Where to eat in Dotonbori

Osaka wasn’t just given the nickname “Japan’s kitchen”, it worked hard for it by creating dishes that combine flavors and textures to make a meal an experience. If you’ve already read my guide to Dotonbori, then you’ll know there is a lot this area has to offer travelers. This part 2 post is all about where (and what) to eat in Dotonbori.

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Travel Tip: Unless you have a dietary restriction, don’t ask what a dish is.   Eating food that you have NO expectations about is an experience you can only get while traveling.  You don’t know what it’s going to taste like – salty, sweet, crunchy, smooth – who knows?  

Food in Dotonbori:

If you’re a real street food lover like me, then you’ll be in heaven in Dotonbori. Street food in Dotonbori is unlike anywhere else I’ve been in the world. Everywhere I looked, there was a new dish being cooked in a small stall or over an open-fire grill. It’s hard to decide when everything looked and smelled so good. There are also tons of restaurants and izakayas (informal bars that sell drinks and snacks) in Dotonbori as well. Here is your guide to food in Dotonbori:

Takoyaki

The original Osaka street food is also the most common food in Dotonbori. While you can find it throughout the city, Dotonbori has the best because there are so many restaurants that make it – there is fierce competition. The traditional recipe consists of eggs, flour, octopus pieces, green onions and pickled ginger. However, because it is so common in Dotonbori, many chefs are adding new ingredients, like cheese. Takoyaki comes with a sauce, dried bonito and mayonnaise.

Takoyaki costs around 500-700 yen ($5-7). The dish is always made to order, so let it cool for a few minutes before eating.

Best places in Dotonbori to eat Takoyaki: 

Takoyaki Wanaka – probably has the largest variety of takoyaki in Dotonbori, Acchichihonpo, Creo-Ru, Otako – known for its huge pieces of octopus which make up 80% of the ball, and Takoyaki Juhachiban Dotonbori which surrounds their takoyaki with tempura bits! 

Okonomiyaki

This was my absolute FAVORITE dish to eat in Japan. It’s most commonly described as a savory pancake or Japanese pizza. You’ll find plenty of small shops specializing in this dish – some of which cook it right at your table. Be patient, the dish takes about 15-20 minutes to cook. There are a wide variety of ingredients used in okonomiyaki so try it a few different ways. You can have it with meat or no meat. Meat options include octopus, pork, prawn, squid, beef or shrimp. However, if you’re a vegan, please know that most of the places will cook it on the same stovetop as the meat okonomiyaki.  

Okonomiyaki costs around 600-1500 yen ($6-15)

Best places in Dotonbori to eat Okonomiyaki :  

Ajinoya is the most well-known okonomiyaki restaurant, but there may be lines. They tend to use less flour and cabbage, making it a lighter dish. Mizuno, and Okonomiyaki Tombe are also great options for this dish!

Travel Tip: Follow the lines.  If you see locals lined up at a food stall, then it’s most likely going to be great food.  Since restaurants tend to specialize in a dish or two, the lines move quickly!

Yakiniku 

My favorite Japanese word – doesn’t it just sound so fun? It means grilled meat and is basically Japanese barbecue. You’ll find yakiniku stands throughout Japan, especially at tourist spots.  Various kinds of meat are sliced, placed on skewers, then marinated in a mixture of shoyu (soy), ginger, garlic, sake, and sesame, then it’s grilled over charcoal. The only meat that is not marinated is Kobe beef – it just doesn’t need it. There are yakiniku restaurants as well if you wanted to sit and enjoy the meat. Many of these restaurants are behind the food stalls.

Yakiniku costs about 500-800 yen ($5-8) depending on the meat.

Best places in Dotonbori to eat Yakiniku:

You’ll find Yakiniku all over the place and many of the places don’t have English names, so I’m not much help there. However, the most well known is the Matsusakagyu Yakiniku M. Hozenji Hanare which is near the Hozenji temple. For a restaurant known for its Matsusaka beef there is Yakiniku M Dotonbori, Chuo which has amazing reviews on TripAdvisor.

Kushikatsu

Sibling to Yakinku, kushikatsu is deep-fried meat and/or vegetable skewers. You may find restaurants that only serve this dish. The dishes are made to order and are perfect for a snack! Don’t forget to dip into the dark sauce that comes with it – however – do NOT double dip. The dark sauce is tonkatsu dipping sauce. It’s sweet and sticky – a great combination with the deep-fried dish. The reason for the no double-dipping rule? The pots of sauce are topped off and used for multiple customers. The great thing about Kushikatsu is you order per skewer – so you’re not stuck with 5 of a type of meat you don’t really like – giving you flexibility in ordering.

Kushikatsu costs around 100-300 yen ($1-3) depending on the meat.

Best places in Dotonbori to eat Kushikatsu:

Kushikatsu Daruma Dotonbori – there are a few locations around the city. You’ll recognize it by the angry Daruma statue on the outside – he’s angry because someone double dipped! If the line at the Dotonbori location is too long, then go to the branch around the corner near Hozenji Temple.

Travel Tip: Eating while walking is considered rude in Japan.  If you buy food from a street vendor, you should eat it in front of the stall.   

Gyoza

Traditionally a Chinese dish, gyoza are Japanese dumplings. Try to find a place that makes gyoza by hand instead of mass-producing them. The chefs have the process down to a science, so if you’re looking for a quick bite, the lines go very quickly.

Gyoza normally costs around 300-600 yen ($3-5) for 6.

Best places in Dotonbori to eat Gyoza

Osaka Ohsho is the easiest place to find since it has giant gyoza on the outside of the restaurant. There is also Gyozah Dotonbori which has a variety of other foods as well as gyoza.

Yakisoba 

Japan LOVES their noodle dishes, so try a few while visiting. Yakisoba is made of fried buckwheat (soba) noodles, special sauce, pork, and finely chopped veggies (cabbage, bean sprouts, carrots, and onion). Pickled ginger is used as a garnish.

Yakisoba typically costs around 1000 yen ($10)

Best places in Dotonbori to eat Yakisoba:

Juza Yakisoba is located in the heart of Dotonbori and offers plenty of variety with this dish! For more formal yakisoba (or okonomiyaki since they serve both) check out Ajioya which received a Michelin Bib Gourmand mention for it!

Travel Tip/Fun Fact: Loud slurping is not considered rude in Japan – so don’t worry if you slurp! It’s a custom that dates back to the Edo period and shows that you enjoy your food.

Fugu

Fugu, or blowfish, is a Japanese delicacy. The content of a blowfish’s liver is lethally poisonous. You can only get blowfish from certified chefs since one wrong cut could be fatal.

Fugu typically costs between 10,00-30,000 yen ($100-300).

Best places in Dotonbori to eat Fugu:

The most popular place is Zuboraya Dotonbori, probably because of the giant blowfish on the outside. A smaller restaurant (but still delicious) is Takoyasu near the Asashiobashi Station.

Ramen

No Japanese food guide is complete without ramen, but I put it at the end of the list because it is so common in Japan. There are so many different options when it comes to ramen from the varieties of meat, broth and noodle texture.

Ramen typically costs around 700-1000 Yen ($7-10) depending on your fixings!

Best places in Dotonbori to eat ramen:

Kamukura Dotonbori is one of the most well-known places in Dotonbori for ramen. They have a wide variety of types of ramen and the noodles are never overcooked! Kinryu Ramen is also a great option.

Taiyaki

Now that you’ve had your fill of regular food, it’s time for dessert! Taiyaki is not just a food, it’s an experience. Crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, cake-like texture that has a sweet paste inside – taiyaki has it all! There are a variety of pastes you can have – red bean, custard, sweet potato, or chocolate. You can’t miss the dish because it’s fish shape is very unique. The cakes are freshly made so give it a few minutes to cool off before you eat.

Taiyaki costs about 100-300 yen ($1-3).

Best places in Dotonbori to eat Taiyaki:

The majority of taiyaki can be found in street stalls. The Naruto Taiyaki Hompo is a good starting off point.

Other foods to try in Dotonbori:

Odoritako: Commonly referred to as the “dancing octopus”, a whole small octopus is used and then hot water is poured on top to make the octopus kick a few times.

Crepes: I know, crepes don’t sound like a traditional Japanese dish, but they are all around Dotonbori! Some even come with matcha ice cream!

Cheese dogs: You can get a hot dog, hot dog and cheese, or just cheese deep fried. This stand is right near the Dotonbori river cruise which I talk about here.

Be sure to visit Dotonbori on an empty stomach so you can try all the amazing foods!

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