The day after visiting the neighboring "Ikataro Main Store," we decided to check out another capital-affiliated izakaya run by Yuju Co., Ltd. This time it was on New Year's night. Despite many establishments being closed, this particular restaurant was brightly lit. Similar to Ikataro, the interior had a charming old house vibe with a spacious second-floor seating area. Although we were only a party of two, we were seated in a private room on the second floor. The staff seemed a bit tired, probably from dealing with drunk customers on New Year's Day. The menu was displayed on a touch panel, and to our surprise, it was mostly identical to the one at the previous restaurant we visited. We ordered some drinks, skewers, and light dishes like squid natto, and spent the first night of Reiwa 5th year there. We had a brief stay of about an hour as an unexpected personal matter came up, so we had to leave quickly. The seaweed rice ball at the end was absolutely delicious!

In Hakodate, it seemed to be a group chain store that boasts a considerable share, but despite being a casual izakaya, it was quiet with many tourists, which was nice. The first time trying live squid sashimi was quite expensive, but it was very delicious, and grilling the tentacles at the end was satisfying.

12-piece sashimi set with turban shell, hokkigai, scallop, medium fatty tuna, marinated tuna, kazunoko, squid, salmon, yellowtail, cured mackerel, snow crab, tamagoyaki, rice ball with rock seaweed, miso soup with rock seaweed, Sapporo Classic. Luxurious sashimi assortment with excellent freshness, including a variety of shellfish, full of volume, and amazing cost performance. Priced at only 2280 yen, the quality is surprisingly high for a tourist spot.

It was a normal day, but the restaurant was a bit crowded. Each table was in a private room, so they had thorough COVID-19 measures. There was someone getting loud after drinking too much. I ordered salt-grilled chicken neck (skewer), chicken wings, and a draft beer. Both the chicken neck and wings were seasoned just right and tasted delicious. It was busy, so I decided not to order anything else.

This is Hokkaido Minshoku restaurant. I went there! ψ(｀∇´)ψ Gao~♫ Once a year, whenever I go on a business trip to Hakodate, I always eat at Ikataro Group. The attention to detail in their service is outstanding, and I think it's a wonderful restaurant! I will come again next year! Thank you for the meal♪

We walked 20,000 steps and got tired, so I bought a quiche at the deli next to the hotel and thought it would be nice to just stay in the room tonight. But my husband said, "Let's go out for a drink!" We ended up at a casual izakaya that my husband likes, enjoying grilled salmon and sake as the night deepened on our second day in Hakodate.

I ate dango, yakitori bento, and a chai tea burger, but I'm still not really full lol. Personally, I would have preferred to be in a beautiful open space below the hotel, which would have been crowded with people in a world without the Wuhan heat right now, enjoying a nice sea breeze with a canned beer and snacks. However, my companions are more formal, so I was gently refused and ended up wandering from the station to the downtown area. As expected, there were touristy izakayas everywhere, and they all seemed pretty similar lol. While we were walking, the summer rain started to fall lightly. A local Hokkaido person said, "This place is fine," so we went in. It was a local izakaya called Ikataro, and it was quite crowded. "Do you have a reservation?" "No." The waitress asked the kitchen staff if they could accommodate us, but I wasn't really feeling the vibe, so I quietly said, "Let's go somewhere else," but my companions, who were indifferent to alcohol and the restaurant, didn't mind. In the end, we were shown to the second floor. I had a draft beer for 530 yen, which was as expected - the foam had already gone down when it arrived. It was a different experience from the draft beer the night before. From my experience, if I feel uncomfortable when I enter, the draft beer is usually not good. The level of service and maintenance are linked (this is subjective). I switched to a highball for my second drink, as I didn't have high expectations. My companions ordered what they wanted to eat, and I just ordered asparagus, which I couldn't have in Asahikawa the night before. The asparagus, dotenabe (hot pot), and tuna carpaccio were all very ordinary. We used the "Hakodate Gourmet Coupon" we received at the hotel, which covered the bill for three people at 6,000 yen. Thank you for the meal.

Arrived at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday. The first floor was full, so we were seated on the second floor. Located at a corner of a intersection near JR Hakodate Station. This was our accommodation for the second day of our trip in southern Hokkaido. We wanted to go to an izakaya with a single item all-you-can-drink option, but couldn't find one. As we wandered around the entertainment district, we stumbled upon a sign advertising a 1500 yen (excluding tax) all-you-can-drink deal at a store affiliated with "Ika Tarou." I used to frequent "Ika Tarou" at the branch in front of Goryokaku Park over five years ago during my business trips to Hakodate. The interior and menu were almost identical to "Ika Tarou," with the only difference being the availability of a 2-hour all-you-can-drink option for 1650 yen. Last order was 30 minutes before closing. The beer was Sapporo Classic, but it tasted a bit different. We were served a squid and okra appetizer for 385 yen. We ordered the "live sashimi" (2178 yen), a signature dish of "Ika Tarou," which was more than enough for the two of us. It arrived in about 20 minutes, and it looked similar to the one at "Ika Tarou" in terms of appearance and portion size. The platter included tuna, salmon, yellowtail, flounder, scallop (6 pieces each), mackerel, surf clam, octopus (3 pieces each), crab, and two rice balls wrapped in seaweed. However, the taste was underwhelming. Honestly, it was not as good as I remember the same menu at "Ika Tarou" being. The octopus had a nice chewy texture and was tasty. The seaweed rice balls were overly soaked in soy sauce, losing the seaweed flavor. The filling was salmon. In the end, we left some unfinished. The quality of the sashimi seemed to be lower for the all-you-can-drink option. The cost was a little over 3000 yen per person, making it a good deal, perhaps more suited for younger people. Not recommended for tourists (laughs).

After leaving the hotel and wandering around the station area looking for a place to have dinner, I ended up entering a restaurant that I thought wasn't a chain store, but turned out to be part of the Ikataro group (laughs). Anyway, I accepted it and went inside. The restaurant had a mix of foreign tourists, local couples, and seemingly students. A young waiter showed me to an available table, and I started with a classic beer (530 yen). I looked at the menu and noticed the fresh squid sashimi (market price). When I asked the price, it was 1680 yen, so I gave up and ordered the mixed sashimi platter (630 yen) with tuna, salmon, and octopus. The freshness of the seafood in Hakodate was undeniable. After finishing the beer, I hesitated on what to order next and ended up ordering a Dewar's highball (480 yen), said to be the origin of the highball. Before finishing the sashimi, I decided to order grilled hokke (880 yen) as the next dish. Hokke is a must-have in Hokkaido, and the thick, fatty hokke was delicious. Thinking of trying a local drink, I ordered a half bottle of Hakodate Wine's Nenrin white wine (1300 yen). Although I gave up on ordering more squid sashimi, I decided to try the fried squid (580 yen) from the menu on the wall. Enjoying the delicious wine and fried squid, I finished the wine and asked for the bill. Including the cover charge, the total came to 5,115 yen, which was quite expensive. I was satisfied with the taste, but it was a bit pricey...

The food was delicious! Many restaurants did not have squid due to bad weather, but I was happy to eat it. The takoyaki was also skillfully made and delicious. However, the beer was a bit disappointing. The foam was messy.

There is a famous izakaya in Hakodate. The food is satisfying, but I found it too noisy due to the loud voices from other private rooms. I went twice and both times the food was delicious, so it's a shame.

Completely wrong order! The sashimi assortment for 2-3 people was too much. I don't remember the price, but it was around 3500 yen. Amazing, Hakodate!

I have been to this chain store before and I enjoyed the food.

Sashimi platter seems hearty, but to truly gauge the restaurant's skill, ordering individual items is best. I went in with the intention of having a light meal and ordered tuna and salmon, which were cheap. However, when they arrived, they were just small end pieces. Even though they were inexpensive, this was disappointing. The restaurant's advertising outside gives the impression of being affordable, but in reality, it's a bit on the cheaper side. Gourmet enthusiasts who visit expecting a seafood feast at this izakaya in Hakodate will be let down. It seems like the restaurant may cater more towards groups and set courses.

The squid in Hakodate is delicious. I ate it before my colleague could take a picture (laughs)

The squid is delicious at this restaurant. It's a shame that the air conditioning and ventilation are poor... It's a waste of the delicious food.

The sashimi portion was generous! And it came with a seaweed rice ball! Great value for money!