Craft Beer Bar Ibrew

While a lot of the recent additions to Tokyo's burgeoning microbrew scene have taken a rarified approach to the art of beer drinking, this cramped standing bar heads in the opposite direction. Though it's just a few minutes from the futuristic Tokyo International Forum, Craft Beer Bar Ibrew harks back to an earlier era. Were it not for the offerings on tap, you might easily mistake it for a run-of-the-mill nomiya: the wooden beams of its decrepit building have been left exposed, the tables out front are propped on beer kegs, and the entire place is suffused with the odour of the deep fat fryer. It's both scruffier and a lot more fun than most of the other craft beer bars we've investigated recently, and while you'll find few surprises amongst the offerings on tap (which on the day of our visit include well-known varieties from Coedo, Baird Beer and Fujizakura Kogen), they're served at rock-bottom prices, with a tall 410ml glass going for ¥690. The food is greasy but far from unpalatable, and the staff disarmingly friendly.