Bikkuri Donkey

Pricing Guide
(Avg. cost per person)
¥800 - ¥1000
Opening HoursDepending on store. Open for lunch at late night generally, seating for groups plus counter seating
Closed-
Contacthttps://www.bikkuri-donkey.com/

NotesFamily restaurant, lunch sets,
LocationMultiple locations throughout Hokkaido, there are at least two or three Bikkuri Donkey restaurants in every major city in Hokkaido. There are a dozen Bikkuri Donkey restaurants in Sapporo.

Bikkuri Donkey is a chain of restaurants found in Japan. They great family restaurants that have delicious set meals. This chain is perfect for the family or for those looking for a cheap option for lunch. Prices range from ¥700 to ¥1000. For this you get a juicy hamburger patty drizzled in sauce, steaming plain rice, and a salad. Its the perfect size for a meal. Before we look at the kinds of meals, let’s look at the store itself.  Bikkuri Donkey was founded in 1968 by Akio Shoji after learning the hamburger business. Now Bikkuri Donkey has 347 stores!

Each store has its own look and design though they all have a similar theme. The stores are usually quite rustic with lots of adventure and antique artifacts around. The name is a combination of the words Bikkuri which means ‘surprise’ and Donki which translates to donkey, a hard working animal. They have about a dozen different dishes with the similar ingredients. The size of the hamburger steaks range from 150g to 300g. These are soft and juicy and can be eaten with chopsticks. As well as families, many young couples enjoy these restaurants as they have desserts, cakes, shakes, plus a lot of extras to go with your meal. They have soft drinks, coffees, and in some restaurants, you can grab a beer. These restaurants are fantastic!

Kaitakuya Tavern

開拓屋
Pricing Guide
(Avg. cost per person)
¥1000- ¥2000
Opening Hours15:00 - 0:00
Closed-
Contact011-222-5557
NotesLate night izakaya, casual, seating 30
Location /
Getting There
Across from Odori park, 2 minute walk from Odori subway station. 3 minute walk from Sapporo TV Tower
060-0042 Hokkaido, Sapporo, Chuo Ward, Odorinishi, 2 Chome, Ceramics Building 1F

Kaitakuya Tavern is one of those cool, old school Japanese izakayas that has rustic charm. It is located in the heart of Sapporo with its windows facing the popular Odori Park. It is an easy spot to access, and is a good izakaya to stop in and grab a beer. The food that comes on the menu is your basic izakaya food. Simple is best! Kaitakuya has some great kushiyaki on the menu. Kushiyaki being grilled meat or vegetables on a bamboo skewer. Whether it be pork, beef, chicken or vegetables. Goes well with any beer.

Of the many side dishes, the menu also has seafood on its plates. The lightly fried shrimp is especially good. The beer is on tap, and it flows whether on a summer day, with the open doors, or during a cozy winter. Other drinks include spirits such as whiskey, sake, or wine. There is a ‘nomihodai’ option (all you can drink). This option applies to beer and cocktails. If you really want to experience a Japanese  style izakaya, Kaitakuya Tavern is a nice option. It is also near many of the sightseeing spots of Sapporo, so drop in for a drink!

Marman Irish Pub

マーマン
Pricing Guide
(Avg. cost per person)
¥1000- ¥1500
Opening Hours6:30 - 10:00
15:00 - 0:00
Closed-
Contact011-206-1566
NotesBar, breakfast, late night food, outdoor seating, seating 40
Location /
Getting There
This pub, is located in Susukino. It is just off the main street that runs through the center of Susukino. 5 minute walk from Susukino subway station. It building is bright blue so not hard to miss!
064-0806 Hokkaido, Sapporo, Chuo Ward, Minami 6jo 3 Chome-1-11 Centurion Hotel Sapporo 1st floor

Marman is a unique Irish bar that can be found in central Susukino, which is the entertainment district of Sapporo. Marman serves not only as a bar, but also as a restaurant that operates as a place to get not only dinner, but breakfast! The interior is nicely decked out with TV’s for sports lovers. There is plenty of seating, with couches and bar seating.  The bar is connected to the first floor of the Centurion Hotel Sapporo. Because of this, breakfast is served at the bar for hungry guests. It’s also a good spot to get a drink from their extensive menu. 

 

 

As you can expect, Marman has a nice Guinness on tap plus the more local beers. Their whiskey menu sports a selection of whiskeys from Scotland, Islay and Ireland. These whiskeys go for around ¥1000 a glass and include a twelve year Macallan, Glenlivet, Johnny Walker blue, a ten year old Laphroaig, and a Connemara single malt to name a few. There are also nice whiskeys from Japan, Canada and the U.S. Soft drinks and cognac are also available. If you are looking for some hearty pub meals, Marman has burgers, steaks, pastas, fish & chips and stews, to please any hungry customer!

Roast Beef & Soup Curry Kuma-chan

Pricing Guide
(Avg. cost per person)
¥1000 - ¥2000
Opening Hours19:00 - 7:00 Monday - Wednesday
19:00 - 8:00 Thursday - Saturday
11:30 - 14:30 & 18:30 - 1:00 Sundays & public holidays
Closed-
Contact011-562-5077
NotesRoast beef don & soup curry restaurant
Seating 8
Secluded restaurant, smoking, no credit cards
no wifi, no parking, open all night,
Menu in English, Chinese & Korean
Location /
Getting There
Located in Susukino, Sapporo. 3 minute walk, south from Susukino subway station, 2nd floor of Susukino Chuo Building
Minami 6 Jonishi Chuo Ward Sapporo Hokkaido

 


Chicken soup curry with vegetables

If you are in the entertainment district of Sapporo, and are looking for a late dinner, or one of those extremely late “grab a bite after a night out” scenarios, then Kuma-chan could answer those needs. It is a tiny, comfy restaurant settled in downtown Susukino. It is tucked away on the second floor on the main street, and can be found by its sign on the sidewalk. It is self run by the owner, and due to the small size, reservations are not possible. The menu is straight forward and comes in a few languages, so it is easy to order.


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Cozy Kuma-chan

Kuma-chan which translates to “little bear” has two main dishes on its menu. Roast Beef Donburi & soup curry. Donburi or ‘Don’ is a Japanese “rice bowl dish” consisting of either fish, meat, vegetables or other ingredients simmered together and served over rice. At Kuma-chan they have the Roast Beef Don which comes with raw egg, lettuce, and dried seaweed (nori). Mix it all together and enjoy! The roast beef for these dishes comes in 100, 150, 200 0r 300 grams. Kuma-chan also has soup curry. Take your pick of half a dozen soup curry dishes including chicken, vegetable, lamb or the Kuma-chan special. Topping are extra and the spice level ranges from one to seven. Rice comes with all soup curry bowls. Teas, juices, lassis, beer, and Zimas are on the drink menu.



Rikyu Gyutan

Pricing Guide
(Avg. cost per person)
¥1000 - ¥2500
Opening Hours11:00 - 23:00
Closed-
Contact 011-200-3223
NotesEnglish menu available
Seating 60
Location /
Getting There
Located in Paseo West, 2 minute walk from Sapporo station.
Located in the Aka Renga Terrace, 10 minute walk from Odori station.

2 Chome Kita 6 Jonishi, Kita, Sapporo, 060-0806, PASEO
Hokkaidō, Sapporo-shi, Chūō-ku, Kita 2 Jōnishi, 4 Chome−1


Beef stew

Rikyu Gyutan is a beef restaurant that specializes in grilled beef tongue. Nothing like trying something new! This unusual dish has been on Japanese menus for well over fifty years. There are two Rikyu Gyutan restaurants in Sapporo, one in Paseo West right by Sapporo station, the other is in the Aka Renga terrace building right next to the Former Hokkaido Government Office. Gytutan (beef tongue) dishes come in a variety of dishes, in stews, curries, or as steaks. There are set menus available as well!


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Of course, if you don’t like beef, then there are some other dishes available as well, such as seafood, salads, and soups. If you love the gyutan taste, then you can take some home with you. The restaurants sell their meat products so you can get the gyutan taste at home. Also a good idea for a souvenir or gift!



Sapporo Autumn Festival

DatesSeptember 9th - October 1st
Opening Hours10:00 - 22:30
Contact011-281-6400
Location /
Getting There
Odori park. Odori-nishi 1-chome to 11-chome, Chuo-ku, Sapporo
1 minute from Odori subway station


Autumn Festival Sapporo

Food & wine

The Sapporo Autumn Fest is one of the newer festivals in Hokkaido, being held for the first time in 2008. It is the last of the big Sapporo festivals for the year. The 4 big festivals in Sapporo come with each season, the winter has the Snow Festival, spring has the Lilac Festival, summer brings the Sapporo Beer Garden , and the changing of the leaves sees the arrival of the Autumn Festival. Autumn is the harvest season, and this festival showcases the best food from around Hokkaido! The Sapporo Autumn Fest runs the length of Odori park and each block has its own unique theme. Discover each, and enjoy the sights and smells of delicious food and drink from all corners of Hokkaido!


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1 Chome venue
At east 1, under the TV tower, is the Oktoberfest venue. Reproducing the ambiance of Sapporo’s sister city, Munich, you can enjoy craft beers, from not only Germany but also from around Hokkaido. Native German cuisine, is also served, with German sausages, snacks made with ingredients from Hokkaido, and other beer food. There is also live traditional German music to get into the authentic Munich atmosphere. This is a great venue for beer lovers!


4 Chome venue
The east 4 block serves as the Sapporo Autumn Fest’s entrance venue, and has a number of stalls that offer cuisines that abundantly use Hokkaido’s seasonal ingredients. Seating surrounding the large fountain at the centre makes for a nice setting to enjoy the various foods on offer here. Meats, and wines as well as seafood are available here.
 


5 Chome venue
This section is focused on Hokkaido’s delicious ramen noodles, with a large collection of ramen shops. There are also stores selling food from around Hokkaido, using local ingredients. Along with the ramen noodles, steaks and oysters are very popular! This is a nice area to sit at the edge of the fountain pool area and dine on your favorite foods.
 


6 Chome venue
This block is defined by the huge trees that create a nice canopy in which to wine and dine under. The 6 chome site is made up of stores from popular restaurants throughout Sapporo. This is the perfect opportunity to look around and see the latest dishes in Sapporo, whether it be seafood, meats or gourmet pizzas. There are also a couple of wine shops selling their tasty wares. Sit beneath the changing leaves and raise your glasses!


7 Chome venue
Smack in the middle of this festival is the very popular 7 chome site. Recognizable by the myriad of black tents circling the middle of the block, this site is where the wine flows! Hokkaido’s wineries are set up here so you can sample not only local wines, but also overseas wines which are very popular. In addition to the wine stalls, shochu and whiskey stores are also here. This block also gives you the opportunity to partake of some delicious cheeses, or grilled oysters. A perfect compliment to the wine…or whiskey!


8 Chome venue
Each town in Hokkaido is famous for something, and each municipality has its specific delicacy. People often visit these towns throughout Hokkaido so they can try these special foods. The beauty of the 8 chome site is that all these towns have all set up their food stalls in one block! Take a walk around Hokkaido and try the different foods from these places. There are a total of more than 100 municipalities, treating you to specialties from all over Hokkaido. Each store has a map pinpointing where the town is. This a very popular block showcasing an abundant amount of local cuisine!


10 Chome venue
For the meat eaters in town, the 10 chome site is well worth a look! Here, you can enjoy a huge selection of meats, including venison steaks, as well as crackling pork, chicken and beef. Famous wild game shops have set up their stalls which are enough to satiate any meat lover! Desserts and salads are available to compliment these dishes. There is also a beer stall set up in the middle.


11 Chome venue
Last, but not least at on the 11th block at the end of the Autumn Fest is the world cuisine block! You can walk around and see various chefs from around the world working their magic to bring you an array of delicious cuisines. Foreign wines and beer are also included into the mix. Try some “world travel” through the authentic tastes and talents of every country’s chefs. The smells and sights are a fantastic part of the Autumn Festival. See you there!