Hello, I’m Chihana, and I've been searching for delicious restaurants that are easy to reach from Kitakyushu. I heard that a sister restaurant of the popular izakaya "Robata no Kurobe" in Kokura opened in April, and I've been eager to go! After two months of anticipation, I finally made it there on June 8, 2024. The atmosphere of "Donabe to Shokai Yuge" is fantastic. Located in Uomachi, it’s very convenient as it’s just a short walk from Kokura Station, and the shop stands out with its cute, bathhouse-like noren (curtain). Let’s take a look at the menu! First up, the drink menu includes beers, highballs, and shochu. I spotted a curious highball! There are lots of wines and sake to choose from too. Next, I checked the food menu, which was easy to understand with pictures included! Faced with so many options, I thought I’d start with the recommended dishes. Choosing from the donabe (earthen pot dishes) was particularly difficult… Here’s what I ordered: we started with a toast over a Sapporo Sorachi draft beer for ¥748. It was refreshing! Then came the appetizer, which was like eel sushi. As an eel lover, this was the perfect start for me! The sashimi platter for one (¥1,650, available for two or more) was fresh and delightful. Deciding which piece to eat first was part of the fun. Since my first drink disappeared quickly, I ordered a second one—the Cardamom Highball for ¥660. Wow! It was incredibly flavorful with cardamom! I asked if they used powder, and they explained that it’s a unique highball. Next, I had the seasonal fruit white sesame dressing for ¥748. I always order white sesame dressing if it's on the menu, and Yuge’s version tasted almost like a dessert! Following that, we tried the spring rolls with Gold Rush young corn spice keema and cheese for ¥418 each, and the sazae (abalone) baked with escargot butter for ¥638. Everything was carefully crafted and delicious, perfect for pairing with the drinks! Now for dessert, or in this case, the highlight—the donabe! Everyone around us was ordering it, so naturally, I wanted to as well. There were so many different kinds, it was hard to choose! After careful consideration, I decided to go with the beef donabe for ¥2,728, which came with tail soup. They brought it out, and I excitedly opened it (sorry for the lack of photos, I was more focused on making a video). Inside was a wonderful mix of flavors! I topped my rice with the tail soup at the end. You can check my Instagram for the video. I was completely full and very satisfied! In summary, I finally made it to the restaurant I’d wanted to visit, and it absolutely lived up to my expectations! I’m thrilled that a new restaurant like this has opened in Kokura. There are 3-4 donabe options, and I’m already thinking about trying a different one next time. If you get the chance, definitely go and enjoy their exquisite donabe! Here’s the information for "Donabe to Shokai Yuge": - Restaurant Name: Donabe to Shokai Yuge - Address: 1-6-1 Uomachi, Kokura Kita-ku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture - Parking: None - Opening Hours: 17:00 – 23:00 - Phone Number: 050-5593-7346

A great izakaya for dates in Kitakyushu, perfect for those who prioritize ambiance. It's part of the Robata no Kurobe series, offering a wide variety of menu items at reasonable prices. The quality of the food is average. The clientele is younger, and the staff's service is extremely polite and friendly (๑･̑◡･̑๑)⭐︎

I visited a new popular restaurant♪ As a fan of potato salad, I obviously started with that. The potato salad with clams and herbs had a sophisticated taste and was delicious. The black pepper grilled oxtail and chawanmushi also had a lot of thought put into them and were great. The soft-shell crab was a definite highlight! For the finale, I had the clay pot rice topped with beef. Thank you for the wonderful meal♪

I made a reservation and visited a restaurant that I had been curious about while passing by. The counter had a relaxed atmosphere, allowing me to enjoy conversation with the person I was with. True to the restaurant's name, the sashimi and donabe rice were delicious. I regret forgetting to take a picture of the donabe rice…

I think this place just opened recently? I've been curious about it for a while, and I finally went! The appetizer was abalone? It was super delicious! I ordered bluefin tuna with chive soy sauce, large grilled clams, miso-marinated aged pork grilled over an open flame, spicy keema cheese spring rolls, and salmon with salmon roe rice cooked in a clay pot. Everything was so delicious... The fact that they serve medium-sized red star beer is also a big plus! I wanted to try dessert too, but I was way too full to manage ( ;∀; ) I'd definitely love to visit this restaurant again!

I visited a popular restaurant called "Robata no Kurobe" just a three-minute walk from Kokura Station at the Kokura Castle entrance. I was excited to try it out! The staff were lively and created a pleasant atmosphere. It seems that the main focus here is on clay pot dishes, but since I wanted to enjoy some draft beer, I ordered a few snacks. The menu isn’t as extensive as Kurobe's, but I got sashimi, a sashimi platter, and grilled Ichibo (a cut of beef). It's all about quality over quantity; while the cost-performance isn’t quite ideal, the portions were just right. The horse sashimi was fresh and delicious, and the sashimi platter had a good variety. The Ichibo was also tasty. This seems like a place targeted towards salarymen and office workers. Next time, I’d like to try the clay pot dishes since they looked incredibly delicious! Thank you for the meal!

The restaurant "Dolyaki - Hamaguri" was perfect for a girls’ night out during the summer holiday! I made a reservation a month in advance since it's a place I often visit. We enjoyed a laid-back evening with four women in a private room on the second floor. The appetizer was abalone simmered in soy sauce, which was tender and refreshing! The menu was filled with items I had never heard of, making it very intriguing. It was convenient to order using our smartphones, and the staff was quick to assist us with any questions. The smoking area was nearby, and the dim lighting created a nice atmosphere. Above all, the clay pot dish (with eel and something else) and the steamed clams were fantastic! The tempura shrimp, which you could eat with the shells, was truly delicious! Every dish was skillfully prepared and tasty! The prices were reasonable considering the quality, and we left feeling very satisfied. The staff even saw us off at the door and gave us sparklers as a farewell gift—how classy! I will definitely be returning. Thank you very much!

Sashimi platter, deep-fried stuffed green peppers, and a salad of pickled water eggplants in ice broth. We also had rice cooked in a clay pot with beef (forgot the cut) and mitsuba, along with fish cake and a tuna collar. Overall, it was simply delicious, as expected from the appearance. However, the quality can drop significantly if the grill changes, so I'll reserve my final judgment for now. ☁︎*.┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈☁︎*. Clay pot and Seafood Yuge, 1-6-1 Uomachi, Kokura Kita-ku.

I happened to find a new restaurant when I visited Kokura. I'm curious about the name of the place, and the noren (curtain) at the entrance was stylish. The interior had a lot of young staff, which gave it a fresh vibe. I've heard there's also seating on the second floor, with a more adult atmosphere and even paid private rooms available. However, despite the high expectations set by the restaurant's name, I found the food to be surprisingly ordinary. Thank you for the meal!

In Kitakyushu, there’s a popular restaurant called Kurobee from the famous Kurofune Group that I was really looking forward to visiting, especially since it’s a place that’s hard to get reservations for. The ambiance and layout of the restaurant were truly impressive and wonderful. However, I found it disappointing that the staff engaged in unnecessary chit-chat and had a lot of wasted movements. I noticed one part-time employee leaving, chatting with another staff member by the door, completely unaware that we were still there. It felt like they didn’t see us at all.

I found a restaurant that caught my attention as I was passing by. The inside had many young staff members, creating a bright and cheerful atmosphere. The menu looked stylish, and it made me want to try a variety of dishes. Choosing three side dishes to accompany the rice was also a fun experience!

Kurobe's sister restaurant!! A lively U-shaped izakaya with incredibly fresh sashimi. I enjoyed the chawanmushi I had last time! The avocado chawanmushi had a really western flavor. The clay pot rice had a summer vibe with "corn clay pot rice." If you can't finish it, you can take the leftovers home, so you can order with confidence. It was a fun birthday celebration, and yes, we won the evening! 🎉🎉🎉

The meal was explained thoroughly, and I enjoyed it very much. It may have come out a bit slowly, but given how busy the staff was, I found it understandable. Overall, the cheerful and pleasant demeanor of the staff made the atmosphere very comfortable. They even served the potato salad in small dishes, divided for everyone, which showed thoughtful attention to detail. I encountered a restaurant with truly attentive service that has been hard to find lately. The cleanliness of the establishment and the beautiful presentation of the dishes made me understand why there are so many female customers. While sharing large plates of food is nice, it's also enjoyable to sample a variety of dishes in smaller bowls. I highly recommend this restaurant.

I recently visited a new restaurant that caught my eye with its stylish exterior. After doing some research, I found out that it's part of the same chain as Kurobane and Robata no Kurobee. My overall impression is that everything was delicious. However, the value for money is a bit questionable. It seems like a place I’d want to go to if I hit it big at the races and wanted to celebrate!

On April 3rd, the much-anticipated new store opened, and it was just as lively as ever with its unique U-shaped bar. The seafood was incredibly fresh, and I enjoyed the chawanmushi (steamed egg custard) that I loved from my last visit! I also got to try the "adult" doria (a baked rice dish) that I had been curious about. As promised, I indulged in the doria, and while they said I could take any leftovers home, I managed to finish it all! It was a wonderful return visit—definitely a win!

I was taken to a restaurant that just opened in your building! The design of the place is really impressive and exceeds the typical izakaya level. There’s a VIP room with four seats that has a beautiful antique style. I felt it was too lovely! I have a feeling this place will be loved by a wide range of customers, suitable for business meetings, couples, girls' nights, men's gatherings, families, and group parties (the private rooms can be connected). Although it just opened, they have multiple locations, so everything from sashimi to desserts is delicious, and the clay pot rice was amazing! The staff were very friendly and even saw us off, making it a wonderful restaurant!

The restaurant that has opened where "Billiken-san" used to be located is next to "Gyōza no Tacchan" and diagonally across from "Isomaru." It seems to be a sister restaurant of "Kurobee," which is part of the Black Ship group and features robatayaki and straw-grilled dishes, while this place offers baked rice dishes for a more relaxed atmosphere, perfect for dates. The counter features a live kitchen, but the restaurant's layout is quite compact, so it can be easy to miss it; reservations are recommended. I had a counter reservation but was taken to the second floor. I was a bit disappointed when I heard, "Oh, as noted online, we sometimes cannot accommodate requests for specific seating," but the second floor also has a counter and a live kitchen. While I found the first floor stylish, the second floor had a cozier vibe, making it feel more intimate with the chef. After checking the menu, I ordered a drink. They offer a variety of beers that are not typical of izakayas. I tried Sorachi draft beer for the first time, and it was sweet and fruity, quickly becoming my favorite beer! The appetizer was a piece of eel sushi, which paired well with beer, sake, shochu, and wine. When taking orders, the staff recommended today’s specials, and when the sashimi arrived, they provided details about it. I was impressed by how well they remembered everything. The staff left a great impression on me. I shared plates of potato salad and salted mackerel, which was a thoughtful touch. There are still many items on the menu that caught my interest, so I would love to visit again.

The new "Kurofune" restaurant opened in Ushimachi on April 3, 2023. It specializes in grilled seafood, such as clams, and rice cooked in a pot. The meal started off with a delightful appetizer of eel pressed sushi, which was a warm welcome. The clams were lightly seasoned to perfection, but they weren’t very hot, which was a bit disappointing. The grilled squid with sake-soaked miso had a subtle flavor, but when combined with mayonnaise, it enhanced the taste and was quite good. The crispy fried shrimp, which can be eaten whole, was possibly soft-shell; they were tender and nicely seasoned with rock salt, which I enjoyed. The cucumber marinated in kombu dashi soy sauce was a refreshing light dish that paired well with a fruity sake. The rice cooked in a clay pot came with three sides: "good seaweed" (exact wording), "mentaiko" (spicy cod roe), and "pickles," but unfortunately, the pickles were the same cucumber from before, which was not ideal and didn’t go well with the rice. The seaweed and mentaiko, however, were outstanding. They mentioned that if there was any leftover rice, it could be made into rice balls to take home, but there was none left as I finished it all. Compared to the "Kurofune" series, this place is similar to "Robata no Kurobei," but while the latter has a lively izakaya atmosphere, this new spot is elegant and chic. It's not quite high-end but feels like an upgraded version. Both are great establishments, and while this one lacks the smoked bonito that Kurobei offers, I would prefer this for dates and similar occasions.

Recently, I've been interested in words like "kamadaki rice" and "donabe rice." In the first-floor seating, there's an irori (hearth) right in front of you, but this time we were on the second floor. The meal included crab meat, clam kamadaki rice, beef steak, and lotus root dashi-rolled omelet. As expected, the kamadaki rice was delicious!

I was curious about this place from YouTube, so I decided to check it out. I just dropped by, and luckily there was a spot available, but next time I plan to make a reservation since it was so popular. The food was delicious, and the owner was friendly, making it a very enjoyable time. I had a lemon sour, zucchini topped with Bolognese, sashimi of horse mackerel, rice, and three side dishes. I think it's a wonderful place that makes me want to visit again.

I enjoyed sashimi and baked clams, and it was delicious.