Izakaya: How a Japanese Tavern Works and What Happens in Order
An izakaya is a Japanese drinking place where people come not to down a drink in one gulp but to spend the evening: ordering a little at a time and lingering, with dishes placed in the center of the table for everyone to share. The word 居酒屋 literally means "a sake shop where you can stay": they used to be ordinary wine shops that began allowing customers to drink on the premises. The evening follows its own order — oshibori and an unordered appetizer, a communal toast of kanpai, and then orders as the night goes on.
The word "izakaya" is translated as "Japanese bar," but in the way the evening unfolds it is closer to a shared feast than to a conversation at the bar counter. Let's look at where the word itself came from, what that mysterious appetizer brought without ordering is, and why one evening at an izakaya often continues with another — at a neighboring establishment. Along the way we'll see what usually sits on such a table.
Not a Restaurant and Not a Bar: The Real Difference
An izakaya is not a restaurant where each person gets a personal portion, and not a bar where people drink at the counter and hardly eat. Here you order a little at a time and linger: several appetizers and hot dishes for the whole table, not a separate dish for each person, and the plates are placed in the center so everyone can take from the shared selection with chopsticks.
Why Food Is Shared by Everyone, Not Ordered Individually
The shared table makes an izakaya a place for a group: the more people, the more varied the set of dishes you can try without ordering several identical portions. That's why izakaya is more often chosen for a gathering of colleagues or a large group of friends, though the format doesn't forbid coming as a pair.
飲 — значение: to drink, drink, beverage — онъёми: イン、オン — кунъёми: の.む、-の.み — 12 штрих(ов). 飲 — "to drink": an izakaya is also called 飲み屋 (nomiya), "drinking place," and an evening with colleagues is 飲み会 (nomikai), "a gathering with drinking." The word 居酒屋 itself doesn't contain the character 飲: it is made up of 居 "to be, to stay," 酒 "sake," and 屋 "shop."
Write 飲 along the guides — the character for "drink," without which you can't put together either 飲み屋 or 飲み会, even if the word 居酒屋 itself doesn't contain it.
居酒屋 — "A Sake Shop Where You Can Stay"
居酒屋 is made up of three characters: 居 "to be, to stay," 酒 "sake," and 屋 "shop, house." Literally it comes out as "a sake shop where you can stay" — and this describes not an image but the real history of the format. Ordinary shops that sold sake to take away began allowing customers to drink right on the premises, and the process itself was called 居酒 (izake) — "to stay and drink."
When Izakaya Became a Mass Phenomenon
Shops that allowed you to stay and drink hung a sign at the entrance reading 居酒致し候 — this is how they distinguished themselves from those who sold only for takeaway. The format truly became widespread in Edo: in a city with a strong skew toward single men, an establishment where you could both drink and eat inexpensively was exactly what was needed. By the Bunsei era (1818–1830), there were more than 1,800 such establishments in Edo alone.
Oshibori, Otoshi, and Kanpai: What Makes Up the Evening
An evening at an izakaya almost always follows the same order, and one detail at the very beginning usually catches a first-time guest off guard.
Otoshi — Not a Free Treat, but a Seating Charge
As soon as guests sit down, the waiter brings oshibori — a hot or cold wet towel for the hands — and then otoshi, or tsukidashi: a small appetizer that no one ordered. Many foreign guests take it for a gift from the establishment, but in fact it is a mandatory seating charge, simply presented as a dish: in most places you cannot refuse it.
- First everyone orders the first drink together and says "kanpai!" — and only after the toast do they start eating.
- After that, dishes and drinks are ordered as the evening goes on in separate portions, not as one big list at the start.
- For a long feast, people often get nomihōdai — an all-you-can-drink plan for a pre-agreed time.
- The evening may continue at another establishment: this transition is called nijikai, "the second round" — a normal part of the party, not a hint that someone didn't like the first place.
| Japanese | Reading | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 乾杯 | kanpai · kanpai | The toast that starts the feast |
| お通し | otōshi · otōshi | An appetizer for a separate charge, brought without ordering |
| 飲み放題 | nomihōdai · nomihōdai | An all-you-can-drink plan for a limited time |
| 二次会 | nijikai · nijikai | "Second round" — continuing the evening at another establishment |
Yakitori, Karaage, and Fried Noodles for the Group
The izakaya menu is built around snacks to go with sake and beer, not around one main dish. Yakitori — chicken on skewers grilled over charcoal — is the most recognizable menu item, and alongside it there is almost always karaage, deep-fried chicken pieces, and edamame, salted soybeans in pods that are eaten with your hands.
From Sashimi to Fried Noodles: The Rest of the Table
The fish part of the table is usually represented by sashimi — thinly sliced raw fish — and among hot dishes, oden in winter and yakisoba, fried noodles with vegetables and meat. These noodles are often ordered toward the end of the evening, when the group has had enough appetizers and wants something more filling.
FAQ
- What is an izakaya?
- An izakaya is a Japanese drinking place where people come to drink and snack, ordering a little at a time and lingering, rather than one big dish per person. The name 居酒屋 literally means "a sake shop where you can stay": they used to be ordinary wine shops that began allowing customers to drink on the premises.
- How is an izakaya different from a restaurant and a bar?
- From a restaurant — in that dishes are ordered a little at a time for the whole table, not a personal portion for each person. From a bar — in that appetizers and hot dishes take up no less space than drinks: an izakaya runs on food and conversation, not just on drinking at the counter.
- What is the appetizer brought without ordering at an izakaya?
- It is otoshi, or tsukidashi — a small portion of food served right after seating. Foreign guests often take it for a free treat, but in reality it is a mandatory seating charge, simply presented as a dish: in most places you cannot refuse it.
- What is nomihōdai at an izakaya?
- Nomihōdai (飲み放題) is an all-you-can-drink plan for a pre-agreed time, usually one or two hours: the guest pays a fixed sum and orders as much as they like from a selected list of drinks. This plan is convenient for large groups where everyone drinks at a different pace.
- Is it mandatory to drink alcohol at an izakaya?
- No: the menu almost always has non-alcoholic drinks, and someone who doesn't drink at all can easily be at the table. Otoshi and the rest of the food are in any case served to all guests the same way, regardless of whether they order alcohol or not.
- What does "nijikai" mean after an izakaya?
- Nijikai, "the second round," is the group moving to another establishment after the izakaya: a karaoke box, another izakaya, or a bar. It is a normal part of the evening, not a sign that the first place didn't suit someone — just a way to continue the gathering in a different setting.
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Updated: 2026-09-21