Hi! I’m the owner of Kaiebi (貝と海老そして蟹 / Shellfish, Shrimp & Crab), a 6-seat seafood counter in Shinsaibashi, Osaka. 🦐
After a few days of ramen, sushi and takoyaki, a lot of travelers start craving something a little different: something hot, bubbling, and good with bread and a glass of wine. If that sounds like you, let me introduce one of our favorite dishes to share at the counter — seafood ajillo.
What is ajillo?
Ajillo (pronounced “a-HEE-yo”) is a Spanish dish where seafood simmers in oil flavored with garlic. It’s served sizzling hot, and half the fun is dipping bread into that fragrant oil.
In Japan, ajillo has become a popular dish at wine bars and casual restaurants. At our counter, it’s one of the dishes that makes a glass of wine disappear a little too quickly. 🍷
Our ajillo lineup
Every ajillo comes with bread. Here’s what you can choose from:
– Mixed Ajillo — shrimp, scallops and oysters together. If you can’t decide, this is the one.
– “Guilty Pleasure” Cheese Mixed Ajillo — the mixed ajillo with cheese added. Rich, gooey, and exactly as indulgent as the name suggests. 🧀
– Single-seafood ajillo — shrimp only, scallops only, or oysters only, if you have a favorite.
Since our restaurant’s name is literally “Shellfish, Shrimp & Crab,” it probably won’t surprise you that the mixed version is the one I’d point first-timers to.
Make it your own: add-ons and changes
This is the part guests from overseas often enjoy the most. You can customize your ajillo like this:
– Extra bread — for when the oil is too good to leave behind (it usually is).
– “Oi-meshi” (a risotto-style finish) — add rice to turn the end of your ajillo into something like a risotto. In Japan, finishing a hot dish with rice or noodles is a much-loved way to end a meal.
– Cheese topping — our “guilty pleasure” cheese, added on top.
– Make it curry-flavored — on our Japanese menu we call this “Karijo” (curry + ajillo). Curry is one of Japan’s favorite comfort foods, so this is a fun little Japanese twist.
– Extra garlic — free of charge. Just ask! 🧄
If you’re not sure how to combine them, tell me what you like and we’ll figure it out together at the counter.
How to enjoy it
Here’s how I’d suggest enjoying ajillo with us:
1. Start with the seafood while it’s piping hot.
2. Dip the bread into the garlic oil — and order extra bread if you need it.
3. Finish with oi-meshi if you still have room, so none of that flavor goes to waste.
Ajillo is a fun dish to share at the counter, and it works nicely alongside our signature live lobster. If you’re planning to order the lobster too, take a look at how to eat live lobster at our counter.
What to drink with it
We serve around 30 wines by the glass, with a special focus on Japanese wine — including wine from my home region of Nagano. A glass of white wine with ajillo is a classic pairing, but a cold beer, a lemon sour or a highball also works really well with the garlic.
We also have Japanese sake from my hometown, a brand you rarely find in the Kansai area, plus shochu and soft drinks.
Good to know before you visit
– Six counter seats only. It’s a small, calm place run by my wife and me, and it has been completely smoke-free since August 1, 2026.
– English menu available. My English isn’t perfect, but we’ll do our best to make you feel welcome.
– Evening hours: 17:00–25:00 (until 1:00 a.m.), last entry 22:30. Holidays are irregular.
– Booking: a reservation is the surest way to get a seat. On the day, you can book online until 19:00; after that, please call 06-6213-3881 (from outside Japan: +81 6 6213 3881). If we don’t pick up right away, we may be busy cooking — please try again a little later.
FAQ
Q. What seafood is in the mixed ajillo?
Shrimp, scallops and oysters. There are also single-seafood versions with just shrimp, just scallops, or just oysters.
Q. Does the ajillo come with bread?
Yes. Every ajillo comes with bread, and you can order extra bread.
Q. What is “oi-meshi”?
It’s an add-on where rice is added to your ajillo for a risotto-style finish — a very Japanese way to end a hot dish.
Q. Can I get more garlic?
Yes, extra garlic is free. Just let us know when you order.
Q. Can you handle food allergies?
Please tell us before your visit. If possible, we’ll use a substitute ingredient, but some dishes can’t be changed because of how they’re prepared.
Q. Is it close to Namba and Dotonbori?
Yes. We’re about five minutes on foot from Shinsaibashi Station and from the Namba stations.
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Our philosophy, since the day we opened: “Through dining out, make life a little richer.”
A sizzling pan, warm bread, a good glass, and people you like around a small counter — sometimes that’s all a great evening in Osaka needs. I hope we get to make one of those evenings with you.
Thank you for reading to the end!
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Kaiebi (貝と海老そして蟹) — Shellfish, Shrimp & Crab
📍 2-7-11 Shinsaibashi-suji, Chuo-ku, Osaka (Nippo Royal Building 1F)
🗺 Google Maps
📞 06-6213-3881
🕐 12:00–17:00 (daytime, one reservation-only party per day) / 17:00–25:00 (last entry 22:30)
📅 Irregular holidays
💺 Counter seating for 6 (up to 8 for private bookings)