飲み放題

• 読み: のみほうだい
• ローマ字: nomihōdai
• 漢字の分解: 飲み (drinking) + 放題 (as much as one wants/unlimited) → drink as much as you want
• 発音: /no.mi.hoː.da.i/

意味

All-you-can-drink deal at an izakaya or restaurant, usually with a time limit and set price — a cornerstone of Japanese drinking culture.

The drinking counterpart to 食べ放題, 飲み放題 is a standard feature at izakayas and many restaurants. For a fixed price (typically 1,500-3,000 yen), you can order unlimited drinks within a time limit (usually 2 hours). It's almost always the default choice for group outings, parties, and work events. The menu usually includes beer, highballs, cocktails, and sometimes wine and sake.

例文

1. 飲み放題つけたほうがお得じゃない？
2. 飲み放題のメニューにハイボールあるか確認して。
3. 2時間飲み放題で3000円は安いよね。

使い方ガイド

場面: izakayas, parties, group outings, work events

トーン: practical, social

正しい言い方

• 飲み放題つける？ (Should we add all-you-can-drink?)
• 飲み放題のラストオーダーいつ？ (When's the last order for all-you-can-drink?)

避ける言い方

• 飲み放題だからと飲みすぎて周りに迷惑をかけない (Don't use all-you-can-drink as an excuse to get wasted and bother others)

よくある間違い

• Not realizing 飲み放題 has a last order call — usually 30 minutes before time is up, so plan your final drinks accordingly

起源と歴史

Compound of 飲み (drinking) + 放題 (as much as you want). Became standard izakaya terminology from the 1980s as the after-work drinking culture solidified.

文化的背景

時代: 1980s onward, standard izakaya feature

世代: All ages (legal drinking age 20+)

社会的背景: Universal

地域メモ: Used across all of Japan. The default option for group dining and parties at izakayas.