An izakaya is Japan's version of a pub: a casual restaurant where you drink with food, sit for hours, and order in rounds. It's the default venue for after-work socializing, and the food is usually excellent — a mix of grilled skewers, fried snacks, sashimi, and seasonal small plates.
How Izakaya Works
Unlike Western restaurants, you don't order everything at once. You start with drinks, order a few dishes, finish those, then order more throughout the night. Many izakaya offer a nomihodai (all-you-can-drink, typically ¥1,500–¥2,500 for 2 hours) and tabehodai (all-you-can-eat) options — worth it for groups planning to drink a lot. Seats are usually available without reservation on weekdays; Friday and Saturday nights warrant advance booking at popular spots.
What to Order
Edamame — salted soybeans, ¥300–¥500, always good to start. Karaage — Japanese fried chicken with mayo and lemon, ¥600–¥900. Yakitori — grilled chicken skewers: try negima (chicken and leek), tsukune (chicken meatball), and kawa (chicken skin). Tofu dishes — agedashi tofu (deep-fried tofu in dashi broth) is a classic. Sashimi moriawase — assorted raw fish plate, ¥1,200–¥2,000. Tamagoyaki — sweet rolled omelette. Potato salad — sounds boring, surprisingly excellent in izakaya.
Drinks
Beer (beeru): Sapporo, Asahi, Kirin, or Suntory on draft. First round default. Chuhai: Shochu + soda + fruit juice — light and refreshing, ¥400–¥600. Highball (haibōru): Whisky + soda, associated with Suntory Toki. Sake: Order warm (kan) or cold (hiya). Shochu: Stronger base spirit — try on the rocks (on za rokku) or with hot water (oyuwari).
Useful Izakaya Phrases
"Toriaezu biiru" = "Beer for now" (the classic opening order). "Osusume wa nan desu ka?" = "What do you recommend?" "Okawari onegaishimasu" = "Another one, please." "Okaikei onegaishimasu" = "Check, please."
Budget
Expect ¥2,500–¥4,500 per person for a satisfying izakaya night with 3–4 rounds of drinks and 5–6 dishes shared between two people. High-end izakaya run ¥6,000+. Look for the happy hour boards outside (usually 17:00–19:00) for half-price drink specials.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an izakaya?
An izakaya (居酒屋) is a Japanese gastropub — a place to drink with food, as opposed to a restaurant where alcohol is secondary. You order multiple small dishes over the course of an evening rather than one main course. The atmosphere is casual, noisy, and social.
How do you order at an izakaya?
Order drinks first (the first drink order is expected immediately), then food in rounds as the evening progresses. Most izakaya have picture menus. Calling 'sumimasen' gets the server's attention. Many now have tablets for ordering.
How much does an izakaya evening cost?
A relaxed izakaya evening with 2–4 drinks and several shared dishes typically costs ¥2,500–4,000 per person. A nomihodai (all-you-can-drink for a set time, usually 90 minutes or 2 hours) package is ¥1,500–2,500 additional and is popular for groups.
Is there a minimum order at izakaya?
Many izakaya charge a small table fee (otoshi) of ¥300–600 per person, which comes with a small appetizer. This is not optional — it covers the table charge. Ordering at least one drink per person is expected.