What Is an Izakaya? Japanese Pub Dining, Shared Plates & Etiquette
Oct 01, 2026
Izakaya (居酒屋) are casual Japanese drinking-and-dining establishments where food and drinks are ordered over time, often for a group to share.
They are sometimes compared with pubs, taverns or tapas bars, but no foreign analogy is exact. Food is generally much more central than in a bar, while the ordering pattern is looser than a fixed restaurant course.
An izakaya is therefore best understood as a social dining format built around drinks, conversation and multiple dishes.
What does izakaya mean?
The word izakaya is written 居酒屋. Historically, the name is associated with drinking while staying at a sake shop rather than simply buying alcohol to take away.
Modern izakaya range from large national chains to tiny independent neighbourhood establishments, specialist seafood places, yakitori-focused shops and more contemporary dining bars.
How does an izakaya meal work?
Instead of ordering one complete main course per person, a group typically orders drinks and several dishes, then adds more as the evening continues.
That makes the meal dynamic. Food arrives in waves rather than as a single complete set.
JNTO describes izakaya dishes as generally intended for sharing, which connects directly to the broader patterns in our guide to shared dining in Japan.
What is usually served at an izakaya?
The range can be very broad. Common categories include:
- sashimi;
- karaage;
- yakitori or other grilled foods;
- edamame;
- salads and chilled dishes;
- tofu preparations;
- fried foods;
- grilled fish;
- noodles and rice dishes;
- seasonal nabe.
Some izakaya specialise strongly in one ingredient, region or cooking style; others offer very large menus.
What drinks are common?
Beer is extremely common, along with sake, shōchū, highballs, chūhai, umeshu and soft drinks.
If you want to understand the vessels behind that service, see Japanese Sake Ware Explained for tokkuri, ochoko, guinomi, sakazuki, katakuchi and related forms.
The particular selection depends on the establishment. A specialist sake izakaya may have a very different drinks list from a large casual chain.
What is torizara?
Torizara are small individual plates used when taking a portion from a shared dish.
JNTO specifically describes the pattern: a main dish comes to the table, and each diner transfers the amount they want onto their own small plate before eating.
This is one of the clearest examples of the Japanese shared-dining pattern:
shared serving dish → personal small plate → individual eating.
What is otoshi?
Otoshi is a small dish that may be served automatically after you sit down, especially at izakaya.
It is commonly connected with a table or cover charge rather than being a free appetiser. JNTO’s current etiquette guidance explicitly warns visitors that these small automatic dishes are often charged.
The exact system varies by establishment, so visitors who are unsure can ask staff about the cover charge.
Is otoshi the same everywhere?
No.
The dish itself changes constantly and may be something very simple or something the kitchen uses to introduce its style. Some establishments use different terminology, and charging practices vary.
It is best to understand otoshi as a common izakaya service custom, not as a fixed recipe.
Do you order everything at once?
Not necessarily.
One of the pleasures of izakaya dining is ordering in stages. A group might begin with drinks and a few quick dishes, then add grilled food, fried dishes, nabe, rice or noodles later.
This distinguishes the izakaya table from a teishoku, where the full set usually arrives as one composed meal.
How does izakaya dining differ from a bar?
Food is usually a much larger part of the experience.
An izakaya can certainly be a place to drink, but it is normal to eat multiple dishes over the course of the visit. Many people go specifically for the combination of food, drink and social atmosphere.
How does it differ from a restaurant?
Izakaya are restaurants, but the service rhythm is distinctive.
There is usually more sharing, more drink-led ordering and less emphasis on one individually plated main course. Tables may keep adding dishes for an hour or more rather than following a fixed starter-main-dessert sequence.
Is izakaya food always inexpensive?
No.
Many izakaya are casual and affordable, but there are also specialised and premium establishments with excellent seafood, rare sake, regional ingredients or chef-driven menus.
As with donburi, the category describes a format more than a quality tier.
Do people share all the dishes?
Often, but not necessarily every item.
A plate of sashimi, karaage or grilled food may be shared, while an individual bowl of rice, noodles or dessert may be ordered for one person. The table can shift between communal and personal service throughout the evening.
How does nabe fit into izakaya dining?
During colder months, many izakaya offer nabe for the whole table.
This works naturally with the izakaya format because the pot becomes both a shared dish and an activity. Ingredients cook at the table while drinks and conversation continue.
What is kanpai etiquette?
Kanpai is the common toast before drinking.
In group settings, it is conventional to wait until everyone has a drink before the first toast rather than beginning alone. In very informal groups this is relaxed, but the shared opening remains common.
Do you pour drinks for other people?
Pouring for others has traditionally been part of Japanese group-drinking etiquette, especially in more hierarchical work or formal settings.
Among friends and in contemporary casual dining, practice is much looser. People may pour for one another, order individual drinks or simply refill themselves depending on the setting.
The safest approach is to follow the group rather than perform a rigid ritual.
What is nomihōdai?
Nomihōdai means an all-you-can-drink plan for a fixed period and price.
It is common at many chain izakaya and group parties, though not universal. Rules, available drinks and time limits vary by establishment.
What is tabehōdai?
Tabehōdai means all-you-can-eat.
Some izakaya offer food packages, sometimes combined with nomihōdai. Again, this is a commercial service model rather than a defining feature of izakaya itself.
What is an enkai?
Enkai refers broadly to a banquet or group drinking party.
Workplace parties, club gatherings and celebrations may be held at izakaya, hotels or other venues. Some enkai use predetermined food-and-drink packages, while an ordinary evening at an izakaya can be much more spontaneous.
How should shared food be handled?
If serving chopsticks, tongs or spoons are provided, use them. Move food from the communal plate to your own torizara before eating.
This matches the broader etiquette explained in How Shared Dining Works in Japan.
Is izakaya dining formal?
Usually not.
Izakaya are generally casual spaces, although work gatherings can introduce hierarchy and etiquette depending on the group.
The atmosphere is typically more relaxed than kaiseki, ryokan dining or formal banquet service.
What should a first-time visitor expect?
A practical sequence is:
- sit down and check whether an otoshi or cover charge applies;
- order drinks;
- choose a few dishes for the table;
- use personal small plates for shared food;
- add more dishes as needed;
- finish with rice, noodles or dessert if the group wants them.
You do not need specialist knowledge. Izakaya are designed for sociable, flexible eating.
What does izakaya dining tell us about the Japanese table?
It shows that Japanese dining is not always a fixed individual place setting.
At an izakaya, dishes arrive gradually, many are shared, personal small plates mediate the communal food, and drinks shape the rhythm of the meal.
This makes izakaya one of the clearest modern examples of the hybrid table described in our shared-dining guide.
Izakaya in one sentence
An izakaya is a casual Japanese drinking-and-dining venue where drinks and multiple dishes are ordered over time, many foods are shared, and the meal develops socially rather than arriving as one fixed set.
Where to go next
Continue with How Shared Dining Works in Japan, see the shared-pot format in What Is Nabe?, or compare the individual set-meal structure in What Is Teishoku?.
