Baird Taproom Harajuku

A non beer drinker’s review.
I came here meeting friends who love beer. The staff were far too busy prepping the next day gyoza to bother with the customers of the day. I was told by my friends that the staff take your order at the table. I had to order both drinks at the register. She seemed surprised each time that someone might need an order from her.
I dont drink beer but wanted a buzz. The only thing they offer is weak cocktails and the days sake. I went with the latter. Could have been worse.
Come for the beer, definitely dont stay for the service! So many taprooms around the corner to choose from.

It was a fantastic place to grab great craft brew and small eats.

Let my start by saying this is my first time ever in Japan. I don’t really Unilocal very many places (even in the USA) but man… This place is awesome! Not only is the beer delicious/​amazing but the service was the best I have ever received by far! Food was great! Beer was great. Try the JPA (Japanese pale ale). It was recommended by the bartender and he was right about it. This place is very accommodating to foreigners and u will not regret coming here.

For the price, this spot is a steal for food and beer. The menu is on the smaller side, but you’ll fill up quickly.
They have some very special types of beer, including seasonal options. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get into any except for their Amber, but they offer a variety of sizes and types of beer. They obviously know their stuff.
It took forever to get our waitress’s attention to order food the first time — we had to walk up to her to get her attention — but afterwards, she was more attentive. We rarely had a beer glass empty among us.
Don’t forget to check the specials hanging from a pole over the doorway.
Chill vibe with locals and tourists, alike, and there’s no pressure to leave.

An oasis in the touristy area of Harajuku with excellent beer and yakitori. The latter is mostly chicken, so be warned if you are vegetarian. I got the Kurofune porter and British Best Bitter real ale. They were both great; very interesting to try the real ale, which was not carbonated. As I waited for the food, I noticed most of the clientele were expats. The chicken heart, gizzard, and skin were expertly prepared and perfectly seasoned. Great textures! I don’t normally like chicken breast, but I ordered it anyway and was not disappointed; it was not dry and each piece was served with a dot of plum paste. The sour plum flavour complemented the plain meat well. The breast is pretty much the worst part of the chicken in my eyes, but they know how to deal with it here. Also the service was very good and they have English menus.

They’ve got lots of great beer and it’s a good spot to escape from the scrum of harajuku. Baird makes some pretty solid beers too and if you’re a foreigner traveling on your own, it’s a good place to meet expats.

A great oasis in the sensory overload that is Harajuku. One of the few places we could find Japanese craft beer instead of just West Coast imports.
1. Location. It’s a bit hard to find, located up an alley off The Main Street and up a narrow staircase to the 2^nd floor. We missed it the first time we looked for it.
2. Beer. Assorted Baird beers on tap here and after a week of drinking Asahi and Sopporo it was a welcome change. I tried a bit of everything but really favored their Suruga Bay IPA, very flavorful with a nice 7.5 APV to boot, though we didn’t have a bad beer there.
3. Food. The food here was great for a bite, we ordered several things and we’re still hungry afterwards so I wouldn’t suggest it for a meal. That being said, everything we ordered was delicious. The 2 things that stood out were the assorted skewers and the cabbage.
4. Atmosphere. A nice break from the craziness of the Harajuku area. Fairly small but with ample bar space. Was fairly quiet both times we went but I’m sure it can get packed at times.
There aren’t many good beer places around that area (though there is CraftHeads… That’s another review) and its a nice reprieve from both the typical Japanese beer and crazy Harajuku atmosphere.
Overall Grade: A–

A great adult beverage spot/​craft beer spot In a youngster’s area. The Meiji Shrine line was too long. After walking through the crowded Takeshita Street in Harajuku we decided to to grab a beer (after having a delicious crêpe).
Harajuku Taproom is a block away from Takeshita street on the 2^nd Floor. Seats about 10 at the counter and another 12 – 16 at the tables. A little different from the last Baird Taproom I visited (Bashamachi). The menu is Japanese bar food. They offered oseki (traditional New Years meal) today. Full from Dancing Crab in Shinjuku we skipped the food and went for the beer.
I ordered the Harajuku Ale via hand pump. I really liked it. I favor the wheat, stouts and porters but actually enjoyed this ale. Not too bitter. Went down pretty smooth. My friend enjoyed his Suruga Bay Imperial IPA. He says it’s the taste. I think it’s because it has the highest alcohol percentage.
Bookmarked and will gladly add it to my beer list.

If you don’t know where to look, this place might be hard to find. Which is great, because there are few places in Harajuku not crowded. Great craft beer, great food, and great atmosphere.

Loved it! Great beer! The staff were friendly and quick! It can get pretty crowded on the weekends but it’s a fun place to stop by to escape the busy harajuku takeshitadori. The food is pretty tasty too!

It took us a few tries to find this place, which had been recommended to me by fellow Can/​Aussie Unilocaler Barry T. Just look for a sign on the alley corner and some stairs leading up.
The beers we had (5 out of the 19 on offer) were all delicious. Sadly they were out of the wheat beer on our visit, so the pale ale was the winner this round.
For food we had the bacon and the gyoza. The bacon was thick and deliciously smokey. The gyoza was also good. Service was friendly, we likely could have gotten by without any Japanese as the menu was mostly English.

In all my years in Japan never would I imagine someone opening a beer bar in Harajuku. If you are not looking for this place, most likely you’d never find it let alone walking down this street. Off of Takeshita Dori, famous for its little girly shops and over crowded with tourists lies this small craft beer bar that also serves Yakitori and other small plates. Mostly counter with a few larger tables, it’s a great place for a destination or a stop by if you’re in the area. They have their standard selection of craft brews on tap plus plenty of seasonal beers as well as «guest» beers. The whole atmosphere is low key and decorated with beer cans/​bottles from around the the world, but mostly from the USA. And they have an English menu as the owner is from the USA. Only draw back is it’s not cheap.

Great spot with a large selection of Japanese craft beers. The beers were lovely, our favourites were Kurofune Porter and Suruga Bay Imperial IPA. the staff were friendly and the barman spoke fluent english. The beers are more expensive than we’ve paid elsewhere, ¥1,000 a pint, but this is a bit of a tourist hangout in the centre of Tokyo and you’re getting a craft beer.

this is the best japanese craft beer in my opinion. the harajuku tap room (this one) is a bit quieter and has a more japanese feel to it than the nakameguro one. the rising sun pale ale is the clear superstar of their line up, but the imperial IPA is also impressive as well (kind of like stone ruination IPA).

Love this place! Great beer, good izakaya-​type food, good service.
They have a counter and about 5 tables, maybe 15 or so taps.
Easy walk to Harajuku station and the juxtaposition with totally different ambience on nearby Takeshita dori is funny. (Takeshita is famous teenage shopping, taproom is very mature).
Baird beer is a small Japanese company with some American ownership, they also have a few other taprooms including Nakameguro.

Was looking for someplace with craft beer, even better to find a local brewery. Had the Suruga Bay Imperial IPA and the Harajuku Ale. Both compare to the excellent craft beers of the Seattle area. Staff mostly speak Japanese, but a little English didn’t seem to be a problem. If I ever found myself back in Tokyo this place would definitely be on my list as I always like a good craft beer, especially from the source!