The venerable Akitaya is a great spot for enjoying a quiet beer while watching the hordes of busy-looking salarymen rushing by. The food’s also highly reasonable: try their refreshing signature stew (¥450) (or the tofu version, same price) before moving on to the irresistible seared tataki dishes (¥220, limited to one serving per person).
Be it after a nerve-racking day at the office or after a high-powered shopping session, Tokyoites like to grab a quick drink on the go. Due to this propensity, the city is littered with tachinomi (standing) bars in all shapes and sizes, ranging from the scruffy but loveable hole-in-the-wall joints to slightly more expansive (and expensive) quarters complete with full-fledged food menus. Our list of ten top pit-stop drinkeries includes a bit of both worlds and everything in between, so feel free to combine freely and design your ideal bar-hopping tour. We don’t recommend going through the entire list in a single night though – do remember to start slowly on your quest to discover the greatness of stand-up drinking. And if you prefer to get buzzed while sitting down, check out our guides to Tokyo's best bars, top bars with a view, and craft beer pubs.
