In June 2023, after work, I planned to meet up with a friend and go to a restaurant in Higashi-Mikuni, but it was temporarily closed. Disappointed, we went to Nishinakajima-Minamigata, but the restaurant we wanted to go to was already closed. It was a series of unfortunate events, so we took the Hankyu train back to Umeda. As a last resort, we checked out "Kiji" in the Shin Umeda dining district and luckily there was only one group ahead of us in line. We were seated earlier than expected and toasted with a highball. We ordered a highball for 380 yen, modan for 940 yen, suji tama for 1050 yen (beef sinew and green onions), and mix for 1100 yen (octopus, squid, fish cake, konjac, shrimp, pork). Everything was delicious as always. The modan was a new dish for me, and I think I'll definitely order it again. The modan is a dish of stir-fried noodles with squid and pork topped with an egg. It was a great meal.

I revisited this place while on a business trip to Osaka after many years. I arrived 30 minutes before the opening time and there were already a few people waiting in line. I decided to wait as it seemed like I could get in on the first round. I tried Modan for the first time. It was a bit different here, where they stir-fry pork, squid, soba, and cabbage, then dip it in egg, fry it again, flip it over, and it's done. It's not the typical mix of okonomiyaki and noodles, but somehow it turned out to be delicious. In the end, I waited for about 90 minutes before getting my order. It was interesting to see the leisurely craftsmanship of the owner. I recommend going when you have some time to spare. Thank you for the meal.

We were recommended a delicious restaurant by the manager of our important client, who is from Osaka and has been going there for a long time. We arrived 30 minutes before opening and joined the line with two friends. The line quickly grew, but the staff kindly informed those at the back that the wait would be long. Inside, we could see that the food was being cooked very carefully, so we understood why it took time. We ordered pork balls, mixed plate, and yakisoba large. The batter was light and fluffy with very little flour, and the sauce was rich and not too sweet or spicy - it was very delicious. The yakisoba noodles were straight and very tasty. On our way out, we bought a bottle of the sauce for 540 yen, which was a large size and definitely worth it. Thank you for the meal. Next time, we will come back to try other menu items like the beef tendon.

Ton-tama (pork and egg) - ¥800 Taste: 90 points, Fullness: 65 points For an adult male, you can go for 2 okonomiyaki. This famous Osaka okonomiyaki restaurant has a unique entry rule. Arrived around 12:30, but it was fully booked. The entry process is as follows: 1) Call out to the staff on the 2nd floor 2) "If you have time, please wait as it may take a while" 3) No estimated wait time, but if you agree to 3), you will receive a number tag 4) The line is not at the storefront, but on the road under the railway tracks 5) When a seat becomes available, a staff member will call you 6) Finally, enter (seats are assigned). The counter and table are all filled, and the staff rotates customers for seating changes. Once everyone is seated, the staff will prompt you to order in order of seating. Once all orders are ready, the manager leisurely begins cooking. It takes quite some time to mix the batter and start cooking, but they manage to cook okonomiyaki, modanyaki, and yakisoba for everyone almost simultaneously. Truly impressive! In this sense, the counter seats are the best! However, it's difficult to place additional orders in this style (is it even possible?). Also, it takes a lot of time. (On a side note, modanyaki is a dish where yakisoba is mixed with a flour dissolved in dashi broth and cooked. It was the first time I saw such a dish and I was very curious about it!) For me, it took about 30 minutes from lining up to entering, and another 60 minutes to get my okonomiyaki. It's not a place for a quick lunch break. As the sign in front of the store says, "Okonomiyaki is slow food"! If you have the patience to wait without getting frustrated, then definitely visit! I will make time to stop by next time I'm in Osaka! Next time, I'll try okonomiyaki and modanyaki!

Located a 5-minute walk from JR Osaka Station, our restaurant is situated on the 2nd floor of the Shin Umeda Food Street. We do not have a parking lot. Our establishment is a well-known okonomiyaki restaurant in Osaka, likely the most famous in the city. Look for the sign with the name "Kiji." Upon entering, you will be given a number tag and instructed to wait near a pillar on the road side of the restaurant. They operate on a turnover system, so if you arrive at a bad time, you may have to wait over an hour or even be turned away. I visited early on a weekday evening and was fortunate to only wait about 15 minutes before being seated. The interior is dimly lit and cramped, located under an overpass where you can hear the trains passing by. While not the most comfortable dining environment, the atmosphere is undeniably fantastic. The okonomiyaki, which I ordered, was the most popular item called "Modern-yaki (Large)" priced at 1060 yen including tax. The okonomiyaki is mostly prepared by the head chef alone, showcasing impressive skills with the spatula, although the wait time was quite long. It took nearly an hour to finally receive my dish. However, one thing I noticed while watching was that the Modern-yaki here consists mainly of squid, pork, egg, and yellow noodles. In other words, it does not contain flour in the batter, which is a characteristic of okonomiyaki. Nonetheless, it was delicious in its own right. But since I came for okonomiyaki, there was a sense of disappointment. Next time, I'll have to try the Buta-tama!

I ordered the pork okonomiyaki and beef tendon. Both were incredibly delicious. I wondered if this was the real deal when it comes to okonomiyaki... Both had a taste of wheat, with the pork having the delicious flavor of pork and the beef tendon having the savory taste of beef and green onions. I was satisfied with the two pieces as they filled me up.

The level of heat and fluffiness of the food was perfect. It was delicious. Although I knew it would take some time, it was a bit confusing that even though I ordered earlier, the food was served based on the order number on the ticket. The dishes for three groups who came in after me at the counter came out about 20 minutes later, which was a bit puzzling.

- Buta Tamago (Pork and Egg) - $8 [Taste] The fluffy texture of the dough made it disappear in no time, but it left a satisfying feeling of fullness. The crunch of the cabbage was a nice touch. [Service] There wasn't a designated waiting area, so it was a bit difficult to wait. The service was casual. [Atmosphere] The place felt a bit cramped, but it had a retro vibe. [Value for Money] It's amazing to be able to enjoy this taste at this price.

I visited "Kiji" in the New Umeda Food Street at Umeda Station around 8:00 pm. There was already a waitlist, so I had to write my name down and receive a number tag, with a wait time of about an hour. I ran some errands and waited again for another 30 minutes. In total, I waited for 1 hour and 30 minutes. I ordered the Mix, Suji, and Modanyaki (large) with a drink. The okonomiyaki was crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and not too heavy, making it easy to eat. The modanyaki had thick noodles in the egg and was delicious. Thank you for the meal.

I visited the main store of "Okonomiyaki Kiji" in Kita-ku, Osaka for lunch for the first time. The restaurant opens at 11:30, and we arrived around 11:15 on a busy Saturday. There were already over 20 people waiting in line, and more people were lining up behind us. By the time the restaurant opened, there were about 40-50 people waiting in line. We couldn't get in on the first round, but we received number 6 for the second round at 12:30. The waiting area can be tough in the summer. We finally entered the restaurant at 12:30 after waiting for exactly 1 hour. The restaurant has a small counter and table seats, with a maximum of about 20 seats. We ordered a total of 4,350 yen, including Modern Yaki for 940 yen, two orders of beef for 1,050 yen each, two draft beers for 530 yen each, and orange juice for 250 yen. All the okonomiyaki dishes were served in about 28-30 minutes. The okonomiyaki was delicious, light in taste and texture, simply put, "delicious." However, considering the effort it took to get in, would I want to revisit? The answer is no. For me, okonomiyaki is something I want to eat casually at home or at a nearby restaurant. But for those who want to try popular okonomiyaki, this place is definitely worth it. Many customers seemed to be tourists looking to try famous okonomiyaki in Osaka. Unless you're lucky enough to get in right away, be prepared to spend quite a bit of time waiting at this restaurant.

I realized for the first time that a truly delicious okonomiyaki restaurant makes it so fluffy that it feels like it's not solid when you put it in your mouth! I couldn't line up right in front of the shop, so I lined up from a distance before it opened. It was really, really delicious!

I visited the Kiji main store. I originally tried to visit on a Saturday, but couldn't make it due to the long wait time. Finally, on the last day of my trip, I revisited the store. We couldn't wait in front of the store, so we rushed to get a seat under the overpass. My family of three enjoyed the modern yaki and suji yaki. The atmosphere and taste of the store were great, unlike Shinagawa or Tokyo. Thank you for the meal.

At 11:00, I arrived at the front of the restaurant. There was a sign saying "Please do not line up in front of the store before it opens." After walking around for about 10 minutes, I returned to find a few people waiting under the overpass near the store... I asked and found out they were lining up for "okonomiyaki." I quickly joined the line behind two groups of five people and waited for about 20 minutes before being seated twice. I sat at the counter in front of the teppan (iron griddle). After all the seats were filled and orders were taken, they started making the batter. After waiting for about 20 minutes, the okonomiyaki was almost ready. The staff told me not to just watch but to talk as well, but I couldn't help but stare at the process until the okonomiyaki was served. The finished pork okonomiyaki had a crispy surface, a fluffy and creamy interior, and a texture that was easy to eat. It was a very delicious traditional okonomiyaki that cannot be replicated at home. By the time I left the restaurant, the line had grown to a 2-hour wait.

I arrived at the shop at 5:50 on a weekday. A young male staff member told me it would take about an hour because it was full, and gave me a numbered ticket. I went to the restroom and wandered around Shin Umeda Food Street. When I returned to the shop around 6:15, a different male staff member yelled at me asking where I had been, and I entered the shop feeling small. I ordered Buta-Tama for 800 yen, Modan-Yaki for 1060 yen, and a highball. The Modan-Yaki arrived in about 28 minutes, followed by the Buta-Tama 5 minutes later. The okonomiyaki batter was delicious. It was tastier than the sister shop in Tokyo.

Today I visited the famous okonomiyaki restaurant "Kiji". There is usually a long line, but I went around 3pm so only had to wait for about 3 groups ahead of me. In the past, when the previous owner was there, customers were scolded for not eating their okonomiyaki at the edge of the grill. But now, with the son running the place, it was a pleasant and enjoyable experience. I ordered the "Modern Oomori" okonomiyaki. They make all the orders at once for everyone in the restaurant, which creates a lively atmosphere. The okonomiyaki is made by putting the batter in a bowl and then adding yakisoba noodles that were cooked first, a style similar to Kobe-style modern okonomiyaki. The taste seemed a little different from when the previous owner was in charge...

I had to make a sudden business trip to Osaka and ended up working outside in the scorching heat all day. I had a bento box for lunch and my throat was parched! I really wanted to have a beer! Since I was in Osaka, I also wanted to try okonomiyaki. So, on my way to catch the Shinkansen, I got off at Osaka Station and went to this restaurant. It's usually really crowded, but since I went on a Monday at 4 pm, I was able to get in easily! I ordered a beer first to quench my thirst - a Malt's for a toast! Then, I ordered a Modern-yaki. Watching them make it right in front of me really stimulated my appetite! I kept thinking, hurry up! The beer disappeared in no time, so I ordered a highball. And then, my Modern-yaki arrived! The thick sauce typical of Osaka mixed with the noodles, eggs, and squid was delicious! The mayonnaise added a creamy touch that was amazing! I regretted not ordering a larger size. The staff mentioned that it was unusually quiet today. Lucky me! I was able to enjoy the end of my business trip in Osaka!

Since I went all the way to Osaka, I had to try some okonomiyaki, right? I picked a highly-rated restaurant and arrived around 5:30 pm on a Sunday. The place was almost full but I managed to get a table just in time. The restaurant quickly filled up and there was a constant stream of people waiting to get in, so it's definitely a popular spot. I was tempted by the yakisoba, but I stuck to my plan and ordered okonomiyaki. I got the pork and potato, mix, and suji (beef tendon) okonomiyaki. It took about 40 minutes for the food to arrive, probably because they take their time to cook it just right. The texture was nice and fluffy, the sauce was well-balanced, and I could see why it's so popular. I usually prefer Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, so I wasn't "blown away," but it was really delicious. When I paid, I noticed they were selling their okonomiyaki sauce by the register, so I bought a bottle. I might blend it with Otafuku sauce at home, haha!

Arrived at the restaurant at 11:15. Initially, there were 6 people waiting in line in front of the restaurant, but the staff directed us to move under the overpass. At 11:30, when the restaurant opened, there were about 15 people waiting. We entered on the first round. We ordered okonomiyaki (mixed) and a draft beer at the counter. It's difficult to add more food later, so make sure to order everything at once. At 11:52, the dishes for the person next to us who ordered almost at the same time were served. At 11:59, our okonomiyaki was served. The customers seemed to be rotating, as others left immediately after eating, so we quickly finished our meal and left at 12:12. It was delicious. Thank you for the meal.

So, I finally went to the legendary main store of the okonomiyaki restaurant that I definitely wanted to try at least once. It seems that the Marunouchi and Shinagawa stores in Tokyo are operated by a different company as branch stores. The menu at the main store is quite simple, unlike the Tokyo stores that can be used like izakayas. It has a classic okonomiyaki atmosphere. I tried the recommended Modern-yaki (940 yen) and the classic Butatama (800 yen). The Butatama was a fluffy okonomiyaki with a rich dashi flavor, which was undeniably delicious. However, what really captivated my heart and seems hard to forget is the Modern-yaki. It's a hot and savory yakisoba with squid and pork, wrapped in a fluffy egg with a delicious sauce, creating a blissful feeling similar to omurice. It's truly amazing to be able to eat this on a holiday afternoon. However, being a popular restaurant with a reservation system, there can be quite a long wait, so it's best to be prepared for that when visiting.

I finished work early, so I went to Umeda for lunch on a weekday with about 15 people waiting under the elevated structure away from the entrance of a popular restaurant. We received a ticket at the restaurant and waited under the elevated structure. At 12:15, customers started coming out of the restaurant, but no one was called in. It seemed to be a replacement system, as they called in tickets 2 to 12 all at once and we entered at 12:40. The restaurant opened at 11:30, and the person with ticket number 3 had to wait for an hour, so the waiting time varied depending on whether you could get in on the first round. The teppanyaki counter where the second round of okonomiyaki was being cooked all at once looked nice, but it left a strong smell. The finely chopped cabbage in the dough? Wait, wasn't it shredded at the Sky Building location? I watched as the thick, rich sauce was poured over and the dish was completed by 13:10. I ordered the "Butatama" for 800 yen and a beer. The sauce was not too sweet, with a strong punch, but it didn't have the same impact as the Butatama at the Sky Building location. It was delicious, but the excitement of "Delicious!" didn't come out. Maybe my expectations were too high because I had visited before the pandemic. I'll have to visit the Sky Building location again to compare.

A popular restaurant where people start lining up even before it opens for lunch! The seating is limited and they operate on a first-come, first-served basis, so even if you line up before opening, you may have to wait for about 1 hour and 20 minutes if you can't get in. You will be given a numbered ticket while waiting, and when you finally get in, they prioritize your order, so it's worth the wait if you have the time. I recommend trying the Modern-style Okonomiyaki and Oolong tea, which costs around 1,500 yen and offers good value for the quality!