Japanese Restaurant Vocabulary: Essential Words, Phrases, and Ordering Expressions

Key takeaways

• Japanese restaurant interactions follow a clear sequence: entry and seating, ordering, receiving food, eating, and paying. Each stage has its own set of phrases.
• Staff will call out いらっしゃいませ (irasshaimase) when you enter. This is a formal welcome and does not require a response, though a nod or smile is normal.
• To order, the most reliable phrase is: [item] を ください (o kudasai: please give me [item]). It works for food, drinks, and extra items.
• Paying at a Japanese restaurant almost always happens at the register (レジ, reji) on the way out, not at the table.

You are at a Japanese restaurant. The server bows and speaks quickly, the menu has items you half-recognize, and the interaction moves at a pace that leaves no time to search your notes.

Japanese restaurants have a defined set of phrases that staff use at each stage of the meal, and knowing them in advance turns an awkward guessing experience into a smooth one. italki connects learners with Japanese teachers who can roleplay restaurant scenarios at realistic speed so the vocabulary works when it matters.

This guide covers Japanese restaurant vocabulary across five stages: arrival and seating, menu and ordering vocabulary, eating and requests during the meal, payment, and dietary restriction phrases.

Arrival and seating phrases

Japanese	Romaji	English
いらっしゃいませ	irasshaimase	Welcome (staff greeting; no response needed)
何名様ですか?	nan-mei-sama desu ka	How many people in your party?
二人です	futari desu	Two people
一人です	hitori desu	One person
三人です	sannin desu	Three people
禁煙席をお願いします	kin’enseki o onegaishimasu	A non-smoking seat, please
席はありますか?	seki wa arimasu ka	Is there a table available?
予約しています	yoyaku shite imasu	I have a reservation
どうぞ	dōzo	Please (go ahead / this way)
こちらへどうぞ	kochira e dōzo	This way, please

When staff ask 何名様ですか? (nan-mei-sama desu ka), answer with the number + 人です (nin desu) or use the special counters for small numbers: 一人 (hitori: one person), 二人 (futari: two people). From three people onward, use the regular counter: 三人 (sannin), 四人 (yonin), 五人 (gonin).

Work through a seating arrival scenario with a Japanese tutor who can play the restaurant host and practice at realistic conversational speed.

Menu vocabulary

Food categories

Japanese	Romaji	English
定食	teishoku	set meal (main + sides + rice + soup)
ランチセット	ranchi setto	lunch set
前菜	zensai	starter/appetizer
メイン / 主菜	mein / shusai	main course
デザート	dezāto	dessert
飲み物	nomimono	drinks
おすすめ	osusume	recommendation / today’s special
本日のおすすめ	honjitsu no osusume	today’s special

Common menu items

Japanese	Romaji	English
ラーメン	rāmen	ramen
寿司	sushi	sushi
天ぷら	tenpura	tempura
焼き鳥	yakitori	grilled chicken skewers
刺身	sashimi	sashimi (raw fish)
唐揚げ	karaage	Japanese fried chicken
そば	soba	buckwheat noodles
うどん	udon	thick wheat noodles
カレーライス	karē raisu	Japanese curry rice
餃子	gyōza	pan-fried dumplings
焼き魚	yakizakana	grilled fish
味噌汁	misoshiru	miso soup
ご飯	gohan	rice / cooked rice

Drinks

Japanese	Romaji	English
お水	omizu	water
お茶	ocha	tea (usually green tea in Japanese restaurants)
ビール	bīru	beer
日本酒	nihonshu	sake
ジュース	jūsu	juice
コーヒー	kōhī	coffee

Ordering quantities depends on Japanese numbers, including both the native Japanese counting system and the Sino-Japanese system used in restaurant contexts.

Ordering phrases

Japanese	Romaji	English
[item] をください	[item] o kudasai	Please give me [item]
[item] をひとつください	[item] o hitotsu kudasai	One [item] please
[item] をふたつください	[item] o futatsu kudasai	Two [item] please
注文してもいいですか?	chūmon shite mo ii desu ka	May I order?
まだ決めていません	mada kimete imasen	I have not decided yet
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?
同じものをください	onaji mono o kudasai	The same as that, please
セットにしてください	setto ni shite kudasai	Please make it a set meal
お持ち帰りで	omochikaeri de	To take away / takeout

The phrase [item] をください (o kudasai) is the most reliable structure for ordering anything. Point to the menu item, say its name, and add をください. It works for food, drinks, extra napkins, and more.

During the meal: requests and responses

Japanese	Romaji	English
すみません	sumimasen	Excuse me (to call a server)
お水をください	omizu o kudasai	Could I have some water, please?
おかわりをください	okawari o kudasai	Refill, please
[item] はまだですか?	[item] wa mada desu ka	Is the [item] still coming?
とても美味しいです	totemo oishii desu	This is very delicious
お箸をください	ohashi o kudasai	Could I have chopsticks, please?
フォークをください	fōku o kudasai	Could I have a fork, please?
ナプキンをください	napukin o kudasai	Could I have a napkin, please?
量が多すぎます	ryō ga ōsugimasu	The portion is too large
辛すぎました	karashigimashita	It was too spicy

Calling a server in Japan is done by saying すみません (sumimasen) at a normal volume, sometimes raising a hand. In some modern restaurants there is a call button at the table (呼び出しボタン, yobidashi botan). Shouting or waving aggressively is not the norm.

An online Japanese teacher can practice table-side requests with you, including how to ask about your order politely when it has not arrived.

Payment phrases

Japanese	Romaji	English
お会計をお願いします	okaikei o onegaishimasu	The bill, please
いくらですか?	ikura desu ka	How much is it?
カードで払えますか?	kādo de haraemasu ka	Can I pay by card?
現金で払います	genkin de haraimasu	I will pay in cash
別々に払えますか?	betsubetsu ni haraemasu ka	Can we pay separately?
一緒に払います	issho ni haraimasu	We will pay together
領収書をください	ryōshūsho o kudasai	Could I have a receipt, please?
ごちそうさまでした	gochisōsama deshita	Thank you for the meal (said after eating / when leaving)

In most Japanese restaurants, payment is made at the register (レジ, reji) at the entrance on the way out, not at the table. If a cashier tray (お盆, obon) is present, place your money on it rather than handing it directly.

ごちそうさまでした (gochisōsama deshita) is said to the staff or host when leaving. It is the standard post-meal expression and is always well received.

Dietary restriction phrases

Japanese	Romaji	English
ベジタリアンです	bejitarian desu	I am vegetarian
ビーガンです	bīgan desu	I am vegan
アレルギーがあります	arerugī ga arimasu	I have an allergy
[item] アレルギーです	[item] arerugī desu	I am allergic to [item]
卵アレルギーです	tamago arerugī desu	I am allergic to eggs
乳製品アレルギーです	nyūseihin arerugī desu	I am allergic to dairy
小麦アレルギーです	komugi arerugī desu	I am allergic to wheat/gluten
[item] は入っていますか?	[item] wa haitte imasu ka	Does this contain [item]?
だしは何ですか?	dashi wa nan desu ka	What is the broth/stock made from?
ハラールですか?	harāru desu ka	Is this halal?

Dashi (だし) is a stock used as the base of many Japanese soups, sauces, and dishes. It is often made from fish (katsuobushi: dried bonito flakes) or kelp (kombu). For vegetarians or those with fish allergies, asking 「だしは何ですか?」 is an important question in Japanese restaurants.

Ready to order confidently in Japanese?

The vocabulary and phrases in this guide cover every stage of a typical Japanese restaurant experience. Most Japanese restaurant staff are patient and accustomed to helping non-native speakers, but knowing the right phrases means you can communicate your needs clearly rather than relying on pointing and guessing.

Practicing these phrases at real conversational speed, including handling the quick-fire welcoming sequence and the payment process, is what makes them usable rather than just recognizable. italki has 30,000+ expert tutors trusted by over 10 million learners worldwide, with Japanese tutors who can run full restaurant simulations in your lessons. Book a trial lesson and practice from entry to お会計 (the bill) in one session.

FAQ

Is tipping expected in Japanese restaurants?

No. Tipping is not practiced in Japan and can cause confusion or discomfort if offered. The service is included in the price by default, and the concept of leaving extra money on the table is unfamiliar in most Japanese restaurant contexts. The best way to show appreciation is ごちそうさまでした (gochisōsama deshita: thank you for the meal) as you leave.

What should I do if there is no English menu and I cannot read the Japanese?

Point to what other diners are eating and say 同じものをください (onaji mono o kudasai: the same as that, please). Alternatively, ask おすすめは何ですか? (osusume wa nan desu ka: what do you recommend?). Many Japanese restaurants also display plastic food models outside – pointing to one and saying これをください (kore o kudasai: I would like this one) works reliably.

How do I politely send food back or raise a problem with my order in Japanese?

すみません (sumimasen: excuse me) to get the server’s attention, then describe the issue simply. For a wrong dish: 注文と違います (chūmon to chigaimasu: this is different from what I ordered). For something missing: [item] がまだ来ていません ([item] ga mada kite imasen: the [item] has not come yet). Japanese restaurant staff handle these situations calmly and professionally.