In Japan, Osaka is well-known as a hub for delicious food that pairs particularly well with the lively drinking culture and friendly faces of the region.
The easiest way to experience that drinking culture is to head to a restaurant or izakaya, which is like a Japanese pub, but with amazing food and a distinctly Japanese atmosphere.
Umeda is a great spot to go izakaya hunting, as it is well-connected which makes it easy to return to your accommodation afterwards.
So here, we’ll take a look at five delicious izakaya and restaurants with a focus on seafood near Umeda Station that will leave you satisfied!
近畿大学水産研究所 / Aquaculture Research Institute, Kindai University branch
"近畿大学水産研究所 / Aquaculture Research Institute, Kindai University branch" may have a clinical-sounding name, but it is precisely because of this background in research that it can offer up delicious seafood cuisine.
The institute was the first to successfully breed tuna in an aquaculture setting back in 2002 after starting research in 1970.
With their long history of researching these large fish, they know what to do to keep them healthy, which is an essential part of the dishes they go on to create.
Given their facilities and resources, the highlight is definitely their fresh sashimi and sushi.
Knowing exactly where the fish have been and how they’ve been treated allows for a safe and delicious experience.
It’s not just tuna, either.
You can also try an array of Kindai specialties, such as Kindai Red Seabream, Kindai White Trevally, and many others alongside the Kindai Maguro (tuna).
The restaurant itself has the atmosphere of a typical sushi place, with table seats for small and large groups as well as counter seats where you can see your food being prepared by the skilled sushi chefs.
To get the most out of the menu, you could try one of their set courses, which have the options of being almost entirely tuna-based, complemented with meat and vegetables, or have an array of different types of fish.
You could also simply order their individual plates, and accompany it with some beer, sake, or wine.
北一酒場 梅田店 / Kitaichi-sakaba Umeda
Next up, we have a special seafood restaurant that brings the famous flavours of Hokkaido to Osaka.
In Japan, Hokkaido is known for its great seafood, due in part to its cooler waters.
And at "北一酒場 梅田店 / Kitaichi-sakaba Umeda", they procure their fish directly from 11 different ports through their own specific routes, meaning the fish is as fresh as can be, despite the distance.
Some of the most famous types of seafood from Hokkaido are snow crab and sea urchin, both of which are on the menu, with snow crab available in different cooking styles.
All this seafood is available in different set courses, which come with an array of fresh sashimi as well as seasonal dishes to fill you up.
But an important part of "北一酒場 梅田店 / Kitaichi-sakaba Umeda" is “Sakaba”, which means bar!
You can easily get lost in the drinks menu here, as there are 114 different types of drink, including Hokkaido specialties, sake, liqueurs, beers, and simple cocktails.
You can even add an all-you-can-drink option to your meal for two hours.
All of this is right outside Umeda Station, and the warmly-lit atmosphere is as inviting to small groups as it is to large parties, with tables and private rooms to fit your needs.
マヅメ 梅田本店 / Mazume Umeda
If reasonably priced alcohol is a must-have with your seafood dinner in Osaka, "マヅメ 梅田本店 / Mazume Umeda" is the place to go.
One of "マヅメ 梅田本店 / Mazume Umeda"’s top priorities is to offer a wide array of drinks at low prices.
So one of their highlights is their “Don-Yasu Drinks”, which get cheaper with each order!
The first drink is at the regular price, the second is ¥319, and the third and every drink after is just ¥209!
But while that offer is limited to Highballs and Sours, there is also beer, gin, sake, shochu, and soft drinks.
But "マヅメ 梅田本店 / Mazume Umeda" isn’t just about the drinks!
When it comes to food, alongside their fresh seafood options, you’ll also find a variety of izakaya favourites, from fried chicken karaage to saucy yakisoba noodles.
A popular option in the colder months is their oden, where a variety of ingredients are boiled in a soy-flavoured soup.
The star of the food menu, though, is their fresh seafood.
"マヅメ 梅田本店 / Mazume Umeda" uses a special technique to keep the fish fresh for longer.
They even have their own fish tank to ensure optimum freshness.
They do a special dish every day at 7 p.m. which uses fish from the tank to serve up some of the freshest sashimi possible!
咲くら 梅田阪急グランドビル店 / Sakura Hankyu Grand Building
Next up is an izakaya that makes the most of Osaka’s city lights from the 27th floor of the Hankyu Grand Building.
Despite the impressive view, "咲くら 梅田阪急グランドビル店 / Sakura Hankyu Grand Building" doesn’t come with steep prices.
Both the drinks and dishes are reasonably priced, with set courses from as low as ¥4,000 per person.
You get all the benefits of a regular izakaya, with the added ambience!
"咲くら 梅田阪急グランドビル店 / Sakura Hankyu Grand Building" specialises in Japanese food, or washoku, which includes everything from seasonal fish dishes to steak with soy sauce.
But they also have bar classics like fried chicken to fill you up, too.
Because a lot of the food is washoku, that means a wide variety of food to suit the season.
In winter you’ll find warming hotpots and rice dishes alongside their fresh sashimi, while in summer you’ll be greeted by cool noodles and seafood to refresh your palette.
As for the drinks, "咲くら 梅田阪急グランドビル店 / Sakura Hankyu Grand Building" has a selection of seasonal sake, whisky, gin, and simple yet fruity cocktails to accompany your meal, which can also be added with the all-you-can-drink option.
This is a great place to take a break and sip your sake while watching over the lights of Osaka down below.
活海老バル orb 福島店 / Live Shrimp Bar Orb Fukushima
If you’re looking for something a little different for your Osaka dinner, look no further than the Live Shrimp Bar, "活海老バル orb 福島店 / Live Shrimp Bar Orb Fukushima".
Set in a warm and welcoming renovated kominka (traditional Japanese house), "活海老バル orb 福島店 / Live Shrimp Bar Orb Fukushima" aims to make everyone feel welcome, whether you come by yourself or with a large group.
An important thing to remember is that in Japan, ebi (shrimp) can cover everything from tiny Sakura Shrimp to lobster, which is called omaru ebi in Japanese.
So you can expect to find all sorts of dishes at this shrimp bar.
Start your night with shrimp and miso cream cheese or their specialty avocado and shrimp, and treat yourself to a lobster that you can hand-pick.
If you need a break from shrimp and lobster along the way, there are plenty of side dishes too!
In between the fresh seafood, you can keep yourselves entertained with the drinks menu, too.
Here they have Highballs, Sours, shochu, and extra-large beers for those lively nights.
Osaka is a Gourmet Hotspot!
Osaka is known far and wide for its delicious food and lively drinking culture.
There’s no reason you can’t visit more than one of these energetic izakaya during your trip to Umeda!
Written by Cassandra Lord
After studying Japanese at university, I moved to Japan in 2018 to experience Japanese culture first-hand.
It wasn’t long until I developed an interest in Japanese cooking, and now I’m always experimenting in the kitchen, cooking anything from okonomiyaki to goya chanpuru.
That all started in Tokyo, so the city will always have a place in my heart, but now that I live in a more rural area, I have fallen in love with small towns and regional cuisine and culture.
I want to continue exploring and experiencing Japan as much as I can.