Last week, the hippest, hottest nightspot in the metro opened its doors to Manila’s discerning party populace.  Located in the space formerly occupied by Temple Bar in Greenbelt 2. Izakaya – sushi, sake, speakeasy is a chic talkbar with a sumptuous selection Japanese cuisine and over 15 kinds of sake, from sparkling to unfiltered, sweet to dry.

Owned by nightlife staples, Marco De Guzman, Distillery’s Raj Sadhwani, Ivan Zalameda, Premier DJ Manolet Dario, and Erik Cua and GP Reyes of Encore/Member’s Only, it came as no surprise that the launch became a roaring convergence of Manila Society’s beautiful young crowd.

The bar’s interiors and al Fresco area were filled to capacity as guests danced to the tunes of DJ Bombi Balquiedra and sampled refreshing sake mixers like Lemon Grass Sake, Cucumber Lychee, Watermelon Mint, Sangria Sake and the sure to be famous signature drink: the Izakaya Martini.

The very chill and relaxing atmosphere is detailed with Japanese roof tiles, tatami mats and woven rope to give it an authentic Japanese feel. It also has two private rooms, one of which has karaoke function. The focal point is a dragon mural painted by Japanese artist Seiko Katayama. Izakaya, a place made for a unique nightlife experience that is very relaxed and not as rowdy as the usual clubs or bars in town.

Some exciting concepts Izakaya is set to introduce are GP Reyes’ Izakaya Dojo, a DJ Jam Session every Wednesday, Manolet Dario’s theme night Kiss Kiss Bang Bang on Thursdays, Moshi Moshi Mondays an Industry night by Global One’s Ivan Zalameda, JUKE BOX nights where  guests are given the freedom to choose songs from Izakaya’s vast collection of songs. Also every day from 5:30 to 10pm are Izakaya sunset specials: A 30% discount on selected bottles and pitchers and P250 per bucket of 6 beer bottles.

Tags: bar scene manila, bubbles paraiso, charina sarte, christian bautista, Circuit magazine, city guide manila, city life manila, club scene in manila, clubbing manila, dance parties manila, david milan, dj parties manila, erik cua, event guide, events magazine, Georgina Wilson, gp reyes, house music, Isabelle Daza, ivan zalameda, Izakaya, Japanese cuisine, jm rodriguez, karen pamintuan, lifestyle guide, lifestyle trend manila, lovi poe, manila events, manila lifestyle, manila night spots, Manolet Dario, Marco De Guzman, mikaela lagdameo, night life manila, Paolo Paraiso, parties manila, party people manila, phoemela baranda, Raj Sadhwani, Ronald Singson, stacy rodriguez, tim yap, veronica mendez, what’s happening in Manila