Bar Big In Japan draws praise for a sultry, intimate speakeasy vibe, moody lighting, and unique decor with bottles hanging from the ceiling, making the unmarked entrance easy to miss. The cocktails are frequently described as well crafted and strong, with favorites like Fleur de Sureau and Tokyo mule; several reviews note attentive service, though a few guests found the staff unapproachable or the service slow when the bar was busy. The atmosphere is celebrated as perfect for dates and small gatherings, with jazz and subdued ambiance aiding conversation, though some mention the music being a touch loud in a small space. A few notes highlight where experiences vary: certain drinks miss expected flavors, espresso martinis arriving with coffee grounds on top, and heat from HVAC or crowds can dampen comfort; some critics also dislike upfront payment or card-hold policies. The spot is widely praised as a hidden gem with a drink-focused program rather than a food destination, offering good value during promos and a memorable, stylish night out, even if weekend lines form and the crowd can be lively. Overall Bar Big In Japan is recommended for those seeking a chic, intimate night out with a standout ambiance.
Tucked away in a relatively quiet corner, the bar provides a relaxed atmosphere that makes an ideal speakeasy. That said, the drinks were a little lacklustre.
Big in Japan has been around for ages but it was our first time visiting on a Friday evening. No wait at 7:30pm, small lineup when we left two hours later. The atmosphere is dark, moody, not too loud, but very warm inside. Cocktails are $12.00 to $20.00.
- Saké sour ($16.00) - best of our three drinks
- Tokyo mule ($12.00)
- El jimador ($18.00)
We had two espresso martinis with a side of spicy olives… nothing better than that. The music was insane, the setting the lighting everything was beautiful. Jono our server made our experience oh so lovely. Such joy in this bar & a beautiful experience
Oct 3, 2025
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Cool spot! It is HOT in there. If you are someone that overheats easily, best to avoid. The drinks are good with a balanced flavour & feel. The decor is interesting & subtle. The napkins don't seem to match the register of the rest of the space.
The margarita wasn't great, we were not allowed to swap to a martini & when we said what would make the marg better they gave us a side of lime juice to fix ourselves. For a cocktail bar I didn't think that matched the level of service we were expecting from the management. Ambiance is good & the wait staff were good but not a great experience.
Above all, in my opinion, the place is best for it's atmosphere. Truly great for dates. Easy to have intimate conversation with one other guest, but the volume made it difficult for coverings of 3+ guests.
Entered through unsuspecting black door to the right of patita, proceeded down the very dark hallway with an obsolete payphone toward the dimly lit area behind the curtains.
Worth noting the interesting design of the majority of seating was effectively at counters served similarly to a traditional U-Shaped bar instead of service from over the shoulder.
Our primaryserver Lawson was a treat although there appeared to be a team of 4 working together.
Unfortunately, to no fault if the te1m on hand, the HVAC was out making the entire establishment very hot in early September. Service staff was visibly challenged by this with bowties tied & sleeves rolled up. One sole individual kept his black tux coat on through service.
Given the unforseen circumstances, it appeared that most parties stayed for only one round & left quickly. Itt us unclear if this is the normal standard of the enviroment & service style. If the establishment wanted to keep guests hour more than one round,I would expect that glasses of water would not be so difficult to acquire upon request.
Drinks themselves were clever in inspiration & design. Execution was questionable as garnished fruit & herb were found fully submerged defeating any sense of purpose or intentionality behind what aromas & visuals the garnishes might bring to the cocktails. Nevertheless, the menu was written well albeit difficult to see in the dim light.
I would highly recommend for a stop on a date night.
I've been drinking in Japan, & I've been to Japan-themed establishments in other countries, & I was looking forward to this bar. But unfortunately I was sorely disappointed.
From the moment I entered, the host was quite unfriendly. He gave me an air of not wanting me there.
From the photos, the place looks like a bar, meaning very few tables & good for socializing, which was what I was looking for. It had'mood lighting', meaning dimly, but sufficiently, lit. Unfortunately the host sat me at a table in the back of the bar with literally no lighting, so I couldn't even read the menu. I turned on my phone flashlight to try to order something & was told I couldn't use that, & was instead handed a dim light to try to read the menu with. I asked for a seat at the bar, & was told I would get one when one became available, but my request was swiftly forgotten; I did not get a seat at the bar the entire visit.
The bar has a large number of Japanese whiskey bottles hanging from the ceiling. Unfortunately, their selection is basic at best. They have Toki, Nikki From the Barrel, & unmarked (no year) versions of Yamazaki & Hibiki, along with a few other usual things that can be found at any Japanese themed bar or Izakaya, nothing special. The menu says to ask for the sake selection; when I did, I was told they had a Ginjo house sake, Mio, & Sayuri, the most basic of selections available at any liquor store & not worth going out for. The markup was also fairly high on these.
The cocktail menu did not read Japanese at all, it was all Negronis & Palomas & Old Fashioneds & so on. I was expecting at least a Nama Lemon Sour, maybe something Matcha-infused, something with Yuzu, I don't know. But the cocktail menu read like it could have been any British pub or street bar, nothing uniquely Japanese at all.
Aside from the 7 or 8 selections of Japanese whiskey & the'please ask' selection of extremely basic sake offerings, the entire menu was not Japanese at all. They have a whiskey selection, mostly American or Scotch, & a wine selection, mostly French; not what I was expecting from a Japanese-themed establishment.
Honestly, this place was a miss on every level. The only reason I'm giving them a 2 & not a 1 is because the decor was nice, & our waitress, despite being new & not knowledgeable, was friendly & gave decent service (between being repeatedly hounded by the host for various tasks). But if I was going for a night out with high class drinks & a good atmosphere, this would not be a place I would recommend.
Hands down, one of the most refined speakeasies in Montreal. This beautiful modern bar with a unique layout that could possibly sit up to 50 people is tucked behind a long hallway. Our server Sophie was very friendly & when I couldn't figure out what type of drink I should get, she made it her mission to brainstorm with the bartender to curate the perfect drink for me.
