Karatsuya

At Karatsuya, the meal begins with a trip to the refrigerator: choose a bottle of sake, then pour yourself a glass. Visitors have mentioned spotting unusual labels, and the changing selection is part of the appeal. Picking a sake and matching it with a fish dish is a distinctive way to settle in here.

For a taste of the fish, consider the sashimi assortment. The menu describes a five-kind selection featuring fish sourced that day, and visitors have also shared their enjoyment of the assortment and fresh fish. Tuna lovers can choose sashimi or tuna cutlet. Whether you are in the mood to focus on sashimi or add a fried dish, there are plenty of ways to build a meal around fish.

For something different, try the tempura-fried Manganji pepper stuffed with shrimp. The menu describes a whole pepper filled with shrimp. Alongside sashimi, it adds a fried option to the table. There are familiar drinking snacks too, such as itawasa—fish cake served with wasabi—and shime-saba, vinegared mackerel. Some diners have singled out the itawasa, while others say they like to order shime-saba, making these tempting options if you want to start with something light.

Beyond sake, visitors have reported drinking draft beer and lemon chūhai made with a whole frozen lemon. You can linger over fish and sake, or keep things light with a drink and a small dish. The restaurant is also described as suitable for solo diners, and one visitor said they enjoyed eating there alone. It is worth keeping in mind when you want to choose your food one dish at a time, with fish and drinks at the centre of the meal.