Top 10 Foreigner-Friendly Bars and Clubs in Osaka

In a city with as many bars and clubs as Osaka, deciding where to go on a night out is tough. Lauded for its nightlife, Osaka boasts multiple party districts each with its own unique vibe and hundreds of venues to boot.

There’s something for everyone including LGBT patrons, moonshine lovers, retro gamers, and those who are kink-minded — if you know what we mean. When we say everyone, we mean it!

Let GaijinPot Travel be your guide as we introduce you to 10 of the coolest foreigner-friendly bars and clubs in Osaka, beloved by both locals and tourists alike.

Cinquecento

Vibrant Cinquecento is packed virtually every night of the week. It’s always Happy Hour at this martini bar where all drinks are only ¥500 — the name means “five hundred” in Italian.

The wide selection of booze includes way more than just martinis though, and even if your drink of choice isn’t on the menu the bartenders will happily make it for you. Cinquecento is easily one of the best places in town for travelers to mingle and enjoy an exciting night out in Osaka.

• Hours: 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. daily
• Cover charge: Free!
• Average drink price: ¥500
• 2-1-1, Higashi Shinsaibashi, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka-fu 542-0083, Japan - Map
• https://www.facebook.com/CinquecentoOsaka/

TNT Craft Beer Pub

TNT is one of the few foreigner-friendly bars in Osaka that captures that intimate neighborhood vibe — because sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name. Tucked away from the Dotonbori and Shinsaibashi hub areas, TNT is worth the trip purely for its massive selection of delicious craft brews.

The American-owned pub’s ambiance is a glorious blend of Japanese and American hospitality. The food follows this trend with a menu featuring dishes from gyoza to grilled cheese sandwiches. Open mic and trivia nights, as well as live music and other happening events, are hosted regularly, so there’s never a dull moment.

• Hours: Mon through Sat 6 p.m. to midnight; opens at 5 p.m. Sundays
• Cover charge: Free!
• Average drink price: ¥900
• 1-2-5 Taisho-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka-fu 551-0002, Japan - Map
• https://facebook.com/craft.beer.pub.tnt/

PC and Retro Bar Space Station 

A favorite among Osakans and travelers since it opened in 2011, PC and Retro Bar Space Station is a great hangout for both single and multi-player nights out. Gamers and drinkers alike assemble at this tiny bar to play PC and retro video games, with a controller in one hand and a cocktail in the other.

Old and new favorites on consoles like the NES and original PlayStation are available and the beverages have names like Gin Sonic. Get it? Games are free to play with no limits and drinks are as cheap as ¥500 — no cheat codes required!

• Hours: 7 p.m. to  2 a.m. daily
• Cover charge: Free!
• Average drink price: ¥500
• 2-13-3 Nishishinsaibashi, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka-fu 542-0086, Japan - Map
• https://www.facebook.com/SpaceStationOsaka/

The Hearth Board Game Bar and Cafe

With over 100 board games to choose from, you’ll find the tables at The Hearth covered in more cards and dice than booze. If you don’t go for the games, then go for the food — the chef makes a mean lasagna and a killer brownie sundae.

Pool parties and movie nights on the rooftop terrace give patrons a reprieve from hot summer days. The bar is a bit hard to spot on street level, so look out for “The Hearth” sign at the entrance by the stairs. At ¥500 for unlimited gameplay, it’s a great place to gather the gang on the cheap for something a little different.

• Hours: Daily, noon to midnight (closed Wednesdays)
• Cover charge: Free (¥500 for unlimited games)
• Average drink price: ¥700
• 14-25 Nanba Sennichimae, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka-fu 542-0075, Japan - Map
• http://www.thehearthosaka.com/

Farplane

Osaka has a pretty wacky reputation, and at Farplane the weirdness is dialed all the way up. Few other bars feature cosplaying bartenders, a sex shop, and penis figurines as decor. Farplane actually started out as a sexy apparel shop but is now a bar where anyone can express themselves without inhibitions or shame.

The annual “Farplane Night” and monthly “Creamy Banana Burlesque” show are the most exciting — and kinkiest — events. This place is seriously on another plane of existence.

• Hours: 8 p.m. 'till late daily
• Cover charge: Free (except during special events)
• Average drink price: ¥700
• 2-8-19 Nishi Shinsaibashi, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka-fu 542-0086, Japan - Map
• http://farplane.jp/bar

Moonshine Hot Dogs and Karaoke

What’s not to love about a place advertising moonshine, hot dogs, and karaoke — basically all the best things in life? Moonshine delivers all three in the company of eccentric locals and down to earth bartenders.

The bar is tiny, so arrive when they open if you want to avoid crowds, or swing by alone after midnight if you want to make a dozen or more new friends. The bar does have a large variety of other spirits available — including locally made craft brew Minoh Beer — in case your liver isn’t hardcore enough to handle actual moonshine.

• Hours: 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. daily (open until 5 a.m. Fridays)
• Cover charge: Free!
• Average drink price: ¥600
• 2-8-12 Nishishinsaibashi, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka-fu 542-0086, Japan - Map
• https://www.facebook.com/moonshineOsaka/

Kama Sutra Karaoke Bar

Get rowdy at Kama Sutra, one of the liveliest bars in town. The singing and the shots never stop, with jovial owner Richard always happy to sing along. Like most Japanese bars, it’s compact, but with thousands of songs to choose from and almost as many cocktails, Kama Sutra makes up in fun for what it lacks in size.

Plus, the sensual scarlet mood lighting doesn’t hurt. Let that liquid courage turn you into the star you were born to be.

• Hours: 10 p.m. - 5 a.m. daily
• Cover charge: Free
• Average drink price ¥600
• 2-chōme-1 Higashishinsaibashi, Chūō-ku, Ōsaka-shi, Ōsaka-fu 542-0083, Japan - Map
• https://www.facebook.com/kamasutraosaka/

Village

Catering to gay men, but drawing a diverse crowd of mixed genders and sexualities, Village is all about flashy entertainment. The bright, neon-colored nightclub is spacious, with plenty of room for guests to dance and performers to strut.

Every Saturday night features a hilarious and exciting show starring bedazzled drag queens and scantily-clad pole dancers. Run by a man known in Osaka as the “godfather of gay,” Village has acted as a safe and exciting refuge for the queer community for nearly 20 years.

• Hours: 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. daily
• Cover charge: ¥1000 for the first drink
• Average drink price: ¥700
• 10-3 Doyamacho, Kita Ward, Osaka, 530-0027, Japan - Map
• https://www.village.jpn.com/

Owl Osaka

Osaka’s busiest nightclub holds that reputation for good reason. The large club boasts a stellar sound system, one of the largest LCD screens in the country, a swanky VIP area, and a hip playlist. There is also a ladies only area where women can safely store their belongings and relax.

Owl is conveniently located in the electrifying Umeda area and is open all night, so it’s easy to swing by. The crowd tends to be primarily locals, so getting your groove on at Owl is a great way to see how Osakans really party.

• Hours: 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. daily
• Cover charge: ¥700 and up for women, ¥1500 and up for men (depends on the time you arrive)
• Average drink price: ¥700
• 5-1 Kakudacho, Kita-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka-fu 530-0017, Japan - Map
• https://owl-osaka.net/language/en/

Club Circus

Hip Club Circus is the haunt for lovers of underground music. Hosting both up-and-coming and world-renowned DJs, this intimate and energetic venue is the perfect setting to get down to some quality tunes.

This isn’t a club for mingling or picking someone up (not to say those can’t happen), but a place for souls who truly appreciate loud music blasting from a superb sound system. Live shows featuring artists ranging from hip hop, to techno, to drum and bass happen every weekend.

• Hours: vary, check their website for the full schedule
• Cover charge: Varies by event
• Average drink price: ¥600
• 1-8-16 Nishishinsaibashi, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka-fu 542-0086, Japan - Map
• http://circus-osaka.com/