Japanese Restaurant: Complete Phrase List

Every phrase you’ll hear and every phrase you can say at a Japanese restaurant, grouped by when you’ll actually need it. Find your situation and get the exact line in seconds.

---

Jump to Section

Arriving & Seating:

• Entering & Waiting to Be Seated
• Party Size & Seating Preferences

Ordering Food & Drinks:

• Asking About the Menu
• Dietary Restrictions & Allergies
• Placing Your Order
• Ordering via Tablet or Touch Panel
• Drinks

During the Meal:

• Getting Staff’s Attention
• Asking for Something Extra
• Problems With Your Order

Paying & Leaving:

• Asking for the Bill
• Payment
• Leaving

Bonus Vocabulary

FAQ

---

Arriving & Seating

Before you even look at a menu, there’s a short exchange about your party size and where you’ll sit. These are the phrases for the first minute or two after you walk in.

• Entering & Waiting to Be Seated
• Party Size & Seating Preferences

---

Entering & Waiting to Be Seated

Staff greet you the moment you walk in, then ask how many people are in your group.

Staff might say:

Japanese	Romaji	English	Notes
いらっしゃいませ	irasshaimase	welcome	said to everyone who enters, no response needed
何名様ですか？	Nanmeisama desu ka?	How many people?	asked immediately after you enter
ただいま満席です	Tadaima manseki desu	We’re currently full.
少々お待ちください	Shoushou omachi kudasai	One moment, please.	if there’s a short wait
こちらへどうぞ	Kochira e douzo	This way, please.	said while leading you to your seat

You can say:

Japanese	Romaji	English	Notes
すみません	sumimasen	excuse me	your all-purpose way to get attention
二人です	Futari desu	Two people, please.	swap in the number as needed: three people (sannin), four people (yonin), five people (gonin)
どのくらい待ちますか？	Dono kurai machimasu ka?	How long is the wait?
予約しています	Yoyaku shiteimasu	I have a reservation.
予約はありません	Yoyaku wa arimasen	I don’t have a reservation.

---

Party Size & Seating Preferences

Some restaurants will ask about seating type once they know your group size, especially at izakaya or restaurants with tatami rooms.

Staff might say:

Japanese	Romaji	English	Notes
お席はカウンターでもよろしいですか？	Oseki wa kauntaa demo yoroshii desu ka?	Is a counter seat okay?	common at small or busy restaurants
禁煙席と喫煙席、どちらになさいますか？	Kinenseki to kitsuenseki, dochira ni nasaimasu ka?	Smoking or non-smoking, which would you like?	rare now, but still asked at some izakaya
お座敷とテーブル、どちらがよろしいですか？	Ozashiki to teeburu, dochira ga yoroshii desu ka?	Tatami seating or a table, which would you prefer?

You can say:

Japanese	Romaji	English	Notes
窓側の席はありますか？	Madogawa no seki wa arimasu ka?	Is there a window seat available?
テーブル席がいいです	Teeburu seki ga ii desu	I’d prefer a table.
禁煙席でお願いします	Kinenseki de onegaishimasu	Non-smoking, please.
個室はありますか？	Koshitsu wa arimasu ka?	Is there a private room?	common at izakaya for groups

---

Ordering Food & Drinks

This is the core of the interaction: what’s on the menu, what you can and can’t eat, and how to actually place your order.

• Asking About the Menu
• Dietary Restrictions & Allergies
• Placing Your Order
• Ordering via Tablet or Touch Panel
• Drinks

---

Asking About the Menu

If you’re unsure what something is or need a recommendation, these are the most useful questions to ask before ordering.

Staff might say:

Japanese	Romaji	English	Notes
ご注文はお決まりですか？	Gochuumon wa okimari desu ka?	Have you decided on your order?
英語のメニューもございます	Eigo no menyuu mo gozaimasu	We also have an English menu.	offered at many tourist-facing restaurants
本日のおすすめはこちらです	Honjitsu no osusume wa kochira desu	Here’s today’s recommendation.
こちらは人気のメニューです	Kochira wa ninki no menyuu desu	This is a popular dish.

You can say:

Japanese	Romaji	English	Notes
メニューを見せてもらえますか？	Menyuu o misete moraemasu ka?	Could I see the menu?
英語のメニューはありますか？	Eigo no menyuu wa arimasu ka?	Do you have an English menu?
おすすめは何ですか？	Osusume wa nan desu ka?	What do you recommend?
これは何ですか？	Kore wa nan desu ka?	What is this?	point at the menu or a dish
もう少し時間をください	Mou sukoshi jikan o kudasai	I need a little more time.	if you’re not ready to order

---

Dietary Restrictions & Allergies

Whether you have allergies, dietary restrictions, or simply don’t eat certain ingredients, these phrases will help you ask before you order.

Staff might say:

Japanese	Romaji	English	Notes
アレルギーはございますか？	Arerugii wa gozaimasu ka?	Do you have any allergies?
こちらには_____ が入っています	Kochira ni wa _____ ga haitte imasu	This contains _____.	staff filling in an ingredient
申し訳ございません、対応できません	Moushiwake gozaimasen, taiou dekimasen	I’m sorry, we can’t accommodate that.	some kitchens can’t guarantee no cross-contact

You can say:

Japanese	Romaji	English	Notes
_____ アレルギーがあります	_____ arerugii ga arimasu	I have a _____ allergy.	fill in the allergen
肉を食べません	Niku o tabemasen	I don’t eat meat.	swap in fish (sakana), egg (tamago), or nuts (nattsu)
ベジタリアン用のメニューはありますか？	Bejitarian you no menyuu wa arimasu ka?	Do you have a vegetarian menu?	vegetarian and vegan options are still limited outside cities
これに卵は入っていますか？	Kore ni tamago wa haitte imasu ka?	Does this contain egg?	swap in any ingredient

---

Placing Your Order

Once you’ve decided what you want, these are the most common phrases used to place your order and confirm your meal.

Staff might say:

Japanese	Romaji	English	Notes
ご注文を繰り返します	Gochuumon o kurikaeshimasu	I’ll repeat your order.	to confirm accuracy
以上でよろしいですか？	Ijou de yoroshii desu ka?	Will that be all?
かしこまりました	Kashikomarimashita	Understood.	polite acknowledgment of your order

You can say:

Japanese	Romaji	English	Notes
これをお願いします	Kore o onegaishimasu	This one, please.	point at the menu
同じものをください	Onaji mono o kudasai	I’ll have the same thing.	useful if pointing at someone else’s dish
もう一品追加でお願いします	Mou ippin tsuika de onegaishimasu	One more dish, please.
以上です	Ijou desu	That’s all.	closing out your order

---

Ordering via Tablet or Touch Panel

Many family restaurants and izakaya now take orders through a tablet at the table instead of a server, so it helps to know the sequence.

Step 1: Find Your Dish

The tablet’s menu usually mirrors the paper one, sorted by category.

Screen might say:

Japanese	Romaji	English	Notes
メニューを選択してください	Menyuu o sentaku shite kudasai	Please select from the menu.

You can say:

Japanese	Romaji	English	Notes
これは日本語しかありませんか？	Kore wa nihongo shika arimasen ka?	Is this only in Japanese?	some tablets have a language toggle in the corner

Step 2: Confirm Quantity & Send

Screen might say:

Japanese	Romaji	English	Notes
数量を選んで送信してください	Suuryou o erande soushin shite kudasai	Please select the quantity and submit.

You can say:

Japanese	Romaji	English	Notes
送信ボタンはどこですか？	Soushin botan wa doko desu ka?	Where is the submit button?

Step 3: Order Confirmation

Screen might say:

Japanese	Romaji	English	Notes
ご注文を承りました	Gochuumon o uketamawarimashita	Your order has been received.	shown once the order is sent to the kitchen

---

Drinks

Whether you’re ordering your first drink or asking for another later, these are the phrases you’ll hear and use throughout your meal.

Staff might say:

Japanese	Romaji	English	Notes
お飲み物はいかがなさいますか？	Onomimono wa ikaga nasaimasu ka?	What would you like to drink?	often asked before food
食前にお持ちしますか？	Shokuzen ni omochi shimasu ka?	Should I bring it before the meal?
こちらは食べ放題、飲み放題です	Kochira wa tabehoudai, nomihoudai desu	This is all-you-can-eat and all-you-can-drink.	common at izakaya courses

You can say:

Japanese	Romaji	English	Notes
生ビールをください	Nama biiru o kudasai	A draft beer, please.
お水をください	Omizu o kudasai	Water, please.	tap water is usually free and unlimited
烏龍茶をお願いします	Uuroncha o onegaishimasu	Oolong tea, please.	a common non-alcoholic order at izakaya
おかわりできますか？	Okawari dekimasu ka?	Can I get a refill?

---

During the Meal

Once the food arrives, most of what you’ll say is either getting a server’s attention or asking for something extra.

• Getting Staff’s Attention
• Asking for Something Extra
• Problems With Your Order

---

Getting Staff’s Attention

Unlike in some countries, it’s perfectly normal to call a server over in Japan. These are the most common ways to get someone’s attention politely.

Staff might say:

Japanese	Romaji	English	Notes
お呼びですか？	Oyobi desu ka?	Did you call?
ただいま参ります	Tadaima mairimasu	I’ll be right there.

You can say:

Japanese	Romaji	English	Notes
すみません	sumimasen	excuse me	the standard way to call a server over
お願いします	Onegaishimasu	Excuse me, over here.	said with a raised hand, common at izakaya
すみません、注文いいですか？	Sumimasen, chuumon ii desu ka?	Excuse me, can I order?

---

Asking for Something Extra

Need another drink, extra napkins, or another spoon? These are the phrases to ask for the little things during your meal.

Staff might say:

Japanese	Romaji	English	Notes
お済みのお皿はお下げしてもよろしいですか？	Osumi no osara wa osage shite mo yoroshii desu ka?	May I clear your finished plates?
取り皿をお持ちしましょうか？	Torizara o omochi shimashou ka?	Shall I bring extra plates?

You can say:

Japanese	Romaji	English	Notes
お箸をもう一膳もらえますか？	Ohashi o mou ichizen moraemasu ka?	Could I get one more pair of chopsticks?
取り皿をお願いします	Torizara o onegaishimasu	Extra plates, please.	for sharing dishes
お水のおかわりをお願いします	Omizu no okawari o onegaishimasu	More water, please.
紙ナプキンをもらえますか？	Kami napukin o moraemasu ka?	Could I get a paper napkin?

---

Problems With Your Order

If something isn’t quite right, these polite phrases will help you explain the problem and ask for assistance.

Staff might say:

Japanese	Romaji	English	Notes
申し訳ございません、すぐにお持ちします	Moushiwake gozaimasen, sugu ni omochi shimasu	I’m sorry, I’ll bring it right away.
確認いたします	Kakunin itashimasu	Let me check.

You can say:

Japanese	Romaji	English	Notes
これは頼んでいません	Kore wa tanondeimasen	I didn’t order this.
注文した料理がまだ来ていません	Chuumon shita ryouri ga mada kiteimasen	The dish I ordered hasn’t arrived yet.
これを下げてもらえますか？	Kore o sagete moraemasu ka?	Could you take this back?

---

Paying & Leaving

Your meal isn’t quite over once you’ve finished eating. Before you leave, you’ll need to ask for the bill, pay, and exchange a few final phrases with the staff. Here are the most common expressions you’ll hear and the ones you’ll need to say before heading out.

• Asking for the Bill
• Payment
• Leaving

---

Asking for the Bill

When you’re ready to leave, these are the phrases you’ll use to ask for the bill and finish your meal.

Staff might say:

Japanese	Romaji	English	Notes
お会計はご一緒ですか、別々ですか？	Okaikei wa goissho desu ka, betsubetsu desu ka?	Will you be paying together or separately?
こちらお会計になります	Kochira okaikei ni narimasu	Here’s your bill.
レジにてお願いします	Reji nite onegaishimasu	Please pay at the register.	common at izakaya and casual restaurants

You can say:

Japanese	Romaji	English	Notes
お会計をお願いします	Okaikei o onegaishimasu	The bill, please.
別々に払えますか？	Betsubetsu ni haraemasu ka?	Can we pay separately?	splitting the bill is common but not guaranteed everywhere
一緒に払います	Issho ni haraimasu	We’ll pay together.

---

Payment

Whether you’re paying by cash, card, or splitting the bill, these are the phrases you’ll hear at the register and the ones you’ll need to answer.

Staff might say:

Japanese	Romaji	English	Notes
お支払いはどうなさいますか？	Oshiharai wa dou nasaimasu ka?	How would you like to pay?
カードは使えません、現金のみです	Kaado wa tsukaemasen, genkin nomi desu	We don’t accept cards, cash only.	still common at small or older restaurants
サービス料が含まれております	Saabisuryou ga fukumarete orimasu	A service charge is included.	usually izakaya or higher-end restaurants

You can say:

Japanese	Romaji	English	Notes
カードは使えますか？	Kaado wa tsukaemasu ka?	Can I use a card?	worth confirming before you order at smaller places
現金でお願いします	Genkin de onegaishimasu	Cash, please.
領収書をもらえますか？	Ryoushuusho o moraemasu ka?	Could I get a receipt?	ask specifically for 領収書 if you need it for expenses

---

Leaving

As your meal comes to an end, these are the polite expressions you’ll hear from the staff and the ones you can say before heading out.

Staff might say:

Japanese	Romaji	English	Notes
ありがとうございました	Arigatou gozaimashita	Thank you very much.
またお越しくださいませ	Mata okoshi kudasaimase	Please come again.

You can say:

Japanese	Romaji	English	Notes
ごちそうさまでした	Gochisousama deshita	Thanks for the meal.	said on your way out, always well received
とても美味しかったです	Totemo oishikatta desu	It was very delicious.
ありがとうございました	Arigatou gozaimashita	Thank you.

---

Bonus Vocabulary

Here are some of the most useful restaurant vocabulary words to know. While many appear throughout the phrase list above, having them all in one place makes them easy to review whenever you need a quick refresher.

Japanese	Romaji	English
メニュー	menyuu	menu
お会計	okaikei	the bill
領収書	ryoushuusho	receipt (for expenses)
取り皿	torizara	extra or serving plate
お通し	otoshi	small starter dish automatically served at izakaya, usually charged
食べ放題	tabehoudai	all-you-can-eat
飲み放題	nomihoudai	all-you-can-drink
個室	koshitsu	private room
カウンター席	kauntaa seki	counter seat
生ビール	nama biiru	draft beer
アレルギー	arerugii	allergy
いただきます	itadakimasu	said before eating
ごちそうさま	gochisousama	said after eating
サービス料	saabisuryou	service charge
お冷や	ohiya	cold water (often served automatically)

---

FAQ

Do I need to tip at a restaurant in Japan? No. Tipping isn’t customary and can even cause confusion, since good service is already the standard.

What is otoshi, and can I refuse it? 『お通し (otoshi)』 is a small starter dish many izakaya serve automatically as a seated-cover charge. It’s rarely optional, so it’s best treated as a normal part of the bill rather than something to decline.

Can I ask for an English menu? Many restaurants in tourist areas have one. Asking 『英語のメニューはありますか？ (Eigo no menyuu wa arimasu ka?)』, meaning do you have an English menu, is a normal and polite question.

Do I pay at the table or at the register? It depends on the restaurant. Casual places and izakaya often use 『レジにてお願いします (Reji nite onegaishimasu)』, meaning please pay at the register, while sit-down restaurants may bring the bill to your table instead.

Can I split the bill with my group? Sometimes. Asking 『別々に払えますか？ (Betsubetsu ni haraemasu ka?)』, meaning can we pay separately, works at many casual restaurants, though some smaller places only accept one combined payment.

What if I have a food allergy? Say 『〜アレルギーがあります (~ arerugii ga arimasu)』, filling in the allergen, as early as possible, ideally before ordering. Not every kitchen can guarantee no cross-contact, so it’s worth asking directly with 『これに〜は入っていますか？ (Kore ni ~ wa haitte imasu ka?)』.

Is it normal to call out to staff instead of waiting to be noticed? Yes. Saying 『すみません (sumimasen)』 loudly enough to be heard across the restaurant is completely normal in Japan and is how most tables get a server’s attention.

---

Learn More Japanese with…

---

Related Phrase Lists

• Japanese Convenience Store Phrase List
  Shopping, paying, using the ATM, buying tickets, and every other konbini situation.
• Japanese Taxi Phrase List
  Hailing a taxi, telling the driver where to go, paying the fare, and everything in between.

---

---

Japanese restaurants may seem a little unfamiliar at first, but once you know the common phrases, ordering, asking questions, and paying becomes much more comfortable. Save this page for your next meal in Japan, and enjoy trying everything from ramen shops and sushi restaurants to cozy izakaya.

Gochisousama deshita!
ごちそうさまでした！
Alex 🍣✨