Kobayashi Saketen

Came across this quaint bar walking the many small alleyways of the area. Wanted a refreshment from all our sightseeing and walking so ducked in. Cocktails were very good and had some good local wines available too. Decided to order some snacks, and was so surprised to watch the server assemble and cook it immediately in front of us! We had the mackerel spring roll, grated cheese zucchini, and pickled vegetables. We watched as our bartender cut the zucchini and fry it and finish it with sauces and cheese, serving it to us directly from his work station. Nice to not have it all pre-made ahead of time.

Came here because I wanted to show my partner a range of sake and they did not disappoint! They do flights of 3-10 and the bartender kindly chose four for us based on our taste. Definitely the right way to experience nihonshu.

A very friendly guy. He makes you feel welcome since the first second you step in. Very professional and the drinks were amazinggg. Has a very broad selection of liquor.

Tucked away from the main drag in a little side alley is the best bar in Kyoto. Kobayashi Saketen serves excellent drinks and hospitality with warmth and enthusiasm. Great place to sample local beers and spirits and have friendly banter with your bartender. Highly recommend! 想找一家超酷、酒保不臭屁的bar嗎？不用再找了就趕快來這家！ Som (?), our bartender, was engaging and gave us excellent recommendations on all kinds of Japanese gin. Even though language was a bit of a barrier for us, we were able to understand each other perfectly through translation apps. The owner, Mr. Kobayashi, also popped in and out of the bar serving drinks, introducing beers to customers, and spinning jazz records. The vibe was impeccable! Come here for a quick drink before dinner or stay and have several!

Ask and you shall receive, the head bar tender hooked it up with a Corpse Reviver No.2 with local alcohols and sweet dandy was it delicious. My wife had a very solid gin and tonic with Nozawa Gin, if you are shopping in the area and find yourself thirsty this is a must stop!

Awesome new sake, cocktail, and casual great food eatery. The gin drinks are unreal! Highly recommend. Make their own beee and amazing cocktails. Really enjoyed getting to know the bar tenders too!

I visited this bar with my hubby tonight. We took a order of a gin tonic ¥800 and a cold sake ¥700 from the menu. Finally, my gin tonic was charged by ¥1815 and the cold sake for my hubby was ¥1430 which is 2.3 times of the original price. I ask the reason why the price is totally difference from the menu. The owner just said they choose the difference wine without inform us and get our consent. I think this is a trap for tourist. I strongly recommend not to go this bar as you will have a extremly bad experience in Japan.

Great bartender who has awesome taste and speaks English which was very helpful since my group only speaks a little Japanese. Great recommendations and even gave us a bar to try when we were visiting another city. Highly recommend!