A welcoming atmosphere, service that won’t let you down, rare whisky and brilliant cocktails, a cigar if the occasion calls for it, live jazz and a lavishly decorated interior – everything appears perfect for a date at Roppongi’s Maduro. Only thing is you’ll need to reach it first: after taking a winding approach through the lobby of the Grand Hyatt hotel and navigating a maze of hallways and elevators, you’ll need to cross through a mysterious passage that feels like walking on water before arriving at the bar’s heavy wooden doors, beyond which you’ll find a total of 108 seats reserved exclusively for sophisticated sippers. Underneath the high ceiling lies several sofas, box seats separated from each other with glass-laced partitions, and even a few small private rooms – they let you pick and choose your spot depending on your, and your partner’s, mood. Note that there’s a ¥2,000 cover charge every night after 8pm.
