Japanese Izakaya Food

When the work day is over and it's time to take a load off, grab a beer, and get a bite to eat, the English have their pubs — and the Japanese have izakayas. Izakayas are a staple of Japanese social life. Every town has at least one, and Tokyo has thousands of them. Usually small, dark, and tucked into a side alley or the back corner of a train station, izakayas serve a small clientele every night.

I'll be honest with you — one of my life goals is to live in Tokyo and have the perfect neighborhood izakaya right downstairs where the owner knows my name and I can get preferred seating. That's probably why, in so many of my books including the Miso Cozy Mysteries, I was sure to include a beloved local izakaya. Izakaya Jūshi — Izakaya Fourteen — is the place where Mei and Yasahiro gather with friends, eat, drink, and yes, occasionally sleuth.

What Is an Izakaya Like?

Izakayas can range in size from tiny little nooks seating eight to ten customers to larger restaurant-style establishments. The typical setup involves either nomihodai (all you can drink) or tabehodai (all you can eat) for a set number of hours. It's not a pop-in-and-pop-out type of meal — when you find an izakaya you like, you grab a seat and prepare for a full evening.

A wet, hot towel is first provided so you can wipe off the day. You typically start with beer and lighter dishes like sashimi or edamame, moving onto fried items, grilled skewers, and possibly some shochu (the Japanese equivalent of vodka), and finishing up with rice or noodles to fill you up before heading home.

What Makes an Izakaya Special?

Some izakayas specialize — in yakitori (grilled skewers), house-made tofu, pickles, or regional ramen. Every izakaya becomes a gem in its own right, especially when you factor in specialty drinks or cocktails.

The many people I have known who lived in Japan always talk about their favorite izakaya with glassed-over eyes and wistful expressions, remembering every meal and every drink they ever had there. It's a combination of things: the food, the atmosphere, the conversations, the laughter. It's a place that holds memories.

Want Izakaya at Home?

If you can't get to Japan, look for an izakaya-inspired restaurant in your city — New York, Los Angeles, and many other cities across the US have wonderful options. And if you'd like to cook izakaya-style at home, I recommend the book Izakaya: The Japanese Pub Cookbook — it's full of delicious recipes and photographs of the real thing. Happy eating! Itadakimasu!