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Boteyan
1-4 Sakura-machi
Hours: until 10:30 pm
Tel: 442-2152
This is not exactly a deluxe, upper class joint, but what restaurant guide would be complete without a great "hole in the wall" place that serves killer okonomiyaki? Boteyan does just that. It has delicious okonomiyaki that will fill you up without leaving you broke. Try the squid, shrimp, pork, or kombu for only 530 yen apiece. They also have beef and "mix" okonomiyaki for a little more (610 and 710 yen respectively). If okonomiyaki is not your thing, try the yakisoba with the exact same variety and prices. They also serve ramen (for only 380), curry rice (480), and several lunch sets. Should you want to drink with your meal, they serve whiskey, beer, and tomato juice plus the usual.
Getting There: Boteyan is right across tram tracks from the Marier department store. Go down the stairs between the ANA travel agency and the cinema alley.
Gyoza Kaikan
1-Shintomi, Toyama-shi
Hours: Dinner 5:30 to 8 pm
Tel: 432-1240
If you like gyoza then this cozy little place is for you. They serve them hot and fresh. It's really easy to order; just pick a number (they come in sets of 5, 6, 7, 8, and 10). You get rice with your meal and soup is 70 yen extra. During dinner hours, you can also order basic Chinese dishes.
Getting There: Walk along the street directly behind the CIC building. Go straight at the intersection ( a liquor store is on the right corner). Turn left at the next street, then left again down a small alley. Gyoza Kaikan is straight ahead, at the end of a dark alley. It's very near the Hotel Sunroad.
Ramen World
Quite possibly the best ramen in Toyama! A fun, clean restaurant that serves huge bowls of ramen for about 800 yen. They add garlic during cooking to enhance the flavour... so beware if you are a close talker, or if you have plans to kiss anyone afterwards...
Getting There: Located in Kureha, on the main street next to the McDonalds.
Sen (せん)
Tel: 076-405-1000
Hours: 17:00~24:00 (last order 23:30) Sat,Sun to 26:00 (last order 25:30)
A very nice upscale restaurant perfect for a special evening. Although this restaurant has two floors and can seat 220 people, it's often full on the weekends. Prices range from 800 yen for 5 pieces of sashimi to chicken and salmon Vietnamese rolls (680 yen) to steamed shellfish with white wine and herb cream sauce (780 yen) to sirloin steak with sauce (580 yen).
Getting There: Follow the tram lines towards Daigaku Mae, go past CIC on your left, and keep walking until you get to the first big intersection. Sen is on the corner of the intersection, on the right.
Sushiei
2-8-22 Sogawa
Hours: Open until 9 pm Closed Tuesdays
Tel: 421-7035
Toyama Prefecture is known around Japan to have some of the finest tasting sushi. Sushiei is considered by many Toyama-ites to serve the freshest sushi, therefore offering the best of the best. For all you sushi diehards out there on a mission, I highly recommend this place! Sushi pieces start at 105 yen and run to 788 yen. Sets are 1580 yen to 2100 yen. Eat here and then you can say you've eaten some of the best sushi in the world.
Getting There: Take the street car from the station (Minami-Toyama direction) and get off at the Nishi-cho stop. Walk down the Sogawa shopping street and take your second left. Sushiei is down this street a block, on your left, near a big temple with a pagoda roof.
World Sky Resta
Shinmachi 5-5 Ushijima, Tower 111
Hours: 11am to 10 pm
Tel: 444-8855
Alright, maybe the Toyama skyline is not all that great, with no skyscrapers and no order to the scatter of buildings. But wait - there is ONE skyscraper, and at the very top floor of this, the tallest building in Toyama City (probably the entire prefecture as well), there is a restaurant where the food is pretty good and from which, on a clear day, you can see the whole city, the beautiful Tateyama mountain range, and even the sea! I'm talking about World Sky Resta on the 22nd floor of the NTEC building.
Getting There: Even if you don't know where the NTEC building is, you should have no problem finding it without a map. Just look towards the north side of Toyama station, for the tall lone building that's it!
Uomin (魚民)
Tel: 076-444-4388 Hours: 17:00～05:00
Translated directly as "Fish people", this restaurant takes up the entire 6th floor of the CIC building. It's a great place to go after the bars as they're open really late (which is a rarity in Toyama). Another good reason to go is that they specialize in "Hokuriku taste" foods, and it’s not overly expensive, so show those visitors from home what Toyama's made of! English menus are available, but most of the menu is photos you can just point to.
Getting there: The CIC building is located directly across the street from Toyama Station. The restaurant is on the 6th floor.
Ami
Chateau Yasunoya Building, 1-5-12
Ami is a very small restaurant with absolutely delicious beef curry, steaks, and one of the more extensive wine lists in the area. The curry is restaurant-grade curry, not lunch counter grade, so it’s about 1300yen but well worth it. There’s also a variety of good appetizers. Steaks start at about 3000yen. The owner is also the chef, and he cooks in an open kitchen. The waitress, who is the owner's wife, is good at helping choose a good wine in your price range.
Getting there: From Toyama Station, take the tram toward the university and get off at Yasunoya (the last stop before the big bridge over the river). Ami is right in front of you, on the 1st floor of the big yellow brick apartment building (where two JETs live!). From about Oct through Feb, Ami lights up a Merry Christmas sign at night.
Raku-an 楽庵
"Japanese Fusion Dining" in a really nice, laid-back environment. Really interesting menu with a wide-variety of things to choose from. Small booths and subdued lighting make this a great place for dates or more laid-back dinners. On route 69 (just off 41), near the 359.