HONESTY

Just a short walk from Seibu-Shinjuku Line's Nogata Station, a staircase leads up to the 2th floor, where an unhurried quiet cleanly separates guests from the bustling street below. HONESTY is an authentic bar with gently subdued lighting and a handsome, straight wooden counter stretching across the room. Fitted with wooden chairs and counter woodwork crafted by a relative of the owner—a furniture maker—the space welcomes you with an unpretentious, natural warmth.

Once seated, a good first pour is the bar's namesake original rum-based cocktail, Honesty, or a clean, classic gin and tonic. The cocktail list reveals meticulous craft in every glass, including a Beefeater-based martini with a gentle hint of sweetness drawn forward. Behind the counter, the back bar displays a tightly curated lineup of spirits, offering encounters with less common bottles such as Mellow Corn, a straight corn whiskey noted for its rich aroma of sweet grain.

Open every night except Sunday from 19:00 until late at 2:00, the bar makes a dependable port of call for a drink on the way home from work or after dinner. It is the sort of place to seek out when you want to linger over a well-made drink in quiet company.