Hills House Sky Room Café & Bar

On the 33rd floor of Azabudai Hills, you’ll find one of Tokyo’s best observation decks. To access it, you’ll need to go to one of the restaurants there — and the Sky Room Café & Bar is our top pick. Sit down for a drink, with views across Tokyo. 

Azabudai Hills is one of the city’s most upscale shopping and entertainment complexes. Designed to be a modern urban village, it’s filled with high-end brands, art galleries like teamLab Borderless, and, of course, numerous cafés. One which stands out from the rest is Hills House Sky Room Café & Bar, which is inside Tokyo’s tallest building, in the same area as the Sky Lobby observation deck.

Price range

On this particular visit, a coffee and pastry cost ¥1,070 — about the same price you would pay in many coffee shops. However, what makes this place slightly more expensive is the ¥500 cover charge which is automatically added onto your order. Bear in mind that there is also one-drink per guest policy, and that payment is completely cashless — so you’ll need to bring a card.

There isn’t much difference in price, whether you go during the day or in the evening. In the early evening, the space becomes a bar and serves a range of alcoholic drinks, though, which are ¥800 to ¥1,100.

If you are mainly going for the city skyline views, then the price is fairly reasonable, considering that other viewing platforms like Tokyo City View and Sky Deck are more expensive. There appears to be no set time limit on how long you can stay.

How to make a reservation at Hills House Sky Room Café & Bar

Hills House Sky Room Café & Bar does not accept reservations. In theory, you can simply head up and walk in, but in reality, it isn’t that straightforward.

How to access the 33rd floor

Before April 2024, the observation deck, where the café is located, was free for anyone to visit. However now, to get up there, you will need to head to a specific set of elevators and tell the security guard that you are wanting to specifically visit the café.

You will then be directed to a small front desk where you are told about the ¥500 cover charge and how to get up to the café. First, you will need to take an elevator up to the 33rd floor, and then another one up to the 34th floor, where the Hills House Sky Room Café & Bar is.

Finding the first set of elevators and the front desk on the ground floor isn’t too hard if you are entering the building from the right side. Make sure to enter either by the main entrance to Azabudai Hills, or the entrance next to it which says Azabudai Hills Mori JP Tower.

Food

On the menu, you will find a variety of pastries, desserts, and snacks. The choice here isn’t too substantial given that there is a restaurant, Hills House Dining 33, and a patisserie, Dining 33 Pâtisserie à la maison, just downstairs on the 33rd floor. 

We tried the chocolate bread for ¥320, and it was fine. In addition to sweet pastries, there were a few savory pastries including a spinach and feta danish. Bar-style snacks such as mixed olives and nachos were on the menu too, for around ¥500 to ¥600.

By far, the most sought-after item on the menu is desserts which come from the patisserie, overseen by celeb chef Kiyomi Mikuni. The dessert changes day by day, with options including fruit tarts and eclairs. These are on the more expensive side, being priced at ¥1,000.

Drinks

For its coffee, Hills House Sky Room uses an original “Hills House” blend roasted by Little Darling Coffee Roasters in Minami Aoyama. The types of coffee on offer are pretty standard, including Americanos, espressos, café mochas, cappucinos, and lattes. In terms of plant-based milks, only oat milk is available — for an extra ¥100.

Other drink options include tea, fruit juices and ginger ale. Most of the drinks come in either a regular or large and range in price from ¥450 to ¥750. There is also a special seasonal drink which is ¥1,000.

As mentioned, you can also enjoy an alcoholic drink. The choice is limited compared to other bars, with there being one type of Japanese ale, a few wines and four different cocktails. The Daylight Float and Midnight Float cocktails are the bar’s signature ones. These drinks vary from ¥800 to ¥1,000.

Ambience

The main café area is both spacious and beautifully designed. The sleek and minimalist interior adds a feeling of luxury and exclusivity. You can either choose to sit or use the standing table. If you do the latter, you will be able to take in a close-up view of Tokyo Tower. 

It should be noted that you can’t get a full view of the city from the main café area. Instead, you will need to either sit on the wooden stairs or the tables below them. Make sure to read the rules before heading down, as you can’t bring food from the café, only drinks.

The observatory seating area is, by far, what makes this café worth visiting. Not only is there a large open space, but the atmosphere is quite calming. Although you could technically set up your laptop and do some work in this area, as there are charging ports in the staircase seating, most people seem to stop by to unwind, catch up with friends, and admire the view. 

Our review of Hills House Sky Room Café & Bar

Hills House Sky Room boasts impressive views and a relaxing ambience. Ideally, try to visit on a day with clear blue skies so that you get the best views of Tokyo Tower, the Minato district, and the city beyond.

Whilst both the drink and pastry were nice, the choices on the menu weren’t anything particularly special to justify the price. Moreover, initial confusion over how to get up there and the rules did dampen the experience slightly, making it less relaxing to begin with. However, it became a lot more enjoyable once sat in the observatory area.

Hills House Sky Room Café & Bar is good for:

This place is a good spot for those who want to take photos of the Tokyo skyline. It is a lot less busy than other Tokyo observation decks. If you are already in the area and want to go somewhere with a refined atmosphere and a view of Tokyo Tower, then Hills House Sky Room Café & Bar may just be for you. 

by Jane Pipkin