giggled over cocktails, while
a couple of dodgy-looking ojisan chatted up their gorgeous
and expensively coiffed companions. At a long table in the
center of the room, a group of foreign businessmen and their
Japanese friends were having a bit of after-work fun. The
unobtrusive staff flitted about the room with calm efficiency.
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The menu has all the standard beers and cocktails, but true
to the lounge’s roots—the proprietor, Mako Tanaka,
was one of the pioneers of California cuisine—lots of
quirkier fare is on offer. The usual gin-based martini gets
a fanciful update in the form of a “saketini” (¥800),
while dozens of other varieties, including fresh fruit (¥1,000),
are also available. Offbeat food items like steamed chicken
shumai (¥600) and marinated tuna and avocado bruschetta
(¥600) share space with straightforward handmade pizzas
(¥1,000) and soft-shell crab tempura (¥600). The reasonable
prices and generous portions of these dishes, in fact, make
the bar an appealing alternative to the restaurant downstairs.
For the after-dinner crowd, there’s a selection of port
wine (¥1,000-¥2,500), cognac (¥1,000-¥3,500)
grappas (¥1,100-¥2,000), and over two dozen malt whiskeys
(from ¥900).
Located at Roppongi-Itchome station in the glittery Izumi
Garden Place, Mako Lounge already draws diners looking for
a pre- or post-meal drink. But with a grown-up vibe and elegant
interior, the bar will no doubt appeal to all comers.
5F Izumi Garden Tower, 1-6-1 Roppongi,
Minato-ku. Tel: 03-5575-8055. Open Mon-Sat 6pm-2am. Nearest
stn: Roppongi-Itchome, exit 2. www.jinterji.co.jp/mako
Would
you like to comment on this article? Send a letter to the
editor at letters@metropolis.co.jp.
Discuss bars with METROPOLIS readers at
http://forum.japantoday.com
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