Do you need to book an izakaya in Japan?

Izakaya are Japan's pubs with serious food: small plates, cold beer, highballs and sake, late into the night. Most of the time you can just walk in. Sometimes you absolutely can't. Here is how to tell the difference, and how to get a table when you need one.

When you can walk in

• Weeknights, before about 7pm, at most izakaya.
• Large chain izakaya, which have many tables and turn them over quickly.
• Standing bars (立ち飲み, tachinomi) and small yakitori counters, where you squeeze in wherever there's room.
• Groups of two. Two people can usually find two seats somewhere.

If they're full, staff will usually say 満席です (manseki desu, we're full), or cross their arms in an X. Ask if there's a wait, or move on. In a good izakaya neighbourhood, there's always another one.

When you should book

• Friday and Saturday nights, and the evening before a public holiday.
• Groups of four or more, anywhere independent.
• The popular places on Tabelog, especially small ones.
• Late November through December, when Japan holds its year-end work parties (忘年会, bōnenkai), and the spring welcome parties in April.

A few days ahead is usually enough. For big groups on a Friday in December, book a week or more out.

Things you'll see on the bill

Otoshi

Soon after you sit down, you'll get a small dish you didn't order. This is otoshi (お通し), and it comes with a per-person charge, often a few hundred yen. It works like a cover charge and is standard at most izakaya. It isn't a scam. At some places you can decline it, but it's usually easier to enjoy it.

Nomihōdai and time limits

Nomihōdai (飲み放題) means all you can drink for a fixed time, usually 90 minutes or two hours, often bundled with a set course for groups. Tables are commonly booked for two hours (二時間制), and staff will call last orders before the time is up.

Booking an izakaya

Many chain izakaya have online booking on Japanese platforms such as Hot Pepper Gourmet, often with course deals for groups. The small independent places, the ones you actually want, usually take bookings by phone. When you call, they'll want the usual details plus whether you want a course:

The full set is in our booking phrases guide, or build a script with the phrase builder.

Where to go

The best izakaya are in the neighbourhoods where people drink after work, not around the sights:

• Osaka: the covered arcades around Tenma and the backstreets of Kyobashi. See our Osaka guide.
• Fukuoka: izakaya serving the day's catch, plus the yatai stalls. See our Fukuoka guide.
• Tokyo: the lanes under and around the railway tracks, and the residential neighbourhoods on the private lines. See our Tokyo guide.

Our guide to finding where locals eat will help you tell a great local izakaya from a tourist trap.