Fukuoka City's Best-Kept Restaurant

There's plenty to do in Japan's smallest metropolis. Whether you want to shop until you drop or indulge in regional specialty dishes, Fukuoka City has you covered. 西新 居酒屋

The soothing hum of laid-back Fukuoka reverberates through massive department stores, kabuki theaters and the Fukuoka Asian Art Museum. Outside, food stalls known as yatai line the city's wide Meiji-dori avenue.

1. Hakata Motsunabe Yamanaka

Located about five minutes from Hakata Station Chikushi Exit, this motsunabe (offal hotpot) restaurant that is famous for its original miso flavor was established in 1984. Its broth consists of a blend of various types of miso from Kyushu and Rishiri kelp, which is quite different from the standard soy sauce flavor that is typical of motsunabe restaurants. It is popular for its flavor that perfectly enhances the fresh small intestines and vegetables such as burdock root, cabbage, and leek. It is recommended to try one order with at least two servings of beef cheeks, which are tender enough to melt in your mouth.

The restaurant, which is built in an authentic warehouse building, has a calm atmosphere. The staff is also knowledgeable about the cuisine.

The price of a single serving of motsunabe is JPY 1,600 for adults, and a full set of side dishes and drinks can be enjoyed for around 2,600 yen. The restaurant accepts both credit and debit cards.

The restaurant offers delivery services. In addition, the restaurant has a private room that can seat up to eight people.

2. Hakata Motsunabe Ikkei

There’s a soothing hum to laid-back Fukuoka City, the largest metropolis on Japan’s southern island of Kyushu. Stroll the wide Meiji-dori Avenue, its downtown spine that hugs the slow-moving Naka River, and you’ll pass the kabuki theater Hakata-za and the Fukuoka Asian Art Museum. But it’s the open-air yatai, or food stalls, that truly make this gastronomic city come alive.

With its plethora of eateries, Fukuoka is home to plenty of dishes that originated here and went on to conquer the nation. But there’s one local specialty that stands out above the rest: motsunabe, a hearty stew of pork or beef offal simmered with cabbage, beans and garlic. Originally the soul food of coal miners in Fukuoka’s sister city Kitakyushu, motsunabe is now a beloved local dish.

Unlike tonkotsu ramen, motsunabe doesn’t come in a bowl; instead, it comes as a bubbling hot pot on your table. You’ll choose a broth from a selection of soy sauce, miso and salt, then add innards like pork or beef tripe, horse tartare and garlic chives. Those who want to go all out can order motsunabe with mentaiko (spicy cod roe) for an extra kick.

For an even more mouthwatering experience, head to Hanamidori, a chain restaurant that specializes in mizutaki, or the art of cooking raw meat and seafood in mirin on a hot plate. The chefs here flambé chicken, prawns, rice balls and Tsubodai (boarfish) in front of you, and the flavors are as delicious as they are authentic. The menu is a bit pricey, but you can enjoy this culinary masterpiece for around 4,000 yen per person.

Indulge in a bowl of motsunabe, and don’t leave without trying Hakata torimon, a sweet bun that tastes more like a cross between Western dessert and traditional Japanese sweets. The filling is a mix of shiro-an and butter, and the outer pastry has a creamy texture that melts in your mouth. This delectable treat makes for the perfect omiyage, or souvenir, to take back home. It’s a great way to show your appreciation for Fukuoka's local cuisine.

3. Hakata Motsunabe Akasaka

Located in an old residential neighborhood, this cozy local eatery is a true Motsunabe specialist with several locations across the city. The original shop is a hole-in-the-wall location that attracts many local patrons and hosts a lively atmosphere. While their menu has a few more options than other places in town, they are the go-to destination for authentic Fukuoka Motsunabe – a stew of pork and beef offal simmered together with leeks, chives, cabbage, and tofu. Their English website is very helpful and thorough, and their price points are easy to understand as well.

The food is excellent and the service is great! They have a few different types of motsunabe, all of which are delicious. You can get a miso-flavored motsunabe, a soy sauce-flavored motsunabe or a shabu-shabu style motsunabe. The prices are a little higher than other motsunabe places, but it is worth the extra money!

Another must-try is their Ume Saba, raw Mackerel with sesame dressing. The fish is fresh from the Genkai-Nada Sea, and they serve it with a salad and rice balls. Their Teishoku, a classic Japanese set meal consisting of a main, side dish, soup and rice, is also very good. The chef will grill or fry your choice of meat and vegetables for you at the counter, so don’t miss this great local eatery!

If you want to try yakiniku, a type of Japanese cuisine where meat and seafood are grilled on tabletop grills, make sure you check out Yakiniku Nurubon. They have a very good selection of Hakata wagyu, which they purchase by the cow, so you can choose any cut you like. Their all-you-can-eat yakiniku sets start at around JPY 3,000, which is pretty reasonable for the quality and unlimited quantity of meat.

This is one of the best-kept secrets in Fukuoka, a small local eatery that serves the most flavorful motta donburi (burdock root soup with noodles and pork). Their secret is in their shoyu broth, which is made from toasted burdock root and richly flavored with pork bone. This is a very comforting dish that is perfect for cold winter weather in Fukuoka.

4. Hakata Motsunabe Mukaino

Located near Fukuoka Station, this restaurant is one of the most popular places to enjoy motsunabe. The restaurant is housed in a traditional warehouse building and decorated with antiques to create a nostalgic atmosphere. The food here is bursting with flavor, making it a great place to visit if you want to experience authentic Hakata cuisine. Their famous dish is their motsunabe, which they serve with a blend of miso including Kyushu and Saikyo miso. They also serve domestic beef offal, which adds a rich umami to the soup.

Another dish you can try here is their mentaiko, which made its way to Hakata City thanks to the port’s trade route. It is a spicy condiment-like side dish that enhances otherwise plain Japanese dishes. It has a unique fishy taste and can be added to everything from ramen and green vegetables to rice balls and omelets.

For those looking to try something different, they have a variety of different hot pots, such as their shoyu ramen and burdock root (gobo) nabe. They also have a wide variety of sushi and sake to choose from.

The restaurant can get busy on weekends, so it’s recommended to make a reservation ahead of time. Their prices are fairly reasonable and their food is definitely worth the trip.

Motsunabe is a dish that originally came to be in 1945 after coal miners needed a dish that was both filling and energizing. The dish was created using “motsu” (offal), which was often discarded at the time due to its low value. The recipe was later improved by adding chives and garlic, which are known for their stamina-boosting properties. Cabbage was later added, resulting in the motsunabe we now know and love.

Besides the delicious food on offer, the atmosphere at these restaurants is also great. The staff is extremely friendly and the service is quick. Whether you’re looking for a casual dinner with friends or a romantic date, these restaurants are a great choice! The next time you visit Fukuoka, don’t forget to try some of the city’s best-kept secrets.