About Tokyo Record Bar
Tokyo Record Bar is the iconic Greenwich Village restaurant and cocktail bar founded by female entrepreneur and powerhouse, Ariel Arce. Drawing inspiration from Japan’s vinyl jewel boxes, this one-of-a-kind and unique concept delivers two immersive and distinct dining, drinking, and music experiences across two lively spaces. Tokyo Record Bar's Vinyl Jukebox (located on the lower level) is an underground listening room and seven-course izakaya-style omakase experience where Chilean Executive Chef, Ignacia Valdés (Ze Kitchen, Contra, Frevo), crafts a new seafood-forward menu each evening with fresh fish flown in from Japan and Europe. In the Vinyl Jukebox, guests handpick the night's soundtrack from Tokyo Record Bar’s extensive vinyl collection. The cocktail bar, situated on the upper floor, features Japanese-inspired bar snacks and an ingredient-driven cocktail program, influenced by the simplicity of Japanese mixology with no refined sugars and rare spirits. It was recently featured on CBS Saturday Morning The Dish.
CHEF IGNACIA VALDES
At Tokyo Record Bar, she channels that expertise into our omakase tasting experience that’s as inventive as it is personal. In a compact, high-energy kitchen, she creates standout dishes like rotating vegetable sorbets (think jalapeño or tomato), housemade coconut mango sticky rice ice cream, and a perfectly executed not-so-secret late night pizza pie that guests now eagerly await. In a field still largely dominated by men, Chef Ignacia Valdés brings fresh perspective, technical rigor, and joyful creativity to every bite.
Ignacia Valdés is a Chilean chef with a deep love for the sea and a bold, global approach to cooking. Her culinary journey has taken her through Michelin-starred kitchens in Paris and New York. Her approach to cooking was first influenced at Ze Kitchen Galerie, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Paris known for its innovative sauces and its seamless blend of French technique and Asian flavors. Since moving to New York, Chef Ignacia spent three years in the kitchen at Frevo, during which time it earned its Michelin star and New York’s celebrated Contra. She also earned a coveted spot as a San Pellegrino Young Chef finalist. With over 8 years of experience in some of the world’s most exacting restaurants, Valdés brings a distinct voice to the kitchen, fusing Chilean roots with Japanese finesse and French technique.