Human and virtual sommeliers help customers pick out the perfect beer, wine, or sake in “bar with no menu.”
Thanks to Amazon’s practically limitless product lineup and fast, reliable shipping, we now live in an age where we can buy just about anything our hearts desire without ever having to leave our homes. And yet, this month, the online giant is giving Tokyoites a reason to get out of the house by opening a bar in the center of Japan’s capital.
Starting October 20, thirsty individuals can stop by the Amazon Bar in Tokyo’s Ginza neighborhood for a drink to cap a day of hard work or shopping in the elegant neighborhood. Inside the stylish space they’ll find shelves lined with dozens of varieties of beer, wine, sake, and other spirits. What they won’t find, though, are drink menus, at least not in the traditional sense.
Instead, customers use one of the tablets found in the restaurant to answer a short set of questions about their preferences and cravings, after which they’ll receive beverage recommendations that fit their tastes from among the many types of drinks on hand. Prices vary by the specific drink, but run from 500 to 1,500 yen (US$4.50-US$13.50).
There’s a similar system for food, with your first plate being complimentary and making use of ingredients sourced through Amazon’s AmazonFresh grocery delivery service. Additional food can be ordered for prices starting at 500 yen, and includes the special “red wine Pocky” chocolate pretzel sticks that Amazon will begin selling later this month.
Oh, and if you’re not satisfied with the tablet’s drink recommendations, Amazon will also have a wine expert on-site to help you pick out a varietal and vintage to please your palate, in a face-to-face version of its ordinarily online sommelier service.
However, while Amazon’s website will sell you alcohol 365 days a year, its brick-and-mortar bar is a limited-time affair, and will be open from October 20 to 29 only.
Bar information
Amazon Bar
Venue: G735 Gallery
Address: Tokyo-to, Chuo-ku, Ginza 7-3-5, Hulic Ginza 7-chome Building, 1st floor
東京都中央区銀座7-3-5 ヒューリック銀座7丁目ビル1F
Open 5 p.m.-10:30 p.m.
October 20-29
Website
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