Craft Beer Mugibatake The Bottom Line If you’re looking for something family friendly and straight-forward, then Craft Beer Mugibatake is right up your street. Its family restaurant orientated decor left us feeling a bit cold, but it is this design that makes it good for those trying to find somewhere they can take their kids. The tap list won’t excite the …
Yggdrasil Brewing in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa
Yggdrasil Brewing The Bottom Line While it’s a bit soon to be reviewing a brewpub that doesn’t brew on site (at the time of writing), Yggdrasil Brewing brings something new to an area desperately in need of some craft beer. The guys behind Yggdrasil Brewing (Davido and Xavier) know their stuff and what they are promising to bring besides craft beer (think …
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Goto Jozo in Kyodo, Tokyo
Goto Jozo The Bottom Line If you’re in the area, then it’s worth popping into Goto Jozo for a couple of standing beers. But there in lies the problems with Goto Jozo – it’s a nice little place but the atmosphere is more conducive for a quick beer or two then leave. If there was seating then I would recommend Goto …
August Beer Lab Kitchen in Nihonbashi, Tokyo
August Beer Lab Kitchen The Bottom Line They say you shouldn’t go back to old loves – August Beer Club “B” in Hiroo was mine and I regret going back to the chain with this branch. August Beer Lab Kitchen is located a bit far from anywhere in the area, and the beers on tap are expensive for what you get. Plus the …
Yona Yona Beer Works Shinjuku in Shinjuku, Tokyo
Yona Yona Beer Works Shinjuku The Bottom Line Yona Yona Beer Works Shinjuku doesn’t offer up anything different to the rest of the chain – and that’s a shame. With identical decor, beer, and food, Yona Yona Beer Works has become the McDonald’s of the craft beer world. It would have been nice to have seen something different – perhaps a …
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Sylvans Restaurant in Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi
Sylvans Restaurant The Bottom Line Let’s get the negative out of the way first – Sylvans Restaurant is a pain to get to. However, it’s worth the effort if you do make it out there. The beers are world class fresh, cheap, and the outside gardens make you want to stay for much longer. While we did go the anniversary on …
Repubrew in Numazu, Shizuoka
Repubrew The Bottom Line Repubrew started out as a craft beer bar that was worth a visit because there wasn’t much in the area. With the recent improvements in its in-house beers, Repubrew has proven itself to be worthy of a visit if you’re remotely in the area. The in-house beers proved to be very tasty and good value for money, …
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Brasserie Beer Boulevard in Shimbashi, Tokyo
Brasserie Beer Boulevard The Bottom Line BBB was alright, they had a good selection and weren’t terribly expensive but it felt more like a date spot than an actual craft beer bar. The seats for lonely loners are all directly in front of the door which really made me feel like they just wanted us out of there as quickly …
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Craft Beer Bar iBrew Shimbashi in Shimbashi, Tokyo
Craft Beer Bar iBrew Shimbashi The Bottom Line If you like cheap craft beer, and who doesn’t, then Craft Beer iBrew Shimbashi doesn’t stray from the successful formula that has worked so well for the other two places. In fact, with this branch opening at 13:00 and with Shinshu Osake Mura a stone’s throw, you’ve got the makings of a potential …
Hikawa Brewery in Omiya, Saitama
Hikawa Brewery The Bottom Line Hikawa Brewery offers up something needed, but also different, in a city that lacks choices for craft beer. The atmosphere reminded of a British pub – lots of people talking to each other and warm inside. The only downside is the prices, which seemed to be quite high for a brewpub but don’t worry about …