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Japanese for “Ordering at a restaurant”
You walk into a small izakaya-style restaurant in Japan. You ask for a table, get a recommendation, mention a shrimp allergy, order, and ask for the bill.
ごちそうさまでした。お会計をお願いします。gochisousama deshita. o kaikei o onegai shimasu.
Thank you for the meal. The bill, please.
Phrases you can use
席はありますかせきはありますかseki wa arimasu ka
Do you have a seat?
Use this when you arrive at a restaurant and want to know if there is a table free.
すみません、テーブルはありますか？sumimasen, teeburu wa arimasu ka?
Excuse me, do you have a table?
おすすめは何ですかおすすめはなにですかosusume wa nani desu ka
What do you recommend?
Ask this when you cannot decide and want the staff's best suggestion.
このお店のおすすめは何ですか？kono o mise no osusume wa nani desu ka?
What do you recommend at this shop?
〜のアレルギーがありますno arerugii ga arimasu
I have an allergy to ～.
Say this before you order so the staff can check the ingredients for you.
卵のアレルギーがあります。tamago no arerugii ga arimasu.
I have an egg allergy.
〜をくださいo kudasai
Please give me ～.
A simple, polite way to order a food or drink when you point at the menu or name the item.
水をください。mizu o kudasai.
Water, please.
Casual vs polite
Casualおすすめは何？osusume wa nani?
Politeおすすめは何ですか？osusume wa nani desu ka?
Use the casual version with friends. Use the polite version with restaurant staff, who you do not know well.
Casualさんまをひとつちょうだい。sanma o hitotsu choudai.
Politeさんまの塩焼きを一つお願いします。sanma no shioyaki o hitotsu onegai shimasu.
The casual form sounds too friendly for staff. The polite form with お願いします is the safe choice when ordering.
Casualお会計お願い。o kaikei onegai.
Politeお会計をお願いします。o kaikei o onegai shimasu.
Drop the particle and the ending only with friends. For a server or cashier, always use the polite form.
Culture tip
In Japan, staff often call out how many people are in your group, and you should wait to be seated. When you finish, saying ごちそうさまでした is a polite way to thank the restaurant for the meal, and you usually pay at the register near the exit.
Ready to say it out loud?
On Tuned you can practice this scene in 3 steps: copy the model, build it up bit by bit, then role-play with an AI partner — at your level.