Japanese Restaurant Phrases: Order Food Like a Local

Japanese Restaurant Phrases: Your Complete Guide to Ordering Food in Japan

Walking into a Japanese restaurant for the first time can feel pretty intimidating, especially if you don't speak the language. But here's the thing: you don't need to be fluent to order food and have a great experience. With a handful of essential phrases and a basic formula, you'll be ordering like a pro in no time.

I'm going to walk you through the exact phrases you need for every step of the dining experience, from entering the restaurant to paying your bill. These are the real phrases Japanese people use every day, and they work whether you're at a casual izakaya in Osaka or a high-end sushi spot in Tokyo.

The Basic Ordering Formula You Need to Know

Before we dive into specific situations, let me give you the most important phrase structure you'll use in any Japanese restaurant. This formula works for about 90% of your ordering needs:

Item + Quantity + onegaishimasu (お願いします)

That's it. Seriously. If you point at a menu item and say "kore, hitotsu, onegaishimasu (これ、一つ、お願いします)" which means "this, one, please," you've just successfully ordered in Japanese.

The phrase "onegaishimasu (お願いします)" literally means "I humbly request" and it's your go-to polite ending for requests. You'll hear it constantly in restaurants, and using it makes you sound respectful without being overly formal.

Some people use "kudasai (ください)" instead, which also means "please." Both work fine, but onegaishimasu sounds slightly more polite and is safer in most situations.

Entering the Restaurant: First Impressions Matter

When you walk into a Japanese restaurant, staff will typically greet you with "irasshaimase (いらっしゃいませ)," which means "welcome." You don't need to respond to this greeting, just a smile or nod works perfectly fine.

What you DO need to say is how many people are in your party. Here are the essential phrases:

"Futari desu (二人です)" means "two people." Just swap the number based on your group size: hitori (一人) for one person, sannin (三人) for three people, yonin (四人) for four people.

The word "desu (です)" is the polite form of "to be" in Japanese, and you'll use it constantly. It's basically the punctuation mark of Japanese phrases.

If you have a reservation, say "yoyaku shiteimasu (予約しています)" which means "I have a reservation," followed by your name.

Want to know if smoking is allowed or request a non-smoking seat? Ask "kinen seki wa arimasu ka (禁煙席はありますか)" which means "do you have non-smoking seats?" The "ka (か)" at the end turns any statement into a question, so "desu ka (ですか)" means "is it?"

Must-Know Japanese Restaurant Phrases for Getting Attention

Japanese restaurant etiquette differs from Western customs in one major way: you need to actively call staff over. They won't interrupt your meal to check on you.

The phrase you need is "sumimasen (すみません)" which technically means "excuse me" or "I'm sorry," but functions as the universal attention-getter. Say it clearly and maybe raise your hand a bit. Staff will come right over.

In more casual spots like an izakaya, you might also hear people say "onegaishimasu (お願いします)" to get attention, but sumimasen works everywhere.

Here's something pretty cool: many restaurants have call buttons at tables. If you see one, just press it instead of calling out. Way easier.

Asking for the Menu and Recommendations

Most tourists want to know: Are English menus common in Japanese restaurants? In major cities like Tokyo and Osaka, yeah, many restaurants catering to tourists have English menus. But outside tourist areas? Not so much. Even when they exist, they're often abbreviated versions of the full Japanese menu.

To ask for an English menu, say "eigo no menyu wa arimasu ka (英語のメニューはありますか)" which means "do you have an English menu?"

If there's no English menu (which happens a lot), don't panic. Many restaurants have picture menus, or you can use your phone's camera translation app. You can also ask "osusume wa nan desu ka (おすすめは何ですか)" meaning "what do you recommend?"

Want to know what something is? Point and ask "kore wa nan desu ka (これは何ですか)" which means "what is this?"

For specific food items, you might ask:

The Core Ordering Phrases You'll Actually Use

Alright, time to order. Remember that basic formula? Here's how to use it with real examples.

"Kore, onegaishimasu (これ、お願いします)" means "this, please." Point at the menu item. Done. This phrase alone will get you through most meals.

Want multiples? Add the counter:

Japanese uses different counters for different objects, but for food items, you can usually get away with the general counters: hitotsu (一つ) for one, futatsu (二つ) for two, mittsu (三つ) for three, yottsu (四つ) for four, itsutsu (五つ) for five.

For drinks, people often use "ippon (一本)" for bottles, but honestly, just using the general counter works fine too.

Want the same thing as someone else at your table? Say "onaji mono, onegaishimasu (同じもの、お願いします)" which means "the same thing, please."

Making Modifications and Special Requests

Here's where things get slightly trickier, but these phrases are super useful if you have dietary restrictions.

"Niku nuki de onegaishimasu (肉抜きでお願いします)" means "without meat, please." You can swap "niku (肉)" for other ingredients:

To ask if something contains an ingredient, use "kore wa niku ga haitte imasu ka (これは肉が入っていますか)" which means "does this contain meat?"

Want something on the side? "Betsubetsu ni shite kudasai (別々にしてください)" means "please separate them."

For spice levels, you can say:

Handling Other Common Restaurant Situations

You'll need more than just ordering phrases. Here are the practical ones for everything else that comes up.

Water refills: Most Japanese restaurants provide free water. If you need more, say "omizu, onegaishimasu (お水、お願いします)" which means "water, please." Some places have self-service water pitchers at your table.

Chopsticks or fork: Chopsticks are standard, but if you need a fork, say "fooku wa arimasu ka (フォークはありますか)" meaning "do you have a fork?" No judgment, they'll bring one.

Napkins: Ask for "napukin, onegaishimasu (ナプキン、お願いします)" if you need more.

Bathroom: Say "otearai wa doko desu ka (お手洗いはどこですか)" which means "where is the bathroom?"

Takeout: Want to take leftovers home? Say "mochikaeri dekimasu ka (持ち帰りできますか)" meaning "can I take this to go?" Though honestly, takeout culture for leftovers isn't as common in Japan as in the US.

Something's wrong: If there's an issue with your order, start with "sumimasen (すみません)" to get attention, then explain. "Kore wa chigaimasu (これは違います)" means "this is wrong/different."

What Japanese People Say Before and After Eating

This is basic etiquette that shows respect. Before eating, everyone says "itadakimasu (いただきます)" which roughly means "I humbly receive." It's like saying grace, but secular. You'll hear everyone at the table say it before digging in.

After finishing your meal, say "gochisousama deshita (ごちそうさまでした)" which is the phrase for "thank you for the meal." The word "deshita (でした)" is the past tense of desu, so you're basically saying "it was a feast."

These phrases are deeply ingrained in Japanese food culture. Even if you forget every other phrase in this guide, remember these two. Japanese people really appreciate when foreigners use them.

Paying Your Bill: The Final Step

In Japan, you typically pay at the register near the entrance, not at your table. When you're ready to leave, catch the staff's attention with "sumimasen" and say "okaikei, onegaishimasu (お会計、お願いします)" which means "check, please."

They'll either bring a small tray with your bill or direct you to the register. Take the bill to the front counter to pay.

Want to split the bill? Say "betsubetsu ni onegaishimasu (別々にお願いします)" meaning "separately, please." Though heads up, splitting bills isn't as common in Japan, and some places might not accommodate it easily.

Cash is still king in Japan, especially at smaller restaurants. Many places don't accept credit cards, so carry yen. When paying, place your money on the small tray provided rather than handing it directly to the cashier.

"Kurejitto kaado wa tsukaemasu ka (クレジットカードは使えますか)" means "can I use a credit card?" Ask this before ordering if you're unsure.

The phrase "otsuri wa kekkō desu (お釣りは結構です)" means "keep the change," but tipping isn't practiced in Japan. Don't tip. Seriously, it can actually offend people because good service is just expected as standard.

Practice Makes Perfect

Look, you're going to feel awkward the first time you use these phrases. That's totally normal. Japanese people are generally super patient with foreigners attempting their language, and they'll appreciate the effort even if your pronunciation is rough.

The phrase "desu (です)" might feel weird to say at first because English doesn't have an equivalent particle, but you'll get used to it. Same with "onegaishimasu (お願いします)," which feels long and formal, but it becomes natural after a few uses.

Start with the basics: sumimasen for attention, kore onegaishimasu for ordering, okaikei onegaishimasu for the bill. Master those three, and you can eat anywhere in Japan.

If you're planning a trip, practice these phrases out loud before you go. The muscle memory helps when you're actually in the restaurant and nervous. Record yourself, use language exchange apps, or just repeat them while cooking dinner at home.

The more you use these Japanese restaurant phrases, the more confident you'll become. And honestly, once you've successfully ordered a meal in Japanese, it feels pretty damn good.

Beyond Restaurant Phrases: Actually Learning Japanese

Using set phrases gets you through meals, but if you want to actually understand what's happening around you or have real conversations, you need to learn Japanese properly. That means immersion, not just memorizing phrase lists.

Anyway, if you want to level up from tourist phrases to actual comprehension, Migaku's browser extension lets you learn Japanese from real content like restaurant review videos, cooking shows, or food blogs. You can look up words instantly and turn native content into learning material. There's a 10-day free trial if you want to check it out.