Japanese Expressions for Restaurants: Full Dining Phrase Guide

2026年4月23日

TOC

Everything You Need to Dine in Japanese

From entering to paying, Japanese restaurants have a complete set of phrases for each step of the dining experience. This guide covers the full flow so you can dine confidently at any Japanese restaurant — from casual ramen shops to formal kaiseki.

Entering and Getting a Table

「よやくをしてあります。〜ですが。」— I have a reservation. It’s under ~.
「よやくはしていません。〜にんですが。」— I don’t have a reservation. We’re ~ people.
「まどがわのせきはありますか。」— Is there a window seat?
「きんえんせきをおねがいします。」— Non-smoking please.

Ordering

「すみません！」— Excuse me! (to get waiter’s attention)
「ちゅうもんをおねがいします。」— I’d like to order.
「おすすめはなんですか。」— What do you recommend?
「〜をひとつおねがいします。」— One ~ please.
「〜なしでおねがいします。」— Without ~ please.
「〜のアレルギーがあります。」— I have an allergy to ~.

During the Meal

「おみずをもらえますか。」— Could I have some water?
「おひやをください。」— Ice water please. (standard restaurant term)
「〜をおかわりできますか。」— Can I have a refill of ~?
「おいしいです！」— It’s delicious!

Paying

「おかいけいをおねがいします。」— The bill please.
「べつべつにおねがいします。」— Separately please.
「ごいっしょでおねがいします。」— Together please.
「カードはつかえますか。」— Can I use a card?
「ごちそうさまでした。」— Thank you for the meal (said when leaving).

Fixed Phrases You Must Know

Japanese	When to use
いただきます	Before eating — expressing gratitude for the food
ごちそうさまでした	After eating — thanking for the meal
いらっしゃいませ	Said by staff when you enter — no need to respond
すみません	To call the staff’s attention — NOT ちょっとちょっと (rude)

Yuka & Rei Dine Out in Japanese

Here is how these phrases sound in a real exchange. Notice how naturally the expressions flow — and how the conversation stays polite even when things get complicated.

Yuka

Rei, I went to a ramen shop and the staff shouted something at me when I walked in. I couldn’t understand it!

Rei

That was probably いらっしゃいませ！ — the welcome shout. In lively places like ramen shops and izakayas, the whole staff yells it enthusiastically. You don’t need to reply — just find a seat or wait to be seated.

Yuka

Then I sat down and a staff member asked me something I didn’t understand. I think it was about ordering?

Rei

Probably ごちゅうもんはおきまりですか？ — ‘Have you decided on your order?’ If you need more time: すこしまってください — ‘Please wait a moment.’ When you’re ready: すみません！ to call them over.

Yuka

And I wanted to ask if the ramen had pork. I’m avoiding it.

Rei

Say: これには、ぶたにくがはいっていますか？ — ‘Does this contain pork?’ For any ingredient: 〜がはいっていますか？ is the pattern. Staff are very used to dietary questions.

5 Practice Sentences — Read These Aloud

Reading aloud forces your brain to process the phrase as sound, not just text. Do it five times for each sentence.

ふたりですが、せきはありますか？
There are two of us — do you have a table?
すみません、これをひとつおねがいします。
Excuse me, I’ll have one of these please. (pointing at menu)
からくないですか？
Is it spicy?
おかいけいをおねがいします。
May I have the bill, please?
ごちそうさまでした！とてもおいしかったです。
Thank you for the meal! It was delicious.

Your Turn! Leave Your Example in the Comments

The fastest way to make new phrases stick is to use them yourself. Pick one or two expressions from this article and write a sentence — or even a short conversation — based on your own life.

Drop your answer in the comments below. Other learners will read it, and seeing real examples from fellow students is one of the most motivating parts of learning a language. If you log in, your past comments stay on your profile — and our most active commenters appear in the Top Commenters list in the sidebar!

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