Get to Know Sonezaki around Osaka Umeda Station

Experience one of Umeda’s best beer pubs. Choose from 10 varieties of exquisite Japanese and international craft beer, including the pub’s special brew. They say 1000 new beers are introduced every year, and Craft Beer Base Bud is always looking for the next best thing. Fun dishes for pairing are also available. Get a half-pint of moderately bitter, citrus-flavored Union Jack (IPA) for only 800 yen. A serving (5 pcs.) of deep-fried Tokushima Awa chicken with Japanese herbs is also available for only 800 yen.

Enjoy a lovely glass of wine at this casual standing bar, one of the most popular establishments in the Ekimae buildings, drawing large crowds every day. Choose from a menu of French-based dishes served with reasonably priced wine starting at 385 yen a glass. No matter the occasion, Tachibudo Sembon (C’est bon) has just the right selection. You won’t regret choosing the famous five-type appetizer for just 715 yen. The smooth Deakin Estate Moscato is also available for just 495 yen.

For fresh fish dishes and delicious sake, look no further than Sakanaya Ishimon in the Ekimae Bldg. Enjoy a wide variety of dishes including sashimi, sushi, grilled foods, fried foods, and finger foods. Discover delicious sake to pair well with the elegant dishes boasting quality you would expect from a high-class Japanese restaurant. The counter-based seating design means even lone diners are welcome. Ishimon’s sashimi platter includes five kinds of seafood for 1,045 yen. Available sashimi options vary daily and include maguro tuna and grouper. Other recommended items include simmered taro (330 yen) and Ishimon’s original sake (935 yen per cup).

Himono Yaro specializes in ash-dried fish. Each dish boasts a succulent, juicy, and plump texture with a delicious flavor. Feel free to mix and match dishes with your choice of 50 to 80 different kinds of sake and shochu. Also get great deals on drink sets. The restaurant’s large interior is also perfect for large parties. Popular dinner sets available for just 1,000 yen include the day’s special dried fish (such as Pacific saury, pictured below), sake or shochu, and small side dishes.

Tan-ichi offers a unique high-class restaurant atmosphere complete with private dining rooms. The popular Tsuki course (7,700 yen) includes carefully selected beef served flambe-style (two servings pictured) and beef grilled with sukiyaki-style sauce. This varied selection of 10 menu items also includes a special grilled tongue set served in three styles including tongue fillet, and Wagyu skirt steak yukhoe.

Enjoy Kitashinchi quality with reasonably priced courses for 4,950 and 6,600 yen. The Kobe Kitcho-trained chef uses fresh-caught fish to create delicious sushi. The exquisite reservation-only dining area also includes private rooms. Recent menu items include stonefish and eggplant in broth, steamed green-pea custard, and summer-catch salmon sushi. Natural wines and craft gin are also available.

Enjoy a wide variety of deep-fried skewers lightly dressed in pure sesame oil. Discover a luxurious course with a seasonal bowl dish, various deep-fried skewers, green curry, and wine. For those looking to experience unique deep-fried skewers, look no further! Course meals are available for 7,150 yen. Kushiage Hasada’s most popular item is the flavorful Kumamoto prawn. Other recommended items include thick flathead fish served in an elegant broth. Reservation required.

You can’t miss this fan-filled Chinese restaurant! While Kosai Fukumimi’s famous mapo tofu is a must-try, the carefully prepared fish delivered fresh from Ehime is also highly recommended. Enjoy seasonal dishes cooked to bring out the rich inherent flavors of the ingredients. The restaurant’s famous mapo tofu (1,000 yen) includes a stimulating blend of flavors rich with meat, and the steamed red-spotted grouper (starting at 2,500 yen) includes three types of soy-sauce condiments. Natural wines from popular breweries are also available.

Enjoy creative dishes prepared by the owner-chef (previously a chef in a traditional Japanese restaurant) served with an entertaining show starring glittering drag queens. Note that orders are temporarily stopped at 8:30 p.m. before the 9:00 p.m. show, so make sure to get in early! Choose from various seasonal Japanese-style dishes (including boiled pike conger (pictured) and simmered summer vegetables served cold, available for 1,100 yen each) and light, casual dishes.

Togano Okogemonja Yamamoto’s monja is made with rice and rice flour batter with a variety of colorful vegetables for an appealing presentation. Adopting the idea of “No wrong way to make monja,” the unique ingredients include fermented mutton, beets, and sour cream. Discover one-of-a-kind, delicious monja! The fermented mutton monja is available for just 1,628 yen and includes six-spice mutton and cilantro for a truly unique flavor.

Fuguya Yumefuku specializes in blowfish, a popular auspicious Japanese dish related to good fortune. The wide variety of course meals and individual dishes make this the perfect destination for business dinners, family gatherings, or dinner dates. In summer, pike conger dishes are also available. The 10-item Yume course includes blowfish sashimi and grilled blowfish for only 5,500 yen. Discover the many delicious ways to enjoy blowfish!

Hokuryu, located in one of the back alleys of the Ohatsu Tenjin area, is a sake-specialty restaurant. Dedicated to its varied drink selection and careful choice of foods, Hokuryu asks only one thing of diners: “Enjoy delicious sake without being concerned about the name on the label.” Revel in delicious alcohol while discussing anything and everything, from the weather to the change of seasons. The Otsukan set, available for 1,650 yen, includes a starter, seasonal sashimi, and our recommended hot sake. Choosing your sake cup is also a highlight of a night at Hokuryu!

For lunch, enjoy Chinese bifun noodles and dumplings at Bifun Azuma, and for dinner, choose from over 1,000 varieties of wine at Chinese-style bistro Az. Discover a variety of unique dishes utilizing numerous herbs and spices. Items include four large shrimp served in rich chili sauce for 1,600 yen, or spicy stir-fried Nozaki beef for 2,600 yen. Course meals start at 4,000 yen (reservation required for two or more people).

Kappo Kubota is run by an owner-chef who polished his skills at famous Japanese restaurants in Tokyo and Kitashinchi. With dishes based on natural seafood direct from the ports and organic vegetables from the owner’s hometown in Kumamoto, Kappo Kubota specializes in cooking methods that incorporate various rare ingredients. Discover an enjoyable course with surprising flavors every day of the week. Course meals start at 11,000 yen (with a separate 5% service charge; reservation required), and every meal includes delicious appetizers and grilled Japanese kuroge beef nigiri.

This French bistro is run by a talented chef who trained in both France and Spain. Choose from two dinner courses (reservation required for two or more people) with careful consideration for variations in aroma, temperature, and texture. The 8,250-yen course (including 7 or 8 dishes) boasts market-fresh ingredients carefully selected by the chef and prepared in a rich seasonal presentation for the perfect choice on special occasions. Meanwhile, the shareable 5,720-yen course is perfect for those looking for a more casual experience.

Main rice soup dishes at Kappo Zosui Daimi include egg, chicken, vegetables, mixed ingredients, and softshell turtle as well as seasonal items like matsutake mushrooms and crab. (Most popular mixed ingredient dish pictured, available for 950 yen [dinner] or 820 yen [lunch].) For dinner, enjoy simmered Kamo eggplant (910 yen), Wakasa-style grilled tilefish (1,650 yen; may vary by season), and other dishes that pair well with sake, followed by delicious rice soup. The delicate, rich flavors and elegant taste of Kappo Zosui Daimi are a must-try!

Temma Kiriko cut glass originated in the birthplace of glass culture in Osaka as a means to breathe new life into traditional glass crafts. These one-of-a-kind glass creations are marked by the unique reflections of light cast by the intricate designs. Watching how these designs change depending on the sake being poured is also truly enjoyable. Kiriko Kobo Shoei offers not only impressive cut glass products but also hands-on lessons to visitors. Feel free to request more information.

For those in the mood for okonomiyaki (savory pancakes) and yakisoba noodles served hot on an iron plate, look no further than Higashidori Street. Enjoy a retro Showa-era atmosphere bursting with distinct Osaka flavor. Feel free to cook your own meal or have the veteran owner-chef prepare your meal for you. Either way, you won’t be disappointed! Thick, fluffy pork okonomiyaki is bursting with crisp, delicious cabbage. Meanwhile, Mifune’s squid and pork yakisoba is made with special thick noodles. 900 yen per dish.