The other day, after work until noon, I wandered around in my car as usual and happened to pass by the Hirao Tempura restaurant. There weren't many customers, so I quickly decided to go in. It had been almost three years since my last visit to "Hirao" for tempura. I had noticed during my visit three years ago that, for infection control reasons, the famous salted squid was no longer placed on the table but instead served in a dish by the staff. However, since June this year, they had limited the serving of one dish per person when ordering a set meal. This was due to the worldwide squid shortage. For someone like me who loves the salted squid and visits "Hirao," it was quite a tough reality. This time, I ordered the tempura set meal (rice bowl, 890 yen including tax). It included various tempura items such as small fish, white fish, blue fish, squid, and three types of vegetables (pumpkin, eggplant, green pepper), all freshly fried. It also came with rice, miso soup, and a small dish of salted squid. Even though only one small dish of salted squid was served, I savored it carefully with the rice. The taste was as exquisite as always, perfectly seasoned with salt, making it seem like you could eat as much as you want. However, I'll have to wait a while before I can enjoy it freely again. The tempura was fried crisply, sealing in the flavor and moisture of the ingredients, maintaining the high standard that "Hirao" is known for. Once again, I look forward to the day when I can eat plenty of salted squid without any worries.

It was 1:30 PM when I happened to pass by and saw an empty parking space! No waiting customers either! The restaurant inside also seemed empty, so I made a U-turn and decided to go in. During work hours, I can't wait for lunch... I mean, I can't eat if I have to wait. Hiraosan always seems to have long lines at lunchtime, so I rarely get to go. After buying my meal ticket, I entered the restaurant with doubts about whether I really didn't have to wait in line, but it was indeed empty (laughs). I'm so glad I didn't have to wait in line. I ordered the Ajisai set meal for 890 yen. The salted fish roe is limited to one plate per person. Even if you pay, you can't get seconds. All-you-can-eat feels nostalgic. I'll savor the tempura before the next dish arrives. Starting with the shrimp! Then came the flaky white fish, juicy chicken thigh, sweet pumpkin, squid, and bell pepper, all freshly fried one after another. The batter was firmer than I expected, more crispy than crunchy! Just when I thought I was almost done eating, the eggplant arrived! I forgot about the eggplant (^_^;) I slowly enjoyed the miso soup and finished my meal. Hot tempura is really delicious, isn't it? Thank you for the meal!

The set meal is 990 yen and the taste is undeniably good, but the preparation at the airport front is overwhelmingly fantastic, making it relatively not as good. However, compared to other dining establishments, it is sufficient. Even though it may appear empty at first glance, beware of the trap of a hidden queue inside the store.

In Fukuoka, there is a famous restaurant called "Tempura Hirao." I always avoided it because of the long lines, but for some reason, there was no line today! I bought various items from the ticket machine, starting with beer. I ordered kiss fish, conger eel, shrimp, mentaiko (spicy cod roe), shimeji mushrooms, mozzarella cheese, and wood ear mushrooms. The tempura was freshly fried, with a thin crispy coating and a moist interior. The beer was ice-cold, making it a perfect lunch. It's a bit sad that they no longer offer squid salted guts as an additional option.

I had a business trip to Fukuoka for the first time in a month. I had to go to Kokura in Kitakyushu City from the airport for work, and when I went to the main store of Hirao, I was surprised to see a long line! I quickly searched for a nearby Hirao and managed to enter after waiting a bit around 12:40 pm. The freshly fried tempura is always the best no matter when you eat it! However, I noticed that the pickled vegetables were not all-you-can-eat, but limited to one plate.

I ordered the "Okonomi Teishoku" for 990 yen, which included tempura with white fish, shrimp, pork, eggplant, pumpkin, green pepper, and squid, along with squid salted innards, miso soup, and rice. I arrived about 10 minutes past the opening time of 11 o'clock and there were already about 20 people waiting. The tempura was served hot and delicious. Personally, I think the "Agetate Tempura Teishoku Maki no" from Toridoll Holdings (Marugame Seimen, etc.) with its thin and tasty batter is better.

I entered the restaurant around 3pm on a regular day. The place was packed, with all the seats taken and even the waiting area full. It took about 45 minutes before I could finally start my meal. I started with some delicious free squid salted guts and miso soup, which went perfectly with the rice! Then, they served the freshly fried tempura one by one, and each piece was so tasty and crispy. This tempura restaurant always leaves me feeling satisfied whenever I visit. The parking lot is spacious, which is very convenient.

I waited for about 30 minutes after shifting the time a bit. The dishes were served as they were ready. The shrimp was thick and firm. The rice was also very delicious. The prices were cheap and the food was extremely tasty. I would like to visit again.

I had the Ebi-Ten set meal. They served freshly fried tempura one after another in a basket. I was so focused on eating that I only took one photo. The Ebi-Ten (shrimp tempura) x4 was excellent. The Nasu-Ten (eggplant tempura) was good. The Piman-Ten (green pepper tempura) was very thick and tasty. I also added Kisu-Ten (sillago fish tempura) and Hotate-Kaihashi-Ten (scallop tempura). The free service of squid salted guts was just okay. The restaurant opens at 11:00 AM, and when I arrived around 11:30, there were about 30 people waiting in line. I barely made it in for the second round of serving, but the wait for the next round would likely be longer, possibly up to the fourth round.

2023.03.02 (Thursday) 18:50 First visit I went to dinner with two of my subordinates on a whim, and decided to visit Hiraosan, the closest restaurant to my workplace for the first time. Surprisingly, about half of the seats were empty! This is the first time I've experienced this. I had the shrimp set meal (1,040 yen), and as expected, Hiraosan's Black Tiger shrimp was delicious! One of my subordinates had never been to Hiraosan before, so I brought them along and they were very happy. While dining, the restaurant was full for a moment, but compared to other Hiraosan locations, this one may be the one where you don't have to wait as long! On March 6th (Monday), I revisited for lunch with a guest, and this time we waited for about 15 minutes.

Vegetable tempura set meal (small portion) for 760 yen. The yuzu-flavored salted fish roe is as delicious as always. The tempura includes green beans, pumpkin, onion, eggplant, shiitake mushrooms, bell pepper, and one more... Oh yes, onion, eggplant, bell pepper, and pumpkin seem to be always included. Each piece of tempura is served hot and crispy, making it delicious. It can get crowded during peak times, but if you avoid those times, you can get in without waiting. It's cheap, fast, and tasty, so I will definitely use it for lunch again!

"Fukuoka's popular casual tempura chain, Tempura-dokoro Hiraoka, has been gaining attention not only locally but also nationwide. The main store in front of the airport is now extremely crowded. However, if you consider the location and time, there are still opportunities to enjoy their tempura without much hassle. So, after lunchtime has passed in the Hakozaki area, and with no other options for food besides udon or ramen, I decided to visit Tempura-dokoro Hiraoka Harada store. Located off the main road in a less conspicuous area, this branch is usually less crowded. I ordered the "Ajiwai set meal" priced at 890 yen. It includes tempura of shrimp, chicken thigh, white fish, vegetables, and squid, along with miso soup and rice. The familiar salted squid (yuzu-flavored) dish is now served in a small plate due to COVID-19 measures, which is a bit disappointing. Nevertheless, the taste remains excellent. I enjoyed the crispy tempura, starting with the vegetables, chicken, and seafood, leaving the juicy shrimp for last. The freshly fried tempura was delicious, and the rice went well with it. While the taste may not differ much from other chain stores, there was a nostalgic feeling of the bustling atmosphere of the main store. Thank you for the meal."

I had dinner here. It was Saturday, 18:30, so I thought it would be full, but there was no wait and we were seated right away. By 19:00, there were over 10 groups waiting. I had the Chicken Tempura Set for ¥840 (4 pieces of chicken thigh, 1 piece of chicken breast, 3 types of vegetables - pumpkin, eggplant, bell pepper) with a large serving of rice for an additional ¥50. Vegetable tempura was ¥100 each (shiitake mushroom, oyster mushroom). All-you-can-eat squid salted guts.

I had some business to attend to at Harada, so I decided to stop by HiraO for dinner around 4 pm. Even at 4 o'clock, there were a lot of people. It's a popular restaurant. The popular salted fish guts are now served on individual plates. The parking lot is spacious, and I would like to visit again. It operates on a ticket system.

When I went to Fukuoka, I looked forward to enjoying the famous "Tempura Hirao" where you can eat cheap and freshly fried tempura. Lately, similar shops have been popping up in the Kanto region, and they are quite good too. However, I still have high expectations for the original "Hirao." Unfortunately, this time was a bit disappointing. I ordered the "Tempura Set" (840 yen) and my wife ordered the "Chicken Tempura Set" (840 yen). The chicken tempura was juicy and delicious, but the fish tempura had a slightly fishy smell. I added some mushrooms, but they were fried too much and tasted too burnt. Even the tempura dipping sauce seemed a bit too strong. The squid salted guts, which are a specialty here, were also a bit underwhelming. There are similar shops here that are like "Hirao," so you can enjoy them without having to go to Fukuoka. I want to believe that this was just a one-time thing and that my good impression of "Hirao" remains.

The tempura was very delicious! It was crispy and fresh, and dipping it in the sauce gave it a slightly sweet taste which was really tasty. The batter wasn't too thick. It had a different kind of deliciousness compared to high-end tempura restaurants! The sauce itself wasn't particularly sweet. The spicy cod roe seems to be very popular. It had yuzu peel in it which added a refreshing touch.

I had lunch! The tempura is freshly fried and crispy, so it's the best! The homemade "salted squid guts" is also delicious, and you can have seconds, so be careful not to run out of rice before the tempura arrives. Toriten set meal ¥840 Extra rice +¥50 2022 7/1 11:45

I went back home after a long time and first visited this restaurant. I arrived at 4:50 PM so I was able to sit right away, but there was a line when I left. Truly a popular place. I ordered the popular set meal and added scallops. They fry it right in front of you, so be careful not to burn your mouth. The bell peppers, pork, and other items are large. The shrimp is also plump and delicious. Especially tasty is the free squid salted guts. It's a really satisfying restaurant. Thank you for the meal.

Visited a company with a colleague on a one-night, two-day business trip to Fukuoka on the first day. Due to the spread prevention, I haven't been able to come to Hakata for a long time, so I chose Hira for lunch at 11:30. The restaurant was already full, which was impressive. I ordered the colorful set meal with extra rice at the ticket machine at the entrance. I sat on the chairs along the wall and waited. The speed of turnover was amazing, with about 20 people waiting, but we were seated in no time. My colleague was a first-timer, so I explained the system. The acrylic dividers for COVID-19 prevention may be safe, but it reduces the excitement compared to before. In the past, there were squid salt karaage and daily side dishes on the table for all-you-can-eat, and there were various options like matcha salt for tempura or curry salt. I used to enjoy trying different variations while chatting, so it's a bit disappointing now, but it can't be helped. Currently, if you ask the staff, you can get salt for the grated daikon radish and tempura dipping sauce. When you tell the staff about wanting more squid salt karaage, they bring it to you in a small dish. They still bring freshly fried items to your table in small dishes, and the unique taste of tempura and salt remains unchanged. The delicious tempura flakes made in the restaurant are free, and they can magically enhance the flavor of home-cooked meals like miso soup or udon.

On this day, I was taken here by an acquaintance. I didn't know much about it, but I heard that Hirao-san is a famous tempura restaurant in Hakata. Hirao-san is also said to be visited by Hakata Daimaru Daikichi-san on TV. Depending on the time, you may have to wait in line for quite a while. This time, we visited before lunch, but it was already full. It's very popular. The menu ranged from vegetable set meals to shrimp set meals, with a total of eight options. Based on the recommendation of my acquaintance, I chose the "Okonomi set meal". When we were seated, squid salted innards were served along with rice. I heard that the squid salted innards are all-you-can-eat. It's a sweet salted innards with a base of squid, similar to pickled fish roe, with a hint of yuzu fragrance. Just the salted innards and rice alone make you want to eat a lot, but since rice refills are charged, I saved some rice and got more salted innards. Tempura such as shrimp and squid, freshly fried, kept coming one after another. Freshly fried tempura is delicious. The closing dish was what seemed to be green pepper tempura, and that was the end. It was surprising to have tempura at a long open counter like a ramen shop. Thank you for the meal.

Today I was in the mood for tempura, so I went and had some! I ordered the colorful tempura set (940 yen), which was a bit smaller than at other stores. The squid with salted innards comes in a small dish. Of course, you can ask for seconds! I just can't quit this soul food!!