Lilo Bar is a new stylish Japanese bar in Barton that’s part of the Chairman Group’s Lilotang, one of Canberra’s best Japanese restaurants. You need to visit Lilo Bar if you enjoy a few drinks matched with some high-quality small bites of food, while having a conversation without yelling.
I’m a huge fan of Japanese food and drinks. I devoured quite a few bar snacks and consumed more than one refreshing beverage at izakayas during my travels through Japan.
An izakaya is a type of informal Japanese pub. They’re casual places for after-work drinking and they have different Japanese bar snacks available. Unlike many of the restaurants in Japan that feature one type of food, an izakaya usually has a few different smaller food options that are enjoyed with one, or five (depending on the week you’re having…) drinks.
Lilo Bar has adopted the izakaya theme and there’s nowhere else like it in Canberra. They have a range of amazing izakaya-style bar snacks available and their drinks menu boasts 20 types of warm and cold sake, and 25 different Japanese whiskies. Most of the whisky on the menu isn’t available for purchase in Australia so it’s a must visit if you’re a fan of Japanese whisky.
You can even order a sake tasting board, something that I haven’t seen anywhere else. Four types of sake are served on a tasting board for $35, giving you a new insight into the world of sake.
They have an extensive range of Japanese beer, as well as local, national and international wine. Their Japanese-inspired cocktail list features unique creations by the Lilo Bar team. They feature all of the Japanese flavours your would expect. Think of cocktails with ingredients like umeshu, sake, yuzu, matcha, shochu and Suntory whisky. I really enjoy sweet and sour flavours, a combination that is highlighted on Lilo Bar’s cocktail menu, so I’m really looking forward to returning to try their cocktails.
The food comes from the Lilotang kitchen so expect to be wowed. I’ve dined at Lilotang quite a few times and I’m never disappointed. The restaurant has also been updated so it’s worth checking out. Drinks at Lilo Bar could easily lead you to dinner at Lilotang.
The Lilo Bar menu includes popular Japanese drinking snacks like karaage chicken wings, gyoza and croquettes, as well as items from their robata grill and signature Lilotang sushi. Prices start at $8 for stir-fried edamame with shichimi salt, to $15 for the slow-cooked pork belly with Japanese mustard miso, or the flamed kingfish sashimi with mushroom wasabi soy.
I tried the tuna crunchy sushi with sea urchin egg sauce ($12). The piece thick tuna was so fresh and it sat on a bed of crispy rice, topped with the creamy and rich sea urchin sauce. I also tried the crispy chicken wing karaage ($8.50), gyoza ($8.50), creamy crab croquettes ($8.50), edamame ($8) and chips with spicy mayo ($8.50). They were all tasty, great value and very different to the usual bar snacks you find on most menus.
There’s an outdoor sitting area in the front courtyard with high tables and chairs, as well as high seating options and a low lounge-style seating area inside. The interior is moody and stylish, while the outdoor area is bright and sunny so you can have the best of both worlds and sit where you want depending on your mood, and the weather.
It’s the perfect place to unwind after work, catch up with friends or enjoy a few pre-dinner drinks with some tasty Japanese bar snacks. The outside area is perfect for the beautiful warm afternoons and I think the indoor area will be a cosy place to enjoy a winter beverage, especially a warming Japanese whisky or sake.
Lilo Bar also has weekday specials between 5-6:30pm. The specials include:
Tuesday: $35 for 2 small plates + 2 glasses of house wine or beer
Wednesday: $5 glasses of house wine, beer or sake
Thursday: $5 summer cocktails spritz
Friday: $5 glasses of French sparkling and house beers
Details
Address: The Burbury Hotel, 1 Burbury
Cl, Barton
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 5PM to
11PM
Facebook Lilo Bar Barton
Instagram @lilobar_barton
Phone 02 6273 1424
Email lilotang2014@gmail.com
Enter our GIVEAWAY for your chance to win a $150 voucher to spend at Lilo Bar! Visit the website to enter.
This is a sponsored post but all opinions are the author’s own. Photos by Amelia Bidgood.
Amelia Bidgood
Amelia is the Founder and Editor of Eat Canberra and the Founder and Managing Director of Eat Canberra Food Tours. She's a qualified journalist, presenter, freelance writer and also runs a boutique communications agency working with small business owners on all things social media, content creation and marketing. She's taught cheesemaking classes, judged hospitality and tourism awards, completed the WSET Level 1 Award In Wines, loves to cook and has travelled to 23 countries. She's also passionate about mental health and has recently started studying to become a Counsellor.