🍺 Bars & izakaya in Nara
12 well-rated bars spots within a 15-minute walk of central Nara, 8 of them open past midnight. Regular hours from Google; refreshed daily on demand. Confirm special hours before visiting.
Most bars in Nara are small — six to fifteen seats is normal — so the easiest way to drink here is to hop: one or two drinks per place, then move on. Izakaya (Japanese pubs) are the safest first stop if you also want to eat; standing bars (tachinomi) are the cheapest.
Expect a seat charge (otoshi) of roughly ¥300–¥800 at sit-down izakaya, which comes with a small dish. Cash is still common at older places, so carry some yen. Most bars open around 17:00–18:00 and many run past midnight.
Local specialty: Narazuke. Vegetables (usually white cucumber) pickled in sake lees for months or years — Nara's most famous food product and a distinct umami-rich accompaniment to sake. Izakaya throughout Nara city; Narazuke Honpo shops near Kintetsu Nara Station sell it as a condiment.
Bars & izakaya near central Nara
Sorted by rating. Distances are from Nara's centre. Hours come from Google and can change — the "open past midnight" mark means the place closes between 00:00 and 06:00 on at least one day.
- ★ 4.8 (101)611m · 8 min walk walk4-chōme-2-9 Shibatsujichō, Nara
- Open past midnight★ 4.7 (104)662m · 8 min walk walkNara, Ōmiyachō, 5-chōme−3−20 アクシスビル 1F
- Open past midnight3.Yukino★ 4.5 (105)191m · 2 min walk walk6-chōme-3-16 Ōmiyachō, Nara
- Open past midnight★ 4.7 (84)406m · 5 min walk walkNara, Ōmiyachō, 4-chōme−313-4 ヴィラ松本
- ★ 4.7 (78)252m · 3 min walk walk石原マンション 1F 237-1, 237 Hokkejichō, Nara
- Open past midnight★ 4.9 (39)374m · 5 min walk walkNara, Ōmiyachō, 6-chōme−7−8 アルファプラザビル 1F1
- 7.bar RISE★ 4.6 (46)894m · 11 min walk walk1-8 Sanjōsoekawachō, Nara
- Open past midnight8.Grand★ 4.5 (47)602m · 8 min walk walkNara, Ōmiyachō, 6-chōme−１−10 松井ビル 1F
- ★ 4.2 (50)452m · 6 min walk walkNara, Ōmiyachō, 6-chōme−9−8 1F
- Open past midnight★ 4.7 (29)587m · 7 min walk walk4-chōme-238-1102 Ōmiyachō, Nara
- Open past midnight11.Charinko★ 4.6 (19)387m · 5 min walk walkNara, Ōmiyachō, 6-chōme−3−29 アルファグランデ 1F-3
- Open past midnight12.@ THE DEEP★ 4.3 (23)245m · 3 min walk walk237-9 Hokkejichō, Nara
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Read before you go
Plan your night in Nara
First night in Nara? Go with a local guide
A guided bar-hopping or food tour gets you into the tiny places that are hard to walk into alone — and you learn how ordering works before you go solo the next night.
See tours in Nara on KlookStay within walking distance of the nightlife
The last train leaves around midnight. A hotel near Nara's bars means you can stay out as late as you like and walk home.
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Bars & izakaya in Nara: common questions
What time do bars in Nara close?
Izakaya typically close between 23:00 and 01:00; smaller bars often stay open until 02:00–05:00, especially on Friday and Saturday. The list on this page shows today's hours for each place, and marks the ones that run past midnight.
Do bars in Nara have English menus?
Chains and places near major stations usually have English or picture menus; tiny neighbourhood bars often don't. Pointing at what someone else is drinking works everywhere, and "nama biiru" (draft beer) or "haibooru" (highball) are understood at any bar in Japan.
Is there a cover charge at bars in Nara?
Many izakaya add an otoshi (seat charge) of about ¥300–¥800 per person, which includes a small appetiser. Some cocktail bars and Golden Gai-style micro-bars charge ¥500–¥1,000 instead. It is not a scam — but if a place has no posted prices at all, choose another one.