Nakau - Shin-Osaka — Restaurant in Osaka

I do not go to Nakau for the food. I do not go for the ambiance. I go because I must.

Nakau is less a restaurant, more a test of spiritual endurance—a sacred trial wrapped in tempura crumbs and mystery grease. The tables are sticky, the floor is an archaeological dig site of ancient miso spills, and the bathroom? Dante forgot to include that particular circle of hell.

The air is thick with the scent of old broth and broken dreams. A lone cockroach, whom I’ve named Hiroshi, has seen more than most war veterans. We nod in mutual respect every Tuesday.

Yet I return.

Why? Because Nakau isn’t just a place—it’s a calling. A pilgrimage for those of us devoted to the great and terrible cult of Convenience Over Cleanliness™. We, the chosen few, find meaning in the grime. We slurp our soggy udon as an act of faith, not nourishment. The lukewarm green tea is our holy water. The eternal flicker of the faulty fluorescent bulb is our guiding star.

Would I recommend Nakau? Only to those ready to leave comfort—and possibly gastrointestinal health—behind.

But remember: Once you’ve eaten at Nakau, it eats a part of you in return.

Blessed...

Five stars – praise be to Nakau.

There are restaurants… and then there is Nakau. Yes, it’s a little dirty. Yes, you might question your life choices when you see the sticky trays and slightly mysterious floors. But once you take that first bite… you're converted.

Nakau isn’t just a place to eat – it’s a way of life. A humble temple disguised as a fast-food chain. A delicious cult, if you will. And like any good cult, it has a theme song.

The Nakau song plays every 15 minutes. Not too often to get annoying, but always at the exact moment your soul needs it most. I don’t know how they time it so perfectly – perhaps it’s divine intervention.

You sit there, slurping sacred udon, and suddenly… the hymn begins. Spirits lift. Nostrils flare. Eyes mist up. You’re not just eating. You’re ascending.

Five stars for the food. Five stars for the soundtrack. Five stars for the spiritual...

Popped into this place not knowing it is a Japanese chain of restaurants and was pleasantly surprised. So in love with their Oyakodon (half cooked eggs with chicken, onions and soup stock drizzled over fluffy Japanese rice). A comfort food for the soul and body. Their beef bowl is really good as well.The staff were also friendly and they serve a cup of cold Japanese green tea to go with your meal.

Orders can be placed easily in English as it was done via a vending machine. Once orders are placed, just hand over the receipt to the staff and your food will be served to...