Gonpachi

Some diners come to Gonpachi for its sardine sashimi, and the izakaya is well suited to an evening of drinks and small plates of fish. One customer also singled out the sea squirt and yakitori as favourites, alongside the sardine sashimi. Other menu possibilities include aji namero, a roughly chopped and seasoned horse mackerel dish, shime-saba and bonito sashimi. There is a choice between starting with sashimi or ordering namero as a snack with drinks. One diner reported enjoying aji namero with beer; a bottle of beer and a few small plates could make an easy start to the meal.

For grilled dishes, options include yakitori, salt-grilled sardines and grilled hokke. One customer says they order kubitsuru, a yakitori cut, every time—a choice for adding something different from the fish sashimi. Customers have mentioned enjoying both beer and Japanese sake, and the menu includes a two-go serving of hot sake. Black Dragon (Kokuryu) sake has also drawn praise, making it worth considering a glass alongside the fish or yakitori.

Yakisoba and grilled rice balls have also left a positive impression, according to diners looking for a more substantial finish. You can add a staple dish after sharing a few sashimi and grilled plates, and build the meal at your own pace. One customer mentions photographs of manga artists displayed inside the Nakai restaurant; its unpretentious, old-fashioned atmosphere is also part of the impression the place makes.