Culinary Adventures: How to Order Food & Drinks in Japanese Restaurants
Here is a practical guide to ordering food and drinks in a Japanese restaurant with key phrases and etiquette.
Getting Attention
To call a waiter or waitress, say: すみません (Sumimasen) — “Excuse me.”
In Japan, this is the standard polite way to get attention in restaurants, cafes, and even small bars. A small wave or raised hand is common, but calling loudly is usually avoided. In many modern restaurants, a table buzzer, a service button, or a digital ordering tablet makes direct calling unnecessary.
Ordering Food and Drinks
The most useful pattern is:
[Food/Drink name] + を (wo) + [quantity] + お願いします (onegaishimasu)
or
[Food/Drink name] + を + ください (kudasai)
Both mean “please,” but お願います sounds a little more polite and natural in many dining situations.
Examples:
- ラーメンを一つお願いします (Ramen wo hitotsu onegaishimasu) — “One ramen, please.”
- ビールをお願いします (Biiru wo onegaishimasu) — “A beer, please.”
- 水をください (Mizu wo kudasai) — “Water, please.”
Quantity words such as 一つ (hitotsu) for one and 二つ (futatsu) for two are widely used for counting ordinary items. In restaurants, they are especially handy because they work with many foods and drinks without needing a specialized counter word. A simple order like 餃子を二つお願いします (Gyoza wo futatsu onegaishimasu) sounds natural and clear.
At casual places like izakayas, ordering can be even shorter. Saying just the quantity and item is common, for example:
- 生中一つ (Namachu hitotsu) — “One medium draft beer.”
That style is convenient in lively settings where fast, compact phrasing is normal. It also helps to know that Japanese menus often list set portions, so a “1” may refer to one dish rather than one piece.
Asking Questions
If the menu or dish is unfamiliar, these questions are useful:
- それは何ですか？ (Sore wa nan desu ka?) — “What is this?”
- オススメは何ですか？ (Osusume wa nan desu ka?) — “What do you recommend?”
オススメ (osusume) is especially practical because staff often know which dishes are popular, seasonal, or freshly prepared. In smaller restaurants, the recommendation may reflect the chef’s specialty rather than the best-selling dish.
Another very common restaurant phrase is:
- これをください (Kore wo kudasai) — “This one, please.”
Pointing at a menu item while saying this is normal and effective, especially when pronunciation or ingredient names are uncertain. In busy settings, combining speech with pointing reduces confusion and speeds up service.
Other Useful Phrases
A few additional expressions cover most everyday ordering situations:
- 注文をお願いします (Chuumon o onegaishimasu) — “I’d like to order.”
- もう一つください (Mou hitotsu kudasai) — “One more, please.”
- おかわりください (Okawari kudasai) — “Another serving, please.”
- すくなめでお願いします (Sukuname de onegaishimasu) — “Less, please.”
- とりあえず、以上です (Toriaezu, ijou desu) — “That’s it for now.”
すくなめでお願いします is particularly useful for rice, noodles, and heavy portions. In Japan, portion size can be adjusted in many restaurants, especially with rice bowls, curry, and set meals. Asking for “less” is normal and polite, not rude.
おかわり usually refers to a refill or another helping, often of rice, soup, or tea. In some places, rice refills are free; in others, they may cost extra, so the phrase is useful even when the policy is unclear.
とりあえず、以上です is a practical way to signal that the order is complete. It sounds natural when ordering several items in stages.
Common Restaurant Etiquette
It is common and polite to say:
- いただきます (Itadakimasu)
before eating. The phrase literally expresses gratitude for receiving food and is a standard part of Japanese dining culture. It is usually said after the food arrives and before the first bite, not when ordering.
A few small etiquette points help the interaction feel natural:
- Say sumimasen calmly, rather than shouting across the room.
- Use polite language when possible, especially in formal restaurants.
- Return trays or dishes as directed if the restaurant has a self-service style.
- Follow the ordering flow if the place uses a ticket machine, tablet, or counter order system.
In many restaurants, especially fast-casual chains, the ordering method is designed to be efficient and standardized. In an izakaya, the pace is more conversational, and short, direct orders are normal. Practicing these short exchanges aloud can make real restaurant interactions faster, since the main challenge is usually listening and speaking under time pressure rather than memorizing long grammar rules.
Pronunciation Notes
A few pronunciation points make these phrases easier to understand:
- Sumimasen is pronounced roughly “soo-mee-mah-sen.”
- Onegaishimasu is often spoken quickly as one smooth phrase.
- Kudasai is short and clear: “koo-dah-sigh.”
- Osusume has a rhythm that sounds like “oh-soo-soo-meh.”
Japanese restaurant speech tends to be compact, so a calm, even delivery works better than trying to force every syllable. Clear nouns and a polite ending matter more than perfect speed.
Quick Examples
Some complete orders in natural Japanese:
-
ラーメンを一つお願いします。
Ramen wo hitotsu onegaishimasu. — “One ramen, please.” -
ビールを一つください。
Biiru wo hitotsu kudasai. — “One beer, please.” -
これをください。
Kore wo kudasai. — “This one, please.” -
オススメは何ですか？
Osusume wa nan desu ka? — “What do you recommend?” -
もう一つください。
Mou hitotsu kudasai. — “One more, please.”
These short patterns cover most situations in restaurants and izakayas, from first ordering to adding extras. Mastering a handful of phrases is often enough to handle a whole meal confidently, especially when paired with listening practice and real conversation rehearsal.