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Moments to Talk A place of warmth and familiarity — refined yet unpretentious, where the spirit of a Japanese izakaya meets the grace of a modern dining room. Like the slow maturation of whisky, we believe that connection deepens with time and conversation. We hope that every sip, every shared story here, becomes a gentle part of your own life’s harmony.
Address and Contact Information
Address: 19 Cecil St, #01-01 The Quadrant, Singapore 049704
Phone: +65 8028 7100
Website: https://www.barrelhibiki.com/
Menu Photos
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Reviews
L Chan
Had dinner here on a Friday night & opted for the 6-course chef’s selection. The meal was delicious & nicely paced, with each course thoughtfully prepared & presented.
We were seated at the corner booth sofa, which was very comfortable & made the dining experience feel relaxed. The restaurant was quite lively & a bit noisy on a Friday evening, but it added to the energetic atmosphere.
We also had cocktails & sake, which paired nicely with the meal. Service was attentive throughout the night, with staff checking in regularly without being intrusive. Overall, we had a really enjoyable evening & a great time here.
… moreWe were seated at the corner booth sofa, which was very comfortable & made the dining experience feel relaxed. The restaurant was quite lively & a bit noisy on a Friday evening, but it added to the energetic atmosphere.
We also had cocktails & sake, which paired nicely with the meal. Service was attentive throughout the night, with staff checking in regularly without being intrusive. Overall, we had a really enjoyable evening & a great time here.
Roger Duong
Maybe it’s the high expectation but for this price, I felt a bit underwhelmed
Nice interior design and atmosphere
We ordered omakase. High quality ingredients were the highlight. But taste lacked balance. Wagyu ham and caviar could be highlighted by an acid or spice touch. Persimmon and butter was great. Squid roll had great texture but an acid touch would be welcome. Truffle claypot rice was full of umami but a grilled rice bottom would elevate. For dessert we got the soft serve with hibiki however it was served in a paper cup with a plastic spoon . I would have expected a nice ceramic bowl with a proper spoon at least…
On the service, everyone was super kind and attentive which was great attitude. I would have expected some more explanation of the dishes though. Like the Harumaki was just put in front of us “here’s a harumaki” but we didn’t know how may dishes we had, what was that etc.
The cocktail menu design I quite disconcerting. Cocktails liquor dose is on the low side…. For cocktails: At minimum one would expect a proper description of the contents of the cocktails on top of (or instead of) the long narrative that is put there (I don’t expect everyone to know what are standard cocktails)
Some room to improve
… moreNice interior design and atmosphere
We ordered omakase. High quality ingredients were the highlight. But taste lacked balance. Wagyu ham and caviar could be highlighted by an acid or spice touch. Persimmon and butter was great. Squid roll had great texture but an acid touch would be welcome. Truffle claypot rice was full of umami but a grilled rice bottom would elevate. For dessert we got the soft serve with hibiki however it was served in a paper cup with a plastic spoon . I would have expected a nice ceramic bowl with a proper spoon at least…
On the service, everyone was super kind and attentive which was great attitude. I would have expected some more explanation of the dishes though. Like the Harumaki was just put in front of us “here’s a harumaki” but we didn’t know how may dishes we had, what was that etc.
The cocktail menu design I quite disconcerting. Cocktails liquor dose is on the low side…. For cocktails: At minimum one would expect a proper description of the contents of the cocktails on top of (or instead of) the long narrative that is put there (I don’t expect everyone to know what are standard cocktails)
Some room to improve
Geneveive Tan
Read about this new place online and decided to give it a try since its Hibiki-inspired dining.
We ordered a Uni-starter and it was so tiny – a spoonful of Uni+some seaweed slices for $22. The server recommended us to try the White Corn and this dish was the star of the night for me. The corn was sweet and the wagyu fat topping gave the dish a lovely flavour. We also tried their Wagyu Bone-in striploin and suckling pig and both were done pretty well. The server recommended their Hibiki ice-cream and creme caramel with fruits to end the meal and it was normal.
Though this place is very pretty with a nice ambience, their prices are on the high side for the small portion served. The server told us most of the portions are good for 2 pax to share but actually, its only enough for 1. Though the flavors are decent, I am not sure if I will be back, I wasn’t very impressed with the food and service. They charged $3pp for warm water and I had to ask repeatedly for refills.
… moreWe ordered a Uni-starter and it was so tiny – a spoonful of Uni+some seaweed slices for $22. The server recommended us to try the White Corn and this dish was the star of the night for me. The corn was sweet and the wagyu fat topping gave the dish a lovely flavour. We also tried their Wagyu Bone-in striploin and suckling pig and both were done pretty well. The server recommended their Hibiki ice-cream and creme caramel with fruits to end the meal and it was normal.
Though this place is very pretty with a nice ambience, their prices are on the high side for the small portion served. The server told us most of the portions are good for 2 pax to share but actually, its only enough for 1. Though the flavors are decent, I am not sure if I will be back, I wasn’t very impressed with the food and service. They charged $3pp for warm water and I had to ask repeatedly for refills.
Udom
We were hyped about this place being a fan of Hibiki and Suntory. Given the setting, we were also prepared for a rather hefty bill as well.
Overall we had a great time dining here with some gripes. Let’s start with the positives. Memorable dishes include cured tuna and red trout, roasted chicken with negi, and white corn. They truly felt special and stood out enough from the normal dish that their price tag felt justified.
As a beer lover, we were pleasantly surprised to see Master’s Dream served on tap. Been missing it since Pronto closed down years ago.
Now onto the less memorable things. One of the sashimi (cannot remember the name) with basil sauce was extremely chewy. The gyutan no matter how tender or well seasoned was going to be difficult to justify 24++ price tag for 2 tiny pieces. Teba gyoza could be more well seasoned, kinda bland and needed the yuzu kosho to carry it.
We will go back one day for the bar upstairs. But for now, it was a pretty good night out for special occasions.
… moreOverall we had a great time dining here with some gripes. Let’s start with the positives. Memorable dishes include cured tuna and red trout, roasted chicken with negi, and white corn. They truly felt special and stood out enough from the normal dish that their price tag felt justified.
As a beer lover, we were pleasantly surprised to see Master’s Dream served on tap. Been missing it since Pronto closed down years ago.
Now onto the less memorable things. One of the sashimi (cannot remember the name) with basil sauce was extremely chewy. The gyutan no matter how tender or well seasoned was going to be difficult to justify 24++ price tag for 2 tiny pieces. Teba gyoza could be more well seasoned, kinda bland and needed the yuzu kosho to carry it.
We will go back one day for the bar upstairs. But for now, it was a pretty good night out for special occasions.
dnihilist
Came for lunch on a Friday, got a table easily without a reservation.
They didn’t have the stuffed chicken wing starter so ordered the burrata salad that was creamy. The light dressing had a distinct flavor, briefly reminded of time in Tokyo. I had the prosciutto wrapped muscat grape. Interesting combo, but it worked.
The chicken rice was made with Japanese, oily, rich, and most definitely not enough, in a good way. The chicken itself was poached to the point where the white and dark meats were equally good. Tender, juicy and had a nice bite. The scallion ginger and chilli sauces were sharp and completed what was most likely kampung chicken judging by the size. Not sure how I’d view the caviar as I didn’t think it added much to the dish.
The strip loin came medium rare as ordered. This was a pretty good piece of beef marred by an overly sweet miso glaze. A lighter saltier miso would have been preferred. Or maybe just flambed at the end with a little Hibiki. The accompanying fries were good, and not enough, see chicken rice above.
The soft serve was fortunately a little self deprecating as it was better than your general soft serve. The salted caramel sauce was good, yes, good again.
There were some misses, but there was a lot to like. Looking at both lunch and dinner menus got us excited. There were items in there that made Barrel Story just a little bit different. We concluded that we’d be back.
Now if they can only manage the Japanese rockabilly music volume.
… moreThey didn’t have the stuffed chicken wing starter so ordered the burrata salad that was creamy. The light dressing had a distinct flavor, briefly reminded of time in Tokyo. I had the prosciutto wrapped muscat grape. Interesting combo, but it worked.
The chicken rice was made with Japanese, oily, rich, and most definitely not enough, in a good way. The chicken itself was poached to the point where the white and dark meats were equally good. Tender, juicy and had a nice bite. The scallion ginger and chilli sauces were sharp and completed what was most likely kampung chicken judging by the size. Not sure how I’d view the caviar as I didn’t think it added much to the dish.
The strip loin came medium rare as ordered. This was a pretty good piece of beef marred by an overly sweet miso glaze. A lighter saltier miso would have been preferred. Or maybe just flambed at the end with a little Hibiki. The accompanying fries were good, and not enough, see chicken rice above.
The soft serve was fortunately a little self deprecating as it was better than your general soft serve. The salted caramel sauce was good, yes, good again.
There were some misses, but there was a lot to like. Looking at both lunch and dinner menus got us excited. There were items in there that made Barrel Story just a little bit different. We concluded that we’d be back.
Now if they can only manage the Japanese rockabilly music volume.
Arella HE
Barrel is officially my favorite restaurant!! came for a drink, left with a whole experience. completely exceeded expectations.
the atmosphere is the perfect balance between intimate and refined, especially with the dim lighting and warm wood tones that makes you want to stay longer than planned
the hibiki selections is thoughtfully curated, and the staff genuinely knows their whisky. they took the time to explain the creation of the food and there are over 60+ items! my favorites are the suckling pig and aburi beef donabe
will definitely be back!
… morethe atmosphere is the perfect balance between intimate and refined, especially with the dim lighting and warm wood tones that makes you want to stay longer than planned
the hibiki selections is thoughtfully curated, and the staff genuinely knows their whisky. they took the time to explain the creation of the food and there are over 60+ items! my favorites are the suckling pig and aburi beef donabe
will definitely be back!
Jeen Ng
So disappointing. Undercooked and expensive chicken. Don’t order it! I had high hopes for this new concept place, came for the lunch set with two other colleagues and all of us agreed whole heartedly not to come back again.
Firstly for a $46 Chicken Rice that they call it their “signature dish”, it needs to be perfection on the plate. Far from that, the chicken was under cooked and pink, I called the waiter over and he said “this chicken bruises easily and the redness is from bruising but it’s cooked” so I sent it back to the kitchen expecting a fresh one. But no, they just cooked the remaining portions which clearly came back no longer pink. No apology, or acknowledgement. Secondly, the supposedly whiskey infused sauce was so subtle no one could tell. Thirdly how do they expect guests to eat chicken wings on the bone with chopsticks?
On the positive – responsive service and my water cup was always refilled. The space is beautiful. But with such a bad food experience and bad follow up service we are most definitely not returning.
… moreFirstly for a $46 Chicken Rice that they call it their “signature dish”, it needs to be perfection on the plate. Far from that, the chicken was under cooked and pink, I called the waiter over and he said “this chicken bruises easily and the redness is from bruising but it’s cooked” so I sent it back to the kitchen expecting a fresh one. But no, they just cooked the remaining portions which clearly came back no longer pink. No apology, or acknowledgement. Secondly, the supposedly whiskey infused sauce was so subtle no one could tell. Thirdly how do they expect guests to eat chicken wings on the bone with chopsticks?
On the positive – responsive service and my water cup was always refilled. The space is beautiful. But with such a bad food experience and bad follow up service we are most definitely not returning.
Wang Li Jun
It was a very pleasant evening for me and my family. The place was full when we arrived and the vibe was just perfect. The service was personal and attentive. In terms of food, they have some unique dishes but even for common dishes like potato salad, they have some interesting twist to it. Overall, a very good experience and will come back for sure.
… moreYou K
Visited this newly opened Japanese bar near Exit F of Raffles Place MRT. It’s a collaboration between Suntory and a Japanese restaurant, so naturally, I was curious and excited.
The entrance looked classy, and the staff were dressed sharply. Inside had a stylish mix of bar seating, dining tables, and a counter around the grill—compact but polished, with that “we just opened and everyone’s here” kind of energy.
The drink menu featured Suntory’s Hibiki (of course), plus a few cocktails. The food was more on the snacky side—not really for dinner, more like “one-bite-and-it’s-gone” plates with creative names.
We picked a few and were off to a nice start. The staff were friendly, and the mood was good.
Then… one of our dishes never arrived.
We followed up politely. Once. Twice. Three times. Each time: “It’s coming soon.” It was starting to feel like we were waiting for a bus that had already gone out of service.
Despite plenty of staff floating around, no one seemed to actually check with the kitchen. It was like watching a group project where everyone thinks someone else is doing the work.
We asked a senior-looking staff member—she smiled. Not in a “we’ve got this” way. More like “oh well ¯_(ツ)_/¯”. It was… confusing. We weren’t joking, but she looked like we had just told one.
Eventually, after over an hour (yes, for one dish), we asked to speak to someone in charge. Response? “He’s busy.” I mean, sure, aren’t we all. But we still show up.
A Japanese staff—maybe the chef?—came over, but even then, there was no real sense of ownership. Everyone felt slightly detached, like “not my table, not my problem.”
Drinks came in surprisingly tiny glasses. Not elegant-tiny. More like “did I just pay this much for a whiskey shot in a water cup?” tiny. The food wasn’t bad, just underwhelming. Small portions, basic presentation, and price tags that assumed more effort had gone in.
With the Suntory name, I was expecting something a bit more polished—or at least something that showed someone was in charge.
Perhaps they’re still adjusting after opening, but at this stage, it feels like they’re trying to do too much at once. Honestly, it might work better as a bar with a lighter food menu, rather than a full dining experience.
I won’t be returning, but I hope things improve.
… moreThe entrance looked classy, and the staff were dressed sharply. Inside had a stylish mix of bar seating, dining tables, and a counter around the grill—compact but polished, with that “we just opened and everyone’s here” kind of energy.
The drink menu featured Suntory’s Hibiki (of course), plus a few cocktails. The food was more on the snacky side—not really for dinner, more like “one-bite-and-it’s-gone” plates with creative names.
We picked a few and were off to a nice start. The staff were friendly, and the mood was good.
Then… one of our dishes never arrived.
We followed up politely. Once. Twice. Three times. Each time: “It’s coming soon.” It was starting to feel like we were waiting for a bus that had already gone out of service.
Despite plenty of staff floating around, no one seemed to actually check with the kitchen. It was like watching a group project where everyone thinks someone else is doing the work.
We asked a senior-looking staff member—she smiled. Not in a “we’ve got this” way. More like “oh well ¯_(ツ)_/¯”. It was… confusing. We weren’t joking, but she looked like we had just told one.
Eventually, after over an hour (yes, for one dish), we asked to speak to someone in charge. Response? “He’s busy.” I mean, sure, aren’t we all. But we still show up.
A Japanese staff—maybe the chef?—came over, but even then, there was no real sense of ownership. Everyone felt slightly detached, like “not my table, not my problem.”
Drinks came in surprisingly tiny glasses. Not elegant-tiny. More like “did I just pay this much for a whiskey shot in a water cup?” tiny. The food wasn’t bad, just underwhelming. Small portions, basic presentation, and price tags that assumed more effort had gone in.
With the Suntory name, I was expecting something a bit more polished—or at least something that showed someone was in charge.
Perhaps they’re still adjusting after opening, but at this stage, it feels like they’re trying to do too much at once. Honestly, it might work better as a bar with a lighter food menu, rather than a full dining experience.
I won’t be returning, but I hope things improve.
Andrew Soh
We visited Barrel Story of Hibiki for a birthday celebration. While the service was attentive and the drinks were decent, the food was a real mixed bag. Here is the breakdown of our experience:
The Highlights (Must-Orders):
• Aburi Wagyu Donabe: The absolute star of the night. Rich, smoky, and perfectly executed.
• Gyu Tongue Tsukune: Incredible texture; dipping the meatball into the egg yolk sauce was divine.
• Wagyu Umami Fries: Living up to their name—very addictive.
• Tonsoku Harumaki: Like a crispy pulled-pork spring roll. Very tasty.
The Disappointments:
• Suckling Pig: Mostly fat (3/4 ratio) and lacked flavor.
• Nagano Persimmon Millefeuille: A very confusing dish. It felt like an odd version of Kaya toast (without the toast) but didn’t quite land.
• Mochi Cheese Nugget: Tasted like a McNugget with curry sauce, but without the actual chicken.
• Karaage & Teba Gyoza: Both were underwhelming; the Karaage had too much flour and the stuffed wings were under-seasoned.
• Uni-Corn Croquette: Simply forgettable.
Atmosphere & Service: The service was fast—perhaps a bit too fast, as we felt rushed through the courses. The vibe is very loud, more like a lively pub than a refined lounge, so keep that in mind if you’re looking for a quiet spot for a romantic chat.
Note on Birthdays: We were disappointed by the dessert selection. They only offer soft serve and fruits, which didn’t feel “celebratory” enough, so we ended up leaving to have cake elsewhere.
Overall: Great for a lively night with specific dishes, but the menu needs more consistency and better dessert options for special occasions.
… moreThe Highlights (Must-Orders):
• Aburi Wagyu Donabe: The absolute star of the night. Rich, smoky, and perfectly executed.
• Gyu Tongue Tsukune: Incredible texture; dipping the meatball into the egg yolk sauce was divine.
• Wagyu Umami Fries: Living up to their name—very addictive.
• Tonsoku Harumaki: Like a crispy pulled-pork spring roll. Very tasty.
The Disappointments:
• Suckling Pig: Mostly fat (3/4 ratio) and lacked flavor.
• Nagano Persimmon Millefeuille: A very confusing dish. It felt like an odd version of Kaya toast (without the toast) but didn’t quite land.
• Mochi Cheese Nugget: Tasted like a McNugget with curry sauce, but without the actual chicken.
• Karaage & Teba Gyoza: Both were underwhelming; the Karaage had too much flour and the stuffed wings were under-seasoned.
• Uni-Corn Croquette: Simply forgettable.
Atmosphere & Service: The service was fast—perhaps a bit too fast, as we felt rushed through the courses. The vibe is very loud, more like a lively pub than a refined lounge, so keep that in mind if you’re looking for a quiet spot for a romantic chat.
Note on Birthdays: We were disappointed by the dessert selection. They only offer soft serve and fruits, which didn’t feel “celebratory” enough, so we ended up leaving to have cake elsewhere.
Overall: Great for a lively night with specific dishes, but the menu needs more consistency and better dessert options for special occasions.