My sister and I are enjoying Hakata gourmet, but the main purpose is here! We saw it on TV and always wanted to try it someday, so we made a reservation right away. You can choose between 11:00 and 12:30, but we reserved for 12:30. On this day, the restaurant was fully booked with reservations, so those who just walked in were disappointed and left. Reservations are essential even on weekdays! As soon as the restaurant opened, all the seats were filled. Of course, we ordered the live squid sashimi lunch (3,300 yen). My sister looked nervous as she peered into the fish tank, but after a while, the long-awaited squid arrived. The squid today was particularly lively, with its tentacles moving vigorously! My sister laughed while taking a video. Though my skills make it a bit blurry, the actual squid was sparkling and transparent. The chewy and fresh squid was undeniably delicious. The fins and tentacles were made into tempura, which was also delicious. My sister seemed very satisfied. We will visit again. Thank you for the meal!

I had a reservation in advance for a visit for work in September 2023, and when I made the reservation, I was informed that "depending on the previous day's catch, we may not be able to provide enough." The seat became available earlier than scheduled, and the restaurant kindly called me. It is located on the 1st floor of JRJP Hakata Building. When I arrived, there was a sign outside the shop saying, "Live squid is only available for customers with reservations." Inside, there were counter seats and table seats in the back. I was seated at the counter. Although I couldn't see the inside of the tank as much as the Nakasu Kawabata main store, the kitchen was connected to the tank, and the chefs were working efficiently in an open space. On this day, it was mentioned that "live squid will be served in 250g per cup." I ordered Live Squid Sashimi, Sesame Mackerel, Yodare Motsu (tripe), and Mentaiko Dashi Tamago (rolled omelette with spicy cod roe broth). They were served promptly. The Live Squid Sashimi was incredibly fresh and delicious. The squid's body and tentacles were still moving. There were instructions on how to enjoy live squid: 1. "Salt only" 2. "Lemon salt" 3. "Wasabi soy sauce" for different flavors. The texture of the squid was firm with a chewy bite and a hint of sweetness. Personally, I preferred the lemon salt as it enhanced the umami flavor of the squid. The staff were constantly attentive to the customers. When I had eaten a certain amount of live squid sashimi, they suggested finishing it as tempura. The Sesame Mackerel was firm and had a good amount of fat. Yodare Motsu was a dish made with boiled small intestines topped with a kimchi-like spicy sauce, which had a perfect level of spiciness. The Mentaiko Dashi Tamago was a rolled omelette with spicy cod roe, which balanced the spiciness of the cod roe with the soft taste of the omelette. The live squid tempura was also delicious and had a generous portion. Overall, the dishes centered around squid were fresh and very tasty. The attention to detail from the head chef and the staff made the dining experience enjoyable. This is a restaurant I would definitely visit again when in Fukuoka. Highly recommended.

A few days ago, I made a reservation but the only available time was from 5 o'clock. I sat at the counter with an open kitchen. I ordered the "variety of squid" set with 10 items and an additional sesame mackerel dish, which was plenty of food. Due to a shortage in squid catch, only reserved customers were provided with squid sashimi. I was very satisfied with the meal, especially because the staff took good care of us from behind the counter, making it a very pleasant dining experience.

The "live squid sashimi" that I tried for the first time was unexpectedly delicious, and the tempura squid was also satisfying with its generous portion. The atmosphere of the restaurant was nice, and the staff were very polite, making it a pleasant experience. However, for someone unfamiliar with Hakata Station, finding the restaurant was a bit difficult and took some time.

I visited this restaurant based on a recommendation from an acquaintance! The main store is located in Nakasu and is a historic establishment, known for being the first in Japan to introduce live squid dishes. A few days before my visit, the restaurant was featured on a TV program, so I was looking forward to it. I had the "Squid Special Course" for 6,600 yen (tax included), which included a variety of squid dishes such as salted squid, live squid sashimi, squid dumplings, grilled squid, marinated squid, squid tempura, and squid sushi. The highlight was definitely the live squid sashimi - so fresh and delicious! The tempura was also crispy and not heavy, so I finished it all easily. Every dish was squid-themed, as the course name suggests. It was a fantastic evening with great food and drinks. I would like to visit the main store next time. Since it is a popular restaurant, make sure to make a reservation in advance!

[Championship in Fukuoka Part 3] Reservation at 7:30 PM on 8/26, arrived 5 minutes early. Started with a beer for 650 yen. The glass was small. Quickly finished it and ordered a second one. Ordered squid sashimi, raw fish bones, and sesame mackerel. Started with an appetizer, boiled squid legs with some kind of seaweed sprinkled on top. It was decent. Later found out it cost 500 yen... pretty bold pricing. Then the squid sashimi arrived! A 300g squid for 6400 yen on that day, prices vary based on date and size. We were served squid that was still moving. So sweet! "Fresh squid is sweet, isn't it?" is no joke! And the drinks kept coming! Strong alcohol that was hard to resist! Ended up having the second and third drinks! After finishing the squid sashimi, we ordered tempura for the finale. Raw fish bones: squeezed some lemon on top and had it. Quite watery, probably frozen. Not the best quality for the price. Sesame mackerel: fatty and delicious! Refreshing too! A good deal for 1400 yen! Could have ordered another plate, but decided against it after considering my stomach. The tempura of the squid for the finale arrived. Sweet potato and green pepper came as a bonus. Enjoyed it with seaweed salt or tempura sauce. The batter was light and nice. The meat around the eyes was chewy and especially tasty. After all that, it was time to pay. Around 10,000 yen per person. Quite a splurge! Itadakimasu! P.S. Was planning to go back to the hotel and sleep, but ended up going to karaoke instead.

The live squid was absolutely delicious, firm and fresh. The service was impeccable, with a touch of luxury. The squid sashimi, salted, salted lemon, and wasabi soy sauce were all good, but I personally liked the light salted lemon the best. The tempura was also delicious.

I ate squid. I enjoyed both small and large ones, each with a different texture. The squid was scooped from the tank inside the restaurant, so it was fresh. I had the remaining squid grilled with salt and as tempura. Both were delicious, but I prefer tempura. I'm glad they had large squid! ☀️

The restaurant is located about a 3-minute walk from JR Hakata Station. I planned to have squid dishes in Yobuko during last year's Kyushu trip, but I couldn't eat them because squid fishing was canceled due to bad weather the day before, so this is my revenge after a year. For this Kyushu trip, I decided on dinner restaurants based on the Tabelog ratings for each accommodation and made reservations, and this is the first one. I made a reservation about a month before the visit date. First, I ordered the following dishes: Live squid sashimi 280g for 6,160 yen (tax included), Sesame mackerel for 1,540 yen (tax included), and mentaiko rolled omelet. After about 2-3 minutes, an appetizer (squid and seaweed with vinegar miso) is served. Here it comes. Live squid sashimi! Beautifully transparent. The tentacles are still moving. When you sprinkle lemon juice, they move even more vigorously. I tried the transparent part of the body, and wow!! A crunchiness I've never experienced before. It's delicious! Next is the sesame mackerel. When I took a bite, it was also very fresh and the seasoning was good. The mentaiko rolled omelet was decent. Still feeling hungry, I ordered additional grilled turban shell for 1,650 yen (tax included) and a selection of 8 premium nigiri sushi for 4,180 yen (tax included). The grilled turban shell is served with direct heat. The texture is irresistible. Finally, the nigiri sushi. It consists of 8 pieces of tuna, squid, salmon roe, sea urchin, amberjack, conger eel, sea bream, and prawn. All of them are fresh and delicious. I was able to enjoy the rare experience of eating live squid sashimi.

The food and atmosphere were excellent! I had a hard time finding the entrance and walked around outside, but when the food arrived, I got really excited. I definitely want to visit again when I go to Fukuoka. I'm also curious about the main branch in Nakasu.

The best fresh squid sashimi. The sashimi, eaten with salt and lemon, had a crunchy texture and a subtle sweetness that defied expectations. The tempura that followed was also excellent. I might want to try it with just a light fry instead of tempura next time. I now understand why they are always fully booked. The drinks were cheap and high quality!

I made a reservation for a seat from 12:00 for lunch in advance. Before entering the restaurant, there was a sign at the entrance saying "Lunch is fully booked by reservation. We look forward to your next visit." I thought that reservations are essential even on weekdays! The transparent, crunchy, sweet squid sashimi was amazing! Thank you for the meal♪

I made a reservation for a luxurious live squid lunch from noon. The original live squid restaurant was full from the start of lunchtime, so it is recommended to make a reservation before going. The live squid on this day was spear squid, and it was prepared after taking the order, so the freshness is outstanding compared to others. It is transparent, and when you sprinkle lemon or poke it with chopsticks, it moves lively! My boyfriend, who came from Tokyo, was thrilled to see that. The texture is firm and packed with meat, but when you chew it, it melts softly and smoothly. The attentive customer service from the landlady and the staff is also excellent.

The course menu of 6000 yen is full of delicious dishes featuring squid. My friend from Tokyo was delighted by the moving transparent squid. The restaurant has an open kitchen with counter seats surrounding it, making it more stylish than the main branch in Yobuko. I was surprised that the restaurant closes at 21:00.

Traveling to Hakata with a friend, we definitely wanted to try the live squid! So we decided to visit this place. We originally wanted to make a reservation, but the weather forecast predicted record-breaking heavy rain hitting Kyushu. Flights might not even take off. Due to this situation, we couldn't make a reservation... Thankfully, the plane did take off, so we visited without a reservation, knowing it might not be possible to get a table. As expected, they were fully booked with reservations. However, they told us that if we could make it before the last order, we could still have a seat! But if we missed the last order, we wouldn't be able to eat. Nevertheless, since we don't often visit Hakata, we took a chance and gave them our phone number. Surprisingly, they contacted us quickly to inform us that a table was available! We hurried over, ordered the live squid sashimi lunch, sesame mackerel, and beer, and made a toast! I love squid that has been aged a bit to enhance its flavor, but the freshly prepared, shiny, transparent squid was also delicious...!! The lunch menu was quite luxurious, with generous portions, and it was amazing. I wonder how much it would cost if we tried to have the same meal in Tokyo... If I have the chance to visit again during a trip, I will definitely make a reservation. Thank you for the meal!

This time I visited for my birthday. As expected, fresh squid is a sure bet at Kawataro! The flounder sashimi was decent this time since winter is when the fat content is good. The abalone sashimi was especially delicious with its liver. It was a reassuring time as always, but I always think that Kawataro tends to speed up the turnover due to the tight schedule for later reservations. Can you believe we entered at 5:30 pm and finished eating tempura by 6 pm!? We got caught up in Kawataro's pace. Nevertheless, thank you for the delicious time!

The service, including phone calls, is very pleasant and welcoming. The fish is fresh, and the squid tempura made with the leftovers was very satisfying. I didn't try it this time, but the additional dishes like mushrooms with miso looked delicious. The only downside is that the closing time is early.

We used it for a banquet, Mr. Kawataro. It was a 6600 yen squid course, and the squid that day seemed to be from Naruko. Squid is high in protein and low in calories, making it excellent. The first dish was squid marinated in seawater with yuzu, and salted squid, I think. I forgot, but it was very delicious, and the highball disappeared in an instant. Then came the onslaught of squid dishes. Freshly sliced squid that was still moving. I was recommended salted lemon, but soy sauce suited my taste very well. We were six people and drank quite a bit, totaling 58,000 yen. The staff's movements were quick, and I felt that the meal was worth the price.

On the last night in Hakata, we wanted to eat something delicious, so we decided to visit this restaurant near Hakata Station. There were four of us, which was a surprise. We started with 400g of live squid sashimi, which was delicious. I usually don't eat squid, but the squid in Fukuoka is really good. For the first round of drinks, we had tempura after the sashimi, and for the second round, we had mushroom and crab miso grilled, which was also delicious. We also tried salt-grilled blackthroat seaperch and abalone sashimi, among other dishes, and everything was satisfying overall.

The squid dish is highly recommended. If you want to order something other than squid, make sure to order it before the squid because the squid arrives very quickly. The salad options are not that great, but the squid is delicious. As for drinks, I recommend Asahi Extra Cold beer. You can choose from 4 different types of sakes, and I chose tempura. The squid shumai is also delicious and highly recommended. The women's restroom is clean. Some seats have outlets under the table, while others do not.

Kawataro in Fukuoka is a place where you can enjoy fresh squid caught in Hakata. The main store last year and the Hakata Station store this year, both exude a luxurious atmosphere. The freshness of the squid is outstanding, with amazing texture and flavor. The other dishes are also delicious, and considering the price, it's a must-visit spot when in Fukuoka.