I strolled around Otaru Canal and visited several sushi restaurants, but they were all full and not accepting any more customers. I checked on Tabelog to see if any high-end restaurants had availability, but I wondered if they might be fully booked instead. In the end, I decided to go to a restaurant where I could get a seat. Even though it was 30 minutes before closing time, I managed to order a sashimi platter, simmered fish, grilled fish, and some fried oysters from the original menu. The restaurant had mostly female customers, including groups of four and two, as well as solo diners at the counter. By the time I finished my meal, everyone else had left, and there was no "good luck" beckoning cat effect. The fried oysters were crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and served with a homemade tartar sauce that had chunky onions and was delicious. The macaroni salad also had onion slices and a generous amount of creamy mayonnaise. The waitress was friendly, and the chef even came out to greet me at the end. I was pleasantly surprised when my bill came to only 2,000 yen. It was a comforting and enjoyable dining experience.

Visited for lunch in November 2022, a bit later than usual. This restaurant is a small establishment located on Nakakoji Street in the "Arcade Shopping Street" near Otaru Station. While it seems to be an izakaya at night, they focus on serving set meals during the day. They also sell side dishes separately for takeout, which seemed popular among elderly ladies in Otaru. I wasn't particularly interested in the simmered or grilled fish dishes that day, as I'm not accustomed to eating sashimi with rice. However, I noticed they had tendon (tempura rice bowl) on the menu. Priced at 850 yen, it listed six seasonal ingredients: 2 shrimp, pumpkin, eggplant, white fish, shiitake mushrooms, and green pepper. The ingredients were decently sized, but the dipping sauce was too salty for my liking. Perhaps sticking to their set meals would have been a better choice. It seemed like I should have tried tempura at a different restaurant instead.

It's a daytime drinking patrol in Otaru lol. I was curious about this place too, so I decided to check it out. As I entered, I saw a female customer already seated at a table. There were tables for 2 and 4 people, as well as counter seats. The counter had a variety of side dishes lined up, which got me excited. I sat at the counter and looked at the menu. I noticed that there weren't many options for alcohol during lunchtime. When I asked if they had more options, they said they serve the same drinks as in the evening. I ordered a Yuzu Sour for ¥420, which was a bit sweet and light on carbonation. I wished it had a stronger alcohol taste. I also ordered the "Chokotto Teishoku" for ¥550, where you can choose 2 side dishes (excluding fish). There were around 12 side dishes to choose from. The rice and miso soup were average, but I liked the yellow pickled radish. The alcohol went well with the food. The Macasarawas just the right firmness and delicious, while the Liver Stir-fry was sweet and savory, perfect for drinking. I found out during payment that you can order a side dish for ¥150 each (excluding fish) if you ask before ordering. I should have asked before drinking, as I don't really feel like eating once I start drinking lol. Overall, it's a great place for a tasty lunch with drinks. It's non-smoking, and you can also buy bento boxes, onigiri, and side dishes from 11:30 onwards. You can use Otaru Premium Product Vouchers here. Enjoy your meal!

Second bar in Otaru,,, I thought about having a drink before having soba at "Yabu Han" for the first time in a while, but it was closed (-｡-; So I decided to go to another nearby restaurant without any prior information... "Ochawan" ... Three groups of four customers in front of me... I sat at the counter and ordered a beer... After looking through the menu, I ordered the "tori-men" for 520 yen. I'm tired today, so let's finish up quickly and go home. First, the BEER is served... It says on the menu that it's 300 yen per glass, but there is no atmosphere of charging. The restaurant is run by one person who seems busy in the kitchen. The orders are prepared one by one, so the service is slow... Why can't they be made at the same time? (Just my amateur opinion, no offense intended) I waited for about twenty minutes while sipping on my beer... Just as I finished my beer, the tori-men was served in a small bowl. The presentation is nice~ Let's start by dipping the noodles in the broth... Huh? It's a bit sweet... but you can tell they put effort into making the broth. As I started eating, I couldn't stop, it's quite delicious... I initially thought the broth was too sweet, but as I continued eating, I realized it was just right. Now I want to try other dishes, but I can't today. The bus to Sapporo is leaving in five minutes... I paid and dashed out. I appreciate the humble attitude of the owner, it seems like a good place to eat rather than just drink. I will visit again. Thank you for the meal.

It is a shop of former friends. 6th year. I shed tears that it continued. It seems to be very crowded for lunch with side dishes as snacks. Truly, it is the kitchen of Otaru!

This is a stylish diner located about a 3-minute walk from JR Hakodate Main Line "Otaru Station." On this day, I enjoyed flounder fishing by departing from Otaru Marina in the morning. I finished fishing around evening time, so I thought about having a meal around the port area or the south Otaru area, but I was feeling a bit tired... I parked my car in the hotel parking lot where I was staying and visited this place. When I entered the restaurant, the lighting was dimmed and the interior was quite tastefully decorated. I wonder if the owner is a woman? There are 4 counter seats, 1 two-seater table, and 2 four-seater tables, as well as seats on the second floor. On the tables, there are condiments such as red pepper, soy sauce, thick sauce, toothpicks, and menus provided. The daily special (450 yen) + rice set (250 yen) was the only option available since it was almost closing time, so I ordered the same as Detective K-san (the legendary man). Well... there was no choice in the situation, and it was ordered without my consent while I was in the restroom Σ(ﾟДﾟ；)ｱﾗﾏｯ It seems like a lunch-style system where you choose a single menu item and combine it with a rice set to complete one serving. For the daily special, you choose one from grilled fish, boiled fish, and sashimi. It's arranged like obanzai (side dishes). Today's daily special items were as follows: sashimi (tuna, salmon, scallop), grilled fish (pink salmon, herring), boiled fish (red fish, mackerel miso). Other side dishes seem to be available at the same price. We both chose boiled fish. Since it was almost closing time, there were only boiled fish left... I really don't like boiled fish... The finished dinner consisted of boiled red fish, mackerel miso, rice, miso soup, and pickles. Among the boiled fish, the one that can be eaten is mackerel miso! I only eat it in cans, but it's only when I have it as a snack during home drinking (laughs) When minced ginger is added, I'm a little hesitant. Red fish is not pronounced as "Akazakana" but as "Akauo," also known as Akoudai. Despite being simmered, it's not tough. It's a delicious fish with high protein in white flesh, but since it inhabits deep-sea areas, its appearance before being filleted is a little scary ♪ If there is a next time, I would like to try it as sashimi or grilled! And having a meal at closing time is something to think about (laughs) Thank you for the meal (⌒▽⌒)ノ

I had katsudon for dinner.

The curry is not available, but the set meal is worth the price. It has a sense of cleanliness.

I wanted to eat miso-simmered mackerel, so I asked them to set some aside for me. Oh, the miso-simmered mackerel at Ochawan-san is exquisite. I brought my colleague along because I wanted them to try it. Today's side dishes were miso-simmered mackerel, liver and vegetable stir-fry, and mapo tofu. Mmm, so satisfying. It's too delicious. I'll definitely come back again! ^ ^

I stopped by a restaurant on my way home from work. I chose some side dishes from the counter and had them as snacks. This was the appetizer. I didn't need an appetizer, but that's okay. Two beers with this is just right. Now I'm heading home on the JR train. Thank you for the meal!

Otaru Kitchen! The side dishes are lined up closely, just like in a kitchen. The word "obanzai" was popular for a while, but this obanzai shop! The owner prepares everything early in the morning. The set meal includes a main dish and two side dishes for 680 yen. It's homemade food by the mother. The miso-marinated mackerel, liver with garlic chives, and spring cabbage salad are all delicious! The miso-marinated mackerel is amazing! I feel like getting some for takeout! By the way, takeout is available for obanzai. The spring cabbage salad is surprisingly tasty! I'm not a fan of spring cabbage, but I'm amazed at how good it is as a salad. I even asked for the dressing recipe! Anyway, if you're craving for a mother's homemade taste, I highly recommend it! Thank you for the meal!

I happened to find a place near the back entrance of Nagasakiya where I could have lunch. It's an izakaya at night and a nostalgic diner during the day. They offer self-service water and tea, and you can also take leftovers. They have onigiri for 150 yen and a variety of lunch menu items ranging from 670 to 800 yen, such as grilled fish, simmered fish, and sashimi. The coffee after the meal is also 150 yen and very tasty. You can even have beer during the day since it's an izakaya. Many people come alone. Those who order a set meal can choose small side dishes like obanzai style. The female staff at the restaurant are kind and have a nice atmosphere. I will definitely come back!

I was thinking about where to make my first post, but today I was in the mood for meat, so I went to "Ochawan." I have visited this place several times before and always had the zangi set meal or tonkatsu set meal, but today I tried the ginger pork set meal for the first time. The rice portion was generous as usual, and I also ordered an extra side of potato salad. There were two men and one woman at the counter, and two groups of three ladies at the table. My order arrived in 5-6 minutes. Let's dig in! The ginger pork was delicious with a slightly strong flavor, which I like. I enjoyed pairing the meat with rice, meat with vegetables, and potato salad. However, the rice was running out due to the strong flavor, but I managed to finish everything in the end. Thank you for the meal. As I left the restaurant, I started thinking about whether I should try fish or curry next time.

Visited "Otaru no Daidokoro Ochawan" for lunch in December 2015. The restaurant is located on the first floor with counter and table seating, and a second floor with a tatami room for gatherings. The menu mainly consists of set meals, with options like a 4-item set meal with rice for 670 yen, or a smaller 2-item set meal for 470 yen. Other options include Zangi set meal, ginger pork set meal, tonkatsu set meal, tempura set meal, and hamburger set meal. I ordered the katsu curry for 770 yen, which turned out to be the most expensive item on the menu. The katsu was freshly fried upon ordering, and the curry had a distinct sweetness from the chutney. The macaroni salad on the side had a simple and homely taste. The atmosphere was filled with elderly customers and salarymen. Overall, the dishes had a homemade feel to them. The side dishes are available for takeout in grams, and onigiri can also be prepared, making it convenient for a quick bento. I look forward to trying the 4-item set meal next time. Thank you for the meal!

When I visited Otaru, I happened to stop by this restaurant. It has two floors, and during lunchtime, my party of two was seated on the first floor at a table. In addition to set meals, you can also order several side dishes displayed on the counter. There were quite a variety of options, which made me excited to try them all since they were so affordable. Everything was delicious, and it reminded me of the taste of home-cooked meals from my mother or grandmother. I imagine that local residents must frequent this place often due to its reasonable prices. I will definitely visit again.

There used to be a restaurant called "Kimagure Shumibokou" which suddenly changed to "Ochawan". The staff and menu are different now, seems like new people are running it. The interior is clean with 3 seats at the counter and tables on the first floor. There is also a second floor where groups of moms were dining. For lunch, they offer boiled fish set, grilled fish set for 650 yen, Zangi set, ginger pork set for 650 yen, tonkatsu set, tempura set for 700 yen. Each set comes with a small side dish, and you can choose 1-2 homemade side dishes from the counter, which is nice. They also have katsu don, tendon for 650 yen, and curry. Surprisingly, you can also take out the side dishes. The homemade dishes have a traditional diner feel and are delicious, and it's great that they ask if you want more or less rice. Above all, the price is very reasonable, especially the katsudon for 650 yen. Overall, the menu is affordable.