Met up with friends and headed to the restaurant. Arrived a little early before opening time and the shutters were closed, but we waited patiently. We were the first ones to enter the restaurant. My friends had made a reservation. We went up the stairs to the second floor of the restaurant. We sat at a table with a sunken hearth, which was shared with another group. Initially, a few dishes were automatically served, and then we could order our preferences. It was a place for drinking sake, as my friends had told me, but they also served beer. We started with sake instead of beer. At that time, I didn't fully grasp how amazing the restaurant was, so I forgot to take the first bottle of sake. We started with black soybeans from Tanba, which didn't look great but tasted delicious. The flavor of the beans was really good. Next was a dish called shiraae, which was cooked in a broth made from Nanjing cabbage, mixed with chicken, peanuts, and Shine Muscat grapes. It was surprisingly delicious and had a unique flavor. The dish knocked me out with its unexpected combination of flavors. It was like a culinary battle between different regions. I changed my sake. The staff recommended sake that would pair well with the upcoming dishes. I was completely at their mercy. The dishes that followed included garlic-flavored seared tuna, eel liver, and a small side dish. Then, a bottle labeled "Kawaguchi Natto" appeared. It was quite amusing. The sake paired really well with the dishes. There were also various sashimi dishes with a lot of attention to detail. I was impressed by the sea bream from Murakouichi. One interesting dish was called Yokowa. When the staff introduced the fish on the plate, they named each one, but Yokowa was a mystery. It turned out to be a young tuna. The names of fish can vary depending on the region, so it was interesting to learn about them. The automatic serving time was over. I was already very satisfied, but when the dishes that had been pre-ordered arrived, my excitement grew. It was a feast with a whole grilled sea bream, surrounded by autumn sweet potatoes and chestnuts. The steamed dish had a wonderful aroma. The fish was tender and perfectly seasoned. It was so delicious that it didn't need soy sauce or salt. We also had fig and shiitake mushroom tempura and udon noodles as a finishing touch. We ate and drank to our heart's content. I found my favorite sake and was grateful to be taken to such a great restaurant. I was completely satisfied and thankful.

I had been curious about Utsutsuyo-san for a while. When you order a la carte, you first get four small dishes and a sashimi assortment. After that, you can order more dishes yourself. You can also add on quite a lot, so I was able to eat a lot. The sashimi and all the dishes were delicious. Thank you for the meal.

I made a reservation for two people at 17:30 on a regular day and was asked over the phone if it was okay to start with beer for a toast and then switch to sake only. They explained that they would first serve us four appetizers and a sashimi platter for the group, followed by ordering our preferred dishes a la carte. We agreed to this system and were impressed by the polite responses. We arrived at the restaurant right when it opened, and the staff welcomed us at the entrance. Inside, the atmosphere was spacious and had a traditional Japanese house feel. We were seated at a table for two in the back. We started with sharing a bottle of beer for a toast and enjoyed four appetizers. I then ordered a sake called "Oroku" which had a cute design of a mountain woman on the label. It had a refreshing and fruity sweetness that I loved, and I kept ordering it. The sashimi platter was amazing, especially the bonito and saury. We also ordered grilled chicken wings with cumin, soybean with soy sauce, and other dishes. Everything was delicious, and I forgot to take a picture of the grilled fish collar. The food, environment, and service were all excellent, and I had a great time for three hours. Most of the customers were men, and it seemed like a place where men come to enjoy alone. I will definitely visit again with friends who love sake. Thank you for the wonderful meal!

Date of visit: 7/29 Duration of stay: 2.5 hours Purpose: Date/Friends Reservation method: Phone Cost: 28,000 yen for 2 people Payment method: Credit card Overall rating: Taste x0.5 + Service x0.05 + Atmosphere x0.15 + Value for money x0.15 + Drinks x0.15 Met up with a friend who loves sake, so we decided to make a reservation. The entrance, staircase, and interior of the restaurant were all stylishly decorated in a building in Honmachi. We opted for the course meal, which was delicious, and the variety of sake available was impressive. One visit was not enough to fully enjoy it, so I'll definitely have to go back.

Started with 4 appetizers that went well with the ordered menu: - Mackerel Sunomono - Potato Salad with Sea Urchin - Cold Ratatouille - Eel Liver and Cucumber Crunch with Hyuganatsu Salt Jelly Assorted Sashimi: - Swordfish from Kumamoto - Yellowfin Tuna from Shimane Prefecture - Spotted Trevally from Kagoshima - Hirame, Pacific Sand Lance, Japanese Common Squid, and Japanese Spanish Mackerel from Wakayama Additional order: - Seared Duck Breast Tataki from Osaka (1,760 yen) - New Tea and New Potato Tempura with Wild Vegetables (950 yen) - Salted Rice Ball Topped with Assorted Toppings (700 yen) Shonan Beer Pilsner Hachibei Sake Thank you for the feast! Thank you very much!

On March 15, 2023, I had my usual drinking session with a dentist friend at a restaurant. We made a reservation over the phone in advance, and the place was already full by 7 pm. The system there automatically brings out 3-4 small dishes and a sashimi platter without needing to order, which is convenient. That day, we were served dishes like sand lance, firefly squid, and rapeseed blossoms as starters. The sashimi included longtail tuna, horse mackerel, red snapper, flounder, Japanese Spanish mackerel, cutlassfish, and cold yellowtail, all of which were delicious as expected. We enjoyed a variety of sake after starting with beer, including Takara (junmai), Shichihonyari (junmai), Akishika, Yamakawa Mitsuo (junmai), Tohoku Izumi (junmai daiginjo), and Ryu (junmai daiginjo served warm). After that, my memory gets a bit fuzzy! Thanks for the great meal!

On March 11, 2023, I made a reservation at the highly recommended "Utsutsuyo" sake restaurant in Honmachi that my friend, who loves sake, had been eagerly wanting to visit. We started our day with lunch at "Kokuu" in Nishi-Tenma, famous for being affiliated with "Yamanaka Sake no Mise" in Namba, where we enjoyed their "Nidanju" set meal. This visit to "Utsutsuyo" was long-awaited, especially since I had previously visited "Ajisake Kamunabi" in Tanimachi, another restaurant run by a graduate of "Yamanaka Sake no Mise." We had a reservation for 6:00 pm and were seated on the second floor at a counter seat. We ordered a variety of drinks to share, including sparkling sake from Shiga, a sake from Yamakawa Mitsuo in Yamagata, and a junmai ginjo sake from Aizu Musume Hanasakura in Fukushima, among others. The meal started with a selection of appetizers, followed by a sashimi platter with various fish. The menu also included dishes like fuki no tou miso, yakou wakagobou nitsuke, and sweetfish innards. We enjoyed the seasonal ingredients like butterbur sprouts, young burdock, and mountain vegetables in tempura form. We usually start with beer, but this restaurant is all about enjoying sake, so we shared different kinds of sake from all over Japan, along with doburoku. The restaurant has a system where a variety of small appetizers and sashimi platters are served first, with the prices unspecified. After that, you can continue to order more dishes to pair with the sake. The appetizers featured seasonal vegetables and seafood, while the individual dishes like the whitefish and new seaweed egg, and the cumin grilled chicken wings stood out for their delicious flavors. The closing salted rice ball was a perfect ending to the meal, with freshly cooked rice wrapped in crispy nori. After enjoying a night of sake, we left the restaurant slightly tipsy after spending around 22,550 yen for the whole experience. It was a delightful feast.

In March 2023, a friend made a reservation for me at "Utsutsuyo," a sake restaurant in Honcho. We arrived at 6:00 pm and were seated at the counter. We started with a toast with sake (a pre-dinner drink). The menu included appetizers and a sashimi platter, with additional dishes chosen a la carte. Here is what we had: 【Drinks】 - Shiga: Mifuku Shippo Sparkling 200ml for 1300 yen - Yamagata: Yamakawa Mitsuo 2023 Haru for 1260 yen - Fukushima: Aizumusume Junmai Ginjo Hanasakura for 1160 yen - Tottori: Hiyokisakura Yozakura Label for 940 yen - Shiga: Happy Doburoku for 2000 yen - Aichi: Chochin Shinbunshi 5055 for 1380 yen 【Appetizers】(part of the course) - Squid and native watercress - Wakayama firefly squid, rapeseed blossoms, Hokkaido snow under cabbage - White fish and new seaweed with eggs - Eel liver and turnip crunch 【Sashimi Platter】(part of the course) - Kishu horse mackerel, gure, wild yellowtail - Awaji Island flounder - Tottori sawara - Kumamoto swordfish - Naruto Murakouichi's cold bora 【Additional Dishes】 - Butterbur miso for 550 yen - Yao young burdock simmered for 600 yen - Jidori chicken wing cumin grill with sweet and sour pickled celery for 770 yen - Sweetfish simmered for 1280 yen - Fried mountain vegetables, sweet potatoes, and Jerusalem artichokes for 900 yen 【Closing Dish】 - Salt rice ball with pickled Chinese cabbage and young burdock for 680 yen Personally, I found the sashimi platter to be the most delicious and memorable, but all the additional dishes we ordered were also delicious. The seasonal mountain vegetables like butterbur, young burdock, and mountain yam were a highlight, and the sake paired perfectly with the food. Thank you for the wonderful meal! I would love to visit again with a friend who loves sake.

I started a gourmet site for Mitomi Emon. You can find it on the homepage "https://blog.33inc.jp" and on Instagram "@mitomi_emon". I visited the sake izakaya "Sake Sansai Utsutsuyoi" in Honmachi. You can order a dinner filled with sake here. The entrance has a Japanese sake art gallery atmosphere, and the interior decorated with washi paper shows great sense of style. The main star is, of course, the sake, accompanied by about four side dishes and sashimi. After that, you can order your favorite dishes a la carte. Let's start with a toast with sake from Osaka. "Boiled new baby squid and dried spinach" and "Hijiki seaweed, rapeseed blossoms, and snow cabbage" with sesame vinegar miso are exquisite. "White fish and fresh seaweed egg drop soup", "Boiled tsubugai", and a sashimi platter with longfin tuna (Nagasaki), sandfish (Kishu), natural flounder (Awaji Island), Japanese Spanish mackerel (Tottori), yellowtail (Kishu), beltfish (Kumamoto), and lizardfish (Naruto). The lizardfish is from the legendary fisherman, Mr. Mura Koichi. Don't underestimate it as a sake accompaniment. The sake keeps flowing. And additional dishes. The soy sauce beans are a must-eat! "Yao young burdock simmered" and "Handmade soy sauce beans from Sanuki". Soybeans marinated in soy sauce and sugar. It's different from simmered dishes, the ultimate snack. "Mushroom and butterbur scape tempura". The mushrooms are like juice. The flavor of butterbur scape is well preserved. "Grilled chicken wings with cumin". Spices are also an important factor in recommending sake. "Grilled Kawachi duck breast". You can't miss the Osaka specialty! The fat and flavor are wonderful. "Salt rice ball". Let's finish with a playful rice ball. Thank you for the feast!

Hello! Today, I went to Utsutsuyo, a Japanese sake restaurant in Honmachi, and had their "omakase" course. It was a celebration for a project I've been working on for 3 years. I decided to treat myself and visit this high-class restaurant. The restaurant mainly focuses on enjoying Japanese sake, so the dishes are served as a pairing with the sake. You can choose your sake, but it's best to let the staff recommend a sake that complements the dishes. The first sake had a smooth taste and paired well with the delicious food. Before I knew it, I was having a great time and feeling pleasantly tipsy. Thank you, Utsutsuyo, for the wonderful meal!

Visited the restaurant on the same day after making a phone reservation. The place has been selected as one of the top 100 restaurants and has received high ratings, so I had high expectations. The atmosphere of the restaurant is lively and cozy. It seems more suitable for couples than for groups of men. Despite the high ratings, the "assorted sashimi" that was highly recommended was not to my liking, except for the delicious seared "sayori" fish. There were two types of soy sauce for the sashimi, but I felt that one would have been sufficient. I don't usually drink sake at restaurants, but the sake here was delicious. Overall, the cost performance may not be the best.

Located a 5-7 minute walk from Honmachi Station is the izakaya restaurant "Utsutsuyoru" that specializes in serving sake. It is a place where ordering sake is a must, and those who cannot drink sake are not allowed. Despite the strict rule on alcohol, the atmosphere of the restaurant is very welcoming, with friendly service that makes it a comfortable place to dine. In 2022, it was selected as one of the top 100 izakaya restaurants in Japan. I recently tried their appetizer set, sashimi platter, seared duck breast, and beef tendon with Yanagawa burdock. Each dish was carefully crafted to complement the sake, with light seasoning that allowed the rich flavor of the sake to shine through. The sashimi platter featuring fresh fish like swordfish, Spanish mackerel, and flounder was a highlight, as well as the perfectly paired oyster oil marinated in oil. This is the perfect place for those who want to enjoy a wide variety of sake from all over Japan and appreciate the intricate flavors of each dish. I highly recommend visiting this restaurant if you are a sake enthusiast. Thank you for the delicious meal!

On the third day of my business trip from Miyazaki to Osaka, I had the best rich tonkotsu ramen in Miyazaki for lunch, so I decided to have Japanese cuisine for dinner at "Nihonshu Sanshu Utsutsuyoi"! I arrived before 8:00 PM on Friday without a reservation, thinking they might not allow a single person in, but to my surprise, they let me in! The appetizer consisted of 4 small dishes, followed by sashimi, all of which were amazingly delicious. The selection of sake was impressive, with a variety of options available. I ended up drinking 3 servings of sake in total. I forgot to take photos of the dishes in my excitement, but trust me, they were all fantastic. The atmosphere was lively and the staff were friendly, creating a welcoming environment. I felt comfortable dining alone and enjoyed every aspect of my experience at this restaurant. Another favorite spot in Osaka for me!

Located about 5 minutes from Honmachi Station on the Osaka Metro in Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture, this is a place where you can enjoy Japanese sake. Those who cannot drink sake are not allowed, so it is recommended to make a reservation before visiting. The restaurant is on the second floor, accessed by stairs. Upon seating at the counter, they naturally offered to take my coat. I was asked if I wanted to start with beer or sake, and I chose sake. The restaurant offers a set of appetizers and sashimi as a starter, followed by a la carte ordering. I added a sashimi of "Yokowa" (baby tuna) to my order. The appetizers included child-bearing ayu (sweetfish), mountain pepper pickled shrimp, brandade of duck and daikon, and shrimp and beans dish. All were delicious, but the "ebi mame" (a Shiga local dish) was particularly tasty. The sashimi included Yokowa from Himi, natural sea bream from Awaji, swordfish from Kumamoto, horse mackerel from Kishu, and mackerel from Obama. I enjoyed it so much that I added another serving of Yokowa. The sake served were all at room temperature, including Ryusei junmai daiginjo from Hiroshima, Otaru junmai ginjo from Shimane, Izumihikari junmai from Okayama, and Benten Musume junmai yamahai from Mie. The first two were fresh, while the latter two were full-bodied. Both the sake and the food were delicious, and the service was friendly yet formal. It was a wonderful dining experience. Thank you for the meal.

I went to a restaurant where people who can't drink sake are not allowed (°Д°). The rules at Utsutsuyo's place are: ① First, we toast with bottled beer٩( ᐖ )۶ ② Then, four appetizers are served (about 1 hour) - boiled bamboo shoots, winter persimmon with ricotta cheese, pickled daikon radish and mackerel, yuzu miso sauce over eel liver ③ Next, a sashimi platter with bonito, Spanish mackerel, horse mackerel, cutlassfish, flathead, black scraper, flounder, and Murayoshi's cold bora. You can also order an additional dish from this point ( ﾟ∀ ﾟ)ﾊｯ! Enjoying sake slowly while waiting for the dishes... Cheese koji pickled, salt-grilled amberjack, cod milt meuniere with pecorino cheese (takes a while to be served) I made a reservation at 17:30 and left the restaurant around 20:15. The food was delicious, but it was more of a place to drink than to eat ε≡≡ﾍ( ´Д`)ﾉ I didn't feel full due to the slow pace of serving. I enjoy gourmet food with the concept of "eating to lose weight"٩(`･ω･´)و Please check out my Instagram too, ID @kanae.0402. Thank you m(*_ _)m

I made a reservation and visited the restaurant at 6:00 PM on the weekend. Located just a 3-minute walk from Honmachi Station, this restaurant is a renowned establishment on the Funebado-Ike Street listed in the "Tabelog Izakaya Top 100 2022". The restaurant prides itself on selecting fine sake from all over Japan and offering delicious seasonal dishes to enhance the enjoyment of the sake. The interior of the restaurant, which opened in May 2011, has a cozy wooden design with a total of 24 seats. The kitchen is run by three staff members in traditional work clothes, with one staff member handling customer service. I ordered the following dishes and here is my review of each: - Appetizers: 1) Boiled bracken fern with salt - A simple and tasty warm starter (Rating: ◯) 2) Ricotta cheese with persimmon and turnip - A creative dish with complex flavors (Rating: ◯) 3) Seafood chapchae - A luxurious dish made with crab, with a distinct and delicious flavor (Rating: ◎) 4) Simmered bay scallops - Well executed and delicious (Rating: ◎) - Sashimi assortment - A high-quality selection of fresh sashimi that pairs perfectly with sake, including seasonal specialties like fresh sea bream, flounder, and amberjack (Rating: ◎) - Grilled mackerel potato salad - The mackerel's salty flavor complements the potato salad well (Rating: ◎) - Sake tasting set for November - A set of three different types of sake that pair well with the dishes served at the restaurant (Rating: ○) I also tried the "Tokokoro no Shigure" oil-marinated chicken hearts with sansho pepper, which was flavorful and served in a beautiful dish (Rating: ○). The atmosphere in the restaurant was lively, with a mix of business people and regular customers. The restaurant had a rating of 3.69 on Tabelog at the time of my visit. The friendly and welcoming service from the staff, typical of Osaka, was a standout feature. Overall, it was a great experience at this izakaya that focuses on the perfect pairing of sake and dishes. Thank you for the wonderful meal!

Located about a 5-minute walk from Honmachi Station on the Midosuji Line, this restaurant has been awarded the Bib Gourmand. The entrance, chic yet warm, leads to what feels like a mezzanine on the second floor. The meal starts with four appetizers (which could also be considered as complimentary starters) followed by a sashimi assortment, totaling 5 dishes. The focus is on Japanese cuisine, paired with sake, but there seems to be a hint of Western influence in the chef's style. Personally, I particularly enjoyed the sashimi assortment and the shrimp and taro in sauce. Each dish, although small in portion, was satisfying, and considering the reasonable price, the value for money was impressive. I would definitely like to visit this restaurant again.

In this hidden gem-like place, I went with a friend who loves sake. The atmosphere of the shop is stylish, with a counter and tables. We were served about 4-5 small dishes as appetizers, which were enough to feel the deliciousness of this place. Personally, I ordered my favorite taro separately, and it was wrapped in a gentle-flavored paste with citrus and dashi, which was delicious.

On June 15, 2022, I had my usual drinking session with the dentist. We have cleared sake from 32 out of the 47 prefectures in Japan, aiming to conquer the remaining 15. We made a reservation and visited at 6:00 PM, choosing counter seats. We started with a toast with bottled beer. Even without ordering, we were served 3-4 small dishes and a sashimi assortment. On this day, we enjoyed Caprese salad with fruit tomatoes and mozzarella, squid somen, peach and white miso-marinated abalone, and sashimi including white sweetfish from Kishu, natural flounder from Awaji Island, bluefin tuna from Tottori, sea bream from Naruto, and more. The fish was as delicious as always! Later, we ordered boiled asparagus, fried chicken wings, and more. We finished with udon noodles. We savored sake from Kyoto, Gifu, Aichi, Tottori, and more. The restroom even had incense burning. We paid by card. Thank you for the wonderful meal!

On February 8, 2022, I got caught in the rain while out and sought shelter in a shop that was recommended by the familiar Ota Kazuhiko-san as one of the "Top 100 Izakayas". The system at this shop includes four small dishes and a sashimi assortment being provided unconditionally. The drink options are limited to beer and sake only (but the selection is extensive), which is quite straightforward (laughs). The small dishes for the day were marinated tuna eye round, new bamboo shoots and wakame from Oita, smoked mackerel with potato salad, and cod milt with pecorino cheese. All of them were rich and went perfectly with sake! (^_^)v The sashimi assortment included yellowtail, cutlassfish, red tilefish, flathead, and ??? (laughs). For drinks, I started with local beer and then tried the monthly sake tasting set (for February, it was Furusato Izumi, Juji Asahi, and Sanko Tenpu), which consisted of three glasses plus a mystery glass where you had to guess the brand to receive a complimentary small dish. Unfortunately, I guessed wrong (laughs). Later on, when I requested a warm sake, they surprised me with Ota Kazuhiko-san's original "Edo Sakazuki". It was a delightful surprise. If the cost performance is good, then there's nothing more to say! Thank you very much for the meal♪♪♪

Located on the second floor of an office building in Honcho, this place is surprisingly stylish and adult-like in such a mixed-use building. They have a strong focus on serving only Japanese sake, aside from beer. Their selection of sake is impressive, and they are able to recommend the perfect sake based on your preferences. They start you off with a mini-course of sashimi and a few appetizers that pair well with sake. While the cuisine is primarily Japanese, they also offer delicious Western-inspired dishes. The à la carte menu is extensive, so be careful not to overindulge in both food and drink. If you know about this place, you'll definitely become popular!