Japanese You Keep Seeing: メニューの「おすすめ」は何をおすすめしている？｜Japanese Grammar (N5–N3)

(Joy pointing at a handwritten Izakaya menu asking about “Honjitsu no Osusume”, with Ken gesturing excitedly, Raya pouring tea, and an orange cat in a headband looking at sashimi)

Welcome to “Japanese You Keep Seeing”!

We previously learned that asking for an “Osusume” (Recommendation) is a great way to navigate a shop. But what about when you sit down at a restaurant or Izakaya, and the menu itself has a big おすすめ (Osusume) section? Is it just the most expensive item? Or the chef’s favorite? Today, we decode the secrets of the Japanese restaurant menu!

🗣 Conversation Scene

Joy, Ken, and Raya are having dinner at a lively Izakaya. They have the thick, standard menu book, but Joy notices a separate piece of paper on the table that looks like it was handwritten just today.

Joy

Line 1: 本日のおすすめ Line 2: Honjitsu no osusume Line 3: (Today’s recommendation)

Kenさん、この手書きのメニューは何ですか？「本日のおすすめ」って書いてあります。(Ken-san, what is this handwritten menu? It says “Honjitsu no osusume”.)

Ken

それは今日市場で仕入れた、一番新鮮な食材のメニューですよ！絶対に美味しいです。(That’s the menu featuring the freshest ingredients bought at the market today! It’s guaranteed to be delicious.)

Raya

Let’s definitely order from the handwritten menu then! I want the seasonal sashimi.

💡 Explanation: The Secrets of the Menu

In Western restaurants, a “Special” sometimes means the chef is trying to get rid of ingredients before they go bad. But in Japan, “Osusume” is the exact opposite! It is a badge of absolute quality.

1. Honjitsu no Osusume (本日のおすすめ) 🐟

This translates to “Today’s Recommendation.” When you see this (especially if it is handwritten on a separate piece of paper), it means the chef went to the market that morning and bought whatever fish or vegetables looked the absolute best. Because nature changes daily, the menu changes daily. This is where you find the highest quality food in the restaurant!

2. Kanban Menu (看板メニュー) 🏆

Sometimes a restaurant’s “Osusume” is their 看板メニュー (Kanban menu – Signboard menu). This is their signature dish. It is the recipe they have perfected, the dish they are most famous for, and the one they are most confident you will love. If it’s your first time at a restaurant, ordering their Kanban Osusume is the safest and best choice.

3. The Concept of “Shun” (旬) 🌸🍁

Japanese cuisine relies heavily on 旬 (Shun)—the concept that every ingredient has a specific time of year when it is perfectly ripe and flavorful. “Osusume” items are almost always Shun ingredients. Ordering the Osusume is the best way to experience the current season through food.

💎 Pro Tip: The Grand Menu vs. Osusume

Most Japanese restaurants have a グランドメニュー (Gurando Menyu – Grand Menu), which is the big, heavy book of items they serve all year round. The Osusume is usually on a separate, single sheet of paper. Always check the separate sheet first!

🔥 Practice Quiz

Q1. You sit down at an Izakaya and find a handwritten piece of paper that says “Honjitsu no Osusume.” What is this? A. Leftover ingredients they need to sell quickly. B. The freshest, best seasonal ingredients bought from the market that morning.

Answer: B Unlike Western “specials” which sometimes clear out inventory, a Japanese “Today’s Osusume” features the absolute freshest seasonal items.

Q2. What does “Kanban menu” mean when referring to a restaurant’s Osusume? A. Their signature dish / specialty. B. Food you eat outside next to the sign.

Answer: A (Signature dish) “Kanban” means signboard. It means this dish is the face of the restaurant!

Q3. What is the Japanese word for the concept of eating ingredients at their absolute peak season? A. Shun (旬) B. Osusume (おすすめ)

Answer: A (Shun) “Shun” refers to the specific season when a fish, vegetable, or fruit is most delicious. Osusume menus are built entirely around “Shun”!

Ready to master the Ko-So-A-Do system?

Want to dive deeper? Check out our official Beginner’s Grammar Book for more examples, detailed explanations, and practice exercises to perfect your Japanese pointing skills!