A first-floor counter-style izakaya specializing in Hakata-style okonomiyaki and skewers. Perfect for dining alone. Starting with a bottle of beer, I nibble on vinegar tripe while contemplating my order like in "The Lonely Gourmet." I want to make sure to get some vegetables. The lineup is perfect with dishes like Calpis butter grilled, green pepper with meat miso, and lotus root tempura. Grilled, raw, fried - I can taste the umami of various vegetables. The variety and depth of the vegetables are impressive. Dining alone allows me to savor each bite, a luxurious time. I sip my beer again while gazing at the grill from the counter.

In Gion, when you pass by the back of a famous ramen shop, you can see a bustling interior. My partner wanted to try it, so we came here and ordered chicken meatballs x2, pork belly yakitori, and chicken liver as an appetizer x2. The menu boasts of charcoal grilling, but both the meatballs and pork belly seemed to be first cooked in an oven and then grilled on the outside over charcoal. As a result, the outside was crispy but lacked juiciness, especially the meatballs which were dry. We had one non-alcoholic drink and one shochu with hot water each, which added up to a bit expensive total of 4000 yen + extras. They don't provide receipts as they calculate the bill manually. It was disappointing given the high expectations. On a side note, the meatballs were skewered with burnt chopsticks, and my partner, who is a bit eccentric, was eating them with mustard on the burnt tips.

Located near Kushida Shrine, this izakaya has a counter on the first floor and tatami seating on the second floor. Next door is the famous ramen shop called Number One, and this area also has a popular hot pot restaurant, attracting many tourists. Fukuoka offers delicious dishes like sashimi and mentaiko soup rolls. There are no major disappointments in Hakata, so you can feel at ease. Surprisingly, I ended up ordering some french fries and enjoyed them dipped in ketchup, indulging in some junk food. It was a pleasure to enjoy a long-awaited izakaya experience. Thank you for the meal.

On this day, I had a little extra time for lunch, so I headed to the udon restaurant I was aiming for, only to find it closed. Feeling a bit frustrated, I became a lunch refugee and decided to seek refuge at this place, which was located very close to the famous ramen shop Nagahama Number One. The sign outside displayed lunch menus for katsudon and tonkatsu. When I entered around 12:30 on a Tuesday, about half of the L-shaped counter with 12-13 seats was occupied. I sat at the farthest seat and ordered the Saga Kinsei premium katsudon (980 yen). The atmosphere suggested that they might also be open for dinner service. The owner or perhaps the sole staff member was very efficient and I didn't have to wait long before my food arrived in just 7 minutes. The meal consisted of a katsudon in a plastic bowl, white miso soup, salad, and pickled Chinese cabbage. The salad mainly consisted of onions and lettuce with a delicious dressing. This looks promising! As I started eating the katsudon, the seasoning was fine but the pork cutlet was a bit fatty and not the best quality. Hmm, a bit disappointing. However, the rice was tasty. Was it just a fluke? I hope not. The white miso soup and pickled Chinese cabbage were average. I might consider coming back for dinner. Thank you for the meal. 2022.12.06 3.25

I went on a business trip to Fukuoka and started with a dinner meeting at Kemuri. We finished paying around 9pm and moved on to the second location. We went into the shop right in front of us, with three people opting to sit at the counter. We ordered carbonara and ended the meal with some sweet potato shochu while enjoying Okinawan cuisine as well. It was a nice place for a casual drink, even coming from the first location. I might start here next time.

Robatayaki restaurant. The appetizer was fried eggplant and edamame. Even though it was just an appetizer, the freshly fried eggplant was delicious. Overall, the dishes had a gentle flavor that allowed the ingredients to shine. The variety of food menu items was a bit limited. They also offer a selection of drinks including sake and wine, with the option for all-you-can-drink. The first floor has around 10 counter seats only. For groups, there are seats available on the second floor. You can relax at the counter, making it suitable for solo dining as well.

This place is delicious no matter what you eat!! The aroma of the carefully grilled robatayaki, the fresh vegetables spread out in front of you, and the carefully selected menu of sake are all perfect for forgetting about daily life and being healed. It's no surprise that the fresh sashimi is delicious, but even the seasoning of small dishes is sweet and savory to match the sake. The salmon belly we ordered that day was perfect with its plump, thick meat and just the right punch of salt. The chilled green peppers were also amazing, with fresh, chilled green peppers and the accompanying meat miso were so good that it has to be "Saburo"! (laughs) The staff are all friendly. The warm, gentle owner and the staff working with natural smiles. It's the best healing space♪

I entered a restaurant near Gion and was guided to a tatami room on the second floor with comfortably thick cushions, which was much appreciated. The appetizer consisted of tofu and fried eggplant in broth, with a side of spicy cod roe on the tofu, setting high expectations for the meal. We also ordered spicy cod roe, chicken, and sesame mackerel. The sesame mackerel was served with a special sauce, and eating it with wasabi was a delightful experience. While tasty, I wished they had sashimi as well. The grilled and raw spicy cod roe dish was a unique specialty from Hakata that made me crave rice. The restaurant was clean and the quality of the food was excellent.

I visited Gion Robata Saburo in Hakata. The restaurant is located just a 2-minute walk from Gion Station, slightly off the Kokutai Road. I noticed their "premium katsu don" sign while walking from Hakata Station towards Nakasu, which piqued my interest. It was my first time visiting. I arrived around 1:30 pm on a weekday and there were 6 customers at the counter seats. The restaurant has counter seats on the first floor, tatami seats on the second floor, and private rooms on the third floor. I ordered the premium katsu don lunch set (980 yen including tax). The dish was served in about 8 minutes, accompanied by miso soup, salad, and pickles. The sauce for the katsu don was sweet and rich. The pork used was a brand called "Saga Kinsei." The center of the tonkatsu was pink, indicating it was not fully cooked. I observed the cooking process from the counter, and the staff put the tonkatsu in the bowl, covered it with plastic wrap, and microwaved it. After microwaving, they did not check the don, so when it was served to me, the meat was still undercooked. If the pork was of high quality, I would have eaten it even if it was pink in the center. However, since it seemed like the staff tried to cook it in the microwave, I decided to only eat the fully cooked part at the edge. Unfortunately, that part was tough and not very flavorful, not what I expected from a brand pork. The egg on the katsu don was also microwaved, resulting in a disappointing texture without the desired creaminess. In the end, I only ate half of the rice with the side dishes and left the restaurant. The service from the staff was also not very impressive. It was a disappointing lunch experience at a restaurant I visited without prior knowledge. Thank you for the meal.

Conclusion, I will not go there again. I arrived late and there were no other customers. First, I ordered the charcoal-grilled chicken, but what I got was chicken that was partially grilled in a salamander and then finished with a weak charcoal flavor. To be honest, the charcoal-grilled chicken you can buy at the supermarket tastes better. I also ordered the classic mentaiko (spicy cod roe) omelette, but the mentaiko was fully cooked. The prices were not cheap, so the cost performance was not good. There are definitely better restaurants at the same price range. The staff didn't seem to care about the customers and were chatting among themselves. It was a good learning experience. Thank you.

This is the third bar I visited for day drinking. I happened to come across this place while walking and it turned out to be really good. The recommended chicken tsukune was incredibly delicious. The price was reasonable as well.

First time visiting. There is also a second-floor seating area. We enjoyed the food. Thank you for the meal.

I happened to go because it was near the hotel, but it was a restaurant I would like to visit again.

On my first night of a business trip in Fukuoka, I came across a restaurant with sesame mackerel on the menu. Since I missed out on trying it last time, I decided to give it a try. The restaurant was quiet with only one other group, so I could enjoy a leisurely meal. The service was good, although the waiter seemed a bit inexperienced, but still polite and attentive. I ordered a bottle of beer, sesame mackerel, chicken liver, and boiled beef tendon. The grilled dishes looked tempting too. However, the chef apologized for the chicken liver not being available and suggested grilled cod roe instead. It seemed odd that it wasn't the daily special, but I decided to try it. The sesame mackerel was delicious, with a rich sesame miso sauce that complemented the flavorful mackerel well. It reminded me that it's important to enjoy good fish during the winter. The boiled beef tendon had a firm texture, similar to pickled tripe, and was enjoyable. The grilled cod roe was seared on the outside and raw inside, offering a unique eating experience. Just as I was getting into the meal, the chef unexpectedly left the kitchen. It seemed unprofessional to leave the customers unattended. I planned to have udon for my second meal, so it was a good time to leave. Overall, the food was tasty, bringing out the best of the ingredients. While the service was a bit lacking, the quality of the dishes made up for it. Considering the price, I could probably find a similar experience elsewhere.

After a long time, I went on a business trip to Hakata. In the evening after work, I decided to have a drink and a meal by myself, so I wandered around Gion and stumbled upon a cozy-looking place with a visible counter from the outside. I decided to go in. Looking at the menu, there were various dishes such as sesame mackerel, mentaiko (spicy cod roe) creations, katsudon, curry, and more, making it hard to choose. Since I was in Hakata, I started with the sesame mackerel, a rare mentaiko tempura, and a beer. Delicious. The sesame mackerel was elegant, and the mentaiko tempura had just the right amount of saltiness. The beer went down smoothly. I also ordered a charcoal-grilled vegetable platter and pickled myoga (Japanese ginger) for a palate cleanser. The charcoal-grilled vegetable platter had butter drizzled over it, and a sprinkle of salt enhanced the flavors. It was a substantial dish on its own. As I enjoyed my drinks, I moved on to the final stage. I ordered potato salad, three pieces of chicken karaage, and mentaiko rice balls. The chicken karaage could be ordered per piece, and the juicy meat with bones was delicious. I savored the mentaiko rice balls while enjoying the karaage. It was a moment of bliss. I was quite full by then. Thank you for the meal. Feeling satisfied, I returned to my hotel.