After finishing dinner, I was wandering around wanting to drink coffee, and I came across a shining sign for Tokaido 57. I went inside and found a cafe & bar in the lobby of a youth hostel catering to foreigners. I ordered a blend coffee, and the staff seemed unsure if they could make it well. However, they brewed it from freshly ground beans and it was delicious. They even served it with rusk, which made me happy. Check out my blog for more details: https://zan3tho.com

This is a beer bar called EAST57 in Asakusabashi, Tokyo. The building itself seems to be a hostel for foreigners. It is likely that guests staying there might come for a drink in the evening or morning. While seated, I noticed many foreign tourists coming in one after another. They have 9 taps, all serving popular domestic beers. This is probably appealing to foreigners. I ordered my favorite COEDO Marihana beer and a potato salad. Both were pretty standard. I was happy to be able to drink Marihana (which I love). It would be nice to be able to converse with tourists if you speak English. Thank you for the meal.

The roast beef bowl is especially delicious. When I go for a late lunch, there are many staff members inside the restaurant who seem to be discussing work without paying much attention to the customers, which is a bit distracting.

HOME>Food>Review of Lunch at a Cafe in a Hostel A hostel called "East57" opened in March 2017 near my office. They recently opened a cafe on the first floor operated by the hostel. The lunch menu offers about 5 choices, including daily specials. You order at the register, pay, and then wait for your food to be brought to your table. The meal started with a salad. The main dish was the "Keema Curry (800 yen)", which I found to be reasonably priced. The meal also included a drink, which was a nice touch for the price. You can add a drink for an additional 100 yen, or opt for a small sherbet instead. I would definitely like to go back and dine there again in the future.

I went for a walk aiming for another beer bar in Bakurocho, but it was closed for a private event. So, I changed my destination and ended up at this beer bar. I arrived just in time for Happy Hour, where some beers are half off. I enjoyed a large size of Elsa beer (a gentle-tasting white beer from Osaka) and nuts for 1000 yen, which was a great deal.

It became quite cold and rainy, but I ventured out to Asakusabashi for a drink! I tried out "East 57 Hostel & Cafe" in Yanagibashi, Taito Ward for the first time. When I entered around 2 pm, there was one other customer at the counter. The hostel's reception and lounge are small but stylish, serving as a cool beer bar and cafe. The craft beer lineup is fantastic, with 10 varieties plus Edel Pils available on tap, making it hard to believe it's part of a hotel. The payment is cash-only, and the friendly female manager took my order. For my first craft beer, I tried Heretic's "Experimental IPA" in a half pint, which was very easy to drink and refreshing. Although lunch was until 2 pm, they serve cafe food throughout the day, so there are plenty of snack options available. Feeling hungry, I decided to compare different craft beers instead. For my second drink, I added Oyama G Beer's "Yasato" in a pint, which was a crisp and drinkable sake rice ale. Lastly, I got carried away and ordered Ushitora Brewery's "Fueki Rukou IPA" in a half pint, which had a higher alcohol content and a stronger IPA flavor. I ended up staying for about 2.5 hours because the atmosphere was so cozy, but next time, I'd like to try pairing fish and chips or pizza with craft beer. Overall rating is 3.6 stars! Cheers with the Heretic "Experimental IPA" (California, Fairfield) for the first craft beer! Added the Oyama G Beer (Tottori) "Yasato" for the second craft beer! Finished off with the Ushitora Brewery (Tochigi) "Fueki Rukou" for the last craft beer! Tap lineup across the counter!

Near Asakusabashi Station, there is a craft beer bar that opened in March this year on Yanagi Bridge. It's a hidden gem with few passersby, located on the second floor of a hostel, creating a lounge-like space for the bar. There are about 30 seats including counter and table seats. Orders are made at the counter and paid in advance, with the staff bringing drinks and food to you. I tried the Yanagibashi Lager 1 pint (1200 yen) and the COEDO Marihana 1 pint (1100 yen). The Yanagibashi Lager has a smooth mouthfeel with a deep maltiness and a lingering bitterness. The COEDO Marihana has a refreshing aroma, a crisp taste, and a pleasant bitterness that lingers. I also had the Fish and Chips Regular (1100 yen), which had moist and crispy fried cod. The portion was quite generous, and it paired well with vinegar. I also tried the Wasabi Tartar (100 yen) which was delicious. While the beer may be a bit pricey, the food is reasonably priced between 500-1000 yen. Overall, it's a great place to enjoy both beer and food. They also offer lunch, so I look forward to revisiting soon.