Bakushu Club Popeye

July 24, 2008
Now with 70 beers on tap, THE place to sample the best beers Japan has to offer. Good specials (be sure to become a member if you are going more than once), good free food during happy hour (5-8). Beers in perfect condition. The Hop Heart is a must try. It’s Aoki san’s better version of a Randall, where you get a top IPA that has been run through two different hop infusions. You can compare the two. Good vintage Barley wines on tap. You can try several different tasting courses as well. If you can go to one bar in Japan, this must be it. The Staff and Aoki know their beers, but you need to speak Japanese to take in their full knowledge. English works ok, though.

February 19, 2008 [ Updated December 18, 2008 ]
The only place in Tokyo I simply had to go to twice. I was in town for the Tokyo Real Ale Festival on the same weekend, which Popeye is essentially the promoter of. The Japanese draft beer list was so impressive I couldn’t do it all in one night. It was almost too good to be true, and I wondered if the selection was especially good just because the festival was that weekend so everybody was there and they pulled out all the stops. Regardless, if that’s how it is all the time at Popeye, I would consider this one of the essential beer bars in the world. Their “display kitchen”-style cask beer systems behind the bar are really cool. Staff was fabulous. Easily the best selection of Hakusekikan beers I found (though I think Ushi-Tora had more Baird). More importantly, Popeye had the greatest range of adventurous styles to choose from. Many of the bars have a lot of Ji-biru beers, but they are often all in the 4%-6% amber, pale, ESB range...kind of like US craft beer bars were 10-12 years ago. Not that you

November 13, 2007
Just returned from the weekend in Tokyo and my third visit to this great pub. They have a fantastic Japanese Microbrew stock assortment, a friendly knowledgeable staff and good food as well (Great Oysters on the half shell with Iwate Kura Oyster Stout!) I also highly recommend the Hakusekikan Super Vintage Ale and Swan Lake IPA, both top notch brews and two of the better Japanese made beers I’ve had.

September 6, 2007
Found it on the first day of my trip after being awake for 24 hours. Tasted 35 beers on draft. 34 tasters and 1 small one. Had the luck someone did the same. He did not like the Barley wines so i could take them after he tasted them first. Had a real good staying there. Got me a gold membership card

August 29, 2007
Check out my article for comments and pics for this world-class bar: http://www.ratebeer.com/Beer-News/Article-686.htm

June 28, 2007
The best beer bar in Tokyo, possibly Japan, possibly Asia. If visiting Tokyo, go here first. If you also want to buy beer then visit Takanaya. That`s about it. The staff speaks the most basic English it seems, but I speak a little Japanese, so we mostly conversed in Japanese. I got there early, and the staff was tasting a bunch of beers themselves. $5 for 3/4 pint on average. Get the 10 beer taster for $15. The bar is supposed filled with foriegners on weekends, but on the early weekday I was there it had only a few Japanese. I had three great beers and two small dishes for $33.

May 7, 2007
Extensive selection of obscure and difficult-to-find Japanese beers on tap. Very friendly, helpful, attentive staff. Some of the beers are a bit expensive, but worth it in the end considering that you are not likely to find them elsewhere. The atmosphere is warm and friendly, and can get a bit rowdy as it gets more crowded. A great place, a visit is absolutely necessary if you are in the Tokyo area.

April 28, 2007 [ Updated April 29, 2007 ]
Great place to get a good beer. Sorta on the small side, but they make up for it in their beer selection. Great selection of Japanese beers as well as many Rogue brews on tap and a few world beers. Also had many vintage brews on tap, had a eight year old Brown Ale that was fantastic. Had about three hand pumps offering many exciting and rare brews. the staff was very friendly and helpful even though I don’t speak much Japanese. A couple of them knew enough english to make ordering a breeze. The patrons were also very friendly and had some great reccomendations. A great bar, one of my all time favorites.

April 27, 2007
If you are going to Tokyo this place is a must visit. It’s a pefect rcombination of the best in Japanese hospitality and microbrewed beer in Japan. The owner and staff speak excellent English and they know their Beers. My favorites are the Hidatakayama Hefeweisen (sorry Germany) and the Shiga Kogen Miyama Blonde (uses fresh - not dry hops). Popeye is just two stops Westbound on the yellow Chiba line from the JR rail loop.

April 4, 2007 [ Updated June 10, 2007 ]
40 Japanese microbrews on tap, all of them, as far as I can tell, good. Being served Japanese microbrew on cask is likely to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Excellent service, ok food, and a nice place. What more really needs to be said? If you want to try Japanese microbrew, this is the place to go.