I'm NOMADOKA, an address hopper who loves the sea and alcohol, and currently living in Okinawa long-term!

When I lived in Tokyo, I spent my days visiting standing bars in search of authentic, off-the-beaten-path drinking spots.

What really caught my eye was the "Sakaemachi Market" in Asato, Naha City.

In this exciting area, where traditional, charming shops and newly opened, lively establishments come together, you'll find plenty of places displaying signs advertising "senbero" (a cheap drink and snack).

So this time, we've carefully selected eight places in Sakaemachi Market where you can enjoy a cheap drink and snack (senbero) and will introduce them all at once! There are many different types of cuisine, so please try to find a place that catches your eye.

<Table of Contents>
1. The 3-piece snack set is incredibly generous! "Spring"
2. Deep-fried skewers go perfectly with beer! "Dai-chan Sakaba"
3. An unexpected four drinks! You can also enjoy cocktails and awamori at "Yonbanya".
4. If you want to enjoy a steak and drinks for around 1000 yen, this is the place! "Sake Bar Nakachan"
5. A cheap drink and snack bar run by a yakiniku (grilled offal) restaurant! "Zenshoku Ichiba Store"
6. A rare find! Enjoy a cheap drink and snack at "TAMAKI-ya," a restaurant specializing in high-quality Japanese soba noodles.
7. Let's toast with takoyaki or oden! | "Jingwaa"
8. Nakama Shoten, a hangout spot for local dads.
In conclusion, let's enjoy a cheap drink and snack at Sakaemachi Market!

Show all table of contents

1. The 3-piece snack set is incredibly generous! "Spring"

■ Senbero Menu
3 drinks + 3-piece assorted snack set

For those looking for their first stop, and who want to enjoy a hearty meal and a quiet drink, "Haru" is highly recommended.

The "Chef's Choice 3-Piece Appetizer Set," served on a tray, consists of one main dish and two small appetizer dishes.

The appetizers included in the set change daily, so there's something new to look forward to each time you go.

Its distinguishing feature is the generous portion size of the main dish.

On one particular day, the main dish was juicy chicken on the bone.

Although it's deep-fried, the batter is very thin, so it's not heavy at all.

On another day, I was served a curry with plenty of meat chunks, with the words, "Today's a lucky day!" It contained three large, moist chicken drumsticks.

The curry is incredibly unique and impressive! It's quite spicy, but it has a sophisticated blend of herbs and spices.

The cheap drinks include beer, shochu cocktails, and highballs. My top recommendation is the beer; the ice-cold mug is a real treat!

In the spring, a gentle father runs the shop all by himself.

There was a heartwarming moment when the father left the store saying, "Wait a moment," and didn't come back for quite a while, only to return leisurely saying, "I bought some alcohol."

2. Deep-fried skewers go perfectly with beer! "Dai-chan Sakaba"

■ Senbero Menu
・Chef's choice oden (4 items) + 3 drinks
4 assorted skewers + 3 drinks

If you're looking for a cheap and delicious kushikatsu (deep-fried skewers) bar, I recommend "Daichan Sakaba".

It comes with four recommended skewers of deep-fried food, including white fish, vegetables, mushrooms, pork, and beef.

These freshly fried skewers are crispy and delicious even without sauce!

I'm going to enjoy this perfect combination: fried food and beer.

A great feature is that you can enjoy oden, a popular item on the regular menu, as part of the 1000-yen drink and snack set.

The ingredients in the oden are large, which makes it very satisfying!

The drinks are limited to three, and a notable feature is the wide variety of chuhai (shochu-based cocktails) available.

"Daichan Sakaba" is a bar run by the wife of the owner of "Daichan," a shop located in Sakaemachi Market.

The owner's wife is a kind woman with a lovely smile, and sometimes she even gives me an extra skewer of fried food for free.

Besides the budget-friendly drinks and snacks menu, there are plenty of Okinawan-style stir-fried dishes on the menu.

This restaurant is highly recommended for anyone who wants to try Okinawan cuisine!

3. An unexpected four drinks! You can also enjoy cocktails and awamori at "Yonbanya".

■ Senbero Menu
Weekdays: 4 drinks + 1 appetizer
Weekend: 3 drinks + 1 snack

While most places offer 2-3 drinks as part of a "senbero" (a cheap drinking and snacking set), "Yonbanya" offers 4 drinks on weekdays only!

A unique feature of this place is that, in addition to beer, highballs, shochu, and chuhai, cocktails and awamori are also included in their 1000-yen drink menu.

I'll have it with the pork offal stew as a snack.

The drink vouchers were marbles. How nostalgic!

Only the outdoor seats offer the best seats for enjoying a cheap drink and snack.

In the case of a "senbero" (a cheap drinking and eating set meal), you order inside the store and pick up your order there.

Skewers start at 140 yen each. With a wide variety of dishes including specialty items and fried foods, there's plenty to enjoy ordering along with your budget-friendly drinks and snacks.

4. If you want to enjoy a steak and drinks for around 1000 yen, this is the place! "Sake Bar Nakachan"

■ Senbero Menu
Steak (180g) + 2 drinks
Steak (120g) + 3 drinks
・Stewed offal + 3 drinks
This was the shop I frequented the most while I was staying in Asato.

At "Nakachan," you can enjoy steak for just 1000 yen!

The sizzling sound of the steak as it arrives is irresistible!

Underneath the steak are bean sprouts, which also make a great snack.

You can choose between 180g and 120g steaks, and you can also enjoy motsu-ni (stewed offal) as part of a 1000-yen drink and snack set.

Nakachan is a sister restaurant to Daichan Sakaba. The owner of Nakachan was a regular customer of its parent restaurant, Daichan, and was entrusted with managing the new restaurant when it opened.

The owner is very friendly and funny, and always greets you with a smile and a "Haisai!"

5. A cheap drinking spot run by a yakiniku (grilled offal) restaurant! "Zenshoku Ichiba Store"

■ Senbero Menu
Aged diced steak + 2 drinks
3 skewers of meat (chef's choice) + 3 drinks
Stir-fried kalbi, sirloin, and skirt steak + 3 drinks

For those who want to enjoy cheap meat dishes and grilled offal, we recommend "Zenshoku Ichiba Store".

This shop is a branch of "Zenshoku Honten," a popular local shop in Sakaemachi Market that is always bustling with customers.

We're offering a cheap drink and snack set, but only at the outdoor seating area.

The aged diced steak is cooked to perfection. The enhanced flavor of the meat is simply irresistible.

The three-flavor stir-fry is a great value because you can enjoy three different kinds of meat at once.

They serve fragrant ales on tap. A distinctive feature is their selection of cocktails and fruit liqueurs.

Looking at the regular menu, there's a wide variety of options besides yakiniku (grilled meat), including fried food, pasta, and rice with a raw egg on top.

They also offer Okinawan specialties such as minced pork croquettes made with Agu pork.

6. A rare find! Enjoy a cheap drink and snack at "TAMAKI-ya," a restaurant specializing in high-quality Japanese soba noodles.

■ Senbero Menu
• Small drink set (alcohol + snacks + soba noodles)

TAMAKIya is a rather unusual restaurant where you can enjoy small side dishes and carefully prepared Japanese soba noodles for just 1000 yen.

For alcohol, it's one medium-sized bottle of Orion beer, or one go (180ml) of sake, awamori, or shochu.

In most cheap bars, the beer they serve is a low-malt beer called "Orion Mugishokunin."

However, what makes this place special is that you can drink "Orion Draft" beer here.

You can choose one appetizer from a total of seven options.

"Tuna scraps" have a rich tuna flavor and are incredibly fresh!

I was impressed by the delicious broth in the "deep-fried eggplant in broth," and when I asked about it, I learned that it's the same broth used for their soba noodles.

For the final dish, you can choose between hot or cold soba noodles. Actually, there are two types of soba noodles available.

One of them is "Shiro," which features thin noodles that are elegant in both appearance and taste, and have a smooth texture that makes them easy to swallow.

Another option is the "black" ramen, which features thick, chewy noodles and a rich aroma.

This is the kind of place where two people can go together, compare different types of soba noodles, and toast to each other's creations.

7. Let's toast with takoyaki or oden! | "Jingwaa"

■ Senbero Menu
6 takoyaki + 3 drinks
3 types of oden + 3 drinks

If you're craving something made with flour and want some sauce, then "Jingwa" is highly recommended.

You can enjoy freshly made takoyaki (octopus balls) cooked right in front of you, along with nostalgic-tasting oden (Japanese stew), and alcoholic beverages.

The small basket contains gold coins for exchanging for drinks. How thoughtful.

Takoyaki has a fluffy, gooey batter and plenty of sauce. You eat it piping hot, blowing on it to cool it down.

The oden has a strong bonito broth flavor, making it a comforting and gentle taste.

The restaurant is spacious, making it a convenient place to go when you want to drink with a large group.

If you want to drink alone, I recommend the counter seats.

The walls are covered with menus, and you can order additional fried food and enjoy a leisurely drink.

8. Nakama Shoten, a hangout spot for local dads.

■ Senbero Menu
- One item from "Today's Senbero" menu + 2 drinks

"Nakama Shoten" is a shop with a homey atmosphere that is bustling with locals.

Today's budget-friendly menu has about 7 items. You can choose one of them.

Hirayachi, a familiar dish in Okinawa.

It's so big it spills over the edge of a large plate.

Instead of choosing a rice dish, you can also add a drink.

A distinctive feature of this bar is its focus on drinks, offering sours made with highly carbonated water that has been improved to produce fine bubbles, and water-based cocktails using hydrogen water.

The tuna is sourced daily from Tomari Fishing Port "Tomari Iyumachi" in Naha, ensuring its freshness.

Most menu items are priced between 250 and 300 yen, making them very affordable.

The staff are friendly and easy to talk to, so once you go, you'll definitely want to come back again.

Furthermore, they accept electronic payments such as PayPay, making it a helpful shop for those times when you don't have cash on hand but have your smartphone!

In conclusion, let's enjoy a cheap drink and snack at Sakaemachi Market!

During the day, Sakaemachi Market is filled with shops that support daily life, such as greengrocers and butchers.

However, its charm lies in the fact that it transforms into a seedy bar district at night.

It's just a 2-minute walk from the nearest Asato Station and about a 15-minute walk from Kokusai Street, so be sure to enjoy some cheap drinks and snacks at Sakaemachi Market in the evening!