Craving some tacos? If you’re near Torii Station, Champion Tacos is the place to go! Located right off of the 6, Champion Tacos is a quaint ticket restaurant. Their menu is small, but don’t let that fool you: their food is very good.
They serve tacos in a set of 5 and you can choose either hard or soft taco shells. Tacos come topped with cheese, lettuce and tomato, and each order includes a small cup of hot sauce. Taco Rice is also on the menu and comes with seasoned meat, cheese sauce, lettuce with tomato on top. There are also a few side items on the menu to include chicken nuggets, curly fries, french fries and onion rings.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view. Ordering is very easy, even if there is no english, as the menu and the ticket machine are matched up with numbers. Just insert a bill and press the number for the food you want, and the machine will spit out change, as well as your ticket, which you give to the lady behind the counter and after a few minutes you’ll have some yummy tacos to satisfy your hunger!
Hours: 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Monday through Sunday
Phone: 923-4444
Payment: Yen only
Directions:
From Torii Station, head out the main gate and take a left onto the 6. After you pass though the intersection for the small 58, Champion Taco will be on the right hand side of the road. The parking lot is slightly before the building for Champion.
From Kadena and Foster, head north on 58. Take a left onto the 6, heading towards Torii’s main gate. You’ll pass through 3 stop lights before you see Champion Taco on the left side of the road. The parking lot is just past the building for Champion. If you pass through the intersection for the small 58, you have gone to far.
*If anyone has an address or specific coordinates, please comment below and we will update the post to include that!
One Saturday afternoon we ventured out wanting to try some place new to eat and settled on Seaside Cafe Hanon.
We actually had no idea what they served and didn’t look at the menu until we were all seated, which is when we realized they do pancakes; you can’t go wrong with pancakes, right?!
The kids were especially excited because hey they were getting pancakes for lunch but also the kids pancakes were extremely cute; shaped like a mouse with 3 small individual servings of ice cream, a cream puff and of course syrup!
As for my husband & I let’s be real we were just as excited as the girls but we took a lot longer to make our decisions since the menu is rather extensive. There are plain pancakes, fruit pancakes (banana, berries, apple) or meal pancakes one even comes with chili beans.
I opted for the croque monsieur; pancakes topped with white sauce, cheese & bacon; they were divine. My husband went for the egg & meat pancakes and had zero complaints and said the bacon was amazing.
With the exception of the kids pancakes you can choose either 2, 3 or 4 pancakes to fit your appetite.
Seaside Cafe Hanon also have a reasonable coffee selection, although not a coffee drinker myself I can not comment too much on the taste although Matt really enjoyed his while the girls & I thought our juice & Italian soda’s were delicious.
Even though we didn’t manage to get the gorgeous views of the East China Sea by sitting outside on the balcony (which I believe you can reserve) we loved the decor & atmosphere inside; whitewashed stone walls and wooden accents.
We both commented how it reminded us of vacations spent on Greek Islands.
What is the best part about the Milk House Ice Cream Stand? The milk flavored ice cream! My first thought was that “milk” flavored ice cream seemed too simple to be anything special, but let me tell you: the taste was spectacular. It was a perfect combination of creamy, milky and sweet that reminded me that sometimes it is the simple things in life that hold the best surprises. My husband even said it brought back memories of homemade ice cream from his childhood.
The first thing that caught my attention about Milk House were the letters “EM” proudly displayed on the large sign posted on the building and the flags waving nearby. I was excited because I knew this was ice cream made from EM brand milk. EM stands for effective microorganisms, which are added to the soil that produce is grown in, and to the water and feed of animals. This creates quality produce and animal products with a higher nutrition value. I already use EM milk in my home, and couldn’t wait to try the ice cream!
Milk house carries other flavors, many of which we sampled since we couldn’t read the kanji. I was able to have the menu translated, which I will include below. A single scoop is 200 yen and a double is 300 yen in a cup or cone. Besides the milk flavor, I also recommend banana chocolate. Once you go you probably won’t be able to resist going back, so don’t forget to grab a stamp card for a free ice cream when full!
If you are looking for a place to become a “regular”, Kitchen Dining Toki in Yomitan is your restaurant. It has a residential location, helpful staff, extensive menu and some extra touches that will keep you coming back.
Our friend wouldn’t stop raving about this restaurant, so we joined him there one night. Their extensive menu has both Japanese and English and is easy to navigate by the photos. We ordered 10 small dishes between the three of us and loved every dish. We are all big eaters and walked out stuffed. The salad, chicken, gyoza and sushi are highlights, and their cheese potatoes are classic comfort food. The dishes were served on classic Okinawan pottery and the glassware was Ryukyu glass. The staff is warm and patient, and are quick to recognize their repeat customers. It is a great place to become a regular and appreciate the local fare, especially the awamori.
They have a broad selection of local brands of awamori and the menu breaks the options down by grade (quality). This mini tutorial is very helpful for a first time introduction to awamori. Connoisseurs can purchase a stoneware jug (several sizes available) of your selected awamori and if you do not finish, the staff will put your name on it and keep it for you until your next visit. When you walk in the restaurant, to your left you will see the shelves full of traditional stoneware jugs awaiting the return of their patrons.
Kitchen Dining Toki has a laidback ambiance. Several evenings a week, an acoustic guitarist plays on the small stage in the front of the restaurant but the noise isn’t loud or imposing. The whole place is family friendly. Don’t be surprised if the owner’s granddaughter shyly toddles up to the stage and makes an appearance with the guitarist to briefly entertain the guests and staff.
I highly recommend this restaurant if you are in the Yomitan area and want to duck into a local place to enjoy authentic local food. We will certainly return, if not for the warm staff, then for our bottle of Awamori sitting on the shelf waiting for us.
Hours: Closed Monday. Open Tuesday-Sunday 5:30 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.
Phone: 098-989-9586
Payment: Yen or credit card
Directions: North of Tori Station, South of Cape Zanpa. It is located in a residential part of Yomitan, located on a hilltop east of route 6. Keep your eye out for signs for the restaurant along route six.
We never expected to find such a lovely French fusion restaurant in Okinawa, but that’s exactly what we found in “Auberge” Bonne Chere Raout French restaurant in Onna Village.
French country décor fills the intimate second story dinning room dimly lit by chandeliers. They serve a set four-course dinner menu with a basket of fresh baked bread, an appetizer, a soup or pasta or salad option, two main entrée options and a dessert. Each dish was expertly prepared and beautifully plated with a classic clean French composition. The set menu was around ¥ 2,600 for the standard plating, or ¥ 3,200 for an upgraded entree which includes an additional serving of protein.
A husband and wife own and operate this French fusion restaurant. The husband prepares the food and the wife serves the meals. The wife initially apologized for her English, but did a wonderful job of reviewing the menu and explaining each of the entrees to us. She told us that they grow many of their ingredients themselves in the Onna area. They also make their own jelly for the bread and fruit preserves for the desert topping. We were impressed with the Beaujoulis red wine she recommended to accompany our meal. The house white was also fantastic. They offer Cote du Rhone, a favorite of my husband and mine, as well as several varietals not commonly found on Okinawa. All of the wines were poured generously and reasonably priced at ¥ 500 and up.
They also offer a lunch/brunch buffet option. The menu featured a picture of the spread with five or six entrees to choose from. Certainly a wonderful option if you want to take a break from local cuisine and opt for French.
Hours: Varied but traditional lunch and dinner hours Tuesday – Sunday
Phone: 098-965-3205
Payment: Yen or credit card
Address: 〒904-0417 Okinawa Onna, Kunigami-Gun 61-1, Maeda Japan
If you are reading this, you are part of something special. You are part of Okinawa Hai, a group of people exploring exotic new places, eating exciting new food and making new friends. You do all of this while sharing the experiences with others, on Facebook, Instagram, or contributing to our site.
Okinawa Hai is always seeking to build relationships within the community and we want to share our newest adventure with you.
Okinawa Hai and Roy’s Okinawa Hawaiian Restaurant are teaming up to throw a wine and dine event exclusively for Okinawa Hai readers! Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view. Maybe you’ve already dined at Roy’s or have just read the review on Okinawa Hai. At this private event, you’ll have the opportunity to sample a variety of items from Roy’s menu; appetizers, entrees, and desserts. Using local ingredients and unique homemade sauces, Roy’s serves up an original combination of Hawaiian-Euro-Asian Cuisine.
Upon arrival and confirmation of your name on our guest list, you’ll be served Roy’s signature Pineapple Martini welcome cocktail to kick off the party. In traditional cocktail style, there will be both seated and standing tables, allowing the Okinawa Hai community to mingle throughout the evening. A live pianist will be performing as you enjoy the food, 15+ varieties of wine, beer and house cocktails, all included with your reservation.
RSVPs required. Please RSVP at okinawahaistaff@gmail.com. A Paypal invoice will be then be emailed to you. Payment will be required within 3 days of receipt to confirm reservation.
GIVEAWAY
Thanks to Roy’s, we are excited to raffle off a FREE ticket to this event!
To Enter:
Using the Rafflecopter giveaway below, log in using Facebook or your email address.
Each task will give you 1 entry into the giveaway. Complete as many as you can for more chances to win!
The counter at the top of the giveaway will inform you of how many entries you have.
That’s all! Sit back and relax. Winners announced on February 5th.
When we read an article about this place, we just had to find it! It is so amazing, different from anywhere I’ve had soba on this whole island. My husband loves soba, so that’s saying a lot. When you arrive there is a faint smell of slow burning wood. Smokey. It is a very eccentric place. Inside there are tables and chairs made out of wood and metal rebar. There are 2 tables that would be good for big groups (6-7) and 2 tables that are for smaller groups. They also have outdoor seating, but I wouldn’t recommend it as the smoke is there and doesn’t seem kept up very well, although we did see a gecko out there once.
They sell all kinds of handmade pottery items. Shisa dogs, plates, cups, knick knacks. After asking the woman who seems to own the restaurant, she informed us that her father is the one who makes all the pottery. They don’t offer much besides the Okinawa soba. They make the noodles fresh. We’ve had different noodles offered, buckwheat and goya were 2 that we got to try. They are located on a large piece of land and everything they offer is grown in their own garden. You can view it while you’re eating.
The restaurant has many windows to look out and see the goats, horses and the huge garden where they grow all the vegetables. They do serve goat sashimi along-side the soba. My husband tried it, I did not. I am not that adventurous. He said it was good and not chewy at all as it says on the menu. The first time we went we had different vegetables than the second time. You are served what is in season.
When you order your soba you are offered a choice of dessert: hot coffee, fruit plate or a coaster that her father makes. We always choose the fruit plate because it is always the fruit that is in season and perfectly ripe and delicious. We’ve had things such as kiwi and dragon fruit or sugared Okinawan sweet potato. Both were absolutely delicious. I hope you get a chance to try this one of a kind place.
Hours: 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Phone: 098-054-4605
Address: 694-1 Nakayama, Nago, Okinawa Prefecture
Directions: From Camp Foster Commissary Gate:
Turn right out of the gate and head north on the 58. Follow the 58 into Nago. Follow the signs for the pineapple park. Pass the Pineapple Park and Okinawa Fruitsland on your right. Follow this road up a long and winding hill. You will pass a glass art studio and an old fighter jet of some sort on your left. Shortly thereafter, you will see the small restaurant on your right hand side.
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. Oki Social went on a hunt around the island to look for romantic spots for folks who wish to dine out on Valentine’s Day in Okinawa. Here is a list we put together for you. Make reservations early. If you can’t secure a table for this special day, be creative and remember:
“Love is when you into someone’s eyes and see everything you need.”
Warren’s Place
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Featuring: seafood gumbo, steak, smoked chicken, and powdered beignets.
Looking for more? How about a pre-Valentine’s day celebration?
While romantic dinner, chocolate and roses are terrific ideas for Valentine’s Day, just in case you want something more or different to spice up this special day, we have some events listed to attend on the island with your other half. Check it out on Oki Social.
This post originally appeared on OkiSocial.com; we have received permission to republish it here. You can also find the Oki Social Group on Facebook.
Cafe Nicoli is not new to Okinawa, nor should it be new to you. However, our last write up (which you can still find at the bottom of this post) was back in 2011 and since then, Nicoli has expanded into 4 shops! The newest location, which I recently stumbled upon, prompted this post.
The newest location is in Koza, Okinawa City, adjacent to a farmers market I frequent. It’s in walking distance of Kadena AB Gate 2, making it a pretty easy place to find. There is a paid parking lot across the street or you can illegally park on the street along with the rest of the neighborhood. The risk is up to you; neither Okinawa Hai or I are promoting your acts of rebellion.
Cafe Nicoli’s claim to fame is their scones, “American” muffins, and smoothies. In addition, they offer cookies, an assortment of sweet breads filled with savory ingredients (bacon, beans, cheese), and of course, a great selection of coffee and tea. If it were up to me, I would eat every single oreo treat. EVERY.SINGLE.ONE. They even have green tea oreo scones! After eating all of that, you’ll need something to wash it down. Nicoli has over 15 different types of smoothies, including, but not limited to, acai, raspberry yogurt, peach milk, black sesame oreo, caramel coffee, mocha, etc.
Cafe Nicoli located in Ganeka, Ginowan has limited seating, but Koza is strictly take out. If anyone knows about the other locations, please leave the information in the comments.
While lost on my way to Seminar House one day, I came across a friendly bakery on the corner of a busy street. Stopped at the red light and in between loads of cars, my eyes gravitated toward the tiny building and I pondered how I would park in front of the building. I found out after a second visit that this place has its own small parking lot around the corner (large enough for two vehicles).
Café Nicoli is a fabulous little bakery, which is nestled on a corner between a busy industrial road and a feeder road. It is famous for its scones. Some of the scone flavors offered are cocoa, plain, caramel, cheese and tea. There are other snacks that this café sells, such as pound cake muffins. Café Nicoli also offers a variety of fruit smoothies and hot and cold tea and coffee.
The staff is very friendly and you can sit in the café while you sip your smoothie and take a bite of a scrumptious scone or a staff member can take your order to go so that you can savor it at home instead.
Directions: Instead of traveling down route 330, past Futenma, I visited by way of the expressway. More expensive, I know, but I passed traffic and saved time. Here are directions to Nicoli by the expressway: Get off at exit 2. Turn right onto route 330, north. When you come to the first large intersection with a bridge overhead, turn right. You will see Café Nicoli on the corner.
We are always excited to find something different on Okinawa, as we have been here for almost 3 years now. This place was a great change of pace. It is a type of ramen, but it is unlike any of the others we’ve encountered here.
They do serve a typical salt-based ramen, but it isn’t what they’re known for. You can order the soup hot or cold. We prefer hot, although I have never tried the cold. If it is anything like the hot soup, I’m sure it is delicious.
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After deciding which temperature of soup you prefer you choose what size noodles you want; regular, medium or large. Regular is a pretty impressive serving size and satisfies most everyone we’ve taken there. You can choose what add-ons you want also. They have soft-boiled egg, bamboo shoots, thinly sliced onions, and many many more.
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When your soup is served to you, it comes in two bowls. One with only noodles (made in house fresh daily) and one with the soup base and all your extra toppings. There are a slew of different sauces and flavoring ingredients on your table to change the taste of your soup to your personal liking. There is vinegar, chili oil, fruit vinegar, wasabi, and others.
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After you’ve perfected your broth you are supposed to dip your noodles into the broth and slurp them down. The broth is thicker than most ramen and sticks to the noodles so you can really taste it on the noodles even though you’ve only dipped them for a couple of seconds. Also, the broth is stronger tasting than most ramen I’ve had.
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Once you have finished all your noodles you can order some rice (offered sizes are small, medium, or large) and dump it into the remaining broth. There is a pitcher of “light soup” on each table to add to your broth/rice mixture. It makes the soup taste completely different. It is as if you have a whole new bowl of soup!
They do serve ice cream for dessert and have 2 high chairs available. I believe it to be a good place to take kids even though it doesn’t have a kids menu. You can easily order a larger noodle serving and a few extra toppings and share with your little one. They also have child bowls, forks and spoons. They also do take-out.
GT Tsukemen
Hours:
Weekday lunch: 11:30am-3:00pm Dinner: 6:00pm-9:00pm
Weekends and Holidays: 11:30am-9:00pm
Directions from Kadena Main Gate:Turn left out of the gate. Take the first left onto 23. The restaurant is on the first floor of the Eagle Lodge on your left hand side in the first grouping of buildings you see. Parking available.
From the very first time I saw a picture of Anettaichaya I knew we HAD to go there; not only did the food look delicious and the views amazing but they had hammocks too. Quite possibly the perfect combination for an enjoyable, relaxing meal.
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We arrived just as they opened and had our pick of places to sit and there are quite a few to choose from; an open air deck overlooking the Motobu peninsula, a couple of small tiki huts containing cushions to lounge back on and even a hammock!
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The inside of the cafe itself or even outside the cafe on the wrap around porch which contains a few hanging chairs!
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Of course we opted for the tiki huts which was most relaxing and made even more enjoyable by the beautiful sunny winter day.
While the menu isn’t overly extensive everything looked and sounded amazing, and between our family of 4 we got to try a decent portion of the menu.
Matt ordered the pho and it was very tasty with packs of flavor, while I settled on the Chicken Gapao Rice, which had a nice amount of spice to it, but definitely not unmanageable if you don’t like spicy foods.
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Our girls both got French toast; one ordered the coconut & cinnamon, while the other went for French honey toast which came with ice cream & cream and a firm favorite by us all.
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
If you order a set you also get your choice of drink from tea, coffee or a variety of juices.
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When we were leaving we made the comment to the owner how it was such a beautiful setting with great views, and he mentioned to come back just before the sun sets as it is truly breathtaking.
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
While we will have to save that for another time I can definitely imagine it being very beautiful.
Anettaichaya
Hours: everyday from 11.00 – sunset (lunch is from 11.00 – 14.00)
Tree terraces, delicious food and a yurt to sleep in… sounds like the perfect combination for a relaxing getaway and what’s even better: you don’t have to leave the island to get all of the above!
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Located on the Motobu peninsula set up on a hill is Beach Rock Village: a camp, a cafe, an overnight experience… they have it all (but sadly, no elephants – more on this later)!
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Throughout the warmer months Beach Rock Village hosts a variety of camps varying in length and experiences which you can apply to attend via their website, but if that doesn’t interest you, you can still experience some of what is on offer.
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For starters, the cafe serves 3 types of pizza (including a Tandoori chicken pizza!), taco rice, and curry (which is apparently REALLY good), as well as alcoholic & non-alcoholic beverages. The fun part about eating here is picking where to eat.
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There is the Tree Terrace which is basically a treehouse that has a pulley system to deliver your food up to you! We loved being up here, however it was a little nerve wracking with our young children, as there really are no barriers. To get down you can either climb down the ladders you ascended or simply take the fireman’s pole!
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Another option is the wooden “container” looking structure, which you can either climb up a ladder and sit on top of it or sit inside of it on a couch with the front open so you still get to take advantage of the views, while sheltered from the weather.
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If you don’t feel like climbing anything have no fear, there is also an open-sided wooden structure which has ample of room and even a hammock.
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Last but definitely not least there is the “bar yurt”.
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One of the reasons I wanted to check out Beach Rock Village was to swing above the treetops, unfortunately as of December 2015 this infamous swing was out of action. I am unsure if they have plans to put a new one in or not, but I sure hope they do!
I had also heard that there may even be an elephant on the premises (according to the map there is one!) sadly there wasn’t! When I asked about it the lovely Japanese lady smiled and simply replied “in our dreams” that really would have been a dream come true!
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The main reason we went to check out this place was to spend a night in a yurt; after all it’s not every day you get to sleep in one, and I bet there aren’t too many places in Japan to do this.
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I made contact via their website to see what availability they had; once I found a date that worked for everyone I simply emailed my confirmation – no payment was made until we arrived.
The price, per person, includes dinner & breakfast both served in the Nature Cottage; which is another accommodation available for rent (I believe this sleeps up to 8 and is a “shared” house). Our young children were free of charge.
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I can’t actually tell you what we ate for dinner, other than rice, but it was all made fresh and I believe a lot of the vegetables were grown on the premises & our whole family enjoyed the mostly vegetarian spread.
For breakfast we were given miso soup, rice, scrambled egg, a noodle dish and another 1 or 2 side dishes; again I couldn’t tell you what they were other than it was all really good & we didn’t go hungry.
As for the yurt, which sleeps up to 4 people, it consists of 2 double beds (bedding and towels provided), along with 2 lamps… and that is about all there is to it and we loved it! We stayed in the middle of winter and were a little anxious that it was going to be freezing (we even brought blankets with us just in case) but surprisingly it was very warm!
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When I woke in the night to rain hitting the roof I thought we may get a little leakage but thankfully we didn’t!
Another accommodation is the Tepee which sleeps 2-3, unfortunately I didn’t get to see inside here, but I think I may try to stay here next time!
All the accommodation types have a shared shower/toilet which is centrally located to everything & has beautiful mosaic tiles!
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The following day before we left I asked if we could see the horses; unfortunately they were put away so we couldn’t, but I am sure if you visit over summer months you will have the opportunity to do so.
Cafe: open 1100 – 1700 (apparently they close every Thursday, however I would ring ahead to see if they are open because we have driven up on a Saturday before and they have been closed)
Bar tent: open 2000 – late
Accommodation: prices vary according to season & accommodation type; check their website for current information and I guess they now wish you to call for reservations as opposed to emailing
Address: 1331 Jana, Nakijin, Kunigami District
GPS: 26.6774631, 127.96138399999995
Directions: Beach Rock Village is located in Nakijin, on the Okinawa northwest side. Take the Expressway to Kyoda, then Highway 58 to Nago. Once through the city, turn onto Highway 84 headed toward Ocean Expo Park. Take a right Route 72 (toward Nakijin) passing through Kogayama Tunnel. Just before a second tunnel, Otoa Tunnel, look for the sign pointing right to Beach Rock Village.
Editor’s Note: Beach Rock Village was originally reviewed on Okinawa Hai on May 22, 2009; you can read a PDF copy of that original review here. The post below is an updated take on this unique place, published March 4, 2016.
After a weekend at Okuma, my little family and I decided to venture across the island and take a scenic tour up north.
Our little drive found us near Camp Gonsalves (Jungle Warfare Training Center). We were looking for lunch, but wanting to try something new, and to our luck, we found just that.
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Just before Camp Gonsalves and just after Hiro Coffee Farm, we spotted these bright yellow Shisa Dogs on the right side of the road. There was a sign (which we couldn’t read) but it looked interesting, bright, and colorful. Food or not, our curiosity got the best of us so we pulled into the short little drive where we were greeted by the sweetest couple, and much to our luck, it was food!
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The property is surrounded by blooming flowers and lush green vegetation and has indoor and outdoor seating. We kicked our shoes off and sat inside which was decorated with pictures and antiques. It was hard to just sit and wait, so I got up and looked around.
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The menu was simple. It’s not in English, but the sweet lady that runs the place spoke enough English to walk us through it. They have Pizza, Curry, Soba, and dessert (sweet red beans). To drink they had tea and juice.
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My husband and I each ordered the Soba and we ordered a pizza for our kids to split. The kids each had a mango juice which was huge.
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When we left, the nice couple gave our kids candy and asked if they could take pictures with them, which we of course said yes.
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If you find yourself WAYYYY up North or you are taking a road trip that way; put this place a little stopping point for some delicious Soba, Pizza or Curry.
Muran Cafe
Phone: 098-043-2388
Payment: Yen Only
GPS Coordinates: 26.663708, 128245888
Address: 〒905-1201 沖縄県国頭郡, 東村高江８５-１０
Directions:
Traveling North on the 331, in Higashi Village where the 331 and 70 split, follow the 70. You will pass rest stop type building with a coffee sign, then you will pass Hiro Coffee Farm (both on your right). Continue to drive until you see 2 bright ShiShi dogs on the side of the road. This is it. There is a small drive way and they will usher you in.
If you get to a sign for the Arakawa Dam or to Camp Gonsalves, you’ve gone too far.
If you’ve been in Japan for very long, you will probably have heard about yakiniku. If you’re new to Japanese cuisine, yakiniku is translated as “grilled meat” and refers to a broad variety of bite-sized meats cooked on a grill. It’s very easy to make yakiniku at home, and you’ll often see locals cooking in this style with portable grills during festivals.
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This style of cooking is also popular in restaurants, and as many have discovered, not all yakiniku restaurants are considered equal. Many of these establishments include all-you-can eat buffets or sets, where diners can choose their style of raw meats and veggies to cook on their own table-top grills. While it may be tempting to choose an inexpensive ¥1000, all-you-can eat yakiniku restaurant, the variety and quality of ingredients typically won’t be very high. This is where Yakiniku King comes in!
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Located on Highway 58 between Camp Foster and Kadena Air Base, Yakiniku King offers better quality meats, including several types of beef, chicken, pork, and seafood that are available in differently priced sets. The sets, which start at ¥2680 per person for dinner, include a variety of different ingredients and meals to choose from. The mid-range set (referred to as the “Standard Course,” which costs ¥2980) contains more than 100 different food options, to include rice and lettuce, meat and seafood, noodle dishes, Korean bibimbap, hot pots, various side dishes, and even dessert options!
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Once diners have chosen their set, ordering is a breeze! All you have to do is choose the dishes you want to try, using a handy handheld digital tablet. There is even an English option for those customers who aren’t able to read Japanese! Once the order is placed electronically, a server will bring your food and beverages right to the table. Orders are unlimited, as long as you place and eat them within the allotted 100 minute time frame.
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While ordering on the tablet is entertaining, the real pleasure comes cooking and eating the actual meal. Once your raw food arrives, you can season and cook it to your liking with your table’s built-in grill and the provided selection of sauces. Some meats come with sauce already and others come with only salt, so you can use soy, ponzu, lemon, or yakiniku sauce(s) to glaze your meat or use for dipping later on.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Customer service at Yakiniku King is wonderful! The servers can be called to refill drinks or provide a new grill net at the push of a button. The food is of nice quality and the vast variety of foods on the menu provides options for meat-lovers, for vegetarians, and for those who may have food allergies. It’s no wonder this place has become one of our family’s favorite places for a dinner with friends!
Directions: From Kadena Gate 1 take a left, heading towards Foster on 58. Yakiniku King will be on the left side about a mile down the road, between the Hamazushi restaurant and the Aoyama clothing shop.
From the Foster Commissary Gate, turn right on 58 toward Kadena. Pass the turn for the American Village ferris wheel, and Yakiniku King will be just after this on the right. You will have to pass the shopping complex and make a u-turn.
If you’re looking for a little taste of Kansai in Okinawa, there’s a hidden gem right in the center of the island! Okonomiyaki, or a type of vegetable-and-meat-filled griddle pancake, is a Kansai specialty and one of my own personal guilty pleasure foods.
Sukiyanen (literally Osaka dialect for ‘Love it!’) is modest-looking from the outside and relatively easy to miss when driving past, but that’s part of its charm. The white concrete exterior gives way immediately to a cozy, heavily-decorated interior that could pass for an Osaka family’s living room. And for good reason, too – the owners are a wonderfully talkative and welcoming married couple who moved here from Osaka over 15 years ago and have been cooking on the grills ever since.
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Paraphernalia from baseball teams and manzai comedians pepper every available surface, and a raised floor at the far end of the restaurant houses two tables with floor cushions for those with kids in tow or who just prefer sitting low.
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Each table has an array of sauces and toppings available, including a few types of mayonnaise and a sweet barbecue-like sauce that typically is spread over the top. I personally opt out of the pickled ginger (way too strong for me!), but the food is perfectly flavorful with or without. Everything is savory, well-cooked, and very satisfying.
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We opted for the lunch combo with the pari pari potato specialty from the menu. It wasn’t long before our grill was turned on and the food was brought over, steaming and looking absolutely delicious. It was difficult to resist cutting through the crispy top layer so that I could take a picture first, but the nice crunch of the potatoes was well worth the wait. There’s also something about using tiny metal spatulas that makes the very act of eating the stuff entertaining.
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The menu has no bad choices, really! You can either choose from their set specialties (which range from vegetarian to dear-god-so-much-meat) or build your own from the batter up, choosing fillings and toppings to customize. There are also multiple sizes available, and their cardboard replicas are conveniently hung on the wall for comparison.
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Lunch specials run every weekday from 12-3pm. Each comes with basic pork okonomiyaki and a half-serving of yakisoba as well as a free drink. Other sets are available to add on, such as miso soup and rice or noodles, and you can choose a different okonomiyaki from the menu for a slight extra charge.
This place has become one of our favorite go-to haunts when craving hot food a little outside the Okinawan norm. Highly recommended when you want to relax, dig in, and enjoy some Kansai home cooking.
Hours: Weekdays 12:00 to 15:00 and 17:00 to 24:00. Weekends 12:00 to 24:00. Last order 30min before closing. Closed Tuesdays, major Japanese holidays, and the third Wednesday of each month.
Directions: Where the 329 and 85 (the road past Rycom) meet, head north. At the next light, turn left before the big casino. It’s about two minutes up the road on the left. Look for a pink awning.
One Sunday as we were wandering around Makishi Public Market in search of food I made the comment to my husband, “How amazing would it be if we stumbled across a Vietnamese restaurant”.
Ever since returning from our amazing Vietnamese vacation a few months ago we have been craving some delicious Vietnamese food.
At that point I pulled out my phone to do a quick search to see if there were any in the area but before my phone could even load Matt says “are you serious?!” I look up to see what he is talking about and no kidding we are standing directly in front of a Vietnamese restaurant!
After doing the happy dance, I decided maybe we should check it is open before getting too excited. Matt runs up the stairs to the second floor restaurant and luck was on our side…it was open!
Another quick happy dance and we flew up the stairs to get our eat on.
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Immediately we were charmed; the decor is cute with lots of Vietnamese treasures; the wall above the door area is lined with masks, the very same ones we saw while we were there, there are two food carts the very same as you see everywhere in Vietnam; one was used to hide the cash register area and it was complete with plastic stools just like the ones we sat on a few months earlier (for decoration than actual seating!)
The owner quickly got us seated and brought over an English menu which is where things got a little tricky; we simply wanted to order it all!
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We settled on getting our girls one serving of Chicken Pho to share; we had planned on getting them a bowl each but the owner suggested one would be enough & she was right!
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Matt ordered Hue style spicy noodle soup, something that he ordered whilst in Vietnam; while he preferred the one he ordered in Vietnam it also didn’t disappoint. I went with a coconut chicken curry; which everyone was eager to try!
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Naturally we had to get a side of fresh & fried spring rolls which came with 3 dipping sauces.
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Prices for mains range between 500 Yen for Chicken rice noodle soup to 900 Yen for the Grilled Chicken with Vietnamese Spicy Sauce. Drinks range from 300 yen (juice) to 500 Yen (Tapioca).
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I didn’t notice any Bahn Mi on the menu which would have been amazing, but Matt thought he saw a picture of it outside so we will definitely be asking about that on our next visit; and there will definitely be more visits in our future!
Directions: Address listed is the Ichibahondori entrance to Makishi Public Market off Kokousai Street, way down the end and on the second floor… keep an eye out for the food cart on the street!
We drive slowly to a faded white building as we are not sure if we have found our destination or have gotten ourselves lost in this quiet residential area where we may have disturbed the residents with our back and forth driving as we’ve been trying to locate the so-called “cafe on the side of cliff”. A friend of ours has been doing research on a certain restaurant that has a great view while you eat in the Nakagusuku district, and not really sure what it’s called or where it is, he suggests we take a trip there. We agree and start the search for this enigma of a cafe. When we drove up to the faded white building, we were greeted by a rustic wooden sign that says “Welcome to Ristorante Hanta Baru”.
Sure enough, it’s a lone building situated on the side of a cliff, with a beautiful view and a homey garden in the front. As you get closer and enter the restaurant you feel like you are transported to a remote Italian cafe complete with a bar, well dressed attendants and a view that makes you feel like you’re high enough to break bread with the gods.
Hanta Baru is a an Italian restaurant/cafe with many salad and pasta offerings. The salads here are some of the best we’ve ever had. The best time to come for the salads is during lunch when all their salad offerings are available as a buffet. Fresh green leafy vegetables and a tasty selection of garnishes with an assortment of toppings are available for your salad needs. Pastas are among the popular items on the menu with all your Italians favorites included.
The course meals are a choice of beef, fish or pasta. Depending on the what course meal you choose the course will vary with what items go well with your selection. Wine is also recommended as they have imports readily available to fit your dinner course’s tastes. The atmosphere as well as the restaurant’s food is very romantic and relaxing really meant for a more Italian connoisseur’s appetite.
Hanta Baru definitely has a more calm and romantic feel. We would not recommend bringing young children or a large group with large appetites to fill. However this place is perfect for a group of four who are looking for a something different than the usual loud slurping ramen and sushi shops that you encounter just about everywhere.
We would also definitely recommend this place for a date night, if you’re trying to impress your partner. The view is unbeatable and the candles on the wooden deck flicker along with the lights from the city as the sun goes down. The food can be a bit pricey, especially during dinner, and it takes a bit of time to find the place, as it’s a bit off the beaten path, so a little planning is required when visiting this lovely establishment.
Hanta Baru Ristorante
Prices: Ala Carte Items during the day average 1000 – 2000 yen
Full course meals dinner average 3000 yen
Payment: Cash and Card
Hours:
Wednesday-Monday 11:30 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Lunch: 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Cafe: 2:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Dinner: 6:00 p.m. – 11:30 p.m.
Tuesday 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Address: 468 Wauke, Nakagusuku, Nakagami District, Okinawa Prefecture 901-2416, Japan
GPS Coordinates: 26.2450091, 127.77188649999994
Directions: at road 29 and follow for about 15-20 minutes. Once you reach a four way intersection with a Coco convenience store on the left and a Hoto Moto on the right and a sign saying Ryukyu University pointing right you will then take the left on this intersection. After the left turn you will keep going short distance until you see a sign on the right for Hanta Baru turn right before the road starts to cover following the sign. You will find yourself in a small residential area go straight then take the third left and follow the sign to Hanta Baru.
Married to a Cajun man and having lived in Louisiana for several years, I’d like to think I know what good Louisiana style food is. Before I start, and as anyone from Louisiana will tell you, depending on which part of the state you are in, the food changes: Southern, Creole, Cajun… it’s all different. Of course there are some staples though, and that is what we found at Café Orleans.
If you haven’t been there, you are missing out. While the menu is not huge, what is offered is sure to be delicious!
I was surprised with Café Orleans for my birthday dinner. My husband made reservations knowing that being a new restaurant and having great reviews, it would be busy. Glad we had them too because sure enough, the tables were full and stayed full until we left around 9:30 pm.
The menu hosts a variety of po’boys and traditional New Orleans style cuisine. We started with the wings. There were 5 for a small appetizer and they were served with the most incredible dipping sauce. I don’t know what it was, but I saved it for my meal. For dinner I ordered the soft shell crab leg po’boy. It was on point! The crab was perfectly seasoned and fried; crisp on the outside and soft flakey crab meat inside. A key factor in having a good po’boy is the bread it is served on….bad bread, bad sandwich. Not at Café Orleans. The bread had the perfect crunch on the outside and the soft fresh inside you would expect. On the side I chose the onions rings and wished that I had ordered more; they were perfectly paired with the sauce I hoarded from the wings.
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My husband ordered the Shrimp Etouffee. While it is different than an etouffee you would get in south central or southwest Louisiana, it was exactly what we would expect from a trip to New Orleans. It was full of shrimp, seasoned to perfection with a little kick, and served over rice. YUM.
We finished the night with Chicory Coffee and Beignets.
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Before we left we spent a long while talking to the owner, Mr. Al, originally from Louisiana. What a genuinely nice person, with a deep desire to bring only the most authentic cuisine to us here in Okinawa. He shared with us his love for the food, which I think is what really makes a meal, and he also shared some of his ideas for what is to come and how the menu will expand.
A few days later, having been so excited about the amazing dinner we had, I gathered up a few of my co-workers and we went for lunch. The lunch menu is simple, Po-Boys and Gumbo. We each tried a different poboy; I had the shrimp which was loaded with jumbo fried shrimp (and not those frozen pre-battered kind, but real shrimp); we also had at our table: blackened chicken, fried oysters, soft shell crab, and fried chicken. All were on point. I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t order the onion rings again, so of course I did (and I devoured them), but we also had the fries at our table; much to my liking they were real potatoes (again, none of that frozen packaged stuff).
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I’ve saved the best for last. My all-time FAVORITE Cajun dish is gumbo; and I am picky picky picky about my gumbo (gumbo is not one of those things you order because it’s always better homemade), so I was skeptical. We each ordered a bowl with our po’boys and was I surprised and delighted at how absolutely perfect this gumbo was. I’ve been missing a good gumbo, so if there is one thing I will go back to Café Orleans for, it will be the gumbo. My favorite part was the added touch of a giant succulent shrimp set on top of each bowl… Heaven in my mouth.
We finished again, with coffee and I was too stuffed to eat an order of beignets at that moment, so I took them back to work and ate then the moment I felt I had enough room. Even room temp they were great!
I have to give big props to Mr. Al for his efforts and his wonderful food; can’t say enough how much his quaint little place just feels like home.
For all those who are expecting to walk in and have a meal like you would get in the French Quarter, might I remind you that you are in Okinawa. With that said, and while Mr. Al does an absolutely phenomenal job in the kitchen, resources for the ingredients needed to make truly authentic Cajun/Creole foods are limited (to say the least). Somehow Mr. All pulls it off with flying colors.
Cafe Orleans
Hours: Tue-Thur 1130-1300 and 1800-2100
Fri-Sat 1130-1300 and 1800-2200
Sun 1130-1300
Directions: To get to Café Orleans from Foster, exit the Legion Gate and turn right at the light. The café will be on your left hand side next to the San-A.
We tried to visit Be Natural one Sunday many months ago, but with a long wait to get a seat and 2 hungry children we went elsewhere vowing to return some other day. Fast forward a few months, we finally made the trip down to Nanjo area to return to this charming little cafe.
We arrived just minutes before it opened and were surprised that people were already lining up at the door; we were even more surprised when it appeared everyone, apart from us, had a reservation! We figured this was a sign that we weren’t going to be disappointed with the food.
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Thankfully, once they opened, we managed to get one of the few unreserved tables and before long the restaurant was completely full!
The staff immediately brought over glasses of water along with the menu, which was all in Japanese; but they were happy to take the time to explain the menu to us.
As we were there for lunch we had our pick of the lunch set (1,500 Yen) or a pasta & bread dish (800 Yen). Matt & I both ordered the lunch set while we got our 2 girls (aged 2 & 5) the pasta each.
In hindsight we probably could have got just one pasta for the girls to share but I think it will really depend on how big of an appetite your child has.
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Our amazing set consisted of 4 courses plus bread… needless to say we definitely left satisfied! The first course was an antipasti/salad type dish with squid, prosciutto & ham, which was followed up by a bread basket with 2 pieces of bread each; one raison and one red wine… both were amazing!
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We then got a plate of tomato pasta, which was the same pasta the girls received although theirs came with a slice of bread, a small salad & a cup of soup.
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For the main we had breaded shark on top of vegetables with a yummy sauce and lastly we all received the same dessert; berry ice and panna cotta, with the girls receiving a smaller portion.
To complete our meal we were then served a choice of either hot/ice coffee or tea.
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From where we were sitting we noticed the counter had a lot of wine, jams & other things which appeared to be for sale. It wasn’t until we were halfway home that I realized I had forgotten to check them out but will definitely remember to do so on our next visit as from afar they looked pretty scrumptious!
While I wasn’t able to get a glimpse of the evening menu, from our lunch experience and looking at the photos on their website I am positive it wouldn’t disappoint.
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Don’t be put off by the popularity of this cafe; if you make the drive down and it is full there are some other great options in the area, including Cafe Yashinamiki which is where we ended up at the first time we tried to eat at Be Natural and is just a couple minutes walk down the road!
If you don’t want to risk it call ahead and make a reservation; everyone we spoke with spoke a little English!
While soba dishes are served all over Japan, Okinawa Soba is a unique regional version made with wheat flour instead of buckwheat. I like the idea of enjoying this local dish by the Seawall—the place I envision whenever I think of Okinawa. So after a morning walk with an ocean view, my little one and I tried Kaneku (Oceanview Soba Shop).
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We arrived right at 11am when they open (Tuesday-Sunday) and sat by the window. The owner provided us with a high chair for my little miss as well as her own plastic tablewares allowing her to have samplings of my food.
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She provided a menu with English translations and accommodated us in the most hospitable manner. I can’t remember the last time I ate at a public place that felt so homey.
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The restaurant sits on the second floor of a building located about two street blocks from the Naval Kadena shops, behind the kiddie pool, and right in front of the seawall. Cozy seating, a clear ocean view, and serene music set the tone for a relaxing place to eat.
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The menu consists of five Okinawa soba soups, sides, drinks, and a dessert; all are a la carte items and the soba comes in small, medium, and large portion sizes while the dessert can be served hot or cold.
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I chose a small pork spare rib soba and the cold dessert, finding both to be very satisfying. If you’re looking for a hardy meal, know that the sizes come larger than my picture of the small soup and the pork spare rib is so tender it falls off the bone. I look forward to returning to this quaint hole in the wall and trying the hot dessert next time!
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Menu items are reasonably priced. Check it out and enjoy another quaint eating spot with a view by the Seawall!
Kaneku – Oceanview Soba Restaurant
Hours: Open from 11am to 6pm daily except for Mondays.
Payment: Yen
Phone: 098-956-0490
Address (Naval Kadena): 372 Kaneku, Kadena
Google Maps Coordinates: 26.353071, 127.74353389999999
Directions: RIGHT out of Kadena Gate One onto 58. At the light near Naval Kadena with Lawson’s on your left, continue straight but get in your left lane. Take a LEFT at the next light. There will be a pachinko parlor and a hardware store. Go straight through the next light until you come to the seawall. The restaurant will be right at the sea wall on your LEFT. People seem to park wherever. Dozou.
Editor’s Note: This restaurant was originally reviewed by one of our very first contributors, Julia, on February 23, 2007 – just weeks after Okinawa Hai launched! We’re excited to bring you this updated review from Marissa.
Ordering is very easy, even if there is no english, as the menu and the ticket machine are matched up with numbers. Just insert a bill and press the number for the food you want, and the machine will spit out change, as well as your ticket, which you give to the lady behind the counter and after a few minutes you’ll have some yummy tacos to satisfy your hunger!
