To find this budget-friendly standing-only bar, walk down Corridor-dori Street between Shinbashi and Ginza stations. When you see the '300' sign opposite the train tracks, descend the stairs into the basement and get ready to mingle with local salarymen, restaurant workers, lawyers and anyone else in Ginza looking for a drink.
As the name implies, everything at 300 Bar costs just ¥300 (¥330 including tax), including the cocktails, beer, wine and food. You might be expecting some catch, like a tiny menu or watered-down drinks, but one glance at the comically long cocktail list above the bar should put any fears to rest – everything here is the real deal. Crowd-pleasing party drinks are a speciality (think mojitos, margaritas and daiquiris), but there’s something for everyone. The food is classic pub grub, including tacos, nachos, fries and pizza.
To speed up service, the bar uses a ticket system, so you buy as many ¥330 tickets as you want (buy ten and you get one free) at the front counter, then queue up at the bar to order. There’s no cover charge here, but you are required to buy a minimum of three tickets on entry. Your tickets never expire, so don’t feel like you have to use them all up in one visit.
Come here on a weekend to see the bar at its rowdiest, with DJs firing up the crowd. But even on quieter nights, the vibe is friendly and approachable, so you’ll feel very much at ease here.