If you are looking for a place to enjoy locally brewed craft beer near Yokohama Station, Yokohama Bay Brewing Yokohama Front is a place worth checking out.
I visited around 6:00 p.m. and found the restaurant easy to walk into and relaxed. It wasn’t particularly crowded when I visited, so it felt like a comfortable place to stop for a drink and some food.
I tried two beers: Bay Pilsner, brewed by Yokohama Bay Brewing, and Minoh Pale Ale from Minoh Beer in Osaka.
For food, I ordered a sashimi platter, fish and chips, and fried eggplant with dashi.
For me, the Bay Pilsner was the favorite of the two beers. I also found myself thinking that I would like to come back because there are still other beers on the menu that I haven’t tried.
Visiting Yokohama Bay Brewing Yokohama Front
Yokohama Bay Brewing Yokohama Front is located on the second floor of THE YOKOHAMA FRONT, about a five-minute walk from JR Yokohama Station.
I visited at around 6:00 p.m. The restaurant wasn’t particularly busy at that time, and I found the atmosphere casual and easygoing.
That’s something I liked about the restaurant. It didn’t feel like a place where you need a special occasion to visit. If you’re already around Yokohama Station and want to have a good craft beer and something to eat, it is easy to drop in.
The restaurant is directly operated by Yokohama Bay Brewing, a brewery based in Yokohama. The brewery produces its own craft beer and serves its beers at its restaurants.
For me, one of the attractions of visiting a local brewery restaurant is being able to try beer associated with the city I am visiting rather than simply choosing a beer from a large national brand.
Bay Pilsner: My Favorite of the Two
I started with Bay Pilsner, one of Yokohama Bay Brewing’s signature beers.
Bay Pilsner is a Bohemian-style pilsner made with Saaz hops from the Czech Republic. The brewery describes it as an old-style Bohemian pilsner brewed using a traditional triple-decoction method.
I found it refreshing and easy to drink, with a pleasant bitterness.
Of the two beers I tried during this visit, Bay Pilsner was my favorite.
It was crisp enough to enjoy with food without overpowering the dishes, which made it a particularly good match for the meal I ordered.
There is also a good reason to try Bay Pilsner.
At the 2025 World Beer Cup, Bay Pilsner won the Gold Medal in the Bohemian-Style Pilsener category, competing against 132 entries.
That makes it more than just a local beer to try while sightseeing in Yokohama. It is an internationally recognized beer from a Yokohama brewery.
If you like pilsners, I would definitely recommend trying it.
Minoh Pale Ale: A Different Experience
For my second beer, I chose Minoh Pale Ale from Minoh Beer in Osaka.
I enjoyed the contrast between the two beers.
While I preferred the Bay Pilsner, the Minoh Pale Ale gave me a different experience, with more emphasis on hop aroma and character.
Trying the two beers side by side made the differences between the styles more noticeable.
If you enjoy craft beer, ordering two different styles can be a good way to explore what you like.
Sashimi and Craft Beer
For food, I started with a sashimi platter.
Sashimi and beer may not be the first combination that comes to mind. In Japan, sashimi is often associated with sake, but I enjoyed having it with a cold craft beer.
The fresh and delicate character of the sashimi worked well with the refreshing Bay Pilsner.
This was also one of the combinations I found interesting as someone who enjoys both Japanese food and beer.
If you are visiting Japan and normally associate sashimi only with sake, trying it with a Japanese craft beer is a simple combination worth exploring.
Fish and Chips: An Easy Beer Pairing
Next, I had fish and chips.
This was a much more familiar beer pairing, and it worked naturally with the craft beer.
The crispy fried fish and potatoes made a satisfying dish to share while drinking.
I also liked the contrast with the sashimi.
The sashimi brought a distinctly Japanese element to the meal, while the fish and chips felt more like classic pub food.
Fried Eggplant with Dashi
The other dish I ordered was fried eggplant with dashi.
Eggplant is a familiar ingredient in Japanese cooking, but the way it was prepared here gave it a different character.
The eggplant was fried and served with dashi, giving it a soft texture and savory Japanese flavor.
I enjoyed having this alongside the beer because it offered something quite different from the fish and chips.
For visitors who want to try Japanese-style food while enjoying craft beer, this is the kind of dish I would recommend considering.
What I Liked About the Visit
Looking back at my visit, the biggest highlight was the combination of good local beer, varied food, and a relaxed atmosphere.
I particularly liked that the restaurant felt easy to enter. I visited at around 6:00 p.m., and it wasn’t particularly crowded.
For travelers, I think that makes a difference. After spending the day sightseeing around Yokohama, sometimes you just want somewhere you can sit down, order a local beer, and enjoy some food without making the experience feel too formal.
The location was another advantage. Since Yokohama Bay Brewing Yokohama Front is only about five minutes from JR Yokohama Station, it is easy to include in a sightseeing day.
Would I Go Back?
Yes.
One reason is simple: there are still beers I haven’t tried yet.
I enjoyed the Bay Pilsner more than the Minoh Pale Ale on this visit, but the fact that there were other beers available gives me a reason to come back and try something different next time.
That is one of the things I like about visiting craft beer restaurants. You don’t necessarily need to order the same thing every time.
For me, Yokohama Bay Brewing Yokohama Front is somewhere I would happily visit again when I want to explore more local craft beer in Yokohama.
Is Yokohama Bay Brewing Worth Visiting?
For me, yes.
If you are staying around Yokohama Station and want to try a local Yokohama craft beer, this is a convenient option.
I would especially recommend it to:
- Craft beer lovers
- Travelers who want to try local Japanese beer
- Visitors looking for food near Yokohama Station
- People who prefer a casual and relaxed atmosphere
- Anyone interested in trying an award-winning Japanese pilsner
If you only have time for one beer, I would start with Bay Pilsner.
If you have time for two, I recommend trying different styles so you can compare them.
Practical Information
Yokohama Bay Brewing Yokohama Front
Location: THE YOKOHAMA FRONT 2F, 1-41 Tsuruyacho, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama
Access: About a 5-minute walk from JR Yokohama Station
Opening hours: 11:30 a.m.–11:00 p.m.
The official website currently lists the restaurant as open every day, with the food last order at 10:00 p.m. and drinks at 10:30 p.m.
Opening hours and the beer selection can change, so I recommend checking the official website before visiting.
My Take
I enjoyed my visit to Yokohama Bay Brewing Yokohama Front because it was easygoing, convenient, and gave me the chance to try beer from a Yokohama brewery alongside a variety of food.
Bay Pilsner was my favorite beer of the two I tried, and knowing that it had won gold at the 2025 World Beer Cup made the experience even more interesting.
The restaurant wasn’t particularly crowded when I visited around 6:00 p.m., and I liked the fact that it felt like a place where I could casually drop in for a beer and a meal.
I also have a good reason to return: there are still beers on the menu that I haven’t tried yet.
If you’re exploring Yokohama and enjoy craft beer, I think Yokohama Bay Brewing Yokohama Front is worth adding to your list.
More Craft Beer Experiences in Yokohama
If you want to explore more beer spots in Yokohama, you can also read about my visits to:
800°DEGREES CRAFT BREW STAND — another convenient spot near Yokohama Station, where I enjoyed craft beer together with pizza.
The Hof Brau Yokohama — a more traditional beer restaurant near Yamashita Park, where I enjoyed German beer and food.
