Traveling with Friends? A Small-Group Dinner at Our 6-Seat Seafood Counter in Osaka
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. 🦞
Traveling in Japan with friends is the best, right? You walk all day, eat street food, get lost in the stations together... and at some point someone says, "Let's have one proper dinner, all of us, somewhere we can actually sit down and talk." 😊
We get groups like that at our counter quite often, so today I'd like to explain how a small-group dinner works at a tiny place like ours — what to order, how many people fit, and how to book.
Also, a small heads-up: November and December are year-end party season in Japan (we call these parties bōnenkai). Restaurants get busier, especially on Fridays and Saturdays, so if you're coming to Osaka in late autumn or winter, it's a good idea to book early.
👥 How many people fit at a 6-seat counter?
Our restaurant has six seats, all at the counter. That's it! 😂
- 2–3 friends: easy — just book like anyone else.
- Just the two of you? I also recommend one of our courses — leave the choosing to me and simply enjoy the evening. 😊
- 4 or more: please book as early as you can. With six seats, a group of four or more uses most of the restaurant.
- Want the whole place for your group? We offer private bookings from 4 people, for up to 8 seats. The budget and the day of the week are discussed case by case, so please contact us first.
A private booking is a nice option if you're celebrating something, or if your group just wants to be as loud and happy as you like without worrying about other guests. 🥂
🦞 What to order when you're a group: share everything
The fun of a group dinner is ordering lots of different things and sharing them. Here's how I'd build a table for friends.
1. One live lobster for every two people.
Our signature is live lobster from Canada, steamed with white wine and herbs in a Staub cast-iron pot. First we show you the lobster while it's still alive, then I steam it, and when it's ready I bring the whole pot to you and lift the lid in front of you. With a group, that moment gets a big reaction every time! 📸
One lobster is perfect for two people to share, so for a group of four, two lobsters is a good place to start. (If you love seafood, one each is great too.) Here's more about how to eat our live lobster.
2. A few plates to pass around.
Some favorites that work well for sharing:
- Mixed ajillo — shrimp, scallops and oysters bubbling in garlic oil, served with bread. More about our seafood ajillo.
- Shrimp and chive gyoza — very popular with our guests from abroad.
- Our special potato salad — packed with shrimp, scallops, crab and crab miso, so people always ask, "Wait, where's the potato?" 😂
- "The Giant Wild Fried Prawn That Was Too Big for Our Frying Pot" — yes, that's really the name. It's a giant wild prawn (sea tiger), and the story is true: it didn't fit in our old frying pot, so we had to buy a fryer!
- Angel shrimp and Hokkaido scallop sashimi platter — angel shrimp from New Caledonia have a lovely chewy-soft texture.
3. Finish with a shime.
In Japan, we like to end the night with a "closing" dish called shime — pasta, ramen, rice and so on. For a group, sharing a seafood pasta at the end is a happy way to wrap up.
You don't have to plan all this in advance, of course. Tell us how hungry everyone is, and we'll help you order. 😊
🍷 Drinks for a group
- About 30 wines, all available by the glass, with a focus on Japanese wine — including wine from my hometown, Shiojiri in Nagano. With a group, it's fun for everyone to pick a different glass and taste each other's.
- ARAGOSTA, a crisp white from Sardinia with a lobster on the label, has been our "house bottle" since we opened. Dry, fruity, a little citrusy, and great with shellfish and crustaceans.
- Japanese sake from Wakyo Brewery in my hometown of Shiojiri — a brand you rarely see in the Kansai area.
- Beer, lemon sour, highballs, shochu, and soft drinks for anyone who isn't drinking.
🗓 Booking tips for groups
1. Book online, early. Online booking is the easiest way to secure seats for a group — here's how to book a table without speaking Japanese.
2. Booking 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're probably busy cooking — please try again a little later.
3. Thinking of a private booking? Contact us before your trip so we can talk about the budget and the day.
4. Allergies? Please tell us in advance. If possible, we'll use a substitute ingredient, but some dishes can't be changed because of how they're prepared. As a shellfish, shrimp and crab restaurant, many of our dishes use these ingredients — so if someone in your group has a shellfish or crustacean allergy, please talk to us before booking.
5. A daytime option. From 12:00 to 17:00 we take one party per day, reservation only. I run the restaurant alone during the day, so we accept only course reservations or à la carte reservations that include live lobster. Please book at least 3 days ahead.
🌙 Good to know
- Smoke-free: our restaurant has been completely non-smoking since August 1, 2026.
- English menu: yes, we have one. My English isn't perfect, but we'll do our best to make you feel at home.
- Run by a husband-and-wife team: I cook, my wife Mizuki takes care of the drinks, and we look after our guests together.
- Location: about 5 minutes' walk from Shinsaibashi Station and from the Namba stations — easy to meet up even if your group is coming from different places.
- Coming in November? We're open all three days of the long weekend, November 21–23, 2026. Other holiday dates are irregular, so please check before you visit.
Want to impress your friends at the table? Here's a little Japanese seafood cheat sheet. One "kanpai!" (cheers!) from your group always makes our night. 😂🍻
FAQ
Q. Can a group of friends eat at your restaurant?
Yes! We have six counter seats. For groups of four or more, please book early.
Q. Can we book the whole restaurant?
Private bookings are available from 4 people, for up to 8 seats. Budget and day are discussed case by case — please contact us first.
Q. We're just two people. What do you recommend?
One of our courses is a great choice for two. You can also share one live lobster and a few plates.
Q. What should a group order?
One live lobster for every two people, plus a few plates to share (like ajillo, gyoza or potato salad), and a shime dish at the end.
Q. Is November or December busy?
It's year-end party season in Japan, so restaurants tend to get busier, especially on weekends. We recommend booking early.
Q. Do you have an English menu?
Yes, we do.
---
Our philosophy: "Through dining out, make life richer."
When friends travel together, the dinners are often what everyone remembers most. If your group wants one of those nights in Osaka, we'd love to have you at our counter. 🦞🍷
Thank you for reading to the end!
---
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)