All in one store! Three Bars in Kobe Where You Can Eat
Work looks like I'll finish quickly, so maybe I'll go to a bar tonight. When you think that, what do you do about dinner?
Most bars that mainly serve alcohol and cocktails do not serve food. But precisely because it's before drinking, you want to make sure you have it in your stomach.
Yes, what I just can't ignore is"What should we eat in front of the bar? Problem."That's right.
In my case, when I'm alone,
- Buy and eat at convenience stores with eat-in spaces
・Go to a fast food restaurant
・Go to a chain restaurant for udon and gyudon
Choose one of these options.
To get to the bar quickly, I want to finish my meal quickly, and since bars tend to be more expensive than izakayas, I also want to keep dinner under 1000 yen.
To be honest, I wish I could eat at a bar too.There is a bar that can fulfill such wishes...... Yes, there is! While mainly serving alcohol, this place offers food that truly fills you up.
In this article, we introduce three bars in Kobe, each with its own unique taste.
NY Image, underground hidden pub
First, it is located one block east of the Sannomiya Higashimon StreetGOOD OLD DAYS(Good Old Days) That's right.
Descending the stairs to the basement level of the building, a space that feels like a hidden retreat unfolds before you.
The interior is inspired by the 'Moguri Bar' of New York in the 1920s. Hearing that, I understand why it felt like a hidden retreat.
(*In the 1920s, Prohibition was enforced in the United States, so 'moguri bars'—underground drinks—were symbols of the era.)
The restaurant is run by owner-bartender Hideaki Yasukawa and his wife Miyuki.
Hideaki has been at the British House bar in Kitano Ijinkan district for over 20 years.KING of KINGS(King of Kings) Bartender who worked there.
Miyuki was also a bartender running her own bar, but when Hideaki retired from the British House, the two started GOOD OLD DAYS together in September 2022.
The restaurant offers a wide variety of food options, from light snacks to filling. First, we had a prosciutto shaved straight from the log.
There are several types of craft beer, making it perfect for those who prefer a beer as their first drink. One of the fun things is that the types of beer change depending on the season and availability.
And one of the signature dishes is the "Apple and Honey Pizza." It looks absolutely delicious! And delicious! The fabric is thin, so contrary to my expectations, I could finish it all by my own. It seems like you could come back as a second place after eating at another restaurant as a dessert.
Another signature dish is the "White Curry." You might think that's what they call cream stew, but it really tastes like curry! There is a white curry roux without turmeric, and the details are said to be a company secret.
There are many other interesting food items like fish and chips and oil sardines, but the two of you are bartenders. We enjoyed each of their original cocktails.
The orange on the left is GOD Ricky, devised by Hideaki. Gin Ricky, made by mixing gin with soda and lime, is topped with tonic water and herbal liqueurs called Angostura Bitters. The refreshing gin rickey is enhanced with sweetness and bitterness, giving it a rich flavor.
On the right is the chestnut highball created by Miyuki. We add chestnut liqueur to a highball, which is a soda blend of whiskey. Many customers order this unusual combination.
Since it's a hidden pub in the basement, you might think it might take some courage to enter for the first time, but apparently quite a few young customers come after checking Instagram or Google Maps.
Both Hideaki and Miyuki are very friendly, so even first-time visitors can quickly relax in this place. Come to New York 100 years ago and experience the feeling of time travel.
INFORMATIONInformation
GOOD OLD DAYS
| TEL | 078-321-1163 |
|---|---|
| holiday | Mondays (plus one consecutive holiday per month) |
| Pricing Structure | [Charge 500 yen + food and drink] × 10% consumption tax |
| URL |
Feel Mexican at a tequila specialty bar
The second shop is about 3 minutes north of JR Sannomiya Station BAR UMA-LA。 A rare specialty bar in Kobe, serving tequila and mezcal.
Both tequila and mezcal are distilled spirits made from agave (agave plant) produced in Mexico. In particular, tequila uses a variety called Blue Agave among the agave plants, and only those grown in specific regions within Mexico can be called tequila.
They don't stock whiskey or other alcohols; instead, they offer about 400 varieties of alcohol just tequila and mezcal!
Actually, I also love the slightly quirky flavor of tequila. On the right is a simple soda mixed with soda, and on the left is a cocktail called Paloma, made with grapefruit juice.
The top recommended food at such a Mexican-style bar is, of course, tacos!
The photo shows the most classic piccadilla, a mixed-ground minced tacos, but they come in a wide variety with chicken, beef, and avocado, and you can order as many as you like, starting from two.
There are various styles of tacos, including crispy dough, but this one is on the softer side. Squeeze lime, roll it by hand, and bring it to your mouth. The rustic dough and juiciness of the meat make you feel as if you're in Mexico (though I've never been there...) laughs).
They also offer several Mexican menu items such as nachos and quesadillas.
For those who want to be full, although not on the menu, they make Mexican rice with double taco chicken and ground ground meat on top!
The owner of this tequila & mezcal specialty bar is the owner-bartender,Kazuaki UmanoThis is the woman.
Mr. Umano came to Kobe from his hometown of Tottori aiming to become a pastry chef. At a bar where a senior colleague from the restaurant where I got a job, I discovered the deliciousness of tequila and witnessed the coolness of the bartender firsthand, which made me change my direction.
I was also pained by the fact that, despite tequila being considered a delicious drink, it was seen as a 'drink to be drunk as a punishment game.'
We want as many people as possible to truly understand the deliciousness of tequila and mezcal. With that in mind, he chose the form of a tequila & mezcal specialty bar when he became independent.
"After coming to this shop, the negative image of tequila has improved."He says that is what makes him happiest when customers say that. Also, many customers come here after being recommended by others saying, "If you want tequila or mezcal, you should go to Umara."
"Tequila and mezcal are drinks that everyone enjoys drinking together."said Mr. Umano. There are table seats, and although it's a bar, it's as casual as going to a Mexican restaurant—why not visit with family or friends?
INFORMATIONInformation
BAR UMA-LA
| TEL | 078-331-3177 |
|---|---|
| holiday | irregular holidays |
| Pricing Structure | Charge 500 yen + food and drink (all prices include tax) |
| URL |
An authentic bar specializing in curry, where you can also drink sake
The third shop is located a 5-minute walk from JR Kobe StationAnd then That's right.
What surprised me when I entered the shop was that the counter was L-shaped. The short-side counter has a Japanese-style shitsurai but serves sake.
Since the group stores of the same operating company also serve Japanese cuisine and sake, it has been a dual focus on Western liquor and sake from the very beginning.
They especially specialize in sake served warm, and their smoked platters pair well. The menu varies slightly depending on the day, but this time it was a four-ingredient platter: boiled egg, firefly squid, cheese, and mackerel.
The shop is run by Yoichi Matsumoto. Although the bartender holds qualifications as a sommelier and whiskey, he handles almost all the cooking and serving of sake by himself.
The seasonal cocktails are dazzling to the eye. On the left is a frozen pistachio cocktail based on brandy, and on the right is a non-alcoholic cocktail made with strawberry, cranberry juice, and orange juice.
And the top food menu item is their carefully crafted spice curry. That day, we had the 'Special Spice Chicken Curry & Oyster Coconut Curry,' but the curry contents generally change weekly.
Matsumoto himself loves spice curry, and this dish conveys his extraordinary affection for curry.
And amazingly, starting in April, they will start serving lunch at this curry! Moreover, it seems to be a bar serving lunch, and you can also serve alcohol (limited selection).
Since it's a new initiative, they plan to operate it while monitoring the situation for the time being. Please check the restaurant's Instagram for lunch hours before you go.
Another point I want to recommend is the dessert menu items like homemade pudding and orange juice (orange peel with chocolate). You can also order coffee and tea, so you can use the 'night café' without drinking alcohol.
INFORMATIONInformation
彩 sai
| TEL | 078-771-4862 |
|---|---|
| holiday | Sundays, and others (check on Instagram) |
| Pricing Structure | Charge 500 yen + food and drink (all prices include tax) |
| URL |
How was it? Although this bar mainly serves alcohol, discovering new places and bartenders through food might also be one of the ways to enjoy bar hopping.
The season is spring. Why not have a "new encounter" with the bar in this new season?
[Writer Profile]
Hitomi Goraku
A writer from and living in Kobe. Active in economic media outlets such as NewsPicks.
Until March 2025, he served as a writer for Kobe City's official note.
I'm not a big drinker but enjoy the atmosphere of bars, and I've been hooked on bar hopping for years.
My dream is to live in a house with a veranda and a view of the sea.