Izakaya Ordering Guide: How to Navigate a Japanese Pub Like a Local

Izakaya Ordering Guide: How to Navigate a Japanese Pub Like a Local

By Yoshi | Japan Unveiled

I have written before on this blog about izakaya as a cultural institution — about what it is, what it means socially, and why it is one of the most distinctively Japanese experiences available to anyone who wants to understand how Japanese people actually live.

But I received enough messages after that article from readers saying, in various forms, “this is wonderful but how do I actually order?” that I decided to write the practical companion piece. The guide to the specific vocabulary, the specific procedures, the specific social conventions that allow you to sit down at an izakaya and order and drink and eat with the fluency of someone who knows what they are doing rather than the anxious improvisation of someone who does not.

This article assumes nothing about your Japanese language ability. Everything I describe can be accomplished with a combination of pointing, the few Japanese phrases I will teach you, and the general goodwill of izakaya staff toward customers who are clearly trying.

Before You Sit Down: Choosing Your Izakaya

Not all izakaya are the same, and the first practical skill is identifying the type of establishment that will serve your purposes.

The chain izakaya (chein izakaya) — establishments like Torikizoku, Watami, Shirokiya, and Uotami — are the most accessible for first-time visitors. They typically have picture menus (essential if your Japanese reading is limited), English menus at tourist-facing locations, a broad selection of food and drink, and staff accustomed to serving customers who are uncertain about the process. The food is reliable rather than exceptional. The atmosphere is lively and comfortable. The price is predictable and reasonable.

The neighbourhood izakaya (machi no izakaya) — independently operated, sometimes very small (eight to fifteen seats), with a menu that changes seasonally and reflects what the owner/cook considers worth serving that day. These establishments are more difficult to navigate without Japanese language ability but produce the more authentic experience — the food is typically more interesting, the sake selection more considered, the atmosphere more specific. Many have nobori (vertical banners) or chōchin (red lanterns) outside that mark them as izakaya.

The standing bar (tachinomi-ya or tachi-ippai) — small establishments, sometimes without seating, where customers drink standing at a bar or at chest-height shelves along the wall. Extremely inexpensive, extremely casual, extremely Japanese in character. Not the easiest environment for extended eating, but excellent for the specific experience of standing drinks with a small snack.

For first-time izakaya visitors, the chain izakaya is the practical starting point. For second and subsequent visits, the neighbourhood izakaya is where the experience becomes genuinely interesting.

The Entrance Ritual: What Happens When You Walk In

The Japanese restaurant entrance ritual is specific and different from most Western equivalents.

You stop at the entrance — you do not walk directly to a table. You wait to be acknowledged. In most izakaya, a staff member will appear within seconds and ask nan-mei sama desuka? — “how many people?” You hold up fingers or say the number (hitori = one, futari = two, san-nin = three, yo-nin = four). You will be led to a table.

At a popular izakaya without reservations, there may be a wait. The staff member will note your party size and contact information (phone number, sometimes just your name) and give you an approximate wait time. This is communicated through a system of paper slips or a digital display depending on the establishment’s sophistication.

When seated, you will receive: a oshibori (warm or cold wet towel for wiping your hands — use it, then fold it and set it aside), a menu, and possibly a small dish of otōshi or tsukidashi — a small mandatory appetiser that appears whether you order it or not and is charged to your bill automatically (typically 300 to 500 yen per person). The otōshi is not optional. It is the cover charge, expressed as food. Eat it — it is usually something simple and appropriate for the season, pickled vegetables or a small salad or a piece of tofu, and it is generally pleasant.

The First Order: Drinks

The izakaya convention: order drinks first, then food. The first drink arrives quickly, the food arrives as it is cooked.

The standard Japanese phrase for summoning a staff member: sumimasen — “excuse me.” Said clearly and making eye contact with a passing staff member. This works. You do not need to raise your hand aggressively or shout. A clear sumimasen directed at a staff member who can see you will be effective.

The first drink ritual: the kanpai. The first drinks arrive, everyone at the table lifts their glass, and someone says kanpai — “cheers.” This is not optional at a table of Japanese people. At a table of mixed international visitors in an izakaya, it is still worth doing. The kanpai glasses should be held at the same height or slightly lower than the glasses of more senior people at the table — a small but real social consideration.

The drink menu: what to order.

Nama biru (生ビール) — draft beer. The default first drink for most izakaya-goers. The major Japanese lager brands (Asahi, Kirin, Sapporo, Suntory) are all excellent drinking beers and all pair well with izakaya food. Nama specifically means draft; bin biru or kan biru are bottled and canned respectively.

Highball (ハイボール) — Japanese whisky and soda water, a specific and excellent izakaya drink that has become the most popular drink order in contemporary Japanese izakaya culture. Light, refreshing, not too strong, pairs well with almost everything on the food menu. Almost every izakaya serves highball. Almost every highball in an izakaya is good.

Sake (日本酒) — Japanese rice wine, ordered by the carafe (tokkuri) in either warm (atsukan) or cold (reishu) form. The sake selection at a neighbourhood izakaya is often more interesting than at a chain, and the staff at a good sake-focused izakaya will make genuine recommendations if asked. Pointing to osusume (おすすめ, “recommendation”) on the menu will produce the staff’s recommendation.

Shōchū (焼酎) — Japanese distilled spirit, typically made from sweet potato (imo shōchū), barley (mugi shōchū), or rice (kome shōchū). Drunk straight, on the rocks, or mixed with water (mizu-wari) or hot water (o-yu-wari). More strongly flavoured than sake, lower in carbohydrates, the preferred drink of southern Japan and increasingly popular nationally.

Umeshu (梅酒) — plum wine, made by steeping ume plums in shōchū or nihonshu with sugar. Sweet, fruity, relatively low in alcohol, excellent drunk on the rocks (on the rocks or rokku). Accessible and pleasant as a first drink for people uncertain about other options.

Soft drinks — o-cha (green tea, typically served free or very cheap), oolong-tea, cola, various juices. All available and no one will comment if you drink non-alcohol throughout the evening.

Nomi-hodai (飲み放題) — all-you-can-drink, typically offered as a timed package (ninety minutes is most common) for a flat fee added to the bill. Worth considering for groups who intend to drink substantially. Not all items on the full drink menu are typically included in nomi-hodai packages — check what is included before ordering.

Reading the Food Menu: The Izakaya Categories

Izakaya menus are organised by category, and understanding the categories allows you to navigate even a Japanese-language menu with some orientation. Most chain izakaya menus include photographs; many now include English.

Salads and tofu (sarada, tofu ryōri) — the cool, light items that often function as palate-cleansers and that provide some fresh vegetable content in an otherwise protein-heavy menu. Hiyayakko (chilled tofu with ginger and green onion, topped with soy sauce) is one of the most refreshing izakaya dishes and an excellent starting order.

Edamame (枝豆) — salted boiled soybeans in the pod. Almost universally available, excellent with beer, inexpensive, often ordered immediately as the first food item. If you are uncertain what to order first, order edamame.

Skewers and yakitori (串焼き, 焼き鳥) — grilled skewers, the core of the izakaya food tradition. I have written extensively about yakitori in a dedicated article. At most izakaya, skewers are ordered by type: momo (thigh), negima (thigh and green onion), tsukune (meatball), torikawa (skin), and so on. You can also simply say osusume no kushi wo kudasai — “please bring your recommended skewers” — and the kitchen will select.

Fried items (揚げ物) — karaage (Japanese fried chicken, one of the essential izakaya orders), edamame karaage (fried edamame), tako karaage (fried octopus), age-dashi tofu (deep-fried tofu in a light dashi broth). These arrive hot and should be eaten quickly.

Sashimi (刺身) — raw fish, ordered as a moriwase (assortment) or by specific fish. Quality varies significantly by izakaya; a neighbourhood izakaya near a fish market will have better sashimi than a chain izakaya in an inland city. Served with soy sauce and wasabi.

Grilled items (焼き物) — shio-yaki (salt-grilled fish), teriyaki (glazed grilled items), yaki-onigiri (grilled rice balls). These take longer to prepare than fried items.

Cold appetisers (お通し, 冷菜) — beyond the mandatory otōshi, various cold appetisers: potato salada (Japanese potato salad, which is lighter and sweeter than Western versions), tamagoyaki (sweet rolled omelette), tsukemono (pickled vegetables).

Hot dishes (温かい料理) — niku-jaga (beef and potato stew in sweet soy sauce, one of the most comforting izakaya dishes and the one most associated with the specific warmth of izakaya eating), chawanmushi (savoury egg custard), various simmered dishes.

Pizza, pasta, and Western items — yes, many izakaya include these, and they are often surprisingly good. Japan has been making pizza and pasta its own way for decades, and the results at a well-run izakaya are worth trying.

Rice and noodle dishes (shime no mono) — the closing dishes, eaten at the end of the meal to fill and satisfy. Zōsui (rice porridge), chazuke (rice with tea poured over), ramen, udon. Ordering shime signals that the meal is winding down.

Ordering Food: The Practical Mechanics

At most izakaya, orders are placed directly with staff who come to the table. At some modern izakaya, orders are placed via a tablet or a small buzzer system at the table.

The phrase for ordering: kore wo kudasai — “please give me this” — with pointing at the menu item. Completely functional even without reading ability.

Quantities: Japanese menu items are typically ordered by the piece or by the plate, with quantities specified. Most items come in single portions (one order = the standard amount). You can order multiple quantities of the same item: karaage futatsu = “two orders of karaage.”

The ordering rhythm: at izakaya, it is normal to order in multiple rounds throughout the evening rather than ordering everything at once. The first order covers the first drinks and a few initial food items. As dishes are finished, new orders are placed. This rhythm — the continuous arrival of small dishes over an extended period — is the defining eating experience of the izakaya.

Portions: izakaya portions are designed to be shared. A single plate of karaage at most izakaya is not a personal portion — it is meant to be shared among the table. Order multiple dishes and share everything. This is the correct approach and the most enjoyable one.

Specific Items to Order: My Recommendations

For the first-time izakaya visitor who is uncertain where to start, these are the items I would order at any izakaya, in any city, as the foundation of a good evening.

Edamame — always. Cold, lightly salted, arriving quickly, excellent with beer. The ideal thing to be eating while studying the menu and deciding what else to order.

Karaage — Japanese fried chicken, the single most universally excellent izakaya food. Crispy outside, juicy inside, flavoured with soy sauce and ginger. Order it with the lemon wedge that typically accompanies it squeezed over the top immediately before eating.

Hiyayakko — chilled tofu with toppings. Refreshing, light, a useful palate cleanser between richer dishes. The cold tofu in hot summer is specifically one of the pleasures of the Japanese summer izakaya experience.

Two or three yakitori skewers — momo, negima, and tsukune as the reliable core. If the izakaya has tare and shio options, order one of each preparation to compare.

Tamagoyaki — the sweet rolled omelette. Softer and sweeter than the Chinese equivalent, excellent at izakaya where it is made fresh and served warm.

Age-dashi tofu — deep-fried tofu in a light dashi broth. One of the most specifically Japanese of all izakaya dishes — the contrast between the crispy exterior of the tofu and the soft interior, the umami depth of the broth, the garnish of grated daikon. Order this once and you will understand why it is a classic.

Niku-jaga (if available) — the beef and potato stew. Order this in the middle of the evening, when the initial excitement of the first dishes has settled and you want something warm and deeply comforting. It will arrive in a small clay pot, bubbling gently, and it will be exactly the right thing.

Paying the Bill: The Final Step

The procedure for paying at a Japanese izakaya differs from Western restaurant conventions in specific ways.

The bill is not brought to the table automatically. When you are ready to pay, you must request the bill. The phrase: o-kanjō onegaishimasu — “the bill, please.” Or simply catching a staff member’s attention with sumimasen and miming the act of writing on your palm, which is universally understood as requesting the bill.

Cash is still king at many establishments. While major chain izakaya accept credit cards and various payment apps, many neighbourhood izakaya are cash-only. Check before assuming card payment is possible.

Splitting the bill. Betsu-betsu ni onegaishimasu — “separately, please.” Japanese restaurants are generally willing to split the bill, though the specific mechanics vary. At izakaya, where everything has been shared, a common approach is simply to divide the total equally among the party — warikan (going Dutch).

There is no tipping. I have written a full article on this. Do not tip. Say oishikatta desu (it was delicious) when leaving. This is the correct and appreciated expression of satisfaction.

The Closing: When and How to Leave

Izakaya evenings in Japan do not have a fixed ending time enforced by the restaurant — you are not asked to leave as a matter of course. But reading the room is part of the experience.

When the food has been finished, the drinks have slowed, and the conversation has reached its natural settling point — this is when shime is appropriate. The rice or noodle dish that ends the eating. Then the final drink, finished slowly.

When you are ready to leave, you leave. The staff will not rush you. Gochisōsama deshita — “thank you for the meal” — said on the way out, directed toward the kitchen or the staff generally. This phrase is important. It is the correct and expected expression of gratitude at the end of a meal in Japan, and it is received warmly by the people who made and served what you ate.

Then out into the night, which will be cooler than when you arrived or warmer than when you arrived depending on the season, and the evening will be what it was — a specific collection of dishes and drinks and conversation in a specific place at a specific time — and you will have navigated it correctly.

That is all that is required.

— Yoshi 🍺 Central Japan, 2026

Enjoyed this? You might also like: “Izakaya: Japan’s Greatest Social Institution” and “Why Japan Has No Tipping Culture — and What You Should Do Instead” — both available on Japan Unveiled.