Editor’s Note: Mile Post Cafe, and its reiteration of Eitai Brewing, have closed. This review has been kept up for posterity’s sake.
Mile Post Cafe The Bottom Line
If it weren’t for the table charge and the lack of tax included in the prices, then Mile Post Cafe would be a 100% recommendation, though if you do factor those two issues into your session, then Mile Post Cafe is worth a visit. It has nigh-on everything I look for in a decent bar – reasonable prices, outside drinking, non-smoking, and also has free WiFi. But the best thing about it is the views on the terrace – get out there if you can and watch Tokyo float by on the Sumidagawa – much better than people watching on the terrace of other places.
Mile Post Cafe The Full Review
Mile Post Cafe popped up on our Twitter feed a couple of years back when it opened in 2014 – due to a particular enjoyment of cycling – and I’ve wanted to get over there for some lunch time beers, but always seemed to either miss the right connection or it has been raining and I couldn’t get out on the deck. After planning a small bar crawl, that actually involved the first bar Beer Bar Miyazawa being closed, Mile Post Cafe turned out to be the first on the list.
Mile Post Cafe is located in Chuo ward though it is right between Kayabacho station and Monzen-nakacho so it does involve a bit of a walk – or even a paddle in a kayak as we were to find out later that day. The first floor stored is based around a bike shop though we have heard that is going to be renovated to expand the bar, due to its popularity. The atmosphere at Mile Post Cafe is very relaxed, with it being half full at 2pm on a Saturday and it wasn’t noisy nor raucous. I even bumped into Dede Bri, bar manager at Goodbeer Faucets and On The Table, while I was drinking there.
The bar in its present state has one floor – both an inside part and a small terrace that is exposed to the elements – so if it rains, be prepared to get wet or move inside. There is space for about 20 people inside, with high wooden tables, some seats at the counter, and about 10 seats outside on the terrace. Unfortunately, there is a table charge of ¥300 so make sure you factor that into your drinking.
There are ten taps of craft beer at Mile Post Cafe, with a heavy leaning towards domestic brews. Beers come in two sizes: medium (280ml) for ¥700 and regular (450ml) for ¥900 – not bad prices but then they do not include tax so be careful. There is also a happy hour on at Mile Post Cafe where you can get ¥100 off the price of a large beer on weekdays from 14:00 to 19:00 – not a lot but enough. There is also a beer card where buying one for either ¥7000 or ¥9000 gets you 11 medium-sized beers or 11 regular-sized beers for the price of 10 respectively. That probably seems a better deal if you’re going to come back here, but it only has a one-month limit. Make sure the beers are topped up though as some of the early ones we had a bit too much head.
The food at Mile Post Cafe leans heavily towards curry, but luckily it’s not Japanese curry, with a mix of stews and Indian curries on the go. But no chips. Unless you count those things our American brethren call chips – but we all know they aren’t. Mile Post Cafe also posts it’s daily curry on their homepage, so if in doubt, check it out there.
Mile Post Cafe Details
Open: Monday to Friday 11:30 to 23:00 Saturday and National Holiday 11:30 to 21:00
Closed: Sunday
Happy Hour: Weekdays 14:00 to 19:00 – ¥100 off regular sized beers.
Phone: 03-5542-7072
Homepage (in Japanese): http://milepostcafe.tokyo/
How to Get to Mile Post Cafe
Mile Post Cafe is located in between Kayabacho station on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line and Tokyo Metro Tozai Line and .onzen-nakacho on the Tokyo Metro Tozai Line and Toei Oedo Line.
[ezcol_1half]Directions from Kayabacho Station
Take exit 4a and you will be on the right side of the road to get to Mile Post Cafe.
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[ezcol_1half_end]Directions from Monzen-Nakacho Station
Take exit 3 and you will be on the right side of the road.
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