飲み放題

• Reading: のみほうだい
• Romaji: nomihōdai
• Kanji breakdown: 飲み (drinking) + 放題 (as much as one wants/unlimited) → drink as much as you want
• Pronunciation: /no.mi.hoː.da.i/

Meaning

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.

Examples

1. 飲み放題つけたほうがお得じゃない？ Wouldn't it be a better deal to add the all-you-can-drink?
2. 飲み放題のメニューにハイボールあるか確認して。 Check if the all-you-can-drink menu has highballs.
3. 2時間飲み放題で3000円は安いよね。 Two hours of all-you-can-drink for 3,000 yen is cheap, right?

Usage Guide

Context: izakayas, parties, group outings, work events

Tone: practical, social

Do Say

• 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?)

Don't Say

• 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)

Common Mistakes

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

Origin & History

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.

Cultural Context

Era: 1980s onward, standard izakaya feature

Generation: All ages (legal drinking age 20+)

Social background: Universal

Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. The default option for group dining and parties at izakayas.