A funky, fun, and tasty time out with a playful menu and a cheeky Osaka feel, from lunch time to late night.
Bonkuraya’s 9-kind puchi-okonomiyaki sampler - image © Angelino Donnachaidh
Okonomiyaki Bonkuraya in Dotonbori feels decidedly like the best place to spend an afternoon or evening chowing down on a wide variety of teppanyaki bites while chatting with a group of friends, with or without a few rounds of beer — especially for a younger crowd or anyone who likes a retro izakaya vibe with decor nods to the Showa period (1926-1989) and a colorful tongue-in-cheek menu.
Highlights
English, Korean, and Chinese menu available.
The star of the menu in terms of uniqueness, instant fun appeal, and surefire satisfaction is the puchi-okonomiyaki (mini-okonomiyaki) sampler, a 6- or 9-kind assortment of slider-like griddle cakes featuring various seafood, meat, cheese, or veggie toppings. Even for a solo diner, the 9-variety assortment of this slider-style okonomiyaki is priced similarly to a single regular serving, and is about as filling.
Bonkuraya’s izakaya-style dining room - image © Angelino Donnachaidh
In addition to the usual lineup of classics, Bonkuraya (whose name translates to something like “The Dimwit Shop”) has a few creative signature dishes of its own, most with playful names like umi-monogatari (“tale of the sea”), beppin-yaki (“okonomiyaki for babes”), otokomae-yaki (“okonomiyaki for hunks”) or, for those feeling a bit more self-deprecating, bonkura-yaki and ahobon-yaki (“okonomiyaki for dimwits” and “okonomiyaki for idiots,” respectively – the former of which is noted on the menu as the shop’s most popular dish).
Bonkuraya’s English menu - image © Angelino Donnachaidh
Some of these fun names don’t come across or just aren’t explained in the English menu, but one can’t help but notice the effort put specially into accurately rendering the shop’s kyonyuu-yaki on the English menu: “Big tits okonomiyaki.” This last one is far more delicious than a dish built around a bawdy visual gag has any right to be, with a tangy light mayonnaise layer that complements rather than overwhelming, and a mentaiko spicy cured pollock roe dollop in the middle that ties it together and completes the wordplay. You’ll get it when you see it.
Bonkuraya’s kyonyuu-yaki - image © Angelino Donnachaidh
Bonkuraya also serves up a wide variety including Hiroshima style okonomiyaki, negiyaki, and a variety of other teppanyaki treats. It also does periodic limited seasonal specials, such as mini griddle top pizzas.
Bonkuraya’s menu is rounded out with a variety of teppan-yaki sides - image © Angelino Donnachaidh
Notes
Light ribald humor aside, Bonkuraya is on the less child-friendly end of the spectrum in this list for its narrower space and location atop a steep narrow staircase with no elevator – which also makes it unsuitable for diners using strollers or wheelchairs or who have difficulty climbing stairs.
Location
Bonkuraya is located in the Dotonbori area.
Bonkuraya Dotonbori Branch Information
Name in English:
Bonkuraya Dotonbori-ten
Name in Japanese:
ぼんくら家 道頓堀店
English address:
2F, 1-5-9 Dotonbori, Chuo-ku, Osaka, 542-0071 Japan
Japanese address:
〒542-0071 大阪市中央区道頓堀1-5-9 2F
Opening hours:
5:00pm-11:30pm (Mon), 11:30am-11:30pm (Tue-Sat and the day before holidays), 11:30am-10:30pm (Sun and holidays)
Closed irregularly
Non-smoking area: Yes
Price:
9-kind puchi-okonomiyaki ¥1848
Nearest Transport:
5 minutes walk from Namba Station (exit 14) of Osaka Metro Midosuji Line
Website: Official Website
Where Is This Restaurant Located?
All of the restaurants in Osaka Okonomiyaki Guide are shown on the following map. They’re also listed on our main Osaka map.
More Information
About the author: Angelino Donnachaidh is a translator/interpreter, food lover, history enthusiast, and longtime resident of Osaka, Japan. He is also the author of the middle grade historical fiction illustrated novella Tamiu: A Cat's Tale, the forthcoming YA post-cyberpunk AI heist adventure Brother, and the forthcoming sci-fi samurai epic The Mayhem Protocols. Find him on the web at saica-creative.com/angdonn.
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