4 recommended Izakayas in Naha where locals also go. Enjoy Okinawan cuisine with drinks!
Fresh seafood dishes, gently flavored champuru (Okinawan stir-fry), umi budou (sea grapes) and shimarakkyo (island rakkyo), which are perfect as snacks with drinks, are just some of the many gourmet delicacies you cannot miss in Okinawa. In Naha, one of Okinawa's most popular sightseeing spots, we will introduce a selection of izakaya (Japanese-style pubs) where you can enjoy such Okinawan gourmet food with alcohol. Enjoy a relaxing night in Okinawa at a popular izakaya frequented by locals as well as tourists.
1Nakamuraya
Tantalize your taste buds with dishes using fresh, locally caught fish.
This izakaya is popular for its seafood dishes using fish from Okinawa. In front of the counter, you will find a variety of local fish such as fresh natural tuna, akamachi (yellowtail), and irabuchi (yellowtail). The fish is freshly purchased from the market on the day it is served, and customers can enjoy a variety of fish dishes in a "weighed" style. You can choose from a variety of cooking methods, including simmered, buttered, and marinated with salt and awamori to bring out the best flavor.
The sashimi platter can be ordered in quantities of one.
Easy to stop by alone or in a group
The restaurant was established in 1984 (Showa 59) by the previous owner, who originally ran a fresh fish restaurant. The wide variety of fish dishes has not changed since then. Many regular customers have been coming to the restaurant since its establishment because they can enjoy reasonably priced and delicious seafood dishes.
In the calm atmosphere of the restaurant, there are small tatami room seats and counter seats with a strong presence, making it easy to stop by either in a group or by yourself.
- Nakamura House
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3-15-2 Kumoji, Kumoji, Naha City, Okinawa MAP
6 min. walk from Kencho-mae Station on the Yui Rail
17:00-22:30 (L.O. 21:30)
Sunday, Holidays
098-861-8751
None
2Apparishan
Enjoy Okinawan cuisine, from standard dishes to local food
Sanshin (Okinawan guitar) live performances held nightly are popular at this Okinawa izakaya. The restaurant offers a la carte dishes that go well with drinks, such as fried gurukun and sashimi of tuna, as well as dishes that are typical of Okinawa, such as Okinawan soba and rafte fried rice.
The restaurant also offers a wide variety of chanpuru dishes such as goya chanpuru (bitter melon stir-fry) and somen chanpuru (somen stir-fry). The "Fu Chanpuru" with fluffy fu, vegetables, and spam is especially popular. There is also a rare chanpuru using adan and otaniwatari, which are known as island vegetables.
Lively sanshin (Okinawan guitar) live music brings customers closer together
The owner of the restaurant is from Ishigaki Island, and the Awamori lineup includes many from the Yaeyama Islands, including Ishigaki Island. Also, "Angama," a traditional mask from the Yaeyama region, is displayed in the restaurant.
The owner is also a singer and performs sanshin live and sings island songs. The live performance offers a special evening immersed in Okinawan folk and pop music, whether you listen quietly to the sound of the sanshin or join in the excitement by joining in the singing. At the end of the live performance, the audience gets closer to each other with a lively "Kachaasi," a dance in which the audience raises their hands and turns their wrists.
- Apparishan
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3-23-8 Kumoji, Naha City, Okinawa MAP
5 min. walk from Kencho-mae Station on Yui Rail
17:30~0:00
Sunday
098-861-1112
None
3Kozakura
A long-established restaurant where you can taste traditional Okinawan home cooking
Located on Ryugu Street, not far from Kokusai Street, this long-established restaurant was founded in 1955. The third-generation owner runs the restaurant, serving traditional Okinawan cuisine.
Su-chi-ka" (salted pork tripe) and "shima-tofu" (island tofu) are perfect snacks for alcoholic beverages. These are also used in "Goya Chanpuru," allowing customers to enjoy ingredients and dishes that have been familiar to Okinawan families.
The restaurant's specialty, "Somen Chanpuru" is a dish made with garlic and cabbage. Its simple yet deep flavor will surely make you addicted to it.
Enjoy friendly conversation with the owner and customers over a glass of Awamori
The restaurant's interior, which retains the atmosphere of the time when it was founded, is comfortable and inviting, and many locals and tourists visit alone at the counter on the first floor, where they can enjoy lively conversation with the owner and his customers.
In the corner of the store, bottles of Awamori are lined up. The shop offers more than 40 varieties of Awamori from breweries all over the prefecture, with the aim of conveying the charm of Awamori. For those new to Awamori, we recommend the "A-ball," which is a carbonated drink. You can also order your favorite brand of Awamori.
4Mutou
Izakaya (Japanese-style pub) where the "ultimate salted bread" with its delicious buttery flavor is very popular
This izakaya has many fans not only among tourists but also among locals. The specialty is the "mixed tuna butts," in which you can compare the large, medium, and red meat of Okinawan tuna. The rich flavor and chunky texture that only fresh tuna can offer are appealing.
The "Ultimate Salted Bread with Egg Sandwich" is also a popular menu item, with customers coming to the restaurant for the thickly sliced, fluffy salted bread. The salt bread is a custom-made replica of a bakery that the owner, who is from Okinawa, used to go to as a child. You can enjoy the taste of butter and the richness of fresh cream.
A wide variety of food and drink menus that make you want to visit again and again
The blackboard inside the restaurant is filled with a food menu that includes dishes made with Okinawan ingredients as well as carefully selected ingredients from all over Japan. The menu includes everything from refreshing snacks to meals for those who want a hearty meal. Some of the dishes are changed seasonally, so you can enjoy seasonal flavors.
A wide variety of drinks are offered, from the standard to the unusual, including "Shima Uta Ball" (Awamori mixed with soda water), "Shikwasa Draft Beer," and "Marugoto Mikan Sour. It is recommended to sit on the terrace and enjoy a drink in the evening breeze while feeling the bustle of Naha.
- Muto
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2-6-1 Matsuyama, Naha City, Okinawa MAP
8 min. walk from Yui Rail Miebashi Sta.
Open from 16:00 to 23:00
Sundays and every other Wednesday
098-863-4808
None
MAP
- Hoshino Resorts facilities nearby



