Dining

Item Description

Japanese Whisky Tasting for 2. Hosted at Las Vegas’s newest Japanese whisky bar, Bar Ginza. 

Spend an hour with your host and proprietor, Josh Monsivious.  Josh previoulsy spent 15 years at Nobu Hardrock in Las Vegas.
 
• Taste flights of different types of Japanese whisky and learn more about what       makes Japanese whisky different from other whisk(e)y in the world. 

• Located in the renowned Arts District of Las Vegas.  1301 S Main St., Las Vegas, NV 89104

• Rare Japanese aged whisky available for additional purchase. Over 250 Japanese whiskies in stock.

Notes:  
It’s actually spelled “Whisky” (and not whiskey).  Whiskey is for certain origins and styles and whisky is for others.  (Who knew?!)

Bar Ginza in the press lately...

Bar Ginza: Best New Bar (Eater Las Vegas)
On most evenings at Bar Ginza, one can find co-owner Joshua Monsivais behind the bar, hewing a 47-pound brick of ice into cubes and spheres for chilling pours of Japanese whisky and Tokyo slings with Japanese gin. Monsivais and partner Catherine Hebron approach service at their Japanese bar in downtown Las Vegas like they would an omakase dinner, customizing flights of half-pours uniquely to the taste, interest, and price point of each customer. Monsivais’s obsession with Japanese whisky took hold in 2007, when the two owners worked at Nobu. As a bar manager, Monsivais was an early adopter of imported liquor — which would hit Las Vegas more widely as a trend about a decade later.

A visit to Japan spurred the two owners to recreate its muted cool style of bar in Las Vegas. More than 90 bottles of Japanese whiskeys and another 70 or so American bourbons and scotches line the walls at Bar Ginza. Its collection spans a first edition of Kiuchi Hinomaru that runs from $5 for a half-pour to coveted whiskeys like Nikka Taketsuru, aged for 21 years, that retails for around $1,000. In addition to the liquor, ice, and glass-encased samurai armor, Bar Ginza imprints its ambiance from Japan — the televisions play anime and previously aired Pride fights, Hebron ferries bottles with illustrated labels to each table, and the classic rock that lulls from the speakers is punctuated by the steady scraping of metal on ice.

The Arts District’s Bar Ginza offers approachable sophistication (Las Vegas Weekly)

Until now, the extent of my knowledge of Japanese whisky began and ended with the 2003 film Lost In Translation, where Bill Murray, as fading movie star Bob Harris, visits Tokyo to film a commercial for Suntory’s Hibiki 17. In the “ad,” he looks into the camera and deadpans, “For relaxing times, make it Suntory time.”

I’ll admit it: I’m not the type to sip on whisky for the sake of savoring it. I’ll drink whisky, but it’s usually just a means to an end—no deep dive into the complexities of its flavor profile. But I’ve recently been convinced otherwise.

Cut to a scene of me at Bar Ginza, having my own Suntory time. I’m not in Tokyo; I’m seated at a sleek wooden bartop in the Arts District with a half-ounce taste of that same whisky ($6). The first sip was just enough to wet my lips and lacked the punch to the throat I’d expected. It’s smooth, with delicate notes of honey and an oaky spice. It rests lightly, no burn, no fuss, and keeps you wanting more.

This is the kind of unassuming sophistication that Bar Ginza nails. The ambiance is cozy but refined, and the wooden accents complement the black leather seating with lighting dim enough to set the mood. Overhead speakers spill out classic tracks by Marvin Gaye and Billie Holiday. Co-owner Joshua Monsivias treks behind the bar, switching between shaking cocktails and chipping away at a block of ice, perfectly shaping pieces into the spheres that’ll later land in your glass, the foundation for whatever spirit you prefer.

The drink list is a nod to both tradition and innovation. You’ve got your classics like Negronis ($15) and highballs ($13), but even those carry their own twist and identity. I opted for the drink with the longest list of ingredients, the Tokyo Sling—a vibrant concoction of Japanese gin, cherry and orange liqueurs, Bénédictine, maraschino syrup, citrus and bitters.

Co-owners Monsivias and Catherine Hebron have developed Bar Ginza to be a place that thrives on unpretentious quality. Whether you’re a booze snob or just looking for a good drink, this place delivers a refreshing approach to a classic experience.

BAR GINZA 1301 S. Main Street #170, barginza.wordpress.com. Tuesday-Saturday, 5 p.m.-1 a.m.

Item Special Note

Date to be mutually agreed upon. Must be used within one year of the auction (April 2026).