Fuwari Ajichi

Japanese izakaya with their unassuming storefronts, closed doors and no English to be seen can appear very intimidating, but not so this place. We plucked up the courage to open the door and walk in, and were warmly greeted and shown upstairs to a nice table for two as the counter seats downstairs w...ere full. We had no reservation but were seated straight away, although as suggested in other reviews if on a weekend or in a group larger than 2 I would imagine one is essential. They had an English menu and wait staff spoke English to us, so ordering was very easy. Food fantastic, can't go wrong with any of the specials - the beef filet mignon was superb. Izakaya are a place where the Japanese are able to relax and cut loose among friends, and we were treated to a vibrant, good natured atmosphere. Would highly recommend this hidden gem within sight of the station and surrounding hotels for an authentic yet accessible Izakaya experience off the beaten path.

Visited March 2024

This small izakaya is well worth the effort to find. It’s a tiny shop, and reservations via Google are highly recommended, especially if not eating early. Note that there’s not great signage for the restaurant, even in Kanji; we did a camera shot of the Google Kanji listing, and asked a local passin...g by where the restaurant was. He kindly pointed to a (closed) door in front of us, and sure enough, they had our reservation. It’s kind of a Japanese tapas place. We had several small plates to make our meal, as did the other (Japanese) couple in attendance. They have an English menu, and credit cards are accepted. Recommended for an authentically delicious Japanese meal.

Visited May 2023

Traveling through Japan for two weeks and this may be my favorite restaurant of the trip. So many creative dishes to choose from, affordable prices, and a friendly (English speaking) staff. Menus in English too. Don’t miss this gem (and use the photos from other reviews to find it, the sign on the d...oor is only in Japanese).

Visited April 2019

We love the whole concept of an izakaya -a neighborhood place that has a variety of inexpensive small plates so you can try a variety of different things. The problem with most of them in Japan is that the food is rather ordinary. Not so with Fuwari. The offerings here are definitely a cut above you...r average izakaya in terms of creativity. The problem with Fuwari is that I hear it's hard to get in. Well, then, the Fuwari Ajichi branch is your answer -same menu, and not crowded at all on a Thursday night. And actually more convenient if you're near Kanazawa station. It's a block from Hotel Nikko Kanazawa. Not much English, but not much problem because they have an English menu on a tablet, with pictures.

Visited November 2018

We had to ask the hotel next door where the restaurant was because there is no English signage. You open a sliding door into a counter that seats maybe 8 people. There is chaos and magic happening behind the counter. They make everything: seared tongue, fried oysters, "popeye" salad, you name it for... mostly under 1000 yen per dish. Order lots of dishes. They have an English menu and some of the waiters speak rudimentary English. Drink lots of beer and Japanese whisky. You'll have a ball. There is table service upstairs, but the action is at the counter.

Visited November 2018