A restaurant is easier when you know the few sentences that move the evening along.

Japanese menus can be beautifully specific and completely unreadable. You do not need to decode every kanji before sitting down. These phrases let you get a table, ask for help, order confidently, and leave politely.

At the entrance

If you have a reservation, say yoyaku shiteimasu (“I have a 予約よやく (yoyaku · reservation)”). For a walk-in, futari desu means “we are two,” using the people counter. The staff may ask nanmei-sama desu ka? — how many guests? Sama is a respectful suffix for customers, not something you need to copy.

If you want a recommendation, ask osusume wa nan desu ka? (“What do you recommend?”). A useful follow-up is kore wa nan desu ka? while pointing at a menu item. Pointing at the menu is normal; pointing at a person is a different story.

Ordering and dietary needs

The simplest order is kore o hitotsu kudasai — “one of this, please.” Replace hitotsu with futatsu for two. When you are ready, say chuumon onegaishimasu (“we are ready to order”). To ask whether something contains an ingredient, use nani ga haitteimasu ka? (“what is in it?”).

For an allergy, be direct: ebi arerugii ga arimasu (“I have a shrimp allergy”). Vegetarian and vegan options are not universal, so explain what you cannot eat rather than relying on one label. If the answer is unclear, a translation app and a photo of the ingredient list are sensible tools, not a failure.

Paying

Say okaikei onegaishimasu for the bill. If paying separately, ask betsu-betsu ni dekimasu ka? (“Can we pay separately?”). Tipping is generally not expected. At some restaurants you pay at the register; at others you pay at the table. Follow the movement of the staff and you will be fine.

Ticket machines and small corrections

Many ramen shops and fast restaurants use a ticket machine at the entrance. Look for shokken (meal ticket), insert cash, press the photograph, and hand the ticket to staff. If the machine is confusing, say sumimasen, oshiete kudasai (“Excuse me, please show me”). Staff would rather help before you press the wrong button.

If you change your mind, kore wa iranai desu (“I do not need this”) is clear but direct; sumimasen, chuumon o kaetai desu (“I would like to change my order”) is softer. At the end, gochisousama deshita thanks the kitchen and the person serving you. These phrases turn ordering into a sequence of small, manageable exchanges rather than one high-pressure performance.

Sources & further reading

Save a screenshot of the phrases you need before entering a restaurant. In a noisy room, pronunciation may be harder than pointing to text. Staff may answer in Japanese, English, or by showing a menu; all three are successful communication. The goal is not to perform a perfect dialogue. It is to make your request clear and give the other person an easy way to respond.

Japanese-language sources — what Japanese readers read about this, not what's written for visitors.

I write Honne Japan — honest notes on Japanese living, the real thing behind the polite face. One small, un-aesthetic idea each week: Honne Japan on Substack →.