Where Everybody Knows Your Name

Through innovation and camaraderie, Nihonbashi’s Muromachi Bar is a popular spot for Members from both clubhouses.

“When Members turn the corner and set eyes on it for the first time, they’re immediately struck by the bar’s classic East Coast art deco look and neighborhood feel,” says bartender Dash Mitchell-Moore, standing in the center of the Nihonbashi Club’s iconic Muromachi Bar.

Since opening in March 2021, Muromachi Bar & Lounge has wowed legions of visitors while cultivating a loyal clientele through its welcoming appeal and innovative menu of drinks and food. Boasting a sophisticated wood-and-brass aesthetic, the bar draws Members from both clubhouses.

For Members Rick and Amanda Wells, it’s a destination for “a special night.”

The Dallas natives appreciate the watering hole’s “old speakeasy style and upscale feel.” Amanda recommended the bar to her visiting sister and niece as an alternative to the Park Hyatt’s New York Bar, famously featured in Sofia Coppola’s film Lost in Translation.

“I told them, ‘I know it’s not in the movie, but the atmosphere, food and drinks are amazing,’” she says. “They were not disappointed.”

For Nihonbashi Member Ryan Thompson, the Muromachi Bar is a place for a social drink on his way home from work. The American is also a regular at the venue’s monthly Nihonbashi Mixer.

“We see a lot of people from Azabudai come as well, so it’s a nice introduction for both clubs,” Thompson says. “There’s space for people to meet and talk to each other.”

On the last Tuesday of each month, the Muromachi Bar offers Members a glimpse behind the curtain through its popular Cocktail Hour, where budding mixologists step behind the bar and learn to craft one of the Club’s signature drinks.

There’s just one requirement: they must don an apron. Mitchell-Moore explains that there are reasons both practical (keeping spills off clothes) and tactical for the apron.

“I want to remove any pretense that people bring in by giving them something slightly embarrassing [to wear], so they’re all on the same page,” he says.

Thompson, who regularly joins the mixology workshop, says the aprons bring “instant camaraderie.”

“You get to try all the different glassware and experiment with different shaking styles, stirring styles and garnishes,” says Rick Wells, another keen Cocktail Hour attendee. “It’s really fun to learn all these things.”

According to Mitchell-Moore, the bar team regularly shares ideas for new drinks or offers. The bar launched a weekday happy hour in the summer, and Mitchell-Moore says that he is already on his third notebook of drink recipes.

That kind of dedication doesn’t go unnoticed.

“They do a lot of their own liqueurs, where they infuse things that take 30 days or so to mature,” Rick says of the behind-the-scenes work of Mitchell-Moore and his fellow bartenders. “They’re constantly experimenting and looking at new types of drinks. It’s just fun to talk to them. They’re experts that really love their craft.”

Mitchell-Moore, who is originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, moved from Azabudai’s CHOP Steakhouse to help launch the Nihonbashi Club in 2021. Despite the early challenges presented by the pandemic (the Club was unable to serve alcohol in its first summer), the Muromachi Bar is flourishing.

“As they say in the Marines, no plan ever survives an encounter with the enemy,” Mitchell-Moore says. “Something always needs to be changed.”

At the heart of the bar’s success is that cornerstone of hospitality: personal connection.

“When you come to a place where the staff have learned your tastes and interests,” Thompson says, “that feels much nicer than just going to any old nice restaurant.”