Restaurants in Japan

You can make a reservation at a restaurant in Japan by direct phone call to the restaurant, or in some cases via direct reservation on their website if available. There also are some online reservation platforms but they are often in Japanese, like the restaurant’s website. To avoid the issue of language barriers and time differences, you can place your reservation through a secure platform that helps foreigners to make online reservations, such as byFood. You can use byFood to add filters and narrow down restaurants in Japan, to match the location and food type you are looking for. All you have to do is head to your desired restaurant page and enter your reservation details. If your reservation is successful, you will receive an email confirmation and have your reservation made on your behalf. In the event that the reservation was not successful, you will receive a failed reservation email notification.

Not all restaurants in Japan require a reservation but there are many that do, so this depends on the restaurant. Popular or high-end restaurants generally require a reservation and tend to be totally booked a few months ahead. Some more casual restaurants, bars, and cafes do not require a booking, however if you are with a big group it can be a good idea. Some restaurants like ramen restaurants and izakaya gastropubs do not allow reservations ahead of time.

This depends on the type of restaurant but on average a meal at restaurants in Japan will cost somewhere between 800 yen and 3000 yen for one dish or set meal. More high-class restaurants can start from anywhere between 4000 and 10,000 yen per meal, with more being charged for dinner.