Hakata Meidai Yoshizuka Unagiya — Restaurant in Fukuoka

If you are in Fukuoka and want to experience truly authentic Japanese eel, Hakata Meidai Yoshizuka Unagiya is the perfect choice! I visited for lunch and chose a course menu, and every dish was beautifully prepared with rich flavors and a perfect balance. The highlight, of course, was the unagi itself—grilled to perfection with that wonderful smoky aroma and melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Because this restaurant is very popular, there is usually a line outside. I made a reservation in advance and was so glad I did, since it allowed me to skip the wait. I definitely recommend booking ahead if you don’t want to spend extra time waiting. Another great point was that we had a private room, which made the experience very relaxing. It was quiet, comfortable, and perfect for enjoying the meal at a slower pace, whether with friends, family, or even for a business lunch.

The staff were very attentive and friendly, guiding us through the course and making sure everything was served at the right timing. The atmosphere combines a traditional Japanese feel with a welcoming, modern touch.

Overall, this is a must-try restaurant in Fukuoka if you want high-quality unagi in a comfortable setting. Delicious food, excellent service, and the option to enjoy in a private room make Hakata Meidai Yoshizuka Unagiya a memorable dining experience. Highly recommended, especially for those looking to enjoy authentic Japanese cuisine with a little...

I went on a Sunday at around 215pm. It wasn’t that busy and I waited around 25mins for a table. I was alone though.

You will need to head to the 2nd level and use the iPad outside to reserve a table according to the number of people you have and get a queue number and physical ticket. The problem arises if you don’t speak Japanese.

The server will come out and manually call out the queue numbers and if you do not understand at all, it can be quite frustrating. There is not signboard for the current queue numbers as well. So the only way is to scan the QR code on your ticket to see how far along in the queue you are and then when it’s near your number you have to physically show your ticket to the server shouting the queue number in the hopes that she will seat you.

Once your table is ready and u can order, the food takes about 3-5mins to arrive. chawanmushi takes about 15mins.

Foodwise the taste is average I feel. It taste just like any other good unagi place around japan or even in Japanese restaurants around the world. The only difference is that the eel probably taste abit more smoky and charred. The special secret dipping sauce isn’t something to shout about as well as it was pretty standard and average.

It isn’t bad, but it isn’t overwhelming awesome as well. Just…. Good...

The grilled unagi lives up to the hype and #1 TripAdvisor rating for Fukuoka restaurants. I would recommend sticking to the standard unagi with rice (5* for sure) instead of the kaiseki option (3, hence overall 4).

We had opted for a 8 course meal (which included 4 slices of unagi in the lacquer set), but frankly, the additional small dishes were completely unmemorable and not worth the extra 3000¥ at all in my opinion. The courses were also very rushed in presentation, the servers brought the next dish without waiting for us to finish the dish we were still eating. And they didn't bother to clear empty dishes accumulating on the table until we asked them to. I would recommend avoiding the carp sashimi altogether, it wasn't very tasty, and I was appalled that I had to pick out bones in every slice !! The omelette slice with unagi was ok, but not especially memorable. The fried unagi with pickled veg was not too bad, probably the best of the additional dishes. But the grilled unagi with rice made up for everything. My daughter loved it so much she kept asking for more. We would come back to eat the standard unagi rice set. We showed up early at 5pm on Thursday and there was no wait for a...