The ones recommended by Saito san look great too and from a glance more fit the descriptor of sake bar. I believe every shop has their own specialty so it's up to us to discover/explore and appreciate. Best thing to do is look at their selections, photos and see what fits your style and preferences. In my limited experience, some of the best places are only where locals go. It also does help when a place is foreigner friendly but I think most neighborhood shops try their best (some really go out of their way when they know someone who is not local comes from afar to try them). Kyobashi Moto comes more across as kappo washoku / small plate x sake. And perhaps less of a bar in that regard, but nonetheless a great drinking place that satisfies your requirements of food x sake.
Another one that I've been wanting to try for a long time is Sanchokuya Taka in Shibuya (near Shinsen station) and they have made it easier to book via the "favorite website" https://omakase.in/ja/r/tk449535 (before they were only taking line and telephone reservations) as they do some very interesting shellfish and sake pairings, but this is more like a specialist izakaya than anything else..
One of my favorite shellfish izakaya with a nice niche sake selection is Akoya in Ebisu. Best of all it is very easy to find and close to JR Ebisu station. But I also have not been since perhaps 2018. Their instagram is yakikai.akoya although I am unclear now if any staff can speak a little English.. https://tabelog.com/en/tokyo/A1303/A130302/13165000/ Non smoking too which is a plus for me, and I was able to do walk in. Savor Japan has a description of them https://savorjapan.com/0006072752/
Sanchokuya Taka is nice, you get a different bottle of sake anytime you ask and you help yourself (except for jikon and juyondai). Sake selection is quite wide and nice, while quite classic. Seafood is good, but it's really more appetizers that go with sake rather than a full meal.
For more original sakes, I'd recommend Eureka! which just opened by gem by moto's former sommelier (that place closed). It's very similar to gem, good food pairing and an eclectic/more unique selection of drinks. It's bookable online via their IG page.
6 Comments
Kanda Kouju
https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1310/A131002/13011272/
Yorozuya Okagesan
https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1309/A130903/13025617/
Sowado
https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1303/A130302/13248516/
Sake Shujiro
https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1303/A130302/13222854/
Shutei Zorome
https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1313/A131303/13162236/
Shishi Isson
https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1313/A131303/13203036/
Thank you! I might go with Sowado. Will write up a review here after visit. Hopefully, I can book since my hotel could not be much of a help
A WSET certified sake friend based in Tokyo who attends all the local sake related events, recently went to Kyobashi Moto, the photos looked good too, as another future choice as an additional option for everyone.
https://kyobashimoto.owst.jp/
https://tabelog.com/en/tokyo/A1302/A130202/13112221/
https://pocket-concierge.jp/en/restaurants/244042
thank you @chutorozuke , the writer of sake chronicle answering by himself is such a confirmation that this place will be good. thank you!
The ones recommended by Saito san look great too and from a glance more fit the descriptor of sake bar. I believe every shop has their own specialty so it's up to us to discover/explore and appreciate. Best thing to do is look at their selections, photos and see what fits your style and preferences. In my limited experience, some of the best places are only where locals go. It also does help when a place is foreigner friendly but I think most neighborhood shops try their best (some really go out of their way when they know someone who is not local comes from afar to try them). Kyobashi Moto comes more across as kappo washoku / small plate x sake. And perhaps less of a bar in that regard, but nonetheless a great drinking place that satisfies your requirements of food x sake.
Another one that I've been wanting to try for a long time is Sanchokuya Taka in Shibuya (near Shinsen station)
and they have made it easier to book via the "favorite website" https://omakase.in/ja/r/tk449535 (before they were only taking line and telephone reservations) as they do some very interesting shellfish and sake pairings, but this is more like a specialist izakaya than anything else..
One of my favorite shellfish izakaya with a nice niche sake selection is Akoya in Ebisu. Best of all it is very easy to find and close to JR Ebisu station. But I also have not been since perhaps 2018. Their instagram is yakikai.akoya although I am unclear now if any staff can speak a little English.. https://tabelog.com/en/tokyo/A1303/A130302/13165000/
Non smoking too which is a plus for me, and I was able to do walk in. Savor Japan has a description of them https://savorjapan.com/0006072752/
Sanchokuya Taka is nice, you get a different bottle of sake anytime you ask and you help yourself (except for jikon and juyondai). Sake selection is quite wide and nice, while quite classic. Seafood is good, but it's really more appetizers that go with sake rather than a full meal.
For more original sakes, I'd recommend Eureka! which just opened by gem by moto's former sommelier (that place closed). It's very similar to gem, good food pairing and an eclectic/more unique selection of drinks. It's bookable online via their IG page.