Marugin is an old-school izakaya underneath the JR line tracks between Ginza and Shinbashi. Ordinarily, pubs under train tracks are a pokey affair, but Marugin is surprisingly spacious. And it needs to be – the bar gets busy after 7pm, so we recommend going shortly after it opens at 5pm. Although Marugin calls itself a standing bar, there are plenty of tables to sit at, or you can gather around the central bar and watch the staff grill the house speciality: yakitori chicken skewers (from ¥143 per skewer).
There’s a detailed English menu with pictures, but if you’re confident with your Japanese, check out the card of seasonal recommendations. From special cuts of meat to simple bar snacks, the recommended dishes are all designed to pair with the rotating list of sake (from ¥328 per glass) on the back of the card.
If you’re looking for whisky highballs, you’ve come to the right place. There’s an array of fancier highballs on offer (all from ¥438), but the signature Marugin Highball is the most popular, featuring yuzu, honey, ginger and whisky. It’s tart, refreshing and dangerously easy to drink. Lemon sours – and sours using other types of citrus – are also available for ¥548 each, while beer on tap starts at ¥614 per glass. Whether you’re stopping by for a quick drink or spending an evening here, Marugin is one of Ginza’s best affordable izakaya.