Osaka Local Izakaya Hopping: Food, Drinks & Nightlife

Great time good food wonderful people everyplace had a fantastic vibe and the food if you are open to trying something new.

Had the most amazing experience with Tetsu on this Osaka food tour. We visited “Hidden Gems”we would never have known about, and shared experiences and stories with the locals. We would highly recommend this experience as we had the best food and drink in our three week trip to Japan.

Don’t hesitate to book!! Learned so much. Got an authentic experience and will be recommending this to everyone I know who is visiting Japan!!!

This tour is not like any other tour, and it is wonderful! Only for those who truly want a sense of local izakaya culture. Read this whole thing so you don’t get the wrong idea because this tour is not for just anyone. Our guide (who started the tour and does it himself) takes you to intimate spaces in small bars that only locals frequent, so it’s important that you learn some basic Japanese phrases and politeness with the customs so as not to offend your hosts or other guests. If you just want a foodie tour, find a different one. This is incredibly unique in that you literally cannot enter these places without permission from the owners. Our guide knows them personally and this is a privilege. The price is a starting point so you need to bring cash to pay at the end because you will get to choose much of your food and drinks, which of course vary in price. And he is not jacking up the price either. Our guide was wonderful and friendly and was a knowledgeable liaison for us with the 3 izakaya owners we met. Over the course of the night we saw three very different bars, ranging from a fun dive bar atmosphere to a another enjoyable bar to a swanky bar that felt like being invited into the hostess’ home. The food and drinks were absolutely fantastic! Once the locals saw and heard us trying out Japanese phrases and trying different foods, they were incredibly friendly and welcoming, so again, do some preparation for this one. You will thank yourself later.

Tetsu was friendly and upbeat. I can't recommend this highly enough.

My husband and I booked this on a whim for our only night in Osaka, and it was the BEST decision! Tetsu was a great guide—lots of fun and great connections to places we would never have stumbled upon ourselves. This tour gave us so much insight into local culture, both the people of Osaka and the food. It was truly like having a friend take you out to his favorite spots. This tour is not for everyone—if you’re happy sticking with tourist areas and aren’t feeling adventurous, maybe pick something else. But if you really want a personal experience in a vibrant city, sign up!!!

I mean this sincerely: if you're looking for the ultimate "hidden gem" in Osaka, congratulations! You've found it. This is the best tour we have ever been on. We got to eat where tourists never ever go and Tetsu showed us how the true locals do izakaya. Not only did we experience local culture, we had some of the best food we've ever eaten in our lives. If my friends were going to Osaka, I would tell them they should make booking this tour their number 01 priority. This tour was the absolute highlight of our trip. Thank you Tetsu!!!!

Tetsu-san was an incredible host for a great evening of izakaya hopping through Osaka! He knew all the best places, tucked away where visitors don't know to check. This tour is highly recommended to experience the local culture and have many delicious foods and drinks!

Tetsu was an incredible tour guide, he showed us places tourists don’t normally go, so I feel like we got a unique and authentic experience!

We went to places tourists don’t go which was amazing!