10 Japanese Izakaya Foods and Drinks to Know Before You Go

Order and try these tasty Japanese foods

Have you ever gone to an izakaya in Japan? Izakaya food and drink is amazing. A night out at an izakaya with friends can be so much fun. If you’ve never gone to one before, this post will explain the classic izakaya offerings this way you can order with ease. Some places don’t have an English menu, so it’s great practice to know some izakaya food and drinks in Japanese and this article can help with that!

If you’ve never gone to an izakaya go check out this article about 7 cheap Izakaya in Tokyo for a university budget. We explain what the izakaya is for Japanese people, how we enjoy hanging out with friends there, and recommend some cheap izakaya to check out in Tokyo while traveling there!

There are usually many choices at an izakaya. Some places have over 100 menu items to choose from and they often have all-you-can-eat/drink specials. The following are 10 izakaya dishes and drinks, which almost every izakaya has on the menu. You should definitely remember them for your next trip to the izakaya!

1) Otoshi (お通し)

When you first arrive at an izakaya otoshi is served. It was born out of a culture of hospitality in the Meiji era to keep waiting customers happy while their orders were prepared. These tiny starters are similar in some ways to amuse-bouche of French cuisine, however, otoshi are not complimentary and usually cost around ￥500. So don’t be surprised if your check is a bit higher than you anticipated. On the east side of Japan (Kanto region) these small hors d’œuvres are called otoshi and on the west side of Japan (Kansai region) they call it tsukidashi.

2) Nama beer (生ビール) / draft beer

Nama beer means “raw” beer and refers to what we would call beer on tap in English. If you go to izakaya with a group such as with your co-workers, everyone will order beer first, which is an unspoken understanding when you go at an izakaya with a large group. The reason behind why everyone should order a glass of beer is that it takes time to make different cocktails for a group of ten and it’s challenging for staff to find customers who order different cocktails. Even with a small group of people, the staff may ask “nama de ii desu ka?”, which means “is beer okay for you?” We list below some famous Japanese Beer Brands you might want to check out at the izakaya:

3) Lemon sour (レモンサワー)

Sours in Japan differ slightly from traditional sours in other countries. Unlike other sours, a Japanese sour is an alcoholic beverage based on shochu (distilled spirits), carbonated water, and sour fruit juice, such as citrus which sometimes includes pulp and zest. These pucker-inducing beverages are sometimes sweetened with sugar. Lemon sour is the most popular sour amongst Japanese people. But don’t limit yourself to just lemon, there are many kinds of Japanese sours such as plum, grapefruit, orange, and so on. Try every single sour with a nomihoudai course (all you can drink.)

4) Highball (ハイボール) / whisky or shochu soda

Highballs have a subtle flavor, and therefore they pair well with food at the izakaya. Unlike in western tradition, the Japanese are not committed to before or after dinner drinks, instead preferring to eat and drink simultaneously. Dry beers and highballs are popular for this very reason! Highballs are a crowd favorite amongst Japan’s younger generation. Moreover, a lot of beverage companies have launched new highball cans, which is prompting younger people to choose this drink even when at home or hanging out with friends in non-bar settings. Here are some can highballs you can buy at Convini and other stores.

5) Shochu (焼酎) / distilled spirits

As many of you are aware, sake is made from rice, but not many people know what shochu is made from. Most shochu is made from sweet potato or barley, but there are also rice, buckwheat and brown sugar shochu. At first glance shochu and sake may appear similar, however they are categorically different. Above all, the main difference is that shochu is a distilled liquor, while sake is a fermented rice beverage akin to beer. Shochu is not only the base of sours, but combine it with green or oolong tea to make some of the best Japanese cocktails. These tea based cocktails are called chuhai in Japanese!

6) Morokyu (もろきゅう) / cucumber with moromi miso

Morokyu is one of the most popular izakaya side dishes. This refreshing dish is simply cucumber served with moromi miso. Moromi miso is a chunky miso which is often eaten with raw veggies or over rice. Since cucumbers are crunchy and easy to pick up, they are the perfect bar snack. The freshness of the cucumber is enhanced by the rich and flavorful moromi miso. My favorite is spicy morokyu! You can make morokyu at your house, it’s very easy! Combine moromi miso, sesame oil, soy sauce, and grated garlic. Add some cucumber, and voila! Your very own morokyu.

7) Takowasa (たこわさ) / seasoned octopus with wasabi

Takowasa is not a particularly traditional dish, it actually came into existence around 20 years ago. It is based on the story of a food company that made their employees eat raw octopus with wasabi as a game of punishment for failure. This turned out to not be a punishment at all, it’s surprisingly delicious! If you’re a fan of spice and seafood give takowasa a try.

8) Eihire yaki (エイヒレ焼き) / grilled and stingray fin

Lightly grilled stingray fins are fragrant, and have a chewy mouthfeel which pairs well with beer. The saltiness of the fins and their jerky-like texture make this dish an izakaya staple. Recently, since stingray fins contain a lot of collagen, this dish attracts attention for its beauty benefits.

9) Motsu nikomi (もつ煮込み) / Japanese tripe stew

Motsu generally refers to the offal of cattle, pigs and chickens. Motsu nikomi consists of pork or beef intestines which are boiled with ginger, this removes any strange odors. After this, ingredients such as daikon, carrot, burdock, konjac, tofu, etc. are added. The stew is seasoned with soy sauce, miso, mirin, and sake. The ingredients and seasonings of this hearty dish vary depending on the time of year and region.

10) Nankotsu karaage (軟骨唐揚げ) / deep-fried chicken cartilage

Chicken cartilage is the part of the breastbone. It is low in calories and contains as much nutrition as the lean part of the bird. The crunchy texture of fried cartilage is addictive. You won’t be able to stop eating it, and you’ll enjoy it even more with a beer.

Thank you so much for reading this post. we hope you enjoy going to izakaya with your friends and having amazing izakaya foods in Japan.

Although some people might feel not comfortable with going out at an izakaya because of the Covid-19 situation, you can make these tasty izakaya food at home and have an online party with your friends. These izakaya food recipe books on Amazon will make it easier to cook classic izakaya foods. Please check them out if you love cooking and drinking with some good foods!

Have a nice day and have fun cooking izakaya foods! Please also check out this post about 7 must-try convenience store foods in Japan. Convenience stores in the US such as 7-Eleven are kind of bland and nothing to write home about. However, the Japanese 7-Elevens are totally different from the ones in the US. They’re neat, clean, and convenient. Read this and figure out what foods you can buy at convenience stores in Japan!