Gin Kitsune

Choose a cocktail named for a literary figure to go with goma saba, mackerel dressed with sesame. One diner described the dish as “perfect with a drink”, while another ordered what they called “bewitching goma saba”. Whether you are here to focus on the mackerel or linger over cocktails and sake, there is pleasure in putting together a meal and drinks to suit the evening.

The cocktail list includes drinks named after writers such as Kenji Miyazawa and Ryūnosuke Akutagawa. One guest described the Miyazawa Kenji cocktail as blue and topped with chopped apple, suggesting that its appearance can be as much of a guide as its name. Sake is another option: the menu offers a three-sake tasting set, and a diner who tried it mentioned Five, Shichiken and Yuki no Bōsha.

Books on literature and theatre are available to browse, and one review recalls enjoying conversations about literature and art at the counter. Settle in alone or with a companion for drinks and conversation, or share small plates such as goma saba—the kind of evening that seems to suit this bar.