Izakaya in Toyama Prefecture! 20 popular picks by area where you can enjoy great food and drinks

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Toyama Hakobune Toyama Eki Ten is an izakaya located inside KitoKito Ichiba Toya Marche, which is directly connected to Toyama Station and sells Toyama Prefecture specialties. You can enjoy food unique to Toyama and Japanese sake.

The space has the warm feel of wood. From the counter seats, you can look out at a showcase lined with Japanese sake. It can also accommodate groups.

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It works well both as an izakaya (Japanese pub) and as a place for a meal, and there are courses that come with All you can drink. They have more than 50 kinds of Japanese sake from Toyama Prefecture, and staff who know Japanese sake well.

The sake cups used to enjoy Japanese sake are made of tin, a traditional craft of Toyama. They have a soft feel on the lips, and another feature is how they make the Japanese sake look as if it is glowing.

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The food menu also has a wide range of Toyama Prefecture gourmet items. They use fresh fish, shrimp, and other ingredients caught in Toyama Bay, including foods that are not often available outside the prefecture.

They also offer a full selection of light small plates that pair well with Japanese sake, so it is a good choice when you just want to have a little drink.

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Gonbeisha is an izakaya located in the basement of Ovord Hall in front of the north exit of Toyama Station. It focuses on traditional Toyama cuisine and Japanese sake.

It is a place you can easily visit even on your own, and it also has spacious tatami floored zashiki (Japanese-style seating) for groups.

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Toyama Bay, also called “tennen no ikesu (a natural fish preserve),” lands fresh seafood all year round.

You will find plenty of dishes made with fresh seafood, including shiro-ebi (white shrimp) that shine like jewels, large and springy bai-gai (whelk), and buri (yellowtail) with rich umami.

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Popular options include Rice bowls topped with an assortment of seafood recommended for that season, as well as wappa-meshi (steamed rice with seafood ingredients served in a wooden vessel), where rice and seafood are arranged together and steamed in a wooden container.

The local dish surimi-age (deep-fried minced fish paste) also pairs well with alcohol and is made by grinding fish into a paste and frying it. You can also enjoy a rich, savory fried dish made with their specialty tororo kombu kelp.

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Meshiya Yushokukoku is an izakaya located on the 4th floor of Marier Toyama, a building directly connected to Dentetsu-Toyama Station. It focuses on creative dishes made mainly with ingredients from Toyama Prefecture.

The space has a modern Japanese feel, and it has multiple Private rooms. It seems guests can relax in a Private room whether dining as a pair, with family, or in a group.

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You can enjoy a wide range of dishes here, from seafood caught in the sea off Toyama to vegetables and meat raised in its rich natural surroundings.

Along with standard dishes like sashimi and tempura, you can also find unique flavors only available here, such as confit made by simmering seasonal seafood in oil and sashimi cured with kombu kelp to concentrate its umami.

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Meat dishes grilled and enjoyed on a small grill, such as Himi gyu (Himi beef) and Kurobe Meisui Pork, are also popular.

In addition to Japanese sake from Toyama, they also offer wine from Toyama. There is also a plan where you can order your favorite food items and add All you can drink.

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Keyaki-tei is an izakaya on the second floor of Over Hall by the north exit of Toyama Station. It is a Japanese restaurant centered on washoku (Japanese cuisine) where you can also enjoy soba (buckwheat noodles).

The space has a Japanese modern feel, with table seating and zashiki (tatami floor seating), and there are also Private rooms. It can accommodate groups, so it works for a range of occasions.

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One key point is that they stock about 10 kinds of Japanese sake from Toyama Prefecture, and you can order any of them by the glass.

They also serve dishes that pair well with Japanese sake, and it seems they use ingredients from Toyama for items like sashimi and fried dishes as well. Their specialties are hotaruika (firefly squid) and buri (yellowtail) shabu-shabu.

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Many people visit at lunchtime, and the popular choice is a set of a Rice bowl topped with an assortment of fresh seafood and soba or udon.

You can also choose it as a set with Himi udon (udon from Himi), made from wheat flour dough that is rested and aged, giving it a firm bite and chewy texture you can enjoy.

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"Sakaba Shin" is an izakaya (Japanese pub) about a 10-minute walk from the north exit of Toyama Station. The owner, who is from Aizu in Fukushima Prefecture, runs the place.

The space has a warm feel with plenty of wood. With its casual atmosphere, it seems perfect for grabbing drinks and a meal with people you know well.

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The menu centers on Aizu's local specialty basashi (horse sashimi), fresh fish from Toyama, and yakitori (grilled chicken skewers). This combination is only possible because the owner was born in Aizu and raised in Toyama.

There is also a wide selection of kushiyaki (grilled skewers), including yakitori grilled over charcoal. You can order them by the skewer or as a set.

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One nice point is that you can compare Japanese sake from Fukushima Prefecture and Japanese sake from Toyama Prefecture. Since you can try small amounts of each, this is a good way to find the flavor you like first.

They also serve a dessert that combines tenpura manju (deep-fried sweet bun), a sweet eaten in the Aizu region, with ice cream.

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"Koshitsu Izakaya Enraku" is an izakaya on the first floor of APA Hotel near Dentetsu-Toyama Station. You can enjoy dishes cooked with genshiyaki (an old Japanese grilling method).

The interior has a retro feel like a kominka (traditional Japanese house). The restaurant offers various types of seating, including counter seats, Semi-private room seating, and zashiki (tatami seating).

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"Genshi-yaki (a traditional Japanese charcoal grilling method)" is a cooking method in which ingredients are skewered and slowly grilled over charcoal. Here, they use high quality binchotan (white charcoal), which gives the food a juicy finish thanks to its far infrared heat.

You can enjoy many kinds of ingredients cooked as genshi-yaki, including chicken, shrimp, and nodoguro (blackthroat seaperch) caught in Toyama Bay.

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The concept is to use ingredients from Toyama. They offer a wide range of dishes made with ingredients from Toyama Prefecture. Fresh seafood is one of the highlights, and the sashimi assortment is a popular menu item.

They also have a wide selection of shochu and Japanese sake, and their All you can drink alcohol plan is well received.

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Niku Dofu to Lemon Sour Taishu Shokudo Yasubee Toyama Ekimae Ten is located on the 1st floor of Patio Sakura, a shopping mall near Dentetsu-Toyama Station. This is an izakaya (Japanese pub) where you can also have a full meal, and on weekends and holidays it stays open straight through from lunch to dinner.

The interior has a bright, clean wa-modern (Japanese-modern) feel. It seems easy to use whether you are dining alone or with family.

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They offer Toyama specialties like buri (yellowtail), hotaruika (firefly squid), and shiroebi (white shrimp), along with a wide range of small plates you can casually snack on.

The signature dish is nikudofu (meat and tofu stew). It comes in a light "white" version and a miso flavored "black" version, and both are served with tender simmered beef.

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Another feature is that both the food and drinks come at reasonable prices. If you plan to drink a lot, a course with All you can drink is recommended.

They offer a wide variety of lemon sours, made with shochu with soda water and lemon added. They also have colorful sours, making you want to try all kinds of flavors and colors.

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Uotomi is an izakaya (Japanese pub) near Shin-Tomicho Station, the stop next to Toyama Station. It focuses on local Japanese sake and seafood.

It stands along Himawari-dori, lined with office buildings, and you can spot it by its large wooden pillars and storefront. Inside, the space also has the warm feel of wood, and it also has Private room seating.

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In Toyama dialect, the word "kitokito" means lively and fresh, and here you can enjoy plenty of kitokito seafood.

The selection of seafood changes with the season, but people say you can fully enjoy fresh local treasures from the sea such as nodoguro (blackthroat seaperch), shiroebi (white shrimp), Noto kaki (Noto oysters), and baigai (whelk).

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All the Japanese sake served here comes from Toyama Prefecture. Toyama has abundant water and also grows rice for sake brewing, with sake breweries throughout the prefecture.

The Japanese sake sourced from breweries around the prefecture includes some seasonal limited edition labels, and it also pairs well with local ingredients.

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Etchu no Daidokoro Kinoka is an izakaya in a location with easy access from both Shintomicho Station and Toyama Station. The "Etchu" in the name refers to the old name for present-day Toyama Prefecture.

The interior has a calm Japanese feel. It seems to offer easy-to-use table seating, as well as zashiki (tatami seating) and Private rooms where groups can relax.

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One feature is that they offer more than 20 kinds of Japanese sake from Toyama Prefecture. They also have a good lineup of dishes that pair well with Japanese sake.

A popular option is a set that lets you compare three kinds in small pours. Served on a wooden tray made in Toyama Prefecture and with guinomi (small sake cups) fired from Toyama clay, it lets you enjoy not only the taste but also the feel of Toyama-made items in your hands.

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You can also enjoy fresh seafood landed in Toyama Bay. Depending on the season, you may also be able to try a local specialty called kobako-gani (stuffed female snow crab), where the crab is carefully shelled and packed back into its carapace.

There are several courses where you can enjoy the recommended dishes, and plans that let you add All you can drink to à la carte dishes are also popular.

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Yakitori Tori Fuji Toyama Ten is a yakitori restaurant near Toyama Prefectural Office Front Park. It operates as a soba restaurant at lunchtime and as an izakaya centered on yakitori at dinnertime.

They have counter seats where you can enjoy the live feel of the yakitori being grilled, stylish table seating, and Private rooms with a sense of privacy.

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The chicken used for the yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) is Special chicken sourced from around Japan. They change how each cut is prepared depending on the part, then skewer it in a way that brings out its natural texture and rich flavor.

Because they grill it over charcoal, it has a nice smoky aroma, with a crisp surface and a juicy inside.

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They grill not only chicken but also vegetables like broccoli and renkon (lotus root) over charcoal, so you can also enjoy vegetables with a smoky aroma.

They also offer courses with all you can drink, and you can enjoy their popular yakitori, vegetable dishes, and oyako-don (chicken and egg rice bowl) to finish the meal.

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Taishu Sakaba Sakanayaoaji is an izakaya (Japanese pub) located about a 3-minute walk from Shintomicho Station, along Himawari-dori. The old house-style exterior with lots of hanging lanterns makes it easy to spot.

Inside, lanterns line the space above the counter seats, creating a casual and retro feel. It also seems to have zashiki (tatami seating) where you can look out at the garden.

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Fresh seafood shipped directly from the fishing port in Uozu City, which faces Toyama Bay, is the specialty here. What you can eat changes with the season, but you can enjoy seafood with rich flavor that is unique to that time of year.

Because it is so fresh, it is great eaten raw as sashimi, and it also seems you can enjoy it in many kinds of seafood dishes, whether grilled or fried.

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The drink menu is also well stocked, with Japanese sake from Toyama Prefecture, as well as whisky, shochu, and non-alcoholic cocktails.

Another highlight is the wide variety of dishes that pair well with alcohol. You can also try a local specialty called Toyama Black Yakisoba, seasoned with a rich soy sauce.

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Yanagiya is located about a 4-minute walk from Shintomicho Station, near Toyama Kencho-mae Koen (Toyama Prefectural Office Front Park). The white exterior walls and wooden window frames make it easy to spot.

The interior uses plenty of wood, creating a cozy and comfortable space. It is easy to visit even on your own, and they also have Semi-private rooms for groups.

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The specialty here is Tateyama Pork, pork carefully raised with natural water from the Tateyama mountain range in Toyama's vast alpine region. It has firm meat and high water retention, so it keeps its good flavor even after cooking.

In addition to Tateyama Pork, the kushiyaki (grilled skewers) also feature Toyama Beef and more, making them a popular and easy to enjoy dish.

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They also offer non Japanese menu items such as pizza and gratin with plenty of cheese. The steamed dish made with hamaguri (hard clam) is also said to taste great when the broth is tossed with pasta.

They also have a wide range of alcoholic drinks, including Japanese sake, wine, and sours, along with plenty of dishes that pair well with alcohol.

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Nihonkai Shoya Toyama Ekimae Ten is an izakaya located about a 3-minute walk from Shintomicho Station, in a spot that is also easy to reach from Toyama Station. It is the Toyama Ekimae branch of a restaurant with locations across Japan.

The spacious interior has a modern Japanese feel and about 140 seats. There are table seats and zashiki (tatami seating), and it also has multiple Private room options.

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Fresh seafood sourced from fishing ports all over Japan is the specialty here. As you would expect from a restaurant in Toyama, you can also enjoy shiro-ebi (glass shrimp) and bai-gai (whelk) raw.

Bai-gai is a large sea snail known for its crunchy, springy texture. The local way is to enjoy it with just a little rich, sweet soy sauce.

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You can also try local dishes such as “sasu kombu kelp-jime,” in which kajikimaguro (broadbill swordfish) sashimi is sandwiched with kombu kelp and aged.

Along with rice dishes such as sushi, they also serve Himi udon, known for its firm bite and smooth texture, making it a great way to finish a meal after drinks.

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This restaurant is near Grand Plaza-mae Station on the Toyama tram line in the Marunouchi area, the administrative and commercial center of Toyama City. It is said to carry on the flavors of an izakaya (Japanese pub) that locals loved for more than 50 years.

At the counter seats, you can watch the cooking right in front of you and enjoy chatting with the staff.

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You can enjoy a variety of Toyama local specialties here. One of the most popular items is oden, made by simmering eggs, daikon radish, and aka-kamaboko (red fish cake) in broth made from kombu kelp.

It is finished with a topping of thin tororo-kombu (shaved kombu kelp) before serving. Its standout feature is the rich umami of the kombu kelp.

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The sashimi platters of seasonal seafood landed in Toyama Bay are also popular. You can enjoy seafood that is unique to the season, such as shiroebi (glass shrimp), squid, bai-gai (whelk), and buri (yellowtail).

During hotaruika (firefly squid) season, it is also popular that you can enjoy it prepared in many different ways. They also have a good selection of local sake from Toyama, which seems to pair perfectly with the food.

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Irori Mura is a restaurant on Taguchi-dori in Toyama, near Kamihommachi Station. It is an izakaya that feels like a bar, with a wide selection of alcohol including Japanese sake and whisky.

One wall inside is covered with bookshelves lined with many books and magazines. Many regulars seem to spend their time at the counter talking with the owner about drinks and music.

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The specialty here is house-made kunsei (smoked dishes). They serve items like oysters, cheese, and chicken wrapped in a smoky aroma. The flavors are said to be good enough to impress even serious smoked food fans.

They also offer a full lineup of meal dishes, including carbonara made with Himi udon (thin wheat noodles from Toyama), along with plenty of snack plates that pair well with alcohol.

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They offer a wide range of alcoholic drinks, including wine, shochu (Japanese distilled spirit), and gin. The owner will also suggest snacks that pair well with the drinks.

This is also a good spot for a second stop when you get hungry late at night or want to keep drinking a little longer.

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Kurobe is an izakaya (Japanese pub) on the east side of Toyama City Hall, near Sakurabashi Station. It is next to Toyama Manten Hotel.

Inside, the Japanese modern space has many Sunken kotatsu seating areas where guests take off their shoes. It can accommodate everyone from small groups to larger parties, making it a place where you can relax and enjoy your time.

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This restaurant offers a wide range of meat dishes, including yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) and Kara-age. You can also enjoy dishes made with Toyama's local specialty, Kaga Renkon (Kaga lotus root).

One of the specialties is oden (Japanese hot pot dish). Instead of a clear broth, it uses a rich miso called Hatcho Miso (dark red miso), with karashi (Japanese mustard) adding a nice accent to the flavor.

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Another specialty is kamado-meshi (rice cooked in a traditional stove pot). It is made by cooking rice in a thick pot with dashi, crab, vegetables, and other ingredients.

Freshly cooked, it has a great aroma, and part of the fun is mixing the ingredients with the rice as you eat. It is also recommended as a finishing rice dish after drinks.

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Sakaba TASUKAKE is an izakaya (Japanese pub) about a 3-minute walk from Sakurabashi Station. You can enjoy a new style of shabu-shabu (Japanese hotpot) and cocktails made with fruit.

The interior is a calm space with dark brown tones. There are counter seats with a bar-like feel and table seating, making it a good choice when you want to relax and take your time.

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The specialty here is kushi-shabu (skewered shabu-shabu). Vegetables are wrapped in bacon or pork, threaded onto skewers, then dipped skewer and all into a Hot Pot of richly seasoned dashi broth to cook.

The extra fat from the meat melts away, and you enjoy it with ponzu sauce or sesame sauce. It is a rare menu item in Toyama (Toyama), and people like that they can enjoy a variety of flavors.

They also offer a drink menu made with freshly picked fruit from places like Hiroshima and Kochi.

There is also a wide variety of options, including homemade cello liqueurs, chu-hai cocktails mixed with shochu, and sparkling water with freshly squeezed non-alcoholic fruit juice.

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Sozai Shuraku Shizuki is an izakaya located on the north side of Toyama City Hall, about a 4-minute walk from Dentetsu-Biru-Mae Station. You can enjoy fresh ingredients and local sake from Toyama.

The interior is a stylish Japanese modern space with plenty of wooden latticework. It also has Private rooms with a sense of privacy.

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Multiple reviews mention the beautiful presentation of the dishes. They say there are many dishes that are a feast for the eyes as well.

The “Kaisen Tamatebako (seafood treasure box)” is another striking menu item. The box is packed with dry ice, so watching the sashimi appear through the smoke is quite a show as well.

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Dishes made with Himi buri (yellowtail from Himi) caught in Toyama Bay are also popular. The fresh buri, good enough to eat as sashimi, can also be enjoyed as buri-shabu (briefly swished yellowtail in dashi broth).

They also serve smoothies made with fruits and vegetables from Toyama Prefecture, making this a great place to eat and drink plenty of ingredients from Toyama.

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Kisetsu Ryori to Osake Wasabi is an izakaya in Sogawa, Toyama City, in an area that was created by filling in the place where an enclosure once marked the grounds of Toyama Castle. It focuses on seafood dishes.

The 1st floor has counter and table seating with a homey atmosphere. The 2nd floor also has Semi-private room tatami seating.

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The main menu features sushi and ozukuri (sashimi platters) made with seafood from Toyama Prefecture. The ozukuri changes daily, so you can enjoy sashimi of fish and shellfish that are in season at that time.

The restaurant is called Wasabi, and it seems you can also enjoy dishes accented with wasabi (Japanese horseradish), known for its fresh heat and native to Japan.

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They have several kinds of Japanese sake from Toyama Prefecture, along with popular Japanese sake from around the country. They also serve rare seasonal Japanese sake.

They also offer dishes that pair well with alcohol such as Japanese sake, making this a perfect spot when you want a drink as your second stop.

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Shunsai Shokuin Kamezo is an izakaya in Takaoka-shi (Takaoka City), located in the northwestern part of Toyama Prefecture and known for its historic streetscapes. It is about a 3-minute walk from Takaoka Station.

The interior has the warm feel of wood. There are counter seats that are easy to use even when dining alone, as well as Semi-private room and Private room options for groups and families.

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The main draw is dishes made with fresh seafood caught in Toyama-wan (Toyama Bay). They also offer courses that combine the recommended seafood of the season, but you can order à la carte as well.

Multiple reviews say this is just right when you want to enjoy great seafood in a slightly luxurious atmosphere.

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Popular even with Toyama locals, this place offers several local drinks, centered on Katsukoma, a Japanese sake made by a brewery in Takaoka City.

Another feature is that you can enjoy them in sake cups made by local makers. On some days, they also serve rare limited-brew Japanese sake.