Fukutaro

Intro – We really wanted to get some good okonomiyaki when in Osaka because it’s where okonomiyaki was born. We are huge fans of an okonomiyaki restaurant in California named Chinchikurin so we had to see if okonomiyaki was any better in its birthplace. We had to put our names down and wait probably around 30 minutes on a weekday at around 7pm.

Ambiance – Casual izakaya with bar-like seating, and okonomiyaki being made in front of the shop

What we ordered

• Draft Kirin and Lemon Sour – The draft Kirin was nice, light, and refreshing and paired well with grilled foods like this. The lemon sour was so nicely carbonated and really refreshing. It had a perfect balance of sweet and sour, with great lemon flavor, and not boozy at all. If you like lemonade, it’s a must-order when you’re here. It hit the spot for sure. Rating 7.0/10 and 8.7/10

• Scallops grilled in butter – My wife loves scallops so we had to get an order for as an appetizer. These were some of the best scallops we’ve ever had. It was lightly crispy on the seared surfaces like it was lightly floured. The seared surfaces clung onto the butter so well, making it a super rich buttery bite of the scallop. The lemon wedge that we squeezed on top was perfect to balance out the richness. It was topped with garlic chips to further compliment the scallop and add umami. The shishito pepper on the side was well-seasoned and charred as well. Rating 8.6/10

• Pork Okonomiyaki (left) – It had thinly sliced pork that was cooked until crispy and had the traditional okonomiyaki batter and cabbage on the inside. It was topped with a generous amount of savory okonomiyaki sauce and mayonnaise. It was honestly a little under-seasoned for my taste. The sauces were pretty typical and the pork was likely a bit overcooked and dry but it was crispy. The pancake itself was nice and tender on the inside and had developed nice flavor from it being well-browned. I think it was a good example of okonomiyaki but nothing that really impressed me. I wish we had sauces on the side to add more if we wanted. Rating 7.8/10
• Pork and Green Onion Okonomiyaki (right) – This was similar to the pork but it had a lot of green onions mixed into the batter with the cabbage. It resembled a little more of a Korean-style green onion pancake but less greasy. This one was also not topped with sauce, which my wife enjoyed because it kept the okonomiyaki more crispy. If you like green onion, you will definitely enjoy this one. I would have liked some sauce to maybe dip it in but it was still pretty good because I enjoy a lot of green onions in my food. Rating 7.7/10

Conclusion – This is a nice izakaya to try okonomiyaki in Osaka. It seems like a better spot to get late-night snacks and drinks but it honestly hits the spot for a casual dinner as well. I don’t really think it’s worth the wait unless you aren’t pressed for time. 

Overall Rating 7.9/10