UKATSU

BAR UKATSU sits on the 5th street of Shinjuku Golden-Gai at 1-1-7 Kabukicho, and in May 2025 it celebrated its 21st anniversary. Mama E (Kumiko Iizuka), who honed her craft working in Ni-chome before striking out on her own, built the space almost entirely by hand with the help of friends—stone walls, the counter, bottle racks, and even a restroom that regulars call "unlike anything else in the neighborhood." Music has no fixed genre; it shifts with the mood and the crowd. Mama E's unguarded warmth draws a loyal mix of guests from their twenties to well beyond, decade after decade. Slip in solo and conversation starts almost immediately across the counter. It's a gentle introduction to Golden-Gai for first-timers, and a reliable refuge for anyone who just wants to drink without pretense. Open Monday through Saturday from 7 p.m. until around 1–2 a.m. Push open the door, and Mama E's energy will take it from there.