Discover SANYA & Another8 Corner: Tokyo's Best Standing Bars in Nakameguro (2026)

Shibuya Bar Recommendations | Hip Standing Bars You Must Visit in Tokyo

If you're traveling in Tokyo and want to skip the tourist-heavy spots in Shibuya,

and instead find a hip, local hangout

that only the locals know about...

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🌞

To be honest, we didn't plan on coming here beforehand.

We actually got a recommendation for this neighborhood from a chef

at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Tokyo where we had dinner!

When we asked him,

"Is there anywhere good to go around here?"

He highly recommended checking out the area from Shibuya's Daikanyamacho

over to Meguro.

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In Japan (especially Tokyo), unlike back home,

there aren't too many bars that stay open super late,

and it can be tough to find lively nightlife spots that just pop out at you.

So stumbling upon this hidden local gem

near Shibuya during our Tokyo trip

felt absolutely amazing!!!!

We took a taxi near Shibuya

and got off between Nakameguro and Daikanyama.

As we were just wandering around aimlessly,

we stumbled upon a street buzzing with people.

With the windows wide open, people were standing and drinking inside... talk about a total vibe!

!

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1.

サンヤ / SANYA

✔️ Sanya Meguro, Tokyo

Hours

19:00~02:00

✔️ Closed

Thursdays

A standing izakaya and standing bar located in Nakameguro, near Shibuya, Tokyo.

They specialize in charcoal-grilled dishes and meat tapas,

and you can pair them with natural wine, sake, shochu, and more.

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While walking through Daikanyama near Shibuya,

we stumbled upon this Tokyo standing bar.

It's a cozy, narrow space where everyone gathers

around a long wooden counter to drink standing up.

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This photo is from Sanya Meguro's official page,

and it captures the vibe perfectly.

It feels like a cozy neighborhood joint where local Tokyoites pack in shoulder-to-shoulder.

From local grandpas to office workers in their 20s winding down after work,

everyone shared that perfect 'alone, yet together' energy.

It felt so welcoming

and incredibly warm.

Since it's a standing-style izakaya, you can order light bites to go with your drinks,

but we were so stuffed from dinner that we just stuck to sake.

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Because we were just knocking back sake on its own,

the manager jokingly said, "This is your table charge!" and handed us

this super unique, delicious

little appetizer.

It had this wonderfully savory, slightly tingling kick.

With bold aromas and flavors you wouldn't typically expect in Tokyo,

yet still retaining that clean finish—

it left our mouths pleasantly tingling after every bite!

(I'm still craving it!)

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📍 Location & Address:

3-14-6 Takaban, Meguro City, Tokyo (東京都目黒区鷹番3-14-6)

Tokyu Toyoko Line, Gakugei-daigaku Station (学芸大学駅)

About a 2-minute walk from the station.

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Sanya Meguro Tokyo Official Instagram

@sanya_meguro

However, business hours and holidays are subject to temporary changes,

so we highly recommend checking their official Instagram before you visit!

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It's run by the same owner of a nearby charcoal-grill izakaya,

Meguro Sanya (目黒三谷).

✔️ Reservations:

Tokyo's Sanya is

basically a walk-in-only standing bar.

Since there's no phone number, it's best to ask in person or check their official Instagram.

We went on a Sunday,

and we got in just fine!

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✨ Quick Recap:

Sanya is

a cozy little standing izakaya located just a 2-minute walk from Gakugei-daigaku Station in Meguro, Tokyo.

As a sister spot to the nearby, super-popular charcoal grill Meguro Sanya,

you can casually enjoy fresh meat-based small plates, natural wines, and sake here.

If you're looking for a Tokyo local hangout

or want to soak in those authentic neighborhood vibes, this is a must-visit!

When we walked in,

there was a 28-year-old office worker from Kyoto and an older local gentleman.

Both of them seemed like total regulars!

To be honest, we were incredibly full from dinner and feeling a bit sluggish...

but standing actually made it better! (Better digestion, right?)

The space is cozy, so it was nice to just lean back against the wall behind us.

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English didn't flow super easily at this Tokyo standing bar,

but the moment I pulled out my translation app, our Kyoto friend next to us jumped in to translate.

Huge thanks to him!

I kind of had this stereotype that people from Kyoto are a bit reserved and aloof,

but he was so proactive in helping us and striking up a chat.

It was so sweet,

and my Kyoto stereotypes are officially shattered! 🎉

Plus, the staff at this Tokyo bar were so welcoming.

Even with the language barrier, their friendly, chill vibe was absolutely lovely.

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After leaving, we wandered around the neighborhood and...

spotted a bar

with "Sarangbang" (Korean traditional guest room) written in Hangul!

It was so heartwarming and exciting to spot Korean characters in Tokyo.

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If you are looking for a hotel or accommodation

that makes it super easy to travel around Tokyo:

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2.

Another8 Corner

アナザーエイト コーナー

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Found this spot while wandering around

near Gakugei-daigaku, close to Shibuya, Nakameguro, and Daikanyama in Tokyo.

It's a tourist-free local bar (my photos didn't do it justice, so I grabbed some from their official Instagram! 😅)

There’s a small window on the side,

and the seating next to the window features a massive floor-to-ceiling glass panel that can open all the way up.

It was a total hotspot packed to the brim with Tokyo locals!

This spot is located about 10 minutes away from Shibuya,

a cool sake bar & pub just a 2-minute walk from Gakugei-daigaku Station.

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You can order sake right at the entrance, and they also serve natural wines and light bites.

It was a bar buzzing with Tokyo locals.

📍Address

3-8-10 Takaban, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Daikon Bldg 1F

Approx. 2-minute walk from Gakugei-daigaku Station.

✔️Opening Hours

Weekdays: 5:00 PM – 1:00 AM (L.O. Midnight)

Weekends & Holidays: 3:00 PM – 1:00 AM (L.O. Midnight)

✔️Closed

Irregular days off (highly recommend checking their Instagram before you go!).

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This trendy sake bar near Shibuya and Daikanyama in Tokyo...

✔️ Accepts card payments and reservations!

But unless it's the weekend,

you'll probably be totally fine just walking in without a reservation.

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(Referencing their Instagram photo here)

The space looks like this,

where you can sip on a great selection of beers

and enjoy delicious dishes served straight from the open kitchen.

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We went quite late on a Sunday evening,

and there weren’t many people ordering food at that hour.

Almost all the seats were taken, but...

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luckily, the seats right in front of the open floor-to-ceiling glass window were free,

so we managed to snag those perfect spots.

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Since they have both counter seating and regular tables,

there was a good mix of solo drinkers and small groups of 2 to 4 people.

Everyone was just vibing together. But the best part?

We were the only non-locals there,

which made it feel like we discovered a real hidden gem! haha. 🤭

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@another8.corner

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3.

大阪伝統 名物串カツ 田중

(Osaka's Traditional Famous Kushikatsu Tanaka)

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Kushikatsu Tanaka (串カツ田中)

Kushikatsu Tanaka Gakugei-daigaku Branch

(Kushikatsu Tanaka Gakugei-daigaku Branch)

📍Location :

West of Gakugei-daigaku Station (学芸大学駅)

Shimouma 5-chome Minami (下馬五丁目南) Intersection

Near Himonya Park (碑文谷公園)

The third place we visited

was a bit of a chain restaurant,

but we ended up going in because we suddenly got super hungry at the end of the night!

In Tokyo, finding a spot to eat super late at night

can be surprisingly tough, as not many places are open.

Luckily, we stumbled upon this gem!

It’s a spot that specializes in Kushikatsu (deep-fried skewers),

and how should I put it...

It felt a bit like that late-night spot you hit up for post-clubbing comfort food!

So fun!

All of a sudden,

they handed us some dice

and explained a game to us!

They started explaining it in Japanese,

but when they saw we couldn't quite follow,

they whipped out a translation app to explain it to us.

Out of all the staff we met during our Tokyo trip,

this person was hands down the absolute friendliest!

They explained it so enthusiastically,

though we felt a little guilty that we still couldn't understand 100% of it. haha

Even though we were totally clueless,

we rolled the dice anyway...

and somehow got one of our beers upgraded to a mega-size?

And I think we got the other one on the house! \

Honestly, as for the taste of the Kushikatsu,

we didn't have massive expectations—we figured it'd taste just like any fried food back home.

But...

it was surprisingly delicious!

A football match was playing on the TV,

and besides us, there were only about two other customers, both of whom seemed to be grabbing a quick bite before heading home.

So we also finished up our food and drinks pretty quickly and headed out.

Eating Osaka-style Kushikatsu in Tokyo? Sounds a bit funny,

but it was absolutely delicious!

Seeing them turn off the lights and lock up right after we stepped out,

it seems this place isn't an all-night pub or bar, so you probably need to visit before 2 AM.

Yeah, looks like you definitely have to wrap it up by then.

If you try to eat really late in Tokyo,

there aren't as many 24-hour spots as you might find in places like China.

Anyway, all the Tokyo bars and pubs we visited that night

were filled exclusively with locals, which made the experience feel so rewarding and authentic!

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