15 Restaurants in Hokkaido with Delicious Sake Discover Oishii Japan -SAVOR JAPAN -Japanese Restaurant Guide-

Update-date: Jun 18 2020

Author: SAVOR JAPAN

15 Restaurants in Hokkaido with Delicious Sake

Hokkaido is a region blessed with superb Japanese ingredients like seafood and vegetables. Pairing these top-quality ingredients with sake (Japanese alcohol) results in unbelievably delicious flavors. With that, take a look at these 15 restaurants in Hokkaido that serve delicious sake!

See full listings of Sake restaurants found in and around Hokkaido.

1. Suzunoya (Susukino / Izakaya)

This is a popular izakaya (Japanese pub) located in Sapporo. Its many dishes make the best of seasonal seafood and vegetables, as well as beef tongue produced in Hokkaido. As for sake, there's plenty of choices. Starting from Sapporo's [Chitosetsuru], the drink menu focuses on products from Asahikawa, Kushiro, and other areas of Hokkaido, but also includes carefully selected sake from other parts of Japan. Enjoy a sip together with their fragrant [Charcoal-Grilled Extremely Thick Tongue (Base)] (2,500 JPY (plus tax)) or the flavorful [Butter Grilled Crab Innards] (780 JPY (plus tax)).

Suzunoya

Open: [Monday to Thursday] Normal hours: 5:00pm - 2:00am [Friday, Saturday & Eve of PH]Dinner - 5:00pm - 3:00am
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 4,000 JPY
Access: A 3-minute walk from either Susukino station on the Namboku line of the municipal subway, or Hosui-Susukino station on the Toho line.
Address: 5-3 Bldg. 1F, Minami Gojonishi 3chome, Chuo-ku,Sapporo-shi, Hokkaido Map
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2. Japanese Cuisine Hanayuzen (Susukino / Japanese Cuisine)

At 15m in length, the fish tank that this Japanese restaurant has installed the largest in all of Hokkaido. The menu consists mainly of course meals, but there are also several a-la-carte options. For example, you can enjoy delicious seafood-based dishes like the [Fresh Fish], which is sashimi of sea bream, flounder, or any other fish caught from the fish tank right after you ordered it. There's also the juicy grilled [Red King Crab] (3,200 JPY) from Okhotsk. Their wide sake selection includes select products from both Hokkaido and the rest of the country. From this selection, it is recommended to have the restaurant's original junmaishu (sake made without adding alcohol) called [Hanayuzen] (980 JPY), which goes down smooth and pleasant and has a low alcohol content.

Japanaese Cuisine Hanayuzen

Open: 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:15 pm)
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 6,000 JPY
Access: 5 minutes walk from Susukino Station on Nanboku Subway Line or Toho subway Line
Address: B1F, Jasmac Plaza, 3 Minaminanajyo-nishi, Chuo-ku, Sapporo-shi, Hokkaido (Map)
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3. Nizakana Sashimi Shunsai Uminoshiki (Susukino / Japanese Cuisine)

Located in Sapporo, the city where the bounties of Hokkaido's seas can be found, this is a seafood restaurant with a great reputation. The menu offers several kinds of course meals consisting of all sorts of delicacies made with hairy crab, uni (sea urchin), the premium kinki (broadbanded thornyhead), and other types of Hokkaido seafood. They pay particular care in cooking the [Simmered Fish], regulating the cooking temperature so that it's not too high or low, resulting in super tender fish that's free from any unpleasant bitterness. Plus, they have lots of famous sake brands carefully selected from all over Japan (the variety depends on the availability), which taste amazing with their seafood dishes!

Nizakana Sashimi Shunsai Uminoshiki

Open: Normal hours 6:00 pm - 2:00 am
Closed: Sundays
Average price: [Dinner] 6,300 JPY
Access: A 3-minute walk from Susukino station on the Nanboku subway line.
Address: G4 Bldg.6F , Minami Rokujo Nishi 4chome, Chuo-ku, Sapporo-shi, Hokkaido (Map)
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4. Shunkashuto Katsugyoryori Hokkai (Tomakomai / Japanese Cuisine)

Founded about 30 years ago, this is an iconic restaurant in Tomakomai that is frequented by a myriad of locals and tourists. The secret to its success lies in the large amounts of fresh seafood, sourced mainly from Hokkaido that they serve. You can have this seasonal seafood in all manner of ways, whether it be classic sashimi or a unique, original dish. The counter seats surround a huge fish tank from which they catch your fish right after you've ordered it, so you know you're getting extremely fresh seafood. The alcohol drink lineup includes lots of famous brands and kinds of alcohol, as well as seasonal, limited-edition bottles. They come from Asahikawa, Sapporo, and other areas of Hokkaido, as well as from Miyagi Prefecture and other parts of Japan.

Shunkashuto Katsugyoryori Hokkai

Open: [Weekdays, Saturday] Dinner 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm (last order 10:30 am)

[Weekdays] Lunch 11:30 am - 2:00 pm (last order 1:30 pm)
Closed: Monday
Average price: [Dinner] 4,000 JPY
Access: Restaurant districtGo west on Nijo-dori and it is on your right.
Address: 1F Hokkai Bldg. , 2-5-7 Nishikimachi, Tomakomai, Hokkaido

5. GOCHISO-TEI (Goryokaku-koen-mae / Izakaya)

Offering a full view of Goryokaku Tower, the symbol of Hakodate, this well-known restaurant is the ideal place to stop by during your sightseeing. The interiors are suitable for all sorts of customers and occasions, with observation rooms from which you can admire the nightscape, as well as quiet private rooms. They take pride in their collection of over 60 sake bottles selected by the owner, who is a certified sake sommelier, from all over the country. This collection includes unique brands like the [SABAdesyu - Special Sake for Mackerel] (600 JPY), created purposely to enhance the flavor of mackerel. Accompany your sake with delicacies made with fresh seafood from Hokkaido, or even with some of their original dishes inspired by Italian and ethnic cuisine!

GOCHISO-TEI

Open: [Weekdays, Saturday, National Holidays, Day before National Holidays] 5:00 pm - 11:30 pm (L.O. 10:45 pm)
Closed: Sunday
Average price: [Dinner] 4,500 JPY
Access: 5 minutes walk from Hakodate City Tramway Goryokaku Koen-mae Station. Go north along Ekimae-dori Street for 300 meters, then on the corner of the intersection
Address: 11-8, Honcho, Hakodate city, Hokkaido

6. Kaisen Bal Nemuroya (Susukino / Seafood Izakaya)

You'll find this well-known izakaya in Susukino, Hokkaido's foremost shopping district. The menu contains mainly dishes made with seafood caught in Hokkaido. This restaurant is regularly packed because it lets you enjoy delicious and fresh sashimi and sushi late into the night. Other than seafood, they also offer meat delicacies made with top-class beef and lamb produced in Hokkaido. The lengthy drink menu includes local liquors, as well as rare local brands and those from other regions of Japan. The most recommended drink is the [Nemuro Highball] (450 JPY (plus tax)), wherein Kita no Katsu, a sake from Nemuro in Hokkaido, is diluted with soda. It's especially recommended to sake beginners for its crisp, refreshing taste.

Kaisen Bal Nemuroya

Open: 5:00 pm - 5:00 am　
Closed: Irregular
Average price: [Dinner] 3,500 JPY
Access: 4 minutes on foot from Susukino Station. Proceed south from Exit 5 and turn left at the third intersection. We are located on the 4th floor of the light brown building on the left.
Address: 5.3 Building 407, 3-chome, Minami 5-jo Nishi, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido (Map)
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7. Kita no Aji Mirai (Sapporo / Izakaya)

You only need to walk 5 minutes from Sapporo Station, accessible via various subway lines, to get to this restaurant. In its quiet Japanese-style interiors, you can stuff your cheeks with delicious Hokkaido seafood. The most recommended dish is the [Daily 5-Kind Sashimi Assortment (3 Servings)] (1,680 JPY (plus tax)), made with the fresh fish of the day. Depending on what's available that day, you can savor a large variety of dishes. Accompany them with cold or hot sake, of which they mainly procure Hokkaido varieties.

Kita no Aji Mirai

Open: [Weekdays, Day before National Holidays] Lunch 11:30 am - 2:00 pm / Dinner 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:30 pm)
Closed: Sunday, National Holidays
Average price: [Dinner] 4,000 JPY / [Lunch] 750 JPY
Access: A five-minute walk from Sapporo Station of the Sapporo Municipal Subway (take Exit 6). Head toward the biosphere/botanic garden, and the restaurant will be on the left past the second intersection.
Address: 2F Eternal Pensee Building, Kita 4-jo Nishi 6-chome, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido

8. Kita no Donburiya Takinami Shokudo (Otaru / Japanese Cuisine)

This eatery is inside Sankaku Market, which is located super close to Otaru Station and is crowded every day with both locals and tourists. The reason is pretty apparent: it is located inside the market and directly managed by a fish dealer, so the seafood used for its donburi (rice bowl with toppings) dishes is exceptionally fresh. Crab caught from the fish tank, then boiled, as well as uni, ikura (seasoned salmon roe), and other types of seafood are placed on white rice to create their lineup of voluminous donburi. Make sure to order some local Hokkaido sake as well! It matches perfectly with their food, drawing out the deliciousness of the ingredients.

Kita no Donburiya Takinami Shokudo

Open: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 1,500 JPY
Access: Located within “Otaru Triangle Market,” right outside of Otaru Station.
Address: Sankaku Ichiba-nai, 3-10-16 Inaho, Otaru, Hokkaido (Map)
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9. Ishikura Dining My House (Nagayama / Izakaya)

This izakaya was established by young local farmers in a renovated stone warehouse and is located in Asahikawa, which is famous for the Asahiyama Zoo. Within this welcoming space equipped with a wood stove, the staff serves various dishes based on Italian cuisine. They're all filled with ingredients produced in Hokkaido, such as the [Hokkaido Blue Cheese Risotto] (1,800 JPY). They stoke sake from every region of Japan, but you must try the [Taisetsu no Kura] (520 JPY). This local sake is made with the clean water of Asahikawa and has an incredible aroma.

Ishikura Dining My House

Open: [Monday/Wednesday - Sunday/national holiday/eve of national holiday] Lunch from 11:30 am - 3:00 pm (last order at 2:30 pm). We take a break on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month. / Dinner from 5:00 pm - 12:00 am (last order at 11:00 pm)
Closed: Sundays
Average price: [Dinner] 4,000 JPY / [Lunch] 1,000 JPY
Access: 2 minutes by car from Asahikawa-kita IC. We are beside the "Higashi-Takasu-1-jo-4-chome-Higashi-Takasu-higashi-1-jo-3-chome" intersection on the Nayoro National Route.
Address: 4-638-14 Higashitakasu 1-jo, Asahikawa-shi, Hokkaido (Map)
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10. Sushi Watanabe Sapporo Branch (Susukino / Sushi)

This is a high-end sushi restaurant sitting in Susukino, Sapporo. In its brown and white interiors designed in a modern Japanese style, you can savor course meals focusing on seafood produced in Hokkaido. One after another, you'll be served superb seafood dishes ranging from sushi, meticulously crafted by the skilled chef, to cooked dishes like [Yezo Abalone with Innards Sauce], made by thoroughly simmering abalone. Another appealing point is their array of sake that goes very well with their food. These bottles are stocked from Nemuro, Kushiro, Sapporo, and other areas of Hokkaido. If you can't decide which one to order, play it safe by getting the [Recommended Glass of Sake] (from 500 JPY plus tax).

Sushi Watanabe Sapporo branch

Open: Lunch 11:30 am - 1:30 pm (L.O. 1:00 pm) / Dinner 5:30 pm - 10:30 pm *Last entry is 9:00 pm
Closed: Irregular
Average price: [Dinner] 15,000 JPY / [Lunch] 5,000 JPY
Access: 4 minutes walk from [Susukino Station]
Address: 4F, Plaza 6-4 Bldg., 4-1 Minami 6-jo Nishi, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido (Map)
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11. Charcoal-Grilled Seafood Marukita Suisan (Chitose / Izakaya)

This izakaya sits in Chitose, the area where you can find the New Chitose Airport. It's popular because it gives you the opportunity to grill your seafood, caught in Hokkaido's adjacent seas, directly on charcoal. This cooking technique is known as "robatayaki" in Japan. When you order your seafood, they catch it from the on-site fish tank and bring it to your table that guarantees its freshness. The [Yakan-yaki], a dish wherein you steam the seafood in a kettle placed on the grill, and their sashimi dishes come highly recommended as well. They have a wide lineup of mainly local Hokkaido sake for you to enjoy: the [Ginpu] (550 JPY) has a sharp and dry flavor, the [Suisei] (600 JPY) boasts a pleasant banana-like aroma, and the [Fuyu Hanabi] (650 JPY) will enchant you with its intense scent.

Charcoal-Grilled Seafood Marukita Suisan

Open: 5:00 pm - 0:00 am (L.O. 11:30 pm)
Closed: Monday
Average price: [Dinner] 3,500 JPY
Access: 7-minute walk from Chitose Station, along Park Street (Shinkawa-dori Street), in front of [LAWSON] in 3-chome, Shimizu-cho
Address: 1-3-1 Saiwai-cho, Chitose city, Hokkaido (Map)
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12. Aiyo Odori Branch (Odori / Seafood Izakaya)

Grab a seat in one of this restaurant's semi-private rooms and enjoy local sake and seasonal products from Hokkaido. The menu displays an array of fresh seafood stocked from various areas of the region. You can enjoy them in various ways, including as sashimi, kaisen-don (rice bowl topped with seafood), or robatayaki (grilled over charcoal). The [Atka Mackerel] (1,580 JPY) from Wakkanai is highly appreciated for its enhanced rich flavor to the fullest, and the [Gangan-yaki (M Size)] (1,280 JPY), consisting of shellfish steamed with sake in a large drum, matches divinely with sake. If you're more into meat, don't miss their dishes made with Yakumo beef, a Hokkaido beef brand characterized by a fine texture and a mildly sweet flavor!

Aiyo Odori Branch

Open: 5:00 pm - 12:00 am (L.O. 11:30 pm)
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 3,500 JPY
Access: 5-minute walk from Odori Station. Above the Sunkus next to Tanukikoji 5-chome.
Address: 5-1, Minami 2-jo Nishi, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido

13. Irori-an Odori Main Branch (Odori / Izakaya)

This restaurant is located 3 minutes away on foot from Odori Station. It's a great option if you want to enjoy Hokkaido seafood and top-quality sake at reasonable prices. Make sure you order their specialty [Irori-an Assortment] (690 JPY for 1 serving), which consists of seasonal seafood directly delivered from the market, allowing you to enjoy the umami (Japanese savory taste) and texture of fresh fish. In addition, try the [Raw Oyster from Senposhi] (130 JPY), characterized by an intense sweetness and rich flavor. As for sake, you can choose from several options from Sapporo, Otaru, Kushiro, and other areas of Hokkaido.

Irori-an Odori Main branch

Open: [Weekdays, Day before National Holidays] Lunch 11:30 am - 2:00 pm

14. MONDO (Susukino / Gastropub)

Quality Hokkaido dishes and soba (buckwheat noodles), paired with sake from all 11 of Hokkaido's breweries, are what you'll be served in the white-themed modern Japanese interiors of this restaurant. Here, you can also savor the fantastic combo of cheese and sake. The owner himself visited several factories to select the best cheese available to match with sake. The best-selling dish is the [Hokkaido Cheese Assortment] (1,800 JPY), but you may also order the cheeses separately. There are also many dishes made with seasonal seafood and vegetables, like the [Hokkaido Seafood Shabu-Shabu] (1,870 JPY), a hot pot filled with kelp-based dashi (broth) in which you quickly cook scallops, octopus, and other seafood. Finish off the soup with their flavorful hand-pulled soba!

MONDO

Open: [Weekdays, Saturday, Day before National Holidays] 6:00 pm - 1:00 am (L.O. 12:30 am) *Closes when soba runs out. Reservations accepted from 5:00 pm.
[Sunday, National Holidays] 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:30 pm) *Closes when soba runs out. Reservations accepted from 4:00 pm.
Closed: Irregular
*Open on January 1st (New Year's Day).
Average price: [Dinner] 5,500 JPY / [Lunch] 3,500 JPY
Address: 1F, No. 2 Takebayashi Bldg., 4-9, Minami 5-jo Nishi, Chuo-ku, Sapporo-shi, Hokkaido

15. Hikoichi (Goryokaku-koen-mae / Creative Japanese Cuisine)

This restaurant is conveniently located only a minute's walk away from Goryokaku-koen-mae Station. Starting from the [Sashimi Assortment] (1,500 JPY (plus tax) for 1 serving) consisting of squid, the city's specialty, and plenty of other seafood, the restaurant serves a huge variety of local delicacies. The [Hokkaido Series] is a set meal including squid sashimi, buttered potatoes, and Genghis Khan (regional mutton barbeque dish), and it's perfect if you want to enjoy different flavors from Hokkaido all at once! There's also the highly recommended [Sommelier Set] (from 1,000 JPY (plus tax)) where you can try and compare Hokkaido and Tohoku sake brands.

Hikoichi

Open: [Weekdays, Saturday, Day before National Holidays] 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:30 pm)
Closed: Sunday, Beginning and end of the year (December 31 - January 1)
*If Monday is a national holiday, it closes on Monday instead.
Average price: 4,000 JPY
Address: 26-18, Hon-cho, Hakodate-shi, Hokkaido Map
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Enjoy the perfect combination of sake and the delicious food that Hokkaido is blessed with at one of these restaurants!

Disclaimer: All information is accurate at time of publication.