10 Best Sake Bars That Serve Only The Most Authentic Sake [2022] 

Sake or Nihonshu as it is called in Japan is made up of ‘koji’ and fermented rice. It comes in multitudes of flavours and is an indispensable part of Japanese cuisines. The best part of sake is that one can enjoy its intricate flavours whether drank warm, cold or even at room temperature. However, in order to savour the quintessential flavour of sake, one needs a good ambience and authentic sake bars. With the growing popularity of Japanese cuisines and sake in Singapore, there are various bars and restaurants where one can enjoy sake as well as delicacies to go with. Listed below are the best sake bars in Singapore one needs to explore in order to experience the exquisite pairing of cuisines and sake.

Our top three mentions were chosen for their great sake presentations, large sake collections, great ambience and top servicing. Their thousands of positive feedback and overgrowing customers are some reasons to express their popularity.

Bam! Restaurant		Plenty of delicious combinations Some rare sake drinks are available Considerable selection Fairly reasonable Excellent service	Visit site
Mikuni		Extremely good customer service Great selection of great food and drinks Luxury experience Fine dining restaurant	Visit site
Boruto Japanese Tapas & Sake Bar		Great place to have a good time Delicious tapas and sake Japanese fusion dishes are available	Visit site

But before you start, here are some things to enchance your experience!

• What makes sake bars different from other regular bars?

Unlike regular bars where they specialize in offering a variety of American, European and other kinds of alcoholic beverages, the sake bar as the name suggests itself excel and accommodate a larger segment of Japanese sake. They provide a wide variety of sake that is mostly brought directly from Japan itself or made under the guidance of expert sake brewers locally.

• What is Sake?

Sake is a Japanese word used for the traditional and ethnic cultural drink of Japan. The word Sake technically means Japanese rice wine, and unlike other origins of wine, the Japanese rice wine is made with the following delicate procedure, where the selected rice is converted into sake over time through the process of fermentation. The alcohol content and the flavour itself defines the sake apart from other alcoholic drinks.

• What to look out for in a sake bar?

When it comes to the sake bar, the first and foremost important thing is the quality of sake itself. As a sake bar, it must be able to possess that intoxicating charms that pull you back for more. The presentation and the location of the sake bar also aid in enhancing the flavours of sake. The food being served that perfectly balances and heightens the sake flavours is also a major factor to look out for in a sake bar.

1. Bam! Restaurant – Amazing Ambience

Highlights:

• Best food combinations with sake
• Reasonable pricing
• Large variety to choose from

Bam! The restaurant is known for the ‘Modern Shudo’ – the contemporary way of enjoying sake is not to be missed if one wishes to dine the amazing blend of cuisine from the Japanese and Spanish creative. Their inventive ideas of delicacies to go along with the extensive labels of sake are something to look out for. A fine dinner or lunch perhaps paired with great sake, while listening to gentle music being played in the background with scenic and elegant paintings insight is indeed bliss. It is an excellent choice for vegetarians with gluten-free options available.

The fresh ingredients of the season are selected from the local market, thus resulting in an ever-changing Omakase Menu, a delightful surprise. While the private dining room, counter dining and outside dining adds the perfect ambience for all kinds of customers. The nice, polite and knowledgeable staff and the food prepared from fresh ingredients and not to forget their speciality, the wide selection of sake and wine make it an already attractive place. Bam! even has an event team to help live the customer’s remarkable Modern Shudo experience thus, creating heaven for sake lovers definitely worth the price.

2. Mikuni – Best Japanese Fine Dining

Highlights:

• Known for great sake and delicious food
• Some original blend
• Best customer service

Located in Hotel Fairmont Singapore, Mikuni is regarded as one of the greatest Japanese fine dining restaurants in and around Singapore. Their massive dining space with a capacity of 151 guests makes it comparatively easier to get a reservation here. But easy reservation doesn’t mean you can take it slow.

Due to its popularity, Mikuni is likely to have full reservations frequently despite its large guest capacity. Helmed by one of Singapore’s greatest chefs, Mikuni offers an exquisite fine dining experience equally to each and every visitor. The fine dining experience is elevated to a whole new level as you can select your choice of exquisite, authentic Japanese sake to accompany your dishes. The wide range of sake selections with varying prices makes it very convenient to choose your pick.

As for the fine dining experience, the appetizers, the main course that includes Sushi, Teppanyaki, A5 Wagyu beef, etc are all served fresh from the Chef’s station. Dishes like the A5 Wagyu and Truffle Tempura Squid really complement the richness of the amazing sake that they serve. The burst of flavours that you experience here will surely make you return to Mikuni every now and then.

3. Boruto Japanese Tapas & Sake Bar – Best Quality Food and Sake

Highlights:

• Quality food and drinks
• Excellent services
• Pleasant atmosphere

Boruto is a modern-day sake bar that is located in South Bridge Road near CBD. Boruto translates to “vault” in Japanese, and as the name suggests Boruto has a vault containing some of the most expensive sake. Its wide window displays sake bottles in an authentic and alluring manner, and is divided into two floors; the first floor is a tapas bar for dining and the second floor has a sake bar featuring their boxes of sake. The interior is designed in a chic and stylish way, with high ceilings, dim lights, and high chairs and also a long counter in a tapas bar.

Their menu has a variety of Japanese fusion dishes, the popular ones being the charcoal chicken karaage, uni pasta, truffle pasta, bluefin tuna, donburi, risotto croquettes, wagyu dishes, seafood dishes like the scallop carpaccio, some fresh oyster etc. Also, some salads and desserts add extra tinge to the dishes being served with sake. Each cuisine is made carefully with quality ingredients and delicate precision that makes it a perfect pair forsake. This place is perfect for gathering with friends or stopping by after work or dining with your family. The ambience is cosy with very attentive and friendly staff.

4. Donpachi Sake Bar

Highlights:

• Excellent paring of Izakaya-style food with myriad varieties of sake
• Warm reception with cordial staff offering impeccable services
• The décor is warm and cosy done in an old-timey fashion

If you are a sake lover wanting to explore the wide selections of sake but are still wondering which place to pick, then your search is over, and it’s time to raise your glass and say “kanpai” for ‘Donpanchi’, formally known as ‘dosukoi ‘is just the place for you that would cater all your needs and fancies about sake. This sake bar definitely cannot be missed if one wants to experience authentic delicious Japanese cuisine and wide varieties of sake at affordable prices. This place is worth the visit to relish unique dishes made with fresh ingredients which are perfectly paired with sake and the amicable staff here provide impeccable services.

All the sake in ‘Donpanchi’ is “Junmai- shu” which means it is made up of pure rice and has its characteristic umami flavour. They truly live up to the name of having extensive collections of sake as they have ever-changing bar stocks offering different specials according to the seasons. What is more enticing is that apart from sake they also offer ‘shochu’ and ‘cool beers’. Furthermost, the settings, ambience, food and décor everything has the touch of traditional Japan that makes you will feel like a protagonist of a traditional Japanese drama as you walk in.

5. Aoki Sake

Highlights:

• Simple yet sophisticated interior décor
• Appealing as well as tastes delicious
• Great Sake flavours assisted by master delicacy

Known for the elegance of Chef Kunio, “Aoki” will leave you in awe as you marvel at its grandeur and luxurious setting that beautifully captures the essence of Zen in its interior. The ambience has the perfect blend of simplicity and sophistication. This place evokes the feeling of warmth and cosiness making it a must-visit place with your partner or family. The sake here will definitely appeal to your senses and to go with it the food here will definitely not disappoint you.

 Since the quality of food is their top priority, the product is directly brought from the Tsukiji Market in Japan which further adds to producing authentic Japanese cuisines. With the perfect blend of traditional and modern culinary style, it certainly adds delight when it’s paired with sake. The most popular dish being sushi, the standards of quality is very high. With the Japanese-style sliding doors, pleasant ambience, extremely good services, this place is worth a visit. Prior reservation is recommended in order to enjoy their excellent services. You will certainly have a wonderful dining experience here in Aoki Sake.

6. OriharaShouten Liquor Shop & Bar

Highlights:

• Premium quality drinks
• Excellent service
• Huge collection of sake to choose from

OriharaShouten is a traditional sake bar and also a supplier of sake and other Japanese alcoholic drinks to many F&B businesses in Singapore. They have an impressive range of sake available along with other alcoholic beverages such as Umeshu, Japanese whiskey, Shochu, Japanese beer, Plum Wine, exclusively from Japan. It’s a great place for sake lovers and sake enthusiasts. It is a standing bar with chairs placed looking forward to an L shaped classic counter. And for those who love to leisurely sip down their sake, they also have outside seating available. The selection of sake to choose from is diverse and extensive.

If you aren’t an expert of sake and have a difficult time choosing, their ever-friendly employee is always there to help you out. One can also get customized drinks according to one’s preference: strong, dry, sweet or fruity flavours. To pair with your sake you can order light bites such as yakitori, but the best would be to try it with Oden. Some of the popular brands of sake include Dassai, Masumi, Chiyomusubi, Kirinzan etc. Some beers include the authentic Suntory premium malts which have a smooth and crisp taste. Overall services are excellent, with friendly and helpful staff making your visit here memorable.

7. IzakayaHikari

Highlights:

• Great ambience
• Delicious cuisines
• Affordable pricing for great sake

Wish to find a place to have an incredible lunch or dinner that pairs well with sake? Then IzakayaHikari is definitely the place you must be looking for. Like a treasure to be found amidst the hustle and bustle of life, IzakayaHikari awaits you away from the hubbub of daily life, at a brightly lit corner at Fortune Centre level 3, Singapore. Welcoming you to an affordable unquestionable experience of delight with a welcome sake, the delicious Japanese cuisine and the extensive menu and their wide varieties of sake and drinks to choose from.

Their popular sake along with the Sashimi Platter, Grilled Squid, Yakitori Platter, Salmon Mentaiko Donburi and various delicacies come with no GST and service tax that completely separates this place from the rest, making the place worth a visit. The attentive and the helpful staff make your stay all the more enjoyable with their swift services. With its casual and cosy ambience, IzakayaHikari is naturally a good place to dine with your family and friends with sake in your hands along with the Japanese cuisine made by professionals. A reservation is highly recommended as IzakayaHikari is preferred for its efficient services by many for its great dining experience.

8. Hibiki Sake Bar & Dine

Highlights:

• Scrumptious dishes
• Great quality Sake
• Affordable price rate

Hibiki Sake Bar & Dine is a Japanese-styled izakaya (Japanese bar) and this outlet is located at Paya Lebar Quarter at ground level. The dining area is welcoming and lined with alfresco tables with a bar counter that shines with magnificence. Just outside the Barlies a small scenic park that adds more beauty and brilliance. There is a tiny dining area on the terrace near the park which is also well ventilated. The services are pretty decent with further addition of happy hour that runs from 05:00 to 07:30 pm, so now you can enjoy the evening with more sake paired up with delicious looking skewers. Also, check out for the various set menu they offer, which include Dome chef’s recommendation menu.

Hibiki Sake Bar & Dine offers a variety of Japanese cuisine and among them, the most famous and also their signature dishes are the Beef don, Wagyu beef steak set and US Angus beef steak set. Their popular dishes that go well with the sake include Yakitori, Nezima, Tsukune, Tempura, Oden, fried dishes etc. The skewers here are well cooked and very flavourful. The drinks menu includes Japanese whiskies and sake, obviously, the sake outshines all other drinks here. The Sake served is hot that perfectly matches with their premium light bites. This place which is located around a business hub makes it a great place to relax and dine after work or to hang out with friends or for holding events.

9. Ishinomaki Grill & Sake

Highlights:

• A tour to Japanese cultural traditions
• Authentic sake flavours
• Good variety of side dishes

Known for its extensive Robatayaki Menu and amazing sake selection, Ishinomaki Grill & Sake located at the Palais Renaissance of Singapore stands with its head held high. The first thing one notices is the place created to look like a fisherman village of Japan, starting the tour to the Japanese culture in the instant. The carefully selected ingredients are directly flown over from Japan to maintain the freshness as well as the high quality of the cuisine. The mystery of the black box plays a great role, with its mysterious seasonal ingredients chosen by the fishermen. These mysterious ingredients then end up as a high-end delicacy under the experienced hands of the master chefs.

Ishinomaki Grill & Sake is known widely for its extensive list of Sake specialises in Sake from Aomori and Tohoku. The Sake is carefully selected for it to go along with the cuisines prepared by the chefs. The Sake often favoured by the diners are Kiku Masamune Kaho Gura, Hakusisha Nama and Funaguchi Kikusui Nama Genshu. With the nice and cosy ambience and its simple designed interior, the quality of the food is not to be assumed as the customer will be proved wrong the instant a high-end Japanese cuisine enters their sight.

10. Kabuke Sake Bar Singapore

Highlights:

• Diverse sake menu
• Great ambience and services
• Quality dishes

Kabuke is a sake restaurant or a gastro bar that serves sake from different breweries all over Japan and various modern Japanese cuisine. The place tucked away from the bustling crowd of the streets is located on the top floor of Telok Ayer Street, Singapore. Most people who have visited this place also refer to it as ‘the hidden gem’ since it is mostly hidden from sight yet teeming with customers. The secret door that leads to an interior which is adorned with the embellishment of Japanese order, the ambience of the dim and dark interior with tall stools and kabuki fans as the highlight thus stands up to its name Kabuke. The menu is diverse ranging from seafood such as sea urchin, miso crab dish, salmon roe, caviar etc whose taste is further heightened by the gentle sips of sake.

Aside from their iconic sake, they are also known for their signature dish that includes Wagyu bowls packed with delish ingredients, Wagyuudons and Wagyusando and other exquisite side dishes that pairs perfectly with their sake. Also, the selection of sake is extensive with mixtures of flavours from sweet to dry ones. Despite their highest quality and standard of food and servicing, the price range is relatively quite affordable in range. The services are very friendly and the ambience is cosy, providing great splendour to your dining and family gathering. It is also a great place for chilling out with your friends for a celebration, a simple gathering, or a reunion.

With this, we have come to the end of our top list of sake bars. Hope that you were able to pick your choice of sake bar to go according to your preference. The list has been prepared with extensive care for the servicing and the numerous amount of positive feedback, so rest assured, your pick is sure to make your visit a joyous sake experience.

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