Okay.... this takoyaki place doesn't need another introduction, it has been visited and broadcasted by many influencers.
But, I still want to record my own take on this quaint little stall as I am a takoyaki fan and this stall is a last stand (literally) of Japanese hawker culture / heritage.
Finding this stall isn't easy especially for foreign visitors. It's hidden in a labyrinth of small restaurants at Osaka's Umeda JR train station. Google maps ain't very useful at terminal and indoor guidance.
The stall is a tiny stand or booth - not even a full stand but a semi-circular one. It is like an old wooden clothes cabinet in the corner - you know, like one of those corner space saving wardrobes.
Everybody stands - the vendor and customers. In Japan, standing to eat and drink at restaurants is not uncommon.
The vendor enters or crawls into the stall / booth through the wooden trap door on the lower left....
... yeah... where the two Asahi posters are pasted on the half length door.
The blue plastic baskets on the floor are for customers to put their bags while eating, standing.
The vendor makes the takoyaki with a curved shaped grill pan specially made for this stall.
I like this quaint old menu board. The prices were still current (as at Jun 2026).
¥480 for a serving of 6 takoyaki / octopus balls made it the most competitive pricing we came across during this trip.
The balls were soft like a heavy creamy thick paste. The balls were so soft that they collapsed when picked up with chopsticks. Main flavours were layered umami savouriness with a touch of tangy sweet from sauces, powders and caramelisation.
Chewy umami savoury pieces of octopus embedded in the balls.
I like the mix of soft, tender, crunchy and chewy textures with the interesting blend of umami savoury and subtle tangy sweet flavours.
You need to try takoyaki when you visit Osaka - the dish was invented here and is one of the city's food icons.
During this and an earlier trip to Osaka, I tried several nice takoyaki places.
If you only want to try takoyaki once in Osaka, I suggest this stall is a good place for it. It tastes good and comes with a memorable foodie adventure story 😄
Address: Shin-Umeda Shokudogai Street, 9-28 Kakudacho, Kita Ward, Osaka, 530-0017, Japan
Nearest subway: JR Umeda station
Tel: +81663647101
Hours: 11 am - 3 pm | 5pm - 9 pm
Written by Tony Boey on 30 Jun 2026
Who is Tony Johor Kaki?
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