Japanese menus mix kanji, hiragana, and katakana, and many small restaurants have no English menu. The good news: ordering follows a few predictable patterns. Learn the words that change the price, recognize the dishes you will see everywhere, and keep a few phrases ready to show staff.
Many ramen, gyudon, and soba shops use a ticket machine (食券機) near the entrance. Insert money, press the button for your dish, and hand the ticket to staff. Buttons are often Japanese only and some machines take cash only, so a photo of the machine panel can be translated like a menu.
At many izakaya a small appetizer called otōshi (お通し) arrives without being ordered. It works like a per-person cover charge, usually a few hundred yen, and appears on the bill. It is normal, not a mistake.
Most menus now show tax-included totals (税込), but some list a pre-tax number (税別 or 税抜) beside or instead of it. If you only see one number, look for these labels in the header or footer before comparing prices.
Say “sumimasen” or press the call button on the table; many chains use a tablet. Pay at the register near the exit when you leave. Tipping is not customary.
| On the menu | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 税込 | zeikomi | Tax included |
| 税別 / 税抜 | zeibetsu / zeinuki | Tax not included |
| 定食 | teishoku | Set meal with rice, miso soup, and side dishes |
| 単品 | tanpin | À la carte, the dish only |
| 大盛り | ōmori | Large portion, sometimes for an extra charge |
| 並 | nami | Regular size |
| 時価 | jika | Market price, ask before ordering |
| お通し | otōshi | Small appetizer served as a seat charge |
| 飲み放題 | nomihōdai | All-you-can-drink for a set time |
| 食べ放題 | tabehōdai | All-you-can-eat |
| 限定 | gentei | Limited (seasonal or limited quantity) |
| おすすめ | osusume | Recommended |
| 辛口 | karakuchi | Spicy; for sake, dry |
| 食券 | shokken | Meal ticket from a machine |
Wheat noodles in broth; pork-bone (tonkotsu), soy, miso, or salt base
Thin-sliced beef and onion simmered in sweet soy sauce over rice
Chicken and egg simmered with onion over rice
Breaded pork cutlet with egg over rice
Savory pancake with cabbage, often with pork or seafood
Batter balls with octopus pieces
Thick wheat noodles, usually in fish-based dashi broth
Buckwheat noodles, served cold with dipping sauce or hot in broth
Japanese fried chicken marinated in soy and ginger
Battered and deep-fried seafood and vegetables
Grilled chicken skewers with salt (shio) or sauce (tare)
Vinegared rice with raw or cooked fish and seafood
Show these on your screen. The written Japanese is more reliable than pronunciation.
No. Many restaurants use ticket machines, picture menus, or tablets. For text-only menus, photograph the menu, choose your dishes, and show staff an order screen written in Japanese.
Tipping is not customary in Japan. Pay the amount on the bill at the register.
That is usually otōshi, a small appetizer that works as a per-person seat charge. It is a common practice at izakaya.