Otsu, Shiga, Japan｜Yoshikura

A small hole-in-the-wall izakaya. Had a delicious dinner, easily the best meal we’ve had so far in Japan this trip. Tried the grilled pork, grilled Wagyu beef, grilled chicken thigh and fried chicken (Karaage). Meats were all lightly marinaded to preserve the flavours and very tender. All were good with the karaage, grilled chicken and especially the grilled pork were standouts. Potato chip were nice and crisp. The salad was huge. Complimentary liver as a starter was delicious as were the cherry tomatoes which were nice and sweet. Everything was freshly prepared. Compliments to the chef for the excellent food. We also enjoyed the homemade Japanese plum wine. Menu was all in Japanese, The chef and the serving lady spoke enough English for us to get through the ordering. Also showed some pictures taken by other reviewers and used google translate to help with the ordering. Service was thoughtful and polite as in most Japanese establishments. Overall it was a wonderful meal and the price was reasonable considering the quality of the food. We had a full meal for 3600 yen per person. Hope to come back again.

Amazing izakaya experience. Truly felt at home and for sure a hidden gem in Otsu and Shiga. Highly recommend the snapper sashimi, probably the best sashimi we had for a long time. The charcoal grilled chicken and wagyu beef were also perfectly cooked and so tender. The various veggie dishes were also very fresh. Omakase ramen is also not be missed. Drinks wise they have the homemade umechu which tasted so different from what you can typically find.

We had a lovely dinner here. The owners were very nice and patient with our excited 3yo daughter.