The box seats were comfortable. The first dish of the year was fresh squid, but the price was a bit high. It was small but delicious. Other than that, it was just a normal izakaya and didn't feel particularly unique to Hakodate. The gratin had only one oyster in it, and the camembert fry was average. The white fish and potato fry was a tough choice between that and the three pieces of hokke fry, but the white fish and potato fry was the right choice! The hokke fry was a better deal in terms of cost performance.

There was someone clamoring for ramen at the end, but many shops around the station close after 11 pm, with only izakayas and bars still open. So, reluctantly, I ended up going back to an izakaya to finish the night. There seems to be a mysterious Ikataro Group with 5 stores in the city. Tonight's closing menu included a final toast with a draft beer, served in a cute jug illustration that seemed to be cheering me on. I snacked on hokki vinegar and grilled squid, both with traditional flavors. After 30 minutes, it was last call and I left the place. The ramen will have to wait until tomorrow. Thank you for the meal~

I was looking at the menu outside the main store nearby when I was encouraged to enter by opening the door. When I mentioned that I was alone, I was asked to go to the second store. Since I had been turned away before when trying to enter alone, I couldn't help but think that the main store might not be suitable for solo customers. So, I went to the second store. Unfortunately, they didn't have fresh squid that day. I wanted to eat squid sashimi.

I came to an izakaya near Hakodate Station. When traveling, I always feel like drinking alcohol at a local and spacious izakaya like this. The variety of seafood is impressive. I was surprised by how quickly the beer was served and laughed.

I ordered a sashimi platter with 10 pieces (served with rock seaweed rice balls) for 2280 yen, and grilled mackerel for 980 yen. Is this restaurant popular among locals? No, locals probably eat and drink near the station or in Honmachi. The price of the sashimi platter was too cheap. The quality was decent though. Thank you for the meal.

I entered this restaurant because the one I originally wanted to go to had a long line. Since I was in Hokkaido, I wanted to taste some seafood, so I ordered a platter of octopus, tuna, and salmon sashimi, buttered potato, squid sashimi (live squid sashimi was sold out), grilled scallops, and grilled shishamo. For drinks, I had oolong tea, and my companion had plum wine on the rocks. The sashimi platter was thickly sliced and packed with intense flavors. I was especially impressed by the octopus sashimi, which was thick yet tender, bursting with umami as I chewed. I was so impressed that I ordered an additional serving. The buttered potatoes came with butter and salted fish roe. When you bite into the potato alone, the sticky texture and sweetness spread in your mouth. Adding butter enhances the sweetness of the potato with the fragrant aroma of butter and a hint of saltiness, creating a delicious combination. Adding salted fish roe intensifies the saltiness and seafood flavor, making the dish even more delicious. The transparent and crunchy texture of the squid sashimi was a pleasant surprise with no unpleasant aftertaste. The grilled scallops were rich in flavor, aroma, and essence of the sea. And the grilled shishamo was simply amazing, with thick and tender meat, eggs, and even the tail being delicious to eat. I honestly thought it was a good decision to come to this restaurant instead of the original one. They offered various Hokkaido delicacies at a reasonable price, and I left feeling satisfied both in my stomach and my heart.

I was drawn into the restaurant by the BGM of "Hakodate specialty Squid Dance~". I ordered tsukune (with sauce), negima, pork skewers (salt), and drinks, and they all tasted great. I wanted to order more, but I restrained myself. The grilled squid guts were delicious, and I savored each bite. For the finish, I had Dassai Junmai Daiginjo sake, which was very tasty and easy to drink with no strong aftertaste. The restaurant also had perfect COVID-19 measures in place.

On February 4, 2021, I revisited Hanatei 2nd store in Hakodate, which I last visited five years ago. Starting with all-you-can-drink beer, I forgot to take a photo. (^o^;) The appetizers were okra and shelled clams. We ordered dishes from the menu: - Live squid sashimi: Today's price was 2,300 yen + tax. The transparent flesh was beautiful and had a crunchy texture, very delicious. (^O^) - Edamame: Goes well with beer. (^O^) - Live octopus teppanyaki: I was surprised by this dish. I was expecting regular takoyaki when I saw "octopus balls" on the menu. The round appearance with okonomiyaki sauce was a good match. It was tasty, but not what I expected. (^o^;) - Fried small shrimp: Crispy texture with a good shrimp flavor. Definitely delicious. (^O^) - Grilled hokke fish: It was huge! Is this the standard size for izakaya? It had a good amount of fat and was delicious. (^O^) We also ordered a few more dishes, but I forgot to take photos. The conversation with my companion was lively. Oh, and don't worry, I didn't forget my mask. (^o^;) It was delicious. (^O^) Thank you. I will come again.

On the last night of my business trip, I went to Ikataro 2nd branch. The main branch was full so I was directed here. I started with a draft beer (530 yen) to toast to a successful trip. The appetizer (350 yen) was okra and squid in broth with plenty of bonito flakes, very tasty. Unfortunately, they didn't have fresh squid that day, so I decided to go for squid dishes. The fried squid (580 yen) was a bit oily but well-seasoned and went well with beer. The grilled squid (580 yen) was delicious and nicely cooked. I was surprised to find bird skewers with squid (480 yen) on the menu, one of my favorites. I then tried a lemon sour (380 yen) which was not too sweet and had a strong lemony bitterness, very tasty. I also ordered potato butter grilled (380 yen) with extra salted fish roe, but the amount was disappointing. I added homemade salted fish roe (450 yen) which was too strong for my taste. I then relaxed with more lemon sours and hot sake with Isami (780 yen). I felt like having some meat so I ordered pork skewers (280 yen) which were perfectly seasoned and delicious. Finally, I ended the night with three cups each of Akarui Nouson or Mitsutake (both 680 yen). Overall, I had a great experience at this unplanned visit and left satisfied. Thank you for the meal.

On the first night of their 6-night, 7-day honeymoon trip to Hokkaido, the couple decided to go to a second izakaya called "Ika Tarou" after their first expensive meal at "Uni Murakami". The izakaya chain has 6 branches in Hakodate, and the one they visited was the second branch. The exterior of the restaurant gave off a lively and affordable vibe. They arrived at 8pm and found that the restaurant had a cozy atmosphere with individual curtains at each table, creating a private room-like setting. Although they had hoped for cheaper prices, they found that the menu was not as affordable as they had expected. They decided to order only what they really wanted to eat. They ordered the Grilled Atka Mackerel for 968 yen, which was 500 yen cheaper than the previous restaurant. The fish had just the right amount of fat and was satisfying. The Fried Squid for 638 yen was crispy and delicious, with a flavorful batter that made it a great accompaniment to rice. The appetizer cost 385 yen, which the reviewer found a bit expensive for what it was, but the taste was good. They also enjoyed the White Kaga Plum Wine for 528 yen, which paired well with the tasty dishes. Despite the good flavors, the total bill exceeded 2,600 yen, making it a bit pricey for a casual drinking spot. The reviewer regretted not researching cheaper options beforehand.

Hakodate at night. The first place was closed, the second place was full and we were turned away, but when we entered the third place, we were greeted by a female staff member. We were seated at a private table with partitions, which made us feel strangely calm. We were recommended the squid sashimi, so we ordered that along with two pork skewers for 280 yen each, two pork tongue skewers for 300 yen each, a salad for 780 yen, and a Sapporo Classic draft beer for 530 yen. The sashimi platter for 1000 yen included salmon, bonito, mackerel, tsubugai (whelk), snow crab stick, and two types of white fish. It was quite luxurious. We also ordered a horse meat sashimi for 1080 yen and a tuna yukhoe (Korean-style raw tuna) for 880 yen. After finishing our beer, we felt like having a highball, so we ordered a half bottle of Kiri-zuki for 980 yen, along with soda water and ice for 500 yen. This izakaya not only offers seafood but also recommended meat dishes. The staff's service was prompt and friendly. We paid 6680 yen (excluding tax) for the cover charge of 350 yen, totaling 7214 yen.

Ikataro is a representative izakaya in Hakodate, right? There are many of them. This is our third stop. I wanted something refreshing to drink, so I ordered a lemon sour. We also had grilled squid, crab miso, and some skewers. The atmosphere was nice, and I was starting to feel a bit tipsy and sleepy (lol). It was crowded with lots of people, so I could tell it's a popular place.

I was surprised when the squid came out still moving! I was able to choose how I wanted it cooked, and I enjoyed it as sashimi and tempura. It was delicious.

I was shocked that the store I was looking for had changed to a different store, so I went to another store. I felt anxious, but it turned out to be normal. As for the drink, I still chose Sapporo Classic.