If you’re a first-time visitor to Japan or staying for a while, getting a few drinks at an izakaya, a traditional Japanese pub, can be one of the first must-dos yet a hard task given the language barrier. In fact, conversations with staff at an izakaya are quite simple and easy. Here we illustrate the typical process and situations often seen to let you be prepared and confident for the whole experience!
In case you’re a very beginner at Japanese, check out our guide of simple, versatile words and phrases:
Contents
Making a reservation
It’s somewhat common to make a reservation at an izakaya, especially if you want to go on a Friday night, or if you’re planning a gathering of more than 4 people. You can either access an online reservation portal like Tabelog, or make a call directly to the restaurant. Here is a quick checklist and simple Q&As in Japanese for a successful reservation.
H3 Checklist
- Course menu
Note: Most izakayas prepare several types of course menus. Make sure whether you want “all-you-can-eat (Tabehodai 食べ放題)” or “all-you-can-drink (Nomihodai 飲み放題)”, often limited to 60-120 minutes. You don’t have to, though!
- Opening hours
Note: Due to the COVID pandemic, some izakayas still close earlier than they used to. But traditionally most are open until around 11:00 pm (or maybe 12:00).
- Private rooms
Note: Some izakayas prepare private rooms for 2-20 people. If the gathering is more formal, or you want to keep the conversations secret, make sure to reserve a private room (normally without additional charge but ask the restaurant).
- Smoking or not
Note: A lot of izakayas now prohibit smoking completely, but some local izakayas allow smoking in a separate room or (rarely these days) the whole area.
Sample Q&As in Japanese
| English | Hiragana | Pronunciation |
| Clerk: When would you like to reserve a seat? | いつのご予約ですか？ | Itsu no goyoyaku desuka? |
| You: On August 1st. | 8月1日です。 | Hachi gatsu tsuitachi desu. |
| Clerk: How many people? | 何名様ですか？ | Nanmei sama desuka? |
| You: We’re 5 people. | 5名です。 | Go mei desu. |
| Clerk: What time do you prefer? | 何時頃のご予約ですか？ | Nanji goro no goyoyaku desuka? |
| You: At 7 PM, please. | 7時からでお願いします。 | Shichiji kara de onegai shimasu. |
| Clerk: Would you like course menu? | ご希望のコースはありますか？ | Gokibō no kōsu wa arimasuka? |
| You: We’d like all-you-can-drink for 120 minutes. | 120分の飲み放題コースでお願いします。 | Hyaku nijuppun kōsu no nomihōdai kōsu de onegai shimasu. |
| Clerk: Any allergies? | アレルギーはありますか？ | Arerugi wa arimasuka? |
| You: No, we’re fine. | いえ、ありません。 | Ie, arimasen. |
| Clerk: May I have your name and contact? | お名前と電話番号をお願いします。 | Onamae to denwabangō wo onegai shimasu. |
| You: My name is XYZ and my phone number is ABC. | XYZと申します。電話番号はABCです。 | XYZ to moushi masu. Denwabangō wa ABC desu. |
| Clerk: Please let me repeat. XYZ, ABC. | 復唱します。XYZ様、ABCでお間違いないでしょうか。 | Fukusho shimasu. XYZ sama, ABC de omachigai nai de shouka? |
| You: That’s correct. Thank you. | はい、合っています。よろしくお願いします。 | Hai, atte imasu. Yoroshiku onegai shimasu. |
At Entrance
If you’re going to an izakaya without a reservation, you will be asked almost the same questions by the staff at the entrance. You may be told that the seats are only available for 90-120 minutes if the restaurant is crowded.
| English | Hiragana | Pronunciation |
| Staff: Welcome! How many people? | いらっしゃいませ！ 何名様ですか？ | Irasshaimase! Nanmei sama desuka? |
| You: We’re 2 people. | 2名です。 | Ni mei desu. |
| Staff: The seats are only available for 2 hours. Is that OK? | お席は2時間制となっていますが、よろしいですか？ | Oseki wa nijikan sei to natteimasu ga yoroshī desuka? |
| You: That’s fine. | はい、大丈夫です。 | Hai, daijōbu desu. |
How to Count the Number of People
You can simply add “mei (めい 名)” to the number to tell how many people you are.
| English | Hiragana | Pronunciation |
| 1 person | 1名（いちめい） | Ichi mei |
| 2 people | 2名（にめい） | Ni mei |
| 3 people | 3名（さんめい） | San mei |
| 4 people | 4名（よんめい） | Yon mei |
| 5 people | 5名（ごめい） | Go mei |
Ordering Drinks and Food
After being seated, you’ll decide on your first order. Some izakaya chains set a tablet at each table to order online (most of the time available in both Japanese & English), so you can just see pictures of each dish and drink and choose what you want. Otherwise, the staff will come to your table and ask for your order. Here is a typical conversation you might expect to encounter.
| English | Hiragana | Pronunciation |
| Staff: Are you ready to order? | ご注文はお決まりですか？ | Gochūmon wa okimari desuka? |
| You: 2 beers and 1 edamame (plate of beans), please. | ビール2つと枝豆1つお願いします。 | Bīru futatsu to edamame hitotsu onegai simasu. |
How to Count the Number of Food Items and Drinks
Counting food and drinks are a bit tricky compared to counting people. What you need to add is simply “tsu (つ)”, but how to read the number when it’s attached can be the hard part. If you get confused, don’t worry. Just call out the number without adding anything, and the staff will understand how many you want to order. Maybe using your fingers to show the number would help as well.
| English | Hiragana | Pronunciation |
| 1 (food item/drink) | 1つ（ひとつ） | Hitotsu |
| 2 (food items/drinks) | 2つ（ふたつ） | Futatsu |
| 3 (food items/drinks) | 3つ（みっつ） | Mittsu |
| 4 (food items/drinks) | 4つ（よっつ） | Yottsu |
| 5 (food items/drinks) | 5つ（いつつ） | Itsutsu |
Popular Izakaya Dishes and Drinks
There are a lot of typical izakaya dishes and drinks which Japanese people have loved for generations. Most of them are not expensive to try just once, so give it a try and see if they suit your taste. They may be to your liking.
- Edamame (plate of green beans) （えだまめ 枝豆）
- Potato Salad（ぽてとさらだ ポテトサラダ）
- Sashimi (raw fish) (さしみ 刺身)
- Yakitori (grilled chicken on sticks) (やきとり 焼鳥)
- Tsukemono （つけもの 漬け物）: pickled vegetables (cucumbers, eggplants, and radishes are most typical)
- Nihonshu (Japanese rice wine) (にほんしゅ 日本酒)
- Sour/Chū-hai (さわー/ちゅーはい サワー/チューハイ): a carbonated drink based on spirits (shochu or vodka) with fruit juices or tea
If you want to know more about Nihonshu, also read:
While You Eat
When the food and drinks you ordered arrives, the party finally starts! Here are useful phrases to enjoy your izakaya night in a Japanese way.
| English | Hiragana | Pronunciation |
| Cheers! | 乾杯！ | Kanpai! |
| (Before you start eating or drinking – but said more as a kind of grace before eating) | いただきます。 | Itadakimasu. |
| Could we have a wet hand towel? (It’s usually handed out when you are seated for free) | おしぼりをください。 | Oshibori wo kudasai. |
| Could we have a small plate? (Some dishes are served in a large bowl or plate for everyone to share) | 取り皿をください。 | Torizara wo kudasai. |
| Could I have another glass of beer? | （ビールの）おかわりをください。 | (Bīru no) okawari wo kudasai. |
| Could I have the same one? | 同じものをください。 | Onaji mono wo kudasai. |
Also read:
Paying the Check and Leaving
After some hours of enjoying the food and drinks, it’s time to leave. Whether you pay the check at your table or at the counter depends on the restaurant – but paying at the counter at the front is a little more common. Remember that if you eat out with Japanese friends, it’s often common to split the bill. Tipping is not necessary in any Japanese izakaya or restaurant. When leaving the izakaya, it’s nice to say a few words to the staff or the owner at the entrance.
| English | Hiragana | Pronunciation |
| Shall we split the bill? | 割り勘にする？ | Warikan ni suru? |
| Can we have the check / bill, please? | お会計をお願いします。 | Okaikei wo onegai masu. |
| Can I use a credit card? | カードは使えますか？ | Kādo wa tsukae masuka? |
| I enjoyed the food! | ごちそうさまでした！ | Gochisō sama deshita! |
Summary
We have shown you some example situations and simple conversations typically seen in izakayas. We hope you’re now ready to try the whole izakaya experience for yourself!
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