WCB DARK LAB (West Coast Brewing) — Restaurant in Osaka

Great beer, trendy vibes, but pricey and "cold."

The place is great looking, lots of tasteful lighting and lots of black, almost like a cocktail bar. Bar seating and tables available. Bar can be a little quiet, seems like people prefer to sit at a table with their group.

Taps are very focused on contemporary American craft, so lots of hayzies of all types. The beer is great. The descriptions are vivid and give you all the information you need to order. If you want good American style craft, this is some of the best I've had in Japan.

When we arrived we were given a QR code and told to order off our phones. This was a bit off-putting for a few reasons, not the least of which was that we were seated at the bar with the bartenders literally feet away. I didn't even know tasters were available until other customers were offered some. Perhaps the staff were initially concerned about a language barrier but didn't warm up much even after we had spoken with them in Japanese.

Prices were high, even given the inflated malt-tax prices Japanese brewers are subject to. Pints are around 1700 and glasses around 1100. After a glass I ended up wandering over to the cooler where I found the more reasonably priced 500ml cans (~1000).

Would go back to grab a beer from the cooler to walk around with but not as interested in sitting at the aloof bar and paying 1700 a pint, even...

It the bright daylight this place really stands out with its dark interior (living up to its name Dark Labs).

The service and vibe is very friendly. Either the guys behind the bar happy to have a chat and talk about the beers on-tap. I also loved that other people in the bar joined in the craft beer conversations we were having. With people from all over the world finding their way to Dark Labs, it was great to hear from Brazilians, Americans, Japanese and myself (an Aussie) all having different opinions on our favourite styles.

The craft beers themselves are not exactly cheap. I’m not sure how much it costs to bring hops in or brew beers in Japan, but even by Australian standards they are pricey. They do taste good though (the beers).

Big, hoppy brews. Light, easy drinking beers. Even a sour beer or two is on show here. With 15 beers on-tap you won’t be hard up to find something you’ll enjoy. You can watch more on my beer experiences and thoughts at the @seedoeatreview Insta or Facebook page in my “Beer by the Birdcage” post.

The beers may be pricey but the food is cheap. The basic smashed patty burger was sensational and came in at only $13 Aussie. I’d love to check out more food here after that burger treat.

Great service, a comfortable atmosphere, good beers and great food, what more could...

Nice ambience inside, it's stylish. The beers are good, I had the Creamy Boi, which I had tried before and liked. Features the owner's brand of beer: West Coast Brewery (?).

Good spot for a date, meeting, or just for a good beer with a friend.

Didn't try the food since I had already eaten, but the PB&J slider was tempting. I'll check it out next time!

Staff was friendly and attentive.

Adding it to the list of favorite craft beer spots in Osaka. Definitely classier than other spots, if you're looking for that vibe. Looks like they're also building a more communal, standing bar style sister location in Umeda soon!...