Japanese Phrases for Restaurants

Learning a handful of Japanese restaurant phrases makes eating out in Japan easier and more fun. Many restaurants in big cities have picture menus or English menus, but in small local places a few words of Japanese can help you order exactly what you want and show the staff you appreciate their food.

The phrases below follow the order of a typical meal, from walking in to paying the bill. Each one includes romaji, Japanese script and a plain English meaning. Long vowels are written with doubled letters, such as “ou” and “ii”.

Arriving and Getting a Table

• Irasshaimase (いらっしゃいませ) – welcome. Staff will call this out when you enter. You do not need to reply; a smile or nod is enough.
• Nanmei-sama desu ka? (何名様ですか) – how many people? Staff will often ask this first, sometimes with fingers held up.
• Hitori desu (一人です) – one person. You can also hold up one finger.
• Futari desu (二人です) – two people. For three say sannin (三人), for four yonin (四人), for five gonin (五人).
• Yoyaku shite imasu (予約しています) – I have a reservation. Follow with your name: [name] de yoyaku shite imasu.
• Yoyaku shite imasen (予約していません) – I do not have a reservation.
• Dore gurai machimasu ka? (どれぐらい待ちますか) – how long is the wait?
• Kauntaa-seki (カウンター席) – counter seat, and teeburu-seki (テーブル席) – table seat. Useful if you have a preference.
• Zashiki (座敷) – tatami seating, where you sit on the floor. Remove your shoes before stepping up.

Asking About the Menu

• Menyuu o kudasai (メニューをください) – the menu, please.
• Eigo no menyuu wa arimasu ka? (英語のメニューはありますか) – do you have an English menu?
• Osusume wa nan desu ka? (おすすめは何ですか) – what do you recommend? A great way to discover a restaurant’s speciality.
• Kore wa nan desu ka? (これは何ですか) – what is this? Point at a menu item or a dish.
• Kyou no osusume (今日のおすすめ) – today’s recommendation. Often written on a board.
• Teishoku (定食) – set meal, usually a main dish with rice, miso soup and pickles. Great value at lunch.
• Tabehoudai (食べ放題) – all you can eat, and nomihoudai (飲み放題) – all you can drink, usually with a time limit. Drink responsibly if alcohol is included.

Ordering Food and Drinks

• Sumimasen! (すみません) – excuse me! Call this out, or raise your hand, to get a server’s attention. Some tables have a call button instead.
• Chuumon shite mo ii desu ka? (注文してもいいですか) – may I order?
• Kore o kudasai (これをください) – this one, please. Point at the menu as you say it.
• Kore o hitotsu / futatsu kudasai (これを一つ／二つください) – one / two of these, please. Japanese uses general counters hitotsu, futatsu, mittsu (one, two, three) for most items.
• Onaji mono o kudasai (同じものをください) – the same, please.
• Omizu o kudasai (お水をください) – water, please. Iced water or tea is usually free.
• Ocha (お茶) – tea. Often green tea served free with meals.
• Okawari (おかわり) – a refill or second helping. Some set meals include free rice refills.
• Oomori (大盛り) – large portion, and futsuu (普通) – regular.
• Kanpai! (乾杯) – cheers! Used before the first sip with a group, whether you are drinking beer, juice or tea.

Dietary Needs and Allergies

Dietary requests can be tricky in Japan because ingredients like fish stock (dashi, だし) are used in many dishes. For serious allergies, carry a printed allergy card in Japanese and confirm with staff each time.

• ___ arerugii ga arimasu (___アレルギーがあります) – I have a ___ allergy.
• Tamago (卵) – egg; gyuunyuu (牛乳) – milk; komugi (小麦) – wheat.
• Ebi (えび) – shrimp; kani (かに) – crab; soba (そば) – buckwheat.
• Piinattsu (ピーナッツ) – peanuts, also written rakkasei (落花生) on food labels.
• ___ wa taberaremasen (___は食べられません) – I cannot eat ___. For example, niku wa taberaremasen (肉は食べられません), I cannot eat meat.
• Bejitarian desu (ベジタリアンです) – I am vegetarian. Explain clearly what you avoid, since the term is understood in different ways.
• ___ nuki de onegaishimasu (___抜きでお願いします) – without ___, please. For example, wasabi nuki (わさび抜き) at a sushi restaurant.
• Karai desu ka? (辛いですか) – is it spicy?

Ramen Shops and Ticket Machines

Many ramen, udon and fast food restaurants use a ticket machine (shokken-ki, 食券機) near the entrance. You pay first, then hand the ticket to the staff.

• Shokken (食券) – meal ticket.
• Katame (かため) – firm noodles; futsuu (普通) – regular; yawarakame (やわらかめ) – soft noodles. Some shops let you choose noodle firmness.
• Kaedama (替え玉) – an extra serving of noodles for your remaining soup, common at tonkotsu ramen shops.
• Ninniku (にんにく) – garlic, often available as a free topping.

During the Meal

• Itadakimasu (いただきます) – said before eating, expressing thanks for the food.
• Oishii! (おいしい) – delicious! Staff and chefs appreciate hearing this.
• Totemo oishii desu (とてもおいしいです) – it is very delicious. A slightly more polite version.
• Ohashi (お箸) – chopsticks. Fooku (フォーク) – fork, and supuun (スプーン) – spoon, if you need them.
• Kozara o kudasai (小皿をください) – a small plate, please. Handy for sharing.
• Onaka ippai desu (お腹いっぱいです) – I am full.

Paying the Bill

• Okaikei onegaishimasu (お会計お願いします) – the bill, please. In many casual places you take the bill to the register near the exit instead of paying at the table.
• Kaado de haraemasu ka? (カードで払えますか) – can I pay by card?
• Genkin dake desu ka? (現金だけですか) – is it cash only?
• Betsubetsu de (別々で) – separately, if your group wants to split the bill. Issho de (一緒で) means together.
• Ryoushuusho o kudasai (領収書をください) – a receipt, please.

Takeaway and Leaving

• Tennai de omeshiagari desu ka? (店内でお召し上がりですか) – will you eat in? You may hear this at cafes and fast food places.
• Mochikaeri de (持ち帰りで) – to take away. Tennai de (店内で) means to eat here.
• Gochisousama deshita (ごちそうさまでした) – thank you for the meal. Say it to the staff as you leave; it is one of the most appreciated phrases you can learn.

Words You Will See on Menus

• Nama (生) – raw or draught, depending on context.
• Yaki (焼き) – grilled, as in yakitori or yakizakana (焼き魚, grilled fish).
• Age (揚げ) – deep-fried, as in karaage.
• Ni (煮) – simmered, as in nimono (煮物, simmered dishes).
• Tori (鶏) – chicken; buta (豚) – pork; gyuu (牛) – beef; sakana (魚) – fish.
• Gentei (限定) – limited, such as a limited-quantity or seasonal dish.

Restaurant Tips for Visitors

• Do not tip. Good service is included, and tipping can cause confusion.
• Look for plastic food displays (shokuhin sanpuru, 食品サンプル) in windows; you can point at them to order.
• Popular places may have queues. Join the line quietly and wait to be seated.
• Smoking rules in restaurants have tightened in recent years, but they vary by venue; check signs at the entrance.

Final Thoughts

With these Japanese restaurant phrases you can get a table, order confidently, explain dietary needs and thank the staff properly. Start with sumimasen, kore o kudasai and gochisousama deshita, and the rest will come naturally over a few meals.