Drinking in the Hamamatsu area? Here are 10 recommended izakaya (Japanese pubs)

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Hamamatsu Tanto Honten, about a 3-minute walk from Hamamatsu Station, is an izakaya with multiple restaurants across Hamamatsu City.

Inside, with Enshu Samba playing, you can enjoy signature dishes made with ingredients unique to Enshu (western Shizuoka) and Hamamatsu.

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The specialty here is Goen-yaki Gyoza, made with locally produced Enshu no Yume Pork and Mikatahara no Cabbage.

They are particular about keeping everything Homemade, and the vegetables are said to have a nice crisp texture. They also say the light texture makes them easy to keep eating one after another.

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In addition to "Hamamatsu gyoza," they serve a lineup of Enshu (western Shizuoka region) dishes made with carefully selected ingredients, such as "Enshu Yume Buta (Enshu Dream Pork) Goro-yaki" and "Mikatahara jaga butter (buttered Mikatahara potatoes)."

"Hamamatsu Horumon," served in a piping hot iron pot, pairs their secret sauce with very fresh Horumon, making it perfect with drinks!

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Hamamatsu Gyoza Hamataro Hamamatsu Ekimae Ten, about a 5-minute walk from Hamamatsu Station, is an izakaya where you can enjoy Shizuoka gourmet dishes, including Hamamatsu gyoza.

The lively interior is said to have counter and table seating, as well as Private room options where you can relax and enjoy your time.

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The menu always features more than 20 kinds of gyoza (Japanese dumplings), and the standard Hamamatsu gyoza (Hamamatsu-style dumplings) comes in three sizes, 6 pieces, 12 pieces, or 18 pieces, with the 12-piece and 18-piece orders served in a circular style.

Many people apparently order the 12-piece Hamamatsu gyoza because they want to see the circular style.

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The bite sized specialty Hamachan Gyoza are perfect as a snack with drinks, and come in two kinds: red with chili pepper and black with black pepper, so you can enjoy comparing the flavors.

Unique options like the gooey Hamataro Cheese Gyoza and Sakura Ebi (sakura shrimp) Gyoza from Suruga Bay are also said to be tasty.

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Hamamatsu Kaki Center is a seafood izakaya where you can enjoy a variety of oyster dishes.

The lively interior is modeled after a kaki-goya (oyster hut) and is said to be bustling with lots of customers at all times. There are table seats for casual use and zashiki (tatami seating) where you can relax and take your time.

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The “steamed oysters” are a popular menu item that the staff cooks for you on the Teppan-yaki griddle beside your table.

They cover the oysters lined up on the griddle and cook them for 6 minutes, then flip them over and cook them for 3 more minutes, and they are ready! The oyster meat removed from the shell is said to turn out plump and juicy.

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The kaki-furai (fried oysters) are wrapped in a light, crispy coating, and with one bite, the rich flavor of the oysters fills your mouth.

Adding the tartar sauce on the side makes them even better, and you will not be able to stop eating. It is also nice that you can order extra pieces one at a time.

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Bon-zaru is an izakaya where you can enjoy creative dishes made with seafood caught in Hamamatsu.

Located on the B1F of a building, the interior has a hideaway feel with the warmth of wood. The large single-slab counter seats and Semi-private room seating are all Sunken kotatsu seating, so you can take off your shoes and relax.

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The menu is full of dishes made with fresh seafood caught in Hamamatsu, including unagi (eel) and suppon (soft-shelled turtle) from Lake Hamana, as well as tiger puffer and Douman-gani (mud crab) from the Enshu-nada Coast.

If you visit at the right time, the sashimi selection may even include the rare mochi-gatsuo (fresh bonito served very soon after being caught).

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Among the wide variety of menu items, one of the most popular is the pizza.

The "Toro~ri Cheese no Unagi Pizza" in the photo is a pie where the salty cheese pairs well with the rich flavor of unagi (eel). Many reviews said they order it every time they visit.

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Wanashi is a kappo izakaya (Japanese-style pub serving refined small dishes) in Itaya-cho, about a 6-minute walk from Hamamatsu Station and a little away from the bustle of Hamamatsu.

The interior has a Japanese feel, with an L-shaped whitewood counter, table seating, and Private rooms, making it a convenient place for many occasions. It is a good choice for people who want to relax, chat, and enjoy the food.

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At dinner time, they offer three kinds of courses and an à la carte menu.

Centered on ingredients from Hamamatsu, they serve items like unagi (eel), nodoguro (blackthroat seaperch), and shamo (gamefowl) cooked over an irori (sunken hearth) in the style of genshi-yaki (primitive fire grilling). The course dish "Hamanako no Unagi" is said to feature plump eel from Lake Hamana with its rich flavor concentrated.

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You can also enjoy gibier dishes such as wild boar and venison.

The wild boar used in the "Tokusei Inoshishi Shabu Hot Pot" in the photo is said to be extremely fresh, with no off notes at all, so even first timers can enjoy it. Like pork, it offers tasty lean meat flavor and the sweetness of the fat.

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Jidori to Amiyaki Private room Izakaya Torisho Hamamatsu Ekimae Ten is an izakaya located a 4-minute walk from Hamamatsu Station, and it has a reputation for tasty jidori (local chicken) dishes.

The interior has a Japanese modern style centered on brown tones, creating a calm and grown-up atmosphere. In addition to table seating and sofa seating, there are also Private room options for both small and large groups, so you can enjoy dinner without worrying about the tables next to you.

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The “jidori (local chicken) Kara-age” is a very filling dish with more volume than it looks.

The chicken is cooked with perfect heat, so the outside turns crisp and fragrant while the meat stays moist and juicy. Dipping it in the mayonnaise served on the side makes it hard to stop eating.

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To finish, the popular "salmon and ikura (salmon roe) Clay Pot rice" is topped with plenty of sparkling ikura, making it a visually beautiful dish that is said to have an excellent balance of fluffy cooked rice, the savory flavor of salmon, and the saltiness of ikura.

It comes in 2 sizes, which guests say is nice because you can choose based on the size of your group.

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Sumibi no Kushiya. New Hakata Style Hamamatsu Ekimae Ten is an izakaya, located a 3-minute walk from Hamamatsu Station, that is well known for its tasty Kyushu regional dishes.

The interior has a warm wooden feel, with counter seats that are perfect for drinking solo and Private room options in a range of sizes, making it so comfortable that you may want to stay for hours.

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The signature dish is yasai-maki (vegetable rolls), made by wrapping fresh vegetables in pork belly and grilling them over charcoal until fragrant.

These yasai-maki skewers let you enjoy the sweet richness of the pork belly fat along with the flavor and texture of the vegetables, and they are said to be so good you will keep coming back for more. Above all, the "lettuce roll" is a must-order.

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"Menta takana potesara (potato salad with spicy pollock roe and takana mustard greens)" is a dish packed with Kyushu specialties.

The crisp texture of takana and the mild heat and umami of mentaiko are said to go well with the creamy potato salad. It is said to be perfect not only as a palate cleanser but also as a snack to go with drinks.

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About an 11-minute walk from Hamamatsu Station. Robata to Oden Koronagirai Hamamatsu Ten is an izakaya, just as the name suggests, with robatayaki (fireside grilling) and oden (Japanese stew) as its main offerings.

The Japanese modern interior is a warm space centered around wood. It also has counter seats reminiscent of an oden food stall, so you can enjoy your meal in a relaxed mood.

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All you can eat otoshi (table appetizer) oden (Japanese hot pot items) is available not only with courses but also à la carte!

Once you finish the first plate, you can order refills of your favorite oden items. The thick cut daikon radish is said to be full of dashi flavor and very tasty.

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The "O-Hotate Kushi" in the photo features a large hotate (scallop) coated well in a fragrant sauce, making it very satisfying to eat.

The wide variety of menu items, including the "Negitoro to Ikura no Tanin Sushi" and "Koro Potato Salad," is part of the appeal, and it is said to be enjoyable for people of all ages.

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Robata Unagi Kaki Hamanaso is an izakaya located an 8-minute walk from Hamamatsu Station.

The interior, renovated from a traditional old house, has a somewhat nostalgic feel. There are counter seats where you can enjoy the live atmosphere of robatayaki (fireside grilling), as well as Private room seating where you can relax and enjoy conversation and your meal without worry.

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At dinnertime, they offer three different courses at different price points.

This is the eel served in the “Benten -Shifuku- Gokujo no Zeitaku Hamamatsu Course.” The kabayaki (grilled eel with sauce) and shirayaki (plain grilled eel), cooked to perfection, have no off notes at all and are said to be shockingly good.

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This is an assortment of 4 kinds of sashimi (raw fish slices) and a bite-size serving of caviar.

The very fresh sashimi is cut thick, so you can really enjoy the natural flavor of the ingredients. You can also enjoy the change in taste by eating it with wasabi, ginger, caviar, and more.

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A 2-minute walk from Hamamatsu Station, Bincho Ogiya Hamamatsu Eki Minami Ten is an izakaya (Japanese pub) with yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) as its main specialty.

The lively interior is clean and comfortable. It has counter seats and zashiki (tatami seating), and the layout is easy to use since you can choose seating to match your group size.

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They offer a wide lineup of authentic charcoal grilled yakitori, including "Domestic thigh" and "negima (chicken and scallion skewer)".

If you are not sure what to order, the classic "kushi assortment" is a great choice for trying their standard yakitori! The sweet and savory sauce is said to bring out the good flavor of the ingredients. You can choose from two seasonings, salt or sauce.

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They also have a full lineup of fried dishes that are perfect with drinks, such as “Kara-age of nankotsu (cartilage)” and “Kara-age of amaebi (sweet shrimp).”

The “Kurukuru-age” is an irresistible dish with a crispy, crunchy texture. It is seasoned with secret spices, nori-shio (seaweed salt), and sauce, and is said to be easy to enjoy like a snack.