Best Japanese Bars & Sake Bars in Taipei
Sake, shochu, highballs—the density of Japanese-style drinking spots in Taipei rivals some Tokyo neighborhoods. From authentic izakayas to specialty sake shops, from casual pubs to high-end kappo restaurants, this list features Japanese alcohol-related bars and izakayas in Taipei worth visiting. I've been to each one myself, helping you find the spot that best suits your taste. 深夜居酒屋, 適合獨飲的日本酒吧, 中山區的日式酒場特別多.
Quick Picks
- 🌙 Open late → 小酩Sake Bar
- 👤 Good for solo drinking → JLK SAKE STUDIO
- 💎 Upscale Japanese bar → 伊高勢 日本威士忌雪茄館
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![Taipei SUSURU [Japanese/Taiwanese Distilled Spirits · Shochu Bar]](/thumbs/your_facebook_activity/posts/media/shoujishangchuan_449284935110552/26225803027032056.webp)
Taipei SUSURU [Japanese/Taiwanese Distilled Spirits · Shochu Bar] $$
Had drinks in the evening with Chairman Liang, whom I hadn't seen in a long time. We went to this bar that's been open for over a year and is quite rare in Taipei for focusing on shochu. As we drank, Chairman Liang shared stories from his early days—how, without any family background, he encountered many helpful mentors and, with self-reliance and a bit of luck, eventually became a global partner at Invesco, managing a public fund company with around $20 billion in assets. As we talked, I couldn't help but think of a recently departed friend, reported in the news, who passed away before even turning 50...
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Taipei Ryoma and Kyu (2nd Visit) $$
A busy day starting with an art exhibition preview at The Great Yard on Heping East Road at 1 PM, featuring 18 galleries including Brother Hong's Dahe Art. I dropped by to say hello and view the works, and was introduced to artist Wang Xun by Brother Hong. I've seen Teacher Wang Xun's pieces many times before, but the works displayed this time were incredibly vibrant and moving! Then, off to a meeting at the World Trade Center at 2:30 PM...
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Longma Sake — Taipei $$
Had lunch with Wic at one of the branches of You Sushi. He also wanted my opinion on a new product his team is about to finish. Thanks for the treat, Wic! He and Xiao Min even gifted me a bottle of red wine. After the meal, since it was near the Taipei Fine Arts Museum (my 3rd visit), I went to check out the new exhibition. Around 4 PM, I came to 'Long Ma He Jiu,' a place that's been popping up on my Facebook feed lately. They have a promotion from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM: 9 glasses for 999 NTD. At that price point, I initially thought...
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Taipei Wanhua World Afternoon Wine Bar $$
This is an interesting shop located inside a traditional market (Wanhua's Xin Fu Market). It mainly sells alcohol, and for food, you can grab a plate from the shop and walk over to the various stalls in the market to buy food and bring it back to eat. Inside the market, there's oden, braised dishes, roasted meats, fried foods... all sorts of things, and you can even find a place to slice fresh sashimi for you.
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Taipei Songshan Hakkou Cafe Sake $$
Hakkou Cafe Japanese Sake in Songshan is an interesting spot. Although I only had one drink here, the unique concept of being in a traditional market makes it worth a visit.
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Taipei Songshan District Hei Song Jiu Mi Professional Liquor Store $$
After cooking and eating hotpot at home in the evening, Ms. T suddenly asked me out for a drink. Since I didn't have much going on, I went out to have a drink with her. I remembered that Teacher Aaron at Orange Flower Shop mentioned that Hei Song recently opened a physical liquor store. I looked it up, and it really had been open for less than a month, so T and I came here to try it out.
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Taipei Yao He Sake Signature Bar $$
It's rare for me to visit the same place twice within a week. But this week, Yaohe Signature Bar happened to have a single-glass promotion for a certain 'Juyondai' sake, so after my meeting today, I came back here. I first ordered two glasses of sake and a six-grid assortment of fruit wines, and finally added a glass of Juyondai sake from Takagi Shuzo's 'Bessenshiro' edition. It took me 5 minutes...
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Taipei Zhongpo S. Rd. Alley Yao He Sake Signature Bar $$
After a meeting at the World Trade Center in the afternoon, I realized it had been quite a while since I last had Japanese sake. So I found a place and arrived right as it opened at 6:30 PM. It's a relatively new shop, over two years old. Because it's located outside the city center and in an alley, it's very quiet. I was the only customer all night. Later, a Singapore Airlines flight attendant named Jason came in. Every time he flies to Taiwan and has a night off, he comes here.
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Taipei Lane off Anhe Rd. PS Sake Bar Japanese Sake & Food $$$
After an evening meeting, I switched to sake tonight and came to this hidden gem of a Japanese sake and food spot in an alley off Anhe Road. Unlike a typical izakaya, besides some dishes, they offer many interesting Japanese sakes, with drinks making up about half the menu. I chose three junmai sakes from Yamagata, Hiroshima, and Nara. While drinking, I finished the remaining episodes of the drama 'The Romance of Tiger and Rose.' The owner, Jack, is fun and chatty. We ended with a Japanese whisky shot. It's a place worth revisiting! Cheers!
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Taipei Da'an District Igaose Japanese Whiskey & Cigar Lounge $$
Taipei, Da'an District, Igosu Japanese Whisky & Cigar Lounge (2nd visit). After a meeting in the afternoon and picking up my repaired laptop in the evening, I browsed nearby Pop Mart and checked out the Labubu blind boxes. After dinner, I came to Igosu and ordered a Chichibu whisky and a Fuji (Kirin Fujisan) single grain whisky, slowly sipping and taking a short break. I also met Shaolin-ge, one of the owners here whom I'd heard other customers talking about last time, who has 35 years of experience running bars. By Morgan @2025.8.5 evening
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City Hall Station JLK SAKE STUDIOQingJiuZhuanMaiDian (Specialty Store) — Taipei $$
Taipei, City Hall Station JLK SAKE STUDIO Sake Specialty Shop (4th visit). These past two fast-paced days involved five meetings, including online ones about crypto, VC, US-listed companies..., and an in-person meeting at the KGI Futures headquarters on Chongqing South Road. I met with Zhenghong, whom I hadn't seen in over a decade, and also stopped by the 6th floor to say hello to Shinong. Finally free this evening, I managed to squeeze in an hour of golf practice, then went to Ren'ai Road to buy a whole box of Cuban cigars for a friend. After dinner, I came to JLK and used my accumulated points to exchange for a glass of ginjo sake. Sat down to slowly enjoy...
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Taipei Da'an Subarashiiya $$
After two meetings today, I capped it off with drinks at two spots. First up was Subarashiiya in Da'an District for some fruit wine and shochu, then SAKEMARU BAR's Rui'an branch for sake. It was a productive day discussing AI + finance possibilities with executives at Hua Nan Futures and then Capital Futures.
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SAKEMARU BAR Japanese Sake Store Rui'an Branch $$
After meetings, I habitually seek out places for a drink in the afternoon. SAKEMARU BAR Japanese Sake Store Rui'an Branch was today's choice, offering a wide selection of sake.
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Taipei Linsen N. - Tiaotong Zhixin Liao $$$
At Chishin Ryo in Taipei's Linsen North Road/Bar District, I met up with my younger sister who's on summer break. Maxim and his wife happened to be in Taipei too, so we all hung out together. We tried a special chili plum wine and some shochu-based cocktails—thanks to my junior for treating us. For the second round, my sister and I moved to a nearby spot. Surprisingly, there was still a happy hour for sake this late! Cheers!
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Taipei Yaoya Japanese Bar $$
I met up with a friend who just started summer break for drinks tonight. Luckily, Maxim and his wife were also in Taipei, so we all got together. We tried a special chili plum wine and some cocktails made with shochu. Thanks to my junior for picking up the tab.
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NOMOU SAKEBAR — Zhongshan, Taipei $$
After a meeting in the afternoon, I tried a golf lesson at Golf Monsters and met a Japanese coach named Moto. Post-workout and dinner, I visited two sake bars recommended by Ziling. First, at NOMOU SAKEBAR, I chatted with the staff member Venera over drinks. Then, at Shinpaku, the young owner recommended a few sakes to finish with—the final one, Koshimizu from Niigata, was stunning. Keeping up my recent habit of exploring Taipei's sake spots every Thursday...
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Taipei Zhongshan District Shinpaku Japanese Bar $$
After a meeting, I tried a golf lesson at Golf Monsters and met a Japanese coach, Moto. Post-workout and dinner, I visited two sake bars recommended by Ziling. First, at Nomou, I chatted with the staff Venera over drinks. Then at Shinpaku, the young owner recommended a few sakes to finish the night. The final one, Koshimizu from Niigata, was stunning. Keeping up my recent Thursday tradition of exploring Taipei's sake spots...
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Taipei Hikoushi Whisky & Cigars Lounge $$$
After resting well over the weekend, I went out tonight. First, I stopped by She'll Oyster bar for some oysters and white wine, plus an extravagant chicken broth ramen topped with oysters, scallops, and clams. Then, I casually walked into a nearby Japanese whisky bar, which turned out to be more cigar-focused.
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Taipei Da'an District Xiao Ming Sake Bar (2nd Visit) $$
Tonight was my second visit to Sake Bar 小酩 because several drinking buddies mentioned the owner is a fun and beautiful lady, but I missed her last time. Finally met owner Doris and another staff member Vian. After a glass of junmai nama sake, we opened a whole bottle of summer sake. Doris is a certified Sake Expert International and very professional. Later, a female friend joined, and with another female customer, there were four women and only me in the rainy night.
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Taipei NIHONSHU Sake Bar $$
Lately, after regular Thursday meetings in Xinyi District, I've made it a habit to try different sake bars. Over the past three weeks, I've visited seven. Today, near Liuzhangli, the first spot was run by a young, charming owner Abby. Since I was the only customer in the early evening, we chatted over drinks. The second place had a handsome manager and was quite busy. Five cups total today—time to head back!
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Taipei Anhe Rd. Chun Wei Lai Sake Bar $$
On Monday in Taichung, I had an intense but enjoyable drinking session with good friends. So I took a three-day break from alcohol. After a meeting this evening, I continued my exploration by visiting two sake bars. Afterwards, I went to a female friend's place for a drink and a heart-to-heart talk. Cheers!
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Kiri Sake Collection, Taipei $$
Had an intense but satisfying drinking session with good friends in Taichung on Monday, so I took three days off from alcohol. After finishing meetings this evening, I continued exploring two sake bars. Afterwards, went to a female friend's place for a drink and heart-to-heart talk. Cheers!
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Taipei Da'an Yu Sake $$
On Monday night, I drank American red wine at a chamber of commerce dinner. On Tuesday night, I drank whisky with Brother Paul and played a nine-square grid drinking game. After finishing a Crypto industry meeting at TWTC this evening, I thought I'd switch to sake tonight. So first, I went to '羽Sake', which has been open for half a year, and chatted with the owner, Sam, over drinks. After a few cups, I taught Sam how to use Sora AI to make videos, and he treated me to a few more cups of sake and shochu. Afterwards, I went to a second nearby place with great business...
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Taipei Xiao Ming Sake Bar $$
After a Monday night商会 dinner with American red wine and a Tuesday night drinking whisky and playing games with Brother Paul, I finished a Crypto industry meeting at the World Trade Center this evening. I thought, why not switch to sake tonight? So, for the first stop, I went to '羽Sake', which has been open for half a year.
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Taipei Sake Momo $$
I chatted with the owner, Sam, while having a few drinks. After a light drink, I taught Sam how to use Sora AI to make videos, and he treated me to a few more cups of sake and shochu. After that, I went to a second spot nearby, which was doing great business...
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City Hall Station JLK SAKE STUDIOQingJiuZhuanMaiDian (Specialty Store) — Taipei $$
A busy day with Zomma meetings in the morning, coffee with Leon discussing AI and digital assets in the afternoon. Dinner with Ramen Senior at Sogo's eel restaurant—I was so focused on our conversation that I didn't notice the beautiful lawyer Jingfang sitting at the next table until she messaged me! What a coincidence.
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JLK SAKE STUDIO Sake Specialty Store Hui — Taipei $$
After an online meeting with two friends in Hong Kong and China, I headed out for the evening. Switched things up with sake tonight, plus a white wine from Hokkaido. Visited JLK SAKE STUDIO, a sake specialty shop.
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Taipei, Datong District, USE Sake Garden $$
In the afternoon, I met Joey and Andrew at USE Sake Garden in Datong District to discuss some matters. Andrew just flew back from Thailand, where his Hangzhou media company's livestream hosts were helping sell products. Joey's friend runs a Shanghai media company with over 200,000 MCN bloggers, netting about 50 million RMB annually. We explored potential synergies between their networks while I listened in.
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Kyuuka Sake Bar $$
Later, we went to Qiu Xiang Sake Bar. Brother Keigo, who comes from a chain hotel family and has also lived in China, was there too. We continued our conversations over drinks.
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Taipei Anhe Rd. Aplus Hanasakura Bistro $$$
A full day. After coding until 2 AM, I visited a futures company in the morning. In the afternoon, Cindy introduced me to many outstanding NCKU alumni, including those from the alumni association, a Rotary club, and various businesses.
FAQ
Where are the best sake bars in Taipei?
This page lists 30 Japanese and sake bars in Taipei, all from personal visits.
Taipei sake bar recommendations?
All 30 bars listed here feature Japanese sake and spirits, sorted by visit date.
Best izakaya in Taipei?
30 izakaya-style bars included, perfect for after-work drinks.
Where to drink sake in Taipei?
30 venues serving junmai, daiginjo, hot sake and more.
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