Impressive list of Japanese sakes. I come for the snacks and bento boxes while my spouse comes for the drinks. Last time I went, I reserved a bento box. The bento box is only available on Thursdays. The sushi inside was shockingly high quality for food served in bars. I would go back just for the bento box. The hojicha tiramisu I had for dessert was good too. The curry empanada was tasteful as well. The seating area outside is comfortable if the weather is nice out. The interior is crowded, but pleasantly warm and dark during the winter. read more

The Koji Club - Hojicha tiramisu - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

A very intimate sake bar in Speedway! It is a very small spot - wooden stool seatings at the bar and just three/ four tables so make sure you book ahead. The sake selection is amazing and beautifully curated. I really enjoy reading through the delicate details describing each sake on the menu. I also love that you can sample each sake before you commit to a glass/ bottle. Service is also great and both bartenders are knowledgeable! They also have quick bites to pair with but I didn't get to try them. - 8/10 read more

The Koji Club - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

There's a reason this is named one of the best bars of 2023! I'm not going to lie, when we got there and saw that it was not a big space, I wasn't sure how to feel, but once you get in and sit down, all of that goes away and you get an understanding to the experience that you're about to get here. Limited seating gives you the experience to enjoy your sake and not only get an answer from the servers, but a great story behind the sake, and the processes they go through. They tell a great story and you could hear the enthusiasm in their voice. Low lights, beautiful décor, amazing sake glasses, and smiles bring this place together. Also, try the Cat Tarot cards. They're fun in their own way, but we ended up getting some laughs out of it and the other customers got in on it as well. Don't sleep on the food here. It may not seem like much, but the saltines, cream cheese and miso were a hit and of course we had to get a bowl of steamed rice to munch on. Huge thank you to Courtney & Moe for providing us an exceptional experience. If you're not sure what you want to drink, give them an adjective and they'll get you something that you like. I went with "dangerous" and it hit the spot! The only negative comment that I have to say is that it got hot in there. I get that it was only 30 something outside and opening the door would probably have turned the place into a freezer within minutes, so I won't take any stars off from that. read more

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This a beautiful, cozy Japanese style bar specializing in sake. I didn't get a chance to try any of snacks and food - but the drinks and ambiance were excellent! The staff was warm and inviting, very knowledgeable. This is an excellent and unique addition to Boston's bar scene and I'd be really delighted to come back here. I will definitely be recommending it to friends and colleagues. read more

The Koji Club - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I really wish there were an option for a 6th star: the Koji Club is PHENOMENAL and my wife and I have become super-fans over the past year and a bit. We both enjoy sake and sushi, and we were looking back in May 2024 for a spot to hold our engagement party where such things might be in the foreground. The fact that this is a woman-owned business also definitely encouraged us to call! We hadn't run into the Koji Club before that time, but we put in a request, got a super-quick response and the excited planning began! Bottom line: The drinks and food were so good that even the pickiest eaters among us raved (no hyperbole here). The sake choices were insanely good (I've developed a serious loyalty to Kojimaya Untitled 1 which is somewhat unfortunate because she's PRICEY lol), the non-alcoholic options phenomenal, and the sushi and sweets arranged through the Koji Club's partners were all just perfect. So, fast-forward to wedding planning THIS spring (2025). We agreed that we would love to have the Koji Club handle all the catering if they wanted to do such a thing (a small-ish wedding of about 50 people). But I called to ask more-than-half expecting an "um... thanks but no thanks to weddings" (I know these events can be both blessing and curse for vendors), they were as friendly as ever and happy to work with us. I have no idea whether they had done many weddings before or would want to do others now, since this is hardly their core work; but you'd think weddings were all they did, given how far above and beyond the whole team went to make our special evening PERFECT. And this was no mean feat, fwiw. Our venue was our church, which has a nice little chapel right by the sanctuary that was great for our group; but there were lots of kind of funky logistics to work out here (e.g., how to keep the sushi cool and the empanadas warm with kitchen facilities some distance from the chapel). No sweat (at least none that we saw). And, as before with our engagement party, the sake selections, the champagne selections, the cheeses, and sushi, and sweets were all SUBLIME - with now even more guests raving about them. The Koji Club team members are also really sensitive to dietary challenges and constraints, so very careful about labeling. And they even had the foresight to bundle up a couple of bottles and platters of various savory and sweet treats for my wife and I to enjoy on our honeymoon in P-town (we were being whisked away right after the reception). TL;DR: A total 14/10 from us for the Koji Club and all the amazing people who are part of this business! Truly above and beyond the call of duty in every way! read more

A great place to get sake with your date in an intimate setting in Brighton. The bartenders are super attentive to your drinks and the service is exceptional. Parking can be a bit tough unless you're showing up late, but you can probably walk from star market / spring shabu shabu. Prices are good for what you get. The bartenders are very helpful and knowledgeable in getting your drinking preference for sake. I'm a Japanese whisky / scotch drinker and the aged sake was a great gateway sake. read more

The Koji Club - Aged Sake - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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My friend is a huge fan of sake, so I had to bring him here. I preferably just like to drink alot and chill. Koji surprisingly was a very chill place, chatted with the bartender and another patron that was very knowledgeable about sake and Japanese! The bartender was super friendly and fun to talk to as well. The space is very small, but there is seating outside if needed. As for food, we got little rice balls with plums inside., which tasted pretty good. My buddy couldn't stop raving about Koji after we left, so you can bet that we'll be back. I promise to practice my Japanese for next time, maybe. read more

Boston's First Sake Bar Arrives in Brighton and has officially opened for service, starting on 2022-02-10. As a sake aficionado, I could not resist this opportunity to see what The Koji Club brings to the city. I arrived at the Speedway, which houses a biergarten and other establishments, in addition to the Koji Club. The establishment itself is fairly small, with a countertop capable of seating 7-8, 3 small tables for two, and additional high tables outside. The work space behind the counter seemed deep enough only for a single employee. This all evoked the Tokyo bar scene. Small bars, run by a single person serving maybe 5 people on a single counter, dot the metropolis. All this made for an intimate atmosphere. The establishment itself provides various bar snacks, such as sesame oil olives and curry empanadas in additional to specialty sakes. Pricing seems comparable with wine bars. Each glass contains 4oz of sake at 16-19% ABV and is priced at the upper $10s and lower $20s (more for extra premium sakes). The staff are all quite knowledgable about sake and, more importantly, ready to field questions from first-timers and aficionados alike. They will explain the concept of rice polishing (semaibuai) and its effect on classification (e.g. junmai vs junmai gingo) and also taste (earthy & robust vs floral & delicate). Moreover, the staff are all more than willing to experiment with how to serve the sake. Most sakes here come chilled in champagne glasses. However, during conversation with staff, we discussed the effects of temperature on flavor and how different sake styles react differently toward being served at different temperatures. This led to me trying a junmai daigingo (a style normally served cold) that nonetheless held its flavor while hot. Lastly, the variety of sake flavors bears mention. The establishment carries orthodox sakes with wide appeal. Additionally, it carries newer sakes from upstart breweries. One example is the Fukucho Seaside, a sparkling sake made in Hiroshima. Sake is ordinarily not carbonated, but the brewery decided to make a champagne-like experience. Another is the Mukai Shuzo, a sake made from red rice. Its crimson color sets it apart from all other sakes, which are usually completely transparent (like vodka), cloudy white, or yellow but clear (like sparkling wine). The flavor also does not fit anywhere on the standard spectrum of earthy and robust (junmai) or floral and fruity and bubblegum-y (daigingo). Instead, this red rice sake tasted sweet, almost like mead of barley wine. As far as sake bars go, The Koji Club seems to do nicely. It has knowledgeable and patient staff, an intimate atmosphere, and an impressively curated sake selection. I certainly look forward to returning, but maybe after my wallet has recovered from its wine-bar esque pricing. read more

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We loved everything about our experience at the Koji Club! My fiancé is a big sake fan and our server spent the time explaining different types of sake and how they're made, let him try different items, shared the history of each, and recommended the best food to pair with whatever he was drinking. I am not a huge sake drinker but she recommended the Lychee martini and I admit that Koji club has the best lychee martini I've ever had- I had to have two. Cannot wait to return! read more

Liz marked for permanent exile. My full respect to the rest of Japan. Sake and ambiance terrific.

This is Boston's first sake bar located in a little nook in the Speedway of Brighton. Alyssa, who is the owner, was a great host with her presentation and education of sake. Her experiences in Japan, specifically with Dassai, definitely exuded imagery and almost transported us to the location and atmosphere itself. Definitely a great storyteller. Where it falls short (and this can go in either direction depending on the individual consuming the sake) is the tasting line-up. As our party were experienced with sake, the tastings offered were more on the introductory front for anyone venturing into the sake world and wishing to understand the process and flavor. We understand sake commands a premium in the restaurant business but because the offerings were something we've had previously, they weren't anything new for us and gave us a feeling of wanting a bit more in the experience. I would definitely invite anyone who would like to expand their knowledge and palate in sake to participate in this place but it may not be for anyone with greater familiarity. read more

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Possibly the best service I've ever had in my life. We 4 each ordered different sakes, and then talked about what we liked and didn't like and she made different recommendations. At the end she had us try her current favorite, just because it was our first time. Learned a lot about sake that night. Don't sleep on the snacks -- saltines, cream cheese and homemade miso sounds uneventful but was so so good. The olives were fun at the start, but the bottom did not have the spice mix to make them different than any jar. The empanadas were great. read more

Blown away by the Holiday Lunch! The food was incredible. The sake pairings were magnificent. The ambiance was beautiful and festive. Service was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. If you have the chance to go to the Koji Club for a meal, definitely go! read more

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I took a friend to Koji Club last month and we didn't have time to stay long so just ordered a small bottle of sake. When I got my cc bill this place actually overcharged me by $32?! In this day and age you don't think ppl check their bill? I'd give zero stars if I could for this old school trick. I've disputed and expect a refund asap. read more

Place is impractically small. Menu is plain text which makes scrolling through pages of sakes an unnecessarily difficult chore. No sake tasting when we went so we'd to buy a small yet pricey bottle. My friend got overcharged (big deal, everyone makes mistakes and disputing charges is effortless these days) BUT even weeks later, they offered no apologies or explanation. So kids, keep your receipts, snap pics of your receipts!! Better alternatives for sake enthusiasts: 1) Go to Maruichi (market) in Brookline MA and choose from their many sake selections. 2) Subscribe to Tippsy Sake. Cancel at any time. read more

This is my favorite bar and food/beverage experience in Boston. The team is fantastic: everyone is nice, knowledgeable and presents Sake in an amazing way. They have the best selection of Sakes that I have ever seen, and the food is paired well with everything too. I highly recommend The Koji Club and would give it 6 stars if I could. read more

The service is fantastic, our waitress took the time to explain the menu and give us all excellent personalized recommendations. The saki is world class. The kaviar pairing is also very good, as is the ambiance, music, decoration. Overall clearly 5 stars. read more

I finally made it to Koji Club this past weekend and I'm glad I finally got to check it out. It's located in a unique spot on the Charles River Speedway. Parking can be a big pain in the ass as there is a small lot and you'll most likely have to park on the street. The venue is small but its a cool little bar with a lot of sake options. If you're a sake lover I highly recommend checking it out. read more

Absolute gem of a spot. Its cozy, welcoming, and you're bound to have a convo or share a drink with your neighbors at the bar. I drink a lotta sake thanks to the amazing True Sake in SF. I still had a great time drinking their offerings and even found one of my favorites on their menu. My friend, who is less experienced with sake, appreciated getting recommendations that were tailored to her tastes. Wish the place had more food offerings, but the bowl of fresh, warm rice and house made pickles were great nonetheless. I'll definitely be back the next time I'm visiting Boston. read more

The stars shows the sentiments for this place. Would have highly recommended and treated this place as a staple until recent experience with particular staff. As an innocent group that just got seated we really weren't sure what we did to deserve a passive and dismissive attitude by one of the staffs. We understood it was a busy night, but the place is small, and was supposedly reputable for its attentive service to an intimitate crowd. Let along the general rushed tasting and impatience with providing options (even though this is a tasting bar, and the whole point is to learn about potentially unique and different offerings they had), a member of our party was met with dismissiveness when they confronted that they were poured the incorrect bottle of sake. The staff instead of offering what could have been a simple apology and correction, doubted our friend and insisted that we were essentially delusional. The two pours were honestly so dramatically different that if the staff had a hint of self doubt and took a sample or even sniff test, they as a "professional" should have realized that it was their mistake. Though eventually the correct sake was poured, there was never an acknowledgement of the mistake. One can imagine the sour taste it left. The entire night proceeded with another team member seemingly trying to make recovery, but still not a single acknowledgement. To be blatantly honest, no customer pays almost 3-4x more than what they can purchase on market to beg for basic service and respect. We didn't want to ruin our own nights and stuck around a little longer but left feeling pretty missunderstood. The liquor tending world has always not lacked "professionals" that can't seem to keep their superiority complex and perhaps customer type-casting at bay, and this place has not steered clear from it. At the end of the day, the city doesn't lack outlets for good bottles of sake. There will not be a need to return or recommend this place. Even thought we know what the place doesnt lack its own niche group of loyal customers, still wanted to reflect our experience and report that one bad staff can ruine what may be a star team. read more

We had been trying to go here for a while, and we're not at all disappointed. We lucked into a not-too-late Friday night reservation for two, and loved the cozy space and attentive staff. The menu is comprehensive and diverse, and the staff are great with explanations and recommendations for those new to sake. Also, the snack selection was nostalgic and amazing. We will absolutely be back to this lovely small space to try new drinks, and I'm sure will walk out with a bottle as well. Highly recommended! read more

My Mom and I had an amazing experience at The Koji Club! Alyssa, the owner, was so knowledgeable and friendly and helpful! Another employee, Moe, had some delicious special snacks for us to try as we sipped a delicious variety of Sake including some from a local MA brewery! The bar is cozy and decorated with so many beautiful pieces from the owner's travels. Please treat yourself to many visits to this Boston gem! read more

Mini sake bar inside of Speedway Market. There is a parking lot we were able to park in. It was a beautiful evening so sitting outside at night was nice. The inside is a small bar with only a few tables. Definitely recommend making reservations just for easier experience. The server was knowledgable and friendly. Prices weren't too bad, however I went out of my budget and could have reframed from the saltine snack (even though the miso & cream cheese is really good!) it only comes with like 6-8 crackers. If you LOVE sake this is the place for you to check out for sure!!! read more

I've brought friends mine on several occasions and the team here never disappoints. The Koji Club doesn't do anything without extreme care and purpose. The staff here are incredibly knowledgeable and eager to share their love for sake. They have a great variety of sakes and super yummy snacks as well. Really warm and inviting in all aspects, the staff, the decor, the lighting. read more

The Koji Club is the kind of bar Boston should have more of. Intimate, casual, and fun and with sake offerings that will blow you away. I loved trying some for the first time and revisiting old favorites like the Hoyo 'Farmer's Daughter' Junmai and Tedorigawa 'Lady Luck' Junmai Daiginjo. Really fun food pairings as well. I had Asahi Shuzo Junmai with Calbee potato chips and they went together so well! Love the knowledgable folks behind this and can't wait to go back. Run, don't walk to this spot. read more

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This place was absolutely fabulous! We went on a busy Friday night it didn't disappoint. The staff (Steve especially) was super knowledgeable about Saki and told us the specific story of each brewery and how they make the product. It was a journey to Japan through Saki. Great time, highly recommend you go here! read more

We came here so excited for the Cafe Sushi pop up, because it's our favorite restaurant. We booked on tock and arrived for dinner. The service has been absolutely terrible and we had a bento box given to us and then taken back because they were "actually sold out". Not only is the service staff rude, but they are disorganized and unprofessional. How can any service institutions take reservations for an event and then 1) not check people in or 2) accommodate for the number of people who got tickets? Unbelievable. read more