ROOT DOWN TOKYO / Hi-Fi Listening Bar - Craft Cocktails
Tokyo
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Bewertungen
One of the best listening bars and cocktail bars has opened in Tokyo. You need to try this if you're into vinyls, cocktails, mezcal/tequila or just a chill evening in a super cool bar. Can not recommend this place enough.
BEYOND DISSAPOINTED. The original Root Down is in Chiyoda (very close to Kanda station) and is called Cafe and bar Root Down,, It has been there nearly 20 years playing great jazz records on some beautiful hifi gear. Small, intimate, well worth a visit for a genuine experience. BE WARNED, THIS BAR USES A VERY SIMILAR NAME... DO NOT DO WHAT I DID, ACCIDENTALY GO TO "ROOT DOWN HIFI BAR TOKYO" WHICH IS WHAT MANY PEOPLE WOULD AUTOMATICALLY SEARCH FOR IF TRYING TO FIND THE ORIGINAL BAR. I ENDED UP HERE, A MUCH LARGER BAR OF FUNDAMENTALY THE SAME NAME AND CONCEPT RUN BY AN OVERSEAS OUTFIT AND PAYED THE PRICE IN TAXI FARES, (16,500yen to get there and back) Having said that, this bar does have good gear, which suffers greatly due to hard surfaces, poor accoustic room treatment and some pretty basic failures by staff such as not using a puck to secure vinyl on the turntable, the result when I was there was brittle and thin audio. The space itself is clean, fresh and minamalist, but is large, and given the hard surfaces I've no doubt it would get very loud on a busy night as it easily seats 20, and would hold 50 easily. The original Root Down seats about 8. Don't go here if you listen to records and like small intimate places where the owners really know their product, or, if you are indeed looking for the original Cafe and Bar Root Down. UPDATE AFTER THE OWNER'S RESPONSE: I accept one correction. The Root Down group did not begin in 2021. Published information gives their first Root Down in Beijing as May 2020, followed by Shanghai in December 2020 and Tokyo in 2026. The original Cafe & Bar Root Down opened in December 2008 and has operated in Tokyo under the Root Down name ever since. ROOT DOWN TOKYO opened here in 2026. I am not claiming that the owners copied the other bar's décor, equipment or business model, and I cannot prove deliberate manipulation of search results, so I withdraw that suggestion. My criticism is the very real customer confusion created by opening another record/Hi-Fi listening bar in Tokyo using the distinctive name “Root Down.” I was looking for the long-established Kanda Root Down, searched for it, and ended up here instead. That isn't hypothetical confusion — it actually happened. The owners say they had never heard of the Kanda Root Down until reading my review. I have no way of disproving that. However, their own publicity describes their business as deriving from Japanese listening-bar culture, and the Japanese co-founder of the Tokyo venue had previous listening-bar experience in Tokyo. I therefore find it extraordinary that nobody discovered an established Tokyo music bar called Root Down before launching Root Down Tokyo. Whether the naming was intentional is beside the point. Whatever the intention, the potential for confusion exists, and my experience demonstrates it.
We came in on a whim after a night in Harajuku. The Master of the establishment was very kind and knowledgeable about the various spirits. We had great conversation and drinks. The atmosphere was wonderful. We would recommend to anyone wanting a relaxed vibe and good drinks.
Words cannot describe what an experience we had here! Matsu and Minku provided the highlight of our trip. We surprised them on a soft-opening night and ended up talking for many hours! They kept the music going all night and the cocktails that Matsu crafted were out. of. this. world. This is a MUST visit if you are in Tokyo!
Such a great atmosphere! Amazing music and vibes The owner and staff were amazing. We had such great conversations and the drinks were so good. Make this a stop!!!
