Cabaret clubs, snack bars, and girls’ bars are restaurants where customers can enjoy drinking and talking with female staff. Although they appear to be similar establishments, they differ in terms of customer service style, prices, and atmosphere.
This article explains the differences between cabarets, snack bars, and girls bars. It also introduces some tips for having fun.
■Difference between cabaret clubs, snack bars, and girls bars
Cabarets, snack bars, and girls’ bars are places where you can enjoy conversation with women while drinking with them, but they differ in the way they serve customers, the atmosphere of the establishment, and the prices they charge.
However, they differ in the way they serve their customers, the atmosphere, and the prices. If you use a bar without understanding the differences, you may end up paying more than you planned or not being able to enjoy yourself.
Recommended for those who want to enjoy a luxurious evening【Cabaret Club】
At cabarets, you can receive “entertainment” where a woman sits next to a customer and serves him or her one-on-one. Many customers, such as those who use cabarets to entertain their companies or business partners, and men who want to enjoy a pseudo love affair, come to enjoy conversation and drinks with women in gorgeous and sexy dresses.
At cabarets, you can nominate a woman of your choice by paying a nomination fee. The fee for an onsite nomination is 1,000 yen to 3,000 yen, and the fee for a regular nomination is 2,000 yen to 3,000 yen.
＜Cabaret Club Fee System＞
・Set Fee
・Service charge / Extension charge
・Women’s Drink Charge
・Meal Charge
・Bring Your Own Fee
・Nomination Fee
・Accompaniment fee
・After-party fee
・Bottle fee
・Tax and service charge
If you spend only the set fee and service charge, the cost is about 10,000 yen. If you use options such as extensions and nomination, you may need more than 30,000 yen. It is recommended to use this service when you have money to spare or when you want to have a luxurious time.
If you want to relax in an at-home atmosphere, 【Snack】 is the place for you.
Snack bars have many local regular customers and offer an at-home atmosphere that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and genders. The person in charge of the snack bar is called “mama” or “master,” and you can enjoy conversation and karaoke with the bar’s mama and other customers while having drinks, so even if you are alone, you can have fun.
Customers are served face to face at the counter or over a table, and there are no women sitting next to customers.
The fee system is generally based on a set fee system that includes a charge and a bottle of alcohol, with a set fee of 3,000 to 8,000 yen per hour.
＜Snack bar charge system＞
・Charge fee
・All-you-can-drink fee
・Bottle keeping fee
・Shot drinking
・Karaoke fee
・Women’s drink charge
・TAX and service charge
Pricing and what is included in the set vary from restaurant to restaurant, so please check first. In addition to the set price, there may be a separate drink fee for women, so it is advisable to have about 20,000 yen in cash ready.
If you tell them your budget, they will take care of it so that you can enjoy yourself within your budget, so we recommend that you discuss this with them when you come to the restaurant.
For those who want to enjoy drinks and conversation in a casual atmosphere, 【Girls’ Bar】is the place to go.
Girls’ bars are characterized by their relatively young staff and clientele, and are easy to enter for both men and women. Compared to cabarets, prices are more reasonable, making them popular among those who want to casually enjoy drinks and conversation with women.
In a girls’ bar, women serve drinks as bartenders and basically serve customers over the counter. As in cabarets, “entertainment” in which you sit next to a customer and drink with them is prohibited by law, and “nomination” is not allowed.
However, there are some bars where you can pay a “request” fee and have the girl of your choice serve you as much as possible.
<Girls’ bar fee system
Set charge
Women’s drink fee
Karaoke and darts fee
Nomination (request) fee
TAX and service charge
Girls’ bars offer an all-you-can-drink course and a shot course. The all-you-can-drink course generally costs 3,000 yen, and the shot course generally costs about 700 yen per drink. If you treat a lady to a drink, an additional charge of about 800 to 1,000 yen is added for each drink.
Since there is an extension charge, be sure to check when you come to the restaurant whether the system is automatic or not.
If you want to spend an adult evening in a relaxed atmosphere,【lounge】is the place to go.
Lounges are places to enjoy a relaxed, adult atmosphere and are often characterized by the presence of a “mama” (mother). Usually, several female staff members serve one customer, and male staff members are in charge of detailed services like in a cabaret club.
The rules of the store are set by the mama, so it is a good idea to check with her in advance when visiting for the first time.
There are also members-only lounges called “high-class lounges” that charge higher prices than non-members-only stores. They are often used by VIP customers who are financially well-off, and are recommended for those who want to spend an evening in a high-quality, relaxed atmosphere.
■How to choose a cabaret club, snack bar, or girls’ bar
If you are wondering where to go for a cabaret club, snack bar, or girls’ bar, choose one based on its price, atmosphere, and customer service style.
The following is an explanation of how to choose a bar according to your budget and atmosphere.
Choose by price
Since prices for courses and drinks vary from restaurant to restaurant, check the prices of each restaurant first. When choosing a restaurant, set a budget and look for a place that meets it.
If you have a budget to spare, we recommend cabarets and lounges; if you want to have fun at a reasonable price, we recommend snack bars and girls’ bars. Choose a place that suits your budget.
Choose by atmosphere
Atmosphere also differs from place to place, so choose according to who you want to spend time with and how you want to spend your time.
If you want to spend your time in a luxurious atmosphere or enjoy an extraordinary experience, we recommend a cabaret club. On the other hand, if you are looking for a relaxed and casual atmosphere, a snack bar or girls’ bar will be more enjoyable.
Please choose the restaurant that best fits your preferred style of spending time and have an enjoyable evening.
Choose by style of service
Cabaret clubs, snack bars, and girls’ bars have different styles of customer service. It is recommended that you choose a bar based on the style of service you would like to receive.
For example, if you want to enjoy a simulated love affair with your favorite girl, a cabaret club is the best choice. On the other hand, if you want to enjoy casual conversation over drinks, a snack bar or girls’ bar would be suitable.
■Tips for enjoying cabarets, snack bars, and girls bars
This section explains tips for having fun at cabarets, snack bars, and girls’ bars. Check the information about the store on the Internet beforehand and have a good time while following the rules.
Decide on a restaurant in advance by looking at word-of-mouth and websites.
When choosing a restaurant, do not decide on the spot, but rather look up word-of-mouth and websites in advance. In particular, it is best to avoid using stores with non-existent websites or stores with poor word-of-mouth ratings.
Doing research in advance can prevent unexpected problems, such as being charged too much or being different from what you expected.
Observe the store’s rules.
Obey the rules set by each restaurant.
For example, bringing your own food and drink is not allowed in girls’ bars. Even if you are allowed to bring your own food and drinks, you may be charged for it.
It is also important to understand basic rules, such as the fact that snack bars and girls’ bars are legally prohibited from serving customers with women sitting next to them, and that touching women is prohibited in all establishments.
If you are unsure of the rules and etiquette, be sure to check with the restaurant.
Check the ordering method and fee system
Ordering methods and pricing systems vary from restaurant to restaurant, so be sure to check in advance. If you are offered a rate that is extremely lower than the market rate, be aware that there are cases of fraud or rip-offs where you will be charged a higher rate later.
In addition, there are cases where the fee is automatically extended and renewed, and before you know it, the fee has become expensive. Check the fee system when you come to the restaurant and inform them of your budget to avoid problems at the time of billing.
Be careful not to drink too much.
Excessive drinking can cause problems such as physical discomfort and loud noises. Be sure to drink in moderation so as not to inconvenience the customers around you or the restaurant.
Decide in advance how much you will drink and how long you will stay for to prevent overdrinking and have a good time. It is also important to control the pace of your drinking.
■Summary of differences between cabarets, snack bars, and girls bars
The difference between cabarets, snack bars, and girls’ bars is in the atmosphere of the store and the way they serve their customers. Make sure you understand the characteristics, rules, and fee system of each bar, and choose the one that suits you best.
Also, be careful not to drink too much alcohol. Have a great night out with this article as a guide.
【Q＆A】
Q. Is tipping necessary?
A. It is not customary to tip in Japan, so there is no need to do so. If you wish to give a tip or gift to congratulate or thank the staff, it should be a reasonable amount. Do not pester women to give tips or other gifts.
Q.Can I sit next to a woman in a snack bar or girls bar and serve her?
A. No, you cannot. Girls bars and snack bars operate under a license called a “restaurant offering alcoholic beverages late at night. Although “restaurants offering late-night alcoholic beverages” are allowed to operate after midnight, sitting next to a customer to serve them (entertainment) is prohibited.
