There are many great bars around Matsumoto Station, and I had a hard time choosing one. However, I decided on MAIN BAR COAT, which is conveniently located near the ramen shop where I had dinner. It’s an established, authentic bar in Matsumoto.
The bar is on the second floor of a historic warehouse building. You’ll need to climb a rather steep staircase to reach it. So, be careful not to slip when you leave, and try not to drink too much
They also provided a clear receipt, which made writing this post much easier!
What immediately catches your eye when you enter is the large wooden counter. It’s a beautiful piece of wood. The bar’s decor is lovely, but the heavy counter adds a sense of weight to the atmosphere. Despite this, the place feels very comfortable, and I ended up staying longer than I planned. It’s also great that the bar is completely smoke-free.
There are also table seats behind the counter, and the back bar is stocked with a wide variety of malt whiskies.
The cover charge is 800 yen. For the appetizers, the bar often serves house-made soups, and on this occasion, it was beef stew. I’m not great with Japanese-Western food (the only place I really enjoy it is Grilled SAKURA in Asakusa), but this beef stew was absolutely delicious. It wasn’t too sweet, and the rich, flavorful broth had a deep umami from the vegetables. It was so good that I almost wanted to order it as a main dish.
For my first drink, I wanted something fruity for a post-dinner dessert, so I chose the Kumquat Gin & Tonic. I’d had this drink at another bar before, but usually the kumquat flavor is just a light scent. However, this time was a surprise! They blended a huge amount of kumquats in a mixer – seriously, a lot! The result is an incredibly rich drink, almost entirely made of kumquat juice. It’s sweet and sour, like a big dose of vitamin C. It’s easy to drink like juice, but there’s quite a bit of alcohol in there!
I don’t have a particular preference, but I tend to order a French Connection at most places where I visit for the first time. It’s a cocktail made with cognac and amaretto, and it’s a strong, sweet drink. Naturally, they served me some water with it.
About
Name Main Bar Coat (メインバーコート)
Open Dinner
Reservation Available
Credit card Available
URL Website
Google Map
