15 Recommended Restaurants Where You Can Try Specialties of Fukuoka Discover Oishii Japan -SAVOR JAPAN -Japanese Restaurant Guide-

Update-date: Oct 18 2024

Author: SAVOR JAPAN

15 Recommended Restaurants Where You Can Try Specialties of Fukuoka

Fukuoka is renowned for its many gourmet specialties, some popular examples being Hakata ramen, motsunabe (offal hot pot), mizutaki (unseasoned hot pot), and fugu (pufferfish). Check out this introduction to 15 eateries that serve these delicacies!

See full listings of Japanese Cuisine restaurants found in and around Fukuoka.

1. Taishabu to Nihonshu Satsuki (Shabu Shabu / Ropponmatsu)

"Taishabu to Nihonshu Satsuki" offers Tai Shabu (sea bream shabu-shabu) and sake in a welcoming environment suitable for business guests, women's gatherings, or solo diners. Enjoy Tai Shabu with fresh, sashimi-grade yellowtails and a selection of sake from Kyushu and other Japanese regions. The restaurant, set in a renovated Showa-era building, provides a casual and comfortable atmosphere with counter seating and private rooms. It also offers course menus suitable for business or banquet events. Delight in delectable sea bream and exceptional sake.

Taishabu to Nihonshu Satsuki

Open: Dinner 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm (L.O. 9:30 pm)
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 6,000 JPY
Access: 15-minute walk from Ropponmatsu Station on the Fukuoka City Subway Nanakuma Line
Address: 1-3-41, Torikai, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka Map
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2. Motsunabe Nagamasa Chikushiguchi Branch (Motsunabe / Hakata)

Motsunabe Nagamasa Chikushiguchi Branch cuisine

Motsunabe Nagamasa Chikushiguchi Branch specializes in Kyushu's diverse cuisine, with Motsunabe being a top recommendation. This flavorful hot pot comes in "salt" or "white miso" and features a special broth with odorless Japanese beef small intestines. It's an ideal introduction to Kyushu's local flavor for first-time visitors. The restaurant also offers a wide selection of Kyushu's famous sake. The warm, wood-toned interior is perfect for small groups, and private rooms are available for families, friends, or after-work gatherings. A visit here offers tourists a full experience of Kyushu's taste and hospitality.

Motsunabe Nagamasa Chikushiguchi Branch

Open: Dinner 5:00 pm - 10:30 pm (L.O. 10:00 pm)
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 5,000 JPY
Access: 6-minute walk from Chikushi Exit of Hakata Station. It is on the 2nd floor of a building on the left side of Chikushi-dori Avenue from Otowa Crossing.
Address: 2-7-27, Hakataeki-higashi, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka Map
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3. Hakata Ikkosha Hakata Main Store (Ramen / Hakata)

1. Hakata Ikkosha Hakata Main Store (Ramen / Hakata)

Tonkotsu (pork bone soup) ramen is often seen as a heavy, greasy meal, but this restaurant serves a new type that, while maintaining the flavor of tonkutsu, doesn't taste fatty at all. The soup is made with 3 different local soy sauces, over 20 seasonings, a sauce that combines 5 types of seafood - which is pretty rare for a tonkotsu ramen - and meticulously prepared tonkotsu, creating a distinct and deep flavor. If you need a recommendation, order the [Ajitama Char Siu Men] (1,000 JPY), that literally overflows with roasted pork shoulder char siu (roasted pork). The chewiness of the homemade noodles is perfectly balanced with the soup and the meat!

Hakata Ikkosha Hakata Main Store

Open: [Weekdays & Saturdays] Hours: 11:00 am - 12:00 am (last order 11:30 pm)

[Sundays] Hours: 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
Closed: Irregular
Average price: [Dinner] 900 JPY / [Lunch] 850 JPY
Access: From Hakata Station Hakata Exit, turn left past Nishi-Nippon City Bank, turn right after passing the park and proceed for 100 meters. Venue is on the right hand side.
Address: Kowa Bldg. 103, 3-23-12 Hakata Ekimae, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka, Fukuoka

4. Hakata Chuka Soba Marugen (Ramen / Nishitetsu Hirao)

2. Hakata Chuka Soba Marugen (Ramen / Nishitetsu Hirao)

This place is popular for its "double soup," where seafood and tonkotsu are combined. The noodles are made with plenty of flour and high-quality eggs, so they turn out thick and elastic. Their signature dish, the [Special - Hakata Chuka Soba] (800 JPY) is a voluminous dish topped with 3 times the regular amount of char siu. Thick noodles with double soup create a super fulfilling dish. Alternatively, the menu offers lots of other options, such as the [Premium Futomen Tsuke Soba] (thick noodles with soup for dipping) (800 JPY), served with a delicious homemade sauce, and the light [Hiramen Tsuke Soba] (flat noodles with soup for dipping) (700 JPY), which is served with a squeeze of sudachi (Japanese citrus fruit).

Hakata Chuka Soba Marugen

Open: [Tuesdays-Saturdays, Holidays, Days before holidays] Hours 11:30-23:30 Service stops when soup runs out. [Sundays] Hours 11:30-23:00 Service stops when soup runs out.
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 700 JPY / [Lunch] 700 JPY
Access: From the entrance gate of Nishitetsu Hirao Station, turn right, go straight on Takamiya-dori Street, and you'll find us across the crosswalk/road.
Address: City Mansion Hirao 102, 2-2-18 Hirao , Chuo-ku, Fukuoka, Fukuoka Map
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5. Aka Noren Setchan Ramen Main Branch (Ramen / Tenjin)

3. Aka Noren Setchan Ramen Main Branch (Ramen / Tenjin)

A popular ramen spot established 68 years ago. Their flagship menu item is [Ramen] (regular 550 JPY, large 680 JPY), made with a soy sauce and tonkotsu-based soup that has remained unchanged for a long time, which goes superbly with their thin flat noodles. Another popular dish that the locals have loved since the restaurant first opened is the [Sara Udon] (650 JPY), made with their special soup simmered to a creamy consistency and stir-fried with plenty of vegetables. Also, if you want something small to go with a drink, try the [Offal Stir-fry] (680 JPY), which has an addictive tenderness.

Aka Noren Setchan Ramen Main Branch

Open: 11:00 am - 12:00 am (L.O. 11:30 pm)
Closed: Irregular
Average price: 750 JPY
Address: 1F, Plus Gate Tenjin, 2-6-4, Daimyo, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka Map
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6. Mohikan Ramen (Ramen / Shikenjo-Mae)

This restaurant serves tonkotsu ramen with a refreshing flavor. Along with making it additive-free as much as possible, their thoroughly stewed tonkotsu soup is combined with a secret sauce made with multiple seasonings, including Korean top-grade chili pepper, creating an original flavor. In their special [Mohican Ramen] (550 JPY), the super thin noodles absorb the umami (Japanese savory taste) of the soup, releasing the flavor throughout your mouth when you chew them. The fragrant char siu seared over charcoal matches very well with them, too. Their reasonable prices are yet another reason to give this place a try!

Mohikan Ramen

Open: 11:30 am - 9:30 pm (L.O. 10:00 pm)
Closed: Wednesday
Average price: [Dinner] 1,000 JPY / [Lunch] 580 JPY
Address: 221-11, Tsubuku Hon-machi, Kurume-shi, Fukuoka Map
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7. Maruhachi Ramen Yanagawa Branch (Ramen / Yakabe)

5. Maruhachi Ramen Yanagawa Branch (Ramen / Yakabe)

If you want to try different versions of ramen, try this popular spot. Everything, from soup to char siu, is prepared from scratch in their kitchen, while the noodles are made from an original blend of wheat produced in Saga Prefecture and matured for 3 days. The most frequently ordered item is [Tonkotsu Seafood Ramen] (780 JPY). The soup is made with a pork bones, chicken bones, and seafood dashi (broth) that give it such a nice deep flavor, you'll want to drink it up to the very last drop. Aside from that, the wide-ranging menu also offers lighter options such as the classic [Salt Ramen] (650 JPY) and [Vegetable Ramen] (730 JPY), as well as a tonkotsu-flavored [White Ramen] (550 JPY).

Maruhachi Ramen Yanagawa Branch

Open: 11:00 am - 12:00 am
Closed: None
Average price: 700 JPY
Address: 893-3, Mitsuhashi-machi Yanagawa, Yanagawa-shi, Fukuoka Map
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8. Hakata Ajidokoro Iroha (Japanese Cuisine / Nakasu-Kawabata)

6. Hakata Ajidokoro Iroha (Japanese Cuisine / Nakasu-Kawabata)

For 4 generations, this long-established restaurant has been serving the same delicious mizutaki. Prepared following a recipe shared only with the members of the family, their cloudy chicken soup is thoroughly cooked for 5 to 6 hours every day under constant supervision in order to skim any froth. Enjoy it in the [Local Chicken Mizutaki] (4,700 JPY), which comes with meaty minced chicken and a homemade ponzu (citrus-seasoned soy sauce). It's a dish with a strong flavor that will let you thoroughly savor its umami!

Hakata Ajidokoro Iroha

Open: [Tuesday-Saturday, Holidays, Day before Holidays] 6:00 pm - (L.O. 10:00 pm) [Sunday] 6:00 pm - (L.O. 9:00 pm)
Closed: Monday
Average price: [Dinner] 6,500 JPY
Access: 3 minutes walk from Nakasu Kawabata Station on Fukuoka municiple Subway Airport Line.
Address: Iroha Bldg., 14-27, Kamikawabatamachi, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka, Fukuoka Map
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9. Hamadaya Tenyamachi Branch (Creative Japanese Cuisine / Gofukumachi)

7. Hamadaya Tenyamachi Branch (Creative Japanese Cuisine / Gofukumachi)

Here, you can enjoy mizutaki at a reasonable price. They only use 90-day-old red chicken, completely odorless and extremely tasty. Made from fresh chicken bones, the limpid soup tastes refreshing and full-bodied at the same time. Most customers order their [Mizutaki Course] (3,500 JPY), wherein mizutaki is sided with other recommended delicacies. If you do the same, you'll also get to savor their amazing shabu-shabu of Itoshima pork loin, moderately fat and super sweet! Then, you'll be served a rice bowl, smoked chicken, fried food, and to finish off, you can even choose between rice gruel and noodles, so the quality-to-price ratio is optimal.

Hamadaya Tenyamachi Branch

Open: 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm (L.O. 9:30 pm)
Closed: Irregular
Average price: 4,000 JPY
Address: 3-33, Tenya-machi, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka Map
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10. Motsunabe Oyama Main Branch (Motsunabe / Gofukumachi)

8. Motsunabe Oyama Main Branch (Motsunabe / Gofukumachi)

Here, you can have authentic motsunabe in a quiet atmosphere. Usually, motsunabe is flavored with soy sauce, but this restaurant uses miso instead. Enriched with a blend of over 10 different types of miso, their [Motsunabe] (1,380 JPY) has a sublime flavor thanks to the deep flavor of the miso seeping into the offal. Plus, there are several potato shochu (Japanese alcohol) that go very well with this motsunabe, so make sure to try one out. The menu is also rich in side dishes, like the refreshing [Vinegared Offal] (690 JPY).

Motsunabe Oyama Main Branch

Open: [Monday - Thursday, Sunday, National Holidays] Dinner 5:00 pm - 12:00 am (L.O. 11:30 pm)
[Friday, Saturday, Day before National Holidays] Dinner 5:00 pm - 1:00 am (L.O. 12:30 am)
Closed: Irregular
Address: 7-28, Tenya-machi, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka Map
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11. Hamaya Hakata Asahi Building Branch (Motsunabe / Hakata)

9. Hamaya Hakata Asahi Building Branch (Motsunabe / Hakata)

You can access this motsunabe restaurant in just a minute's walk from Hakata Station. They are proud of their dashi made with natural water and no artificial ingredients. For their classic [Motsunabe] (1,580 JPY for 1 serving), you can choose between a rich sweet-and-spicy miso flavor created by a blend of white miso from a long-established shop that has been in business for over 200 years and various other seasonings, and a classic soy sauce flavor, created by mixing soy sauce produced in Kyushu with different types of bonito flakes. Anything you pick, you'll be amazed at the freshness of their carefully prepared offal.

Hamaya Hakata Asahi Building Branch

Open: [Weekdays - Saturday] Dinner 6:00 pm - 12:00 am (L.O. 11:00 pm)
[Sunday, National Holidays] Dinner 6:00 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:30 pm) *In case of consecutive holidays, this applies to the last day only
Closed: Irregular
Average price: 3,000 JPY
Address: B2, Asahi Bldg., 2-1-1, Hakata Eki-mae, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka Map
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12. Kawano Hakata Branch (Motsunabe / Gion)

10. Kawano Hakata Branch (Motsunabe / Gion)

It is said that this historical motsunabe spot was founded 65 years ago. Their [Motsunabe] (1,300 JPY for 1 serving), made with domestic vegetables and Wagyu (a type of high-quality cattle) offal from Kyushu, still has the same wonderful flavors as it did when they first opened. You can choose from 3 flavors: the classic soy sauce, served ever since the first generation chef; the miso created from a blend of Saikyo miso (sweet miso from Kyoto) and other types of miso; and the simple Japanese-style dashi of Hakata that truly enhances the umami of seared offal. Another popular menu item is their original [Motsutoji] (800 JPY), which consists of simmered offal cooked with Chinese chives and eggs. It's a great snack if you want to savor the light sweetness of offal.

Kawano Hakata Branch

Open: 5:00 pm - 12:00 am
Closed: Irregular
Average price: 2,500 JPY
Address: 6-34, Gion-machi, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka

13. Furukawa (Japanese Cuisine / Nishi-Kokura)

11. Furukawa (Japanese Cuisine / Nishi-Kokura)

This restaurant has been serving fugu following the same preparation methods for 70 years. The meat of their superb fugu is aged for 1 - 2 days under a technique called "koshikibiki" that maximizes its flavor and texture. The menu only consists of courses, among which the [Fugu Kaiseki] (Japanese banquet cuisine with alcohol) (5,980 JPY) is the most popular. It's an array of all the possible ways you can prepare fugu, featured as appetizers, sashimi, nabe (hot pot), and fried and steamed items. Moreover, be sure to try a few of their premium sake (Japanese alcohol), carefully selected to best match fugu delicacies.

Furukawa

Open: Lunch 11:30 am - 3:00 pm, Dinner 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm *Reservation required
Closed: Irregular
Average price: [Dinner] 8,000 JPY / [Lunch] 6,000 JPY
Address: 2-10-16, Muro-machi, Kokurakita-ku, Kitakyushu-shi, Fukuoka Map
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14. Hakata-Bote (Japanese Cuisine / Nakasu-Kawabata)

12. Hakata-Bote (Japanese Cuisine / Nakasu-Kawabata)

This casual restaurant allows you to enjoy wild tiger globefish for a convenient price. In its quiet Japanese-style interiors, you can have fugu all year round. The most popular dish is the [Fugu Karaage] (deep-fried fugu) (3,300 JPY). When fried, its simple white meat reaches an addictive tenderness and a richer flavor. Apart from that, the menu also allows you to taste other parts of fugu, such as the [Fugu Milt Sashimi] (3,900 JPY) and the [Fugu Skin] (980 JPY).

Hakata-Bote

Open: 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:00 pm)
Closed: Irregular
*Closed on Sunday and national holidays from April - October. Also inquire about beginning and end of the year, Golden Week, and Obon holidays.
Average price: 11,000 JPY
Address: 1-5, Nishi Nakasu, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka Map
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15. Fugu no Ogawa Fukuoka Branch (Japanese Cuisine / Yakuin)

13. Fugu no Ogawa Fukuoka Branch (Japanese Cuisine / Yakuin)

A seafood products manufacturing company directly manages this fugu restaurant. Other than serving super fresh and delicious fugu, they also successfully raised non-poisonous fugu in collaboration with Nagasaki University, and they even have a patent for the detoxication of fugu. Among the many dishes available like sashimi, tempura, and nabe, the [Salt Grilled Milt] (1,940 JPY) is the most renowned. Large shirako (milt) is simply grilled with salt until fragrant on the outside and creamy on the inside. The rich flavor condensed within matches divinely with sake.

Fugu no Ogawa Fukuoka Branch

Open: 4:00 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:00 pm)
Closed: Wednesday
Average price: 5,000 JPY *Some credit cards are not accepted. Please check in advance!
Address: 1F, Tsuyukiri Bldg., 3-3-26, Yakuin, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka Map
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16. Fugu Taisho Ishimatsu (Kaiseki / Nishitetsu Fukuoka)

14. Fugu Taisho Ishimatsu (Kaiseki / Nishitetsu Fukuoka)

This restaurant specializes in tiger pufferfish caught in the Genkai Sea, Japan's top fishing area. Even if you're new to fugu, you will enjoy their [Fugu Course] (9,050 JPY), featuring a small side dish, fugu sashimi, steamed shirako, fugu chiri (hot pot), zosui (rice gruel with vegetables), and pickled vegetables. You'll immediately get addicted to the tender texture of wild fugu, which is more resilient. The restaurant also boasts a diverse drinks menu with regional sake and organic wines from all over the country.

Fugu Taisho Ishimatsu

Open: 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm (April - August), 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm (September - March)
Closed: None
*Closed on Sunday, national holidays, and days when fugu is not available during April - August
Average price: 10,000 JPY
Address: 3-22-22, Haruyoshi, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka Map
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17. Kaito Mojiko Main Branch (Japanese Cuisine / Mojiko)

15. Kaito Mojiko Main Branch (Japanese Cuisine / Mojiko)

The selling point of this place is the freshness of the products, due to being directly managed by a partner wholesaler. Another perk is that, according to the daily stock, you may be able to have fish you don't usually find at the market. The restaurant is divided into a kaiten-zushi (conveyor belt sushi) floor and one equipped with private rooms where you can stretch your legs and order fugu-based courses. There are also a-la-carte options, but if you want a better quality-to-price ratio, order the [Kaito Torafugu Nabe Course] (5,900 JPY). It's a fulfilling set consisting of appetizers, sashimi, karaage, chawanmushi (savory egg custard), nabe, zosui, and even dessert.

Kaito Mojiko Main Branch

Open: [Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday] Lunch 11:00 am - 3:00 pm (1F Kaiten-zushi L.O. 2:30 pm, 2F Seafood Restaurant L.O. 2:00 pm)
[Monday, Tuesday, Thursday - Sunday, National Holidays, Day before National Holidays] Dinner 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm (L.O. 9:30 pm) (1F Kaiten-zushi L.O. 9:30 pm, 2F Fish Restaurant L.O. 9:00 pm)
Closed: Wednesday
Average price: [Dinner] 3,500 JPY / [Lunch] 1,000 JPY
Address: 3-3, Minato-machi, Moji-ku, Kitakyushu-shi, Fukuoka Map
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Go ahead and taste all the delicious specialties you can only find in Fukuoka!

Disclaimer: All information is accurate at time of publication.