Recommended by Okayama residents! Top 10 "Okayama's best izakayas"

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Introducing the best izakayas recommended by people living in Okayama Prefecture!

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Okayama Prefecture is located in the Chuo of Western Japan, and is known as the "Land of Sunshine" due to its warm climate and little rain throughout the year. It is conveniently located halfway between famous tourist spots such as Kyoto, Osaka, and Hiroshima, and is also the gateway to Shikoku via the Great Seto Bridge. Okayama is also known as the "Fruit Kingdom," and the fruits that grow in the warm climate of the Seto Inland Sea and sunshine are of the highest quality in terms of sweetness, aroma, and flavor. You can enjoy seasonal fruits such as white peaches, Muscat grapes, and Pione grapes! Okayama is also home to world-famous tourist spots such as Okayama Castle, Okayama Korakuen Garden, one of Japan's three most famous gardens, and Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter, which are renowned for their history, culture, and art!

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We will introduce you to must-visit restaurants with recommendations from local residents, including restaurants that serve dishes made with local ingredients, have a wide variety of local sake, and more, as well as restaurants that are cheap and delicious, have a great atmosphere, and serve local specialties.

*These are the results of an online survey conducted among Okayama Prefecture residents in May 2024 (this is not a ranking).

1. Narita-ya Sakaemachi Branch (Okayama City)

[Narita-ya Sakaemachi store]

Address: 2-7-4 Omotemachi, Kita-ku, Okayama City, Kita Ward

TEL: 086-222-7120

Business hours: 16:30-22:00

Closed: Sundays *Please check for public holidays

Parking: None

Narita-ya Sakaemachi store | Tabelog

●This is a cheap and really delicious izakaya. They have a wide variety of seasonal dishes, so you'll want to come here every week. Only a small portion of the food is frozen. Most of the menu is homemade, and sometimes they offer snacks as a service that are cheaper than the purchase price. You can really feel the owner's love for the food, as he is always trying to serve cheap and delicious food. (40s/female/office worker)

2. Uoya Taisho (Okayama City)

[Uoya Taisho]

Address: 1F Moriyasu Building, 6-5 Heiwacho, Kita-ku , Okayama City Kita Ward

TEL: 070-5303-4085

Business hours: 17:00-24:00 (last order 23:30)

Closed: Mondays

Parking: None

Fish and General | Tabelog

●A lively restaurant, fresh seafood, a wide selection of alcohol, close to Okayama Station, and great value for money. I usually take my friends from outside the prefecture to Taisho! (Male, 20s, civil servant)

3. Yukiji: Seafood and Earthly Blessings (Okayama City )

[Seafood and Earthly Blessings: Yukiji]

Address: 2-7-5 Tamachi, Kita Ward, Okayama City Prefecture

TEL: 086-222-2339

Business hours: 18:00-22:00

Closed: Sundays and Mondays *Irregular holidays

Parking: None

Seafood and Earth's Blessings Yukiji | Tabelog

●Everything you eat is really delicious! Both the meat and fish are excellent. There are many dishes that can only be eaten at "Yukiji", such as seared eel and seared wagyu beef sashimi! The menu is extensive, so I want to go back many times and try everything! (20s/female/office worker)

4. Shimotsui Port ( Okayama City)

[Shimotsui Port]

Address: 6-20 Kyobashi-cho , Okayama City Prefecture

TEL: 086-224-2106

Business hours: Monday to Thursday 18:00 to 1:00, Friday and Saturday 18:00 to 3:00

Closed on Sundays *If the following Monday is a public holiday, the store will be open on Sunday and closed on Monday.

Parking: None

Shimotsui Port | Tabelog

The oden and sashimi are delicious. The ramen at the end of a drinking session is excellent. (Civil servant, 20s)

5. Robata Shokudo Okada (Okayama City)

[Robata Restaurant Okada]

Address: 10-8 Honmachi, Kita-ku , Okayama City Kita Ward

TEL: 086-232-2677

Business hours: 17:00-24:00 (last orders for food 23:15, drinks 23:30)

Closed on Sundays *If the following Monday is a public holiday, the store will be open on Sunday and closed on Monday.

Parking: None

Robata Shokudo Okada|Official Instagram

●The fish, meat, and alcohol are all delicious. There are counter seats on the first floor and private rooms on the second floor. The food is served on Bizen Pottery plates, and the atmosphere is excellent. Highly recommended. (Male, 60s, office worker)

6. Haremachi Sakaba Garyu Tatsumi Saiwaicho Branch (Okayama City )

[Haremachi Sakaba Garyu Tatsumi Saiwaimachi Branch]

Address: 2F Lebejour Saiwaicho, 3-4 Saiwaicho, Kita Ward, Okayama City Prefecture

TEL: 086-230-0880

Business hours: Monday to Saturday, the day before a holiday: 17:30 to 23:00 (last orders for food 23:00, drinks 23:00)

Closed: Sundays and public holidays

Parking: None

Haremachi Sakaba Garyu Tatsumi Saiwaicho Branch | Tabelog

●An izakaya where you can enjoy food and drinks that are all Okayama-themed. Wild boar meat and Chiya beef from the north of the prefecture. Speciality yellow chives. Okayama craft beer. Speciality local sake collected from all the breweries in Okayama. In short, it's an izakaya that's all about Okayama. (40s/female/self-employed)

7. Gensan ( Okayama City)

[Gensan]

Address: 2-13-10 Tamachi, Kita-ku, Okayama City Kita Ward

TEL: 086-233-4855

Business hours: 17:00-23:00 (last order 22:30)

Closed: Sundays *If Monday is a public holiday, the store will also be closed on that day

Parking: None

Genzo | Tabelog

●Although the restaurant has been in business for about 50 years, it serves surprisingly delicious food and the sustainable hospitality of the wonderful staff, including the lovely proprietress who is over 70 years old and wears a kimono and apron, is the best. (Male, 60s, company employee)

8. Kimagure Dining Mahoroba (Kurashiki City)

[Whimsical Dining Mahoroba]

Address: 1-8-30 Tsurugata , Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture

TEL: 086-427-4380

Business hours: Monday to Saturday, public holidays, and the day before public holidays 11:00-15:00, 16:00-23:00, Sunday 11:00-15:00, 17:00-23:00

*Reservations must be made by the day before (reception from 16:00 to 23:00) *Reservations required for courses

Closed: Irregular Parking: None

Kimagure Dining Mahoroba | Official website

● You can eat high-quality seafood, including bluefin tuna, at a low price. In addition, the owner's special sake is available for all-you-can-drink, and it's extraordinarily cheap at just 1,000 yen on top of the regular all-you-can-drink menu. (30s/male/civil servant)

9. Nebutoya Fish Skewers (Kasaoka City )

[Nebutoya Fish Skewers]

Address: 1F Chuo - cho , Kasaoka City, Okayama Prefecture

TEL: 0865-60-0201

Business hours: 11:30-14:00 (last order 13:30), 18:00-24:00 (last order 23:30)

Closed: Tuesdays

Parking: None

Fish skewers Nebutoya | Tabelog

● "Nebutoya" has a wide selection of delicious, carefully selected sake, which you can drink at reasonable prices. The food is also very good, and the "Torisu" is exquisite. They also serve Kasaoka local beer, and it's a comfortable restaurant. (50s/female/civil servant)

10. Bokemon ( Tsuyama City)

[Bokemon]

Address: 28-1 Fushimi-cho , Tsuyama City, Okayama Prefecture

TEL: 0868-23-2994

Business hours: 18:00-22:00 (last order 21:40)

Closed: Sunday

Parking: None

Bokemon | Tabelog

●Irresistible for meat lovers. All the dishes are meat-based, such as Yukhoe sushi, beef musubi, bite-sized gyoza and stewed tendons. Basically, everything is delicious! The dried meat, a specialty of Okayama and Tsuyama, is also excellent. (20s/female/office worker)

There's more! Comments from Okayama residents

[Chiya beef and seafood restaurant Nakayamashita Toraharu]

Address: 2F, 1-9-59 Nakayamashita, Kita-ku , Okayama City Kita Ward

Chiya Beef and Seafood Restaurant Nakayamashita Toraharu | Tabelog

●The service is polite and the food is delicious. When some senior chefs came from Kobe, they said they wanted to eat Chiya beef, seafood dishes unique to Okayama, and delicious vegetables, so after visiting various restaurants myself, I took them here. (30s/male/office worker)

[Kofukuya Shizuku]

Address: 1F-1 Holland Building, 2-5-40 Omotemachi , Kita Ward , Okayama City Prefecture

Koufukuya Shizuku|Official website

●There are cute goldfish at the entrance. When you open the door, you'll be greeted by the friendly female hostess and the gentle owner. This restaurant serves delicious seasonal ingredients from Okayama, with subdued lighting at the counter or at the tables. The "Shizuku Gozen" menu, which changes with the seasons, was perfect for me, who wants to try a little bit of everything, and the pork soup with lots of ingredients was also full of vegetables! I was very satisfied. They also have a wide selection of a la carte dishes, so it looks like I'll be able to enjoy an Okayama night to the fullest, along with some alcohol. (30s/female/housewife)

[Shunya Sake Restaurant Wakadaisho]

Address: 1F, 1-2-8 Yanagimachi, Kita-ku, Okayama City Kita Ward

Shunya Sakedokoro Wakadaisho | Tabelog

●Fresh vegetables, horse meat, rolled omelet, sashimi, and more! (Woman in her 60s, self-employed)

[Shochu Hobby Kinsei]

Okayama City Prefecture, Kita Ward, Kita Ward 2-5-12

Shochu Doraku Kinsei|Official website

●A shochu izakaya located on the street just off Holland Street in Omotemachi, Okayama City center, commonly known as "Uranda Street". They have over 200 brands of shochu! If you're not sure what to choose, just ask the staff and they'll recommend something that goes well with the food you order. The fresh sashimi and horse meat sashimi are must-try. (50s/female/office worker)

[Waza Dining Kohaku]

Address: 6-30 Honmachi, Kita-ku , Okayama City Kita Ward

Waza Dining Kohaku | Official website

●The entrance is stylish! They offer a course menu with all-you-can-drink. It was so filling that I couldn't finish it. I would have preferred just reserving a seat and ordering the day's special! However, if you're going with a large group, I think the course menu is best. There are many non-alcoholic options for people who don't like alcohol, so you don't have to worry! In any case, it has all three elements: cheap, filling, and delicious, so I recommend it!! (50s/female/part-time worker)

[Shinpachi]

Address: 1F, 3-2 Honmachi, Kita-ku , Okayama City Kita Ward

Shinpachi | Tabelog

●The yakitori is really delicious. I recommend it to people from outside the prefecture. (50s/female/civil servant)

[Okayama Backstreet Bar Hotaru-bi]

Address: 1F, 4-3 Honmachi, Kita-ku , Okayama City Kita Ward

Okayama Backstreet Bar Hotaru-bi | Official website

●This izakaya is located in a back alley near JR Okayama Station. There is a counter on the first floor, and table seats and a tatami room on the second floor. The restaurant mainly serves Japanese food, such as seared Spanish mackerel, boiled yellow chives, and Shimotsui octopus tempura, and you can enjoy dishes made with ingredients from Okayama and local sake. (40s/female/office worker)

[Kawazu Brewing]

Address: 1-7-1 Izushicho, Kita-ku, Okayama City Kita Ward

7 Kawazu Brewing|Official Instagram

●This brewery and izakaya is located just across the Tsurumi Bridge from Okayama Korakuen Garden. The location is great, so it's recommended to stop by after sightseeing in Okayama. You can also enjoy delicious food that goes well with the homemade craft beer! The brewery is made of glass, so it's a visual treat! (20s/female/office worker)

Location of the featured shops (map)

Okayama Prefecture is located in the Chuo of Western Japan, and is known as the "Land of Sunshine" due to its warm climate and little rain throughout the year. It is conveniently located halfway between famous tourist spots such as Kyoto, Osaka, and Hiroshima, and is also the gateway to Shikoku via the Great Seto Bridge. Okayama is also known as the "Fruit Kingdom," and the fruits that grow in the warm climate of the Seto Inland Sea and sunshine are of the highest quality in terms of sweetness, aroma, and flavor. You can enjoy seasonal fruits such as white peaches, Muscat grapes, and Pione grapes! Okayama is also home to world-famous tourist spots such as Okayama Castle, Okayama Korakuen Garden, one of Japan's three most famous gardens, and Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter, which are renowned for their history, culture, and art!

more
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