So you have never been to Milk Bar out in Kichijoji? Well, you should because it is one of the best bars in Tokyo. It is styled exactly like the Moloko Bar from the film A Clockwork Orange. It's got black walls with white bubbly graffiti and a glowing white counter. There are A Clockwork Orange posters along the bar and a television usually showing... no, really... A Clockwork Orange! Actually, the owner Hishi san, has a collection of Kubrick films and other very cool DVDs that he plays on rotation, though on mute so he can play some funk or old school Stevie Wonder in the background.

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When Hishi san was asked what the significance of A Clockwork Orange was he replied that basically there was none. He's been working in bars since he was 18, and when he opened Milk Bar over in 1999 he thought the shocking, vivid imagery of the movie would be a great style concept. The bizarre decor continues into the restroom, where you'll get a more than interesting surprise after you have downed a few glasses of his fine offerings. Hishi also has some of those cocktail glasses that are designed to look like they are about to fall over, so he can really fuck with your mind if he wants to.

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The regulars span all kinds of people. On any random night, you are as likely to find a college student as a professor; an actor as a lawyer;an accountant as a DJ; a 60-something man as a 20-something girl. This is pretty unusual in this city, where most bars are either meat markets, gaijin ghettos or filled with salarymen passed out over their sake. Also among the regular customers are the part time Milk Bar bartenders, spending their nights off on the other side of the bar.

What's the secret to Milk Bar's success? It must be Hishi san himself. It's obvious how much he cares about his customers and employees. How cool must this place be that employees want to spend extra time there. When a part-timer college student nicknamed "Punks" was asked why he was there on his day off. He answered, "This is my home."

Milk Bar is located about 5 minutes from Kichijoji station. You can get to Kichijoji on the JR Chuo, Sobu lines, the Keio Inokashira line aswell as the Tozai subway line.

Please be aware that the staff are not at all fluent in English but are more than willing to try to communicate with you with often extremely funny gestures and vocabulary. If you want to brush up your Japanese skills and enjoy a drink in a fantastic environment then Milk Bar is the place to go.

There is a service charge of 500 yen per person. This charge includes a small plate of nibbles and if you have more than your fair share of drinks then Hissy san will more than likely throw a few more dishes your way often experimenting to find out what his customers like and don't like.