Many company presidents from all over the prefecture came to pay their respects to the former president who passed away, so we went to Shobobanya for a meal together. I had the Banya Don, which was delicious. It was my first time eating there in a while, and it was very tasty. Thank you for the meal.

Visited with a friend, we ordered two medium draft beers from Sapporo for 627 yen each. We also got two appetizers for 495 yen each, followed by the recommended dishes: Banya Salad for 1100 yen, Makari Yaki for 1045 yen, and Banya Maki for 1705 yen. The total bill came to 8558 yen. We chose Sapporo beer without hesitation. The Banya Salad, Makari Yaki, and Banya Maki were all delicious. I prefer simmered dishes over boiled ones, but it was still enjoyable. The restaurant has a nostalgic Showa era atmosphere, yet surprisingly had many young customers. I would love to visit again.

I visited a sushi restaurant near Otaru Station, as all the other places were crowded. This restaurant was quite far from the station, located in a quiet shopping and dining area. It had a traditional local feel, with three chefs behind the counter. I ordered recommended dishes like tuna and flounder sashimi, butter-grilled whelk, octopus grilled dish, and drift ice sushi. I forgot to take photos of the food, but despite the simple presentation, each dish was delicious. The dried octopus had a nice fatty flavor, the butter-grilled whelk was fresh and tasty, making it a great accompaniment to sake.

It was really delicious! I've been to places like Ginza in Tokyo, but Otaru is nice, or maybe it's Hokkaido that's nice. The casual atmosphere makes everything taste even better. Everything was delicious, but I feel like sea urchin is the best when eaten in Hokkaido.

An old restaurant that has been around for a long time. Despite that, this is the first review on Tabelog. This time, we went to Shobou Banya because my daughter's boyfriend was coming to our house to introduce himself. It had been about 30 years since I last visited, but the inside of the restaurant still had the same retro atmosphere as before. The decor was retro and unchanged. The boyfriend is from the mainland, so I wanted to treat him to some Hokkaido-style food. Even people from Hokkaido may not have fully experienced the flavors of the region, so today was a feast. We shared sushi, sashimi, the seafood roll called "Banya roll," and grilled hokke. My father can't start a meal without pickled vegetables. I asked the boyfriend about his food preferences, and he said he doesn't like shiitake mushrooms. He doesn't mind them chopped up, but he doesn't like them in big pieces. I found a common point between him and me - we both eat almost anything. My daughter's boyfriend... at Shobou Banya this time, he said the shrimp soup was delicious. Yes, the broth was really flavorful. He seemed to prefer nigiri sushi over rolls. He especially liked the whole grilled hokke. He said hokke in the Tokyo area is thin and flimsy. Hokkaido hokke is definitely delicious. My daughter was crying because the wasabi on the sushi was too strong. I, on the other hand, love pickled vegetables. They don't exist in Honshu. Hokkaido pickled vegetables are made by rolling Nara pickles. I might even prefer pickled vegetables over nigiri. It's a treat I've had since I was a child. My daughter's boyfriend only had one pickled vegetable. My memory from 30 years ago is that this menu item is unforgettable. It's called "Makkari Yaki." It's a clay plate dish with potatoes, bacon, and cheese. Almost anything tastes delicious when mixed with cheese and butter. However, this Makkari Yaki is the best in the Hokkaido potato category. Shobou Banya has always been known for its generous portions, and looking at this Makkari Yaki, it's clear that they haven't strayed from that direction. I wonder if my daughter's boyfriend enjoyed it. What should I treat him to next time? As long as he doesn't dislike shiitake mushrooms, choosing a restaurant should be easy. I think it's a good restaurant for Otaru locals. However, however, you know... nowadays, not accepting cards or electronic money is not good. You don't have to make Otaru so retro. Thank you for the meal.

I made a reservation for 6:00 pm and visited the restaurant. There were counter seats and table seats available. I walked from the souvenir street in Otaru, which took about 15 minutes. It was nice to be able to feel the atmosphere of the town while walking there as a traveler. However, I think it's a bit far to walk from the station, so I recommend taking a bus or taxi. I ordered a sushi set, shrimp sashimi, hokke (Okhotsk atka mackerel), and the Banya Don (salmon roe, abalone, sea urchin) for two people. The sushi had a good balance of fish, shellfish, and shrimp that was easy to share between two people. I don't often have the chance to eat scallops, so I enjoyed their unique texture. The shrimp sashimi was sweet shrimp. I wonder if shrimp in Hokkaido always tastes sweet? The menu also had the word "shrimp" in it. It had a round, firm, and slightly creamy texture that was satisfying. It was about 2.5 times the size of a shrimp you would normally get at a conveyor belt sushi restaurant. The hokke was unexpectedly large, which was a pleasant surprise, but I struggled to finish it in the end. It was very delicious with a good amount of fat. It was juicy but not too heavy, with a refreshing taste. Finally, the Banya Don made me feel like I was in Hokkaido, with a luxurious feeling. The plump salmon roe, chewy abalone, and creamy sea urchin were all delicious. The set came with clam soup. This restaurant is worth a visit, but if you have a tight travel schedule, you may need to make use of a taxi. After the meal, I had a taxi called and went to see the night view of Mt. Tengu. It's a bit closer in distance, so I recommend it. Thank you for the meal.

Today is my third time here, but I suddenly felt like eating sushi! I heard that this sushi place is the best in Otaru because a friend of a friend who is a fisherman recommended it. I tried it and all the sushi was delicious, from the rice to the toppings. If you come to Otaru, be sure to try it out! ^ ^

This is my first time here. I often heard good things about this place from friends, but never got around to visiting. Today, I felt like having grilled fish. I was in the mood for sushi, so I chose this somewhat selfish restaurant. As I walked through the curtain, I found a traditional and well-established establishment. The name "Ichiba" suits it well. The place was filled with local fans. It seems like people prefer the private booths over the counter. An elderly couple was enjoying a seafood bowl in the back. I ordered: grilled mackerel for 880 yen, rice for 385 yen, miso soup for 385 yen, Hokkai sushi for 3630 yen, and a beer for 627 yen. The sushi included abalone and crab, quite luxurious! The quality of the ingredients was top-notch, and I left feeling very satisfied. The mackerel was larger than usual, with delicious fatty flavors that were unique to Hokkaido. Truly a wonderful experience at Shobou Ichiba! Thank you for the meal.

In the Hanazono area of Otaru City, a long-established seafood restaurant located a little up the hill from National Route 5. There is a parking space near the building. I have come to eat seafood here several times in the past, but my wife requested a seafood bowl this time, so we decided to visit for lunch after a long time. As I learned from other reviews, the name of the restaurant seems to be derived from the fact that the building used to be a "fire" station in the past. The interior of the restaurant has a counter seat like a sushi restaurant, table seats, and sunken kotatsu seats, giving off a nostalgic atmosphere. Since it was a late lunch, it was not too crowded when we entered, but tourists who seemed to be here for seafood were coming in little by little. In addition to seafood dishes such as sushi, sashimi, and rice bowls, there are also many menu items such as grilled dishes and side dishes that go well with alcohol. My wife ordered the "Banya Bowl (3,520 yen)" she was looking forward to, and I ordered the "Grilled Atka Mackerel (880 yen)", "Sanpei Soup (660 yen)", and "Rice (385 yen)" as a single item since there was no set menu available. The "Banya Bowl" was served promptly, but the "Grilled Atka Mackerel" took quite a bit of time to be served, probably because it took time to grill. The Banya Bowl had a luxurious content with sea urchin, salmon roe, and abalone, and all the ingredients were fresh and delicious. My "Grilled Atka Mackerel" was of a normal size but tasted delicious with a good amount of fat. I particularly liked the "Sanpei Soup" with a strong salmon broth, even though it was a bit pricey. Overall, the prices may not be cheap, but everything we ate was delicious, so I think it's a good place to go when you want to eat seafood.

I visited a restaurant in Otaru that was known for its delicious seafood bowls. It's located at Hanazono in Shoboban-ya Otaru. It used to be a fire station, which was interesting. They have a parking lot, which was convenient. It's a popular place, so I made a reservation before going. The interior is solidly built, as expected from a former fire station. There are lots of autographs from famous people. The menu is easy to understand, with photos which is helpful. The course menu with all-you-can-drink option seemed popular. The menu has a wide variety of items. The lemon sour and appetizers were delicious. The mentaiko was popping and the kombu was tasty, just my style. The "Makariyaki" dish with potatoes, bacon, and cheese was highly praised on Instagram, and it was indeed amazing. The cheese was gooey, the potatoes were sweet, and the dish was served hot on a sizzling plate, which added to the flavor. The "Chawanmushi" was a favorite among the kids. It had a slightly sweet taste compared to Kansai-style. The "Tekkamaki" had a great volume, and my son loved it. The "Hokkai 11-Piece Sushi" was luxurious and delicious, receiving high praise. It only cost 3300 yen, so it was great value for money. The "Banyadon" bowl that I ordered was fantastic, with salmon roe, abalone, and sea urchin. Especially the sea urchin and abalone were delicious. The sea urchin was creamy and the abalone was full of umami. The price was 3190 yen, which was also great value. My daughter ordered the "Banyamaki" roll, which was colorful and delicious. The clam soup that came with the rice dish was also very tasty. I think I have to visit again next year during the ski season. It was incredibly delicious. They were accommodating for families with children, with private rooms available, which was appreciated. Thank you. The counter seats were also nice. Just a heads up, they only accept cash.

During our trip to Otaru, we stopped by for lunch. The restaurant was quite busy, but we were seated fairly quickly. I had the Uni-don (sea urchin rice bowl) and my wife had the Ebi Tempura-don (shrimp tempura rice bowl). Both dishes were reasonably priced and delicious. They also had a variety of non-seafood options on the menu. We would love to visit this restaurant again for dinner next time.

I made a reservation and visited around 5:30 pm, and the restaurant was quite empty. There were impressive decorations like a large boat inside the restaurant, giving a high-end feel. You can enjoy Hokkaido-style dishes like octopus and half-fried young chicken, and they were all really delicious! The sushi and miso soup were also very tasty, and I was completely satisfied. I couldn't help but devour the freshly fried half-chicken with gusto!笑

I visited a restaurant recommended by the owner of another shop in Sapporo. The service was also recommended to me! I went there on a holiday afternoon. The restaurant was spacious with only about three other groups. There were counter seats, table seats, and even a party room. I was there for sushi. They had three types of sushi sets priced at 2,310 yen (10 pieces), 2,640 yen (10 pieces), and 3,300 yen (11 pieces), and I ordered the 2,310 yen set called "Gyokka". I was surprised by the amount of rice served. I thought 10 pieces wouldn't be enough, but it was quite filling. I was able to enjoy shrimp sushi too. There were several sushi chefs, so they made the sushi very carefully. The sushi also came with miso soup, which had shrimp heads in it, and it was delicious. The shrimp flavor was rich. I also ordered the recommended "Tachipon" which had a generous portion and tasted fresh and milky. I was pleased to see they had a kerosene stove, which was great for warming up in the cold Hokkaido weather. The landlady was kind and even greeted me warmly as I warmed up by the stove. The food was delicious, and the atmosphere was lovely.

I had a seafood bowl in my favorite city of Otaru. The bowl was filled with a generous amount of fresh seafood on top of rice. For women, it may be better to ask for less rice. The interior of the restaurant had various decorations that made you feel like you were inside a boat. The sushi displayed at the counter was also very appealing. It was a wonderful restaurant that has remained unchanged for a long time.

Sho Bou Ban Ya Food Log 3.51 I visited the famous Sho Bou Ban Ya for the first time, known as one of Otaru's attractions alongside Aotsuka Shokudo. The building was once the Otaru Fire Station, but now it has been renovated to serve delicious seafood and livestock products from Tokachi Plain. The specialty rice and potato butter cheese with lemon sour are a must-try. The potatoes are in season now, and at Sho Bou Ban Ya, you can already enjoy the delicious grilled potatoes. The rice is the finest from Hokkaido, Yumepirika, comparable to the Uonuma rice from Niigata, which is served at Michelin-starred restaurants in Ginza and Roppongi by Yoshizawa. Grilled hot stone with butter and cheese on the freshly grilled potatoes. The butter used is top quality, even used at the Imperial Hotel, making it perfect with drinks. I am very grateful to those who guided me in Sapporo and Otaru this time. Otaru is truly amazing. It's a food paradise just 30-40 minutes by car from Sapporo. I had seconds of the grilled potatoes with butter and cheese. Thanks to the people in Sapporo and the restaurants, I was able to enjoy without hesitation. I am truly grateful for their kindness. I would love to visit Otaru again. Thank you for the meal. Thank you very much.

Located a 10-minute walk west from Otaru Station, this sushi izakaya is situated in a residential area up the hill, not along the canal. The building may look old and suspicious, but it has been renovated from the former Otaru Fire Station, and you won't feel any remnants of the fire station inside. The menu is extensive, making it hard to decide what to order. The sashimi platter serves 3-4 people, which may seem too much for two, but the desire to try various dishes overpowers. There were options for 4 people or more. Our initial plan to finish with sushi was quickly abandoned. While not high-end, if you're looking to eat in a touristy spot along the canal, this place comes recommended.

Is it just a fool's memory? (^_^;) The trigger was when a friend who is a cook recommended it to me, and that's how I first learned about the specialty dish at this place. Even though I had a low salary at the time, I could still appreciate the deliciousness here (^-^) A few years later, on my second visit, they had run out of sea urchin, so they replaced it with abalone and I had something like an abalone bowl. It was my first time realizing how delicious abalone can be. Normally, I prefer sea urchin over abalone, but at this place, abalone takes the lead (^_^;) And now, after many decades, I visited for the third time. The interior of the restaurant hasn't changed much, but some of the raised tatami seating has been replaced with table seating. This time, I had the specialty dish again. The salmon roe looks beautiful (*^^*) And the taste is quite delicious! The abalone is crunchy, of course! When you slowly chew it, it melts in your mouth (*^^*) And oh, it's so tasty! Even though the sea urchin may be a bit lower in quality, the taste is still top-notch. It's sweet and delicious! (*^^*) It seems like they haven't increased the prices. Instead, they might have added more egg and pickled ginger ( *´艸｀)ｳﾌﾟﾌﾟ Even with those changes, I am satisfied, satisfied. I might come back again next year ( *´艸｀)ｳﾌﾟﾌﾟ

Arrived in Otaru from Sapporo in early December on a weekday afternoon. Planned to visit Aotsuka Shokudo at Takashima Cape via car share during the transfer from Otaru to the hotel, but decided to call ahead just in case. Found out that due to the recent Wuhan virus situation, they have adjusted their closing time to 3 pm. Glad I made the call. Times Car Share is really convenient in situations like this. Quickly canceled via smartphone and decided to visit this restaurant, which was my second choice. It's a nice walk from the station to the restaurant, especially when the snow is not too heavy. Although the restaurant is open all day and night, it was quiet when I arrived after 3 pm. Sat down at a table and checked the menu. The sushi sets are listed from most expensive to least expensive - Hokkai, Drift Ice, and Gyo Hikari. I hesitated to order Gyo Hikari as I couldn't read it, but decided to go for it since I figured if Uni was expensive, then the cheaper option would be sufficient. Also ordered Tachipon, which was recommended, and a half portion of the Ban'ya salad. Despite being the only customer, all orders were served promptly. The sushi, Tachipon, and ingredients were fresh. Although not a sushi restaurant, I was satisfied with the quality. The highlight was the grilled herring. Thick and juicy, it was a delightful surprise. The overall dining experience was very satisfying. On my way to the restroom before leaving, I had a chance to admire the historical building that exuded a solemn atmosphere reminiscent of Otaru's history from the Meiji to the early Taisho era. It was indeed a place with a rich historical background. However, it was disappointing that they did not accept cashless payments despite being a large establishment. They did accept local coupons, but it was ironic for me, as I had just checked out of Sapporo, where the GoTo campaign was suspended, and checked into a hotel in Otaru. I wished they had accepted the regional coupons.

When it comes to Otaru, the image of sushi comes to mind, but actually, there are too many mediocre sushi restaurants that it becomes off-putting. However, the sushi here is authentic. The master who has been making sushi for fifty years and his apprentices create sushi that you can eat with peace of mind. If you want to eat authentic sushi in Otaru, this is the place. The master's personality is also great.

I soaked in the hot spring at the hotel, prepared for the night ahead. While watching TV in my room, I received a call from a friend in Otaru. They were coming to pick me up from the hotel by car. I was surprised as I thought we were going to drink that night. I didn't ask any questions and hung up the phone. When I left the hotel at the agreed time, my friend's car was waiting in front of me. As I approached the car, I noticed someone in the passenger seat. It was his wife whom I met for the first time. After exchanging greetings and giving a souvenir to his wife, I sat in the back seat. We headed to Otaru Canal, where the blue illumination was beautiful. The canal was full of couples, and I wondered where his wife had gone. It turned out she was just brought along for introductions and went back home by car. We arrived at Shobobanya, a sushi and seafood izakaya. The restaurant used to be a fire station, hence the name Shobobanya. We sat at the counter and had a toast with shochu. We enjoyed various dishes including sashimi, tachipon (cod milt with ponzu sauce), a luxurious crab salad, grilled octopus, deep-fried young chicken, ikura (salmon roe) battleship sushi, abalone and cucumber roll, and Shobobanya roll. After enjoying Hokkaido seafood and sake for about three hours, we visited three more bars. I ended up alone in the last bar, and the next thing I knew, I took a taxi back to the hotel. The next day, I returned to the same restaurant. It was a satisfying experience, and I am grateful to my friend for taking me there.