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17 Budget-Friendly Restaurants in Osaka, as Recommended by Top Chefs in Japan [Japanese Cuisine Edition]

Update-Date: Jun 6, 2020

Author: SAVOR JAPAN

17 Budget-Friendly Restaurants in Osaka, as Recommended by Top Chefs in Japan [Japanese Cuisine Edition]

If restaurateurs are recommending these restaurants, then there’s no doubt that they must be good! This article introduces 17 affordable (under 5,000 JPY) restaurants in Osaka that come highly recommended by Japan’s top chefs.

1.Teppan-yaki to Wine COCOLO

The first restaurant introduced here is the hidden gem, Teppan-yaki to Wine COCOLO. Here, customers can enjoy a piping hot main dish that's been grilled on an iron griddle, along with wine, for around 2,500 – 4,000 JPY. Beyond their high-quality cuisine and the amazing value for money, COCOLO comes highly recommended by chefs for its homey atmosphere and friendly customer service. You’ll almost feel as if you’re relaxing at a friend’s home, because it’s that cozy! Let the good times roll on your travels by choosing COCOLO!

Teppan-yaki to Wine COCOLO

Open: [Weekdays, Saturdays] 5:00 pm - 3:00 am (last order 02:00) [Sunday, National Holidays] 5:00 pm - 00:00 am (L.O. 11:30 pm)
Closed: Tuesdays
Average price: [Dinner] 3,500 JPY
Access: A one minute walk from Fukushima Station Exit 2. Go straight toward south on Naniwa-suji Street, turn left at the first corner, and turn right on the alleyway. You'll find us in the back of the alley.
Address: 5-8-16 Fukushima, Fukushima-ku, Osaka, Osaka (Map)
More Details Reservation

2.Sakana ga Umai Nazo na Mise UROKO

It isn’t only the name of this restaurant that is bursting with personality. The interior is filled with flags and illustrations of fish. The fresh seafood cuisine is prepared using Japanese and Italian cooking methods, with the chef aiming to support any requests, even if they aren’t on the menu! The chef proudly serves reasonably priced, delicious cuisine using fresh seafood shipped directly from Nagashima Fishing Port in Ise. This chef is so particular about their dishes that they personally ensure that nothing is left to be desired.

Sakana ga Umai Nazo na Mise UROKO

Open: Lunch 11:30 am – 2:30 pm (L.O. 2:00 pm), Dinner 5:30 pm – 11:30 pm (L.O. 11:00 pm)
Closed: None (Closed December 31, January 1 - 2)
Average price: [Dinner] 4,000 JPY / [Lunch] 1,000 JPY
Address: 1F, Ameson Square Osaka Center Bldg., 2-8-33, Nishi Shinsaibashi, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka

3.Osaka Osake Dining Tsugumi

This sophisticated Japanese izakaya (Japanese pub) is located only a 3-minute walk from Kyobashi Station. Dining Tsugumi has been buying "asabiki-dori" chicken (slaughtered the same day that they are cooked) from a chicken wholesaler that boasts of over 100 years of expertise. The premium chicken is brought in every morning for their original dishes, such as charcoal-grilled dishes and sashimi. The chef is proud of this, and their original and creative dishes are the reason why this restaurant comes highly recommended. The sashimi made from this chicken is so fresh that there’s no doubt that it must be good! Another reason why this restaurant is a cut above the rest lies with their [Takoyaki] (octopus balls) – an appetizer which goes amazingly well with alcohol.

Osaka Osake Dining Tsugumi

Open: [Monday – Thursday] 5:00 pm - 00:00 am (L.O. 11:00 pm)

[Friday, Saturday, Day before National Holidays] 5:00 pm – 3:00 am (L.O. 2:30 am)

Closed: Sunday
Average price: [Dinner] 2,900 JPY
Access: Get off at Kyobashi Station, walk along the Keihan Mall, located on the second floor of the building across from the Kyobashi police box.
Address: Nagai Bldg. 2F, 2-2-20 Higashi Noda-cho , Miyakojima-ku, Osaka, Osaka
Source:）

4.Umeda Ichirin Osaka Eki-mae Branch

Ichirin is located right in front of Grand Front Shopping Mall, which is one of the many landmarks in Osaka. Chefs recommend this restaurant for its homey, modern Japanese interior, as well as for the handpicked, delicious seasonal ingredients used in all of their dishes. One particular dish is the [5 Types of Fresh Fish Assortment], which contains a variety of delicious, fresh seafood shipped directly from ports across the country. This very popular dish can be enjoyed for only 1,280 JPY. A prix-fixe cuisine menu is also available.

Umeda Ichirin Osaka Eki-mae Branch

Open: 5:00 pm – 00:00 am (L.O. 10:30, Drinks L.O. 11:00 pm)
Closed: Beginning and end of the year (December 31, January 1)
Average price: [Dinner] 3,000 JPY
Address: 5F, Excel Umeda Bldg., 2-3-9, Shibata, Kita-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka

5.Grill House STORY

Grill House STORY is a casual restaurant which serves Japanese-style Italian cuisine on a relaxing terrace and loft tables. Not only does this restaurant use delicious Japanese wagyu beef and vegetables picked straight from the restaurant's garden, but the store manager also personally selects all the wine on the menu. Recommended dishes include the [King Ajillo] (1,680 JPY) with its generous serving of delicious seafood. Customers only have to dip some baguette into the rich fish oil to realise why this dish is popular. The risotto is also highly recommended.

Grill House STORY

Open: [Monday, Wednesday – Friday] 5:00 pm – 00:00 am (L.O. 11:30 pm)
[Saturday, Sunday, National Holidays] 12:00 pm – 00:00 am (L.O. 11:30 pm) *Lunch time is until 4:00 pm
Closed: Tuesday
Average price: 5,000 JPY
Address: 2-3F, 2-8-10, Fukushima, Fukushima-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka Map
More Details

6.Teppanyaki & Wine, Kai – Kita Shinchi Branch

Located only a 2-minute walk from Kita Shinchi or Nishi Umeda Station, this teppanyaki restaurant has a total of 160 seats – the most available in a single restaurant in Kita Shinchi! They have party rooms that you can reserve that can seat 40 - 60 guests. Over 100 different main dish options are available on the menu, as well as a wide array of alcoholic drinks like wine and sake (Japanese alcohol). Chefs from other restaurants cannot help but admire this restaurant for its seating capacity and variety of menu options.

Teppanyaki & Wine, Kai – Kita Shinchi Branch

Open: [Weekdays, Saturday, National Holidays, Day before National Holidays] 5:00 pm – 00:00 am (L.O. 11:30 pm)
Closed: Sunday (if the following Monday falls on a national holiday, then it will be open on Sunday)
Average price: [Dinner] 4,500 JPY
Address: B1F, FOODEAR Bldg., 1-3-23, Sonezaki Shinchi, Kita-ku, Osaka Map
More Details

7.Tonkatsu Hiroki

If you want to enjoy a la carte cuisine, look no further than Tonkatsu Hiroki! With only 15 seats available, this store fills up quickly. Lines form outside the restaurant during peak times, with some items quickly selling out. Be sure to come early to avoid disappointment! While the classic [Tonkatsu] (pork loin cutlet) and [Ebi Fry] (fried shrimp) are very popular items on the menu, the chef personally recommends the [Creamed Shrimp Croquette], where the delicious flavor of shrimp has been condensed into a single croquette.

Tonkatsu Hiroki

Open: 11:30 am – 2:00 pm, 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm (L.O.)
Closed: Wednesday (often temporarily closed)
Average price: 1,001 JPY – 1,500 JPY
Address: 3-20-11, Inada Hon-machi, Higashi Osaka-shi, Osaka
Source: hitosara (Japanese)

8.Teppan Shokudo Hachi

This restaurant opened in 2016 with the aim of serving food that pairs perfectly with wine. The sommelier serves a wide variety of wine from several countries, including Italy and France. Enjoy this wine with outdoor-grown vegetables from a morning market in Kyoto, fresh pork, and seafood. All their dishes are simply seasoned and grilled on an iron griddle.

Teppan Shokudo HachiTeppan Shokudo Hachi

Open: Lunch 11:30 am – 2:00 pm (L.O. 1:30 pm), Dinner 6:00 pm – 00:00 am (L.O. 11:00 pm)
Closed: Monday
Average price: [Dinner] 5,000 JPY
Address: 1F, Takeda Bldg., 3-6-18, Fukushima, Fukushima-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka

9. Sobakiri Karani

A Kaiseki cuisine (traditional Japanese course cuisine) chef once said, “If you want to eat perfect soba (buckwheat noodles), this is the one and only restaurant to go to”. The fragrance of the soba is amazing, as is the texture of both the finely ground and coarsely ground soba. Not only can customers eat their fill of soba, but they can also enjoy a selection of reasonably priced appetizers that go great with alcohol. Get that holiday feeling while slurping up delicious soba at Sobakiri Karani, which is a fair walk from the hustle and bustle of downtown Osaka.

Sobakiri Karani

Open: 11:00 am – 2:00 pm, 5:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Closed: Thursday, 4th Wednesday of every month
Average price: 1,001 JPY – 1,500 JPY
Address: 2-11-26, Sagisu, Fukushima-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka
Source: hitosara (Japanese)

10. Nadai Kushikatsu – Matsuba – Whity Umeda Branch

This restaurant is located inside Umeda Station’s underground shopping mall, which is cram-packed full of [Kushiage] (fried meat and vegetable skewers) and [Kushiyaki] (grilled meat and vegetable skewers) restaurants. Osaka's specialty, [Kushikatsu] (deep-fried meat and vegetable skewers), is usually dipped into the sauce. However, this restaurant has its own unique way of enjoying kushikatsu. Instead of dipping it into sauce, the restaurant recommends pouring the sauce over it instead. The chef suggests that all customers try the chef's selection of kushikatsu before ordering their usual favorites, as it may just change your mind! All the ingredients used are fresh and seasonal.

Nadai Kushikatsu – Matsuba – Whity Umeda Branch

Open: [Monday – Friday] Lunch 12:00 pm – 2:30 pm (L.O. 2:00 pm), Dinner 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm (L.O. 9:30 pm)
[Saturday, Sunday, National Holidays] 12:30 pm – 9:30 pm (L.O. 9:00 pm)
Closed: Irregular (closed on the 3rd Thursday of every odd-numbered month)
Average price: 3,001 JPY – 3,500 JPY
Address: 2-5, Umeda Chika-gai, Kakuda-cho, Kita-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka
Source: hitosara (Japanese)

11. Kushikatsu Daruma Shin-Osaka Station Branch

Kushikatsu Daruma is an infamous kushikatsu chain restaurant in Osaka. The appeal of this particular branch is the fact that it is located inside the shinkansen's (bullet train) ticket barriers, thus allowing customers to enjoy kushikatsu while waiting for their train to arrive. Another attraction is that kushikatsu can be eaten quickly, enabling customers to fill their stomachs with delicious food before falling asleep during their long train ride! The chef recommends the sour yet spicy [Aka Shouga] (pickled ginger).

Kushikatsu Daruma Shin-Osaka Station Branch

Open: 10:00 am – 9:30 pm (L.O. 9:00 pm)
Closed: None
Average price: 1,500 JPY – 2,500 JPY
Address: Inside the Shinkansen Ticket Gates, Shin-Osaka Station, 5-16-1 Nishi Nakajima, Yodagawa-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka
Source: hitosara (Japanese)

12. Jiman ha Shizen – Tori Ryori Kawadaya

Located in Tondabayashi, one of this restaurant's walls is made entirely out of glass, giving customers a magnificent view. Appropriately named "Jiman wa Shizen" (Nature is our Call), there’s no doubting that the restaurant prides itself on providing safe and healthy produce for all. Their menu includes dishes that use Satsuma Chiran chicken, Kagoshima Kurobuta pork, Kumamoto Aso, and a variety of pesticide-free, organic vegetables from contract farmers. The most popular dish on the menu is the [Kawadaya Mini Course] (2,160 JPY). This dish is made up of the restaurant’s signature chicken cuisine with soba. Their buckwheat flour is shipped in from Sagae, Yamagata Prefecture.

Jiman ha Shizen – Tori Ryori Kawadaya

Open: Lunch 11:30 am – 3:00 pm, Dinner 3:00 pm – 10:00 pm (L.O. 9:00 pm)
Closed: Irregular
Average price: [Dinner] 3,000 JPY / [Lunch] 1,500 JPY
Access: Turn west at the Tsuzuyama south intersection on highway 170, and travel 100m.
Address: 20-1 Tsuzuyama , Tonda Bayashi-shi, Osaka (Map)
More Details Reservation

13. Sumibi-Kushiyaki Raizu

This restaurant opened with the aim of "creating delicious and simple food with good ingredients". The dishes here clearly reflect the owner’s roots as a French chef. Recommended dishes include the [Kimo-yaki] (grilled liver) – a juicy dish with a smoky crust and melt-in-your-mouth center. Prices are reasonable, and a prix-fixe menu is available from 3,200 JPY.

Sumibi-Kushiyaki Raizu

Open: [Monday – Thursday] 5:00 pm – 3:00 am (L.O. 2:00 am)
[Friday] 5:00 pm – 5:00 am (L.O. 4:00 am)
[Saturday, Sunday, National Holidays] 4:00 pm – 5:00 am (L.O. 4:00 am)
Closed: None
Average price: 2,500 JPY (prix-frixe meals from 3,200 JPY)
Address: 6-16, Ikeda-cho, Kita-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka Map
More Details

14. Umeda Torikku Osaka Eki-mae Umekita Branch

This popular restaurant has a number of large and small private rooms. The all-you-can-drink banquet course (from 2,980 JPY) is great value for your money! The restaurant also offers a wide variety of dishes that use free-range chicken, such as Daisen chicken and Nagoya Cochin. The [Handpicked Seasonal 3 Types of Chicken Set] (1,680 JPY), made with the best chicken available, is a gem of a dish that's worth trying.

Umeda Torikku Osaka Eki-mae Umekita Branch

Open: 5:00 pm – 00:00 am
Closed: Irregular, Beginning and end of the year (December 31, January 1)
Average price: [Dinner] 3,000 JPY
Address: 4F, Excel Umeda Bldg., 2-3-9, Shibata, Kita-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka

15. Kinoko-nabe Osadaya

“Cuisine cooked according to the ingredients” is Kinoko-nabe Osadaya’s motto. Carefully selected seafood from a market in eastern Osaka and the chef's birthplace, Kumamoto, are shipped directly to the restaurant. All the dishes are exquisitely prepared to fully bring out the original flavor of each ingredient. The chef recommends the [Pork and Mushroom Spicy Hot Pot], which is only slightly spicy and uses an assortment of 4 - 5 seasonal mushrooms. With the weather getting colder outside, why not warm up with a plate of Yoshino Soba from Nara?

Kinoko-nabe Osadaya

Open: [Sunday, National Holidays] Dinner 6:00 pm – 11:00 pm *Fish available while stocks last.
[Tuesday – Saturday] Dinner 6:00 pm – 00:00 am *Fish available while stocks last.
Closed: Monday
Average price: [Dinner] 3,500 JPY
Address: 5-18-4, Karita, Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka

16. Sendai Sumibi Tan-yaki Dateya

This gyu-tan (beef tongue) specialty restaurant prides itself on showcasing the traditional flavors of gyu-tan cuisine. A wide variety of dishes can be enjoyed here, such as the [Gyu-tan Stew] and [Charcoal-grilled Gyu-tan]. The menu also includes free-range chicken cuisine, as well as a reasonably priced prix-fixe course menu. This homey restaurant is perfect for banquets.

Sendai Sumibi Tan-yaki Dateya

Open: [Weekdays] 11:30 am - 1:50 pm (Last Entry), 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm (L.O. 9:30 pm)
[Saturday] 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm (L.O. 8:30 pm)
Closed: Sunday, National Holidays
Average price: 3,001 JPY – 3,500 JPY
Address: B2F, Osaka Eki-mae Dai-ichi Bldg., 1-3-1, Umeda, Kita-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka

17. Shigekura

Located near Sakuragawa Station in Osaka, this restaurant turns into an izakaya (Japanese pub) in the evening. Popular items on the menu include the soba and [Ebi Ten-don] (rice bowl with shrimp tempura). The owner is a specialist in Chinese cuisine, and this clearly shines through in the deliciously unique style with which the Japanese cuisine is prepared. All the seafood is shipped directly from Aomori. Why not take a break from sightseeing and stop by for a quick drink?

Shigekura

Open: [Monday – Friday] 11:30 am – 2:30 pm
[Saturday] 11:30 am – 2:00 pm
[Monday – Saturday] 5:00 pm – 10:30 pm (L.O.)
Closed: Sunday, National Holidays
Average price: 3,501 JPY – 4,000 JPY
Address: 1F, 2-1-12, Inari, Naniwa-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka
Source: hitosara (Japanese)

Osaka is the second largest city in Japan. The abundance of gourmet restaurants in the city is only to be expected of Japan’s “food capital”. Don’t miss out on Osaka's tasty offerings! Use this article to help choose the best restaurant for you.

Disclaimer: All information is accurate at time of publication.

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