Sushi-San's underground Dojo lounge in Lincoln Park is about to turn into a rotating stage for some of Japan's most decorated bartenders. Tokyo Last Call: Season III kicks off Thursday, Oct. 8, and runs through Nov. 8, bringing a different Japan-based bar to Chicago each weekend for a five-week run of cocktails built around House of Suntory spirits.
The series, now in its third season, is entirely Japan-based this time around, according to Lettuce Entertain You, which reports the lineup features exclusively Japanese bars: Bar Nayuta, Cocktail Stand Furek, Bar TRENCH, The Bellwood and Punch Room Tokyo. As Secret Chicago notes, a different guest bartender takes over the Dojo lounge every weekend of the run, giving Lincoln Park drinkers a rare shot at cocktails usually only available a flight away.
Each visiting bartender is serving up a four-drink menu built with spirits from House of Suntory's portfolio, including Roku Gin, Hibiki Japanese Harmony Blended Whisky, Toki Blended Whisky and Toki Black Blended Whisky, per the same account. Time Out Chicago describes the cocktails as showcasing each bar's individual approach while drawing on traditional Japanese techniques and flavors, with the Dojo itself taking on a speakeasy feel that lets guests watch the visiting bartenders work.
Who's Behind the Bar Each Week
The schedule opens Oct. 8-11 with Bar Nayuta's Hiro Nakayama, whose home bar recently moved up to No. 70 on Asia's 50 Best Bars' extended list, according to Lettuce Entertain You. Cocktail Stand Furek's Ryuichi Saito follows Oct. 15-18, then Bar TRENCH's Rogerio Igarashi Vaz takes over Oct. 22-25.
The Bellwood's Cole Nunley mans the counter Oct. 29 through Nov. 1, and the series wraps Nov. 5-8 with Yas Kawakubo of Punch Room Tokyo. Each residency runs just four days before the next bar rolls in, so anyone hoping to catch a specific bartender will need to plan around a tight window.
The $145 Master's Counter Experience
For guests who want the full treatment, there's the Master's Counter: a $145-per-person seat, plus tax and not including gratuity, right at the guest bartender's bar top. That price covers three select cocktails and a special Suntory cocktail from the week's bartender, paired with select bites from Sushi-San, along with a behind-the-scenes look at the inspiration and techniques behind each drink.
Tokyo Last Call is open Thursday through Sunday, with hours running 5 to 11 p.m. on Thursday and Sunday and 5 p.m. to midnight on Friday and Saturday. The series is 21 and older throughout its run. Time Out Chicago reports reservations are available through OpenTable and the Tokyo Last Call website.
The Team Behind the Series
Tokyo Last Call was created and is curated by Kevin Beary, Lettuce Entertain You's beverage partner, and Scott Kitsmiller, the bar manager overseeing the project. Time Out Chicago describes the pair as Chicago cocktail veterans also behind Three Dots and a Dash and the Bamboo Room. The series is presented by Davey Jones, a House of Suntory brand ambassador, rounding out a lineup that pairs local hospitality know-how with an entirely imported cast of bartenders for five weeks.
