Craft Beer Server Land One Paragraph Review
If you like cheap beer, and can drink more than three beers, then Craft Beer Server Land is a definite “go-to” place on our list. The inclusion of tax in the prices means that the beers are some of the cheapest going in Tokyo; however, the 380yen table charge means those beers are a tad more expensive than you think. While you do get a small dish of food for the price, it’s still one of the most expensive table charges we’ve come across. The bar is non-smoking though there is a small area in a glass booth for smoking hidden out the back. There isn’t any wifi either there.
A nice selection of taps
Craft Beer Server Land Full Review
Craft Beer Server Land has been on our list of places to go, though getting to Iidabashi isn’t the easiest place, and getting to the bar was problematic for us as Google Maps decided to tell us that Kagurazaka station was the closest. After walking in the wrong direction for five minutes, a kind pedestrian pointed us in the right direction and off we went.
At the time of writing, Craft Beer Server Land had been open for just under three years, opening in September 2013, and has been a quick favourite of craft beer fans and friends in Tokyo. It’s located about three minutes from Iidabashi station and is underground so be careful as it’s easy to miss. If you see a sign for Big Echo karaoke, then you’re in the right place. It’s only when you get a bit closer do you notice the sign for Craft Beer Server Land on the neon wall sign outside.
The entrance may be small and easily missable but inside is much much bigger than the outside suggests. We turned up about 7pm on a Wednesday night and the bar was already half full with plenty of seating dotted around. Unfortunately, there is an unavoidable table charge of 380yen, which has been one of the highest we’ve come across on our drinking travels in Japan. You get a small dish of mashed potato and sausage for this, but it’s gone within two bites. I guess it explains how the beer is so cheap.
The range of beers at Craft Beer Server Land is very good with about twenty-five taps of domestic craft beer, though the amount does vary as when we had finished drinking, four of the taps had kicked and not been replaced. Beers come in two sizes, medium (250ml) for ¥500 and US pints (473ml) for ¥840 but prices include tax. Even better is that the place is pay-as-you-go so there isn’t any arguing at the end of the night about how to split the beer. Of course, the beers are cheap because of the table charge so make sure you drink at least three if you want the beers to come out at less than ¥1000 per pint. The range of breweries is impressive with offerings varying from day to day, so make sure you check out their Facebook page for the latest listings. There is also sake from distilleries across Japan – we were lucky as on the day we went there was some from Tamamura Honten (makers of Shiga Kogen Beer) and also Niigatas
Fish and Chips though the fish was anago, Japanese eel.
There is also an extensive range of food that is freshly cooked behind the bar at Craft Beer Server Land but be warned about the fish and chips. I didn’t read the menu properly and it ended being anago, an eel in English, instead of cod. It was still tasty for the price. Unlike the beer menu, the food menu was in Japanese only though the bar staff did speak some English without any hesitation.
Craft Beer Server Land Details
Open: Monday to Friday 17:00 ~ 24:00 Saturday and Sunday 12:00 ~ 24:00
Phone: 03-6228-1891
Homepage (in Japanese): Tabelog
Social Network: Facebook
How to Get to Craft Beer Server Land
The closest station to Craft Beer Server Land is Iidabashi on the Chūō-Sōbu Line, Tokyo Metro Tōzai Line, Tokyo Metro Yūrakuchō Line, Tokyo Metro Namboku Line, and Toei Ōedo Line. Take exit B3, turn right and walk up Waseda dori. The bar is about two minutes on your left.
2 comments
If, after you have your three beers here and want to leave, you should consider going into The Royal Scotsman Pub on your way back. It has been a craft beer bar since just about when craft beer broke out in Tokyo (I was there on the second night it was open.). The couple that was running it then is now behind the Brewdog bar in Roppongi, so it may have changed since then. Nonetheless, it is worth a stop, I feel.
Thanks but I feel that Hopscotch is a better choice for beers than The Royal Scotsman, which I found to be too expensive compared to Craft Beer Server Land. Moreover, Two Dogs is a better choice than Brewdog as well – though it is smoking. 🙁