Izakaya customs

Otoshi and your first drink

At many izakaya, a small dish called otoshi (or tsukidashi) is served before you order, and it's often charged as a kind of seating fee. For how otoshi works and how it shows up on the bill, see Otoshi and paying at an izakaya. For a first drink, many people say "toriaezu nama" — roughly "a draft beer for now" — though ordering anything else is perfectly fine too.

How ordering usually goes

Izakaya dishes are typically ordered one at a time to share from a central plate, with everyone taking a little, and more dishes ordered as needed. There's no need to order everything up front — pacing your orders to match the drinks is the common approach.

Enjoying yakitori

When you order yakitori, you're often asked whether you'd like tare (a sweet soy-based sauce) or shio (salt); if you're unsure, it's fine to ask staff for a suggestion. Some cooks describe varying the salt or grilling from the tip to the base of a skewer, though this differs a lot by shop and isn't a rule everywhere. Some diners follow a custom of not pulling pieces off the skewer to share, while at many shops nobody minds either way.

Soy sauce dishes and a closing dish

Yakitori and sashimi often come with a small dish for soy sauce, sometimes shared by everyone at the table for dipping sauce. Near the end of a meal, many people order a light closing dish (shime), such as ochazuke (rice in tea or broth) or a grilled rice ball.

Last orders and smoking

Last order is often set 30 to 60 minutes before closing time, usually posted on a sign or noted in the menu. Smoking rules vary by shop — some allow it, some are non-smoking, and some have a separate smoking room — so it's worth checking a posted sign or asking when you arrive.

Related foods

If the different cuts and grilling styles of skewered chicken interest you, see "Yakitori."