Etouke

Restaurant Details

You could walk past Etouke’s wood-slat exterior several times in the residential area of downtown Fukuoka and not realize it’s a big-ticket restaurant with a formidable spread of Japanese cuisine. Make no mistake: Etouke’s freshly prepared medley of seafood is some of the city’s best-loved. Trained since the age of 16 at renowned seafood establishments, the owner ventured independently at 28 years old and spared no expense for Etouke.

The restaurant welcomes guests along an atmospheric stone path leading to its noren-draped entrance. Inside, the stunning all-wood furnishings, crafted by skilled shrine carpenters (miyadaiku), adhere to the owner's strict insistence on no concrete. Two features immediately capture attention: a smooth, single-plank ginkgo counter lined with custom-made chairs from Hoshino Mingei, signaling luxury and becoming a hallmark of the opulent space, and a larger-than-life fish tank housing colossal long-tooth groupers, or “kue."

Also known as “ara” in the Kyushu region, these premium groupers inhabit the rocky coastal areas of southern Japan and the South China Sea, growing over a meter in length. Despite their rough appearance, they are considered one of the most prized, high-class fish, with fatty white meat comparable to tuna and a delicate flavor that makes them ideal for hotpot and shabu-shabu. Sourcing from trusted fishermen, the chef insists on groupers weighing over 20 kilograms and line-caught to preserve quality, rejecting those harvested with electric reels. They are kept alive in the tank for diners to admire until they are ready to be taken out for preparation.

Beyond kue, all ingredients are fresh, seasonal and absolutely delicious. The squid sashimi is prepared live, so pristine that the meat remains exquisitely translucent. Other ingredients, sourced from Kyushu or obtained through daily visits to Nagahama Market, are crafted into hotpots and grilled items. For adventurous epicureans, Etouke also offers one of the deadliest fish on earth: the pufferfish, or fugu, served as sashimi with ponzu or gently cooked in shabu shabu broth.

Service is warm and attentive, with kimono-clad hostesses — and sometimes the chef himself — bidding guests farewell.

Etouke Remarks

• Guests with dietary restrictions and/or food allergies should inform the restaurant beforehand. The restaurant might not be able to accommodate guests who make same-day requests.

• The restaurant reserves the right to refuse reservations to guests who have excessive dietary restrictions, particularly those of fish or vegetables.

• The course menu content listed below is an example, and is subject to change based on seasonal availability.

Etouke Business Days

Etouke Address

2-4-30 Omiya, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka, 810-0013

Etouke Access Info

• Etouke is a 6-minute walk from Nishitetsu Hirao Station.

Etouke Phone Number

Etouke Cancellation Policy

Cancel your reservation at least 2 days before the dining start time to receive a full refund minus a 3.2% transaction fee.