They claim to serve Japan’s largest deep-fried shrimp. I claim it is probably the world’s largest deep-fried shrimp.
At Ebidote Shokudo in Nagoya, a single Ebi Furai (that is what fried shrimp are called in Japanese) is enough to fill you up. The fried shrimp they serve are around 35 centimeters long, much thicker than a thumb, and definitely delicious.
Chrispy on the outside, deep-fried in that special Panko bread the Japanese use to deep-fry. And juicy on the inside.
When a shrimp has exactly the right texture, the Japanese call it ‘puri-puri’. And this gigantic Ebi Furai was extremely ‘puri-puri’ indeed.
In this post, I will share with you everything you need to know for your visit to Ebidote Shokudo in Nagoya.
The Ebidote Shokudo Restaurant
I visited Ebidote Shokudo on one of the busiest days of the year in Japan. The second of January. A big day of New Year’s sales, and therefore huge crowds of shoppers descend on the Nagoya Station area where the restaurant is located.
Because I arrived at the shop at pretty much exactly 12 o’clock noon it was crowded, as expected (all Japanese eat according to an internal clock that sets lunchtime at exactly 12 p.m.). I had to wait to get a seat, but that gave me time to study the menu.
The restaurant from the outside looks like most other restaurants in Japan. With a showcase of the dishes (made from plastic) and a row of chairs for people to wait before they get a seat inside. The only difference is the gigantic deep-fried shrimp at the entrance. Promising Japan’s biggest Ebi Furai.
I wrote my name on the waitlist, sat down on my chair and waited (not so patiently) to be seated.
The Atmosphere at Ebidote Shokudo
When my name was finally called by one of the helpful servers I was lead to a seat in the corner. This gave me a good view of the whole restaurant.
The centerpiece was a gigantic fried shrimp hanging from the ceiling. The rest of the restaurant interior is standard for most no-frills restaurants. Simple tables, chairs, and benches. A semi-open kitchen with a window to hand out orders. And that’s it.
But that is really all that is needed to serve delicious food.
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The Menu at Ebidote Shokudo in Nagoya
While the gigantic fried Shrimp is, of course, their specialty Ebidote Shokudo serves a wide variety of shrimp dishes.
You will find shrimp Tempura bowls and deep-fried (normal-sized) shrimp bowls. Deep-fried shrimp on a stick, to dip in a sauce of local red Miso. And much more.
You can also get a variety of other deep-fried fish as well as meat (always in combination with shrimp), cabbage, rice, and Miso soup. The deep-fried oysters looked delicious as did the pork cutlet.
If you arrive with a big group of people you should order the Tokumori Ebi Furiya a huge tower of 3 gigantic fried shrimp.
The menu not only has big pictures of everything, but it is also available in English, which should make it very easy to order for anyone who doesn’t speak Japanese.
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The Food at Ebidote Shokudo
When my food finally arrived (I didn’t have to wait too long even though the restaurant was filled to capacity) I was impressed.
The shrimp really was as big as advertised. I had never seen anything like it. It was so big it overflowed its plate and even the tray the whole set of dishes was served on.
The set included a bowl of rice, a red Miso soup, cabbage on the side and some pickles.
The highlight for me (aside from the shrimp) was the mix it yourself freshly made tartar sauce. With slices of egg arranged in a bowl. It was very yummy and a thousand times better than the packaged tartar sauce served in many other restaurants serving Ebi Furai.
I was definitely satisfied with how my lunch looked. But it’s the taste that’s important, right?
And this gigantic shrimp didn’t disappoint. It was delicious from the tip all the way to the tail of the shrimp. Cut into small pieces with scissors (also something I had never done before) and dipped in the fresh tartar sauce and with bites of cabbage, rice, and Miso soup in between.
The Prices at Ebidote Shokudo
I have to admit Ebidote Shokudo is a little bit more expensive than other restaurants. And you won’t find any dish cheaper than 1000 yen.
My friend ordered a deep-fried shrimp bowl with a generous serving of tartar sauce on top which cost about 1500 yen.
My gigantic deep-fried shrimp set menu cost almost 3000 yen. But it was so worth it. Not only for the experience but also because it was very delicious and satisfying. I don’t think I have ever had so much shrimp in one meal before.
Osu is one of the most popular areas in Nagoya.
Explore it with a guide on a Street Food Tour of Osu.
Try 6 delicious snacks and dive deep into the history and culture of Osu.
Book your tour today!
The Location of Ebidote Shokudo
If all of this has made you curious and you want to visit Ebidote Shokudo for yourself to try the world’s largest fried shrimp here is the information you need.
Ebidote Shokudo is located in the Esca Underground Shopping Mall on the west side of Nagoya Station. This makes it easily accessible to every visitor.
EBIDOTE SHOKUDO
Opening Hours: 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Address: Esca Underground Shopping Street 6-9 Tsubakicho, Nakamura Ward, Nagoya, Aichi 453-0015
Website (Japanese only) | Google Maps
Final Thoughts on Ebidote Shokudo
This restaurant, while not cheap is definitely one of the top places to have Ebi Furai in Nagoya. I will come again.
For more local Nagoya specialties check the Nagoya Food Guide or all posts on the Dishes from Nagoya page.
The best way to experience Nagoya is on a Nagoya Meshi Food Tour.
8 foods and snacks in 3.5 hours with in-depth info will make this one unforgettable experience.
Check out the details!
While Ebidote Shokudo isn’t part of my Nagoya Meshi Food Tour (where you can try a variety of other local specialties), you can try it during a Private Food Tour of Nagoya which is completely customizable.
You can check out a list of all my food tours in Nagoya here.
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In love with Japan and its amazing food, Lena wants to share her passion with the world. That’s why she started Nagoya Foodie. To teach about Nagoya, her adoptive home online through blog posts and offline through unique food tours.
