Almanac

Overall, Almanac has a lot going for it, especially the food, cocktails, and service. The cocktails were well crafted and enjoyable. The salmon was very good, and the tofu dish was packed with flavor. The octopus was nicely cooked and had a great smoky taste, though the toast pairing felt a bit odd. The scallop dish was decent, but the scallops themselves were hard to taste. The otoro was excellent, and the uni paired well with it, providing a nice contrast to the sweetness of the otoro. The main downside of the evening was the initial seating experience. The hostess placed us at a table that was noticeably smaller than the others, much lower to the ground, and almost looked like a small side table you would find in a waiting area. It was also positioned directly next to and below where coats were hanging. This table was the only one in the restaurant that was different from all the others. When we asked if we could be moved, we were told that all tables were the same and that the others were reserved. This was frustrating because we had a reservation ourselves and could clearly see that the tables were not the same. To make it worse, one of the “reserved” tables remained vacant for our entire visit, which made it feel like we were not being given an honest explanation. Fortunately, the experience improved significantly thanks to our server, Westly. He was professional, knowledgeable, and genuinely helped turn the evening around. His service made a noticeable difference and is the reason this still earns a solid four-star rating.

One of my favorite cocktail bars I have ever been too! They hospitality is very warm and friendly, the vibes are super comfortable, and the playlist is perfect. The drinks are Japanese-focused and nicely spans the spectrum of drinks - long/spritzy, sours, dark/stirred. Would strongly recommend the omakase option as well! Reservations would be very helpful, but we were able to snag a seat for three with only a 20 minute wait on a Saturday night.

We didn't get out much the holiday season but we are happy we got to Almanac. It was a romantic evening where we enjoyed fine cocktails and good food. The cocktails were first-rate and included, for us both, Japanese whiskey and gin versions of classics as well as in-house creations. The Japanese inspired dishes were all well done and the detail given to the ingredients impressive (many of the fresh ones brought in from Japan). Most enjoyed were the cucumber and fries snacks that we tried and the wagyu hot dog. The Toro Tako was also very good. Service was very good and helpful. The small dark space lended to the intimacy. but due to the shape of the room most people are looking a wall, beyond their partner, and feels like you are in a hallway. Reservations can be made for the Almanac and are suggested.

We had a lovely evening here! Perfect atmosphere. All the cocktails we ordered were absolutely outstanding and worth the hype. It is evident that lots of thought was put into each drink. We got a couple of snacks, the agedashi tofu tempura was not for me but the chicken wings were fantastic. This is definitely not a place you just walk in and grab a drink but if you want a unique experience you will be rewarded.

Highest ranked Speakeasy I could find so I headed that way. Turns out, there was a wait so I made a reservation through OpenTable. 5 mins later I was pinged my spot at the bar was available. I was informed there were rules… no flash photography and no phone calls. I love these rules! I met Beau the bartender and he was incredibly kind and informative… you know like one of those people that are so passionate about their craft it gets you hyped just listening to them? That’s Beau. My cocktails were incredible and Beau took me on a journey explaining how the ingredients were made for each one. Top notch experience.

Make your reservation yesterday. Almanac is an experience start to finish - I went last night to celebrate the end of a work project and am STILL marveling at their ability to curate an attentive, delicious, and above all calming experience for their guests. I have been to cocktail bars in Japan - Almanac captures the sense of expertise, place, dedication to the craft, and presence, but adds in a white-glove service more similar to a Michelin or bib gourmand restaurant. All ‘ground rules’ (no flash photography, don’t take phone calls, 2 hr limit) are established before you’re brought upstairs. The space is small and intimate, and the emphasis on seasonality is clear in the menu. Our server (Wesley) was serene and attentive, and was very helpful as we planned the flow of our dining experience. Our favorite food item was the Spicy Bay Scallop Crispy Rice, but every food was delicious and the perfect size. It’s clear that you’re expected to opt for multiple food choices and at least 2 cocktails as you relax and enjoy. Throughout the course of the night, I texted no less than four people about Almanac and recommended that they go - and I think you should, too. You deserve it. You’ll leave feeling very doted on, and very full. Can’t wait to return!

Talk to the host in Ogawa. They will bring you upstairs. Finding the place was very confusing. I knew the restaurant name but not the logo. I ended up walking by twice. The side door on the right with the sign to talk to Ogawa host was also missed because the door was open. Great service, friendly staff, good food, knowledgeable about drinks. Did walk-in on a Friday at 5pm. I was the first seated at the bar. By the time I was leaving, all five walk-in seats were full. Fermented Grapefruit Soda $8 have you ever had the Chinese white fermented bean curds? If you like that, which I do, you'd enjoy the drink. Otherwise, I would hard pass. If I didn't grow up with this taste I'm not sure if I would have liked it lol Wagyu Hotdog $14 (Tonkatsu Sauce, Japanese Slaw, Bonito Flakes, Nori) - was a bit disappointed it just came out on regular hotdog bread. Otherwise, the beef had a nice bite, the Japanese slaw was a good mix with the saltiness of the tonkatsu sauce Yuzu Miso Glazed Wings $14 (Miso, Yuzu, Sriracha, Mayo) - the wings came out hot and crispy. A nice surprising kick from the sriracha. I only had one and took the rest home. The sauce was good the next day cold as well Overall, good experience

Such a fun vibe! The host was so friendly. Fantastic bartender who walked us through basically the whole menu. The drinks were AMAZING. So much made fresh and in-house.

New favorite! I fell in love with their cocktails' menu. It rotates seasonally so I don't remember the names of the cocktails and guess I should have taken a picture. Really pleasant bartenders and staff. They use a lot of unique ingredients like Yuzu, Japanese sweet potato, Wasabi and Matcha (to name a few). Handcrafted and innovative are just a couple of adjectives that come to mind. We had 4 cocktails and every one of them was delicious. The bar is reminiscent of an Apothecary. Dark, intimate and romantic. The food was as good as the cocktails. Tofu sliders were juicy and scrumptious while the Wasabi fries added an enjoyable kick. Next time we plan to try more things on the menu. Sitting at the bar, sipping on the exquisite cocktails was like living Shakespeare's quote from Romeo and Juliet: "O true apothecary, thy drugs are quick". Not to state the obvious but we will definitely be back!

Delicious drinks- had matcha cocktail and they also do omakase cocktails that they make personal to you. Bartender so knowledgeable. We were able to do walk in and sit at the bar Awesome playlist too they have a Spotify!

This spot is so cool! The vibes and the ambiance are the best part. Almost speak easy-like. The menu is small, but great quality. We ordered everything on the menu. My favorite were the wasabi dusted French fries! Also, don't miss the DRINK omakase! I've never done this before, such a fun experience. Your drink gets made tailored directly to you and your taste. The one thing I'll mention that could have been better was the service. The servers were very nice, but one of our drinks was made incorrectly and one sandwich took very long to come out. So long in fact that we went over our 90 minute dining time slot and thought they forgot about the sandwich all together. I understand things happen and the restaurant is new, so maybe things are still a bit rocky.

The food was excellent! The fries were a standout--if you like wasabi, you'll love them. As someone who rarely eats hotdogs, the wagyu hotdog was a delightful surprise, and the cucumbers and celery were crisp and flavorful. The drinks were creative, and my partner enjoyed the drink omakase, where they craft a custom drink based on fun questions like "What season would your drink be?" It was a unique experience. Service was slow, with only one bartender, and we were brought the wrong drink, which delayed the correct one until our second round. We were charged for the mistake, which felt odd. The ambiance is cool but highly structured, with strict seating policies and a 90-minute limit. Overall, it was good, but I likely wouldn't return.

Almanac is excellent! Very cool Japanese themed bar with a small number of inmate tables. Our server was very pleasant and very knowledgeable of the food and drink menu. We shared a few small plates, including their Wagyu hot dog, and cocktails. We'll definitely be back! :)

Wow! Came here on Friday night for a pre show happy hour and nosh. What. A. Vibe! This is located above Ogawa Restaurant and they are available on OpenTable for reservations, which I recommend! They seat about 21 people and then only 5 spots at the bar for walk ins. The details from the wallpaper to wood & leather chairs are gorgeous. Eli was our waitstaff and guided us through the really great hyper seasonal beverage options. They anticipate that it will change at least monthly if not more than that. Also, many of the drink ingredients are being grown specifically for the bar!! I thought very cool. The drinks and everything are based on the book, Slow Drinks, and this really is a place to enjoy the drink and not just rush through the cocktail. (And I wouldn't want to because most drinks are like 20-25 dollars each!) We had two drinks each, and each one was delicious and very different flavor palate then we thought. Love the creativity here. Anyway, food wise we tried the cucumbers, miso wings, and then two specials. A panko tofu slider and wasabi coated fries with nori. I think everything was 10/10. Really tasty and flavorful. Not too much or overbearing. I'm looking forward to returning to enjoy the extensive Japanese whiskey they offer and more of the seasonal drinks throughout the year.

This place is cool. I really like the vibe - it's dark, moderately loud, sexy, but chill. It's small so there are seating limits to allow a rotation of people. The food is really good. We came here one night after a dinner we didn't like and had second dinner - it was way better that we came back a few weeks later mostly for the food. The service is good but slow. There's one waitstaff for about 10 tables and the drinks can be crafted omakase style, which requires tailoring and time. I do appreciate that this bar has mocktail options and it was crafted to my taste buds! Overall, would go back! I just hope the service can become more efficient.

You definitely got a weird vibe to you, sweetheart... 20 minutes for a cocktail at a cocktail bar is abnormal when there's only 21 seats... cocktails were odd and expensive. We should have listened to the girl who warned us that the cocktails were poison when we walked in.

This place was so lovely! Located above Ogawa, intimately lit and great jams, Almanac sets it all up for a lovely evening with friends or a partner. Our waiter Eli, who was running the whole front end, did an AMAZING job educating us as first timers about Almanac and the hyper seasonal menu. With so many great picks for the Pine Moon season, it was hard to choose a single cocktail, so I opted for their standard Omakase cocktail. I answered a few questions about things I like/dislike, they take it to the back and out comes an exciting and mysterious curated cocktail. It was a very fun experience, especially at a place where you know everything is going to be good. My cocktail was a whiskey high ball (which is so fun that they have a suntory whiskey highball machine) which was light, refreshing, and with lots of nuanced flavours on the tail end. I also ended up getting their rendition of an espresso martini, the Kyōto Red Eye, which likely stands to be the best espresso martini I've ever had. Eli was super educated on all the drinks and their ingredients and taught us a lot, as someone who wasn't totally familiar with a lot of the japanese ingredients, he even let us try some of the raw sugar that went into the drink! His passion really elevated an already wonderful experience. Fun Fact! Since they don't allow flash photography, they give you a fun light if you opt to photograph your drink, which is a super fun detail. All in all, this was an INCREDIBLE experience, would come here once a week if I could.

Staff is so incredibly friendly - Jordan and Jonathan in particular made it a point to connect with guests and make them feel welcome in the spot!

Memorable and romantic date night experience. From the hot towels to the pine water and the flavorful drinks and beautifully executed plates, this made for the perfect place for my husband and I to really reconnect for the first time since we had our second child. Great food, great drinks, great night!