bar subtone — Restaurant in Tokyo

Needed a place to stop and take a rest during our recent trip and happened to stumble past Subtone. We couldn’t resist the atmosphere. Dimly lit, very cozy interior with soothing Jazz. We were the only tourists and the bartender was very kind and accommodating. He handed us a handwritten menu in Japanese and when I went to take out my phone to translate it he stopped me and said he would help. He asked us some questions to narrow down what we were looking for and read us the relevant drinks. I ordered an iced Assam milk tea and my partner ordered an Irish coffee. He told us it would take some time which was fine, and I can totally see why. He runs everything himself and our drinks were crafted with the utmost care and intention. He created a delicious whipped cream from scratch by hand and for my iced tea he carved single clear block of ice to the perfect size and shape like you might do for an old fashioned. When the jazz record he was playing came to an end he flipped through his CD’s and picked a new record, listening to it for moment to ensure it was the right choice before returning to our drinks. The drinks were incredible. They were perfectly crafted, the tea was the best I’ve had from any establishment, the Irish coffee was smooth and rich. I wish we came back later for some cocktails. Judging by the collection of bottles on his shelf and what the locals were ordering it seems like whiskey is popular here. Overall the experience was perfect

Lastly, yes it was cash only but no we weren’t given a cover fee. There is very limited seating and no waitlist so if it’s busy he’ll tell you to come back later. Just wait outside till enough people leave. I think our tab came out to ¥2700 and while a higher price than most places it was absolutely worth it and the effort that he put in showed. Highly recommend stopping here. Just be courteous, keep the noise low to match the atmosphere, and you’ll have...

My favorite bar in all of Japan. Shun is an absolute professional and even just watching him pour a fine whiskey on ice is a show in itself. Speaking more to the bar owner, the man is friendly, knowledgeable and willing to pass his knowledge onto others. The music and lighting create an atmosphere of warmth and comfort that is unrivaled. I can not say enough about Shun and his bar beyond that I am grateful to have found it, and to call him my friend. The owner does accept foreigners, he just does not cater to, as he speaks only Japanese. Even my broken Japanese was enough to get by and have a great time, every time I've been there. Worst comes to worst, use Google translate and give the man a chance to serve you and I promise you will have...

Nice vibe but not tourist friendly. After a really pleasant experience at another nearby jazz bar we passed by Bar Subtone on the way home and thought we’d pop in for a nightcap. Bartender said straight up that there was a 500 yen per person cover charge (obviously for tourists only) and told us to sit at the 2 bar seats closest to door even though there was only one other person in the bar up at the other end. We ordered a gin & tonic and a negroni (which was excellent) however for 48,000 yen it was double the price of other bars in the area that made us feel more welcome. 3 stars for the drinks and nuts but...