If you like restaurants where the evening can stretch from dinner into drinks, music and long conversations, Supa San Bandra is built for that kind of outing. The Japanese izakaya is less about rushing through a meal and more about ordering several small plates, trying a few drinks and settling in for a while. After trying its food, cocktails and desserts, some dishes stood out more than others — but the experience begins with a setting designed to make you stay a little longer.
A space that puts music in limelight
Located on the 14th floor of Mansionz One on Linking Road, Supa San is the latest Bandra outpost, following its BKC location. The 110-seater restaurant takes inspiration from Japanese izakayas, listening bars, vinyl cafés, neighbourhood eateries and karaoke culture.
As soon as you step inside, the first thing you notice is the music-led atmosphere. There is a communal dining area along with more intimate seating, while the open-to-sky alfresco section has a retractable roof. Neon lights add to the mood, live DJ sets the tone and there is also a private karaoke room for those looking to make the night a little louder.
One of the more interesting elements for me is The Culture Shelf, which features interesting vinyl records, Japanese-inspired objects, artwork and memorabilia. And if you're a music freak, you should definitely look around this corner. It feels more like part of the restaurant’s personality than a decorative afterthought.
Overall, the space has an easygoing, social vibe. It is the sort of place where you can imagine spending a few hours with friends, ordering drinks, listening to music and grazing through the menu rather than sitting down for a formal meal.
And grazing is exactly what the food menu encourages.
Small plates with some hit & miss
With more than 100 dishes and almost half the menu offering vegetarian options, Supa San has deliberately kept the food approachable. The menu is divided across The Counter, The Grill and The Pot, with sushi, sashimi, gyoza and smaller plates filling out the experience.
Chef Kripasha Miniya says the idea was to make the Bandra menu easier to navigate and suitable for different preferences, including Jain diners. “You should never reach main course,” she explains, describing a menu designed around smaller plates that allow guests to keep trying different dishes with a drink in hand.
The experience started with an otōshi, a complimentary welcome dish of creamy cabbage finished with Parmesan and miso dust, served with their signature spicy miso chilli sauce (which you can use throughout the dishes).
Midori No Mori |
Then came Midori No Mori, a green apple and avocado tartare served with edamame, cucumber, spicy onion dressing, jalapeño, and a lot other ingredients, alongside crispy nori chips. This was one of the stronger starters. The green apple brought sweetness and tang, while the avocado gave the dish a creamy texture. The fried seaweed chips added the crunch it needed, making every bite a mix of different textures. It was fresh, flavourful and light enough to work as a first order.
Tori Wasabi Sarada |
The Tori Wasabi Sarada, however, was more divisive for me. The salad combines romaine, iceberg and radicchio with grilled chicken, pecans and a wasabi dressing. The chicken was well cooked, and the dressing was not overwhelmingly sharp or spicy. But as I continued eating, a bitterness started lingering in the mouth. The first few bites were enjoyable, but the flavour became less pleasant towards the end, making it something that would not call for again.
Tori Teba and Tori Tsukune |
The grill section fared better. The Tori Teba, or stuffed chicken wings, takes deboned chicken wings and fills them with minced chicken before finishing them with chilli, roasted garlic and green onions. The chicken was juicy inside with a smoky exterior, and I squeezed lemon over it which lifted the flavours. I would suggest pairing it with the signature spicy miso chilli sauce for spicy kick and made the dish more interesting.
Another good grill was Tori Tsukune, chicken meatballs covered with honey butter and served with a creamy egg sauce made with soy sauce and egg yolk. The kebab-like meatballs were juicy, well-cooked and smoky on the outside. The honey butter added sweetness, while the egg and soy sauce brought creaminess, savouriness and a mild kick.
Tori Gyoza and Renkon Chizu Gyoza |
For gyoza, I preferred the Tori Gyoza over the vegetarian Renkon Chizu Gyoza. The chicken version, made with minced chicken, cabbage and shiitake mushroom, was juicy and umami-rich while still feeling like a classic gyoza. The signature sauce on the table adds spice and is worth using. The Renkon Chizu Gyoza, made with lotus root, corn, edamame and cheese, had a crisp shell and creamy filling, but the flavours felt relatively mild. If you like vegetarian gyoza and prefer something subtle, it works, but it did not leave as strong an impression on me as the chicken version.
Tori Karaage |
Then came the Tori Karaage, and this was another easy win. The Japanese fried chicken had the right contrast — crisp and crunchy on the outside, moist and juicy inside. The spicy, tangy sesame sauce worked well against the fried chicken, giving it enough heat and kick.
Sake Sashimi |
The Sake Sashimi was also worth mentioning. The thinly sliced raw salmon was fresh, soft and umami-rich, with a melt-in-the-mouth texture. Served with wasabi and pickled ginger, it stayed close to the simplicity expected from good sashimi.
For something more filling, the Tori Kamameshi was the comfort-food option. The chicken rice pot combines grilled chicken, carrot and mushroom with rice and a thick chicken-based sauce. The rice gets its flavour from a broth-style sauce made with chicken stock, soy, sake and mirin, which is reduced until it reaches a thicker consistency. The chicken was cooked well, and the rice absorbed the sauce nicely. It is not the most exciting dish on the menu, but it is comforting and satisfying when you want something substantial.
Cokctail menu that dances with tunes
The cocktails are where Supa San leans heavily into its music identity. The beverage menu, titled NOW PLAYING, is designed like a record collection, with 22 drinks spread across five sections — Low Volume, The Hits, Covers, Deep Cuts and Full Volume. The progression moves from lighter, flavour-forward drinks to more spirit-driven options.
The cocktail names are inspired by Japanese music, anime and some of the best artists, so the music reference is built into the drinks rather than simply being part of the restaurant’s décor. As mixologist Rohan Vengurlekar puts it, “The idea was to match the energy, emotion and personality of a song with the character of a drink."
From the Low Volume section, Shinunoga E Wa, inspired by Fujii Kaze’s popular song, is made with crème de banana, hazelnut liqueur, milky oolong tea and Japanese melon. It is silky, light and not particularly alcohol-forward. The sweetness builds gradually, followed by nutty notes, making it a comfortable choice if you prefer softer cocktails without a strong spirit hit. According to Rohan, the drink draws on the song’s “romantic, slightly obsessive and playful energy."
Shinunoga E Wa and Unravel |
Unravel, from The Hits, takes inspiration from TK’s song associated with Tokyo Ghoul. Made with tequila, green apple, sage, wasabi and bubbles, it is refreshing and easygoing. I could pick up the green apple and a little tequila, followed by a peppery finish, but the wasabi was barely noticeable. It is decent rather than particularly memorable.
Summertime |
For a zero-proof option, Summertime combines zero-proof gin with shiso, lychee, cucumber, lemon and bubbles. It is sweet, refreshing and dominated by cucumber, making it a straightforward choice if you want something light without alcohol. Inspired by the song by cinnamons and evening cinema, Rohan says the drink is intended to capture “that carefree feeling of a warm evening, good music and an izakaya table full of friends”.
Gurenge |
The prettiest of the lot was Gurenge, the tequila sour inspired by LiSA’s Demon Slayer song. The purple drink combines tequila, beetroot cordial, toasted sesame, raspberry, honey and foam. It has a silky texture with sweet raspberry and honey notes, followed by nuttiness from the sesame and a gentle tequila finish. It is rich but still easy to drink.
Kick Back |
If you want something considerably bolder, Kick Back from Full Volume is the one. Inspired by Kenshi Yonezu’s Chainsaw Man track, it is made with tequila, roasted bell pepper, Japanese spices, hickory smoke and agave. It is spicy, savoury and sour, with a serious kick from the spice coating around the glass. If you like a Picante-style cocktail, this is likely to work for you.
Definitely keep room for the desserts
Don't miss their desserts. The Chokorēto Sumomo Gatō, a chocolate and plum gateau, combines flourless almond cake, plum compote and São Tomé chocolate mousse. The mousse is dense and rich, almost cake-like, but the plum brings enough tanginess to cut through the chocolate. It is indulgent without becoming overly sweet, and this was easily my favourite dessert of the meal.
Chokorēto Sumomo Gatō |
The Ube Basque Chīzukēki is a burnt ube Basque cheesecake served with kinako crumble, semifreddo and berries. The cheesecake has the familiar baked Basque texture but with the earthy, slightly umami flavours of ube. It is not excessively sweet, and the berries bring freshness. However, ube is an acquired taste, and between the two desserts, I would still go for the chocolate and plum gateau.
Ube Basque Chīzukēki |
Final Verdict
Overall, Supa San Bandra works best when approached as a long evening rather than a quick dinner. The menu is broad enough to encourage sharing, with some dishes clearly stronger than others. Meanwhile, the cocktail menu is playful without making every drink aggressively experimental, and there are enough styles to suit different preferences.
My biggest takeaway? Come for the drinks, stay for the music and order several small plates rather than trying to build a traditional starter-main-dessert meal. And if you have room at the end, don't skip the Chokorēto Sumomo Gatō.
Location: 14th Floor, Mansionz One, Linking Rd, Bandra West, Mumbai
Cost for two: ₹4000 (including alcohol)
