Located a few minutes’ walk from Shibuya Station, Yata may be a (sake) standing bar but it’s not one of the usual run-of-the-mill, rough-around-the-edges sort. It’s an elegant, modern space: the cool, polished concrete interior is accentuated with warm timber details, soft lighting and stylish glassware, set against a soundtrack of jazz music and presided over by friendly and knowledgeable staff.
Yata is a welcoming space where even lone visitors will feel at ease - in fact, there are many solo drinkers who come here for the excellent and reasonably priced selection of sake. Opt to drink by the glass (¥500), or go for the 60-minute all-you-can-drink deal at ¥2,000. There’s a range of tasty, creative bar snacks, too, priced at a pocket-friendly ¥500: think mixed cheese plate, grilled baby squid, cheese pickled in sake lees, and cured meats.