Learn How to Speak Correctly in a Restaurant in Japanese

The Appropriate Things to Say at a Restaurant in Japan

Sushi server in a restaurant — ?fitopardo.com / Getty Images

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Updated on November 04, 2019

So, you're headed out to grab a bite to eat in Japan but aren't exactly sure what you should, or shouldn't, be saying. Don't worry, this article can help!

First, you can start off by reading a basic example dialogue in Romaji, Japanese characters, and then English. Next, you'll find a chart of vocabulary words and common expressions that should be used in a restaurant setting.

Dialogue in Romaji

Ueitoresu:	Irasshaimase. Nanmei sama desu ka.
Ichirou:	Futari desu.
Ueitoresu:	Douzo kochira e.

Ichirou:	Sumimasen.
Ueitoresu:	Hai.
Ichirou:	Menyuu onegaishimasu.
Ueitoresu:	Hai, shou shou omachi kudasai.

Ueitoresu:	Hai, douzo.
Ichirou:	Doumo.

Ueitoresu:	Go-chuumon wa okimari desu ka.
Ichirou:	Boku wa sushi no moriawase.
Hiroko:	Watashi wa tempura ni shimasu.
Ueitoresu:	Sushi no moriawase ga hitotsu, tempura ga hitotsu desu ne. O-nomimono wa ikaga desu ka.
Ichirou:	Biiru o ippon kudasai.
Hiroko:	Watashi mo biiru o moraimasu.
Ueitoresu:	Kashikomarimashita. Hoka ni nani ka.
Ichirou:	Iie, kekkou desu.

Dialogue in Japanese

ウェイトレス:	いらっしゃいませ。何名さまですか。
一郎:	二人です。
ウェイトレス:	どうぞこちらへ。

一郎:	すみません。
ウェイトレス:	はい。
一郎:	メニューお願いします。
ウェイトレス:	はい、少々お待ちください。

ウェイトレス:	はい、どうぞ。
一郎:	どうも。

ウェイトレス:	ご注文はお決まりですか。
一郎:	僕はすしの盛り合わせ。
弘子:	私はてんぷらにします。
ウェイトレス:	すしの盛り合わせがひとつ、てんぷらがひとつですね。お飲み物はいかがですか。
一郎:	ビールを一本ください。
弘子:	私もビールをもらいます。
ウェイトレス:	かしこまりました。他に何か。
一郎:	いいえ、結構です。

Dialogue in English

Waitress:	Welcome! How many people?
Ichirou:	Two people.
Waitress:	This way, please.

Ichirou:	Excuse me.
Waitress:	Yes.
Ichirou:	Can I have a menu?
Waitress:	Yes, please wait a moment.

Waitress:	Here you are.
Ichirou:	Thanks.

Waitress:	Have you decided?
Ichirou:	I will have assorted sushi.
Hiroko:	I will have a tempura.
Waitress:	One assorted sushi and one tempura, isn't it? Would you like anything to drink?
Ichirou:	A bottle of beer, please.
Hiroko:	I will have beer, too.
Waitress:	Certainly. Anything else?
Ichirou:	No thanks.

Vocabulary and Expressions

Click the link to hear the pronunciation.

ueitoresu ウェイトレス	waitress
Irasshaimase. いらっしゃいませ。	Welcome to our store. (Used as a greeting to customers in stores.)
nanmei sama 何名さま	how many people (It is very polite way of saying "how many people". "Nannin" is less formal.)
futari 二人	two people
kochira こちら	this way (Click here to learn more about "kochira".)
Sumimasen. すみません。	Excuse me. (Very useful expression to get someone's attention. Click here for other usages.)
menyuu メニュー	menu
Onegaishimasu. お願いします。	Please do me a favor. (Convenient phrase used when making a request. Click here for the difference between "onegaishimasu" and "kudasai".)
Shou shou omachi kudasai. 少々お待ちください。	Please wait a moment. (formal expression)
Douzo. どうぞ。	Here you are.
Doumo. どうも。	Thanks.
go-chuumon ご注文	order (Click here for the usage of the prefix "go".)
boku 僕	I (informal, it is used by men only)
sushi no moriawase すしの盛り合わせ	assorted sushi
hitotsu ひとつ	one (Native Japanese number)
o-nomimono お飲み物	beverage (Click here for the usage of the prefix "o".)
Ikaga desu ka. いかがですか。	Would you like ~?
biiru ビール	beer
morau もらう	to receive
Kashikomarimashita. かしこまりました。	Certainly. (Literally means, "I understand.")
nanika 何か	anything
Iie, kekkou desu. いいえ、結構です。	No, thank you.

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Abe, Namiko. "Learn How to Speak Correctly in a Restaurant in Japanese." ThoughtCo, Aug. 27, 2020, thoughtco.com/japanese-restaurant-dialogue-4058508. Abe, Namiko. (2020, August 27). Learn How to Speak Correctly in a Restaurant in Japanese. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/japanese-restaurant-dialogue-4058508 Abe, Namiko. "Learn How to Speak Correctly in a Restaurant in Japanese." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/japanese-restaurant-dialogue-4058508 (accessed March 22, 2023).