“Kissa bars” originated in Japan in the 20s, as places where to go, get a drink and listen to jazz music, at the time when imported jazz records were way to expensive for ordinary people. In a very Japanese fashion, these minimalist bars prioritized the experience of listening to music in intimate and peaceful spaces, and were typically designed to provide the best possible listening experience. In contemporary times, kissas inspired the “listening bar” trend, under the motto Talk less, listen more: from Paris to London to New York to Milano, these bars are getting increasingly common. I experienced my first listening bar in the Bird, in Copenhagen, and that was love at first sip. I crossed the very humble door (you don’t expect a top-notch cocktail bar from the street) at 4pm (yes, here they start drinking early), and I was welcome by a very nordic environment (white & wood) with a massive vinyls collection, where bartenders move seamlessly from the bar to the record player, and the music sounding really good (low volume but top quality music in acoustic terms). I got a classic martini (with the Danish superb Geranium gin) and their own signature Umeshu martini (see the ingredients on the bar site): both were close to perfection. At the bar you will find no branded bottles, all is there in pharmacy-like brown bottles, and – cherry on the cake – the bar is named after one of my idols, Mr Charlie Parker. So, if you are in Copenhagen, you know where to go. Classic martini rate: 9.
The Martini Hour 