Iwaki in Osaka - Michelin 1 Star

2024.09.13

There are fewer reviews than I thought compared to the excellent quality, so I'm going to leave one. (I'll use informal speech for convenience.) I'll write it by dividing it into several categories. 1. The waitress is very kind, and doesn't discriminate or operate biasedly against foreigners. When I first walked in, they greeted me and greeted me warmly. 2. The food is the most important part, and it's very delicious. It didn't receive Michelin for nothing. In particular, it doesn't come out like the typical omakase sushi, but there are many unique dishes such as grilled, steamed, and boiled dishes. At first, steamed abalone wrapped in lotus leaf (?) came out..? It was creative. It also tasted very good. At first, the amount of food seemed small, but since there were many courses, I was full later. It seems like even an adult male would be full. 3. Alcohol When you first sit down, they recommend a pairing for alcohol. But you don't have to order it. I didn't order it, but they didn't recommend it. However, there was a sake pairing (about 25,000 won), and I regret not drinking it. Next time I go, I'll definitely try it. 4. The location of the store is a bit hard to find. It's in a busy area, but the sign is not very visible and it's on the 2nd floor. You'll have to find it. 5. The store is clean. However, it's not very big. It's probably full if there are 7~8 people. It's all reservation-based, so it's quiet and cool, so it doesn't feel noisy. 6. Other than that, I arrived a little earlier than my reservation time, but it didn't seem to matter if I went in and asked for their understanding. There was a person who seemed to be the owner's wife(?), and she was very kind. When I told her I was from Korea, she said she had been to Korea before and came down to the 1st floor to see me off. Very kind. 7. Conclusion A very good Japanese fine dinner. The advantage is that you can make reservations through the Korean site, and the kindness is also a strong point. If you're looking for a restaurant that's easy to reserve and delicious, I recommend going. However, the price is a little expensive, so I hope you keep that in mind. It would be better if you speak Japanese well, but even if you can't, you can eat a lot without any problems. However, if you speak some Japanese, you can have a colorful conversation with the chef and enjoy the meal even more.

2025.07.19

It was absolutely delicious. It wasn't called a Michelin restaurant for nothing. I got scolded for paying a lot for a Michelin restaurant I'd never been to in Korea, but when I actually went, everyone said it was a good thing I went! It was such a wonderful meal!

2025.05.18

To conclude, I was really satisfied.
 The course was prepared based on seasonal ingredients, and each one was especially fresh, including tuna belly, akakai (shellfish), and sea urchin. The rice was seasoned just right. Personally, the sea urchin gunkan was the best. It melted in my mouth...

 The price range is not cheap, but I think it is worth it if you can experience this. There are not many seats, so I recommend making a reservation in advance.