Tokyo Club Drink Prices: beer and cocktail costs

The short version

• At Tokyo clubs, drinks run roughly ¥700–1,000 for a beer and ¥1,000–1,800 for a cocktail. Soft drinks are around ¥500–800.
• Use the drink ticket that comes with your cover first, and you’ll keep your real drink spend down.
• For a night of normal drinking, budget around ¥3,000–5,000; more if you plan to go hard.
• Payment is a mix of cash and card depending on the venue. Having cash ready is the safe bet.
• For partner-club discounts, Guest pass issues a QR on the spot.

“Are club drinks expensive?” It’s a fair thing to wonder. The short answer: not wildly so. A beer or highball runs about ¥700–1,000 a glass, not far off a regular bar around town. This guide sums up typical prices by type in a quick-reference table, then covers how to use drink tickets and how much a night of drinking runs. Once you can read the budget, you can relax and enjoy the night.

Typical drink prices

Start with the ballpark by type. It shifts a little by venue and area, but it mostly lands in these ranges.

Bottle service and VIP tables are a separate matter, priced by the bottle (from tens of thousands of yen). For how that works, see Tokyo VIP tables and bottle service.

Make the most of drink tickets

The trick to keeping your drink spend down is to use up the drink tickets you get at the door first. The cover charge often includes one or two drinks, and those tickets are as good as cash. Drink with your tickets first, then buy more if you need to — that’s the smart order.

For how tickets work and what “1D” and “2D” mean, see how to use drink tickets; for what the cover charge itself typically runs, see the Tokyo club cover charge explained.

What a night of drinking costs

For a night of normal drinking, budget around ¥3,000–5,000 per person. Here’s roughly how it breaks down.

1. Tickets first. One or two drinks on the tickets that come with your cover (effectively already paid for).
2. A few more rounds. Two or three drinks at ¥700–1,200 each comes to about ¥2,000–3,500.
3. A last drink. One more on the way out and you land around ¥3,000–5,000 total.

For your total budget for the night (cover, cloakroom and transport included), see the night-out budget guide; for payment methods, see can you pay by card or cashless? and the paying guide.

FAQ

Cash or card for drinks?

It depends on the venue. Bigger, international clubs sometimes take cards at the bar, but smaller places can be cash only. Having cash ready is the safe bet. And use up your drink tickets first.

Do I need to tip?

No. There’s no tipping custom at Japanese clubs. Pay the stated amount, or hand over a drink ticket — that’s all there is to it.

Can I buy water?

Yes — soft drinks and water go for around ¥500–800. On a long night of dancing, staying topped up on water keeps you safe.

Read the budget and drink smart

You can read your drink spend if you remember “beer ¥700–1,000, use up your tickets first, ¥3,000–5,000 for the night.” After that, just relax and enjoy. At partner clubs, a guest pass gets you in for less than usual. To find a club, see the ranked Tokyo club guide; before you head out, check know before you go.