Seating in Izakaya style restaurants

19 comments

1. It usually depends on the size of the izakaya but majority I’ve been to have separate seating so you’ll probably be fine.

2. Depends on the Izakaya. Sizes and seating arrangements vary. Some are more like small chain restaurants with seating for 4 readily available. Even smallish ones that are more than just the bar seating will have tables of 4 for friends to eat together.

   You mention taking your family. If that includes children, I would not take them to a bar, just like that would be inappropriate in the US.

3. Depends on the restaurant. Some just have a counter to eat at, others will have both counter and regular seating.

4. Almost every one of them that I visited in Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto had either table or booth seating as well as bar seating. I guess it depends on the size of the establishment

5. All but the smallest places will have at least one table for 4 in my experience

6. Taking children at bar style Izakaya can be considered not good manner by some people.
   Family should be fine at more bigger Izakaya restaurants with table and chair style or Japanese Tatami(Zashiki) style.

7. For four people it should be fine. That’s still a normal group size to walk in and find seats. I’ve been to a lot of small restaurants or izakaya with mostly bar seating and 2-3 tables as well.

   My kids are younger so we don’t go to bars, but a lot of izakaya are more food focused than alcohol, depending on the time and area of course. Some izakaya are fine with kids, others are more adults only.

   Also you can even book private rooms in many izakaya, not just tables. Depending on your group size and how popular the restaurant is you might need to wait up to an hour though, so eating at irregular times is helpful! We semi recently went to a very small but delicious sushi restaurant in Kanazawa with only 3 small tables and mostly bar seating. It was really good but we had to wait about 40 minutes for a table. This was a highly recommended restaurant and there was a line every time we saw it so don’t worry about taking up too much space with only four people!

8. Hey OP, did you try searching the sub before posting? This is a pretty common query. It really depends on the restaurant, but the media stereotypes you’ve seen of tiny little places that seat only a handful of people is just a small, small fraction of the dining options available in Japan. Some izakayas are massive affairs with seating for groups from single folk to large parties of 10+ people — and this isn’t limited to large chains, either. Most are in between, honestly.

   https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/7ll9x9/advice_on_izakayas_or_restaurants_for_large_party/

   https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/6ysopa/eating_with_a_large_group/

   https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/3099y6/restaurants_with_large_group_seating/

   https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/3i4wnj/question_regarding_family_dining/

   I also suggest you look at the section of the wiki about traveling with kids, as there’s a section about teenagers there, as well as some links to trip reports. You can also search the sub for “Teenagers” or similar queries to get ideas of appropriate places to go with your children.

9. It really just depends on the location. But I’ve gone in groups of four or five with no real problem, but I mean, lots of factors, time of day surely not being the least of them

10. I think you probably won’t have trouble with Izakayas; I think I saw more ramen shops be counter seating only.

11. We were there a year ago with our two kids. There was always room and never a problem with kids.
    (one tiny place in Tokyo wouldn’t let us in, but there was only room for 4 people in there.)

12. For sure there is restaurant that are small and only have “bar style” seating, not only in izakaya, but also in some sushi or ramen restaurant (maybe even other type of restaurant too). There is restaurant with just a dozen of seat after all.

    That being said, yes, there is a lot of restaurant, if not most, that do offer tables, so if you do not like sitting at the bar, then just don’t go to the place that only have that kind of seating.

    Personally, I would worried about not seating all next to each other and not all at the same time, more than taking too many space. Like, you each take one seat, so nothing different than if 4 individual customers were there. As long as you order something for everybody, that’s fine.

13. When I went to Japan on spring break a group of about 8 of us wanted some Okonomiyaki. We googled and found a place but when we arrived it seemed small on the inside. With just the counter and maybe a few small tables. We were a bit disappointed but someone went inside and asked. Turned out they had a whole second story we couldn’t see from the outside and up there they had enough tables to fit our group. So when in doubt just ask!

14. All the ones I saw when I was there had table seating as well as bar seating.

    Going out for drinks after work is such an ingrained part of the culture, most restaurants are set up to accommodate.

15. bigger groups, especially foreigners could face a tough time in the smaller places. fortunately there are many other places that can probably accommodate your group

16. Nothing to worry about. The Japanese are very polite and will sort you out. Most places we have eaten we just turned up & hoped to get seated. There are huge numbers of restaurants so it’s never a problem.

17. I would definitely recommend learning basic Japanese to order food and drinks. If nothing else remember “sumimasen” (it means excuse me, but can also be used in a busy izakaya to get the waiters attention). If you plan on going to Golden Gai or Omoide Yokochō the seating could be a bit tricky

18. Just note that smoking is allowed in some izakayas, in case you don’t want to subject yourself or your children to second hand smoke.

19. I love to travel to Japan too , I know that they are very friendly people so don’t be worry about these issues.