Amazing, inventive cocktails! The bartender/owner is so friendly - we had a great time! Will definitely come back on our next trip to Kyoto.

Warning: they charge you whatever they want!! Drinks: we had tequila sunrise and martini from the menu and they were good. We then ordered White Russian off the menu and it was off balance - too sweet. Atmosphere and service: good service and classic atmosphere. Very small. The bartender speaks a little bit English. Price: - cover fee: we paid 600 yen per person cover fee i.e. 600 yen per person just to sit there. - there’s no clear price on the menu. They only have a small “900~” on the page which means each drink on the page is minimum 900 yen. As in how much exactly for a specific drink is unknown. They can charge you however much they want based on their mood or how you are dressed I guess. - The final bill came with only a final amount. We had to ask for the itemized bill specifically which is also hand written with the name of the items unclear. Overall the drinks were ok, but we found the pricing quite shady. There’s no agreed fixed price before entering the “purchase contract”. Later the bartender told us this is the Japanese norm, which was questionable. It’s not our first day in Japan and a business should have transparent pricing for all customers.

This cozy bar is a hidden gem! The warm ambiance creates the perfect setting for a relaxing evening. The involved barman adds a personal touch, crafting drinks with precision and a friendly demeanor. It's the ideal spot for those seeking a laid-back atmosphere and exceptional service.

Lovely atmosphere, and fantastic service by Tsubasa! Very friendly with great drink recommendations (whisky and gin, but he seems very knowledgeable about whatever you may like!)

Nice place to have a drink. Bartender was friendly. Made something special for my birthday.

Feels like a speakeasy and Tsubasa is a great host!! You can just describe what you want and he makes it! We came back 2 nights in a row and will probably will be back tomorrow too!!

Lovely, low-lit bar with a great atmosphere and a charming owner who took the time to give us a tasting session of Japanese whiskies with added -- and interesting -- history lesson.

Nice Bar, but extremely expensive. The drinks were great but my partner and I had 5 drinks each (nothing super fancy...Ballantines whiskey, Suntory highballs, couple of Japanese normal whiskies) and ended up paying 20,000yen. That comes to roughly 2000 yen a drink, which if strictly top-top shelf stuff could be the case, but not Ballantines and Suntory. The atmosphere was great and the bartender really nice, but the final price felt like a punch to the gut.

We had to walk out. The bartender kept dipping a spoon to taste the cocktail into our drinks then into his mouth and did it repeatedly four times. Same spoon, into his mouth and into our drinks. For a 1200 yen cocktail experience this is not good. We could hear him angrily slamming all the glassware as we left. Just super sketchy.

Lovely time here. It's a whiskey bar first and foremost, but I went for some beer. They had a Japanese craft beer that was wonderful. Very nice inside, clean, great service. Bartenders are excellent at what they do.

This bar came highly recommended by a friend who visited several years ago. We visited again with him recently and it definitely lived up to expectations! This place has a great atmosphere, delicious drinks and the owner is super friendly. We had such a great time chatting with him, we went twice during our four days in Kyoto :)

Great little bar with a cool atmosphere and large selection of drinks. The owner himself works behind the bar and has an extensive knowledge of liquors and wines, as a trained sommelier. He will tailor cocktails to your taste and give you some awesome recommendations. You can also ask him to help you order some food (tempura) from the restaurant downstairs, to be delivered right to your seat in the bar!

This is a very small and special bar with games and great service. You can borrow video games at the bar tv or even board games. Many games are in Japanese but some are not. The super nice bartender was knowledgeable about the games and taught us one over drinks! Very nice Japanese gin & tonic. Ok to smoke inside the bar. The bar felt classy and relaxed at the same time. Bar is upstairs and down a short hallway which felt adventurous.

Had a great evening at the bar. Really nice people and had the best Mojito’s we’ve ever had (also the Kyoto gin was amazing as well)!

Nice place, with a powerfull barman and good gin tonic ☺️

Nice, cozy, small bar with attentive bartender, a nice drink list and a plethora of games in English and Japanese. This bar has a speakeasy feel. The only complaint is that my group had to sit at the bar as the tables (only 2) were already filled with people playing games! Cocktails are 800 yen.

Great bar for drinks and boardgames. Most are obviously in Japanese, however there are a few that are also in English and some well known ones that will be easy to find the instructions online. Tsubasa was a friendly and welcoming host and introduced us to a wonderful Kyoto Gin. Hopefully we'll get to visit again before we leave!

We discovered some Japanese gins and cocktails that we really enjoyed in a nice relaxing athmosphere.

Go here for an experience. Owner is very knowledgeable and passionate. As a bar manager it was great to share our experiences and knowledge of alcohol with each other. I left here learning something knew and finding someone who is as passionate about this craft as I am. Definitely bringing him Blanton’s and Booker’s the next time we are in Kyoto!!!

Tsubasa is an amazing bartender and sommelier, awesome spot for cozy drinks and really good japanese whiskey.

The bar was empty on a Sunday night and we were a little worried but the bartender, Tsubasa-san was incredible at his job. He made amazing drinks the whole night. I asked him for a different cocktail with the interesting gin in my wife's gin and tonic and i saw him go contemplate his wall of liquors. He produced an incredible matcha espresso martini. We only have one more night in Kyoto and when he said that was his night off, I got depressed that we couldn't spend another night at this bar. He recommended liquors, whiskeys, and board games. Cannot recommend this place enough. The price I'm putting is for like five drinks each - some of which were expensive whiskeys. This place rules.

If you are looking for an evening in Kyoto with innovative cocktails or incredible whisky, Bar Dots is where you should go. If you are not used to speakeasy / whisky bars in Japan, then the cover charge may confuse you; let me assure you, it is worth it for Bar Dots. The bartender on staff the evening I visited, Tsubasa-san, is an incredibly personable, knowledgeable, and experienced bartender. Our first cocktails were ordered off the menu, but soon after Tsubasa-san was recommending local gin + whisky and crafting delicious bespoke cocktails with them. Personally, I am a fan of whisky, particularly scotch. With regards to whisky, Tsubasa-san is clearly an expert with broad knowledge of different kinds of whisky and will find something that will interest you. We had a wonderful time chatting about Scottish distilleries like Kilchoman + Glenmorangie and Japanese distilleries like Sakurao. I look forward to when I next visit Kyoto and can visit this bar again! I will be recommending Bar Dots when people I know visit Kyoto!

Wouldn’t recommend. Got to star bar Kyoto. Best cocktails I’ve had.

Great night tonight!! The cocktails were amazing, see picture of a strawberry style old fashion with Japanese whiskey by Tsubasa (the bartender). The atmosphere was warm and intimate. I made new friends playing fun card games despite being clueless about Japanese speaking. I will remember this night in Kyoto and recommend everyone to experience it! Thanks Tsubasa and Co. for this :).