Mugi no Oto The Bottom Line Mugi no Oto is a place I really wanted to like – went in with an open mind, looking forward to some craft beer and relaxing music in the background. I definitely had some beers but the music and prices of beers left me a bit cold, despite the beers being well served. The prices …
Swan Lake Pub Edo Shinjuku in Shinjuku, Tokyo
Swan Lake Pub Edo Shinjuku The Bottom Line Swan Lake Pub Edo Shinjuku is nothing like the other two branches in Kyobashi or Tamachi – it’s far more upmarket and not really aimed at craft beer drinkers. Instead, it’s aimed at the local office workers – as I found out on the day. While it follows a similar vein to …
Devilcraft Jiyugaoka in Jiyugaoka, Tokyo
Devilcraft Jiyugaoka The Bottom Line Devilcraft Jiyugaoka doesn’t veer too far off the road for what has made the Devilcraft chain so successful – a great list of beers paired up with some great pizzas. If you’re in the area, then Devilcraft Jiyugaoka is one of the best choices in the area to sit and relax with a couple of …
Craft Beer Bar iBrew Ebisu in Ebisu, Tokyo
Craft Beer Bar iBrew Ebisu The Bottom Line It’s great to have some cheap craft beer in what seems to be Tokyo’s newest area for craft beer bars. Craft Beer Bar iBrew Ebisu doesn’t stray from the tried-and-tested formula of cheap craft beer with slightly expensive food, but then that’s what works for people. While some branches of the chain …
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Brunton’s in Ishikawacho, Kanagawa
Brunton’s The Bottom Line It’s great to see a place styled like Brunton’s, more in tune with its surroundings and with some character, and I wanted to like Brunton’s – but the prices for the beer and food left me feeling a bit like I was paying for the style of the bar, rather than actually for the beers. The …
Cafe Raisin-Dou in Ibaraki, Osaka
Cafe Raisin-Dou The Bottom Line Cafe Raisin-Dou is a homey, comfortable craft beer bar with a friendly owner. It’s very close to the station, although it can be a bit difficult to find. They have a decent selection of Japanese and European beers, bottled or on tap. Beers are a little pricey, but there really aren’t any other options for …
Kokopelli in Ishikawacho, Kanagawa
Kokopelli The Bottom Line Kokopelli is definitely one of the nicest little bars I’ve been to and I will be going back again – both for the beers and for the great food served there. That’s not to sound dismissive about the beers – the three taps they had did have some variety on there and was good value for …
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Tsukinowaguma in Gakugeidaigaku, Tokyo
Tsukinowaguma The Bottom Line If you’re in Gakugeidaigaku, and you’re desperate for some craft beer, then you can get the train to either Nakameguro or Jiyugaoka, as it is hard to recommend Tsukinowaguma over anything else that’s close by. While there are some taps of craft beer, the place is pricey for what you get both in terms of beer …
Midtown BBQ Nagoya in Nagoya, Aichi
Midtown BBQ Nagoya The Bottom Line You might come to Midtown BBQ Nagoya for the BBQ – and let’s be honest it’s a damn good reason to come here – but like the Yokohama branch, they is also a decent selection of craft beer on tap too. While the prices are the norm it seems for Nagoya, there is also …
Barchie’s Kamakura in Kamakura, Kanagawa
Barchie’s Kamakura The Bottom Line Barchie’s Kamakura was a great little find for us and we’re definitely going back down there – but for the food and not for the beer. Not to say that the beer is bad, but the narrow range of taps meant that it was pretty much limited to one or two types of beer. Make …