Craft Beer Bar Oiseau in Kumamoto, Kyushu

Craft Beer Bar Oiseau The Bottom Line

Craft Beer Bar Oiseau is everything I want in a craft beer bar, and no doubt you’ll enjoy it too if are in the area. The atmosphere is chilled and friendly, a good range of local craft beer on tap, and with some tasty food as well. To round-off the enjoyable experience, the whole place is non-smoking, has no table charge, and there is also a small deck outside where you can do some outside drinking. Like most of Kumamoto, there is also free WiFi – how the heck can there be so much WiFi in a city just going for free?! I guess if I have to point out one downside about Craft Beer Bar Oiseau, and that’s what I like doing according to some people, is that there is a lack of English on the food menus; however, the owner will explain things to you if struggle with the menus.

Craft Beer Bar Oiseau The Full Review

Google Maps can be your best friend, or your worst enemy at times. It will either get you to where you want to go on time, or will lead you on a wild goose chase around a city you’ve never been as the rain pours down on a cold winter night and maybe you’ll start to wish that you had stayed at the previous bar. After traipsing around Kumamoto for a good 15 minutes, I found Craft Beer Bar Oiseau and I was happy! Yet from the outside, it looked closed! Noone in there but lights are on – a common occurrence it seems in this area. However, I needn’t have worried because as soon as I walked in, I was made to feel welcome – I was the only customer mind for a good hour or so.

Craft Beer Bar Oiseau is located about 10 minutes walk from Karashimacho on the Kumamoto City Tram system – still a great way for getting around the city. The area that Craft Beer Bar Oiseau is located in isn’t well lit and the bar itself can be a little difficult to find when the lights aren’t on outside. But it’s worth it! There is space for about 19 people inside, with 7 people at the counter and then another 12 people at various tables inside the bar. However, there is a small wood deck area at the front for some outside drinking – of course it had to be raining on the day BeerTengoku went there. The whole place is non-smoking and there is no table charge.

There are 6 taps of craft beer on at Craft Beer Bar Oiseau with a heavy leaning towards local craft beer from Kumamoto Craft Beer. The beers come in one size of 420ml for ¥700 with that including tax – surprisingly cheap but as was explained to me by the owner, when your local brewery and ingredients are cheap, then beer can be sold at a reasonable price. However, when there are limited edition or special beers on tap, the glasses are smaller; however, at the time of going / writing, there weren’t any so we’re unable to confirm the glass size. There was no option for a beer flight, nor any happy hour, but at that price, neither was really needed.

In terms of food, everything is prepared or cooked from local ingredients as much as possible. The dishes are not large but the prices are fair for what you get. Unlike the drinks menu, the food menu is all in Japanese, so you may need some help; however, the bar owner was kind enough to use a smattering of English to explain some of the kanji – local dialects and words are still a little beyond my ability! But it was much appreciated. For those vegetarians among the readers, there are plenty of choices of non-meat dishes on the menu, and the owner will also explain if anything has meat in it.

Craft Beer Bar Oiseau Details

Open: Weekdays 18:00 – 24:00 (L.O Food 23:00 Drink 23:30) Weekend 18:00 – 24:00 (L.O Food 23:00 Drink 23:30)

Closed: Tuesdays

Happy Hour: N/A

Phone: 096-353-2110

Homepage (in Japanese): N/A

Social Media: Facebook

How to Get to Craft Beer Bar Oiseau

The closest station is Karashimacho in the Kumamoto City Tram. It’s about a 10 minute walk from the station.