Question
I’m planning to visit Japan for the first time and would love to experience authentic Japanese cuisine. How do I ask the restaurant staff “What do you recommend?” in Japanese?
Japango Editor Team
おすすめは何（なん）ですか。
Osusume wa nan desuka?
What do you recommend?
This phrase is extremely useful when dining out in Japan. Osusume means “recommendation,” and nan desuka? means “what is?” So, you’re literally asking, “What is the recommendation?”
Use this phrase to discover popular or specialty items on the menu. To specify dishes, you can ask, for example, “このレストランのおすすめは何ですか?” (Kono resutoran no osusume wa nan desuka?), which means, “What do you recommend in this restaurant?” Remember, it’s always polite to thank the staff for their suggestions by saying “ありがとうございます” (Arigatou gozaimasu).
