A Japanese meal has a script, and staff will run through their half of it whether or not you follow. Knowing your six or seven lines turns eating out from stressful into easy.
Coloured text marks the part that matters: usually the word to swap for your own, sometimes the small word doing the work.
Walking in
Staff will greet you with いらっしゃいませ and then ask how many. Answer with a number.
二人です。
Futari desu.
Two people.
一人 hitori, 二人 futari, 三人 san-nin, 四人 yo-nin.
予約していません。
Yoyaku shite imasen.
I do not have a reservation.
どのくらい待ちますか。
Dono kurai machimasu ka.
How long is the wait?
禁煙席をお願いします。
Kin-en-seki o onegaishimasu.
A non-smoking seat, please.
Ordering
すみません、注文お願いします。
Sumimasen, chuumon onegaishimasu.
Excuse me, we would like to order.
In Japan you call the staff over. Waiting to be checked on can take a while.
これをください。
Kore o kudasai.
This one, please.
Pointing at the menu. The single most useful line in the restaurant.
おすすめは何ですか。
Osusume wa nan desu ka.
What do you recommend?
同じものをください。
Onaji mono o kudasai.
I will have the same.
以上です。
Ijou desu.
That is everything.
Signals the order is finished, otherwise the staff will keep waiting.
What is in it
Dietary restrictions are less common in Japan than in Europe, so be specific rather than general.
これは何ですか。
Kore wa nan desu ka.
What is this?
肉は入っていますか。
Niku wa haitte imasu ka.
Does it contain meat?
Swap 肉 for 卵 (egg), 乳製品 (dairy), ナッツ (nuts).
そばアレルギーがあります。
Soba arerugii ga arimasu.
I have a buckwheat allergy.
豚肉は食べられません。
Butaniku wa taberaremasen.
I cannot eat pork.
Stronger and clearer than saying you do not like it.
ベジタリアンです。
Bejitarian desu.
I am vegetarian.
Worth adding 魚も食べません, since fish stock is in a great deal of Japanese food.
During and after
お水をください。
Omizu o kudasai.
Water, please.
おいしいです。
Oishii desu.
It is delicious.
お会計お願いします。
Okaikei onegaishimasu.
The bill, please.
別々でお願いします。
Betsubetsu de onegaishimasu.
Separate bills, please.
ごちそうさまでした。
Gochisousama deshita.
Thank you for the meal.
Said on the way out. Always appreciated.
Worth knowing
いただきます and ごちそうさま
いただきます before the first bite, ごちそうさまでした when you finish or leave. Both are close to automatic, and skipping them is noticeable.
No tipping
There is no tipping in Japan, and leaving money can cause genuine confusion. In many places you pay at the register on your way out, not at the table.
You call the staff, they do not check on you
すみません across the room is normal and polite, not rude. Many places have a call button on the table instead.
One-line rule: Number of people on the way in, これをください to order, 以上です to close the order, お会計お願いします to pay, ごちそうさまでした on the way out.