First-Timer’s Izakaya Menu: 7 Fool-Proof Dishes (Edamame to Karaage) & The Perfect Drink

Hello! As someone who visits izakayas three times a week, I’m bringing you the complete guide to making your first izakaya experience a success. ✨

📝 First, the conclusion

For your first izakaya visit, “fail-proof classics + a few curve balls” is enough. With standard appetizers like edamame and karaage for comfort, adding items that showcase craftsmanship like yakitori and dashimaki tamago will instantly brighten your table. Finishing with a highball or sake completes a proper izakaya debut!

In this article, I’ll thoroughly guide you through 7 dishes + 1 drink that are easy for beginners to order, sharing my real experiences and taste impressions. After reading this, you’ll definitely look like a regular at your next drinking party! 😉

1. The Izakaya Flow Beginners Should Know 🏮

From the moment you step into an izakaya, you’re enveloped in a unique atmosphere. But don’t worry! Many places serve an “otoshi” (small appetizer) as a seating charge, so you don’t need to rush your order immediately.

Before the server comes to take your drink order, it’s smooth to decide on one drink for now (beer or highball) + quick appetizers (about 2 items). The key to getting through the potentially nerve-wracking first 15 minutes is “preparation and mental composure”! 😌

2. Start with “Quick-Serve” Items to Warm Up the Atmosphere 🥒

🌱 Edamame — The Golden Companion to Beer

Edamame has earned its staple position at izakayas because it’s rich in methionine, which helps the liver metabolize alcohol and prevents “bad hangovers.” Its saltiness and subtle sweetness encourages more beer drinking, and since you can keep your hands busy while waiting for conversation, it helps everyone relax.

My particular preference: I recommend edamame that’s slightly cooled rather than piping hot! This allows the salt to settle and brings out the beans’ natural sweetness. It also eliminates the “too hot to eat time,” improving the flow of conversation. 🔥→😎

🥒 Whole Pickled Cucumber / Quick Pickles

A refreshing appetizer that comes out quickly and resets your palate. The crisp texture and moderate saltiness invites the next drink. From personal experience, eating this before oily foods like karaage helps prevent stomach discomfort later on.

The “edamame + cucumber” combo is an ideal “drinking starter set” offering alcohol metabolism support + hydration! 💦

3. Must-Order Fried and Grilled Dishes for the Main Course 🍗

🍗 Karaage (Fried Chicken)

Karaage became a staple with chicken because “the fat melts at body temperature, creating a good mouthfeel” and “the collagen content prevents it from becoming tough when fried.” Crispy outside, juicy inside—it’s a flavor everyone loves. Whether to squeeze lemon on it or not is a classic izakaya debate. 😄

My particular preference: I recommend enjoying karaage “within 3 minutes of being fried”! The balance between the aromatic coating and meat juices is incomparable. Reach for it as soon as the server brings it! Piping hot karaage is truly the essence of the izakaya experience! 🔥

🍢 Yakitori (Grilled Chicken Skewers) (Negima/Skin/Tsukune)

Internet surveys show the most popular part is “skin,” followed by “negima” (chicken and green onion) and “tsukune” (chicken meatballs). If it’s your first time, try comparing one skewer with salt and one with sauce.

Recommended combinations:

• Skin with salt to enjoy its crispiness 🧂
• Tsukune with sweet savory sauce to savor the umami 🍯
• Negima with both seasonings to find your preference ✨

The compatibility between sauce-coated yakitori and highball is outstanding! When the sweet-savory sauce meets the refreshing carbonation in your mouth, that’s the moment you feel, “Ah, I’m glad I came to an izakaya…” 😌

4. Egg Dishes & Potato Salad That Showcase Craftsmanship 🥚

🥚 Dashimaki Tamago (Japanese Rolled Omelet)

The fluffy grilled dashimaki showcases the “rolling technique” and dashi (soup stock) ratio that’s difficult to recreate at home. Recipes searching for “izakaya flavor” dashimaki are consistently popular.

The character varies greatly between establishments—some sweeter, some saltier—making it a fail-proof conversation starter when comparing. The “fluffy” texture when gently cutting it with chopsticks is a happiness you can only experience at an izakaya. ☺️

How to enjoy dashimaki tamago: With a small amount of soy sauce or enjoying its original flavor. This is also a point where friends’ opinions often differ! 👨‍🍳👩‍🍳

🥔 Potato Salad

The Nikkei (Japan Economic Newspaper) evaluates it as a “taste of home cooking,” making it a national appetizer that many drinkers order seeking nostalgia. Some places top it with soft-boiled eggs or thick-cut bacon.

My recommendation: Coarsely mashed with subtle acidity. Potato salad that highlights the simple flavor of potatoes pairs excellently with any drink! 🥂

Potato salad is arguably the menu item that best shows an establishment’s character, so there’s also joy in finding your favorite “go-to potato salad”! 😋

5. Highball is the Drink of Choice 🥃

Highballs are popular at izakayas because the “whisky × carbonation” combination doesn’t weigh down your palate during meals, and it’s easy to adjust the alcohol content. Beginners can’t go wrong ordering a “Kaku-hai” (made with Suntory Kakubin whisky) first!

It feels like it has lower sugar content than beer and refreshingly washes away the oil from karaage and yakitori. Just the sight of it being served in a large glass filled with ice instantly lifts your spirits! ✨

🍶 For those wanting to try sake

If you’re unsure about selecting a brand, the correct approach is to ask the server, “Can you recommend a sake that pairs well with this food?” First try it at room temperature or chilled, then step up to warm sake according to your preference.

Ordering sake will definitely get you the “oh, this person knows what they’re doing” look (laughs). But the key is to start with small amounts! 😉

6. Tips on Budget and Ordering Timing 💴え

To enjoy the izakaya experience 120%, the timing of orders is also important. Please refer to this table!

For your first visit, aim for 3,000-4,000 yen per person to balance satisfaction and budget. Even if you think “I want to order everything!”, start conservatively. It’s important to leave something to look forward to next time! 💰

Budget management tip: Decide “up to XX yen today” in advance for peace of mind. It also helps prevent drinking too much! 🧮

7. Summary: These 7 Dishes Make for a Perfect Izakaya Debut 🎉

🏆 7 Recommended Dishes for Beginners

1. 🌱 Edamame
2. 🥒 Quick-pickled cucumber
3. 🍗 Karaage (fried chicken)
4. 🍢 Yakitori (skin/negima/tsukune)
5. 🥚 Dashimaki tamago (Japanese rolled omelet)
6. 🥔 Potato salad
7. 🥃 Highball (+ sake 🍶 if you’re feeling adventurous)

Ordering these ensures “no misses, conversation enhancers, and stomach satisfaction” all in one! This is actually the flow I follow when accompanying friends on their izakaya debut.

Please try it at your next drinking party. If you order with reference to this article, you’ll definitely create the impression that “I’m a regular here”! I guarantee you’ll fall in love with the charm of izakayas! 😄🎊

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## 🍶 Ready to Try Izakayas in Japan?

If you’re planning a night out at an izakaya while visiting Japan, here’s what I recommend:

– 🏨 **Find a hotel near great food & nightlife**:
👉 [Book on Agoda]

– 🍢 **Search for local-favorite izakaya restaurants**:
👉 [Explore with Retty]

Retty shows **real local reviews and rankings**, so you can avoid tourist traps and eat where the locals go. Combine that with a convenient stay booked through Agoda and you’re all set for the perfect izakaya night! 🍻

👋 Afterword

Izakayas are treasure boxes of Japanese food culture. Once you know them, there’s an irresistible charm. I hope your izakaya debut will be wonderful! If you have a “I went!” report, please let me know in the comments section. I’d also love to know your favorite menu items! 🙌

Coming up next: “The Path to Izakaya Mastery: Recommended Izakayas by Region & Hidden Menu Items” is in preparation. Stay tuned! 📝

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