12 Best Bars in Shinjuku, Tokyo

Even before Lost in Translation introduced the Park Hyatt's signature lounge to filmgoers worldwide, New York Bar was a local Tokyo favorite. All the style you would expect of one of the city's top hotels combined with superior views of Shinjuku's skyscrapers and neon-lighted streets make this one of the city's premier nighttime venues. The quality of the jazz and service equals that of the view. With the largest selection of U.S. wines in Japan, drinks are priced as you might expect, and there's a cover charge of ¥2,200 after 8 pm (7 pm on Sunday). Local jazz bands play on Sunday.

Almost every great gay night out begins at this welcoming street-corner pub with a large red shrine gate, where the patrons spill out onto the street. This is the perfect place to put back a few cocktails, meet new people, and get a feeling for where to go next. The crowd is mixed and very foreigner-friendly.

Cheap and cheesy, Arty Farty is a fun club, complete with a ministage and stripper pole. Those with aversions to Kylie Minogue or Madonna need not bother. The crowd is mixed and foreigner-friendly.

This tiny, artsy bar adorns its walls with paintings and deer heads, along with its many chandeliers, attracting crowds with its friendliness and affordability. The clientele will likely be an eclectic mix. Luckily its sign will light your way in Golden-Gai's tiny alleys.

This venerable bar claims to be Shinjuku's oldest—established in 1951—and has hosted Yukio Mishima and Akira Kurosawa among many other luminaries. It's also one of several bars that claim to have invented the popular chu-hai cocktail (shochu with juice and soda). The vibrant atmosphere feels more like a pub, and the four floors are almost always packed.

Tokyo's swankiest gay lounge, this neon-lit space would look right at home in New York or Paris.

Video monitors at this club show contemporary music hits. On weekends the place is packed with rather quiet and reserved gentlemen, mostly in their thirties and forties, and is also quite popular among foreign residents and visitors—especially before a night out clubbing.

This relaxed bar for "women who love women" is a cozy den of vintage lamps and cafélike ambience. Men are welcome on Friday; Saturday is women-only.

This could very well be the world's smallest jazz club. An evening here is like listening to live jazz in your living room. Live acts are trios at most, with no space for a full set of drums or amplifiers. Simple, homemade Japanese cooking (free of charge) helps make this a truly intimate experience. With 10 seats and no standing allowed, reservations are recommended. Entry costs ¥3,500–¥4,500.

This small basement jazz joint is home to one of the best jazz experiences in Tokyo, with a Saturday "12-hour jam session" that stretches until 5 am. Live sessions run throughout the week except Monday and Friday, when the regulars enjoy listening to the owner's extensive vinyl and CD collection. Italian food is available.

It should come as no surprise that French cinema is the proprietor's big passion. La Jetée is covered in Euro-cinema posters and was named after a French movie. It's a tiny place, but that means for more intimate conversations in Japanese, French, or English. If you're looking for a hard-to-find, quirky bar up a narrow staircase to round out your Tokyo experience, look for the cats painted on the door and head up.

Most major jazz musicians have played at least once in this classic Tokyo club. The veteran club stages mostly mainstream fare with the odd foray into the avant-garde. The emphasis here is strictly on jazz—and the place resembles a small concert hall. Entry runs ¥1,400–¥5,000.