Restaurant in Fukuoka, Japan
Award-winning seafood izakaya at a fair price.

Uotora is a Tabelog Bronze Award-winning seafood izakaya in Kitakyushu with consistent recognition from 2021 through 2026. At JPY 8,000–9,999 per head for dinner, it is one of the clearest value cases in the Fukuoka region for fish-focused cooking paired with sake and shochu in a setting that works for groups, families, and business dinners alike.
Uotora is one of the most consistently recognised seafood izakayas in western Japan, holding Tabelog Bronze Awards in 2022, 2025, and 2026 while appearing on the Tabelog Izakaya West "100" list every year from 2021 through 2025. At JPY 8,000–9,999 per head for dinner, it sits at a price point where serious fish-focused cooking meets izakaya informality — and that combination is exactly what makes it worth the trip to Kitakyushu's Yahatanishi ward. If you are in Fukuoka and want a high-conviction seafood evening without the formality or pricing of an omakase counter, this is the clearest recommendation in the city's izakaya tier.
Uotora has been open since April 2006, which means nearly two decades of operation have shaped both its sourcing relationships and its reputation. The venue's description flags a deliberate focus on fish quality — it is listed under Tabelog's "particular about fish" designation, which in the Japanese review system signals that sourcing decisions are central to the kitchen's identity, not incidental. For the explorer-minded diner, this matters: you are not eating a generic izakaya seafood spread but one where the selection of product appears to drive the menu on any given evening.
The room holds 38 seats arranged across three formats: 6 seats at the counter, three tables of four on the ground floor, and a 20-seat tatami room on the second floor. The counter is the right choice for a party of two who want to watch the kitchen work. Groups of six to twenty should ask about the private room options, which the venue offers in configurations of 6, 8, and 10–20 people. For larger buyouts , 20 to 50 people , private use of the whole space is available, making this a workable option for corporate dinners or celebrations that want a relaxed but credentialled setting. The venue is family-friendly and explicitly welcomes children, which is worth noting if you are travelling with younger guests.
The drinks program leans into sake and shochu, with the venue flagged as particularly focused on both. If you are the kind of traveller who wants to work through regional Japanese spirits alongside food that was selected to complement them, Uotora gives you the structure to do that. Credit cards are accepted (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Amex, Diners), and PayPay QR payments are also available , useful to know before you arrive. There is no parking, so plan to use public transport or a taxi. The walk from JR Kurosaki Station is approximately 7 minutes.
Service runs Monday through Saturday, evenings only, from 18:00 with a food last order at 23:00 and drinks last order at 23:45. The kitchen operates two seatings: first from 18:00–20:30 and second from 20:30–22:30. Be aware that the first and third Mondays of each month are closed, as are Obon and the New Year period. Hours can change, so confirm by phone before visiting , the reservation line is +81-93-622-1001, and the venue notes that phone answering may be unreliable after 18:00. Reservations are available and advisable given the 38-seat capacity and the venue's consistent award recognition across multiple years.
The venue is smoke-free inside, with a designated smoking area near the entrance. Electronic cigarettes of all types , including iQOS and vapes , are prohibited without exception, and the venue's policy on this is notably firm. If that affects your group, it is worth knowing before you book.
For context on where Uotora sits within Japan's broader seafood dining conversation: a fish-forward izakaya operating at this price tier with this level of Tabelog recognition is a distinct category from Tokyo's high-end omakase counters such as Harutaka in Tokyo, or the kaiseki formality of Gion Sasaki in Kyoto. Uotora's value is in delivering sourcing-led seafood cooking in a format that suits groups, families, and business dinners equally , and doing so at under JPY 10,000 per head. That is harder to find at this quality tier than it looks. For other high-conviction dining in Fukuoka, see Goh (French), Chikamatsu (Sushi), Chiso Nakamura, Asago, and Bekk. For a wider view of where to eat, drink, and stay, see our full Fukuoka restaurants guide, our full Fukuoka hotels guide, our full Fukuoka bars guide, our full Fukuoka wineries guide, and our full Fukuoka experiences guide.
| Venue | Cuisine | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uotora | {"Year":"2026","Award Source":"Tabelog","Award Type":"The Tabelog Award","Award Group":"bronze","Award Group Rank":"499","Restaurant Name":"Uotora","Score":"4.04","Budget":"Dinner: JPY 8,000 - JPY 9,999; Lunch: -","Budget Dinner":"JPY 8,000 - JPY 9,999","Budget Lunch":"-","Price":"JPY 8,000 - JPY 9,999","Average Price":"JPY 8,000 - JPY 9,999","Average Price (Based on reviews)":"JPY 8,000 - JPY 9,999 View spending breakdown","Featured Item":"N/A","Full Address (with ZIP)":"福岡県北九州市八幡西区熊手1-2-5, 8060028, Japan","Address":"福岡県北九州市八幡西区熊手1-2-5","Postal Code":"8060028","City":"Kumade Yahatanishi-ku Kitakyushu Fukuoka","State":"Fukuoka","Country":"Japan","Phone":"+81936221001","Phone Raw":"+81-93-622-1001","Website":"No official website found","Description":"Check out Uotora (Kurosaki/Izakaya (Japanese style tavern)、Japanese Cuisine、Seafood) on Tabelog! A super popular seafood izakaya known for its unbeatable \"deliciousness\" and \"affordability.\" [Private rooms available / No Smoking] Discover Japanese restaurants featuring detailed information such as menus and maps, along with user-posted reviews, ratings, and photos!","Categories":"Izakaya (Japanese style tavern), Japanese Cuisine, Seafood","Awards & Recognitions":"The Tabelog Award 2026 Bronze winner The Tabelog Award 2026 Bronze winner The Tabelog Award 2025 Bronze winner The Tabelog Award 2025 Bronze winner The Tabelog Award 2022 Bronze winner The Tabelog Award 2022 Bronze winner Selected for Tabelog izakaya WEST \"Tabelog 100\" 2025 Selected for Tabelog izakaya WEST \"Tabelog 100\" 2025 Selected for Tabelog Izakaya WEST \"Tabelog 100\" 2024 Selected for Tabelog Izakaya WEST \"Tabelog 100\" 2024 Selected for Tabelog Izakaya (Japanese style tavern) \"Tabelog 100\" 2022 Selected for Tabelog Izakaya (Japanese style tavern) \"Tabelog 100\" 2022 Selected for Tabelog Izakaya (Japanese style tavern) \"Tabelog 100\" 2021 Selected for Tabelog Izakaya (Japanese style tavern) \"Tabelog 100\" 2021 受賞・選出歴 閉じる The Tabelog Award 受賞歴 2026年Bronze受賞店 The Tabelog Award 2026 Bronze 受賞店 2025年Bronze受賞店 The Tabelog Award 2025 Bronze 受賞店 2022年Bronze受賞店 The Tabelog Award 2022 Bronze 受賞店 百名店 選出歴 居酒屋 百名店 2025 選出店 食べログ 居酒屋 WEST 百名店 2025 選出店 居酒屋 百名店 2024 選出店 食べログ 居酒屋 WEST 百名店 2024 選出店 居酒屋 百名店 2022 選出店 食べログ 居酒屋 百名店 2022 選出店 居酒屋 百名店 2021 選出店 食べログ 居酒屋 百名店 2021 選出店","Reservation availability":"Reservations available Business hours are from 12:00 PM to 11:00 PM on weekdays. *Please note that we may not be able to answer the phone after 6:00 PM.","Business hours":"Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat 18:00 - 00:00 L.O. Food 23:00 Drinks 23:45 Sun, Public Holiday Closed ■Business hours [First seating] 18:00 - 20:30 [Second seating] 20:30 - 22:30 ■Closed on The first and third Mondays, Obon, New Year Hours and closed days may change, so please check with the restaurant before visiting.","Payment methods":"Credit card accepted (VISA, Master, JCB, AMEX, Diners) Electronic money not accepted QR code payments accepted (PayPay)","Private rooms":"Available For 6 people, For 8 people, For 10-20 people","Non-smoking/smoking":"Non smoking There is a designated smoking area near the entrance of the restaurant. All forms of electronic cigarettes, including iQOS and vape products, are strictly prohibited. Customers who do not comply will be asked to settle their bill immediately and leave the premises.","Number of seats":"38 seats ( 6 seats at the counter, 3 x 4 seats at tables, 20 seats in the tatami room on the second floor)","Private use":"Available For 20-50 people","Parking":"Unavailable","Space/facilities":"Stylish space, Counter seating, Tatami room","Drink":"Sake (Nihonshu), Shochu (Japanese spirits), Particular about Sake (Nihonshu), Particular about Shochu (Japanese spirits)","Food":"Particular about fish","Service":"N/A","Family friendly":"Children welcome(Babies welcome, Preschoolers welcome, School-age children welcome)","Service charge & fee":"N/A","Dress code":"N/A","Maximum party size":"40 people(Seating)","Location":"Hideout, A house restaurant","Occasion":"Family friendly | Business | Friends This occasion is recommended by many people.","Remarks":"N/A","The opening day":"2006.4.15","Receipt (Qualified simple invoice)":"N/A","Latitude":"33.86399047700499","Longitude":"130.76958811233513","Primary Image URL":"","Image URL Count":"20","Image URLs":"","Restaurant ID":"40021924","Source URL":"","Raw Details JSON":"{\"Restaurant name\":\"Uotora\",\"Awards & Recognitions\":\"The Tabelog Award 2026 Bronze winner The Tabelog Award 2026 Bronze winner The Tabelog Award 2025 Bronze winner The Tabelog Award 2025 Bronze winner The Tabelog Award 2022 Bronze winner The Tabelog Award 2022 Bronze winner Selected for Tabelog izakaya WEST \\\"Tabelog 100\\\" 2025 Selected for Tabelog izakaya WEST \\\"Tabelog 100\\\" 2025 Selected for Tabelog Izakaya WEST \\\"Tabelog 100\\\" 2024 Selected for Tabelog Izakaya WEST \\\"Tabelog 100\\\" 2024 Selected for Tabelog Izakaya (Japanese style tavern) \\\"Tabelog 100\\\" 2022 Selected for Tabelog Izakaya (Japanese style tavern) \\\"Tabelog 100\\\" 2022 Selected for Tabelog Izakaya (Japanese style tavern) \\\"Tabelog 100\\\" 2021 Selected for Tabelog Izakaya (Japanese style tavern) \\\"Tabelog 100\\\" 2021 受賞・選出歴 閉じる The Tabelog Award 受賞歴 2026年Bronze受賞店 The Tabelog Award 2026 Bronze 受賞店 2025年Bronze受賞店 The Tabelog Award 2025 Bronze 受賞店 2022年Bronze受賞店 The Tabelog Award 2022 Bronze 受賞店 百名店 選出歴 居酒屋 百名店 2025 選出店 食べログ 居酒屋 WEST 百名店 2025 選出店 居酒屋 百名店 2024 選出店 食べログ 居酒屋 WEST 百名店 2024 選出店 居酒屋 百名店 2022 選出店 食べログ 居酒屋 百名店 2022 選出店 居酒屋 百名店 2021 選出店 食べログ 居酒屋 百名店 2021 選出店\",\"Categories\":\"Izakaya (Japanese style tavern), Japanese Cuisine, Seafood\",\"Phone number (for reservation and inquiry)\":\"093-622-1001\",\"Reservation availability\":\"Reservations available Business hours are from 12:00 PM to 11:00 PM on weekdays. *Please note that we may not be able to answer the phone after 6:00 PM.\",\"Address\":\"福岡県北九州市八幡西区熊手1-2-5 Show larger map Find nearby restaurants Transportation 7 minutes walk from JR Kurosaki Station 427 meters from Kurosaki.\",\"Business hours\":\"Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat 18:00 - 00:00 L.O. Food 23:00 Drinks 23:45 Sun, Public Holiday Closed ■Business hours [First seating] 18:00 - 20:30 [Second seating] 20:30 - 22:30 ■Closed on The first and third Mondays, Obon, New Year Hours and closed days may change, so please check with the restaurant before visiting.\",\"Average price\":\"JPY 8,000 - JPY 9,999\",\"Average price (Based on reviews)\":\"JPY 8,000 - JPY 9,999 View spending breakdown\",\"Payment methods\":\"Credit card accepted (VISA, Master, JCB, AMEX, Diners) Electronic money not accepted QR code payments accepted (PayPay)\",\"Number of seats\":\"38 seats ( 6 seats at the counter, 3 x 4 seats at tables, 20 seats in the tatami room on the second floor)\",\"Maximum party size\":\"40 people(Seating)\",\"Private rooms\":\"Available For 6 people, For 8 people, For 10-20 people\",\"Private use\":\"Available For 20-50 people\",\"Non-smoking/smoking\":\"Non smoking There is a designated smoking area near the entrance of the restaurant. All forms of electronic cigarettes, including iQOS and vape products, are strictly prohibited. Customers who do not comply will be asked to settle their bill immediately and leave the premises.\",\"Parking\":\"Unavailable\",\"Space/facilities\":\"Stylish space, Counter seating, Tatami room\",\"Drink\":\"Sake (Nihonshu), Shochu (Japanese spirits), Particular about Sake (Nihonshu), Particular about Shochu (Japanese spirits)\",\"Food\":\"Particular about fish\",\"Occasion\":\"Family friendly | Business | Friends This occasion is recommended by many people.\",\"Location\":\"Hideout, A house restaurant\",\"Family friendly\":\"Children welcome(Babies welcome, Preschoolers welcome, School-age children welcome)\",\"The opening day\":\"2006.4.15\"}","Matched Location ID":"b0ec0928-0278-456e-88b4-6ea27345c9e1","Match Status":"matched","Match Method":"award_page_url_exact","Match Confidence":"high","Matched On URL":"","Matched DB Name":"Uotora","Matched DB Address":"熊手125, 八幡Nishi Ward, Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka","Needs Review":"no","Review Reason":"","Fallback Score":"","Fallback Name Sim":"","Fallback Addr Sim":"","Fallback Loc Sim":"","Fallback City Sim":"","Fallback Country Sim":"","Fallback Phone Match":"","Fallback Domain Match":"","Fallback Explanation":""}; Tabelog Bronze Award 2025 Score: 4.13 Cuisine: Izakaya / Fukuoka Phone: 093-622-1001 Hours: Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat 18:00 - 00:00 L.O. Food 23:00 Drinks 23:45 Address: 熊手125, 八幡Nishi Ward, Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Tabelog: | Easy | — | |
| Chikamatsu | Sushi | Unknown | — | |
| Gahoujin 我逢人 | Sushi | Unknown | — | |
| Genkiippai | Ramen | Unknown | — | |
| Matsuyama | Western | Unknown | — | |
| Mihara Tofuten | Tofu | Unknown | — |
A quick look at how Uotora measures up.
The venue database lists Uotora as fish-focused, so if seafood is your thing, the kitchen is built around it. That same focus means guests with seafood allergies or strict vegetarian requirements should call ahead on +81-93-622-1001 to confirm options before booking. Note that phone calls after 6:00 PM may go unanswered, so try mid-afternoon on a weekday.
No dress code is listed for Uotora, and the izakaya format — counter seating, tatami room, neighbourhood tavern setting in Yahatanishi Ward — signals a relaxed environment. Clean casual is appropriate. You are not walking into a white-tablecloth room.
Yes, and it is set up for it. Private rooms accommodate 6, 8, or 10–20 people, and the full venue is available for private hire for 20–50 guests. The tatami room on the second floor seats 20. For groups over 20, book the private use option directly by phone.
For a seafood-led dinner that does not require a formal setting, yes. Uotora has held Tabelog Bronze Awards in 2022, 2025, and 2026 and appeared on the Tabelog Izakaya West Top 100 list four consecutive years — that track record makes it a credible choice when you want to impress without a fine-dining price tag. At JPY 8,000–9,999 per head, the price-to-recognition ratio is hard to argue with.
For seafood-focused izakaya in the Fukuoka region, Genkiippai and Gahoujin 我逢人 are the closest category comparisons. If you want a more formal Japanese dining experience or are based closer to central Fukuoka City rather than Kitakyushu, Chikamatsu or Mihara Tofuten are worth considering depending on your format preference.
Dinner only. Uotora does not offer lunch service — hours run from 18:00 daily, Monday through Saturday. There are two seatings: 18:00–20:30 and 20:30–22:30. Book the first seating if you want the full run of the menu; the second seating gives you until last order at 23:00 for food and 23:45 for drinks.
Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat 18:00 - 00:00 L.O. Food 23:00 Drinks 23:45
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