If you’ve watched enough K-dramas, you already know the scene: little green soju bottles on the table, glasses being refilled, someone getting progressively louder. Japanese shows have their own version too, with sake appearing alongside izakaya dinners and long evenings at the bar.There’s a reason these drinks keep showing up in social settings:Soju is deeply tied to Korean drinking culture and is often shared over meals, celebrations and late-night rounds.Sake has its own long-standing place in Japanese food and drinking culture, with different styles and serving temperatures changing the experience.And the taste? Soju can be clean, light and slightly sweet, while sake can range from dry and crisp to richer, fruitier styles.Mumbai has plenty of places where you can finally stop wondering what everyone on screen is drinking and try it yourself. Some lean into proper sake programmes, others bring Korean tavern culture to the table, and a few make things more playful with sake and soju cocktails.
Sake, Soju & a Slightly Tipsy Mumbai
DistrictOct 23, 2026
·5 min
You’ve seen the tiny green bottles and sake pours all over K-dramas and Japanese shows. Now you can actually drink them in Mumbai.
At a glance
Vibe CheckK-Pop-Themed Graffiti-Covered Walls, Casual Youth-Focused Aesthetic, House-Made Makgeolli and Soju
Vibe CheckMulti-Level Layout, Sleek Wooden Minimalism, Izakaya-Inspired Bar Counter, Curated Premium Sake Selection
Vibe CheckMoody Art-Led Space, Contemporary Indoor-Outdoor Bar Seating, Spacious
Vibe CheckElegant Dining Area, Lantern-Lit Wooden Interiors, Specialized Live Charcoal Yakitori Counter, Extensive Sake Bar
Vibe CheckJapanese-Themed Interiors, Compact, Warmly Lit
Vibe CheckSplit-Level Historic Hotel Space, Luxury Contemporary Red Accents, Live Teppanyaki and Sushi Counters, Upscale Omakase Tasting Menu, Rare Premium Sakes
Vibe CheckHeritage Art-Deco Building Corner, Kyoto-Inspired Minimalist Design, Warm Zen-Inspired Plant Decor, Artisanal Chicken Katsu Sandos, City's Largest Sake Catalog
Sun & Moon Korean Restaurant
4.6
Worli, Mumbai
If your idea of a good night involves K-pop playing, grills sizzling and someone casually suggesting one more round of soju, this is your kind of place. The Korean-run restaurant leans into the neighbourhood-tavern feel, making it an easy pick for a lively group dinner rather than a quiet drink.Fun Fact: BTS fans, take a look around. The walls are covered in scribbles, messages and BTS love, so the K-pop obsession is quite literally written all over the place.Vibe Check: K-Pop-Themed Graffiti-Covered Walls, Casual Youth-Focused Aesthetic, House-Made Makgeolli and Soju
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Mizu
4.3
Khar, Mumbai
That all-glass ceiling is hard to miss. The bar is built around an izakaya-style drinking culture, with a dedicated sake-and-cocktail counter and a selection chosen to work with the kitchen’s umami-heavy plates. It’s the kind of place where you can arrive for dinner and somehow end up treating the sake list like a personality test.Editor’s Note: Midweek sake pairing masterclasses make this a good one to watch if you’d rather learn your way through the list than simply point at a bottle.Vibe Check: Multi-Level Layout, Sleek Wooden Minimalism, Izakaya-Inspired Bar Counter, Curated Premium Sake Selection
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Gaijin
4.6
Linking Road, Bandra West, Mumbai
The blue-toned interiors, warm wood and pops of red give this Khar spot a personality of its own, while the open sushi bar keeps the room feeling lively. The sake selection goes beyond straight pours, with cocktails built around green tea, yuzu and cucumber for a more playful take on Japanese drinking. It’s a good pick when you want dinner to feel a little more animated without turning into a full-on party.Vibe Check: Moody Art-Led Space, Contemporary Indoor-Outdoor Bar Seating, Spacious
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Izumi
4.4
Linking Road, Bandra West, Mumbai
Izumi is the Bandra answer to the question, “Can we have really good Japanese food and still make drinks part of the evening?” The vibrant space and Japanese-inspired details make it easy to settle in, while the drinks list gives the evening plenty of room to move beyond a standard dinner-and-drink routine. It’s the sort of spot where the table can keep ordering without anyone feeling like they need to rush through it.Vibe Check: Elegant Dining Area, Lantern-Lit Wooden Interiors, Specialized Live Charcoal Yakitori Counter, Extensive Sake Bar
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Origami Cafe
3.8
Linking Road, Bandra West, Mumbai
For when you want your sake or soju with slightly more grown-up surroundings, Origami brings both into a sleek East Asian setting designed for polished dinners and nights out. The bar covers both Japanese and Korean spirits, while cocktails such as its Sake Sangria and Soju Sour keep things interesting for anyone who doesn’t want a straight pour. Useful for groups with divided loyalties: the same table can comfortably go down the sake route or the soju route without anyone having to compromise.Vibe Check: Japanese-Themed Interiors, Compact, Warmly Lit
Bank benefits
Wasabi By Morimoto - The Taj Mahal Palace
4.9
Colaba, Mumbai
When sake needs a little black-tie energy, this is where it goes. Inside The Taj Mahal Palace, the Japanese fine-dining institution takes its sake programme seriously, with an extensive collection kept in a dedicated temperature- and humidity-controlled cellar. Add formal tableside service, premium pours and a setting overlooking Mumbai’s harbour, and even ordering a single glass starts feeling like a proper occasion.Vibe Check: Split-Level Historic Hotel Space, Luxury Contemporary Red Accents, Live Teppanyaki and Sushi Counters, Upscale Omakase Tasting Menu, Rare Premium Sakes
Otoki
4.1
Colaba, Mumbai
The warm, understated interiors, Japanese-style partitions and low-lit dining spaces give this Colaba spot a more intimate feel than your usual izakaya. Sake is clearly the focus here, with a sizeable imported selection spanning dry, sweet, nigori and sparkling styles, plus a sake bar where you can choose your own ceramic or glass cup before the pour. It’s the kind of detail that makes the drink feel like part of the experience, rather than just another thing on the table.Editor’s Note: Before your sake arrives, you get to pick the cup it’s served in from a collection of Japanese ceramic and glass vessels, a good excuse to be indecisive.Vibe Check: Heritage Art-Deco Building Corner, Kyoto-Inspired Minimalist Design, Warm Zen-Inspired Plant Decor, Artisanal Chicken Katsu Sandos, City's Largest Sake Catalog
Not every sake-and-soju outing needs to look the same. Pick your setting first, then worry about the pour.For K-Drama Fans: Sun & Moon Korean, soju, somaek and K-pop everywhere.For Sake People: Mizu, Wasabi by Morimoto and Otoki, serious sake programmes worth exploring.For a Dressier Night: Wasabi by Morimoto and Origami, polished Japanese dining with the drinks to match.For Cocktail Curious: Gaijin and Mizu, sake, yuzu, green tea and more.For Mixed Tables: Origami, sake and soju, so nobody has to pick sides.And finally: Go for the pours, stay for the second round, and blame the K-drama for the idea.Download the District App to discover more dining spots, book tables and check out the latest offers.
Frequently asked questions
Mizu, Wasabi by Morimoto, Izumi, Otoki, Origami and Gaijin are worth exploring for Japanese dining and sake. Each offers a different setting, from dedicated sake selections to bars serving sake-based cocktails.