Craftsman Sendai : The Bottom Line
When Craftsman opened a branch in Yokohama, I was elated at first but over time, grew despondant with the pouring sizes and the random price increases – more about that later – and going to Craftsman Sendai felt like I was going to the Yokohama branch for the first time back in 2016. Craftsman Sendai does all the right things when it comes to beer – reasonable prices, well served, and a good variety – and also offers up some of the same great food you can find at the Yokohama branch. It’s a long way to come but if you’re in the Sendai area, then Craftsman Sendai should be on your list of bars to go to. There is free WiFi, no table charge, and the whole bar is non smoking.
Craftsman Sendai : The Full Review
After a few mediocre beers at Batsuji Brewing, I had some time to kill before the next place I wanted to get to was open, and I had heard from the staff at Craftsman Yokohama that the Sendai branch was very much worth a visit if I was in the area. Well, I was so off I went in search of it along some of the shopping streets in Sendai.
Craftsman Sendai opened in December 2014, and was actually the second branch in the chain, after Craftman Gotanda so to have survived for almost 10 years at the time of writing is no mean feat, considering Sendai isn’t very much well known for having a thriving craft beer scene. But they must have been doing something right as on the day I went, there was only counter space available around 30 minutes after I arrived. It’s also a relatively easy place to find, with Craftsman Sendai being less than a 5 minute walk from JR Sendai station, and even closer to JR Aobadori station.
Craftsman Sendai : Atmosphere & Interior
It seems that Craftsman Yokohama was modelled on the Sendai branch with a pretty much identical design across the bar – same kind of stools at the counter, with wide open plan kitchen, and glasses above your head. The main difference between the bars though is that the taps are not a horseshoe around the bar, instead they are on the back wall of the bar, so you’re not likely to accidentally smack your head against the feed.
Craftsman Sendai has space for around 70 people inside, with counter seats at the front and back of the bar, and the rest at tables dotted against the walls with various combinations for 2, 4, or larger groups. There is also a small terrace at the front of the bar that has space for 8 people and it is covered so in the hotter months, you can sit outside without risking sun burn. The whole place is non-smoking, has no table charge, and also has free WiFi for those wanting it.
Craftsman Sendai : Beer & Tap Information
Craftsman Sendai has an extensive range of beers with over 30 taps available, split between domestic and imports. There is also plenty of variety too, so you’re not going to be limited just to IPAs. The beers come in two sizes: small (250 ml) from 650 yen and regular (470 ml) from 980 yen, with beers that are labelled as special being an extra 110 yen and 150 yen respectively. The beers are also well served, with none of the inch thick heads that are so prevelant at the Yokohama branch of this chain. There is also a three beer flight that gets you any three 150 ml beers for 1,350 from opening until 18:30 so best get in early if you want to try plenty of beers.
There wasn’t any happy hour offerings though perhaps the beer flight deal could be considered one though I suspect it’s available only until 18:30 due to the amount of glassware that would need cleaning, and there wasn’t any option for takeaway beers either.
Craftsman Sendai : Food Information
The food at Craftsman Sendai is based around Italian with some Mexican options on the menu as well, which is the same as the Yokohama branch which meant CHIPS! I love the chips at Craftsman Yokohama, and when I go, I always end up ordering some – they’re crunchy and soft and along with the dips, are the perfect accompaniment to the beers. There are plenty of vegetarian options as well. The menus are both in English and in Japanese, and also include some pictures so you know what you are ordering for some of the foods. The prices also include tax.
Craftsman Sendai : Bar Information
- Open : Mon – Thu 17:00 – 0:00 / Fri & Day Before Holiday 17:00 – 01:00 / Sat 11:30 – 1:00 / Sun & National Holiday 11:30 – 0:00
- Closed : –
- Happy Hour : –
- Phone : 022-797-8431
- Homepage (in Japanese) : https://craftsman-sendai.com/
- Social Media : Facebook / Instagram
