Hyperlocal Tokyo

For our second stop, we went to Sambo. It's located in the basement, down the stairs behind Hermès. It has an authentic atmosphere, but it's not pretentious, making it a relaxing space. Their signature highball doesn't have ice, so the concentration doesn't dilute. We were lucky to get a table for four in the back just as it opened up. The bill came out to around ¥15,000 for four people, with two drinks each and some chocolate.

It's located in a small alleyway in Ginza, underground in a backstreet. You might be hesitant to enter a genuine bar, especially if you're a first-timer or not a regular, but relax. In Ginza, there are many occasions where you might want to go to a bar for your first stop, or with a nice woman for your second. When you find yourself in such a situation, remember this bar. It's much more casual than you might imagine, but it still has a truly authentic bar atmosphere. If you casually bring a woman here, you're almost guaranteed to have a fantastic night. This is just a prediction, of course, as it's based on my own experience and imagination when I visited alone. May good fortune be with all who visit. May you have a wonderful night.

I couldn't forget the taste of the "Kaku Highball" I had at "Sanboa" in Gion, Kyoto, so I decided to visit this establishment in Ginza. They pour the soda directly into a glass without ice, and then add a final touch by squeezing something with their finger. It's delicious. Why is a simple "Kaku High" so good? I can't imagine a better Kaku Highball. Ah, I'd love to try a "Hibiki" Highball here. Drinking beer to my heart's content at the Lion 7th Street store and finishing with a Sanboa Kaku Highball. It's the ultimate luxury for me right now.

Arrived at 10:20 PM on Wednesday, May 1, 2024. This was my first visit to Sanboa Ginza, a bar listed in the Tabelog Top 100 Bars. Today, I decided to chat with a local friend until the last train. His family is staying in Ginza, so we chose this nearby spot. Location: Ginza Sawamoto Building B1F, 5-4-7 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo Here's what we ordered (including tax): Sanboa is famous for its ice-free highballs, but I recently had one at another Top 100 bar, so I decided to try something different. - Hakushu Soda: I went with this one. It was delicious! Even better than my wife's (laughs). - Hibiki Soda: My companion had this and said it was great! The total was 6,600 yen. Definitely worth checking out if you have the chance! Restaurant Name: Sanboa Ginza Nearest Station: Ginza Station, 2-minute walk Closed: Never Business Hours: Mon-Sat: 3:00 PM - 12:00 AM Sun/Holidays: 3:00 PM - 10:00 PM Smoking: Smoking allowed throughout the establishment

There are two Sanboa bars in Ginza, but this one is the Sanboa located on the basement floor of a building sandwiched between Namiki-dori and Sony-dori. The interior is decorated with dark wood and the lighting is only spotlights, creating a sophisticated atmosphere. The counter seats are standing, and there are two 4-seater tables and four 2-seater tables. The bartenders in white coats serve with a slight bow, even when bringing a chaser, suggesting a bar where a dignified demeanor is expected. This is a famous bar for its highballs. If you simply order a highball, they will pour a double amount of Suntory Kakubin and 190ml of a bottle of Wilkinson Tansan into a tumbler without ice in a stylish way, and finally add a lemon peel. It's a collaboration between Suntory and Nikka. For some reason, this highball appeared to be glowing golden. Due to it being a holiday, last order was 21:30. Two highballs for two people cost 3,300 yen. It's a smoking bar and there were ashtrays on each table. I haven't confirmed, but there was a box that looked like a humidor inside the counter, so maybe cigars are also allowed.