SAMA Sapporo Odori Review 2026: Unlocking Hokkaido's Best Soup Curry

During my recent trip to Sapporo, I discovered a true culinary gem:

SAMA Sapporo Odori, a fantastic soup curry restaurant!

1. What is Sapporo Soup Curry?

​

Soup Curry is a unique, aromatic spice dish

that originated right here in Sapporo, Hokkaido.

Unlike the thicker, more common Japanese curries,

its signature is a thin, flavorful, and broth-like consistency.

​

Sapporo boasts many famous soup curry restaurants.

▪️Suage+

▪️Garaku

▪️Treasure

▪️Picante

▪️SAMA

Among these, I chose to visit SAMA Sapporo Odori branch.

2. Our SAMA Waiting Experience

​

We visited Soup Curry SAMA Sapporo Odori branch on a Saturday evening at 6:30 PM, right during the dinner rush.

Our wait time was only about 10 minutes.

Considering it was peak dinner hour, that’s a relatively short wait!

Many other popular soup curry spots often have wait times of 30 minutes or more.

3. Menu, Spice Level & How to Order

At SAMA, you not only choose your soup curry dish but also customize your soup base and spice level.

​

How to Order at Soup Curry SAMA:

Scan the QR code on your table to place your order.

① Choose your curry type.

② Select your soup base: Coconut or Tomato.

③ Pick your spice level: From 0 to 30.

④ Choose your rice portion.

⑤ Add any extra toppings.

​

​

The Coconut soup base is rich, creamy, and smooth.

The combination of curry and coconut is absolutely delightful.

The Tomato base soup is SAMA's signature, offering a refreshing yet savory depth of flavor!

​

The spice levels are incredibly detailed.

Level 0 has absolutely no heat.

I'm not a huge fan of super spicy food, so I went with Level 5, which had a pleasant kick and was wonderfully flavorful.

If you love heat, aim for Level 7 or higher.

Level 10 is comparable to seriously hot chili, and anything past Level 15 is truly intense, so proceed with caution!

4. Tomato/Coconut Base Review

I ordered two different dishes to try both bases.

▪️Hokkaido Genghis Khan and 12-Item Vegetable Curry

Coconut Soup Base / Spice Level 5 / Standard Rice (~7 oz)

▪️Daejeongjeom Deluxe Curry

Tomato Soup Base / Spice Level 5 / Standard Rice (~7 oz)

​

​

Genghis Khan refers to lamb, and the Sapporo lamb here was incredibly tender and delicious, not chewy at all.

The broth was so good I kept sipping it, and the combination of vegetables and meat was perfect.

Many people order cheese rice, but honestly, why bother?

The basic plain rice is perfectly sufficient.

The curry itself is so flavorful, it's truly outstanding.

Soup curry is fantastic no matter what main topping you choose.

However, I particularly recommend the chicken and Genghis Khan lamb!

The vegetables were diverse and all tasted fresh and delicious.

You absolutely have to try both soup curry bases...

They're both so good it's impossible to pick a favorite!

But if I *had* to choose just one, I'd lean towards the Coconut base!

​

Enjoying it with a Sapporo draft beer made it even better!

Don't just drink Sapporo beer; pair it with your meal!

The synergy during dinner is truly incredible, believe me!

5. Final Thoughts

Sapporo was my husband's very first international travel destination about a decade ago!

He always raved about the soup curry, so I was incredibly curious.

After finally trying the SAMA soup curry he enjoyed so much, I totally understood why he praised it!

Sapporo soup curry is genuinely amazing...

​

There's no need to chase after popular spots like Suage or Garaku with their notoriously long waits;

SAMA soup curry is absolutely satisfying.

Its location is also perfect for tourists, situated on the 2nd floor of a building in the Tanukikoji Arcade, near Odori Station.

You can access it via the Tanukikoji Arcade, which means it's easily reachable whether it's raining or snowing!

With an English menu available, ordering is a breeze.

If you're looking for a fantastic soup curry restaurant during your Sapporo trip,

I highly recommend visiting SAMA! You won't regret it! ❤️

スープカレー SAMA 札幌大通店