Useful Japanese Phrases/Sentences: Eating and Dining Out

• Order
• Can I take your order?
• Gochuumon wa okimari desu ka?

• Order please.
• Chuumon wo onegaishimasu.

• 3 tendon please.
• Tendo wo mittsu onegaishimasu.

• About Ingredients
• What is in it?
• Nani ga haitte imasu ka?

• Fish is not in it.
• Sakana wa haitte imasen.

• Without wasabi please.
• Wasabi nuki de onegaishimasu.

• What's the taste like?
• Donna aji desu ka?     

                                                                                

                        Notes: 

                        haitte iru : be contained 

                        sakana : fish

                        wasabi : green horseradish paste

                        -nuki : without -

                         donna : how? , what kind of

                         aji : taste

                         amai : sweet

                         shoppai : salty

                         karai : hot, spice

                         nigai : bitter
     

• Vegetarian
• Do you have vegetarian dish?
• Yasai no ryouri wa arimasu ka?

• I don't eat meat and seafood.
• Watashi wa niku to shiifuudo o tabemasen 

• Egg and dairy products are OK.
• Tamago to nyuu seihin wa daijoubu desu. 

• Can you cook only with vegetables?
• Yasai dake de tsukutte moraemasu ka?

                      Notes:
                      yasai : vegetables
                      ryouri : dishes, cuisine, food
                      niku : meat
                      shiifuudo : seafood
                      tamago : egg
                      nyuu seihin : dairy products
                      daijoubu : all right
                      tsukuru : to make, to cook
                      tsukutte moraemasu ka? : Can you cook?

• How about __ ?
• How about drinks?
• Onomimono wa ikaga desu ka?

• Yes, 2 coffee please.
• Hai, koohi o futatsu onegaishimasu.

• No, thanks.
• Iie, kekkou desu.

• All right, Please wait for a moment.
• Kashikomarimashita. Shoushou omachi kudasaimase.

                      Notes:
                      nomimono : drinks
                      ikaga desu ka? : how about?, what about?, how is (polite)
                      koohi : coffee
                      koucha : English tea
                      orenji juusu : orange juice
                      Iie, kekko desu : No, thanks. ("kekkou" can mean both positive and negative response like English "fine". Better to put "hai" [yes] or "iie" [no] in front to make it.

• Extra arrangements
• Is take-away possible?
• Mochikaeri wa dekimasu ka?

• Is it possible to have extra large helping?
• Oomori wa dekimasu ka?

• Extra large helping costs 100 yen extra.
• Oomori wa hyaku-en mashi desu.

• We are sorry. We can not do the home delivery.
• Moushiwake gozaimasen. Takuhai wa dekimasen.

                      Notes:
                      dekimasu ka? :  Can you? Is it possible?
                      mochikaeri : take-away
                      oomori : extra large helping (of food)
                      -en : yen
                      -mashi : increase, extra
                      moushiwake gozaimasen : i'm sorry.
                      takuhai : home delivery

• Payment
• Can I use credit card?
• Kurejitto kaado wa tsukaemasu ka? 

• Cash only.
• Genkin dake desu. 

• Can I pay?
• Kaikei o onegaishimasu. 

• Thank you. Please come again.
• Arigato gozaimashita. Mata okoshi kudasaimase.

                     Notes:
                     kurejitto kaado : credit card
                     tsukau : to use
                     tsukaemasu ka : Can I use?
                     genkin : cash
                     kaikei : payment
                     Mata okoshi kudasaimase : Please come again (polite)