Introduction
Hello, this is GOK from Daily Shinjuku.
Today I visited OKEI TAPROOM in Minami-Shinjuku—a craft beer bar serving in-house beers from its Nippori brewery alongside creative, “addictive” Chinese-inspired dishes.
A Beer Bar 1 Minute from Minami-Shinjuku Station
OKEI TAPROOM is a craft beer izakaya offering its own beers brewed in Nippori plus a menu of “沼る中華” (irresistibly addictive creative Chinese).
You can pair the food with 16 taps of craft beer and natural wine.
The bar sits in a quiet residential area 1 minute from Minami-Shinjuku Station and about 12 minutes on foot from Shinjuku Station South Exit.
I dropped by for the first time a little after 8 p.m. on a weekday.
Interior
The space has around 36 seats across counter and table seating.
It was relatively calm when I visited, with a cozy atmosphere and friendly, well-paced service.
A poster inside announced an “OKEI Rock Fes” scheduled for November.
Beer & Food Menus (excerpts)
Beers (HALF / PINT, tax incl.)
- Nippori Ale – ¥650 / ¥1,150
- Arakawa HAZY Under the Bridge – ¥750 / ¥1,300
- OKEI IPA – ¥700 / ¥1,200
- Chiikara – ¥700 / ¥1,200
- Session Don the Sun – ¥700 / ¥1,200
- Megante – ¥800 / ¥1,400
- Goodman Coffee Ale – ¥900 / ¥1,500
- Fresh Yuzu Lager – ¥850 / ¥1,400
- Braumeister – ¥600 / ¥1,000
Tasting flights (3 kinds) and guest beers are available.
Food (tax incl.)
- House Boiled Dumplings – 3 pcs ¥650 / 1 pc ¥200
- “Cold & Passionate” Liver-Nira (OKEI style) – ¥850
- Cilantro & Carrot – ¥600
- Edamame in Chinese Dashi – ¥550
- Chilled Tofu with House Chili Oil – ¥700
- Potato Salad with Torched Char-siu & Zha-cai – ¥800
- Chinese Pickles – ¥550
- Fried Gizzards with Sansho – ¥750
- Dan-dan Noodles (no soup) – ¥1,100
- “Ebi Fried Rice!!” – ¥1,200
What I Ordered
- OKEI IPA (HALF, ¥700) and Arakawa HAZY Under the Bridge (HALF, ¥750) to start.
- Chinese Pickles (¥550): surprisingly punchy acidity; burdock, carrot, celery, red/yellow bell pepper, cucumber, baby corn, and okra.
- House Boiled Dumplings (3 pcs ¥650 + 1 pc ¥200): choose from white (chicken paitan), red (mala broth), or black (sweet-spicy soy); I chose black—silky skins and savory filling that pair perfectly with beer.
- Potato Salad with Torched Char-siu & Zha-cai (¥800): a playful “creative Chinese” combo that works both together and separately.
- Black Vinegar Sweet-and-Sour Pork (¥1,400): large cuts of pork, kabocha, and potato; mellow black vinegar and beer-friendly seasoning.
- Additional pours included “Fantajista” (a soda-like beer inspired by you-know-what) and “Megante,” a TRIPLE IPA at 11.5% ABV, plus Session Don the Sun.
Staff happily suggested beer styles to match each dish—their guidance made pairing easy and fun.
With a broad lineup of beers and dishes, there are countless pairing combinations to enjoy.
Summary
OKEI TAPROOM is the kind of neighborhood spot you’ll want nearby—welcoming for solo drinks and the perfect place to unwind after work.
With tempting items like Lamb Mapo Tofu, “Ebi Fried Rice!!,” and Dan-dan Noodles, I already want to go back and try more.
Store Information
- Name: OKEI TAPROOM
- Address: B1F, Berte Minami-Shinjuku, 1-52-4 Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 151-0053
- Nearest Stations: 1 min from Minami-Shinjuku (70 m); 4 mins from Yoyogi
- Hours: Tue–Fri 15:00–23:00 / Sat, Sun & Holidays 12:00–23:00
- Closed: Monday
- Outlets: ✕ Wi-Fi: ○ Smoking: ✕
- Notes: 36 seats; cards / e-money / QR accepted
- Tabelog Rating: 3.33 (as of Oct 2025)
Looking for the original article in Japanese?
Click here to view the Japanese version on Daily Shinjuku.
👉 https://daily-shinjuku.tokyo/2025/10/09/south-shinjuku-okei-taproom/
