Jirokichi — Restaurant in Hiroshima

This is my second time in Hiroshima and my husband's first time. I was a bit hesitant going to another hiroshima style okonomiyaki place as the last time I visited Hiroshima, I wasn't the biggest fan. I must've just chosen a poorly operated place the last time as Jirokichi was delicious! We took an uber from the hotel so it was easy to arrive and the taxi driver helpfully pointed out during the ride that it was on the second floor. The atmosphere of the restaurant was lively, full of both locals and tourists so that gave us a bit of an ease of mind. They had an english menu provided with instructions for first time goers on how to order and how to use the hot plate, so it was helpful.

We tried their Jirokichi okonomiyaki with ramen noodles and an egg and pork okonomiyaki with udon. It was a delicious variety that tasted both "original" for my husband having it the first time and "special different" for me who wanted something different. I don't particularly care for shiso leaves but I was surprised by how well it matched with the okonomiyaki! It was a delicious addition.

The owner was super friendly and we had a wondeful chat about our favourite anime and manga which he also had a good collection of on the wall. He was super patient and understanding despite the language barrier and we had such a great night making memories! We were super grateful of his time and energy especially since we stayed well past closing time (think it was close to 11pm when we left), we bought him a beer to show him our thanks and he was overjoyed. Definitely worth the visit and a try if you're ever in Hiroshima.

We forgot to ask for his name, but thank you so much for having us,...

While the teppan mushrooms were delicious, and they offer a lot of options for Hiroshima style okonomiyaki (including vegan), there were some service issues when we ate there. It's a busy spot with just the owner and one waitress, but it was frustrating to not have anyone checking in on people waiting outside. A few times people walked in and got seated ahead of people outside without explanation. And at the end of the night a group actually waited outside for more than 30 minutes before being told that the shop was closing. That would've been avoided if the staff had just noticed them waiting at any point. Luckily for them the owner was very nice and served them alone after his waitress left for the night. They do allow smoking inside so keep that in mind if you're sensitive to the smoke. Only one customer smoked one cigarette while we were there but your mileage may vary. They do have an English menu with a vegan section, but make sure you remember to specify very clearly if you're okay with egg, and what type of noodles you'd like. The waitress didn't ask so they defaulted to udon noodles which get less crispy on the teppan. The food is very tasty though so I see why they're popular, we absolutely loved the...

A one of a kind experience. I came here looking to indulge in a first time visit to the local treasure, Okonomiyaki.

The chef is a warm guy who appears to enjoy his craft and fostering connection through hosting guests from all walks of life.

He works deliberately and passionately in his open style kitchen where he whips up warm comfort foods for people from around the world. I came in solo and enjoyed the vegetarian option for Okonomiyaki, which is layers of delight including spicy ramen noodle, cabbage, shiso leaf, bean sprout, scallion and egg. The sauce he makes is what ties is all together.

The place has few seats, is quaint and cozy, and on a good day you’ll be able to sit at the bar and dive into a Japanese baseball game while the chef cooks and watches with you as you slowly eat and appreciate your dish sharing on top the corner of his hot stove top where he cooks for the guests.

These are the memories that last, This is what it’s all about.

Unpretentious and unique in its own.

(You may need to pop in a day early to...