I went because it was supposed to be completely non-smoking, but unfortunately it was smoking. The food is cooked right in front of you, which is nice, but it's a shame about the smoking. Maybe it's smoky because of the grill, but cigarettes are a separate issue... I wish they would either match it or change it.

A teppanyaki restaurant located near the tourist spot of Heiwa Bridge. The food is neither outstanding nor disappointing, but slightly overpriced. Despite the counter-style seating, the staff are not very attentive. It's not a place worth revisiting, even if you happen to be in Kushiro again.

I was looking for an izakaya around the hotel and ended up coming here. There were a lot of customers, but I managed to get a seat without waiting too long. I wanted to start with something light before having the nightingale soba, but ended up ordering quite a lot haha. - One sour drink (I forgot to take a picture, I think it was Kyoho grape flavor) - Kushiro Zangi - Raw saury (grilled saury also available) - Candied hoya (what is candied hoya though? haha) - 5 live oysters - Tachipon I paid with a support coupon purchased online. It was delicious. I wish there was a branch near my home so I could come every day. Thank you and hope to visit again.

On November 15, 2022 (Tue), First Visit [Late Autumn Hokkaido Trip 2022 Day 3 Part 8]: Grilled fresh seafood over charcoal at a robatayaki restaurant. Robatayaki, a style of serving seafood over an open hearth, is said to have originated in Kushiro. For the third stop of our Kushiro bar hopping, we went to "Uroko," a robatayaki restaurant. In the center of the restaurant, there was a hearth where female staff carefully grilled seafood. As I sat at the counter and was about to enjoy a beer, cigarette smoke wafted over from the next seat. Regrettably, I forgot to confirm that it was a smoking-permitted establishment. - Sapporo Classic (bottled beer) 650 yen - Otoshi (appetizer) 500 yen per person - Dried squid 850 yen - Grilled oysters 380 yen x 2 - Sanma (Pacific saury) sashimi 800 yen Since we were somewhat satisfied from the previous two stops, we mainly ordered lighter dishes. The food was nothing special, just average. The restaurant had a tie-up with the hotel we stayed at, and we received a 10% discount on the bill as a lodging benefit. However, upon checking the receipt, we noticed unfamiliar dishes listed. Upon rechecking the contents, it turned out that two dishes ordered by the neighboring customers were mistakenly added to our bill. The correction took over 5 minutes, which was longer than expected for a simple issue, leaving a rather unpleasant aftertaste. Thank you for the meal.

【October 11, 2022】I'm in Kushiro. With two business trips a month, I end up spending a third of the month in Kushiro and Obihiro. I've been to quite a few izakayas, so this time I'm exploring a new one. I arrived at a place called Uroko. They seem to have fresh Pacific saury, which I'd like to try sashimi style. I ordered Pacific saury sashimi, steamed oysters, and tamagoyaki. For drinks, I got draft sake and lukewarm sake. The lukewarm sake is warmed in a pot next to the hearth. Surprisingly, it's delicious. While hot sake is good too, drinking lukewarm sake at just the right tipsy moment is perfect! It goes well with the Pacific saury. The Pacific saury sashimi is delicious with its rich flavor. The tamagoyaki is sweet in taste. While I usually enjoy dashimaki tamago, a sweet tamagoyaki is nice once in a while! In the end, I ended up having three cups of lukewarm sake. It was really delicious. Thank you for the meal!

When I came to Hokkaido, I was thinking of having sushi, but I heard that Kushiro is the birthplace of robatayaki. I'm weak for that kind of food, and I rarely eat robatayaki, so I decided to give it a try! I had planned to go to a different restaurant, but I hadn't made a reservation in advance and called about 30 minutes before the visit to ask if they had availability. The first place was already taking last orders and the second place didn't answer the phone. Finally, the third place I called, "Uroko," answered and kindly said, "It's okay." The restaurant was conveniently located within a 5-minute walk from the hotel where I was staying. I was delighted to see the atmosphere when I arrived, with the hostess sitting silently in the center of a large charcoal grill, surrounded by counter seats where customers enjoyed their drinks and meals while watching her cook. I love this kind of atmosphere! I took some photos, although they didn't turn out as well as I had hoped. I enjoyed dishes such as grilled saury, smelt, scallops, asparagus, pork skewers, robatayaki-style omelette, and grilled rice balls. The saury was large and flavorful, and the scallops were easy to eat. The high-quality ingredients and careful cooking really brought out the delicious flavors. The only disappointment was that the omelette wasn't made in front of us. After the meal, I was able to take a leisurely walk along the Kushiro River, passing by the Heiwa Bridge and the Kushiro Monument, allowing me to fully enjoy Kushiro without having to travel far.

In March 2022, I went out for a drink alone after a long time. I started at the robatayaki restaurant "Uroko," which was taken over by the Izakaya Sankyu a few years ago. It was my first visit since the change in ownership. I arrived early, so there was no one else there. The large, spacious counter was still the same as before. I got permission to order by looking at the photos of the dishes. I asked for a bottle of beer, pork skewers, chicken skewers, and scallop sashimi. The appetizers arrived, and I was pleasantly surprised to find "takomanma" among the three dishes. Takomanma is made from octopus eggs and has a subtle flavor, but it tasted even better with a little soy sauce drizzled on top. The pork skewers and chicken skewers were grilled right in front of me by a kimono-clad lady, and they were perfectly seasoned. The scallops were fresh, not frozen, with a great texture and large meaty pieces. When I ordered the freshly squeezed Fukushi, they only had half left, so they charged me half price (they don't offer any service on that). Since it was my first stop, I decided to end it there. Everything was delicious, well-prepared, and the atmosphere of THE Robatayaki was great, making it popular among tourists. I think it would be a good place for entertaining guests as well, so I'll definitely visit again. Thank you for the meal.

Kushiro specialty Robatayaki. It's about a 15-minute walk along the river from Kushiro Station to the Robatayaki restaurant. On snowy days with bad weather, it's convenient to use a taxi. The restaurant has counter seats surrounding the hearth, where female chefs cook for you. They also offer Kushiro's only local sake, Fukushi, which was delicious. Unfortunately, I didn't take photos of the food, but it was very delicious. The appetizer served varies each time, as mentioned by regular customers. It's a popular restaurant, so reservations are a must.

The signboard is brightly lit, but the light leaking from the entrance is dim, making me hesitate for a moment before entering. Even inside, the lighting felt dim, but too bright lighting would ruin the hearth atmosphere, so it's a difficult balance. I always had the impression that robatayaki in Kushiro is expensive, but this restaurant is not like that, with prices that I think are reasonable. I ordered sashimi, oysters, skewers, vegetables, and they were all delicious. Watching the food being grilled right in front of you is really enjoyable.

The course meal with Hanasakigani (flower crabs) had a generous amount, making me look forward to the next menu. The Hanasakigani was delicious. However, while the sashimi platter and cod hot pot exceeded my expectations in taste, the grilled dishes and tempura were all served cold and unappetizing. Despite being a robatayaki restaurant, the grilled dishes were all served at the same time, causing the meat to become tough and the grilled fish to be cold and burnt. The tempura was also cold, likely due to the cold weather in Kushiro. Dishes like oyster vinegar and ikura rice were delicious even when cold, but for dishes that are meant to be eaten hot, it was disappointing that they were served cold, perhaps due to it being a course meal.

I wanted to eat robatayaki, so I found a restaurant while walking and decided to visit. I was seated at the counter and watched as they grilled fish and vegetables in front of me, which got me excited. I ordered grilled shiitake mushrooms. My impression was that it was too salty. I also ordered grilled asparagus. It was surprisingly thin. It didn't taste good at all for the price.

Kushiro's long-established robatayaki restaurant. Today, I went to the robatayaki restaurant in Kushiro by myself. Robatayaki is said to have originated in Kushiro. I ordered grilled oysters, fresh scallop sashimi, pork skewers, and shishamo. First, the grilled oysters. They lightly grill fresh oysters that can also be eaten raw. The plump oysters are juicy, and when you bite into them, the oyster juice overflows. They were so delicious that I ended up ordering more. Next, the pork skewers seasoned with salt. The sweetness of the pork is delightful, and it was also delicious. Then, the shishamo. Not from Sakhalin, but local shishamo. The drying and grilling were both excellent. And the fresh scallop sashimi. It's crunchy and the sweetness of the scallop is amazing. The liver is firm and incredibly sweet. Truly Kushiro! Hmm, I also want to try zangi (fried chicken) now. So, I ordered zangi as well. In the movie "Terminal" based on the novel by Shinohara Sakura, starring Koji Yakusho and Honda Tsubasa, there was a scene where Koji Yakusho made zangi in Kushiro. In simple terms, it's like the Hokkaido version of fried chicken. The coating is crispy, and the inside is juicy. It's served with Worcestershire sauce instead of the usual zangi sauce. The zangi itself is already flavorful, but dipping it in the sauce is also delicious. Clearly, I ordered too much. My stomach is full, and I am completely satisfied.

This day was a business trip to Kushiro. The unique Kushiro fog made it impossible to see the runway at Kushiro Airport until just before landing. This is truly Kushiro. And it's cold for July. I was on vacation in Okinawa not long ago, so I'm surprised by this temperature difference. On this day, I tried the famous Kushiro fireplace cuisine. I went to Rokubata Rin, near the hotel. I sat at the counter around the fireplace, and the warmth of the hearth was just right for the chilly Kushiro weather. First, I had a beer to quench my thirst, and then I enjoyed the grilled ingredients from the hearth. This time, I had asparagus, corn, chicken wings, and hokke fish, among others. Apart from the grilled items, I also had salmon. The corn was sweet and really delicious. The asparagus was excellent too. After a while, I tried "Dara Kan" which is lukewarm sake. The name "Dara Kan" comes from the act of slowly warming the sake beside the hearth. Dara Kan was delicious! It's a mild temperature and taste that is easy to drink, not hot or cold. It's the best. Even though I know I always end up tipsy, I can't help but drink. It's the devil's drink, you know. After a few drinks, my body warmed up at the hearth, and the Dara Kan made me even cozier. Kushiro hokke fish (known as "menme" in Kushiro) was incredibly delicious with its fatty texture. The remaining parts were served later as a soup, and the broth was so tasty! It's a shame I couldn't take a photo as I was too drunk to take pictures. The influence of Dara Kan, haha. Once again, the taste of the hearth cuisine was really delicious! Thank you for the meal!

A restaurant that evokes a sense of travel when you come to Kushiro! Inside the counter, there is a hearth. The seafood, as well as the vegetables and grilled rice balls, are delicious.

Good memories of Kushiro

Grilled at the hearth - I was the only customer.

The hokke (fish) was salty. Other than that, everything else was delicious.

I found a robatayaki restaurant in Kushiro. It was a Saturday, so many places were fully booked and hard to get into, but this place was empty so we could easily get a seat. The first floor had a counter seat in a U-shape with a hearth in the middle, giving it a cozy robatayaki atmosphere. The taste was average, similar to a typical izakaya. The prices were a bit on the high side. Location: 2-240154-22-4001 Suehirocho, Kushiro, Hokkaido Business Hours: 17:00-22:00 Closed on Sundays and public holidays.

As soon as you step inside the store, you can feel the historical and cozy atmosphere. In the middle, there is a grilling area surrounded by a counter in a U-shape. The grilled items are served on large shovels to the customers. This is the essence of robatayaki. Looking at the other customers, there are moms, salarymen... We clearly stand out. The food itself is average. The prices seem a bit high. I noticed that many customers are taking receipts with them when they leave. It makes me wonder if this is not the kind of place you go to on your own dime...