Angelini

On our last night in Kyoto, my friends and I wandered the streets in search of where we could spend our final hours together. Unilocal led us to this gem a few blocks away from the tourist area, and into one of the highlights of our trip in Japan.
The décor is dark and old fashioned, the bar super tiny, the whiskey strong, and the atmosphere just magical. In some ways, it feels like time has stopped — you feel so disconnected from the rest of the world, and now it’s only time for good company and good drinks. The bartender is super sweet — he can get nervous when he’s speaking english, but if you speak slowly, he’ll understand you. He’s an architect during the day, and at night, he runs this bar solo. He is also a great chef, and whipped up for us some classic carbonara and exceptional takoyaki. He even brought out some chocolate cake for us!
The setting is so intimate that you easily start talking to other people in the bar. Some locals were in the bar at the same time as us and it was so nice to connect with people who live in the city. As foreigners, we cherish these rare moments of integration and connection.
It’s easy here to be in the moment, and isn’t that what living is about? Support small local businesses and come here! You won’t regret it.

I had the most wonderful evening at Angelini my last night in Kyoto. I wish we discovered this place earlier so that we could come back every night. Angelini represents the dreamy, lovely, and friendly spirit of Kyoto. The bartender and chef put a lot of love into our cocktails and meals, and they were all excellent. The carbonara pasta dish was DELICIOUS. He was extremely knowledgable about whiskey and had a diverse selection of all kinds of alcohol. The bar only has 7 or 8 seats, so we immediately made friends with the other locals attending the bar, who were happy to share thoughts and tips about Japan.
Great place for an intimate evening with a date or a small group of friends. As other reviewers have mentioned, language barrier isn’t a problem if you speak English slowly. Can’t wait to return to Japan and come back for more old fashions and pasta at Angelini.

My travel companions found this spot on Unilocal and we’re glad we did. The elegant and cozy bar sits seven, creating an intimate space for your friends and an easy way to make new ones. We enjoyed a selection of Japanese whiskey, as well as the chef’s expertly made carbonara and takoyaki. Every detail of the décor, food, and drink preparation suggests a deep love and care for your experience. Stop by if you’re looking for a friendly spin on class.

A very relaxed and stylish whiskey bar. The owner is an ex-​chef, specialising in Italian food, so his food is wonderful. His knowledge of whiskey is amazing too.
Seating only about seven people, you will be forced to interact with everyone else, making friends in no time. I’ve been here a few times and always met interesting people, both fun locals and varied travelers. Ask for the Angelini special, a rum-​based mix, not unlike Baileys.
A cosy, dimly-​lit whiskey bar, oozing with style, and local flavor. Thoroughly recommended place for a quiet night of drinking.

We happened upon this gem while wandering near our ryokan in the Gion district during our first night in Kyoto. Bar Angelini was exactly what the doctor ordered: a quaint little bar, six seats and a knowledgeable bartender/​owner. I especially enjoyed that we shared a love for whiskies (in fact he named the bar in homage to the Angel’s Share during whiskey distillation).
He opened his bar right next to a restaurant where he was allowed to make small meals on request. Didn’t really have a menu… more just mentioned that some of our party was hungry and he whipped up whatever he fancied. Our first evening there, he made some delicious fried octopus croquettes for the hungry among us.
We had such a good time that we came back for a second night, where Angelini (as we called him) made a delectable pasta dish and a delicious chocolate cake for dessert. Mind you he doesn’t have a formal food menu… just drew up these treats from his prior training as a local chef.
Next time I’m in Kyoto, I’ll definitely going back to this excellent watering hole.

We stumbled into this little Kyoto gem while we were looking for a bar to sit down and have some after dinner drinks. Bar Angelini is a must if you are visiting Kyoto. It is owned and run by a handsome young man who is not only a top notch bartender but also was trained as a master Italian chef. Bar Angelini is elegant and intimate with seating for about 7 – 8 people. The bar has beautiful lighting and decoration. He offers wine, beer, all types of liquor and a particularly great whiskey selection. He makes the most amazing food as well! I mentioned I was in the mood for something sweet and he disappeared to the kitchen and returned with a delicious beautifully presented chocolate dessert. Bar Angelini was exactly the place we were looking for while in Kyoto… my boyfriend and I met some other Chicago young people during our trip and they met us at Bar Angelini and we had great drinks and hung out all night with the owner and a few of his friends. It was one of my favorite experiences from my Japan trip. Visit Bar Angelini if you’re in Kyoto… you won’t regret it.

The first night in Kyoto we made some friends while walking around the shops in Gion. We were all eager to find a good bar after dinner to unwind and share a love for good whiskey. Unfortunately, Gion is pretty quiet at night (at least to a foreigner’s untrained eye) so we were very lucky when we stumbled upon Bar Angelini. We were welcomed by the incredibly sweet (if a little shy) bartender. We called him «Angelini» but I don’t know if that is his actual name.
Angelini owns both the bar and the takoyaki place attached next store. The bar itself is an intimate 7 seater with a rich copper topped bar counter. Despite being small, the bar is well stocked and Angelini is like a magician who can whip up a great cocktail and an amazing italian dinner (he trained as an italian chef).
There was a bit of a language barrier as Angelini’s english is somewhat limited. However, we bonded over good company and good drinks. I wish we could have communicated more because we loved his bar and went back twice during our trip staying several hours.
I wish Angelini all the best and success with his bar. I hope to get to visit it again when I return to Kyoto.