An izakaya's otoshi is a cover charge
Do
- Accept the otoshi as an appetiser
Don’t
- Arguing with staff about it or asking for it to be taken back
There is no penalty: before you order at an izakaya, a small dish of otoshi always arrives. It doubles as the cover charge and cannot be chosen or swapped.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: JNTO: drinking in Japan