Iwakuni MCAS » Restaurants
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Restaurants
Here are a few to start out with, but visit “Dine & Wine” to the right of this website to see more outside of the Iwakuni
Campagne – Italian
Campagne is an Italian restaurant is located along the way to the Chicken Shack, after making the left turn at the double bridges (turning right across the first little bridge at the double bridges takes you do Dr. Soji’s hospital). You will see the bright yellow building just before the car lots on the right side of the road. You might find it helpful to turn around in the car dealership lot and backtrack to the restaurant, depending on the flow of traffic. I recommend going here for dinner, because they have a very limited lunch menu. This restaurant falls into the upper price range, so expect to spend around 2000 to 3000 yen per person here for a full meal experience (you can, of course, eat cheaper, but if you want appetizers and desserts, this is what you’ll spend).
Click here to see Jackie Allen’s restaurant review of Campagne.
Gyoza House – Chinese & Japanese
The Americans call it the Gyoza House (to the locals ‘Osha’ means King) is located on the corner of 188 by You Me Town in Iwakuni, and is renowned for great gyoza. Menus are in English and Japanese (though you will find yourself matching up the Kanji next to the full-color photos of food with the descriptions to find out what each item is, but it’s a method that works).
I enjoy the variety of the meal sets, and many people love the spicy BBQ shrimp.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stewlis/sets/72157612120944219/detail/
The prices are hard to beat for a good meal, and the menu is the same for lunch and dinner. Be sure to check out any special meal sets they have for the day, because sometimes they have some really wonderful special sets (including some of the most tender beef ever). Specials, when available, are shown on a separate laminated menu along with the other menus.
Chicken Shack – Japanese
A must see for those new to the area! The Chicken Shack (or Sanzoku, as the locals know it), is a wonderful setup of traditional Japanese restaurants on the mountainside just outside Iwakuni, consisting of both indoor and outdoor tables, a relaxing atmosphere, and a souvenir shop. They are famous for their sanzoku yaki (Chicken on a Stick) and have mouth-watering yakiniku (thinly sliced beef that you grill yourself on a small tabletop grill) and gyoza (meat and cabbage-filled dumpling). The prices run a little high, especially if you like to try several different things at once, so plan on spending around 2500-3000 yen per person, and more if you want to buy those little extras at the souvenir shop.
Directions to Chicken Shack (Word Document)
Eniwa (Pork Restaurant)
Eniwa, known to the non-locals as the Pig Place or Pork Restaurant, is a traditional Japanese restaurant with a warm and friendly atmosphere. The restaurant has both Japanese and Western style seating, and serves some terrific Japanese pork dishes, including various types of pork cutlets, katsudon (pork cutlet over rice with egg), and soup (the biggest bowl of fresh ingredients I’ve ever seen in a restaurant; you make it yourself at your table with the provided cookstove and large bowl serving as a pot).
To get here, exit the main gate and turn right onto Hwy 188 at 4-Corners (the second traffic light out the gate). This will take you downtown. If you turn left at the corner of the YMCA building, you will see a large parking lot. Park here. Go out the back of the parking lot (toward the liquor store) and turn right onto the road between the parking lot and the liquor store. Be careful walking, these are narrow streets with a good deal of traffic! Walk down this road through two intersections, and you will see Sake Haus (another liquor store) on the corner, then Big Echo on your right and the pork restaurant across the street from Big Echo. Here are a couple of maps: Overview and Close-up (click either map for a larger view).
Eniwa is open from 11am to 9:30pm, and is closed on Mondays. You can watch a video about it in AFN’s Iwakuni Dining Rollout.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stewlis/sets/72157612121399817/
Coffee Shop – Variety of Desserts
There is a little Cofee Shop if you take Rt. 188 going toward Yanai. If you go out of Iwakuni on Rt. 188 past You Me Town and JanJaka, you will pass an Eneos gas station, a Free Bird café, a place called House Gallery, Jutendo and Max Valu, then you’ll see signs for Kuga and the Sanyo. Turn right onto Hwy 149 at the intersection that goes to the Golf Course (there’s a big golf billboard). Continue down Hwy 149 for a little ways (I can’t recall exactly how far, but just a few minutes and it will look like you are in the middle of nowhere!). The coffee shop is located on your left; you’ll see a little sign on the left just before you get there that says “coffee shop”. It’s a nice little place with strong coffee, light desserts, and a variety of souvenirs to peruse.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stewlis/sets/72157612174750126/
Sako’s – One of a kind..
Sako’s has what some consider the world’s best BLT sandwiches (and I’m no expert on these, but they were quite tasty). Located straight out the main gate at 4-corners (on the left at the stop light; there is a red and white sign over the doorway), Sako’s is, most of the time, open only for lunch, between 11am and 1pm. They have excellent fried rice, as well. There is limited seating, but you can take your order to go if you like. Don’t let this whole in the wall fool you….it’s excellent and memorable.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stewlis/sets/72157612174810222/
Ganesh – Indian
Ganesh is an Indian restaurant located downtown Iwkauni on the “Yellow Brick Road” (a covered shopping area paved with yellow cobblestone, across the street from Fuji Grand about midway between Fuji Grand and the traffic circle). This restaurant is very popular with the military community here, as you can order your curry at many different spice levels (or none at all if you prefer), the food is great, and the prices are hard to beat (we typically spend around 3200 yen for the two of us to eat dinner).
There is an easy-access parking lot if you are coming from 4-corners at the Main Gate; having turned right at 4-Corners to come downtown toward Fuji Grand, make a left at the corner of the YMCA building and the parking lot is on your left. Press the red button on the machine and take your ticket (don’t lose it!) and park. Walk back out of the parking lot the same way you entered, cross the little narrow road, walk around the corner of the set of buildings in front of you, proceed up the road and you will walk right into the Yellow Brick Road. Hang a left immediately upon entering the Yellow Brick Road, and Ganesh is there on your left.
They are open for lunch and dinner, have English menus and speak English, and will happily tailor meals to your liking (for example, if you would like to have your nan bread with both cheese and garlic, or if you would like an extra piece of chicken with your meal set, it’s no problem; you’ll pay extra for it, but it’s so nice to have options).
You can watch them cook right from the street through the window; it’s fascinating to watch them cook!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stewlis/sets/72157612121648727/
Saizeriya – Italian
Located on Hondori Avenue in Hiroshima, Saizeriya is a friendly place to enjoy very inexpensive Italian food. It is open from 11am to late in the night, and they have an excellent red table wine. Menu includes English.
Shinatora (Hiroshima) – Japanese
If you want to try authentic Japanese Ramen Noodle Soup, I highly recommend Shinatora in Hiroshima’s Pacela Mall. To get there, take the Streetcar to M9 (Kamiya-cho-higashi). When you exit the Streetcar, go underground and follow the signs to the Art Museum exit. When you emerge from underground, you will be directly in front of the lower Pacela Mall entrance, and Shinatora is located just inside the doors on your right. This is a chain restaurant; there is also one in Yanai.
Shinatora (Yanai) – Japanese
If you want to try authentic Japanese Ramen Noodle Soup, I highly recommend Shinatora. If you take the local train to Yanai, exit the front of the train station and take the underground passageway all the way to the end, you’ll come out on a pretty little cobblestone street lined with trees down the center. Walk to the end of this street, and turn left (if you kept walking, you’d walk through a little park and up a bridge). Walk to the end of this street, and turn left (if you keep walking here, you’ll end up at Deo Deo, You Me Town, and there’s also a McDonald’s over there). There is a nice little knick-knack store called How Messe and the restaurant is next to it. This is a chain restaurant; there is also one in Hiroshima.
Maple City – Italian
This is a small Italian restaurant with delicious food and great service. It is on Route 2 in Otake City, on the right side of the road if you are heading North towards Hiroshima. It is easy to miss, so the best way to find it would be to ask someone who has been there to show you. It is popular with Americans who know about it, so you will often see someone you know from base eating there.
Napoli – Italian
Napoli is an Italian restaurant in Otake, located at the entrance of You Me Town. This prime location makes it an ideal place for the weary foreign shopper to grab a bite of slightly more familiar food than what is served at the Japanese restaurants inside You Me Town.
They serve the standard Japanese-Italian fare, including a variety of pizzas, pastas, and desserts. Prices are similar to other Italian restaurants we’ve been to, I believe it cost us around 3000 yen to have a large pizza, two salads, garlic bread, and drinks, but I don’t have my usual photo set of the menu, because they took it from us after we ordered and the service was so fast I didn’t get a chance. However, the second time I went, it was a bit busier, and the service was incredibly slow, so I guess you take your chances.
G-Labo – Eastern & Western Flavors
G-Labo is located downtown Iwakuni at the end of the Hondori covered walkway. Great atmosphere and prices are reasonable. They have an assortment of pasta and various delicious dishes, this kitchen truly enjoys making people happy! Seasonal menus. Video – Click here to see Jackie Allen’s restaurant review of G-Labo.
“Iwakuni Foodie” Blog
I have a dear friend who is capturing some other great places to eat around our local area, and some far away. Linda Cordes will take you along and describe her enjoyable experience, plus give you plenty of insight about the food! Stop by and say “Hello!”
http://iwakunifoodie.blogspot.com/
