DevilCraft Gotanda, in Shinagawa, Tokyo
Working on our list of the top pizza restaurants in Tokyo, we have another DevilCraft location, this time; DevilCraft in Gotanda, in Shinagawa, Tokyo.
For these reviews of pizza restaurants in Tokyo, the first place we wrote about DevilCraft Kanda – and I absolutely loved it (read that review: it is a fever dream of praise). One of my favorite pizza experiences of all time. (I mean it, it was fantastic). My visit to the Gotanda location of DevilCraft, however, was not as good, not even close.
In this review, I’ll say why I think the DevilCraft Gotanda has all the right pieces for a successful experience, but may have some management issues that are holding them back. I do, however, want to state quickly that if you’re interested in Detroit-style pizza in Tokyo, this is one option (some pics and comments below).
Now, on to this review of DevilCraft Gotanda:
While the Kanda location is in a small, multi-floor building, Gotanda DevilCraft in Shinagawa is in a high-rise, about a 2 min walk from Gotanda station. Up the elevator, to the 9th floor, you’ll see the big logo on the door.
Inside, Gotanda DevilCraft is in a much more “generic” space than Kanda. It’s a bigger spot, built out in a classic American pizza parlor style. It was pretty empty on the night we were there.
Because my previous experience with the craft beer and Chicago pizza at DevilCraft Kanda had put in me in such a euphoric state, I was buzzing with enthusiasm on my way to Gotanda. I was more than eager to recreate the magic that night.
I brought a date. We dug into the menu. “Please bring me a beer.” “Please bring me some pizza.” I was ready.
The pizza menu at Gotanda DevilCraft has many options (even before you get to the Detroit pizzas). I had a Abe Forman last time (which was blisteringly good), and this time, I was ready to try something else.
As I’d had the Abe Foreman last time (which was excellent), this time I was after that Devil Works.
“Pepperoni, Milano Salami, Devil’s House Sausage, Mushroom, Red Onion, Green Pepper, Spinach, Fresh Tomato, Black Olives, Green Olives.”
— The Devil Works pizza, from their menu
As we ordered, the server (she was American, I think) said, in vacant tone: “The pizza will be about 30 minutes.” It is Chicago-style, thick and deep-dish, so the time in the oven takes a while. I get it. No problem.
Because the pizza takes a while, the night would start with the beer. Which was just what I had in mind. I am not going to be as kind about the pizza in this review (which is entirely their fault, they DO know how to make an incredible pizza), but I can begin by showing some real love for DevilCraft and their beers.
DevilCraft Gotanda has a monster-sized list of beers on draft. Many of those beers are their own. They started serving pizza and other people’s beers. Since 2015 they have been operating as brewery, and many of the beers on the menu are in-house. Good beer. Well done.
On this particular occasion, I kicked off the night with their “Zest Quest: Orange Aura,” a “fruits beer” made by Devilcraft. It was good – “orangey.” It wasn’t so good that I wanted another, so I switched back to the Double Red Revenge (which I’d had on my first visit). That is a high-octane banger, and a very tasty beer. Well done.
All things considered, the Double Red Revenge was the best part of the night. Compared to that beer, the rest of the experience was less successful.
In order to add a little depth to this review (and to give us something to eat while we waited for the pizza), we ordered off their appetizer menu.
I could have gone with the wings (and I was tempted), or something basic like the chips and salsa (which also sounded good), but the beef chili fries were calling my name. And they were…
“Okay,” I suppose. Definitely not as good as they sounded. I’d call them barely successful.
While the pictures we took look tasty, the “waffle-cut” fries are too thin for that style, and they came to the table completely crispy – like potato chips (in they’re crispiness and their flavor), which don’t quite hit like reals “fries” do. Waffle-cut fries should be a bit soft. These are more like “waffle cut fries” you might get in a bag out of a vending machine; like the “processed food” version of a waffle-cut fry. Maybe they were fresh, and just “air fried” to death, I dunno. But, they were insufficient enough to get trashed here in this review, and I wouldn’t order them again.
Okay, recap: Beers, good. Appetizer, disappointing. Now, on to the pizza.
Remember I said that the (pink-haired) server said it would take “30 minutes” to properly bake the pizzas? That is usually true; these are thick, heavy, deep-dish pizzas. So when the pizza showed up in about 15 minutes, what do you think that did to the pizza experience?
15 minutes seemed a little fast, actually. And it was too fast.
One critique of DevilCraft you’ll find (online) is that the pizzas come to the table and they still cold in the middle. I couldn’t believe that when I originally read it, but, I didn’t forget it.
This is actually the first thing I ever read about DevilCraft:
“I honestly can’t get behind DevilCraft. Their Chicago-style pizza is consistently cold in the center or like warm at best and nothing like deep dish in America.”
— “Powerful Cod”
I would rarely import a comment that savage into a review, but… but…
The Devil Works pizza they served me at DevilCraft in Gotanda, yep; warm (maybe), but not hot. A bit cold in the center, for sure. That quote above is true, and they are guilty as charged. Failing to deliver a good pizza because you didn’t cook it enough is an unforced error. And it must happen often enough, because I read about it online, and showed up – and they served me a “cold” pizza too. That is disgraceful.
You know you have a management problem when you get comments like this, and you don’t just cook the damn pizzas a little more. Instead, you rack up yet another bad review. Shameful.
Anyway: The Devil Works pizza at DevilCraft is basically a “combo;” with lots of vegetables. Too many vegetables, which as they cook release water into the pizza; the water makes the pizza wet, without adding flavor.
I could tell it wasn’t done before I even took a bite, because the vegetables on top were barely cooked. Less like a good pizza, and more like a wilted salad. The crust was barely golden, so it could have easily sat in the oven for a few more minutes. I am shaking my head that they are ruining their own reputation because they can’t get their pizza’s cooked properly.
Since we were two that night, we also ordered that Abe Foreman; an Italian sausage, deep-dish Chicago pizza that (even as I tear this place down in this review) makes me hungry. I do love that pizza.
“Pepperoni, Milano Salami, Devil’s House Sausage.”
— The Abe Froman pizza, from the DevilCraft pizza menu
As my charming companion’s Abe Froman showed up, I had a chance to pivot from the Devil Works to quarter-slice of her pizza – the Froman was much better. Even served lukewarm, that is a tasty pizza.
Just look at it. She is kind of beautiful. Like a “wet dog” with good breeding – if you’d just take care of her she could win some prizes.
The whole night might have been better if I brought the pizzas home, put them in the fridge, and ate them later as deliberately cold pizza (which is, as you know, usually a good way to eat pizza).
I like to do the “pizza test,” where I hold up a slice to see if this is the kind of pizza that can be picked up… and: yes it can. As you let a slice cool off a little bit, let that cheese come back together, it comes up as a thick, “block” of pizza.
Okay, now: I didn’t try to the Detroit-Style Pizza at DevilCraft, but I do want to.
I grew up in California, and we know good, simple, “Italian” pizza. The local pizzeria in a typical city or town in the US is actually pretty good. With that said, we really don’t have much of this “square” pizza in Cali (in school cafeterias, but that’s it). What they call Detroit pizza, New Yorkers might call Grandma-style, “Long Island,” homemade, pan pizza almost doesn’t exist in California.
Detroit-style, “pan pizza” in Tokyo, is available at the Gotanda location of DevilCraft, and the Jiyugaoka location. My guess is that they don’t have enough room for the extra ovens to do this style and the Kanda DevilCraft Pizza.
The menu at DevilCraft has a good description of “Detroit-Style” pizza. I’ve read about the category of pizza online, and their is more oil in the pan, so the crust bakes to a crispiness that is different in texture and flavor than classic pizza cooked on a round-flat-disk, or directly on the stone in the oven.
The Detroit pizzas at DevilCraft Gotanda are a full sheet each. DevilCraft suggests that they can feed two – four people.
At 4200 – 4600 JPY, that is not cheap, but I can imagine a few beers, and a couple of friends, and a good time. I’d like to try it.
For some other “square,” “pan,” “sheet pizza” in Japan; In Tokyo, Nim’s Pizza does two different flavors of Detroit pizza (it was overcooked, but still kind of tasty). And if you can get to Osaka, Craft Beer and Pizza Imazato does an Detroit style, by the slice as well (Matt’s pizza is excellent, highly recommended). And in Nagoya, Tony Tony Pizza does an unusual Pennsylvania Style pan pizza (it’s okay, a little weird, buried under too many ingredients).
Overall, I’d rate the Gotanda location as underwhelming; about 60% – 70% as good as my experience at the Kanda shop (which I really enjoys). The lukewarm pizza, the shop itself, the bad service (from the pink haired girl), felt like an “okay” meal at an airport. Which is to say – not very good at all.
For the best Chicago pizza in Japan: I would still rank DevilCraft Kanda is #1 in Japan. Recently, I was blown away by an amazing deep dish pizza at BrewPub Starboard Pizza in Kobe. Close to Nagoya, Craig’s Chicago pizza at Izakaya Ja Nai is fantastic. I have never had it, but I hear Matt makes a Chicago pizza at Craft Beer and Pizza Imazato in Osaka.
I still think the DevilCraft brand is worth checking out, but I won’t be back to Gotanda… there are just waaaaay too many good pizzas in Tokyo to take another chance on this place. No thanks. I would love another good DevilCraft Abe Froman pizza, but if I ever feel like I need to try again, I’ll go back to Kanda (cooler shop).
For more Tokyo Pizza see:
— Marumo Pizza in Ebisu, Tokyo
— Omakase pizza at Pizza Bar on 38th in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Chuo City, Tokyo
— PST Riponggi Pizza in Minato City, Tokyo
— See the bluefin tuna pizza at Savoy Asabujuban, Tokyo
— Deep-dish pizza at DevilCraft Kanda, in Chuo City, Tokyo
— Kevelos Pizza in Shibuya, Tokyo
— Sabasu Akasaka Pizza in Minato City, Tokyo
— Frey’s Famous Pizzeria in Rippongi in Minato City, Tokyo
— Pizzakaya in Rippongi, Tokyo
— Naples-style pizza at Seirinkan in Meguro, Tokyo
— Star-shaped pizza in Tokyo at Napoli Sta Ca in Komazawa, Setagaya, Tokyo
— Butcher Republic pizza in Tokyo
Pizza Slices in Tokyo
— Rocco’s NY-Style slice pizza in Kita City, Tokyo
— Check out NY Pizza Tonyz Tokyo for pizza slices in Koto City, Tokyo
— Tokyo’s Nim’s Pizza in Asabujuban in Minato City
— The Cat Street Pizza Slice location in Shibuya, Tokyo