Izakaya: A Guide for International Travelers

What Is an Izakaya?

An izakaya is a casual, pub-style restaurant where food and alcohol are enjoyed together, usually ordered as a series of small, shareable dishes rather than individual full-sized courses — a format often compared to Spanish tapas. Menus typically mix items such as yakitori skewers, sashimi, fried dishes, salads, and rice or noodle dishes, alongside beer, sake, shochu, and highballs. The word izakaya combines “i” (to stay) and “sakaya” (sake shop), and it is widely understood to have originated from sake shops that began letting customers drink on the premises rather than only selling bottles to take home.

Seating and How a Meal Usually Flows

Seating styles range from casual counters (often good for solo diners) and regular tables to private tatami-mat rooms (zashiki), where shoes are typically removed before stepping up onto the raised floor. A typical izakaya visit isn’t one big order placed all at once: diners usually start with a drink and the otoshi starter, then order a few shared small plates, see how everyone feels, and keep ordering further rounds of food and drinks over the course of the meal — closer to grazing than a fixed multi-course dinner.

What to Expect (and What Not To)

1. Most izakaya automatically serve a small starter dish called otoshi when you sit down, which comes with a small per-person charge — this is standard practice, not a scam, though a small number of newer chains explicitly advertise “no otoshi.”
2. Not every izakaya has an English menu — many smaller, independent spots are Japanese-only, so a translation app or picture menu can help; larger chains are more likely to offer English support.
3. Calling out “sumimasen” to get a staff member’s attention is the normal way to order at a counter or table, not considered rude.
4. If a nomihodai (all-you-can-drink) course is offered, it usually runs for a fixed time limit (commonly 90-120 minutes) and may require everyone at the table to join.