Contents

• What is Okonomiyaki?
• Where to find the Best Okonomiyaki in Osaka By Neighborhood
• Dotonbori
• Chuo
• Kita
• Nishinari
• Minami

What is Okonomiyaki?

Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き) is a food that originates from Osaka. It is a type of “konamono”, the term used to describe foods primarily made of flour, which also includes kushikatsu and takoyaki. You’ll often see Okonomiyaki described in travel guides as being Japanese pizza, but this isn’t entirely accurate. 

While it’s as popular as pizza is in Europe – with just as many combinations – it’s thicker with the ingredients contained within a wheat flour batter, formed into a nagaimo. Every restaurant has its own specialty, but you can expect to find pork, kimchi, squid, cheese, shrimp, and even vegetables like cabbage as ingredients.

photo: kuenlin / Shutterstock.com

You’ll often see the word “okonomi” associated with this dish, meaning “grilled as you like”. Osaka is the birthplace of this traditional Japanese dish, so you’re guaranteed to find restaurants serving it at all hours of the day. If you want high-quality okonomiyaki, go to a restaurant in Osaka that specializes in the dish. 

Keep in mind that many of these will serve your dish table side, leaving you to cook it yourself on an iron griddle. However, you can find other restaurants in Osaka where the dish is prepared by a chef with the food coming out of the kitchen ready to eat. 

Where to find the Best Okonomiyaki in Osaka By Neighborhood

As one of Osaka’s most popular dishes, there’s no shortage of restaurants serving okonomiyaki. It’s generally an affordable dish, making it ideal for budget travelers. As you can choose your own filings, it’s also a great option if you have allergies, with a few restaurants even offering gluten-free versions.

Given its popularity, you’ll find okonomiyaki restaurants in virtually every neighborhood and area in Osaka. We’re breaking out list down by area with recommendations of the best places to stay in each neighborhood. 

Dotonbori

•  Budget-friendly: Granbell Hotel Osaka
• Splurge-worthy: The Boly Osaka

Osaka’s answer to New York’s Times Square, this is the area of the city most popular with tourists. Everything is supersized here, from the extravagant signs to the hundreds of dining options. 

photo: djedj / pixabay.com

Dotonbori Canal runs through the area, which dates to 1612. If you’re a fan of eating till you drop – known by the term “kuidaore” – you’ll find plenty of these food options here.

1. Bonkuraya 

Amongst the neon lights and cosmopolitan nightlife, you’ll find Bonkuraya. It serves some of the best okonomiyaki in the area with a soft but gooey texture, enhancing the taste with finely chopped vegetables. If you’re a fan of Instagram-worthy food, order the shrimp okonomiyaki. 

 If you’re looking for a larger meal, add noodles to your dish for an extra 200 yen. (Pro-tip: if you see “modanyaki” on the menu, it’s simply okonomiyaki served with noodles.) While there’s a griddle at your table, your food will first be grilled by the restaurant’s staff. This restaurant is popular with tourists as it offers English menus with Chinese and Korean-speaking staff. 

photo: akr3959414436.owst.

It’s open daily from 11am to 3am – with last orders at 2am – except on Sundays and national holidays when it operates from 11am to midnight with last orders at 11pm. You can also order food for takeout here, making it a great late-night snack option if you’re staying in the area. 

2. Mizuno

Mizuno is a restaurant in Dotonbori that’s been operating for 80 years and has won multiple Michelin Guide awards in recent years. Located close to the main arcade, it’s famous for offering both gluten-free and vegetarian options. The menu is available in Chinese, English, and Korean with two completely vegetarian options. 

 While most restaurants use fish-based stock for their batter, Mizuno offers a fully vegetarian (and gluten-free!) option by using mushrooms for a mountain yam batter instead of wheat. If you’re a strict vegetarian, make sure to request that there aren’t any bonito fish flakes (katsuobushi) sprinkled on top of your food.

 You’ll usually spot this restaurant from the near-constant queue that’s formed outside with some of the most popular okonomiyaki ingredients including octopus, oyster, and pork rib. 

photo : 西角 史帆 for tripadvisor.com

 Mizuno offers its own take on the dish, known as “Yamaimoyaki”, which it’s been serving for over 40 years. Instead of using flour, this dish is made using Japanese yams for a slightly sweeter taste that is gooey at first bite before becoming crisper as you dig in.

 It’s worth a trip to Dotonbori just for this dish with the restaurant located just a 10-minute walk from Sennichimae Line Nanba Station. Mizuno is open daily from 11am to 10pm with last orders at 9pm.

 Chuo

• Budget-friendly: Hotel MyStays Otemae
• Splurge-worthy: The Lively Osaka Honmachi

Chuo means “middle” in Japanese, representing exactly where this neighborhood sits in the city. It’s worthy of a full-day itinerary during your visit with most of the city’s landmarks located in this district.

photo: Aprille R for tripadvisor

The shopping arcade, Shinsaibashi Suji, is over a kilometer long and spread across different levels.

3. Jibundoki

This restaurant is located on the south side of Osaka’s city center and forms part of the entertainment district with high-rise hotels and American-style neon screens. If you’re visiting Chuo to shop, take a stop by Jibundoki, which serves its okonomiyaki bite-size, the perfect way to explore different ingredients and flavor combinations. 

photo: okimo / Shutterstock.com

One of the most popular dishes on the menu is the pork and egg okonomiyaki, ideal for European tourists as it feels like eating a Spanish omelet and is a lighter option. 

Given the busy nature of the Chuo area – and Jibundoki’s popularity – it’s best to snag a reservation to avoid waiting outside for a table. This restaurant earned itself a spot on the Michelin guide and is open daily from 5:30pm to midnight. 

 4. Fukutaro

If you’re a fan of green onions, head to Fukutaro for its negiyaki, a classic take on okonomiyaki that is packed with chopped green onions. This dish is usually served with lemon or dashi soy sauce, which is lighter than the sauce usually served with this type of dish. There are various fillings to choose from the menu, including mochi, but the crispy pork is one of the most popular options.

photo: sasazawa/ Shutterstock.com 

Don’t pass up on side dishes – especially if you’re going with a group of friends. Yam-yaki is a crowd-pleaser, while avocado tofu is a great option for vegetarians. 

Kita

•  Budget-friendly: Ibis Budget Osaka Umeda
•  Splurge-worthy: Zentis Osaka

If you’re visiting the city, you’re almost guaranteed to find yourself in Kita. Although a commercial area, its skyscrapers attract both locals and tourists, including the Umeda Sky Building with its floating garden and a 1920s-inspired dining village on the basement level for those who aren’t fans of height.

photo: KhunMong / Shutterstock.com

5. Tanpopo 

Kita is the business hub of Osaka and where most of the major transportation routes travel through. You’re almost guaranteed to find yourself in this area, whether you’re taking a trip from Umeda Station or visiting the Kuchu Teien Observatory. During your visit, call into Tanpopo for its okonomiyaki, cooked on copper and iron plates.

 This restaurant is unique as it swaps dashi out for yam and egg for its batter to bring out the natural flavor of your chosen filings. You’ll find four main types of okonomiyaki on offer at Tanpopo, including octopus, shrimp, squid, and pork. Other offerings on the menu that are worth checking out include rum-infused crepes, fluffy omelets, and stir-fried noodles. 

photo: Moomusician / Shutterstock.com

 6. Negiyaki Yamamoto 

If you’re looking for a more low-key spot, check out Negiyaki Yamamoto in Kita. A short walk from the main Osaka train station, this spot is a treat for fans of craft beer with an extension menu, the perfect spot for a casual evening. Scallion okonomiyaki is a must-try, but there are options on the menu to suit tourists of all ages. 

 If you prefer an option with more vegetables or aren’t a fan of seafood, choose negiyaki – the dish this restaurant is most known for – which replaces the sliced scallions for cabbage. 

photo: fuji_risingsun for tripadvisor

 7. Kiji

Another budget-friendly option in Kita is Kiji. A go-to choice amongst Osaka locals, it’s a great way to explore the cuisine if you’re a first-time visitor to Japan. Like most of the restaurants on this list, it adds a unique twist to its okonomiyaki by adding perilla leaf for a light zing. Rated on the Michelin Bib list, this restaurant has queues almost all day long. 

Nishinari

• Budget-friendly: Smile Hotel Osaka Tennoji
• Splurge-worthy: Centara Grand Hotel

If you’re a backpacker or traveling on a budget, Nishinari will likely be your base in the city. Expect karaoke spots, buzzing taverns, and animated bars open all night long. It’s within walking distance of the business hubs at Tennoji and Namba but with accommodation that is almost half the price. 

photo: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com

 8. Okonomiyaki Chitose 

This restaurant in the heart of Nishinari is the go-to neighborhood choice for backpackers and budget travelers. Okonomiyaki Chitose has English-speaking staff and is known for its unique choice of adding pineapple to its batter. While pineapple on pizza might be a subject of near-constant debate, adding pineapple to the batter gives it a refreshing taste. 

 You’ll also find a range of teppanyaki options on the menu, including yakisoba. If it’s your first time in Japan, or you want to try something different, the staff will be happy to give you recommendations based on your preference of seafood or meat. 

photo: Aprille R for tripadvisor

If you’re a vegetarian, check out the soy meat options on the menu. While it’s a popular choice amongst tourists, this restaurant is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Minami

• Budget-friendly: Jab Hotel the Bresidence
• Splurge-worthy: Hotel New Otani Osaka

 In the south of the city, you’ll find Minami with its casual downtown vibe popular with younger tourists for its shopping area and late-night dining scene. The Tamatsukuri Inari shrine is the most known attraction in this area.

photo: TAK1963 for tripadvisor/small>

The area is within walking distance of Namba Station and serves up some of the best food you’ll find in all of Japan. 

9. Ajinoya

Another restaurant on the Michelin Bib Gourmand list is Ajinoya in the Minami area and within walking distance of Dotombori Arcade. It’s a great option if you want to skip the restaurants with almost permanent lines for a quick bite. Ajinoya has been open for almost seventy years and packs a punch with its fluffy okonomiyaki, which features a lighter batter made primarily of cabbage instead of wheat. If you’re not confident working a hotplate by yourself, ask the staff to prepare your dish for you.

 10. Chibo

Looking for a fail-safe option? Chibo is a crowd-pleaser and popular amongst tourists for its English-speaking staff and menu. 

photo: r.gnavi.co.jp

There’s something on the menu to tickle everyone’s taste buds, whether you’re looking for a hotplate option or a traditional okonomiyaki. It’s worth noting that this restaurant is a chain with over 60 locations worldwide, so you’re likely to come across it at least once during your travels in Japan.

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