Ordering a Full Meal in Japanese: Appetizer, Main, and Dessert
Learn to order a multi-course meal in Japanese at a restaurant, moving from appetizer to main dish to dessert with natural phrases and polite requests.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
Ordering a full meal in Japanese is different from grabbing a coffee at a café. At a restaurant, you often order course by course, and each stage has its own useful phrases. In this lesson you will learn how to ask for an appetizer, a main dish, and a dessert in sequence, how to ask for recommendations, and how to handle the bill. You will also learn the difference between casual and polite forms so you can order comfortably at both casual and formal restaurants. The focus is on a sit-down meal with multiple courses, not a quick café order.
By the end, you can…
- order an appetizer, a main dish, and a dessert in the correct sequence.
- ask a server for a recommendation and understand a simple reply.
- request the check politely at the end of a meal.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
前菜をお願いします。
An appetizer, please.
Zensai o onegai shimasu.
Use this to order an appetizer at the start of the meal. 'Onegai shimasu' is a polite way to say 'please' when ordering.
メインは何がおすすめですか。
What do you recommend for the main dish?
Mein wa nani ga osusume desu ka.
'Mein' means main dish. 'Osusume' means recommendation. Use this after ordering an appetizer.
デザートは別に頼みます。
I will order dessert separately.
Dezāto wa betsu ni tanomimasu.
Use this to tell the server you want to order dessert later, not with the main course.
お会計をお願いします。
The check, please.
Okaikei o onegai shimasu.
Use this at the end of the meal to ask for the bill. 'Okaikei' means check or bill.
コース料理をお願いします。
The course meal, please.
Kōsu ryōri o onegai shimasu.
Use this if you want a set multi-course meal instead of ordering each dish separately.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The pattern '〜をお願いします' (〜 o onegai shimasu) means '〜, please' and is the most common way to order food. You can put any dish name before it: 'サラダをお願いします' (Sarada o onegai shimasu) means 'Salad, please.' For a main dish, you can say 'ステーキをお願いします' (Sutēki o onegai shimasu). To ask for a recommendation, use 'おすすめは何ですか' (Osusume wa nan desu ka) meaning 'What is your recommendation?' This pattern works for appetizers, mains, and desserts.
When to use it
Use '〜をお願いします' when ordering each course. At a restaurant, you typically order an appetizer first, then a main dish, and finally a dessert. If you want to order everything at once, you can say '前菜とメインとデザートを全部お願いします' (Zensai to mein to dezāto o zenbu onegai shimasu) meaning 'Appetizer, main, and dessert, all please.' However, many restaurants prefer you to order dessert later. In that case, say 'デザートは後でお願いします' (Dezāto wa ato de onegai shimasu) meaning 'Dessert later, please.'
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
すみません、前菜をお願いします。
Excuse me, an appetizer, please.Sumimasen, zensai o onegai shimasu.はい、前菜は何になさいますか。
Yes, what would you like for the appetizer?Hai, zensai wa nan ni nasaimasu ka.おすすめは何ですか。
What do you recommend?Osusume wa nan desu ka.本日の前菜はカルパッチョです。メインはお決まりですか。
Today's appetizer is carpaccio. Have you decided on the main dish?Honjitsu no zensai wa karupatcho desu. Mein wa okimari desu ka.A little context goes a long way
In Japan, it is common to order course by course rather than all at once. Servers may ask 'お決まりですか' (okimari desu ka) meaning 'Have you decided?' It is polite to say 'お願いします' when ordering and to avoid shouting. Tipping is not customary, and the bill is usually paid at a register near the exit, not at the table.
One thing to watch for
Using 'ください' (kudasai) for everything, such as '前菜をください' (Zensai o kudasai).
Try this instead: While 'ください' is not wrong, 'お願いします' is more natural and polite in restaurants. For example, say '前菜をお願いします' (Zensai o onegai shimasu) instead of '前菜をください'. Use 'ください' for objects, like 'お水をください' (Omizu o kudasai) meaning 'Water, please.'
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you order an appetizer politely in Japanese?
Show a sample answer
前菜をお願いします。 (Zensai o onegai shimasu.)
This uses the polite ordering pattern '〜をお願いします'. You could also say '前菜をください' but 'お願いします' is more natural in a restaurant.
2What phrase asks for the server's recommendation for the main dish?
Show a sample answer
メインは何がおすすめですか。 (Mein wa nani ga osusume desu ka.)
This asks 'What do you recommend for the main dish?' You can also say 'おすすめは何ですか' (Osusume wa nan desu ka) more generally.
3How do you ask for the check at the end of the meal?
Show a sample answer
お会計をお願いします。 (Okaikei o onegai shimasu.)
This is the standard polite way to ask for the bill. In some restaurants you may also hear 'お勘定をお願いします' (Okanjō o onegai shimasu), which is equally correct.
Order each course with '〜をお願いします', ask for recommendations with 'おすすめは何ですか', and finish with 'お会計をお願いします' for the check.
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