Just outside the ticket gates at Gakugei‑Daigaku Station, turn left and head toward McDonald’s, and you’ll find it tucked away along a small back alley.
I ended up dropping in on a whim after being introduced to the place by a staff member who works there.
This sign is landmark.
At first glance, it looks almost like a small neighborhood snack bar, but in reality it sits somewhere right between an izakaya and a bar.
You climb up the creaking stairs of the old traditional house, and at the end you’ll find the entrance door — it feels almost like arriving at someone’s home rather than a drinking spot.
Right inside the entrance, there’s a tiny counter with about four seats.
Behind it is a standing drinking space — just enough room for maybe two people at most.
Then, if you slide open the fusuma door further inside, a tatami room appears. There are three or four low chabudai tables, giving the space a surprising sense of depth beyond what you’d expect from the outside.
The owner apparently modeled the space after “Bar Ma no Su,” the mysterious bar frequented by Moguro Fukuzo from the famous 1990s manga The Laughing Salesman, which makes the whole vibe suddenly click once you know the reference.
Although it’s technically a bar, the food menu is surprisingly extensive, and the place stays open until 5 AM. There’s a wide variety of dishes, including fried rice, mapo tofu, karaage, seared mentaiko, and even hearty comfort dishes like Japanese-style stews.
Rice dishes and fried items sometimes stop being served around midnight, but simpler snack-style plates are usually still available late into the night.
Talked into it, I ended up ordering a glass of habu sake.
…Yeah.
Apparently, there’s also a third floor that can be reserved for private use.
This time I only stopped in for drinks and a few light snacks, so next time I’d definitely like to try more of the food.
It has that hidden, tucked-away feel, but the atmosphere is relaxed and unpretentious — the kind of place you can drop into comfortably, whether it’s early evening or deep into the night.
Great meal and great time — thank you!
Sake Bar Hattori
Address: 2F Ueda Building, 3-14-10 Takaban, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Hours: 6:00 PM – 5:00 AM
Closed: Open daily