First time at an izakaya? Open the menu and you might find yourself thinking: "Wait — what kind of restaurant is this?"

In the West, a steakhouse means steak, an Italian place means pasta — every restaurant has its lane. From what Kaa-chan has seen, izakaya doesn't really have one.

Sashimi, pizza, karaage, okonomiyaki... The sheer chaos might feel like a mystery.

So — here's how Kaa-chan usually approaches the menu, and how to actually enjoy it.

"What Kind of Restaurant Is This?" — The Secret of the Chaotic Menu

Why so many completely different dishes on one menu?

In Kaa-chan's opinion, izakaya evolved from a spirit of wanting to say "yes" to everyone at the table. No matter how different the group's tastes, izakaya finds a way to satisfy everyone under one roof. The chaotic menu might just be a form of kindness — putting the time spent together above everything else.

Finding Your Way Around the Menu — Kaa-chan's Approach

Sit down at an izakaya and the question hits pretty quickly: what do I order? Kaa-chan goes through this every single time. 😄

The first thing Kaa-chan looks for is the "honjitsu no osusume" — today's specials. It might be listed at the front of the menu, on a separate sheet, or written on a board on the wall. Whatever form it takes, find it first.

The regular menu is the restaurant's "everyday face." The daily specials are today's face. Order anything that catches your eye.

Start Light — Edamame, Pickles, and the Usuals

The classic izakaya starters: edamame and pickles. Light, refreshing, and a natural match with drinks.

Edamame are young soybeans, picked before they're fully ripe. Hold the pod to your mouth and press the beans out with your teeth — it's fun. Give it a try.

Tsukemono — pickled vegetables — vary by restaurant. And potato salad with Japanese mayo is a genuine izakaya staple. Chopsticks tend not to stop once it arrives.

All of these fall into the "toriaezu" category — "for now." They're prepped and ready to plate, so they arrive fast. Good for buying time while you sort out the rest of the order. 😄 Get these on the table and you're settled. "Toriaezu ___" is practically the opening signal of an izakaya evening.

Sashimi & Fresh Fish

If sashimi shows up in today's specials, order it without overthinking.

Japanese fish is good year-round — but the season matters. In winter, colder water causes fish to build up fat. Hon-maguro (bluefin tuna), kanpachi, and hirame are at their best. Kaa-chan had a former boss — an Edo-born Tokyoite — who used to say "I only eat sushi in winter!" That makes a lot of sense now. Summer brings aji and iwashi: a cleaner, lighter kind of umami. Katsuo (skipjack tuna) is almost two different fish depending on the season — spring's first catch versus autumn's return.

Not sure about raw fish? Try it anyway. Especially if you've never had it before. Starting with fatty tuna might open up a whole new world.

Cooked fish dishes are just as good. Fried, sake-steamed clams, simmered fish, grilled fish — in Kaa-chan's experience, it's very hard to go wrong when the fish is this fresh.

Meat Lovers Rejoice!

Chicken, pork, beef — all of it is good. Kaa-chan is not picking favorites here.

Karaage — Japanese fried chicken — deserves a special mention. It was already beloved enough to call a national dish, and from what Kaa-chan has seen, the last few years have brought an explosion of specialty shops dedicated to it alone. If it's on the menu, try it.

Both beef and pork are excellent. Kaa-chan sometimes hears the question "doesn't pork have a bit of a smell?" — but honestly, Kaa-chan has never once noticed that with Japanese pork. If anything, the depth of flavor always comes as a pleasant surprise. Wagyu beef gets its own article. 👉 [Internal link: Wagyu article (link coming soon)]

Specialty Dishes — Hiding in Plain Sight

For carbs, izakaya is surprisingly wide open.

Okonomiyaki, yakisoba, yaki-onigiri, pizza — things you'd expect only at a specialty restaurant, casually appearing on the izakaya menu. No announcement. No explanation. Just... there.

That's the quiet bonus of izakaya. If it's on the menu, it's worth trying. And if it turns out to be really good — add that specialty shop to your list for later.

Masters of Dessert

If the izakaya has a strong dessert menu, go for it. All of it, maybe. 😄

From Kaa-chan's impression, Japanese culture has a way of taking foreign ideas, studying them seriously, and quietly pushing them to a higher level. The desserts on an izakaya menu — however Western their origins — often feel completely at home. The level tends to be high. If you have a sweet tooth, it's worth exploring.

No Rules — That's the Rule

There's a loose flow at izakaya — starters to dessert — but the order doesn't matter.

Order dessert in the middle if you want. Stick to snacks the whole night if that's what you feel like. If something at the next table looks good, ask the staff: "What is that?" "Can we have the same thing?" Kaa-chan does this regularly.

There was a younger colleague Kaa-chan used to work with who once came back from a lunch buffet with nothing but a mountain of pasta. "I like it," he said, looking completely satisfied. Kaa-chan's immediate reaction: "There are so many choices — and you're going to fill up on just one thing??"

He held firm. "I like what I like."

Can't argue with that. 😄

But Kaa-chan is firmly in the "try everything" camp. The chaotic izakaya menu is paradise for people like that.

Kaa-chan's Final Message

One last thing — here's what Kaa-chan always tells her son, and now, you.

"Don't judge by the look of it. Always take at least one bite. Don't miss the chance to discover something new."

If it's not quite your thing after that first bite, that's still a new experience. That's still something gained.

Kaa-chan has found so many "delicious!" moments that way.

Japan's izakaya is where the unknown becomes familiar.Here's to many delicious discoveries. 😄

— Mogu Mogu Kaa-chanA Japanese mom who always orders one dish too many — and has zero regrets.