Tasukatta! Useful Japanese Phrases When Dining Out in Japan

Woman trying to decide
Trying to order in Japanese at a Japanese restaurant? Here are some of the questions you might not expect - and how to respond to them.

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Restaurants can be a minefield of problems for some, especially when abroad. With dietary requirements, personal tastes, and just general uncertainty, it can be hard to relax fully during what should be a relaxing experience. Here are a few tips and sentence structures you can use to deal with some issues you may encounter when eating out.

Other articles in this series:

Beyond Noodles: A Guide to the Different Types of Japanese Restaurants
A Simple Guide to Ordering a Meal in a Japanese Restaurant
Tackling Food Kanji in Japanese Menus

Dietary Cans and Cannots

For those with allergies or certain eating habits, not knowing what’s in your food can be a bit of a daunting prospect, especially if you are not confident with the language. As many menus do not contain a detailed ingredient list, it’s often up to the customer to ask themselves to check if a certain ingredient is in each dish. Here’s a list of some vocab of some common ingredients you might want to check is in your food.

EnglishJapanese
Meatniku
Pork豚肉 butaniku
Chicken鶏肉 toriniku
Beef牛肉 gyuuniku
Eggtamago
Fishsakana
Shellfish貝類 kairui
Shrimpエビ・海老 ebi
Glutenグルテン・麩質 guruten / fushitsu
Tofu豆腐 toufu
Soybean大豆 daizu
Dairy products乳製品 nyuuseihin
Cow’s milk牛乳 gyuunyuu
Soy milk豆乳 tounyuu
Mushroomキノコ kinoko

Use the above vocab with the following structures to tell the restaurant staff about your allergy or eating requirements.

Is there XX in this?
⇒ XXが入っていますか? (XX ga haitteimasu ka?)

I have an XX allergy.

⇒ XXのアレルギーがあります。 (XX no arerugii ga arimasu.)

I cannot eat XX.

⇒ XXが食べられません。 (XX ga taberaremasen.)

If your allergy isn’t too serious, or you particularly like the look of something and would like it with one of the ingredients removed, you can use the following structure below.

Can I have this without XX?

⇒ XX抜きでお願いできますか? (XX nuki de onegai dekimasu ka?)

Vegetarianism and veganism are slowly making their mark within the rather carnivorous food landscape of Japan. Fortunately, the terms are not too different in Japanese, which means it is not too difficult to ask whether a dish is vegetarian or vegan or not.

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Is it vegetarian?
⇒ ベジタリアンですか? (bejitarian desu ka?)

Is it vegan?
⇒ ビーガンですか?(biigan desu ka?)

Despite the rising awareness of what veganism or vegetarianism means in Japan, there may be times where you want to double check your dietary requirements are fully understood by the other party. Use any of the above phrases to get the message across.

In addition, to some Japanese people vegetarianism simply refers to people who don’t eat meat. Due to this, you may be served food in a broth which is commonly made with bonito or other fish. If you want to double-check if a broth contains fish or meat try out the expression below.

Is the broth made with fish or meat?
⇒ 出汁は魚か肉で作られていますか? (dashi wa sakana ka niku de tsukurareteimasu ka?)

For those who can only eat Kosher food or Halal food, you can use the structures below. However, note that these dietary restrictions are not yet well known throughout all of Japan. If the waiter looks at you with a bit of a troubled expression, then use one of the simpler expressions above to reiterate what foods you can and cannot eat.

I can only eat Kosher food.
⇒ コーシャ認定食しか食べられません。 (koosha ninteishoku shika taberaremasen.)

I can only eat Halal food.
⇒ ハラルフードしか食べられません。 (hararu fuudo shika taberaremasen.)

Japan is famous for sushi, raw fish, and certain places even serve chicken sashimi which is only lightly cooked,. But for some people, the idea of eating raw food turns their stomach. If you can’t, or would prefer not to, eat raw meat or fish, you can say the one-size-fits-all expression:

I do not eat raw food.
⇒ 生ものを食べません。 (namamono o tabemasen)

How Do You Like It?

It’s everyone’s worst nightmare to have successfully identified a dish in a menu and to order it, but to have an unexpected question thrown at them. Our editor remembers when he was dining at an izakaya in Japan. He ordered tsukune (chicken meatballs) and was tripped up by the simple question, “Salted or with tare (sauce)?” (He recovered, but it took a moment!)

It would be impossible to cover every food-related query, but when it comes to ordering rice or ramen, here are a few tips that will help you get through it.

When eating teishoku, the rice is served in a separate bowl, and you may be asked what type of rice you would like. Your waiter will usually ask, so you can use the following construction to help your rice needs be met.

Q: What type of rice would you like?
⇒ ご飯の種類はどうなさいますか? (gohan no shurui wa dou nasaimasu ka?)

A: White rice, please.
⇒ 白米をお願いします。(haku-mai o onegai shimasu.)

Brown rice, please.
⇒ 玄米をお願いします。 (gen-mai o onegai shimasu.)

Mixed rice, please. (This is a healthy rice containing various other grains.)
⇒ 雑穀米をお願いします。 (zakkoku-mai o onegai shimasu.)

For ramen lovers too, you will be asked how you would like your noodles to be served.

Q: How hard would you like your noodles?
⇒ 麺の硬さはどうなさいますか? (men no katasa wa dou nasaimasu ka?)

A: Soft, please.
⇒ 柔らかめでお願いします。 (yawarakame de onegai shimasu.)

Normal, please.
⇒ 普通でお願いします。 (futsuu de onegai shimasu.)

Tough, please.
⇒ 硬めでお願いします。 (katame de onegai shimasu.)

Q: How thick would you like your noodles?
⇒ 麺の太さはどうなさいますか? (men no futosa wa dou nasaimasu ka?)

A: Thin, please.
⇒ 細めでお願いします。 (hosome de onegai shimasu.)

Normal, please.
⇒ 普通でお願いします。 (futsuu de onegai shimasu.)

Thick, please.
⇒ 太めでお願いします。 (futome de onegai shimasu.)

Fortunately, the one-size-fits-all expression of “futsuu de onegai shimasu“, can be used as the answer to both of these questions, so it can save you some unneeded hassle if you are not sure, or simply don’t mind, how your noodles are served.

When it comes to drinks, there is one expression that stumps a lot of people when they relax after successfully ordering their food and drinks. Although more likely to occur after ordering a hot drink, many waiters will ask you when you would like your drink to be brought to you. As many people have their own desires when drinks are concerned, the following expressions may be useful.

Q: When shall I bring your drink?
⇒ お飲み物はいつお持ちしますか? (onomimono wa itsu omochi shimasu ka?)

A: Before the meal, please.
⇒ 食前にお願いします。 (shokuzen ni onegai shimasu.)

After the meal, please.
⇒ 食後にお願いします。 (shokugo ni onegai shimasu.)

With the meal, please.
⇒ 食事と一緒にお願いします。 (shokuji to issho ni onegai shimasu.)

House Rules

Food and sake

There are a few points to bear in mind when heading to Japanese eateries, especially traditional ones.

In certain Japanese-style izakaya, you may have noticed a bunch of small, glove compartment sized lockers around the entrance. Many traditional izakaya offer cushioned seating on the floor, and so expect you to remove your shoes before entering the restaurant proper. For many westerners who don’t even take their shoes off at home, this may come as a bit of a shock, but there are also Japanese people who dislike the whole affair. The small lockers are for putting your shoes in, and most don’t have traditional keys. Instead, they employ small wooden slats that you remove to lock them. Don’t lose track of your wooden key, especially as your locker number is written on it, unless you want to walk home in socks!

Another aspect of Japanese eateries that surprises many western visitors is the fact that in many establishments, it is completely fine to smoke on the premises. This is a facet that is implemented at each restaurant’s discretion, and indeed is a subject of debate, so it is wise to double-check with a waiter or the owner whether you can smoke or not.

May I smoke?
⇒ タバコを吸ってもいいですか? (tabako o suttemo ii desu ka?)

Do you have a smoking area?
⇒ 喫煙席はありますか? (kitsuen-seki wa arimasu ka?)

Fortunately, for Westerners accustomed to smoke-free establishments, the existence of smoking establishments is dwindling, due to new laws passed in Tokyo ahead of the 2020 Olympics.

When It’s Busy

Eating out is an extremely popular option for both visitors and residents of Japan. Unfortunately, one downside to this is that it can sometimes be hard to find a seat. In some eateries, there will be a waiting list by the entrance where you can write down your name and how many are in your group. This way you can sit down and relax while you wait – just make sure to listen out for when your name is called!

For those who are dining alone, you may be asked if you wouldn’t mind sitting face to face with a stranger. Although this can be a bit awkward for some, if you just want a quick bite to get in and out this can prove to be a speedy option.

Is a table facing another customer okay?
⇒ 相席でよろしいでしょうか? (ai-seki de yoroshii deshou ka?)

When it comes to larger groups, it can often be hard to be sat together, especially when it’s busy. If you don’t mind, try one of the expressions below.

Separately is OK. ⇒ 分かれても大丈夫です。 (wakaretemo daijoubu desu.

)Finally, you may get asked about where you would like to sit. Again, this is a question that simply comes down to taste, so feel free to say no if you’re very much against a seat facing the chefs!

Would you like a seat at the bar, or at a table?
⇒ カウンター席、テーブル席、どちらがよろしいでしょうか? (kauntaa-seki, teeburu-seki, dochira ga yoroshii deshou ka?)

Eating out doesn’t need to be too hard. Hopefully these tips will help you deal with any unexpected curve balls you may face. Of course, for those times where you really don’t know what’s going on, I’ll leave you with a few handy expressions to get simply through the exchange!

I’ll leave it to you.
⇒ お任せでお願いします。 (omakase de onegai shimasu.)

Any is fine!
⇒ どちらでも大丈夫です! (dochira demo daijoubu desu!)

Good luck!

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