Trees Lounge, Aoyama

While I usually refer to Aoyama Dori as a dead or at least quiet zone, there are some pretty good places hiding in plain sight. This is one of them, although you should go in with the right expectation price-wise. This being Tokyo, you probably know which end you’ll be surprised on.

The main difficulty in picking places around here is that they all look pretty commercial. Trees looks like a phone booth above ground, or perhaps a 1-person standing bar, and the stairwell proclaims that it’s going to be a bit more weathered and authentic once you get below ground.

Which it is. It’s very much in the style of a woody old bar from some indeterminate time period – long counter, antique furniture, little lamps, French decorative details.

You won’t get to drink from them, but there’s also a lovely collection of cocktail equipment. The cock glasses in particular catch the eye, paired as they are with a set of shakers on the counter. Given unlimited space, this is glassware anyone should be proud to own.

And these are drinks anyone would be proud to serve; good, straightforward cocktails in proper size and temperature, from pleasant glasses. Now if someone in Tokyo will just start making gimlets properly with fake lime juice, all will be right with the world.

03-3408-1241