Restaurant in Osaka, Japan
Ten seats, reservation-only, Tabelog-awarded.
NH is a 10-seat innovative French counter in Osaka's Kitashinchi district, awarded Tabelog Silver 2025 and Bronze 2026 with a score of 4.33. Budget JPY 40,000–49,999 per person including wine and the 10% service charge. Reservation-only, reservation-easy for now — book two to three weeks out. Not suitable for vegetarians or those with broad dietary restrictions.
Expect to spend JPY 40,000–49,999 per person based on actual diner spend, despite a listed course price of JPY 20,000–29,999 — factor in the 10% service charge plus wine pairings from a sommelier-led program and the final bill climbs fast. That said, NH earned a Tabelog Silver Award in 2025 and a Tabelog Bronze in 2026, holds a Tabelog score of 4.33, and was selected for the Tabelog French WEST "100 Best" list in 2025. For a 10-seat counter restaurant that opened in January 2023, that trajectory is difficult to argue with. If innovative French cuisine built around Japanese seasonal ingredients is what you are after in Osaka, NH is worth the price.
NH occupies the first and second floors of the Shinyo 3rd Building in Sonezakishinchi, Kita Ward — a two-minute walk from Kitashinchi Station. The room holds exactly 10 seats, all at a single counter, which means every guest watches the kitchen directly. The venue describes its own atmosphere as stylish and relaxed with spacious counter seating, and the format reinforces that: intimate without being cramped, attentive without formality. Strong perfumes are actively discouraged, which signals something about how seriously the kitchen takes the sensory environment. The noise level at a 10-seat counter with a two-and-a-half-hour course is, by design, low. This is not a room for a celebratory group who want to talk across a table , it is a room for two people who want to pay close attention.
The kitchen's declared orientation is innovative French cuisine that reflects the four seasons, and the venue notes an explicit focus on fish sourcing. That specificity matters in the Osaka French category, where several high-profile restaurants operate at similar price points. NH's emphasis on seasonal Japanese fish within a French framework positions it closer to ingredient-led tasting restaurants like akordu in Nara or Goh in Fukuoka than to classically structured French houses. For diners who came to Japan specifically to taste how French technique interacts with Japanese produce, that sourcing philosophy is a meaningful differentiator , and part of what justifies the price relative to peers.
The wine program is taken seriously: a sommelier is on service and the venue lists a particular focus on wine, with cocktails also available. Credit cards are accepted; electronic money and QR code payments are not. There is no parking. The dress code is smart casual , sandals and shorts are explicitly out, which is a reasonable bar for the price point.
One logistical detail worth knowing before you arrive: the entrance requires you to use an intercom at the door and wait for a staff member to collect you. This is common in Osaka's more private dining rooms and is not a complication, but first-time visitors should not expect a conventional street-level entrance.
NH is the right call if you want a counter seat at an award-recognised innovative French restaurant in Osaka, with a kitchen that prioritises Japanese seasonal fish and a wine-forward service format. It is not right for vegetarians, pescatarians, those avoiding dairy, or anyone who cannot eat a full multi-course menu , the venue is explicit that it cannot accommodate these dietary profiles. Families with young children should note that reservations require guests to be high school age or older for standard bookings, though private buyouts have no age restriction. For comparable depth and ambition in the broader Kansai region, Gion Sasaki in Kyoto and akordu in Nara are the natural reference points. Internationally, the ingredient-led counter format at NH is philosophically closer to Le Bernardin in New York City , fish-focused, technically rigorous , than to a broad tasting menu house.
NH is open Tuesday through Sunday, closed Monday. Lunch service runs Wednesday to Sunday, 11:30–14:30, with last entry at noon. Dinner runs Tuesday to Sunday, 17:30–22:30, with last entry at 20:00. The course takes approximately 2.5 hours; if you have a time constraint, notify the restaurant at booking , same-day requests cannot be accommodated. Reservations are online only (phone calls during service hours are unlikely to be answered). Private use of the full 10-seat room is available for groups up to 10 people. No private rooms are available for smaller groups within a shared seating arrangement. See our full Osaka restaurants guide for broader context, or explore hotels, bars, wineries, and experiences in Osaka.
NH is a 10-seat reservation-only counter, and booking difficulty is relatively accessible compared to the top tier of Osaka's French scene. Aim for two to three weeks in advance for a standard dinner slot. Lunch on weekdays may have shorter lead times. Given the 2025 Silver and 2026 Bronze Tabelog Awards, demand is real , do not leave it to the week before, especially for weekend dinner. Book online; phone reservations are unreliable during service hours.
NH runs a set course only , there is no a la carte option. The kitchen has a declared focus on fish sourcing within an innovative French framework, so the course is built around that philosophy. You do not choose dishes; you choose to trust the kitchen. If you have dietary restrictions that affect multiple course items (vegetarian, pescatarian, dairy-free, or full meat-avoidance), the restaurant asks you not to book , it cannot reconfigure the course to accommodate these profiles. Wine pairing is available through the in-house sommelier and is the most practical way to add to the experience.
Both services run the same course format and price range (JPY 20,000–29,999 listed, JPY 40,000–49,999 with drinks per actual diner spend). Lunch is available Wednesday to Sunday only, with last entry at noon , a tight window. Dinner runs Tuesday to Sunday with last entry at 20:00 and gives you more flexibility on timing. For the full experience with a sommelier-led wine pairing and no time pressure, dinner is the better call. If you are scheduling around travel constraints, a weekday lunch is a viable alternative, but confirm availability well in advance.
The counter seats exactly 10, which is also the maximum party size. Private buyout of the full room is available, making NH a workable option for a group dinner of up to 10 people. There are no private rooms within the space for smaller groups dining alongside other guests. For larger parties, the venue is not suitable. For groups of 2–4 who want a comparable format without full buyout cost, booking standard counter seats works well , the counter format means every seat has a direct view of the kitchen regardless of group configuration.
For innovative French at the leading of Osaka's range, HAJIME and Fujiya 1935 both operate at ¥¥¥¥ and carry stronger international recognition, though both are harder to book and carry higher price floors. La Cime is the closest structural peer to NH in the French category and worth comparing directly. For a step down in price with high technical quality, Kashiwaya Osaka Senriyama and Taian offer kaiseki and Japanese formats at ¥¥¥. Outside Osaka, Harutaka in Tokyo, 1000 in Yokohama, and 6 in Okinawa represent comparable counter-format precision in their respective cities. Atomix in New York City is the international reference point for Korean-inflected counter tasting at a similar price tier, useful context if you are benchmarking NH against non-Japanese alternatives.
| Venue | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|
| NH | — | |
| HAJIME | ¥¥¥¥ | — |
| La Cime | ¥¥¥¥ | — |
| Kashiwaya Osaka Senriyama | ¥¥¥ | — |
| Taian | ¥¥¥ | — |
| Fujiya 1935 | ¥¥¥¥ | — |
Key differences to consider before you reserve.
Book as early as possible — NH is reservation-only with just 10 counter seats, and Tabelog Silver 2025 recognition has made availability tight. Online reservation is the recommended route; the restaurant advises against relying on phone contact during service hours. Last dinner entry is 8:00 PM, so factor that into your timing.
NH runs a set course format only — there is no à la carte option. The kitchen places particular emphasis on fish within its innovative French framework, so the course is the only path in. Budget JPY 40,000–49,999 per person based on actual diner spend, which runs higher than the listed JPY 20,000–29,999 course price once the 10% service charge and drinks are added. If you need à la carte flexibility, NH is not the right fit.
Lunch is only available Wednesday through Sunday (11:30–14:30, last entry noon), while dinner runs Tuesday through Sunday (17:30–22:30, last entry 8:00 PM). The pricing and course format are the same for both services, so the practical difference is scheduling. Dinner gives you the full week of availability; lunch is worth considering if you want a long afternoon free afterward, since the course runs approximately 2.5 hours.
The restaurant seats 10 at the counter and accepts a maximum of 10 people, so a full group buyout is possible — private use is listed as available. There are no private rooms, but exclusive use of the space removes that constraint. Note that NH does not accept guests under high-school age for standard bookings, and no baby chairs are provided; age restrictions do not apply to private buyouts.
La Cime (Tabelog-awarded, innovative French in Osaka) is the closest direct comparison in format and recognition. HAJIME holds three Michelin stars and represents a step up in global profile if budget allows. Fujiya 1935 and Taian offer established tasting-menu formats with longer track records in the city. Kashiwaya Osaka Senriyama leans into kaiseki rather than French, so consider it if you want Japanese cuisine with equivalent prestige-tier credentials.
Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun 11:30 - 14:30 17:00 - 22:30
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