As far as libations go in the city, you never forget your last killer cocktail—and for some, that might have happened back in 2013 when Hisatsugu Saito was helming the bar at the Keefer. 

Saito, who began his bartending career at Bar Hermitage in Sapporo, Japan, before venturing to Australia and eventually making his mark at the Keefer Bar, will be back to satiate our palates once again.

Since leaving the Keefer in the mid-2010s, he’s jetted off to Bar Trench & Bar Tram in Tokyo before moving to Ars&Delect in Shanghai—and now finally, at his current role at Bar Owl & Rooster in Hokkaido. The spot earned a title in the 50 Best Bars in the 2022 Discovery Bar award, solidifying Saito’s name as one of the best in the world.

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Some of his signature cocktail recipes include the Black & Honey and the Noble Diplomat. If you want to find out what they’re all about, you’ll just have to make your way over to the Chinatown bar on Thursday, March 7, when the bar is hosting a special Saito takeover in partnership with Nikka Whiskey.

Reservations for the event are available, though walk-ins are also welcome.