How does this sound for a night out? Low lighting, the clink of ice cubes swaying in a highball, murmurations softened by bar interiors designed to mimic a recording studio, and a trembling jazz track rolling through Bowers & Wilkins 1976 speakers. Listening bars - a concept that developed in Japan during the post-war years, when cash-strapped jazz lovers wanted to listen to the latest record drop on a communal sound system - are back, and they're better than ever.
The next step in a worldwide reappreciation of LPs, these sophisticated drinking dens are popping up globally. And while you'll find serious audiophiles cooing over sound systems, those with no knowledge of tube amp technicalities can take a table, too. It's an elegant approach to an evening on the tiles - one that feels more like a visit to a friend's living room than the kind that involves a sweaty slog on the dance floor - as venues switch on the speakers and drop the needle in cities worldwide, pairing first-class cocktails with everything from Afrobeat to jazz.
All ears? Here are 11 of the best listening bars in London and beyond.
The next step in a worldwide reappreciation of LPs, these sophisticated drinking dens are popping up globally. And while you'll find serious audiophiles cooing over sound systems, those with no knowledge of tube amp technicalities can take a table, too. It's an elegant approach to an evening on the tiles - one that feels more like a visit to a friend's living room than the kind that involves a sweaty slog on the dance floor - as venues switch on the speakers and drop the needle in cities worldwide, pairing first-class cocktails with everything from Afrobeat to jazz.
All ears? Here are 11 of the best listening bars in London and beyond.
Jazu | Credit: Will Long
After residencies and pop-ups across south London, Jazu’s long-awaited permanent Deptford home keeps things simple – a sleek, low-key bar housing a 3,000-strong vinyl collection, plus disco ball. Founders Rosie Robertson, Jimmy Hanmer and Scott Addison curate an intimate, music-focused space with a top-tier sound system – and drinks to match. Menu highlights include agave-based classics, a funky disco sour, and, for the bold, tequila verdita shots with a mango-chilli chaser.
2 Deptford High St, London SE8 4AF; jazudrinks.com
This Rue Saint-Sébastien wine joint has become a late-night hit among the French culinary crowd, thanks to its elegant, wood-fired food offering. A regularly change menu might include pigeon with harissa tomato sauce, smoked ricotta ravioli or charred white asparagus with blood oranges and cockles, all served until 11pm. The music continues until two, with the bar operating a "good vibes only" code, cranking up its beautiful midcentury speakers and spinning records from restaurateur Fabien Lombardi's personal vinyl collection (displayed behind the bar).
25 Rue Saint-Sébastien, Paris 75011, France; bambinoparis.com
Jazu
London, UK
After residencies and pop-ups across south London, Jazu’s long-awaited permanent Deptford home keeps things simple – a sleek, low-key bar housing a 3,000-strong vinyl collection, plus disco ball. Founders Rosie Robertson, Jimmy Hanmer and Scott Addison curate an intimate, music-focused space with a top-tier sound system – and drinks to match. Menu highlights include agave-based classics, a funky disco sour, and, for the bold, tequila verdita shots with a mango-chilli chaser.
2 Deptford High St, London SE8 4AF; jazudrinks.com
Bambino
Paris, France
This Rue Saint-Sébastien wine joint has become a late-night hit among the French culinary crowd, thanks to its elegant, wood-fired food offering. A regularly change menu might include pigeon with harissa tomato sauce, smoked ricotta ravioli or charred white asparagus with blood oranges and cockles, all served until 11pm. The music continues until two, with the bar operating a "good vibes only" code, cranking up its beautiful midcentury speakers and spinning records from restaurateur Fabien Lombardi's personal vinyl collection (displayed behind the bar).
25 Rue Saint-Sébastien, Paris 75011, France; bambinoparis.com
The Kissaten | Credit: Charlie McKay
For a musical experience akin to holy ascension, you’ll want to head to The Kissaten. Located in a former convent dating back to the 17th century, the softly lit bar pairs Japanese traditions with warm Portuguese hospitality, while taking much inspiration from its London sibling, Spiritland (another listening bar in the UK capital worth visiting). It’s home to Lisbon’s largest whisky selection, and cult German turntables EMT 948s – which, in their past life, were in service at London’s now-closed Plastic People nightclub.
Locke de Santa Joana, R de Santa Marta 61, Lisbon 1150-294, Portugal; thekissaten.pt
Expect to start the night dining with friends and end it with you all on the dancefloor in the early hours at London Fields’ Bambi – it’s the kind of bar you can linger in from sunset onwards, like a (very) elegant house party. On the menu? Sharing plates (this is east London), from deep-fried brussels sprouts to trout tartare and chicken wings slick with a fish sauce caramel. Drinks, meanwhile, include a quartet of house margaritas, classic aperitifs and a solid selection of no/low options.
Netil House, 1 Westgate St, London E8 3RL, UK; bambi-bar.com
The Kissaten
Lisbon, Portugal
For a musical experience akin to holy ascension, you’ll want to head to The Kissaten. Located in a former convent dating back to the 17th century, the softly lit bar pairs Japanese traditions with warm Portuguese hospitality, while taking much inspiration from its London sibling, Spiritland (another listening bar in the UK capital worth visiting). It’s home to Lisbon’s largest whisky selection, and cult German turntables EMT 948s – which, in their past life, were in service at London’s now-closed Plastic People nightclub.
Locke de Santa Joana, R de Santa Marta 61, Lisbon 1150-294, Portugal; thekissaten.pt
Bambi
London, UK
Expect to start the night dining with friends and end it with you all on the dancefloor in the early hours at London Fields’ Bambi – it’s the kind of bar you can linger in from sunset onwards, like a (very) elegant house party. On the menu? Sharing plates (this is east London), from deep-fried brussels sprouts to trout tartare and chicken wings slick with a fish sauce caramel. Drinks, meanwhile, include a quartet of house margaritas, classic aperitifs and a solid selection of no/low options.
Netil House, 1 Westgate St, London E8 3RL, UK; bambi-bar.com
Unkompress’ wall of sound | Credit: Alexa Bendek
At Unkompress, music, culture and conversation collide. Tucked away on a quiet street in Berlin’s Kreuzberg, just north of Hasenheide, this sleek, intimate hangout space boasts a vinyl-lined wall (complete with Sade box set), premium decks and Klipsch speakers, setting the stage for an elevated listening experience. Regular events include album listening sessions, BYOV nights and guest sets, and the menu is equally well curated, with pour-over coffees, organic wines, mezcal, Berlin craft beers and CBD-infused drinks all up for grabs. Linger, connect and discover both new sounds and new friends.
Finchtestrasse 23, Berlin 10967, Germany; instagram.com/unkompress
Few bars can rival Matiz’ dramatic deck backdrop, where speakers frame a cityscape. This moody, 70s-inspired space features a custom three-way sound system and a balcony where, in good weather, decks sit under a parasol. Expect plenty of Brazilian acts, with DJ Nuts, Vermelho and Trepanado all regulars.
R Martins Fontes 91, República, São Paulo 07400-550, Brazil; instagram.com/matizbarsp
Unkompress
Berlin, Germany
At Unkompress, music, culture and conversation collide. Tucked away on a quiet street in Berlin’s Kreuzberg, just north of Hasenheide, this sleek, intimate hangout space boasts a vinyl-lined wall (complete with Sade box set), premium decks and Klipsch speakers, setting the stage for an elevated listening experience. Regular events include album listening sessions, BYOV nights and guest sets, and the menu is equally well curated, with pour-over coffees, organic wines, mezcal, Berlin craft beers and CBD-infused drinks all up for grabs. Linger, connect and discover both new sounds and new friends.
Finchtestrasse 23, Berlin 10967, Germany; instagram.com/unkompress
Matiz
São Paulo, Brazil
Few bars can rival Matiz’ dramatic deck backdrop, where speakers frame a cityscape. This moody, 70s-inspired space features a custom three-way sound system and a balcony where, in good weather, decks sit under a parasol. Expect plenty of Brazilian acts, with DJ Nuts, Vermelho and Trepanado all regulars.
R Martins Fontes 91, República, São Paulo 07400-550, Brazil; instagram.com/matizbarsp
Eavesdrop
Eavesdrop was inspired by co-founders Dan Wissinger and Danny Taylor’s living room. Aiming to recreate the vibe of a friendly hangout with great music and conversation, they dreamt up this Greenpoint bar. The vinyl decks act as an altar, and are surrounded by custom-built speakers and izakaya-style wooden panelling. The space is designed like a recording studio, with every detail – from speaker placement to the hum of the dishwasher – meticulously calculated to enhance the sound. Bold cocktails like absinthe-spiked vodka cranberries complement the high-end aural experience in this late-night haven.
674 Manhattan Ave, NYC 11222, US; eavesdrop.nyc
An OG. Tokyo's listening bars are the blueprint for the trend and Bar Track, in the city's Shibuya district, is a scene favourite. This spot straddles the gap between old-school salaryman haunt and hipster hangout. Amid a hazy cloud of cigarette smoke (it's still legal to smoke indoors in Japan), DJs curate the perfect jazz tracks for its impeccably tuned sound system. Highballs flow at the bar, but don’t expect chatter – unlike their western iterations, most Tokyo listening bars enforce a no-talking rule. Whisper, and you might get shushed.
3 Chome-24-9 Higashi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0011, Japan; martha-records.com/track
Eavesdrop
Brooklyn, NYC, US
Eavesdrop was inspired by co-founders Dan Wissinger and Danny Taylor’s living room. Aiming to recreate the vibe of a friendly hangout with great music and conversation, they dreamt up this Greenpoint bar. The vinyl decks act as an altar, and are surrounded by custom-built speakers and izakaya-style wooden panelling. The space is designed like a recording studio, with every detail – from speaker placement to the hum of the dishwasher – meticulously calculated to enhance the sound. Bold cocktails like absinthe-spiked vodka cranberries complement the high-end aural experience in this late-night haven.
674 Manhattan Ave, NYC 11222, US; eavesdrop.nyc
Bar Track
Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan
An OG. Tokyo's listening bars are the blueprint for the trend and Bar Track, in the city's Shibuya district, is a scene favourite. This spot straddles the gap between old-school salaryman haunt and hipster hangout. Amid a hazy cloud of cigarette smoke (it's still legal to smoke indoors in Japan), DJs curate the perfect jazz tracks for its impeccably tuned sound system. Highballs flow at the bar, but don’t expect chatter – unlike their western iterations, most Tokyo listening bars enforce a no-talking rule. Whisper, and you might get shushed.
3 Chome-24-9 Higashi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0011, Japan; martha-records.com/track
Bar Shiru, Oakland | Credit: Daniel Gahr
This hi-fi listening bar in the Bay Area is the purest iteration of the Japanese kissa to land Stateside – a vinyl-lined industrial space that centres the music as the focal point of a night. You'll hear mostly soul, jazz and groove on the sound system, with different zones, which are serviced by dedicated speakers, separated by warm-hued wooden screens and oversized images of legendary jazz artists printed on acoustic fabrics. Records are played in their entirety, and the bar menu offers Japanese whiskies, craft beers, sakes and cocktails.
1611 Telegraph Ave #100, Oakland, CA 94612, US; barshiru.com
Founded by Edo Kobayashi, this speakeasy brings Tokyo’s bar scene to Mexico City. Perch on a gold stool at the speaker-framed bar, sip sake or Japanese whiskey, and enjoy vinyl spinning through a hi-fi sound system. Cocktails feature Tokyo-inspired ingredients served in handcrafted Japanese glassware. Even the toilets are by Toto. True to Tokyo form, this analogue audio experience is invitation-only – call ahead before dropping by.
Río Pánuco 132, Cuauhtémoc, Mexico City 06500, Mexico; instagram.com/tokyomusicbar
Bar Shiru
Oakland, California, US
This hi-fi listening bar in the Bay Area is the purest iteration of the Japanese kissa to land Stateside – a vinyl-lined industrial space that centres the music as the focal point of a night. You'll hear mostly soul, jazz and groove on the sound system, with different zones, which are serviced by dedicated speakers, separated by warm-hued wooden screens and oversized images of legendary jazz artists printed on acoustic fabrics. Records are played in their entirety, and the bar menu offers Japanese whiskies, craft beers, sakes and cocktails.
1611 Telegraph Ave #100, Oakland, CA 94612, US; barshiru.com
Tokyo Music Bar
Mexico City, Mexico
Founded by Edo Kobayashi, this speakeasy brings Tokyo’s bar scene to Mexico City. Perch on a gold stool at the speaker-framed bar, sip sake or Japanese whiskey, and enjoy vinyl spinning through a hi-fi sound system. Cocktails feature Tokyo-inspired ingredients served in handcrafted Japanese glassware. Even the toilets are by Toto. True to Tokyo form, this analogue audio experience is invitation-only – call ahead before dropping by.
Río Pánuco 132, Cuauhtémoc, Mexico City 06500, Mexico; instagram.com/tokyomusicbar
Clutch Bar
Breaking away from traditional listening-bar conventions, this spacious hangout in Bangkok swaps cosy intimacy for electric energy. Retaining its warehouse roots (the name pays homage to its past as a storage space for gearing machines), Clutch combines bare concrete walls with dramatic lighting, colourful furnishings, and lush floral displays on the bar, behind which JBL speakers are mounted. Cocktails are precision-crafted and ultra-elegant – dry martinis we could sip all night long. Come for a party, and you won’t be disappointed.
867 Charoen Krung, Talat Noi, Samphanthawong, Bangkok 10100, Thailand; instagram.com/clutchbkk
Clutch Bar
Bangkok, Thailand
Breaking away from traditional listening-bar conventions, this spacious hangout in Bangkok swaps cosy intimacy for electric energy. Retaining its warehouse roots (the name pays homage to its past as a storage space for gearing machines), Clutch combines bare concrete walls with dramatic lighting, colourful furnishings, and lush floral displays on the bar, behind which JBL speakers are mounted. Cocktails are precision-crafted and ultra-elegant – dry martinis we could sip all night long. Come for a party, and you won’t be disappointed.
867 Charoen Krung, Talat Noi, Samphanthawong, Bangkok 10100, Thailand; instagram.com/clutchbkk