Sumiyaki Shoten

This izakaya took us by surprise and we will definitely visit again before we fly back home. The food was well seasoned and perfectly charcoal grilled. Staff are all attentive and friendly, though very limited English speaking, smart to use Google translate on their phones. Yes they have English menu.

This place is like a hidden gem! The staff are super friendly and helpful. The food and atmosphere are amazing. I love finding small places with big surprises. definitely have to check it out! We always appreciate it when we get warm and welcoming service. It makes special occasions even more memorable. Thanks for making our anniversary celebration so special. We highly recommend your business to everyone!

When I was researching my trip, I stumbled across a blog that recommended this restaurant and said that they offered “Japanese home-style dishes,” something that I was very curious about. I’m glad I acted out on that curiosity because it turned out to be my favourite izakaya. My only regret is trying it out so late into my trip because I would have liked to have gone more often! It was a bit difficult for us to find the shopfront as we had to weave through some alleyways in the rain; however, it seems to be a hotspot for locals. Walking in from the cold, we were greeted with an interior reminiscent of a treehouse and felt so cozy, safe, and welcoming. It made me so happy! Our waiter sat us down at a table that required us to take off our shoes. We were happy to comply as it amplified the cozy feeling. One of my only complaints with this restaurant is that they don’t seem too equipped to handle foreign guests (which, to be honest, is totally fair!). We were given a Japanese menu at first; however, it was written in calligraphy so even Google Translate couldn’t help us. When we asked for an English menu, the waiter came back with an “English menu” with three items, while the Japanese menu clearly had way more items than that. The waiter couldn’t help us much either as he spoke very limited English; thankfully, someone from the table beside us was able to translate. However, if not for that guest, we would have been left very sad wondering what we were missing out on, especially since we saw other people eating things not on the three-item English menu! That being said though, the waiter, despite not speaking much English, was attentive, kind, and polite! When we miscommunicated and the wrong dish was brought out, he was quick to replace it and ask the kitchen to make the one I had asked for. I really appreciated his efforts. Now, to the food. The food was delicious and plentiful. We ordered two lunch sets - one karaage set and one mapo tofu set - as well as a chicken skin skewer and pan-fried mentaiko. I specifically ordered the mapo tofu set because my mouth watered, smelling it come for the guest sitting next to us. My next choice would have been the oyako-don which they seem to be famous for; the smell of that mapo tofu was just too enticing. When everything arrived, I was not disappointed. The mapo tofu set smelled as delicious on my table as it did on the other guest’s and tasted even better. It was able to capture “wok’s breath,” something that I haven’t experienced in other stir fry's in Japan. Happily, it came with side dishes as well that paired well with the set, although I don’t think they vary between different sets. The karaage, skewer, and mentaiko were flavourful and expertly executed as well; however, that mapo tofu set is what is most memorable to me. I can almost still smell/taste it if I close my eyes... For the amount and quality of food we had, we expected a hefty bill comparable to the other izakayas we visited but it turned out to be quite a bit less, making it not just a delicious meal but a cost-effective one as well. I highly recommend you giving this place a try and hopefully, you’ll learn from my mistakes and go early on in your trip so you can go multiple times!!

This restaurant is located in Ura Namba. I and my friend ate a set of oyako-don. The eggs are so fluffy and contain well-seasoned chicken. It includes side dishes, soup of red miso and salad, so l’m full. The waiters are very kind and the atmosphere of the restaurant is good. Furthermore, the set is eaten at reasonable price. So I recommend this restaurant!