Bars & Nightlife · Ebisu

Bar Trench バー トレンチ

Tiny Ebisu cocktail bar that helped launch Tokyo's craft-cocktail scene: absinthe, bitters and botanical drinks in a cabinet-of-curiosities room, still on Asia's 50 Best 51-100 list (No. 53 in 2026).

About

Opened in 2010 by the Small Axe team, Trench is a 23-square-metre room that feels like an apothecary: antique bottles, botanical prints and a back bar heavy with absinthe, amari and house-made bitters and tinctures. It was one of the first Tokyo bars to bring a Western craft approach and an international crowd to the city, and it has been a regular on Asia's 50 Best Bars lists for over a decade. Drinks are inventive but grounded, think herbal twists on classics and seasonal infusions, and prices are fair for the quality. The atmosphere is relaxed, with English spoken, and it is the perfect start to an Ebisu bar crawl (sister bar Tram is around the corner).

Highlights

• Pioneer of Tokyo craft cocktails since 2010
• Asia's 50 Best Bars regular, No. 53 in 2026
• Absinthe, house bitters and botanical infusions
• Apothecary-style room with antique bottles
• Two minutes from Ebisu Station

Tips

• No reservations at the main bar: arrive at opening to get a seat
• Only about eight counter seats, so small groups only
• Pair with sister absinthe bar Tram nearby
• Cash and cards accepted

Open in Google Maps · Info checked 2026-10-09

Nearby

• Bar TramBars & Nightlife · 70 m away
• Tachigui Sakaba BuriBars & Nightlife · 70 m away
• Bar OdinBars & Nightlife · 180 m away
• AFURI EbisuRamen & Noodles · 200 m away
• Ebisu YokochoIzakaya · 250 m away
• Coin Lockers · Ebisu StationLuggage Storage · 280 m away
• LIQUIDROOMLive Music & Karaoke · 280 m away
• Sarutahiko Coffee Ebisu (The Original)Café & Sweets · 300 m away