Mori Bar

In the heart of Ginza, MORI BAR carries forward the legacy of one of Japan’s most celebrated bartenders, Takao Mori — the first Japanese bartender to win a world cocktail championship. Mori first opened his namesake bar in 1997, setting a new benchmark for the authentic cocktail experience in Tokyo. In 2020, the bar relocated to its current home, the former site of Y&M Bar Kisling, which he co-founded with another industry legend, Yoshida-san. The painting by Moïse Kisling that hangs behind the counter remains as a quiet tribute to the bar’s earlier chapter.

The soul of MORI BAR has always been the Martini. Mori’s signature rendition — a precise balance of gin and vermouth — embodies both strength and finesse. It’s a Martini with depth: aromatic, full-bodied, and yet astonishingly smooth, finished with the silhouette of a perfectly poised olive. Even after the move and rebranding, this drink continues to define the bar’s identity — unpretentious, timeless, and exacting to the last detail.

Beyond the Martini, the cocktail list showcases Mori’s lifelong curiosity and refinement. The Mojito, inspired by his visit to Havana, carries a brightness and restraint rarely found elsewhere — fresh mint and fine rum brought together with clarity rather than sweetness. The Havana Martini, blending rum and sherry, is another standout: subtly sweet, high in proof but never heavy, served with a single piece of silky fresh chocolate that melts just as the cocktail rounds off its warmth. The combination has become something of a signature pairing among regulars.

For those seeking comfort beyond the glass, MORI BAR’s kitchen quietly delivers. The ham and cheese hot sandwich, crisp at the edges and gently melting inside, comes with pickles and fresh tomato — simple, nostalgic, and perfectly executed.
The peperoncino pasta, adjusted in spice and portion to the guest’s preference, matches the drinks with measured heat and an honest, satisfying depth. It’s bar food elevated not through complexity but through the same precision that defines the cocktails.

Inside, the space reflects Mori’s aesthetic: warm wood, red-brown tones, and a polished counter that invites quiet focus.
The bartenders, some of whom have trained directly under Mori, move with the same economy of motion — no excess, no noise. Conversation flows naturally, whether you’re a first-time visitor or a seasoned regular, and the service maintains a poise that feels uniquely Ginza.

MORI BAR isn’t about novelty or spectacle. It’s about discipline, proportion, and continuity — the same values that have guided Takao Mori’s career for over four decades. To sit at this counter, watch the glass chill, and see a Martini take shape before you is to witness a distilled form of Japanese craftsmanship. For anyone who cares about classic cocktails, this is not just a bar.
It’s a piece of living history.