If you’re looking to try authentic Japanese comfort food in Yokohama, you don’t have to travel all the way to Osaka. Located in the Sky Building near Yokohama Station’s East Exit, Okonomiyaki Yukari brings the flavors of one of Osaka’s long-established okonomiyaki restaurants to Yokohama.
What Is Okonomiyaki?
Okonomiyaki is one of Japan’s most popular teppan (iron griddle) dishes. Made with a generous amount of cabbage, the batter is mixed with ingredients such as pork, seafood, or other toppings of your choice, then grilled and finished with a sweet and savory sauce.
It is especially popular in the Kansai region of Japan, and there are two major styles: Osaka-style and Hiroshima-style. Each has its own cooking method and unique texture, making okonomiyaki a dish worth trying wherever you travel in Japan.
Watching Your Okonomiyaki Cooked Right in Front of You
At Yukari, every table is equipped with a large teppan grill. However, unlike some okonomiyaki restaurants where customers cook their own food, the staff prepares everything for you right at your table.
The process itself is part of the experience. First, the batter is mixed and spread onto the hot iron griddle. After cooking for a while, it is carefully flipped and grilled on the other side. Once perfectly cooked, the staff finishes it with a generous drizzle of sauce and mayonnaise.
Bonito flakes and aonori (seaweed powder) are provided on the table, allowing you to add as much as you like.
Because the okonomiyaki remains on the hot teppan, it stays warm until the very last bite.
Yukari’s Most Popular Okonomiyaki
On this visit, I ordered the restaurant’s best-selling dish: the Special Mixed Okonomiyaki.
Packed with pork, squid, and shrimp, it offers a great combination of flavors and textures. It’s easy to see why this has become Yukari’s most popular menu item.
The restaurant also serves classic favorites such as pork okonomiyaki, seafood varieties, and Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, which includes noodles for a heartier meal.
More Than Just Okonomiyaki
Yukari offers much more than its signature savory pancakes. You’ll also find classic yakisoba noodles and a variety of side dishes that pair perfectly with beer or other drinks.
On this visit, I ordered two popular appetizers:
Spicy Cucumber
A refreshing and lightly spicy cucumber dish that makes a perfect starter.
Tonpeiyaki
Tonpeiyaki is a classic menu item often found in Kansai-style okonomiyaki restaurants. The easiest way to describe it is as a Japanese-style pork omelet cooked on a teppan grill.
Juicy slices of pork are wrapped in fluffy egg and topped with okonomiyaki sauce and mayonnaise. Lighter than okonomiyaki itself, it is a favorite snack to enjoy with a drink.
A Classic Japanese Soul Food Experience
Okonomiyaki is one of the most iconic examples of Japan’s beloved B-grade gourmet cuisine—delicious, affordable local food enjoyed by people of all ages.
Watching your meal being grilled right in front of you, hearing the sizzling sounds from the teppan, and enjoying it fresh off the iron plate creates a uniquely Japanese dining experience.
If you’re visiting Yokohama and want to experience a local favorite beyond sushi and ramen, Okonomiyaki Yukari is an excellent place to discover one of Japan’s most enjoyable comfort foods.
