Zoetrope

One of our absolute favorite bars to sample a variety of Japanese whiskeys and spirits. Of note: while fine for beginner whiskey drinkers, I would recommend coming with some sort of knowledge of what you like or don’t like in a whiskey. Specifically, coming with some types of whiskey you enjoy helps him guide his recommendations. He has over 450+ different bottles of whiskey, so you’ll need to give some guidance to whittle it down. There is no menu, just his recommendations. Food is NOT available. They do NOT sit parties greater than 4, FYI.

The best and I mean THE BEST bar to have Japanese whisky in Shinjuku! The owner is a pleasant and well spoken man who’s passion for whisky shines through. His enormous amount of whiskies as well as his knowledge makes for a favourite and amazing experience!!

First time experiencing a such a strict environment for a very hidden whiskey bar in the busy streets of shinjuku. It definitely adds to the vibe and you can tell the bartender is very well versed in his craft of whiskey tasting. There’s no menu. There are a lot of rules. It is very quiet and occasionally back ground music. This vibe is not for everyone, but if you appreciate good whiskey, and want a knowledgeable server to provide you very concise and thorough knowledge and recommendations on whiskey, I highly recommend this establishment. You don’t come here for the “vibes”, you come for the whiskey selection and the recommendation. Will most likely be a wait. They do not seat more than 4. Last call was at 11PM on a Monday. No cocktails. No food. No whiffing the whiskey bottles. Decor is very low key. This is the epitome of no-frills.

Terrific Japanese whiskey spot. You can sample and chat in this small (maybe seats 11?) joint. Ask for advice from the owner and also for price points, as there is no menu to look at. Sample from hundreds of bottles. 3 different drinks (2 top shelf, 1 not) ran about ¥4,300.

Great selection of whiskey and the owner/sole bartender was friendly and gave us a flight of whiskey designed around what we liked and had tried before. Very unique bottles and some bar picks as well (though a bit pricey). Small space but totally worth seeking out if you’re into Japanese Whiskey and want to try something new.

Over 450 Japanese whiskeys! The owner was lovely and I wish we could have stayed for more than one glass so we could learn more and talk to him - he was clearly super knowledgable and helped pick a whiskey for each of us. But sadly we had to hurry off!

Amazing selection of whiskies and a super chill spot. Very tucked away but often quite busy. Lucked out and got a table in the back corner. Don't go in a rush as it's always just the one guy working. He's very nice and does his best to run around and get to everyone! Very good flights of whiskey.

What a paradise for whisky afficionados! The friendly owner is very knowledgeable about whisky, gin and cocktails, and besides he is a movie lover as well, which is why his bar is a "Movie and Whisky Bar". A fantastic place that I can recommend to anyone who is into good and rare whiskys!

One of our absolute favorite bars to sample a variety of Japanese whiskeys and spirits. Of note: while fine for beginner whiskey drinkers, I would recommend coming with some sort of knowledge of what you like or don’t like in a whiskey. Specifically, coming with some types of whiskey you enjoy helps him guide his recommendations. He has over 450+ different bottles of whiskey, so you’ll need to give some guidance to whittle it down. There is no menu, just his recommendations. Food is NOT available. They do NOT sit parties greater than 4, FYI.

The best and I mean THE BEST bar to have Japanese whisky in Shinjuku! The owner is a pleasant and well spoken man who’s passion for whisky shines through. His enormous amount of whiskies as well as his knowledge makes for a favourite and amazing experience!!

First time experiencing a such a strict environment for a very hidden whiskey bar in the busy streets of shinjuku. It definitely adds to the vibe and you can tell the bartender is very well versed in his craft of whiskey tasting. There’s no menu. There are a lot of rules. It is very quiet and occasionally back ground music. This vibe is not for everyone, but if you appreciate good whiskey, and want a knowledgeable server to provide you very concise and thorough knowledge and recommendations on whiskey, I highly recommend this establishment. You don’t come here for the “vibes”, you come for the whiskey selection and the recommendation. Will most likely be a wait. They do not seat more than 4. Last call was at 11PM on a Monday. No cocktails. No food. No whiffing the whiskey bottles. Decor is very low key. This is the epitome of no-frills.

Terrific Japanese whiskey spot. You can sample and chat in this small (maybe seats 11?) joint. Ask for advice from the owner and also for price points, as there is no menu to look at. Sample from hundreds of bottles. 3 different drinks (2 top shelf, 1 not) ran about ¥4,300.

Great selection of whiskey and the owner/sole bartender was friendly and gave us a flight of whiskey designed around what we liked and had tried before. Very unique bottles and some bar picks as well (though a bit pricey). Small space but totally worth seeking out if you’re into Japanese Whiskey and want to try something new.

Over 450 Japanese whiskeys! The owner was lovely and I wish we could have stayed for more than one glass so we could learn more and talk to him - he was clearly super knowledgable and helped pick a whiskey for each of us. But sadly we had to hurry off!

Amazing selection of whiskies and a super chill spot. Very tucked away but often quite busy. Lucked out and got a table in the back corner. Don't go in a rush as it's always just the one guy working. He's very nice and does his best to run around and get to everyone! Very good flights of whiskey.

What a paradise for whisky afficionados! The friendly owner is very knowledgeable about whisky, gin and cocktails, and besides he is a movie lover as well, which is why his bar is a "Movie and Whisky Bar". A fantastic place that I can recommend to anyone who is into good and rare whiskys!

Zoetrope is a bar in Shinjuku specializing in Japanese whiskey. The idea is simple but brilliant: one dude, 300 bottles. We went on a Wednesday night after a few rounds at Bar Benfiddich. The four of us squeezed into an elevator so small it should be illegal and popped out on the third floor. We walked into Zoetrope and found the bartender alone, looking just about ready to close. It was a little before 10:30 and he told us he was closing at 11 (don't pay any mind to the hours posted on Yelp). We ended up hanging out until around 11:15, but he didn't seem antsy to kick us out. The bar was really cool, like a whiskey version of the Beast's library, with hundreds of bottles lined up along a long wooden bar. It felt like the bartender just loved collecting and drinking whiskey and found a way to monetize his passion by going in on each bottle with dozens of customers and charging them enough of a mark-up to cover his rent (but not in a building with a good elevator). The shots weren't cheap. Even with the current exchange rate, they averaged about $15 a pour. We had a few rounds of shots, though we definitely sipped them (we're old, but also, this isn't that kind of shot bar). I don't know too much about Japanese whiskey, so I basically just drank whatever the bartender felt like pouring. He was a fantastic host, and he gave us what felt a neat survey of Japanese whiskey. There were a couple from brands I'd heard of, the Suntory Chita and the Nikka Yoichi. We also got a tasting of three Fuji whiskeys, made by the Kirin company but unavailable in the U.S. Then we tried the Akashi White Oak, the Chichibu Ichiro's Malt, and the Komagatake. There was also a Suntory umeshu for the non-whiskey drinker. We spent less than an hour at Zoetrope, but we made the most of it. This was the most exposure I've ever had to Japanese whiskey, and it was a fun, delicious experience. I'd highly recommend this place if you have any interest in whiskey. Take the stairs if you're not into scary elevators.

A good friend wanted to check out a whiskey bar at the end of an epic trip out to see the sakuras in full bloom. Didn't realize that this bar doesn't open until 1900, we ended up wandering around and eating yakitori at a small restaurant in Piss Alley. Though the food and service at the yakitori restaurant was less than desirable, we soon forgot about that less than stellar meal when we arrived to quite an extensive whiskey collection here at Bar Zoetrope. Since Hibiki and Yamazaki were nearly impossible to source these days, we ended up trying a few different non vintage along with a few vintage ones. The owner/bartender was super knowledgeable and provided some great recommendations. Only drawback was how cramped this place was and the fact that though you order a few different drinks, he will only provide additional almonds at a 600¥ fee. Needless to say, we skipped and just left to go out for udon. We probably would've stayed longer and ordered a few more if more almonds would've been given.

They say a dream is a wish your heart makes, and boy oh boy, did my heart pull through. Hidden on the third floor of a building nestled in an alley, Zoetrope isn't a place you'd notice unless you were specifically looking for it. The tiniest elevator (max capacity 4 people) takes you directly to the front door, where a golden eye with a giant peephole for a pupil greets you. It's a little bit unnerving, a little bit wacky, and a lot a bit cool. Quick note: the sign on the door says that they close at midnight, not 4am as yelp says. Super glad we made it in before close! Upon walking in, you'll find a tiny room that probably sits about a dozen people. There's a projector playing silent trailers of old Chinese kung fu movies (it was fun when my sister and I were able to recognize a few we watched as kids!), which are accompanied by the most bizarre playlist. Notably, In Summer (a Japanese version) from Frozen, and I Love to Laugh from Mary Poppins. Such a weird, mind bending combination to have those songs playing along with Bruce Lee fight scenes. I loved it. But the pièce de résistance of the ambience is to your left when you walk in: a floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall, jam packed shelf of whiskey bottles. I almost got a little misty-eyed at the beauty of it. The only downside to this is how incredibly indecisive I am, so with this many options, my mind exploded a little bit. I ultimately ended up going with a flight, because I haven't had TOO many Japanese whiskeys and am still tasting my way around them. I love flights of all things, because I like being able to try some of everything instead of having to commit to one full drink. The flight glasses are adorable, and the owner/bartender leaves out the bottles you're sipping on for you to inspect. Having read other reviews stating that the owner is a little gruff, I was prepared to walk in and find a disgruntled old man who just wanted to get people in and out of his bar ASAP. This wasn't the case at all. He was quite jovial, and happy to answer any questions we or other customers had about whiskey. And wow, does he know a ton about whiskey. He even gave us recommendations as to the best places to go to find local whiskeys--for the record, it's apparently much easier to find the good local stuff outside of the big cities. Another weird small thing of note: the bathroom is great. It's the tiniest bathroom, with space only for the toilet and miniature sink, but every square inch of the walls is covered with labels from bottles they offer, plastered on top of one another. It's amazing. I'd definitely visit this place again, if only we had more time in Tokyo! Well worth the ¥600 cover fee, honestly just to gaze in awe at the whiskey selection alone.

This place should be called a Whiskey bar. They have soooo many kinds, they have an English menu as well. They also play old movies on a screen. It's got a cool vibe, when we went there was a really annoying customer bragging about how great he was and all of his "law degrees" etc etc (it won't come as a surprise that he was there alone.) He almost ruined the experience for us. I had a great whiskey highball, one of the best I have every had. My friend tried various whiskeys and he loved them all (they have whiskey that goes all the way up to ¥19000 per glass! My female Japanese who isn't a whiskey drinker had Kahlua milk drink but he also mixed in a chocolate liquor, she said it was great. So it's not just for whiskey drinkers. The food/snack.....not so great I would definitely recommend this place!

BOTTOM LINE: Fantastic whisky bar and your best place to start exploring what Japanese distilleries have to offer. Located just around the corner from Tokyo Mentsudan (not a bad place to fill up before imbibing), look for the red signage that will point your way to the 3rd floor where it's located. The place looked A LOT smaller than most of the pictures I had seen, so it's best you arrive a bit earlier to get a seat. The 6 of us easily filled up nearly half the place. The bartender was welcoming and quite the character - let's just say there are only a select few individuals who can pull off a Hawaiian shirt like he can. While their selection is large, it can be overwhelming to know where to even start. The bartender speaks English so he can help guide you, but for me, I jumped right at their tasting flights. They offer both vertical and horizontal flights, and I chose the Suntory vs. Nikka tasting set for 4500Y (see picture). This was really great because I was able to narrow down my favourites and pick up 1 of my 2 favourites (ugh, the Single Malt Yamazaki 12 year was sold out!). If you don't mind paying duty, you should check out Liqours Hasegawa at the Yaesu Underground Shopping Centre near Tokyo Station.

Bartender is an arrogant douchebag. AVOID THIS TOURIST TRAP. It's sad because this place has so much potential. Good whiskey selection but the bartender is super rude if you don't speak Japanese. Whenever my girlfriend or I ordered something or asked him questions about the menu he made us feel like retards. And this place is expensive! We were super respectful and were dropping serious money. Go to literally any other whiskey bar in this amazing city if you're looking to have a relaxing night. This bartender is a clown and thinks he's gods gift to the world. Everyone in the bar was super on edge and not saying a word because the owner/bartender was giving out such bad vibes. If a customer is being disrespectful or rude I completely understand having a zero tolerance policy. But my gf and I were super polite and this asshole made us feel horrible for even asking him simple questions about the whiskey. Avoid this place at all costs. This bartender needs to clean his tampon and get a better attitude.

If you only know about one Japanese whisky (and I'm intentionally using the spelling more common in Japan), it's likely from the Suntory distillery, made famous in the movie Lost in Translation ("for relaxing times, make it Suntory time"). If you are fan of the whisky like I am, you may have seen that scene and been curious about the availability of said whisky in the States. The good news is that there are a few Suntory products widely available and all of them are quite good. The bad news is that once you've explored this space, your options in the US for sampling other fine Japanese whiskies are very limited. And so on a recent trip to Tokyo, one of my primary objectives was to sample a good number of non-exported Japanese spirits. After a bit of research, I came across Shot Bar Zoetrope as the place to go if you want to indulge. When I came to the building where it purported to be, I was skeptical. This did not look like a place that would house a temple to Japanese whisky. I got in a tiny, old elevator and punched the number for the floor I was mostly sure Zoetrope was on. I was nervous. And then the doors opened. If there were whisky angels, they would have been drunkenly belting out tunes as I crossed the threshold of what is surely one of the greatest whisky bars on Earth. The space is teeny tiny but the bar is absolutely packed with hundreds of bottles of deliciousness. I sat down at the bar and picked up a massive and intimidating menu. Fortunately, the barkeep spoke very good English and pointed me in the right direction. There was also an English menu so I could peruse a bit on my own. I sampled 4 different local whiskies, all of which were incredible. The bartender told me about each one, about where the distillery was located and gave me a bit of history of whisky distilling in Japan. Feeling very happy and a bit tipsy, I was given two amazing tips before I departed: First, the bartender told me about a liquor store down the street, Shinanoya, where I could purchase most of the whiskies I'd tried that evening. Then, he pointed me to a page in the menu that listed all the Japanese whiskies sold at the airport so I would know which to buy there; the duty free shops would offer them at a substantial discount. I came back to the States with a great whisky experience, knowledge of some new distilleries, and 4 fine bottles of Japanese spirits that I will savor until I can return to Tokyo, and to Zoetrope, again.

So this place is a solid three stars. It has a lot going for it with a few things that can be refined. So on the upside: intimate ambiance, whisky as far as the eye can see. It's like Charlie and he chocolate factory for adults who like whiskey. The bar tender knows his craft and can make recommendations to suit your taste. On the downside. I would say it is an expensive experience. There is a 600 yen fee to sit down and after doing a flight of whisky (both me and my Better half) and a shot on top of it (me only) the bill came out to 4400 yen. They accept credit card only if the bill is 8000 yen or more. It can be crowded as well and it's only open after seven. This place is also touristy. The only Japanese person inside was the bar tender. Bottom line: If you love scotch or whiskey and want an introduction to Japanese whisky this is a really good start and there is value here. If you know enough of Japanese whisky and know what you like I would consider a different venue which would be a better investment.

This place is a dream. Whiskey tastings, old school B&W classic comedies on the projector, cigar smoking locals and a cozy atmosphere. I felt like kind of a jerk being one of MANY tourists visiting here. I tried a flight of the Hibiki Harmony, 12 year and 17 year. They came out with water and some roasted almonds. I spent a bunch of money on whiskey with NO regrets. I will never stop ranting and raving about this place-- if you're in Tokyo, make it a point to visit here.

This is a Japanese whiskey paradise. While Zoetrope offers more than just Japanese whiskey, their specialty are the whiskeys of the country. 3 things I feel the need to call out: 1. The owner is the bartender. He speaks English. He's great to talk to. For those who found him surly, I'm guessing they didn't follow the rules that are clearly written down. In particular, don't ask him what you should drink. Give him information about what you like, so he can make a recommendation. He's one of the most knowledgable whiskey aficionados I've ever met. 2. There is a cover charge, but it's cheap ($5) when you consider how reasonably prices everything is. 3. The place sits 12 or so. Get there early or get there late. If you show up at 10 PM, good luck. This place does allow smoking, so if that's a problem for you, please avoid. If you're a whiskey lover, this is one place you can't miss.

This bar was amazing. I lucked out during Golden Week and was the only customer while I was there. The owner/bartender is extremely knowledgeable about whisky and scotch and he is more than willing to guide you in the right direction. It is a little hard to find and it is on the third floor. The silent movies played on the wall is an added bonus.

Oh wow, if you like whiskey and you find yourself in Shinjuku (or Tokyo in general) then get to this bar. It's smokey, that's a negative. But the owner knows so much about whiskey, he has SO MANY WHISKEYS. It's just a great vibe to be drinking what you like in an environment with like-minded people. It was an elevator ride up to the 3rd floor, you're greeted with a golden looking eye. and you walk in to a dark, smokey, whiskey paradise. Old silent pictures playing on the screen, muffled conversations from the maybe 3 tables in the place. It was great. Now he knows his whiskey so don't think you're going to go pulling a fast one and getting some rare stuff on the cheap. It's not break the bank but it's easy to spend a $100 USD pretty quick if you're drinking the good stuff. I will be going back.

I hate cover changes. What the hell is up with charging you 600 yen per person just for entering the bar. What a complete rip off.... So you have gathered now that this place has a cover charge on it and per person not per table. It's a shame as well cause it's Actually a really good place. Old style dark moody western saloon, silent movies playing, massive cool whiskey selection and what seemed like quite an interesting owner/barman. It's on the third floor via a lift and is quite hard to spot, but if you like whiskey and have lots of cash to burn and don't mind about the exorbitant prices and cover charge. You will love this place. If not for the over charging I would give this place 4 stars, but for me I can only give it two as its a rip off when they already charge you pretty highly for the whisky I'm afraid.

Awesome little bar. It is a little hard to find. Entrance to building is near back or smaller entrance of 7 Eleven. At least I think it is, I really enjoyed this place a lot. Place is small, smaller than my living room but there were 2 other people the night we dropped in so it worked out. Owner speaks English and in other online reviews he is not much into small talk, at least initially. We loved the menu where it states its just him so have some patience. It took us awhile to get through the menu. Luckily he has some whiskey flights which were really good. Atmosphere is old school English with eclectic music. One buddy was familiar with the music and was naming the titles or movies they came from which I think impressed the owner. If your the area, it is definitely worth a stop.

The best Whiskey bar in Tokyo. The owner is kind of a dick but he warms up quickly around your 3rd Suntory aged whiskey :) We had great conversation with other English speakers (not all American), met some very nice Japenese businessmen who we enjoyed the conversation with even more, got an education in single malt, single barrel, blended whiskey, and more! It was a great night in Shinjuku overall. A note on the owner- although he's rude and unwelcoming, he's genuinely a whiskey coniessuer and knows his over 500 products by heart. He's very passionate about whiskey. It's kind of respectable in a AA kind of way. More so, we discovered through open, unrestricted, free exchange aka 'confession' that because of all the travel books, shows and articles his once locally loved whiskey watering hole had become overran with 'Gaijin' or tourists. He wasn't resentful but he definitely missed the days he could have a whiskey with his regulars as they've long since vacated in favor of an izakaya that still retains the local essence. Regardless a must on any visit to Tokyo Shinjuku-ku!

Off a small lane, up the elevator to level 3 you'll find this gem of a whiskey bar. Cosy, friendly and uniquely amazing bar in Shinjuku. Small, 9 seats + 6 bar stools. An extremely friendly owner greets you in fluent English (for tourists like me), and presents a whisky list featuring over 800 mainly Japanese whiskeys. Plenty here for the whisky aficionado, and wife of aficionado alike. It's hard to describe the laid back, quintessentially Japanese atmosphere of this place. A must visit for the Whisky lover. Other notes: Yes, there's a cover charge, which is common for small bars in Japan. Free wifi

Great whiskey! It is a very small bar, but it is an overall nice spot for a drink or two. There's so much to choose from, it's like being given the privilege of tasting the glory of someone's whiskey collection. This is where I tried Japanese whiskey for the first time and it was a fantastic experience. The service was great (or maybe I was too buzzed to know what's going on) and they all knew how to best address my questions about which whiskey to try. I highly recommend!

this place is really good, even if you're not THAT into whisky (ahem, like me). but the hubs thoroughly enjoyed trying all the rare whiskys that one cannot buy for themselves. the owner has such a VAST selection to choose from, you could be there for hours on end & still only get through a couple shelves of whisky. the service was friendly & the owner seemed to warm up to us when asking more questions about types of whisky & his recommendations. my only negative would be that it seemed to cater to the tourist, which isn't always the best experience. it's also a great little place to stopover at before/after dinner. also, i would've LOVED if they were able to make awesome whisky cocktails (for me), but my husband enjoyed it so much i have to give it 4 stars. :) bottom line: it's a great place with lots of rare whiskys & was easy to get in. don't hesitate to go & check it out! ps. i also loved the vintage movies & toys decorating the place!

It was a good idea to go there. The bar is very small but I like this small locations in Japan. I had birthday and the owner gave me a piece of cake, it was very nice!! I had a great time there. I didn't have any whiskey but the cocktails are tasting good!

A necessary stop for whiskey lovers. Really nice owner!

Cool venue and lovely bartender who really knows his whisky. But if you're not particularly into that, he also makes great cocktails!

We came here on our last night in Tokyo based on multiple recommendations. Also, we enjoyed the Suntory Yamazaki distillery in Kyoto so much that we were thirsty for more Japanese whisky! It's a bit difficult to find since it is upstairs off of the main street, but quite a gem once you get there. It's very small, but the four of us were able to be seated at a table just to the right of the bar. The bartender is extremely knowledgeable about whisky and was happy to make recommendations to us, including the order that we should taste all of them in once he served them to us. I also really liked that there were old movies playing in the bar. If you like whisky, definitely make a stop here on your trip!

Amazing whiskey speakeasy upstairs bar! Located on a small street away from the main Shinjuku hustle and bustle, this whiskey bar is what dreams are made of! For any whiskey fanatic, you can try all the whiskies you've heard of but never managed to get your hands on because chances are, this place has it! I think the is normally a cover to get in but not when we went. Once inside, it's tiny! Prob the size of someone's living room in a tiny apartment. Behind the bar, there are tons of whiskies! All the Japanese ones you've heard of but couldn't get your hands on, many whiskies from Ireland and Scotland and a lot of small batch distilleries I have barely heard of. The bartender is very knowledgeable and speaks English from what I remember. There are silent films playing in the background and this is def worth a stop if you're in the mood for whiskey as the variety cannot be beat anywhere else!

Yes, it's a little bit touristy (that's what happens when you're referenced in the Lonely Planet) but the experience was still very agreeable. If you're a fan of japanese whisky, they offer tasting which is great if you want to try many whiskies not available in the US/Canada. Owner is very knowledgeable and speaks English very well.

Extremely disappointed. I went to this bar the first time about 10 years ago. Lot of good times on the past but disappointed how this bar turned out. The owner is obviously a whisky geek but seems sick of explaining day after day the same shit to stupid gaijings like myself. I guess this is the cost of success after being listed in major guides. I will avoid this place for the time being but may try it again in a few years to see if things went back like they used to be, so a special atmosphere where the owner is glad to share his passion.