How to say “What do you recommend from the menu?” in Japanese (osusume)

Answer by Professional Japanese Teacher
おすすめの料理りょうりは何なんですか。
Osusume no ryouri wa nan desu ka?
What do you recommend from the menu?

This is a handy question to ask if you’re unsure what to order at a Japanese restaurant and want to try something popular or typical. Osusume means “recommendation,” ryouri means “dish” or “cuisine,” and nan desu ka is “what is?”

If you just want to know what’s good here, you can drop the dish word and keep it shorter:

おすすめは何なんですか。
Osusume wa nan desu ka?
What do you recommend?

The word ryouri is really a swap-in slot: put any noun in its place and the same sentence still works. Ask osusume no wain for a wine recommendation, or osusume no dezaato for a dessert, and the staff will steer you toward the best choice.