Beer Rize l Okinawa Hai!

CONTRIBUTED BY MARLOW TOWNES

Beer Rize l Okinawa Hai!

As a girl from Oregon (home to nearly 200 craft brewing facilities), I do enjoy a good beer. Imagine my delight when I saw a small sign in my new neighborhood that read “Beer Rize, Craft Brew Pub, 200 meters!”

Beer Rize l Okinawa Hai!

When you walk into this warm, inviting pub you will be greeted by one, if not two very attentive bartenders who are passionate about their craft. A large blackboard above the bar displays what is currently on tap. You can also flip through an extensive folder/menu which seems to list most any beer they’ve ever served. A yellow medallion denotes “now on tap” and a gray square denotes “sold out.” The menu also offers pour size, prices, and a map of where the beer is brewed.

Beer Rize l Okinawa Hai!

If you find a favorite, drink up, because they are constantly rotating the taps. I have yet to order the same beer twice. My favorite to date was an Oktoberfest from Mainland Japan which I will be on the lookout for again next fall. There is bar and table seating as well as a side room with TV and darts. The owner offers cigars from his collection for purchase and welcomes questions.

If you are not a beer drinker, don’t worry, they also offer many specialty cocktails, local whiskeys and awamori. My husband and I have also sampled many of these and are both fond of the Moscow Mule served in a copper mug.

Beer Rize l Okinawa Hai!

Beer Rize l Okinawa Hai!They have an extensive food menu, serving everything from tuna jerky on the appetizer menu to salads, sandwiches and pizza. You can even order beer with fish and chips to go if you’d rather enjoy a sunset on the sea wall.

They often offer a more extravagant set menu and drink pairing for special holiday meals.

Inside the menu reads:

“Our theme is Beer Rize which means ‘Enjoy local food and drink.’ We value ‘marriage’ (the combination which will enhance its own flavor and taste each other) of food and drink. We always serve 10 kinds of craft beer from Okinawa, as well as all over Japan. Also we try to use Okinawan locally-produced foods for our food menu. Our high quality craft beer is completely controlled through the original direct server system and our food will go greatly with our beer. You can enjoy these ‘marriage’ at Beer Rize.”

Beer Rize l Okinawa Hai!Address: 1-464 Miyagi Chatan-Cho

Phone: 098-911-2278

Hours: Monday-Saturday 5:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. (last food order at 11:00 p.m., last drink order 11:45 p.m.); Sunday 3:00 p.m.-10:30 p.m. (last food order 9:30 p.m., last drink order 10:00 p.m.)

Payment: Yen and Credit Card

Directions: Take the road across from Kadena Gate 1 adjacent to Family Mart toward the Sunabe Seawall. At the third light turn left. Beer rize will be 200 meters on your right. There are a few parking spots directly in front of the building and more a block away along the seawall.

4 COMMENTS

  1. We went there last evening and had a good time, the bar tenders make great drinks, and speak good English. Pricing-wise it’s on par with other stuff in that area, it’s certainly not cheap but it’s not a rip-off either. Food was tasty, and the Moscow Mule was probably the best one I’ve had, and served in proper form. Decent selection of Scotch, and cigar-smoker friendly. Overall it’s a relaxing environment and has a little but of class to it. The place is also apparently welcoming to dogs, although I personally find it a bit odd to bring a dog to a restaurant or bar.

  2. I’ve been meaning to contribute a review of Beer Rize! I have a couple of things to add – first, that the food is GREAT! And not just great for bar food, but great in general. The panko crusted chicken tenders are the best I’ve had, the pizzas are yummy, the Cajun spiced edamame are addictive, and the fish sandwich is really fresh and delicious with an excellent roll. And don’t get me started on the shoestring fries – thin, crispy, and perfectly salted. Second – they play really fun Beatles and cool oldies on the radio. If you went early enough (before 7), you could bring kids here – we bring our toddler and she digs the music and the chicken tenders. We haven’t seen other kids there, but just FYI. They have a separate room with a big TV where I’ve seen groups watching the World Cup soccer and having parties, and they have a mix of seated tables and bar seating in the main room. I think the bartenders are also the owners, but I’m not sure – either way, they’re both great and care a lot about what they do. This place deserves all the success in the world. I think they opened right before the curfew started, which can’t have helped, but this place is truly a gem. Check it out!

  3. Like a favorite pair of old shoes. Very comfortable and inviting atmosphere. Friendly and knowledgeable staff. Good selection of food, but most importantly, really good microbrews and different brands and types rotated frequently.