Craft Beer Market Sendai Ekimae : The Bottom Line
Craft Beer Market Sendai Ekimae is more of the same from the Craft Beer Market chain – which is either a good thing if you’re looking for a decent selection of craft beer at reasonable prices, or a bad thing if you’re looking for something uniquely different in a craft beer bar. If you’re like me, then you’ll think that this is a good place, especially with the addition of gyoza on the menu. Like other bars in the chain, Craft Beer Market Sendai Ekimae is non-smoking, has some free Wifi and also the weird table charge system of 300 yen after 4 pm only.
Craft Beer Market Sendai Ekimae : The Full Review
Once you’ve been to one Craft Beer Market, then you’ve been to them all, right? Well I did think like that for a while until they started bringing out bars with different food options – styling it with different foods meant different pairings could be had and made it interesting. When I found out that Craft Beer Market Sendai Ekimae was serving up gyoza, similar to the Craft Beer Market Tokyo Torch in Otemachi, Tokyo branch, then you better believe that I was going to end up here sooner rather than later, but it turned out I was late. More about that later.
Craft Beer Market Sendai Ekimae opened in August 2022 and was the first foray of the Craft Beer Market chain moving North out of Tokyo. Craft Beer Market Sendai Ekimae also has the title, at the time of writing, of being the closest craft beer bar to JR Sendai station, so perfect for stopping off and grabbing a quick beer before you need to get on the train back, as it’s less than a 5 minute walk to the station.
Craft Beer Market Sendai Ekimae : Atmosphere & Interior
Craft Beer Market Sendai Ekimae does what Craft Beer Market Tokyo Torch and the other bars do, and uses lots of wood and white walls with stainless steel to create an atmosphere that feels familar but also somewhat different, with its big open windows letting in lots of light. Inside, there seating for around 50 people, at various table and counter combinations, though like other branches, Craft Beer Market Sendai Ekimae also has the weird table charge system after 4 pm for 300 yen per person – so either get there early to avoid paying this charge, or factor it into your drinking.
Craft Beer Market Sendai Ekimae : Beer & Tap Information
I’ll be honest – I only had time for one beer at Craft Beer Market Sendai Ekimae as my train was due to leave in 45 minutes – I could probably have sunk another pint but I didn’t want to rush through the crowds while too drunk. But the system at Craft Beer Market Sendai Ekimae is the same as the other bars so once you’ve been to one, you pretty much know the deal at the rest of the bars. The beers come in two sizes: glass (250 ml) from 600 yen and then pint (473 ml) from 900 yen with some of the imports and special beers coming in a bit higher.
There is also a three beer flight that gets you three 150 ml beers for 1,400 yen though some of the more expensive beers actually come in at 75 ml or even 50 ml – is that even enough for a sip? At that size you have to wonder what is the point.
Craft Beer Market Sendai Ekimae : Food Information
The food at Craft Beer Market Sendai Ekimae is your standard set of food for the Craft Beer Market chain though with the addition of gyoza on the menu – those wonderfully, delicious little pockets of meat and fillings – meant that I was going to leave this place happy and content. There are some variations too, with my favourites being the spiced lamb mint and the extraordinary Sendai miso gyoza, and going for the 7 piece variety dish for 900 yen that gets you one of each type, rather than the four piece set of one type from 400 yen. There are very few options for vegetarians besides the standard chips and salad but thankfully all the prices include tax. While the menus are in Japanese, I was offered an English option.
Craft Beer Market Sendai Ekimae : Information
- Open : Daily 11:30 – 14:30 Weekdays 17:00 – 23:00 Weekend 14:30 – 23:00
- Closed : –
- Happy Hour : –
- Phone : 022-796-6366
- Homepage (in Japanese) : https://www.craftbeermarket.jp/sendaiekimae/
- Social Media : Facebook
