Kotaro Matsuyama: Your 2026 Guide to Authentic Monjayaki

Kotaro Matsuyama: Your 2026 Guide to Authentic Monjayaki

By Supypy @sue__ryan

✅ Reservations are essential (especially for weekends, book at least a week in advance!)

✅ Minimum order of ~$3 per person is required.

✅ While Monjayaki is a must-try, we recommend adding other dishes like Yakisoba.

✅ Maximum dining time is 2 hours (last orders taken up to 1 hour and 30 minutes).

1. Kotaro Matsuyama: Location & How to Reserve

I was pleasantly surprised by the number of fantastic eateries in Matsuyama, and Kotaro, a specialty Monjayaki restaurant, definitely stands out!

You'll find Kotaro not far from the main road. The restaurant itself is quite small, but it's easy to spot once you're close.

Operating Hours: 5:00 PM - 12:00 AM

Cash/Card Payments Accepted

When I visited Matsuyama, I went directly to the restaurant right at its 5:00 PM opening time to make a reservation for later. However, if you prefer to book in advance, you can do so via their Instagram page linked below.

I highly recommend using a translation app when communicating. Simply provide your preferred date, name, and number of people to secure your spot. For weekend visits, it's a good idea to make your reservation about a week ahead of time.

鉄板diningKOTARO(@dining_kotaro) • Instagram Photos and Videoswww.instagram.com

2. Kotaro's Rules & Menu Highlights

When your reservation time arrives, you'll be seated shortly after a brief wait. Once inside, you'll be handed an instruction sheet in English, which immediately signaled to me that this spot is popular with international visitors!

Keep in mind there's a minimum order requirement of ~$3 per person. For a typical order, you might consider one drink and one food item per person.

You'll have a total of 2 hours for your dining experience, with last orders taken 1 hour and 30 minutes into your seating.

The prices here are quite reasonable. You can easily enjoy a meal starting from around ~$9. If each person orders one drink and one food item, expect to spend roughly ~$11-$15 per person.

I ordered two types of Monjayaki and a Yakisoba. Remember that Kotaro only has a couple of tables dedicated to Monjayaki, which is why securing a reservation, especially on weekends, can be challenging.

3. My Monjayaki Experience at Kotaro Matsuyama

Before the food arrived, I ordered a draft beer (Nama-biru) and a soft drink. It was a bit warm, and the restaurant is cozy, so a refreshing carbonated drink hit the spot perfectly!

After enjoying my drink for a bit, the Yakisoba arrived. Instead of being served in a bowl, it came on a piece of parchment paper and was placed directly onto the hot teppan grill in front of me.

The Yakisoba was delicious on its own! Serving it directly on the hot plate meant it stayed wonderfully warm throughout the meal, which was a huge plus.

And then, the star of the show: Monjayaki! One of the best parts of Monjayaki, in my opinion, is scraping up those crispy, slightly burnt bits that stick to the griddle at the end. It's a texture and flavor sensation you won't want to miss!

The chef prepared my Monjayaki with generous amounts of mentaiko (spicy cod roe) and cheese, which are fantastic base ingredients. Just looking at the photos makes me crave it all over again!

Monjayaki is wonderfully soft and can be enjoyed with a variety of ingredients, offering diverse flavors from a single cooking method. While Matsuyama is also famous for its sea bream dishes, I highly recommend visiting Kotaro for an authentic Monjayaki experience during your trip!

Recommended Sea Bream Rice Restaurant

Matsuyama Travel: Akiyoshi Sea Bream Rice Restaurant Review & Pricesm.blog.naver.com

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Supypy (@sue__ryan) • Instagram Photos and Videoswww.instagram.com