How Jesse, co-owner of Sen restaurant in Sag Harbor, does Tokyo:

Tippy-Top to Bottoms Up 

Anthony Bourdain had a knack for finding the best spots, and when it came to Omoide Yokocho (Memory Lane), he drank at Albatross – a bar that’s easy to miss but impossible to forget.

The pro move here? Go all the way up. The third floor is where it’s at. 

Taking Your Life in Your Hands (For a Great Drink)

Getting to the top feels like an adventure in itself. Five seats on the ground floor. A few more up a rickety staircase that is crammed, narrow, a little dicey. You get to the second floor that feels cool but it’s still not where you want to be.

You must arrive to the third floor. That’s when you get the view.

You’re perched above all of Omoide Yokocho, looking down into the smokey, lantern-lit alleyway – a vantage point you don’t get anywhere else.

Inside Tip 📌

Albatross has a solid cocktail game, but this is where you drink Japanese whisky. And if you’re used to prices in the US, you will understand why.

A Yamazaki 18 in the US will go for $250 a pour. At Albatross? More like $40.

NB

Albatross has several locations. The one that I'm recommending is in Omoide Yokocho by Shinjuku Station.

Contact

🌐 Alba‑S

About Jesse

This card is by Jesse Matsuoka, a Hamptons resident of over 25 years. Jesse is a sake sommelier, Tip Top Hospitality partner, and co-owner of Sen, a legendary Japanese restaurant in Sag Harbor. Jesse was born in Manhattan, grew up in Tokyo, Hawaii, and Sag Harbor, and is now married to a third-generation Montauker.

Lead-in Image

Shinjuku Nishiguchi Shopping District Promotion Association / Official Site