Hakata Motsunabe Oyama Head Shop

The first time I tried authentic Hakata-style motsunabe was at the Hakata Daytos branch of Hakata Motsunabe Oyama. The restaurant offered a motsunabe set meal during lunch hours, and I remember having a very good impression of the restaurant because even a loner like me could easily enjoy eating motsunabe.

So it was very natural for me to be interested in the main branch of Hakata Motsunabe Oyama in Gofukumachi, and when I visited Fukuoka in the summer of 2024, I made time to go there. One of the top runners in the Hakata motsunabe industry with more than 20 restaurants nationwide, what is the headquarter of this restaurant like?

A three-story restaurant with 180 seats and the capacity for banquets…this is what Hakata Motsunabe Oyama Head Shop is all about!

I arrived at the Hakata Motsunabe Oyama Head Shop around 8:30 p.m. one weekend night. When I actually got there, I was surprised to see that the building was much larger than I had imagined. The three-story building with black exterior walls creates a modern yet mature atmosphere… It is indeed the headquarter of more than 20 restaurants in Japan, which is able to build such an in-house building in the center of the metropolis of Fukuoka.

According to the official information of the restaurant, all floors from the first to the third floor of the building are used for the restaurant, which has a total of 180 seats. And it can accommodate banquets of up to 72 people… What the heck, I made a reservation in advance on the day of my visit, which was unusual for me, but with so many seats available, I probably didn’t need to make a reservation at all. Even so, customers kept coming to the seating area on the first floor where I was shown around, as if they were constantly replacing each other. It is indeed impressive that such a large number of customers can gather in the city center of Hakata, where there are many other popular motsunabe restaurants….

How was the signature dish recommended by the Hakata Motsunabe Oyama Head Shop recommends, Motsunabe Miso Flavor?

Let me introduce the signature dish I ordered at the Hakata Motsunabe Oyama Head Shop, the miso-flavored motsunabe (price: 1,800 yen + tax per person). The restaurant’s rule is that ordering at least two servings of motsunabe is required, but if you are visiting alone, they will gladly accept orders for one person only….

After about 10 minutes of waiting, the miso-flavored motsunabe arrived in front of me. It was brought in a two-handled pot that looked like it was just for one person, which was a relief. At Maedaya Sohonten, the portion was too large for one person, and I was a little worried before paying the bill. I felt at this time that it is important to have a proper volume of food.

The soup stock, which is a unique blend of several types of miso, including Kyushu miso and Saikyo miso, has a very rich miso flavor, but the large amount of white sesame seeds in the soup gives it an overall mellow taste. The spiciness from the coarsely ground chili peppers adds to the spiciness, and then there is a hint of garlic…well, the garlic aroma is a bit subdued. But since it is neutralized by the miso and white sesame seeds, I imagine that there is probably a considerable amount of garlic in this dish. Be careful of bad breath after finishing the meal.

The ingredients in the broth include cabbage, burdock root, chives, and tofu, in addition to the restaurant’s signature Kyushu beef entrails. There were a total of 10 slices of plump, sweet, fatty beef entrails, which made me feel like I was getting a good deal, but on the other hand, the vegetables were a bit small. But if I said, “I want more vegetables, too!”, I might be considered too extravagant.

I finished off the motsunabe in a few minutes and ordered chanpon noodles (priced at 290 yen plus tax) to finish off the nabe. Within a couple of minutes of ordering more noodles, thick noodles like these were brought to the table. At this point, I was very grateful for the free addition of soup stock that had been reduced while eating the nabe. If soup stock is an extra charge like at Hakata Motsunabe Yamanaka, that alone would make me think twice about finishing my meal…right?

However, I was disappointed that this chanpon noodle, which I ate after letting it simmer for a minute, had the texture of pasta that was a little overcooked. I ordered this dish because I saw the “recommended” mark on the menu, but I regretted a little that I should have ordered zosui…

I left the restaurant after enjoying Hakata Motsunabe Oyama Head Shop‘s signature dish, Motsunabe Miso Flavor, which is like this. The taste of the motsunabe was just as I expected, and I would like to repeat the experience if I have a chance…. However, after 3:00 p.m., the restaurant charges an appetizer fee, so the next time I eat motsunabe at Oyama, I will probably go there during lunch time. The main restaurant is not open for lunch, but the Hakata Ichibangai and Fukuoka Parco branches, starting with the Hakata Daytos branch, are open for lunch, so it might be wise for travelers to go to those restaurants for lunch first.

Examples of other menu items at the Hakata Motsunabe Oyama Head Shop (prices do not include tax)

• Spicy Takana 390 yen
• Cod roe chanja: 650 yen
• Stewed beef tendon 750 yen
• Tender beef tendon 780 yen
• Oyama’s Hakata Mentaiko (Hakata cod roe) 780 yen
• Horse Yukke (horse yukke): 1,280 yen
• Horse sashimi (3 kinds): 2,680 yen

Mail order of motsunabe and Furusato tax payment are also available! The Hakata Motsunabe Oyama Head Shop is a 2-minute walk from Gofukumachi Station on the Fukuoka City Subway Hakozaki Line, the nearest station to the restaurant.

Hakata Motsunabe Oyama also offers mail order of their motsunabe and accepts Furusato tax payment. This motsunabe is said to be the No. 1 selling motsunabe in Fukuoka on the Rakuten market. If you pay tax at Furusato, you can get this very popular motsunabe for free if you fulfill the conditions! Please take advantage of the link below.

【福岡県売上No.1】博多もつ鍋おおやま もつ鍋みそ味【2人前】

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Now, here are the details of the restaurant…