Bar Ikigai in Birmingham

Best cocktails I've ever had (Howls Moving Castle and Isle of Pie)

I really like Ikigai. It's got a nice, chilled out vibe - it's spacious and relaxed, which is a nice alternative to other bars in Stirchley (which are great, but mostly very small). The drinks I've had there have all been good; some unusual flavours, but they work really well. We'll definitely be back to try some more!

We visited on a Saturday afternoon soon after it opened to celebrate our anniversary. We bought our little one in as well, which was not an issue as their licence allows children during certain hours. The cocktails were delicious and the menu was interesting to look through. The guys serving us were friendly and helpful when choosing, as there is plenty to choose from. Unfortunately it was only us in there at the time so it was lacking a bit of an atmosphere, regardless I look forward to coming back and trying more!

We went on a Saturday late evening and although the rest of Stirchley was packed to the rafters Ikigai was a quiet oasis of calm. The cocktails change regularly but you can always order the old faithfuls. The current theme is Anime. We really enjoyed the flavours and combinations of the ones we tried. A fantastic bar with really knowledgeable staff willing to excited to talk you through choices. Kind of don't want everyone else to know about it in case it gets too busy but also a must try worth shouting about

We have had such an amazing night tonight. Tallulah and Ollie have really looked after us. If you are looking for unique cocktails and friendly service - this is the place. We will definitely be back. What a fab addition to Stirchley x

Amazing cocktails, like nothing you’d find in your standard bar. EXTREMELY knowledgeable staff, knew everything. A rare find not to be missed!

Really love the ambience of this place and the staff know their stuff and are very friendly. My only reason for not going more often is they don't serve wine - I can't always be drinking cocktails both in terms of strength & cost. My drink of choice is a lovely glass of Vino Verde but a couple of options on wines I'm sure would make me a regular!

Great cocktail bar, make the effort to go there and enjoy the amazing drinks served by brilliant owner and staff.

We had cocktails 🍸 😋 the owners were amazing went above and beyond to make us feel so welcome definitely will be visiting again 😀

Great chilled vibe. Incredible knowledge of drinks, their history and explanation of flavour profiles. Plus they have Sake

Wow, amazing cocktails and really friendly, knowledgeable staff ⭐

Very kind and attentive barman - drinks did take a while but that's to be expected. Overall good experience, pretty decor, but it seemed strange that there was only one staff member working to serve everyone there as it was quite busy.

Fantastic cocktails. The venue is lovely, and more spacious than the old JQ spot. Really thoughtful menu, with a clear rationale behind each drink. We had - Kintsugi - wild garlic margarita (special) - Noh - Shikki Clean, well made, and warm service too. Highly recommend. Also, dog friendly.

Loved the first visit, Ollie was an excellent host, cocktails tasty and unique, all round great experience. Will be back again!

The atmosphere is very beautiful- finally a spacious bar in Birmingham!! The service is professional, very kind and friendly and presented every cocktail nicely. All the cocktails are amazing. The black honey is one of the best cocktails I 've ever had (I like sweet). I'm definitely coming again to taste more cocktails.

Lovely atmosphere. Amazing staff, really friendly and helpful. Beautiful menu fully inclusive of people who don't drink and have allergies.

Really great bar, beautiful decor and ambience. The drinks are class as are the the guys that run it. Check it out 😊

Absolutely great visit the other night, a wonderful venue. Special mention to Aaliyah who served us all night and was lovely and knowledgeable about all the drinks we ordered - a credit to the bar! ❤️

An amazing well thought out drinks menu, explained in detail by the wonderful staff. Highly recommend

Came here for drinks before an anniversary dinner and so glad we did. Ollie really took care of us, bringing out some prosecco to celebrate and wishing us a happy anniversary. He was super friendly and answered all the questions I had about the place. Amazing to know these guys have done so well even though they started in between lockdowns! The cocktails here are delicious, each different to the last and all tasting fantastic. All come with their own story to add that little bit more to the drink. The vibe inside was intimate due to the small venue but this only added to the character of the bar, which we really liked. Overall we really enjoyed out experience here, leaving happy and tipsy! All the best to Bar Ikigai staff for their move in November!

OLLIE has been exemplary. His knowledge of the menu, his amazing ability to mix and balance flavours and his performance on delivery with introductions of each drink has given us an amazing experience. A venue to watch and follow. Thanks Ollie!!

Love the drinks and the vibe as always! Glad I got to talk to Luke about sake. Not looking forward to having to travel out to Stirchley in the next few months when they move. Non-alcoholic versions were very good but I prefer the boozy version

Amazing vibes, decor and cocktails so delicious it’s hard to describe! Also the way the menu is designed is so interesting and such a great start to the evening having Luke explain it all. Will definitely go back! ❤️

Absolutely cracking cocktails and probably our favourite place for a drink in all of Brum! Cannot recommend enough.

New favourite bar in Birmingham. An absolute experience like nowhere else!

My new no. 1 bar in Birmingham. Hands down one of the best cocktail experiences I have ever had. We had such a lovely time there for my birthday yesterday, it was such a great experience trying Japanese cocktails and hearing from our host the story behind them all, not to mention how beautifully presented they were. You really will find nothing else like it in Birmingham, I'd compare it to Aladdin's cave, a real hidden treasure that more people need to know about it! Would 100% recommend this to anyone with a passion for Japan, cocktails or just looking for a new and exciting experience. It wasn't gimmicky in the slightest and you could tell that the people who made these cocktails and created this bar are people who have researched and know Japan well. Loved it and will definitely be paying another visit soon.

Went in for one drink after work. Ended spending the entire evening at Ikigai having amazing drinks and having great conversations with the owner. Really lovely relaxed vibes with outstanding drinks

This isn't just about amazing cocktails (which they really are!), this is an event to be experienced. Each cocktail has been beautifully balanced and has a story behind it. Will absolutely be coming back!

Love the great Japanese bar which can make any cocktail on Tokyo Station menu map into a mocktail for me. Luke the owner has plenty of great stories behind his drink making concoctions. A must visit as it's quite the hidden gem in JQ

Probably my favourite bar in all of Brum. The knowledgeable staff and the intimate atmosphere make for a perfect experience.

Great ambiance, great service, great drinks. Will definitely go again!

Excellent cocktail bar with a very unique setting, menu. Cocktails were delicious and enjoyed the stories about each one Service was excellent, friendly and efficient. Highly recommended!

Been to ikigai twice now and both times were absolutely brilliant, cocktails are fantastically inventive and very interesting and most importantly; delicious. The staff are very welcoming and provide amazing service, Luke is an amazing bartender, really friendly and very knowledgeable. Great drinks, great vibes and great people. Will definitely come back a 3rd,4th and 5th time

Me and my girlfriend rate every bar we go, and this is the first we both gave a 10/10. Incredible drinks and lovely knowledgeable staff. Would recomend to anyone to visit

Have been here twice now and both times were amazing! I wonderful little place that is super cosy and relaxed! Great for a date night or a one on one with friends! Each drink is fully explained once it arrives, and where it comes from! Such a wonderful experience and different, the drinks are small but very flavourful so you wouldn’t want any bigger, would recommend booking and I’ll definitely be back!

If you haven't been to Ikigai yet, you need to go. I visited on Birmingham cocktail weekend and returned yesterday, happy to know that their cocktail weekend cocktail was still on the menu. Lovely atmosphere and friendly staff!

Amazing attention to detail and taste. We were amazed at the flavours in the cocktails. The guy who owns this place sure does know his stuff. Super enthusiastic and knowledgeable. We didn't really know what to expect, but loved the experience. Will definitely be visiting again as soon as we go back to Birmingham. Thanks 👍

Really good service, staff were super friendly, interior was really cosy drinks were really good aswell. I highly recommend.

A hidden gem in the jewellery quarter; knowledgeable and attentive staff, insanely good, well thought out cocktail selection and yummy little snacks all served in a relaxed and intimate setting. We managed to get a table on a Friday night even when the bar downstairs was full. Can't recommend enough and will definitely be back :)

One of the top spots for cocktails in Birmingham!! Very knowledgeable staff and relaxed vibes. Looking forward to the next visit!

A Japanese cocktail bar in the Jewellery Quarter? Yes!!! Intimate bar with friendly folk. 10/10

Some of the best cocktails I have ever tasted!! The staff were the loveliest people ever and the venue is super cosy! Unfortunately, didn’t have the opportunity to take pictures of the drinks we order because we were literally devouring them and chatting to the two lovely owners. If you haven’t been here yet and you love well thought out professional cocktails, you are missing out!

Completely deserves the 5 star reviews! An amazing selection of cocktails on a original and inventive menu. The staff were welcoming and attentive who you could tell were passionate and very knowledgeable about what they do. 2 of the best cocktails I've had, the pixelated punch is a must try.

did their new sushi + cocktail tasting menu on sunday and it was delightful. the cocktails were fantastic, in particular loved the ginger one and the wasabi one. service for each course was a bit delayed but i think the tasting menu is relatively new so i didn’t mind. vegetarian sushi options were good enough - wouldn’t have minded something a little more exciting but would defo still come here again - especially for the cocktails!!

A group of 4 of us had booked for the Bar Ikigai X Oko sushi Sunday. On the positives the staff were very friendly and apologetic about the delay to seat us (more on that below).The sushi was very flavoursome and the cocktails were delicious. The venue had a great ambience and we'll be definitely coming back. For a tiny bar (I overheard that it only seats 32) it has a great atmosphere and buzz about it. Slight negatives, the bar was running a little late so we had a couple of trips up and down the stars to 1000 trades to wait until it was ready. Whilst we weren't expecting to have a full 5 course meal, the portions were a little underwhelming. To illustrate we had one small piece of sushi for each round (there were 5 rounds). It also would have been nice to know a bit more detail about the sushi and cocktails as they were bought rather than the brief summary i.e. the first cocktail was called wasabi but we weren't told what alcohol it was.

Best cocktail bar in Birmingham! Amazing and friendly service. And the cocktails are just beautiful!

Went to an Ikigai x ÕKO event (cocktails with sushi pairings) and it couldn't have been better. The decor is lovely and the atmosphere they set was even better. The mixologist behind the bar was happy to come over and talk about the cocktails - his knowledge and passion for this was really evident. Although a couple of cocktails weren't to my personal taste, they were still well made and I can see others appreciating them. The Sushi Ginger cocktail was particularly outstanding - I could have had that by the bottle. Definitely go and support this business - there's really nothing like it at the moment. I'll be back to sample the rest of the cocktails for sure.

Came here after a dinner, we were running late but called the bar and they were very understanding and pushed back our reservation time. Once we arrived the staff were attentive, friendly and knowledgable. They went to great lengths to provide information on the different cocktails, the areas of Japan that inspired them and the ingredients. The cocktails themselves were incredible, some of the nicest I’ve had. Unique flavours and presentation, all in a cosy and relaxed environment. Could not recommend this place more, will absolutely be going again. Loved it.

A fab, unique cocktail bar with a lovely relaxed atmosphere, run by a true enthusiast. Try "The River"!

Lovely cocktails which were explained in depth and obviously tasted amazing. Some really cool twists on some old classics. Also really liked the decor here, would certainly recommend to someone looking for nice cocktails, an experience or both.

Unique little bar, amazing service and the cocktails where so delicious.

a beautiful bar in a gorgeous setting with fantastic service. I cannot recommend it enough.

Never write reviews... Went here tonight for a couple of drinks with my girlfriend and we loved it. Im quite into my spirits/cocktails and the drinks here are really on another level. Best cocktail I've ever had - by far, plus a great atmosphere and service. Will be going back and really looking forward to trying some of the other drinks on the menu.

Lovely space above 1000 trades & great unique drinks menu, top service from Luke, who spoke to us about the different drinks and areas on the menu map, despite him being on his own and the place being busy! We were there an hour and a half which flew by, will be back to sample some more soon! Hidden gem in the JQ 😊

A place to take time and appreciate the moment. We arrived very late to our booking, and yet the barman welcomed us warmly and happily. Had a cocktail with bourbon, miso, matcha and white chocolate. The flavours were impressively balanced with great taste. About £9/£10 per cocktail which is more than reasonable. This is a place with nice decor, low music and a relaxed atmosphere. A real cocktail bar to appreciate interesting cocktails and be able to talk.

Excellent. Great drinks menu. Certainly worth a visit.

Great value for money. Brilliant service. Lovely atmosphere.

JQ HIDDEN GEM! Great atmosphere and wonderful service. Ambience is just right and the new drinks menu is an absolute triumph.

This is such an amazing and intimate bar, which really allows you to get that private experience. Every drink you get is given an amazing tale along with it which enhances the experience your time there, the team of ikigai know what there doing when they explain they're menu which was entirely new and was amazingly crafted with the fine details of the map of Japan and neighbourhood culture . We were treated to amazing conversations and great bartenders that love ensnare the senses🎉🎉✨✨

Love this bar. Black Honey is the best cocktail ever!

Wonderful! Interesting drinks and fabulous staff, all in a lovely environment. We’ll be back again for sure.

Perfect drinks, vibes, and service. Since opening last year Ikigai has fast become my favourite bar in Birmingham. The owners really care about giving the best experience and are happy to adapt drinks on the menu to cater to preferences, or create a new drink entirely.

Now, cocktails are my absolute favourite thing and I love to try different takes on the classics. This place smashes it out of the park on choice, taste and presentation. I genuinely love this venue so much - everything was perfect including the immensely knowledgeable team! Although take it from me - drink slowly 😁

Very nice place, the staff were really knowledgable about all the drinks and were very polite. The drinks themselves were delicious and worth every penny, can 100% recommend.

Lovely atmosphere, friendly and knowledgeable staff, and of course, absolutely delicious drinks. Had a brilliant evening and I will definitely be back to work through the rest of the menu.

Brilliant drinks. Amazing service. Everyone who works there is clearly passionate about the bar and it shows.

Some of the best cocktails, service and atmosphere you can ever hope to find.

Had a fabulous time with friends at Ikigai. The decor and ambience of the place is spot on, really lovely! Excellent range of original and quirky cocktails; the pixelated punch and black honey ones were amazing! This small independent is a great new addition to the nightlife scene of the JQ (and city), and the owner (I forget his name, sorry!) is clearly extremely passionate and knowledgable. We can’t wait to go back soon :-)

Thoroughly enjoyed my time in this quaint hidden gem of a place! The staff were particularly friendly and enthusiastic, not to mention knowledgeable about the drinks they were serving which also looked incredible. Not only do you get all of that, the prices are extremely reasonable. I will 100% come back here in the future. Keep it up guys.

Must visit. I'd recommend for the cocktails because they're the best in the area. Staff give awesome service.

Amazing intimate bar with delicious high quality cocktails. Luke and Tal are so knowledgable and give a great experience

Great night out, knowledgeable staff and fab drinks. It was fairly noisy in there (to be expected on a Sat night) but managed to move tables no problem. Will definitely return

Great place to try different cocktails, fantasic customer services will definitely be back

Beautiful Venue, wonderful service, interesting and unique cocktails. What more could you want !? Subarashī !! 😍😍

Beautiful bar, unique aesthetic and tasty cocktails. Definitely would recommend a visit - the service was lovely and the explanation of the origins of each drink and presentation were exquisite. Will be visiting again soon.

Great Bar… amazing drinks … and service is very good. Sheen a few times.. and will be going again..

Elegant sophisticated cocktail experience.

Went for the first time last night and already one of my favourite bars in Birmingham. The cocktails are incredible and the couple running it are incredibly helpful in talking you through the options. They were great for nut allergy suffers as well! Great value as well. Look forward to coming back loads in the future

I honestly can’t recommend this place enough. The drinks here are at a masters level. And if you appreciate your cocktails the skills required to make such beautiful and harmonious tasting cocktails require such skill and knowledge and I assume many years of training and experience. And for that it’s one of the reasons I really appreciated the venue. However to be able to receive such amazing service made the experience much more better. We were attended to very well and they were all so polite friendly and accommodating. The venue was perfectly decorated. I found it very relaxing and it was a perfect way to catch with friends we had not see in so long. I highly recommend visiting this place.