The restaurant is located in a small alley near the famous Hanazono Dango shop, featured in the manga Golden Kamuy. When it comes to eating sushi in Otaru, it is not particularly cheap, even for lunch. However, this restaurant offers reasonable prices compared to the sushi restaurants on Sushi Street. It has the appearance of an izakaya but also offers lunch. I arrived around 12 pm on a weekday and found the counter on the first floor empty. I ordered a bottle of Sapporo Classic beer and then a sushi set called "Ootomi Nigiri." The set included 12 pieces of nigiri sushi and miso soup with tofu and nameko mushrooms. The toppings included tuna, amberjack, flounder, shrimp, salmon, scallop, ark shell, surf clam, conger eel, squid with sea urchin, salmon roe, and flying fish roe. The toppings were thick and the rice portions were generous. The total price was 2300 yen, which I found to be very cost-effective. I would like to try their famous Genkotsu Zangi, unique tomato tempura, and Torimen noodles for my next visit. The restaurant also offers local Hokkaido specialties such as grilled oysters from Akkeshi and shishamo from Muroran, allowing you to enjoy the seasonal delights of Hokkaido.

On July 6, 2023, we visited this restaurant in Hokkaido for our second meal of the day. My friend wanted to try local cuisine, so we made a reservation here. I imagined it would be a small restaurant, but it had a spacious second floor where many people were dining. The staff were very busy but friendly. We felt a bit nervous being in Hokkaido for the first time, but we had a pleasant time. The dishes we tried were all homely and showcased Hokkaido or Otaru pride. I wonder why this place doesn't have higher ratings on Tabelog? If this restaurant were in Tokyo, I'm sure it would have long lines every day. We will visit again next year.

I just started using Tabelog! Please follow me if you'd like! I'll follow back~ A creative Japanese-style izakaya. Overall, the portions were quite generous for the price. The first photo is of fried grilled rice balls served in a different style of ochazuke. The crispy grilled rice balls are served with a flavorful broth, and they are delicious. And they are huge, like the size of two regular onigiri. And yet, it's only 660 yen. The second photo is of deep-fried whole hokke fish with a sweet and sour sauce. You can eat everything from head to tail, and it's 900 yen. The restaurant has a spacious and relaxing atmosphere, with friendly staff that make you want to stay longer. The portions were so generous that we couldn't finish everything we ordered, but they kindly packed it up for us to take home. Knowing now that the portions are large, I'll be more mindful of what I order next time.

Recommended by a Twitter follower♪ ・ Ootomi Nigiri Sushi for ¥2300 ・ The type of sushi changes depending on the season. The sea urchin is not on a battleship, but placed on top of squid. Sea urchin and squid go well together, but I wanted to savor them individually. The rice portions are large, so you can get full easily. It's a good deal for sushi in Otaru. However, if you look at the menu and find that crab, shrimp, and sea urchin are not available, especially tourists might feel a bit disappointed. It might be better to show seasonal photos rather than just mentioning that the menu changes with the seasons. I'd like to try the vinegar dish with someone next time. I was able to use the Otaru Premium Coupon. Thank you for the meal♪

My sister found this restaurant through an online search, so we decided to visit it in the midst of a snowstorm. When we saw the brightly lit sign, we got excited and happy! Upon entering, the owner and his wife warmly welcomed us, and we chose to sit at the counter even though there was also a second floor. Since it was cold, we ordered some hot sake. We had vinegar dish, fried oysters, zangi (3 pieces), and the chef's special sushi. We also had some sour drinks. The total bill was 5790 yen. The food was all delicious and filling. The owner's son was in the kitchen and we watched soccer on TV during downtime. We even took a photo together at the end. Thank you for the wonderful meal!

Located in the bustling Hanazono-cho district of Otaru city, about a 15-minute walk from JR Otaru Station, this small Japanese restaurant is a favorite spot for the reviewer. They have been coming here for over 20 years, often being taken by business partners. Despite its unassuming appearance, the restaurant has a decent seating capacity with a counter, tables, and tatami rooms on the second floor. The reviewer visited as their second stop of the night at 7:30 PM, looking to unwind after a disappointing first choice. The menu mainly features seafood dishes, including sashimi, tempura, and grilled items, all of which are consistently delicious. The prices may be slightly higher than average, but the quality of the food justifies it. The reviewer highly recommends this restaurant. Today's orders included a mixed seafood vinegar dish with octopus, scallops, snow crab, shrimp, and squid for 800 yen, a grilled large blue mussel for 500 yen, and a full portion of sea urchin rice bowl for 4,000 yen. The sea urchin was of excellent quality and quantity, although the price was based on market value. The reviewer also enjoyed a total of 5 draft beers and 3 highballs during the meal.

I really wanted to eat "Tachi no Tempura" so I wandered around. Then, at the entrance of Ootomi, I saw the words "Tachi no Tempura"! I was so happy and went in without hesitation. Since it was my second stop, I decided to go all in on this dish. I had already had a beer, so I went for an "Ulong High" this time! Unexpectedly, it came with shiitake mushrooms and shishito peppers, which seemed really good. The taste and portion were also impressive. It was the right choice. However, I have to resist the temptation of the neighboring "Irorian" if I want to come back here (laughs).

Zangi from Zangi Koshien, a must-try dish. A recommended local shop unknown to tourists turned out to be a great find. #Otaru #HokkaidoGem #hokkaidolove #gourmet #EnoLog

At first, I was planning to have a meal at a tourist spot in Otaru. However, I couldn't find anything I wanted and it wasn't very interesting, so I decided not to eat there and instead headed towards a less crowded street. I was recommended to try local shops rather than tourist-oriented ones. I found a place on a side street, which seemed like a casual dining place with counter seats and possibly private rooms on the second floor. I ordered the "Ootomi sushi", which had a variety of fresh and large sushi toppings that looked delicious. Although it lacked the glitz of touristy places, the sushi was outstandingly tasty. Otaru definitely lives up to its reputation for delicious sushi. Everything I tried was delicious, but the shrimp was particularly amazing. Additionally, the prices were very reasonable. I enjoyed a quiet and leisurely meal, and I prefer this type of restaurant over touristy ones.

When I went to Otaru for a location shoot, I happened to enter this restaurant. When I mentioned that I came from Tokyo, they wanted me to enjoy the seafood of Hokkaido, so they served me a variety of fish. Freshly caught shishamo comparison (male and female) and ridiculously large prawns, all of them were really delicious. I went there twice during the 3-day shoot... And on top of that, it's incredibly cheap. If you go to Rumoi, I highly recommend going there.

The sushi and the large zangi are delicious!

Delicious seafood and above all, the Zangi.

I visited a New Year's party. However, the banquet fees in Otaru are quite high ^^; The dishes kept coming one after another. It seems to be a long-established local cuisine restaurant. The highlight for me was the vinegared dish. The traditional cucumber and crab were nostalgic and delicious. At the bar counter, I was a bit surprised when there was no response when ordering drinks, but thank you for the feast!

In April 2016, I visited a restaurant called "Local Cuisine Ootomi" in the Hanazono-cho drinking alley in Otaru, which is open for lunch even though the night is the main focus. The restaurant is run by the owner couple and their son's family. I decided to have the tempura bowl for lunch, which was one of the three lunch set options available that day. The son seemed to be in charge of frying, and his meticulous work was impressive. The head chef seemed like a typical artisan, maintaining a somewhat reserved demeanor. However, he was not unfriendly, and if engaged in conversation, he would respond normally. The tempura bowl had a variety of ingredients including sweet potatoes, eggplant, bamboo shoots, shrimp, squid, squid legs, crab and seaweed roll, smelt fish, shishito peppers, and mushrooms, making for a substantial and delicious meal. The sauce was less sweet than usual in Hokkaido, but it complemented the dish well. Overall, I enjoyed the meal and would like to come back to try their evening menu, which seems to offer a wide variety of seafood dishes.

After enjoying yakitori at Ishii-san, we decided to have seafood here. The signboard with local dishes caught our attention. It was around 18:40 and there were only two groups in the counter-only restaurant. We sat at the counter seats in the front. We started with a lemon sour for a toast. The dishes we ordered were sashimi assortment and grilled flatfish. The sashimi was all made with local fish and incredibly fresh. The flatfish had a firm texture and made a great accompaniment to sake. We could even eat the small bones. While eating the flatfish, I felt like having wine, so we ordered a half bottle of Otaru white wine. I had tried the red wine on the Cassiopeia train before, but not the white. The dining car attendant had mentioned that the white wine was popular during dinner time. Trying it now, it was refreshing and delicious. I was already quite tipsy from drinking since noon, but then I found something on the menu that caught my interest. I had sushi at a sushi restaurant on Sushi Street in Otaru before, so I wasn't planning to go to a sushi restaurant now. However, they had "Seafood Sushi Roll" here. In my hometown of Nagasaki, you can find seafood sushi rolls at supermarkets. They have more fish than vinegared rice, so you can eat a lot of them. This one had plenty of fish too, with tuna, salmon, yellowtail, and flying fish roe, thinly sliced for easy eating. My friend, who said they couldn't eat anymore, ended up eating some too. After the previous customers left, we chatted with the staff. When we mentioned that we came on the Cassiopeia train, the conversation became lively. We spent 1 hour and 45 minutes there, and the bill came to about 2,800 yen per person. It's a great place to enjoy seafood. Thank you for the meal.

I thought "Hakkaku" was a Chinese dish with star anise, but it turned out to be a slightly grotesque but delicious fish, as the cheerful rickshaw driver in Otaru informed me. I was persuaded by his skillful recommendation to experience my first rickshaw ride in Otaru. After enjoying the night view along the canal, I headed to "Kyoudo Ryouri Ootomi" recommended by him. The first floor had a kitchen and a counter facing it. The second floor seemed to be a tatami room. Although there were sushi shops lined up on the main street nearby, this place was a bit hidden, known only to locals. That day, we had the first floor all to ourselves until the end. We ordered the grilled Hakkaku in miso sauce right away. The deep-sea fish, which had a jagged bone-like structure protecting its flesh like an armored vehicle, had a head resembling a large crocodile and a body shaped like an octagon, hence its name. The flesh was plump and white, and it paired perfectly with the miso sauce. The bones left after eating were grilled to make a crispy snack. The corn tempura and hokke fish in a thick sauce were also delicious. And of course, we couldn't miss the "Zangi," which is the local name for fried chicken. However, the Zangi at this restaurant had a unique twist. They rolled thinly sliced chicken meat into balls and fried them, resulting in juicy and tender meat with a crispy and spicy coating. For dessert, we had sushi. The sight of the fresh fish in the case in front of us was enticing. We ordered the seasonal North scallop and sweet shrimp. The plump sweet shrimp melted in my mouth... and the person next to us eating tuna insisted we try it, so we added that too. The tuna had a rich umami flavor. It was pure bliss. We enjoyed local sake from Otaru, the cost performance was good, the chef and the hostess were friendly, and we left the restaurant feeling very satisfied and headed back to the hotel.

I start by enjoying sushi at the popular local fish restaurant Uoman, and then head to the second place. The back alleys are piled up with snow, leaving only enough space for one car to pass through. The path to the bars is clear, creating a picturesque scene typical of the northern region. I make my way to Otaru Yataimura Brick Street, located in the arcade of Sunmall Ichiban Street, a popular spot for tourists. Facing Sushiya Street where I had lunch yesterday at Otaru Masazushi Main Store, I see the sign for Hanagin. This leads to Otaru Hanazono Ginza Shopping Street, known as Hanagin. The street is lined with shops and restaurants, but a side street is filled with bars and more. This area seems to come alive at night. My target for the night is Ootomi, a local cuisine restaurant. A friend had mentioned it was a good spot when they visited Otaru and Yoichi last fall. Outside the restaurant, a large dried fish fin is hanging. I enter and sit at the counter on the first floor. Upstairs, locals seem to be having a party. Based on my experience of exploring izakayas for years, a place where locals gather for parties is always a good choice. I take my time looking around the restaurant. The owner, a quiet and honest man in his sixties, accommodates my request for two grilled oysters from Akkeshi instead of the usual three. The thick and large oysters from Akkeshi are known for their plump and rich sweetness, often referred to as the "milk of the sea." I then try the male shishamo from Mukawa. I opt for hot sake, a bottle of Sapporo, and an octopus ship-style grilled dish recommended by the owner. The dish features an octopus from Otaru, topped with miso and green onion, served in a teriyaki style. Although the appearance may be grotesque, the taste of the white-fleshed fish is subtle and delicious. The skin is fried to a crispy senbei-like texture, making it easy to separate from the flesh. The owner even turns the bones and skin into crispy senbei for me. It's a perfect dish to accompany my sake. The warm atmosphere and friendly conversations with locals and the owner make my heart warm, despite the heavy snowfall outside.

I visited this restaurant before, and when we think of Hokkaido, we think of sushi, and when we think of sushi, we think of Otaru. Probably because of "Shota no Sushi," I think. So when I went to Hokkaido, I visited Otaru. Since it was summer, I definitely wanted to eat sea urchin, so I was wandering around looking for a sushi restaurant. There are many sushi restaurants in Otaru, and honestly, I didn't know which one to choose. But for some reason, there are people who have a stubborn idea at times like this, saying "Let's avoid touristy places." Well, we are tourists, and it's okay to go to a touristy place... While I was thinking about it, I ended up in front of this restaurant. It's located in a quiet place off the main tourist street, and the appearance of the restaurant is not flashy. Some people decide on their own that "this is a place where locals often go." And I decided on this place. When I entered, there was only one customer at the counter on the 1st floor during the weekend of the summer holiday period, and since there were four of us, we were seated in the private room on the 2nd floor, where there were no customers. Is it okay even though it's a bit off from lunchtime? We ordered beer, a sushi set, and fried chicken. First, the beer and fried chicken. The fried chicken is like Hokkaido's version of chicken nuggets, but wow! It's huge!! It's about the size of an adult fist. It's a bit of a challenge to eat. But it's delicious! It's cooked properly. According to the restaurant lady, there's a trick to frying it. The sushi was also delicious. It was a set for about 2000 yen, but all the items were made with good ingredients and were delicious. Especially the seasonal sea urchin was amazing. The lady at the restaurant said that sea urchin is the most delicious at this time of year, so it seemed like we came at a good season. The restaurant lady talks a lot. She told us various stories. Without this lady, the atmosphere of this restaurant might not have been as good. I had a great time. I honestly thought I had made a mistake in choosing this restaurant. But that was not the case at all. You shouldn't judge by appearance. There are many sushi restaurants in Otaru, but I recommend this one.

I used it for a New Year's party. I chose the 5000 yen course with all-you-can-drink. It included hot pot, sashimi, pickled vegetables, various side dishes, octopus tempura, vegetable tempura, zangi (fried chicken), sushi, and ice cream for dessert, which was quite a generous amount. Every dish was delicious. Especially the zangi and sushi were tasty, and overall, the volume was satisfying. The variety of drinks was not too extensive, but since I mainly drink beer, it didn't bother me. I wish they could bring the drinks a bit faster. I would have preferred the hot pot to focus more on fish or poultry rather than crab. Overall, it was good though!! I would like to use it again in the future.