Hayase: charcoal-grilled chicken and late-night ramen in Haruyoshi

A small two-floor izakaya, open since 2023, a short walk south of Tenjin. Order the Koshodori chicken off the charcoal, a plate of the day’s fish, and finish with a bowl of chicken ramen. It’s open until 3 a.m., with last food orders at 2.

The dish to orderKoshodori chicken, straight off the coals

Koshodori chicken (古処鶏) comes from Asakura, in the hills south-east of Fukuoka city. Hayase builds its menu around it. The house dish is the chicken grilled over open charcoal and served in dark, smoky pieces with yuzu kosho, a paste of citrus peel and green chilli. Eat it with that: the pairing is the best thing on the table. The meat has real bite but stays tender inside. For me it is the reason to come here, and it’s a regular on the menu.

If you want a second chicken dish, the seseri (neck meat) comes with ponzu. The menu also has tataki, chicken seared only on the outside; Fukuoka City’s health office advises against eating raw or undercooked chicken because of the risk of food poisoning.

Where to sitAt the counter, by the coals

Walk in and the first thing you see is the kitchen. Ask for the counter: you watch the chicken go onto the charcoal right in front of you. On one visit I spent the evening there with a photographer and the owner, drinking sake that was very good. Kenta opened Hayase as his second place, after running a bar. He’s easy to talk to, but as the owner he isn’t usually in the restaurant, so don’t count on meeting him.

Fridays and Saturdays are busy. First time in an izakaya? There’s nothing to be nervous about: point at a card below and order a beer to start.

What I orderedFish, rolled omelette, then ramen

On both visits I went with friends and ordered the same way: the sashimi platter, a rolled omelette, a few small plates, beer, then sake. The sashimi came piled up with lemon and shiso. According to the restaurant, the fish comes from the Genkai Sea off northern Kyushu and is cut the same day. The dashimaki omelette is made with the house chicken stock. There’s a version with spicy pollock roe (mentaiko) folded in, the Fukuoka choice.

I haven’t tried it yet, but even the potato salad on the menu is made with charcoal-grilled mackerel.

The sake comes from all over Japan and changes month to month, so check the list on the wall or ask what’s open that night, and ask whether they have Haruyoshi 06, a sake named after this neighbourhood. The local Haruyoshi community group lists Hayase among the places that pour it, but stock comes and goes.

Finish with the ramen. In Japan a night of drinking often ends with a shime, a last bowl of noodles or rice to close things out, and this is a good one. It’s tori paitan, made from chicken bones, so it isn’t the pork-bone Hakata ramen Fukuoka is known for. It looks rich but tastes clean and light, and you can tell the stock has been simmered slowly. The soup is the best part. If you’re still hungry, you can order kaedama, an extra serving of noodles, or finish with kashiwa-meshi, the chicken-and-rice dish of northern Kyushu (¥550).

A first orderWhat to ask for, in order

For two people on a first visit, this order covers the house dishes. Use the cards below to ask. It comes to about ¥7,000 for food, before drinks.

First

Sashimi platter for two (¥3,000) and a beer each.

Then

Koshodori chicken off the charcoal (¥1,400) and the mentaiko rolled omelette (¥750). Switch to sake.

If there’s room

The karaage, fried chicken (¥680).

To finish

One bowl of chicken paitan ramen to share (¥1,100).

Point and showTap a card, show the screen

Prices from the restaurant’s October 2025 menu, tax included. They can change.

Getting thereAddress, stations, booking

About 5 minutes on foot from Watanabe-dori Station (Nanakuma Line) and about 6 minutes from Tenjin-minami Station.