HUB Ueno Shinobazu Street

A great place for cheap drinks with friends

The image for many people when the name of "HUB" is spoken is a cursed image. It conjures up ideas of rowdy patrons, gaijin-hunters, and debauchery. Perhaps this is the case for some HUB locations, like Shibuya and Shinjuku, but the Ueno Shinobazu location was nothing like that. Despite being in Ueno, another tourist-heavy area of Tokyo, there weren't any other tourists or expats in the bar beside our group. It was full, but not uncomfortably so. Everyone was minding their own business and interacting with who they came with. The staff was extremely friendly. The cashiers spoke some English, and the host/greeter was fluent. Sometimes the line got a bit long when ordering, but this was mostly during Happy Hour. The bartenders worked diligently to help keep the line moving as quickly as possible. Perhaps this location is less visited because it's located on the basement floor on a side street away from Ueno and Okachimachi Stations. There's nothing wrong with that because it turns into a nice place to get cheap drinks with a group of friends, without having to worry about cover charges or getting ripped off with exorbitant prices.