5 Izakayas in Kanazawa Katamachi where you can enjoy the best of gastronomy

Located in the heart of Kanazawa, the Katamachi area is one of the largest downtown areas in Hokuriku with more than several thousand restaurants. Walking through such Katamachi, you are sure to find your favorite izakaya. In this article, we will introduce you to some of the many izakaya (Japanese style pubs) where you can enjoy local sake and craft beer, with a focus on the best restaurants where you can taste fresh seafood.

Once you see it, you will never forget the impact the menu has on you.

 Kimitotsunagaritai (1,680 yen), Nadarezushi (2,890 yen)
Kimitotsunagaritai (1,680 yen), Nadarezushi (2,890 yen)

This seafood izakaya offers not only a reliable taste, but also a pleasing appearance. There are many simple dishes that make the most of the flavors of the ingredients, but what is noteworthy is the menu, which has an outstanding impact both in name and appearance. The famous "nadare-zushi" is a thin roll topped with tuna and salmon. On top of that, salmon roe is piled up to the point of overflowing, making it a satisfying dish in terms of both taste and quantity.
The "Kimito Tsuna Gari Tai," a hand-rolled sushi dish whose name is a play on the ingredients, features a beautiful array of yolk, tuna, gari, and tai on a bed of nori (dried seaweed). The sushi is brought to your table before it is rolled and you are allowed to take a picture of it. After that, they roll it, cut it, and serve it to you.

The happiness of eating hot oden.

 A private room with a view of the tsuboniwa garden provides a special and relaxed atmosphere.
A private room with a view of the tsuboniwa garden provides a special and relaxed atmosphere.

The restaurant, which seats 140 people in a 125-square-meter space, is equipped with various types of Guest rooms. Private rooms with a view of a tsuboniwa garden are especially special seats. It is also nice to be able to eat oden from our affiliated restaurant "Izakaya Gappa," which has been ranked No. 1 in oden in Japan by a gourmet website.
The most popular dish is the "oden nabe," which contains about 11 kinds of ingredients soaked in a broth made by slowly simmering seven kinds of dried bonito and akitobushi (dried bonito flakes) and Ono shoyu (soy sauce). Every table is equipped with a tabletop stove to keep the hot oden warm while you enjoy it slowly.

Local Guide
Supporters

The "Kimito Tuna Garitai" and "Nadare Sushi" are very generous, so it is recommended to share them with two or more people.

Market-Direct Seafood Bar Sakanaya Sake
  • Address B1F Chuo Core Building, 2-23-12 Katamachi, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture MAP
  •  Direction 10 minutes drive from JR Kanazawa Station
  •   Direction Take a bus from JR Kanazawa Station, get off at "Katamachi" and walk 2 minutes.
  •  Business hours 17:00-23:00 (L.O. 22:30)
  •  Closed Sunday
  •  TEL 076-255-6167
  •  Parking None
  •  Memo 

Surprised and impressed by the taste you can enjoy from the presentation.

 Gokai Sashimi Boat Sashimi (3,696 yen for two people)
Gokai Sashimi Boat Sashimi (3,696 yen for two people)

At this izakaya, you can enjoy dishes filled with Hokuriku love. The "Gokai Ossashimi Funazari" was created at Corona Disaster in the hope of revitalizing Kanazawa. You will feel the passionate power of the presentation as the sashimi is brought to you with loud music and the loud shouts of "The boat is coming!
The sashimi is as thick and impressive as the flags. One bite of the sashimi is unforgettable, and the mouth-watering sashimi is sure to leave a lasting impression. Echizen crab cream croquettes, which are filled with Echizen crab, cream sauce, and crab miso inside a crab shell, are also popular.

A special seat where you can enjoy Oden to the fullest!

 Oden counter located in the center of the restaurant
Oden counter located in the center of the restaurant

With the wish to "increase the number of Kanazawa fans around the world," this restaurant proposes delicious food every day in order to convey the tastes of Kanazawa and the other three Hokuriku prefectures to as many people as possible. The menu features dishes that make the most of the flavors of the ingredients while incorporating elements of entertainment.
Another feature of the restaurant is the Kanazawa oden, a dish that takes time to bring out the best flavor. The U-shaped counter seats, commonly called "boss's seats," serve as an oden counter, and are prime seats that fill up quickly. Normally, only an assortment of oden is served, but you can order individual portions only at these seats, giving you a special experience.

Local Guide
Supporters

With the concept of "the best of Hokuriku gathered together," you can enjoy dishes using a variety of local ingredients selected by Staff/staff members themselves after visiting the area. We recommend tasting the truly delicious local sake, which was found by visiting 37 sake breweries in Ishikawa Prefecture, in a sake comparison set.

Ganso Kanazawa Robata Appare Kanazawa Katamachi
  • Address B1F Hokkoku Building, 2-2-15 Katamachi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa MAP
  •  Direction 10 minutes drive from JR Kanazawa Station
  •   Direction Take a bus from JR Kanazawa Station, get off at "Katamachi" and walk about 1 minute.
  • Business Hours Monday-Thursday 17:00-23:00, Friday 17:00-24:00, Saturday 16:00-24:00, Sunday & Holidays 16:00-23:00
  •  Closed Closed on weekends and holidays
  •  TEL 076-256-0182

Taste a new style that stimulates all five senses

 Assorted sashimi (1,980 yen per person; minimum order of two)
Assorted sashimi (1,980 yen per person; minimum order of two)

This stylish izakaya for adults has just opened on a back street in Katamachi. It boasts creative Japanese cuisine using fresh fish that is as impressive as its presentation and presentation.
The specialty, "Assorted Sashimi Assortment of 8" appears wrapped in dry ice smoke. The fresh fish of the day, such as sea urchin, sweet shrimp, and toro, are beautifully arranged on a Kutani ware plate. The freshness of the fish is outstanding, as the restaurant purchases one-rank higher quality seafood. The restaurant also offers a taste of Edo-mae sushi culture, such as tuna coated with soy sauce using a brush.

The luxury of spending a special night

 The live counter seating allows diners to enjoy the process of preparing dishes.
The live counter seating allows diners to enjoy the process of preparing dishes.

The theme of the restaurant interior, which is reminiscent of a Showa-era discotheque, is "Onkyo Chishin. Nostalgia and urbanity coexist comfortably, creating an interesting contrast. The choice of chopstick rest patterns and chopsticks made of Kutani Yaki porcelain is also very exciting.
All alcoholic drinks are prepared under the supervision of "Sose-ryu," a popular bar in Katamachi. The charm of this restaurant is that you can enjoy bar-quality drinks. We also prepare original specialty fruit cocktails. The sake lineup includes sake from the three Hokuriku prefectures. We also have hidden sake, so if you are interested, please ask a Staff/staff member.

Local Guide
Supporters

We also recommend the oden counter, which is separated from the main Dining Area and located next door. Stop by casually and enjoy Kanazawa oden.

Meshiya Ukaikaijin Ura-Katamachi
  • Address Ginga Kaikan 1F, 2-2-25 Katamachi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa MAP
  •  Direction 10 minutes drive from JR Kanazawa Station
  •   Direction Take a bus from JR Kanazawa Station, get off at "Katamachi" and walk about 1 minute.
  • Business Hours 16:00-24:00
  •  Closed Closed on weekends and holidays
  •  TEL 076-255-3070

Kanazawa Oden is now available year-round!

 Sardine Tsumire Oden Hot Pot
Sardine Tsumire Oden Hot Pot" (1,800 yen), "Sardine Tataki" (1,265-1,375 yen)

This restaurant specializes in sardine dishes, serving sardines in a variety of ways. One bite of the "Sardine Tataki" dressed with yam, green onion, all-purpose green onion, and ginger will surely make you fall in love with its exquisite balance. The tataki is served with two kinds of sauce, homemade niboshi soy sauce and salted sesame oil, and wrapped in nori (seaweed).
Newly added to the menu is Kanazawa Oden, which can be enjoyed year-round. The "Oden Assortment" includes six kinds of ingredients. The dish includes sardine ball, daikon radish, kuruma-fu, and other items recommended for the day, all served in a bowl. The soup stock, rich in seafood, is made from niboshi (dried sardines), kombu (kelp), bonito, mackerel, and more sardines, and has a refreshing taste.

A variety of dishes that bring out the potential of sardines

 The counter seating with eye-catching lanterns on the first floor and table seating on the second floor.
The counter seating with eye-catching lanterns on the first floor and table seating on the second floor.

The owner says he has cooked 200 to 300 different kinds of sardine dishes. Currently, he has narrowed it down to about 20 types, and offers dishes that bring out the potential of sardines, such as "Sardine Salad Yukke" and "Sardine Ume-Shiso Harumaki.
Sardines can basically be harvested all year round, but the fat content of sardines differs depending on the season, so there is a cooking method that suits the season. For those who wish to enjoy seasonal dishes, ordering from the blackboard menu is recommended. For sake, we have a selection of sake that goes well with sardines, mainly junmai sake from the Hokuriku region.

Local Guide
Supporters

There are many fun tricks in the store to help you relax and enjoy yourself. For example, the sign at the entrance reads "Eicho-chu" (fish in operation), and the chopstick bag is a fortune. It is a nice touch to see the thoughtfulness of the restaurant.

Sardine Gumi
  • Address 1-7-13 Katamachi, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa MAP
  •  Direction 10 minutes drive from JR Kanazawa Station
  •   Direction Take a bus from JR Kanazawa Station, get off at "Katamachi" and walk about 1 minute.
  •  Hours of Operation 17:30-21:30 (L.O. 21:00) *Close when sardines are gone.
  •  Regular holiday Sundays (or the last day of consecutive holidays)
    Closed on days when sardines are not in stock
  •  TEL 076-224-1493

Delight your taste buds with dishes that lock in the flavor of sardines.

 Tengu Mai mini-tank of original Junmai (original), 120ml, 880 yen; Osashimi-tei: Okemasuri of Sea of Japan sashimi, 2,970 yen for 2 people, Nodoguro Sake-mushi, 3,960 yen; Amaebi Paris-no-Kake, 880 yen.
Tengu Mai mini-tank of original Junmai (original), 120ml, 880 yen; Osashimi-tei: Okemasuri of Sea of Japan sashimi, 2,970 yen for 2 people, Nodoguro Sake-mushi, 3,960 yen; Amaebi Paris-no-Kake, 880 yen.

This popular restaurant has many repeat customers who come all the way from outside of the prefecture and overseas. It is a very popular izakaya that fills up quickly with reservations. The "Osashimi-tei: Sea of Japan Sashimi Okemasuri" features fresh sashimi directly from the fishing ports of Kanazawa, Udezu in Noto, and Shinminato in Toyama, and comes with rice so that you can enjoy it as sushi.
The "Nodoguro Sake Mushi" is a blissful dish that allows you to savor the taste of nodoguro itself. The "Amaebi Pari No Kake" with white meat and amaebi on bread soaked in olive and garlic has a crispy texture followed by the delicious taste of amaebi.

A popular restaurant that fills up quickly with reservations

 Staff/staff member welcoming you with a smile
Staff/staff member welcoming you with a smile

Only at the main restaurant can you enjoy your meal at the counter, where you can look at the lively open kitchen. We offer 20 kinds of sake, limited to junmai (pure rice) sake, because we want to use only sake that makes the best use of the ingredients. The "Tengu Mai Kuradashi Mini Tank" is a rare sake that can only be enjoyed here.
It is poured from a tank directly from Kurumada Shuzo, a famous brewery in Ishikawa, and is not bottled, so you can feel the freshness, mellowness, and fruity aroma as if you were drinking it at the brewery. This overly luxurious cup is very easy to drink and should be ordered by sake beginners.

Local Guide
Supporters

Reservations are accepted from noon two months in advance, but on weekends, the restaurant is so popular that reservations fill up within an hour or so. Sometimes there are a few seats available on the day, so if you can't get a reservation, it is recommended to inquire on the day of your visit.

Mineru Honten
  • Address 3-8 Kakinokibatake, Kanazawa-shi, Ishikawa MAP
  •  Direction 15 minutes drive from JR Kanazawa Station
  •  Bus Direction Take a bus from JR Kanazawa Station, get off at Korinbo bus stop and walk about 5 minutes.
  •  Hours of Operation 17:30-23:00 (L.O.22:30)
  •  Regular holiday Sundays (closed on Mondays when Sundays and holidays are consecutive holidays)
  •  TEL 076-221-4194
The information in this article is current as of the date of the update. Please check before visiting as they are subject to change.