Eat
Rice balls, and a very serious sake list.
It looks like a snack shop from the street. It isn't. Come in for dinner.
What this place actually is
A small Japanese bar that happens to make excellent rice balls.
Most people find us because of the onigiri sign outside — and then discover the shelf behind the counter. We pour local Niigata sake, craft beer from breweries down the road, plum and yuzu liqueur, and we'll happily talk you through all of it until you find one you love. Guests tell us the sake is the reason they came back. We agree.
Lunch runs straight through to dinner, so you can eat before the first lift or after the last one. Come as one person or as fifty.
The menu
Simple, but the real thing.
Prices are per item and include tax. The full menu is in English at the table.
Food
- Onigiri
- Hand-shaped Japanese rice balls, several fillings. Tuna mayo is the one people write home about.
- Miso soup
- Made fresh. The right thing after a cold day.
- Small plates
- Edamame, gyoza, pickles, seasonal dishes to go with a drink.
- Instant ramen
- A wall of Japan's regional instant ramen, cooked properly. Guests call it the most ridiculous selection they've seen — in a good way.
Drink
- Sake
- The main event. Local Niigata breweries, tasting flights available. Ask and we'll pick for you.
- Local craft beer
- From breweries within the prefecture. Flights available.
- Umeshu & yuzushu
- Plum and yuzu liqueur — the easy way in if sake isn't your thing.
- Wine & soft drinks
- Plus non-alcoholic options for drivers and kids.
Dietary needs
Tell us before you come and we'll take care of it.
Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free are all possible with advance notice — we'll check ingredients with the kitchen rather than guessing. Message us on WhatsApp with what you can't eat and we'll tell you honestly what we can do.
Please give us notice where you can. Cross-contamination in a small kitchen is something we'd rather discuss with you than gloss over.
The room
One long table, and a wall you're allowed to draw on.
There's a counter, a few tables, and a five-meter shared table down the middle that we don't take reservations for. On a good night it fills with people from six countries who arrived separately. There are markers by the wall. Most of what's on it was drawn by someone on vacation.
If talking to strangers isn't your idea of a good time, that's fine too — there's a card on every table with everything you might want to ask, so you never have to work out how to start.
Booking
Do I need to book?
Not always — but in the middle of the season, yes. We run two seatings a night, so tables go. Groups of six or more should always book ahead, and we can take up to fifty with notice.
What we'll ask for
- Your name
- Date and time
- Number of people
- How many adults and how many children
- Any dietary needs
Children counted separately isn't us being fussy — it changes how we arrange the seating.
- Opening hours
- 12:00 – 22:00 (last orders 21:30)
- Closing days
- No fixed closing day (open daily through the winter season)
- Seating
- Counter, tables and a five-meter shared table. 1 to 50 people.
- Typical spend
- ¥1,000 – ¥2,000 per person
- Payment
- Cash, credit card and bank transfer. PayPal or direct transfer for overseas payments.
- Children
- Welcome, all evening.
FAQ
Restaurant
Do I need to book a table?
In quiet periods, no. Mid-season, yes — we run two seatings a night and they fill. Groups of six or more should always book ahead.
Can you take a group of 50?
Yes, with notice. Tell us the date, the numbers and roughly what you want the evening to look like, and we'll build it.
Can you do vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free?
Yes, with advance notice. Message us with exactly what you can't eat and we'll check with the kitchen and tell you honestly what we can put together. Guests with celiac disease and dairy intolerance have eaten with us repeatedly.
Are children welcome?
Very. All evening, no cut-off time. Tell us how many children when you book so we can arrange the seating properly.
How much should I expect to spend?
Around ¥1,000 to ¥2,000 per person for food, more if you work your way through the sake list — which we'd encourage.
Tell us when you're coming.
A message is enough. Table, car, bags, or just a question about Myoko — we'll take it from there.
