Palm Bar And Cafe  Hodogaya Eki East Gate tel +81/(0) 45-712-0227. AKA the Digital Bar by the locals - A small trendy bar with a full array of top shelf liquors, bottled beers from 500 yen and daily drink specials from 420 yen makes it an inexpensive watering hole. English music selections with a large screen TV plus free internet makes it a great place to relax after work. Located 4mins from Yokohama Stn on the Yokosuka Line. Also bar snacks and pretty decent pasta from 900 yen. Open Mon-Sat. 19:00-2:00. 045-712-0227.
Windjammer Toraku Building 1F, Yamashita-cho, Naka-ku, tel +81/(0) 45-662-3966. A classy jazz bar on the edges of Chinatown run by a dapper American expat who loves to put on a show for his customers. Bands play downstairs most nights and there's a large screen for those on the second floor showing the action below. The decor is decadent and there's a chocolate fountain with fruit for dipping. Open 5.30PM-1AM Sun-Thu, 6PM-2AM Fri-Sat. Music cover 500yen, drinks from 800yen.
Downbeat Miyamoto Bldg. 2F 1-43 Hanabusacho, Naku-ku 231-0052 Sakuragicho. Another jazz bar, but this one features an extensive record collection, a "record menu" and a foreigner friendly staff. Request a song out of the menu and the owner will put it in the queue.
Ishikawacho, 4-168 Sekiuti Real Estate Building 2, B1F. One of Yokohama's hottest, and oldest, hip hop clubs. DJ's spinning R&B, Reggae, and Hip Hop. Special events throughout the month.
Summer brings the beer gardens : both Luminè Department Store (near Yokohama Station) and the Star Hotel sport the rooftop variety, or there's a real garden next to Yamate Jubankan.
HOGS HEAD. Irish/American pub. Address: Naka-ku Tokiwa-cho 6-77, No 2 Hiyoshi Bldg 1F (?????6-77?2????1F). If you like the Windjammer, you will like this place too. Very Japanese, they tried it to perfection. The pub is trying hard to look as Irish/American as can be and is doing a very good job. The bartenders know over 200 cocktails and the "financial damage" per drink hovers around Yen1,000. Basic food, pasta, pizza and snacks are also available. Unique about the bar is its size, which can be classed as rather large in the area of Bashamichi, Kannai, where small, tiny sized bars are common. There is no live band, but the music jamming out of the speaker systems throughout the bar is Jazz and the bar itself is very quiet and emphasis is placed on enjoying your drink. Hogshead proud sales pitch is the long bar counter with the respectful collection of whiskeys, brandies and other alcoholic delicacies proudly shelved behind it. The bar itself accepts reservations for larger groupings under (045) 641-4746.
Benny's Place, Ishikawacho 1-25 Mitsubo Bldg. 2F, tel 045-671-0818 (just off the big intersection in Motomachi). American-style sports bar complete with baseball memorabilia, cable TV, darts, and a friendly owner who'll gladly tell you about his days in the U.S. Navy at "Yah-kohska". And the biggest hamburgers served this side of the Pacific.
Oriental Café, 2-16-4 Minamisaiwai, Nishi-ku, is a small sized diner which plays continuously house music and the interior décor is in line with the music it plays. For an easy night out and on budget (in this country being less than US$100) this place is rather attractive with its unique décor, its simple menu and plain but basic selection of beers, cocktails and wines. Tel: (045) 311-4640. Access, Yokohama Station plus 10 to 15 minute walk along the Shintama River, diagonally across the "Hamabowl" Bowling hall.
The Tavern, 2-14 Minami Saiwai cho, Nishi Ku (Out of Yokohama Station, head left until you come to Daiei supermarket/Tokyu Hands department store - it's under McDonald's), ? (045) 322-9727. This, the first British Pub/Restaurant in Yokohama, has been open over 20 years and is the regular watering-hole for ex-pats and foreign business travelers who come back to Yokohama regularly. About 70% of the clientele is Japanese, and is single-lady friendly! When you enter, it's like walking into a pub in England, and the large selection of food and imported draught beers help keep the one of the busiest night-spots in central Yokohama. The owner, John (from Bristol, U.K.), always has a joke ready, and will help the total stranger feel welcome and at home. It's easy to meet new people and make new friends at this friendly hostelry. Fish & chips is highly recommended.  edit