Tokyo Confidential – a cocktail bar celebrating high contrasts and delightful chaos – is now open in Tokyo’s Azabujuban neighborhood. Drawing inspiration from a house party that gets suitably rowdy, Tokyo Confidential offers warm hospitality and a home for everyone. The bar serves as an escape from the confines of society, allowing guests to forget life’s pressures and be their true selves, where they can feel fancy in an unpretentious manner.
With stunning views of Tokyo Tower from the bar’s balcony and rooftop space, Tokyo Confidential’s ethos is a nod to the iconic landmark that has served as a beacon of communication for the city. Whether alone or with friends, guests can expect the same memorable hospitality experience that champions inclusion, inviting visitors from all cultures and backgrounds to form connections and community in a safe space. The venue invites everyone to pull up, fess up and let loose in a hedonistic atmosphere with high-quality food and drinks – and a few fun surprises to discover.
“I’ve always loved hosting people, especially during the pandemic when we built a bar in our old home in Hong Kong, which became a sanctuary for us and our friends,” says Founder Holly Graham. “We made a bar in our home, now we’re making our bar into a home for everyone.”
The cozy yet modern Japanese interior is punctuated by vibrant art by Argentinian graphic designer and illustrator Alan Rhys Berry and US-based Ravi Zupa and eclectic trinkets such as Holly’s own Maneki-neko collection. “I was raised on classic Godzilla movies and traveled to Japan a fair bit over the last decade, so it’s really an homage to the country I love,” adds Graham. “Tokyo Confidential doesn’t have a coherent vein that runs through it, but in a way, that’s what makes it coherent.” At the heart of the venue is a show-stopping pine bar top carved from 300-year-old reclaimed shrine wood that snakes through the main room with no barriers, inviting guests to pull up right next to bartenders.
With the bar’s inclusive mission in mind, the range of signature cocktails to low- and no-ABV drinks by Graham and Head Bartender Wakana Murata offers something for everyone – without sacrificing on quality, even if you’re skipping the booze. The drinks showcase Japanese ingredients in creative ways, such as the stirred and spirit-forward Destroy All Monsters with miso brown butter-washed gin, manzanilla sherry, bianco vermouth and ponzu, or the effervescent Go Lightly with Doburoku, awamori, elderflower, tomato, verjus and sparkling wine. Expect cheeky nods to nostalgia, as well as drinks celebrating iconic places and people in the industry, as seen with Julio’s House featuring tequila, agave nectar, roasted lime, ancho brine and Sel de Gusano, a homage to Graham’s agave mentor and Tommy’s Margarita creator Julio Bermejo.
Celebrating the duo’s love of agave and Champagne, the cocktail menu is accompanied by an extensive selection of both, with rare and exclusive pours by the glass for a taste of indulgence. “Something that irks me is the barrier of entry to Champagne. I want people to be able to have a glass of something expensive without splurging out on a whole bottle, so we’ll have a wider selection of bubbles by the glass,” notes Graham. The bar will also offer a “Drink Up” concept whenever the team gets their hands on something special, giving guests a chance to try unique spirits, wines or Champagnes by the glass in a break-even approach. Tokyo Confidential also features a handsome collection of lockers above the bar which offers guests the opportunity to rent a locker and “Lock Up” a bottle from a curated list of exceptionally premium spirits.
High-end bar bites created by two Michelin-starred Chef Daniel Calvert of SÉZANNE are also on offer – such as the Everything Bagel with cream cheese and 30g of Kristal caviar, chocolate madeleines with rum cream and in a nod to Graham and Calvert’s British roots: Coronation chicken monaka.
Tokyo Confidential also features a year-round rooftop space that is open to guests, but also bookable for private events, while the main bar is walk-in only. The rooftop’s view of Tokyo Tower makes it the perfect backdrop for an alfresco drinking experience, which will also host seasonal events and takeovers.
Tokyo Confidential is located at 9F, THE V CITY PLACE, 1 Chome 6-1 Azabujuban, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0045, Japan, and is open Wednesdays through Sundays from 6pm to 2am. For more information, visit www.tokyoconfidential.