Located along Route 263 in Shigetome, Sawara-ku, Fukuoka City, near the Shigetome Shimmachi intersection, is a tempura specialty shop called "Tempura Shop Hira-o". The shop was founded by the previous owner, Kenjiro Kawauchi, who operated a fresh food store, in 1979 near Fukuoka Airport in Higashi Hirao, Fukuoka City, which became the first store, resembling a drive-in. With the motto of "delicious, affordable, and fast", they quickly became a thriving shop by offering freshly fried tempura made from seasonal ingredients at diner prices. To maintain the quality of Hira-o's tempura, they operated only directly managed stores without opening branches, but in 2000, the long-awaited second store, this Sawara store, was opened for personnel training. Currently, they have a total of seven directly managed stores in the Fukuoka metropolitan area, and in Hakata, Hira-o is synonymous with "tempura" and vice versa, loved by the people of Hakata as a soul food. One of the secrets of the shop's popularity is the "fry-on-demand" system, where tempura is provided to customers one by one as they are fried. Many tempura shops in Hakata have adopted this system following Hira-o, making it almost a "Hakata style". Another secret is the "free service" of specialties such as "squid salted roe" and "pickles". Moreover, it's great that it's all you can eat. Due to COVID-19 prevention measures, the staff now serve on small plates, making it less likely for customers to ask for seconds (laughs). Furthermore, there is even a free service for taking home "tempura crumbs". I was born and raised in Fukuoka, but I made my Hira-o debut about 20 years ago when this Sawara store opened. I have been a heavy user of this Sawara store, which is close to my home, and the East Ward's Kaizuka store, which has a spacious parking lot and is easy to stop by. Although it is an essential soul food for the people of Hakata, there is no conscious Hakata feeling in the store, and I can't help but feel impressed by the sophistication. I would like them to aim for nationwide and worldwide recognition for their deliciousness. This time, I stopped by the Sawara store while taking my car to a factory in Sawara for a vehicle inspection. I arrived shortly after opening, and the parking lot for about 20 cars was already full with my car. I made it just in time! (laughs) I entered the store and first purchased a meal ticket. Since it would be inconvenient for other customers if I hesitated here, I decided on the "Deluxe Sea Set for 940 yen" by intuition and added my favorite "Shrimp - Single item for 230 yen". The counter seats, which surround the kitchen (tempura frying area) in a horseshoe shape, were full, and the bench seats lined up by the window behind the counter were half full of waiting customers, as usual. I sat at the end of the bench. When a counter seat became available, I was "promoted" to the counter after about 15 minutes. I placed the ticket I had clenched on the counter, and the staff collected the ticket and placed a small plastic piece resembling a coin in front of my seat to identify my order. The set meal consisted of "steamed rice" served in Hira-o's original "rice serving bowl" in a shaved ice manner, "miso soup" with finely diced tofu, and "tempura dipping sauce" with plenty of grated radish. While waiting for the tempura to arrive, I asked the staff for the service "squid salted roe", which was immediately served in a small dish. The squid salted roe, which does not contain innards and is finished with yuzu flavor, has a refreshing taste without any off-flavors, and it's exquisite! It's a "rice thief" who disrupts the pace of "steamed rice" ===========

The desired buffet restaurant was already closed for reservations, so I went down the mountain to Hirao! It was around 2 pm for lunch, but there were no seats available even for waiting chairs, haha. I waited for about 30 minutes and was finally seated. The freshly fried food was delicious as always! The miso soup was also tasty. It was a shame that they only provided one serving of salted fish roe. I realized halfway through that I couldn't get a refill, so I completely misjudged the pace of eating the salted fish roe, haha.

A freshly fried tempura restaurant. You can enjoy delicious tempura at a reasonable price in the Fukuoka style. I was able to get in without waiting, but it quickly became crowded just after. The tempura was served quickly and efficiently. The pork was tender and delicious.

The night before, despite drinking heavily, I woke up quite hungry. Normally, I would think about where to go for curry, but for some reason, I was in a tempura mood. So, without hesitation, I headed to Hirao's Tempura. I ordered the "Okonomi Teishoku" set for 990 yen at the ticket machine and entered the store. It was my first time visiting this branch since April 2014! I was seated immediately as it was just before 11 am on a Saturday. The salted squid was served as a complimentary appetizer. The tempura set arrived with a bowl of rice, and it was time to enjoy the tempura. The tempura, starting with the white fish and pumpkin, was delicious and freshly fried. I enjoyed it with plenty of tempura dipping sauce, grated radish, and shichimi spice. I ate the rice and tempura eagerly, starting with the large pork, followed by eggplant, shrimp, bell pepper, and squid. With Hirao's tempura, you need to consider the balance between rice, salted squid, and the remaining tempura, or you might run out of rice too soon. The portion of rice seemed a bit too much, but at the same time, it seemed like I could finish it easily. This time I had a non-alcoholic drink, but next time I want to enjoy it with beer. I bought a small portion of salted squid for 680 yen from the vending machine to enjoy at home later. It was a delicious meal.

Tempura Hirao's Sawara branch. It was a very hot day with a temperature of 34 degrees. On days like this, let's eat tempura at Tempura Hirao! The parking lot had fewer cars than usual, perhaps because of the heat. I chose the favorite set meal for 990 yen from the menu for lunch. Thank you for the delicious meal as always.

This is a tempura restaurant with the best cost performance, where the tempura is fried right in front of you and served immediately. I ordered the "Okonomi Teishoku" for ¥980, which includes shrimp, white fish, pork, squid, vegetables, squid salted guts, miso soup, rice, and dashi. The tempura was quite sweet compared to Tokyo, and the shrimp was plump and juicy while the white fish melted in my mouth. The squid salted guts had a strong yuzu flavor and no fishy smell, even though I usually don't like salted guts. The tempura is served piping hot, so be careful not to burn yourself. The restaurant is quite popular, even on weekdays for lunch, and all seats are counter seats surrounding the kitchen in a U-shape, so you can't really take your time eating. Overall, the tempura was crispy and delicious, and for only ¥980, it's a must-try when in Fukuoka!

Order: Tempura set meal Here you can enjoy freshly fried tempura in a convenient way. Many customers also come for the squid shiokara. Unfortunately, due to various circumstances, there is a limit of one dish per person. Another day of delicious food, thank you.

In June 2023, I visited a restaurant in Nogeke, Sawara-ku for the third time around 3 pm on a weekday to attend to some business with relatives. It had been a while since my last visit. I purchased a meal ticket at the entrance ticket machine for a tempura set meal (¥890) and extra rice (¥50). An older man was frying the food and serving a few elderly ladies. It was a quiet time with only half of the restaurant being used, and the elderly lady ushered me to a seat at the counter. There were various house rules written on the wall, such as serving self-serve water in paper cups from a dispenser and the special salted fish eggs being portioned out by the restaurant. There were no condiments or side dishes like pickles or vegetables on the table. Although I asked for chili pepper, they did not have curry salt or matcha salt. When I sat down, the elderly lady brought me the rice set, but it seemed like they mistakenly gave me the large portion rice for an extra ¥50. I asked to change the vegetables because I don't like P-man (green pepper), and the response was not very friendly. They told me to buy a separate vegetable ticket if I wanted to leave the P-man uneaten. The meal, including white fish, small mackerel, small sardines, and eggplant as the alternate vegetable, did not impress me enough to finish everything. I didn't even bother buying the squid salted fish eggs from the vending machine outside and left the restaurant. The taste was just as expected from the receipt I got from the ticket machine.

Today, I headed to Hirao in Fukuoka City's Nishi Ward to eat freshly fried tempura. This was my first time visiting this restaurant. I bought a meal ticket from the ticket machine and entered the restaurant. The interior only had a counter seating. The freshly fried tempura was served right in front of me. Since it was lunchtime, I sat down and waited. The turnover was quick, so the waiting time was short. The water was self-serve. I ordered the Tempura set meal for 890 yen, with extra rice for 50 yen, and added shrimp tempura for 250 yen. I started with the salted fish roe served at the beginning. It was delicious. The pace of rice distribution was a bit off. The tempura arrived one by one. The freshly fried tempura was delicious. The bell pepper tempura from Hirao was tasty, with large and slightly sweet bell peppers. The shrimp was also carefully prepared, with a firm and crispy texture. I was very satisfied. On my way out, I bought some salted fish roe from the vending machine. It was a frozen vending machine. What a convenient world we live in. Thank you for the meal.

If you're looking for a reasonably priced freshly fried tempura specialty store in Hakata, this chain is highly recommended! The salted cod roe is not too spicy, so you can eat as much rice as you want. Plus, it's all-you-can-eat! Therefore, I recommend getting a large portion of rice! Personally, I like the vegetable tempura set meal! The tempura that enhances the deliciousness of the vegetable ingredients is the best! Also, I always ask for shichimi spice from the staff. This further enhances the flavor of the tempura! The only downside is that there is always a line. The good thing is that the turnover rate is high, but it's best to come right after opening in the morning.

It's been a while since I visited Hayaura. I arrived early (around 11 am) and was able to be seated without waiting. By the time I left, there was a long line forming. The restaurant opens at 10:30 am, but after 11 am, the turnover rate of customers is slower, and the line keeps getting longer. If you don't want to wait, arriving around 10:55 am might be best. The set meal costs 990 yen, and you can get extra rice for 50 yen. Prices have gone up a bit, even Hiraosan. Today, the meal started with pork tempura, shrimp, and white fish. Then came eggplant, pumpkin, and after a break, squid and green pepper. The pork tempura and white fish were particularly delicious today. The pork tempura was crispy and fluffy as always, and the white fish was even more crispy and fluffy. I asked for extra dipping sauce and grated radish. I also asked for extra salted fish roe. The salted fish roe with yuzu flavor that you can put on top of the rice is so good that I want to have it as my phone wallpaper. By 11:30, there was a line outside the restaurant. Thank you for the meal.

I visited on a Tuesday at 11am to avoid the long lines, but still had to wait for about 10 minutes! This place is as popular as ever. I always go for the okonomi set because it has a good balance and I crave pork. It's 990 yen, and adding extra rice for 50 yen is a great deal. The prices have gone up a bit, but I still think it's worth it. I asked for two refills of the pickled vegetables and one refill of the miso soup. Every time I leave, I regret eating too much, but I know I'll feel the same way next time because the food is just that delicious. Definitely give it a try!

I first came to Hirao when I was a college student, about 30 years ago. I was brought here by a friend who was attending a university in Fukuoka. Even back then, I was amazed by the long line. It's incredible that after 30 years, that scene still remains. The freshly fried tempura is served by the staff one by one, and it's so delicious while still hot. The salted fish roe is also really tasty. Thanks to that, my pace of eating rice got messed up. By the time I got to the last tempura piece, I ran out of white rice... I am satisfied! Thank you for the meal!

I wanted to eat tempura, so I chose Hirao. It's a famous restaurant in Fukuoka, and although they were all crowded, I waited for about 30 minutes and got seated. I had freshly fried tempura one by one. I chose the Ajisai set meal with extra rice. The squid salted entrails were refillable, and I couldn't get enough rice. All the tempura dishes were delicious and satisfying, but the pumpkin was a bit hard.

I visited the restaurant around 11:30 on the weekend, and there was a short wait at the entrance, with customers waiting on the bench on the left side. After reading reviews, I decided to try Hirao's tempura for the first time in a while. However, it turned out to be tempura. There is a vending machine on the right side of the store, which I heard about. I chose the Ajisai set meal with shrimp and squid for myself and a smaller portion for my partner. We were able to wait on the bench inside this time. The bench is located towards the back left of the store, with one group sitting at a time, spaced out, and moving to the right as seats are filled. We had to wait for 20 minutes this time due to the number of people, but once called to our seats, the wait was not long. The tempura sauce and salted fish roe were brought out immediately after confirming our meal tickets. Rice and miso soup were served shortly after, and we couldn't resist starting with the salted fish roe and rice. The tempura was served one after another, starting with shrimp and white fish (this time it was Mebikari, which had a few bones). The shrimp was delicious and the tempura kept coming, with the rice disappearing quickly. By the time the bell pepper and squid were served, we had finished all the rice and were full. Thank you for the delicious meal.

There is always a long line at Hirao when I go for lunch. Today, I was able to go before the 11 o'clock opening on a weekday, but there were still about 20 people waiting outside. I managed to get in on the first round after they opened. The best part is the unlimited salted fish, but the shrimp wasn't that tasty. The miso soup was too thick. It was a bit different from my previous visit, but if I can avoid waiting too long, it's cheap and I would like to come back again.

This popular tempura restaurant is always crowded. Today, my son who came home for a visit joined us, making a family of four. There was a long line, but my daughter, who had just returned from work and was feeling hungry, managed to make it to the counter. The salted squid is refillable here, and the staff kindly poured more for us. The miso soup here is delicious as always. Of course, the tempura is also tasty. I have been to high-end tempura restaurants before, but there is something about the familiar taste here. However, ever since I noticed that the number of items in the tempura set was less than before, I have developed a habit of counting how many items I have eaten while enjoying my meal.笑笑

■Visit Date: July 1, 2022 ■Ordered Items: Toriten Teishoku (Medium) ■MEMO I had the Toriten Teishoku (Medium) which comes with the option to upgrade to a large size for an additional 50 yen. The set includes 4 pieces of toriten, 1 piece of sasami, and 3 types of vegetables (pumpkin, eggplant, green pepper), which is quite satisfying. The price range is reasonable. It also comes with the famous salted squid ovaries, which you can have refilled as much as you like. The tempura is freshly fried and served hot and crispy, making it delicious. The tempura goes perfectly with the dipping sauce and grated daikon radish. I thoroughly enjoyed indulging in the delicious tempura and had a very satisfying time. ■Blog: https://ay-style.net/

This is a restaurant I go to occasionally. I always order the "okonomi" set meal plus an additional side dish depending on my mood. The place is always crowded, so sometimes they forget to fry something, but considering the number of customers they serve, it's understandable.

Whenever we visit my wife's hometown of Fukuoka, we always come here. This time, we arrived on a weekday after 6:00 PM and were able to get in without waiting. (By 6:30 PM, there was already a line forming, so it's a popular place.) We ordered the tempura and umi seaweed. As usual, the tempura was packed with ingredients and the rice was delicious. (Although the eggplant was a bit thin this time.) They also offer refills of squid salted guts, so we left feeling very satisfied.

It's a normal day, so there aren't many people and we can enter quickly. They offer shrimp, blue fish, swordfish, squid, green peppers, pumpkin, eggplant, and Camembert cheese. The squid tempura is always so popular that it runs out quickly. They are taking thorough measures against COVID-19, and the staff, mostly older ladies, provide friendly service. The spacious interior is lively with the sound of frying and customer service, making it a great place for families with noisy children to enjoy their meal until the end. This tempura restaurant is truly a gem.