I went to a happy hour with a friend for a late lunch and early dinner. We arrived before 5pm, so we ordered a tempura set meal and some tempura skewers and side dishes. The tempura set meal comes with a choice of classic, fish skewers, or meat skewers, along with xiaolongbao, rice, and miso soup (around 1200 yen, great value). Drinks were at happy hour prices until 7pm. The tempura was crispy, and we also enjoyed xiaolongbao and soy sauce-marinated cream cheese. The restaurant had a mix of table and counter seating, and it was quite busy. The turnover was good, and unlike another popular tempura restaurant where it's all about the meal, here you can enjoy a variety of options at a leisurely pace. The location on the 2nd basement floor of Solaia Stage is convenient and easy to get to.

On Saturday afternoon, located right by the entrance to the underground of Solaria Stage, with an easy-to-enter atmosphere. The most popular menu items are the grilled xiaolongbao and tempura set meal, along with ordering a pomegranate sour during happy hour. Orders are placed using a tablet for a contactless experience. Unlimited rice refills may be good for those who eat a lot.

I decided to have a unique lunch in the bustling area of Tenjin in Fukuoka, where I visit a few times a year. I searched for a restaurant in the underground mall and found a place that offers a rare combination of tempura and grilled xiaolongbao for lunch. The restaurant serves a set called "Variety Set" (¥1,200) which includes 1 meat, 2 fish, 2 vegetables, and 3 grilled xiaolongbao. The tempura is served on skewers, which is also unusual. The tempura includes chicken, shrimp, horse mackerel, eggplant, and pumpkin. The shrimp tempura was surprisingly large, giving a good value for money. It's been a while since I've had grilled xiaolongbao, usually only eating them in Yokohama's Chinatown. You have to be careful not to burn yourself when eating them, but I enjoyed the flavorful soup with pork essence. Besides the "Variety Set," you can also order the specialty Grilled Xiaolongbao Set. I wonder if you eat the grilled xiaolongbao with rice as a side dish? While Fukuoka is known for its famous tempura restaurants, I discovered a new restaurant that offers a unique combination of tempura and grilled xiaolongbao!

I visited the restaurant alone around 1:30 PM on a weekday. I was seated at the counter and placed my order using a tablet. I ordered the black mapo tofu set meal for 850 yen with extra rice (free) and a side of lotus root tempura for 120 yen. The food was served about 5 minutes after ordering. The black mapo tofu had a delicious sesame flavor and the portion was just right for a man in his 60s. It might be a bit much for a woman. The location, portion size, quality, and price were all great. I will definitely visit again. The lotus root tempura was served by a young female staff member across the counter. When I picked it up with the skewer, it was extremely hot and I accidentally dropped it, exclaiming how hot it was. The female staff member behind the counter laughed. While I think there may be an issue with the frying skill, I felt a bit disappointed after finishing the set meal. If I ever crave black mapo tofu, I may visit again.

On June 20, 2023 (Tuesday), Ciel and the other four were at a restaurant in Tenjin. They enjoyed the delicious food and the stylish underground shopping area. They had a great time enjoying the happy hour drinks and the affordable food. The fried skewers and grilled dumplings were especially tasty. They were pleasantly surprised by the quality and atmosphere of the place. Overall, they had a great experience and were looking forward to exploring more of the local food culture in Fukuoka.

Head to "Maruni" on the Solaria Stage. I was curious about the lunch set at this restaurant. By the way, lunch only is possible. - Assorted 5 skewer tempura - Creative tempura: Wagyu steak tempura, half-boiled egg tempura, mochi cheese mentaiko tempura - Grilled xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) for one person - Fruit sour cocktail Skewer tempura with two types of meat: chicken breast, shrimp, sea bream, and two types of vegetables. You can also go for the assorted option. They are bite-sized and easy to eat. The Wagyu steak tempura and mochi cheese mentaiko tempura from the creative tempura were especially delicious and recommended. The colorful and cute seasonal fruit sour cocktail. I went on a Friday night and it was crowded, so making a reservation might be a good idea! Thank you for the delicious meal!

During the Golden Week holiday, on the third stop for lunch. Moved from Beer Kitchen to Tenjin, which is only about 10 minutes away. Actually, I had drinks at Ni no Ni with another colleague from the same workplace yesterday... and when I mentioned that, they said, "I want to go to Ni no Ni!" As we headed there, we found it was full with a waitlist of 3 people... disappointing (but secretly relieved). While wandering around a bit, I noticed this sign. Happy Hour from 11:00 to 19:00, Suntory draft beer for 270 yen - probably the cheapest in the facility! Limited to certain days, a platter of assorted tempura skewers for 340 yen (half the regular price). Alright, let's go for this! We entered immediately. The interior mainly has counter seats, but since there were two of us, we sat at a table. There was a touch panel on the table for ordering. We ordered draft beer and then freshly fried skewers, hot and crispy, 5 pieces in total. Two types of vegetables, smelt, shrimp, and chicken. Two types of condiments were also provided. Unexpectedly, we enjoyed a high cost-performance meal.

I visited a tempura restaurant that feels like an izakaya where you can drink during the day. I thought the lunch menu would be good, so I chose the most reasonable option, the classic tempura bowl with extra rice for 800 yen. It came with shrimp, smelt, pork, chicken, and 3 types of vegetables, making it a generous portion. It also came with miso soup, cold tofu, and pickles. The reasonably priced freshly fried tempura was delicious.

It's a lunchtime visit. We watched the WBC in the morning and had a few beers at home, so our stomachs were feeling a bit off. We chose this place where we could have a light drink. The beer was 280 yen per glass during happy hour, but the glass was small. The tempura was also on the smaller side. It's more geared towards women. If you're looking for a hearty meal, it might be a bit lacking, but it was just right for us today. Thank you for the meal! (^^)

In March 2023, I visited "Shokudo Maruni" located on the 2nd floor underground of Solaria Stage in the heart of Tenjin, Hakata. I went there for Sunday lunch and ordered some light snacks. - Assorted Meat Skewers Tempura for ¥880, which included quail, eggplant, and pumpkin. - Happy Hour draft beer for ¥270, it was cheap but the glass seemed a bit small. - Grilled Xiao Long Bao with leek and bonito flakes sauce for ¥300, it was delicious and I could eat more. Subtotal ¥1595, Discount ¥5, Total ¥1590. Thank you for the meal.

I was lured in by the happy hour and decided to enter the restaurant. The beer mug was small (around 280 yen?). I didn't really feel like it was a great deal. I ordered the Friday-only tempura assortment. It was hot, but the pieces were quite small. I also ordered xiaolongbao using the touch panel. It arrived after a few minutes, but it was just average, not piping hot. There was no overflowing meat juice. There were about 4-5 staff members, which seemed like more than the number of customers in the restaurant. Overall, it was a bit disappointing.

This is a restaurant located on the B2 floor of Solaria Stage, serving skewers and tempura as well as grilled dumplings. I had lunch here on this day. The restaurant offers a unique dining experience where you can enjoy your meal while watching the skewers being fried in the kitchen. Orders are placed using touch panels for a contactless ordering experience. I decided to try the popular skewer tempura set for lunch, which cost 1080 yen. The set included skewers of eggplant, pork belly, shrimp, pumpkin, shiitake mushroom, and chicken breast. The tempura was crispy and bite-sized, making it easy to eat. You could enjoy the tempura with either Kyushu soy sauce-based sauce, light soy sauce-based sauce, or various salts available on the table. The set also came with miso soup and a side of rice with tea for making ochazuke. You could also get a refill of rice, so I had a second bowl as ochazuke. The restaurant is located on the B2 floor of Solaria Stage. Restaurant Name: Dining Maruni Address: 2-11-3 Tenjin, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City Phone: 092-753-9320 Business Hours: 11:00-23:00 (Last Order 22:00) Closed: No regular holidays (Please note that prices, business hours, and holidays are subject to change, so please check with the restaurant before visiting.)

(2022.12.27) This year, San Route Co., Ltd. celebrated its 10th anniversary. It is a relatively young and energetic company based in Kitakyushu, Kokura, with around 10 stores. In January of this year, they opened their first store in Fukuoka City, "Shokudo Maruni," at Tenjin Solaria Stage. I am curious about their future expansion and was drawn to their unique new concept focusing on kushiage and yakitori dumplings. The open restaurant on the 2nd basement floor of Solaria Stage has a warm curtain separating it from the passage, with a horseshoe-shaped counter seating 16 and 8 tables seating 16. The atmosphere gives the impression of a traditional Japanese bar. They also serve lunch with a full menu, offering kushiage set meals, tendon, and yakitori dumplings. I decided to try the most affordable option, the "Maruni Tendon," and ordered 3 pieces of yakitori dumplings. The tendon bowl came with 7 types of tempura, including shrimp, fish, pork, chicken, eggplant, pumpkin, and okra. Despite being fried in a copper pot instead of an automatic fryer, the tempura had a crispy texture and the rice was cooked slightly firm, allowing it to absorb the sauce without becoming soggy. It showed the dedication expected from one of the two main kushiage dishes. As for the other signature dish, the yakitori dumplings had a chewy skin texture, and while the soup inside was flavorful, it did not spill out when bitten into. However, it did not stand out significantly from others I have tried, so I cannot give it a top rating. The woman in charge of frying in front of the copper pot may be the manager, as she showed a serious attitude towards the oil and a careful consideration for her surroundings. She worked efficiently without wasting any time, even continuing with preparation tasks when the frying was done. Her dedication and attention to detail were impressive.

End of the month on a Monday. Let's have a light drink on the way home. (￣▽￣) Every Monday at Soria Stage, they hold the "Senpai Set". It stands for "Cheers for 1,000 yen", where you can get a set of alcohol and snacks for 1,000 yen including tax. Now, which shop to go to today... I found a super great deal. "Shokudo Maruni" has a happy hour until 7:00 PM where draft beer is half price. And you can also enjoy the "5-piece tempura skewers + 2 grilled xiaolongbao + choice of 1 drink" Senpai Set! Decision made. (laughs) I have been here for lunch before, but it's my first visit in the evening. Since I'm alone, I was guided to a counter seat facing the kitchen as soon as I entered the restaurant. The ordering is done through a touch panel, but I couldn't find the button for the Senpai Set limited to Mondays... I asked the staff, and they said, "I will input it here for you." I started with the happy hour draft beer and decided to order the drink for the Senpai Set later. The draft beer was a Malt's draft. It's not a large jug, but at 190 yen per glass, it's a great deal. I sipped on the beer while deciding on the drink for the Senpai Set... To my surprise, they had Suikei (junmai ginjo) in the sake section. I asked, "Can I order this too?" and they replied, "It's okay for 1 go." Yes, please! I carefully enjoyed the grilled xiaolongbao to prevent the soup from spilling as I paired it with the draft beer. I had tempura skewers of shrimp and mackerel with Suikei. I also had another glass of draft beer as a chaser. By the time my stomach was quite full, I asked for the bill. It came to 1,410 yen, which was a super deal. (laughs) It was delicious. Thank you for the meal.

I was looking for lunch at Tenjin's Solaria Stage and came across a newly opened restaurant called "Shokudo Maruni". They mainly serve skewered tempura and grilled soup dumplings. Orders are placed using a tablet. I started with a draft beer and a mixed tempura platter. By sharing on Instagram (story posting), I received 2 grilled soup dumplings as a bonus. The tempura pieces were small so you can order a variety. The grilled soup dumplings were delicious but be careful as the soup inside is hot and can spill out. I added corn, lotus root, squid, and onion to my tempura. You can customize your order with freshly made items right in front of you. I also added a lemon sour to drink, which was tasty. It was a great meal.

I visited this place because I was feeling a bit hungry and craving xiaolongbao. Ordering through the touch panel was convenient, as I only needed to focus on that. It's nice to have a place where you can just grab a quick bite to eat without it being a full meal or a cafe menu. Although I didn't try it this time, they also had various skewer options on the menu, making it a good choice for a light snack.

I tried the Senpai project being held at Solaria Stage, and today I came to Maruni for the first time. I've been here for lunch once, but it's my first time at night. The Senpai package here includes one drink, xiaolongbao, and 5 skewered tempura. Cold corn soup is served as an appetizer, and it disappears in one bite. Are they really charging 330 yen for this? I wanted them to serve proper dishes. I received the grilled xiaolongbao and tempura, quickly finished eating, and left within 30 minutes. In the end, I ended up paying 1330 yen, which is not worth it.

I went for a lunch drink aiming for the Monday "senbero" set. I think it was just over 1,000 yen for one drink (anything is fine), 5 pieces of tempura, and grilled xiaolongbao. I chose an expensive sparkling wine. The tempura was delicious, but they didn't explain anything about it. I had to choose the salt by myself, like plum or matcha salt, besides the dipping sauce. There were two types of dipping sauce, but it was hard to tell the difference between the spicy and regular one.

First visit to this tempura restaurant in Solaria that I've been curious about. It's always crowded, so I couldn't get in, but today I came at a different time and there were seats available. Orders are placed through a touch panel here as well. It happened to be Happy Hour, so beer was only 190 yen! I ordered the classic assorted vegetable tempura skewers. I also added a few more skewers haha. I also got some potato salad and gyoza from the additional menu, all in small portions suitable for women. The prices are reasonable. Perfect for a casual drink. It seems like there are a lot of women here. You can sit at the counter comfortably even if you're alone. Happy Hour is definitely worth aiming for! Thank you for the meal (^^)

It's been a while since I visited Solaria, a place that recently opened. While lunch kushikatsu is common, kushi tempura is quite rare, right? Curiosity got the best of me, so it was my first visit here. I ordered using the tablet on the table, and although there were many menu options, I decided to go with the popular set meal. Lunch is available until 5 pm, which is convenient. I chose the Maruni Kushi Tempura Set (1408 yen), which comes with tempura and grilled xiaolongbao. There are various salts on the table, making it enjoyable. After a short wait, the food was brought to me. Instead of the typical Hakata tempura style of one piece at a time, everything was plated on a dish. The tempura looked Instagram-worthy, and many tables were having a photo shoot. The tempura had a thin crispy coating, but since it's on a skewer, it can be a bit oily to eat with chopsticks. Maybe it's more of a snack to enjoy with alcohol rather than a meal. The grilled xiaolongbao had a small amount of soup but was fragrant and quite delicious. The rice portion was normal, but it might be too much for women. Finally, I poured the dashi broth over the rice. I was already full. As I was finishing my meal, a number tag was placed on the table for payment, which I took to the takeout counter outside. The colorful Inari sushi looked delicious. I'll come back next time to get takeout. Thank you for the meal!