Dotonbori Kukuru

We were very satisfied with our visit. The food was delicious and full of flavor. The octopus balls were fantastic – perfectly cooked, soft and tasty. The kimchi was really flavorful and complemented the dish very well. We also enjoyed the fried chicken, which was crispy and juicy. The waiting time to get a table was a bit longer, but that probably reflects the popularity and quality of the restaurant. The staff was friendly, and the overall atmosphere was pleasant and welcoming. Definitely worth a visit!

Delicious variety of Takoyaki. We tried two different styles and they both were great. The store is rather small and limited seating space but the food is absolutely delicious.

This was one of a kind experience that's a must try if you're a fish lover. Firm crisp & tasty meat balls. Really liked the crab & octopus fusion. Would definitely recommend visiting this in dotonbori

Wouldn’t recommend it. The place is filthy, from the floors, to the tables, to the bathrooms, the carpets, the walls, and the cooking area. Out of all the places we’ve been to in Japan, this is the only one that did not meet the cleaning standards. The takoyaki was alright. Some pieces were still raw in the middle so we didn’t eat all. The guy standing outside cooking was not welcoming either. Aside from this place being cheap, I don’t see the appeal. I guess you get what you pay for. Overall, I wouldn’t come again.

This takoyaki spot did not live up to the hype. I've had takoyaki in many cities, at restaurants, stands, and even supermarkets. Kukuru takoyaki ranks at the level of supermarket takoyaki, but about 10x the price. Yes, the presentation looks very cool with the octopus box. But beyond that, the taste falls flat, the abundance of sauces don't help, and even the ambiance of the seating area inside is just basic. The service was bare minimum - they just took my ticket, said wait for your number to be called, then directed me to the utensils. Something that stood out was that this restaurant is run by Filipinas, not Japanese. So, this maybe that's why the taste didn't live up to the local spots I've been to. However, it may be more impressive to tourists and first-timers. At the price of 1100 jpy for a measly 8 pices of takoyaki, I expected much more. Sadly, this was my first takoyaki in Osaka. I'm hoping other shops live up to expectations.

I came here back in July. I was drawn to this place by the big octopus decoration on the shop, as well as the cute little octopus boxes that they serve the food in! I thought that the box was super adorable and novel! As for the food though, I liked it but I did expect it to be a bit better. The takoyaki was flavorful, but the batter was not as crispy as I was expecting it to be, and the octopus inside was a bit tough to chew. I did still enjoy it though, and I'll most certainly remember the novelty of the experience.

Dine in with 4 surprise and 4 big octopus ball. Really yummy with soft interior. The brown sauce is flavourful, tasted of plum. Very good takoyaki, recommend to dine in as you can spam the bonito flakes.

Takoyaki, that’s what they do and what they do well. I liked the octopus in the fried dough, the sauce amazing, just wish the dough would have had a better consistency. Overall well done! Side note, It was not immediately clear that there are 2 lines, one for dining in and one for to-go. The staff needed to make several announcements.

Takoyaki is a must eat when in Osaka, Japan. Little octopus filled dough balls that are pan fried/ cooked to perfect. Topped with mayo, tonkatsu sauce and bonito flakes. There's many takoyaki stalls along Dotonbori, but this one caught my eye since it had a huge red octopus 3D signage at their store front. The takoyaki is crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside with little pieces of octopus. Be cautious when you're eating this as the inside filling is always piping hot. A great snack to have while wandering the street.

My Japanese friend living in Osaka recommended this takoyaki joint, saying it's one of the best in the city. So I had to check out check out this place. The process of waiting in line and eating outside of these type of food stalls still remains an enigma to me as to what the rules are. But the takoyaki chef at the front tried his best to direct us the best he could and was very friendly. It took maybe 10 minutes to get the next batch cooked. Honestly, it was the best I've ever ate. It was different from the ones I ate in the states. I know a lot of folks here mentioned it was soggy but after traveling around Japan, there are regional differences in food. Takoyaki is no exception. It was a little more chewy and the octopus pieces inside were really big. I loved it. Remember to let the takoyaki rest for 10 minutes (I poke holes in them to speed up the cooling process) because it'll be way too hot to eat right off the griddle. Will definitely come back here if I have the time!

ok the octopus inside were bigger than usual but it's just not crispy at all. Long lines

It was an experience to watch them make the takoyaki alone! So skilled in how they do it, and the end result was a great Japanese snack! Perfect Japanese street food experience!

There are SO MANY takoyaki spots in Dontonburi and this is one of many with a line so we decided to try it out. The takoyakis were made as fresh as they could be. They're piping hot. The spot conveniently has seatings on the upper floors for you to enjoy your takoyaki. Loved how generous they were with their octopus. A lovely little savory snack while you're exploring Dontonburi.

We waited in line for almost 40 minutes for probably some of the best takoyaki I've had. But this is given takoyaki in the states just don't compare. We also got the yakisoba which deserves recognition as well. It was very cool seeing them flip the takoyaki in front of you and fulfill so many orders. I will say though, we got two batches of 8 and one batch was slightly under cooked compared to the other one, resulting in a mushier bunch. The ingredients inside had a good balance and wasn't just full of dough. Definitely check this place out if you are in the area and visiting!

It was my first "dining" experience in Osaka and it was a doozy. We were checking out the Dotonbori for the first time and noticed the large Octopus from afar. I was told to check out Kukuru for takoyaki so we headed over. There was no line but the person in front of me got the last few takoyaki, which meant I got a front row view of the entire cooking process. I'm pretty sure she was a trainee because she wasn't 100% dextrous BUT still better than I've ever seen, that's for sure. You can purchase to sit inside but since we had some walking around to do, I decided to take it to go. I don't know if it's because I took a while to take videos/pictures of my takoyaki, but I expected it wouldn't get soggy so fast after getting the very first takoyaki as soon as it was made. Otherwise, the flavor was perfect, the ratio of batter/dough to octopus were on point. Not sure if Kukuru has the best takoyaki since I didn't get a chance to compare - however, I did notice the takoyaki shop next door had double the line as Kukuru, so I'll have to check it out next time.

Well. Supposedly they are No. 1 but after trying theirs and the competitor in front, these Takoyaki are not that great. In fact, the queue line was so long the cook (who was clumsy and dropped his cooking chopstick) was speeding up the process and we ended up getting an undercooked (not just soft but liquidy and runny) Takoyaki. Also, the Takoyaki were not even in the ingredients. Most balls on the corners got little to no green onion/pickled ginger. The takoyakis were uneven in fillings. On top of the subpar Takoyaki, the cashier was super rude where she did not make any eye contact when we asked for the Museum set ¥800 for 8, instead of the cheese & bacon one. She did not acknowledge we changed the order until we repeated "mix" three times. In the middle of the whole quick chaos, we realized after that she only gave us back ¥50 back when it should've been ¥200 back. Too late to claim anything, bad juju stays with ju girl. Tourist trap check. Disappointing. I recommend the one in front of them instead.

I remember this takoyaki location when I first visited Osaka in the spring of 2017. Situated on the famed Dotonbori food street, you cannot miss this location as a huge octopus acts as the mascot sitting directly high up in front of the shop. Octopus and batter is poured into hot sphere molds and flipped to create hot steaming pockets of goodness. It is somewhat hard to describe what it really is other than it being commonly known as an octopus ball. It is best eaten rather than described. Patrons savor on these bit sized morsels while they are still steaming hot, but becareful as it will burn the inner most of your upper mouth. What is more recognizable aside from the octopus mascot is the theme song that is set at repeat. I don't quite remember the exact tune but it basically repeated Takoyaki multiple times. This is a quintessential snack not to be missed when you are in Osaka.

I have been to Osaka four times and passed by here uninterested because in the past, I tasted takoyaki at Shin-Osaka station and at the hotel I stayed in and felt unimpressed. While at Dotombori, I was hungry and decided to give this place a try. At only ¥1210 for 10 pieces, I was blown away at how good it tasted. Once cold, forget about it, throw it away. But while it's hot, for about 10 minutes, it is pure goodness.

After reading reviews from TripAdvisor and on Yelp, we were really excited to try takoyaki here in Osaka. There was a bit of a line, but I feel this place is a bit overhyped. The takoyaki was good, but we felt it was slightly undercooked, I guess they were rushed to get them out because the line was long, but I missed the crunchy exterior of the takoyaki balls. Instead, even though they were "cooked," it ended up tasting soft all over.

TLDR; takoyaki stand that sells 8 per order. Not the best in Dotonbori in my opinion. Takoyaki is a pretty big thing in Dontobori and it's really apparent, with a lot of the shops and food stalls selling it. But we wanted to find the best one and the internet brought us to Kukuru. Kukuru itself has at least two locations on Dotonbori with one of them blasting out covers of popular tunes with lyrics changed to sing about Takoyaki but we went to the one closer to the Main Street, which had a much shorter line. Honestly, I was kind of disappointed. The takoyaki was soggy and kind of limp, like it couldn't hold its round shape. There were decent servings of octopus in the ones I ate though. But when compared to other shops, this just didn't stand out. I would recommend finding another stand. Just look for the long lines and it'll most likely be good!

Easily the best takoyaki I had. It's a little pricier than other stands however it's worth it. Each piece has a piece of tako in it, the texture of the batter was done just right. There are multiple stores throughout Dontonbori, just look for a octopus hanging on the walls.

I will be the first to admit that I did not do my full due diligence when it came to researching restaurants and foodie places in osaka. We stumbled upon this place because it had the longest line for takoyaki on Dotonbori that we had seen. I noticed others have said this as well so if you do the "places with the longest lines means it is good" logic, than you really can't complain. We got ours to go so it was a little soft and towards the soggy side. The takoyaki was being made right in front of us at the front of the restaurant so I assume it was steaming hot and would not have been the consistency I had it as if eaten right after receiving. Normally I am not a fan of takoyaki so I really cannot tell you if this is the best out there. I was told Osaka is the place to try it so I did. I thought it had good flavor and would eat again if put in front of me and hungry.

I'm not a huge fan of takoyaki but this place was pretty good. Hard to miss due to the large octopus sign and the yelling workers saying that they sell the "#1 Takoyaki". We purchased the Museum Set which was half regular and half bacon+cheese takoyaki for a total of 8 pieces at 800¥. We were given a number and waited on the side for our order. There are multiple floors to sit and dine but customers also stand in the Dotonbori strip and eat. They have a Takoyaki song that blares over their speakers and will guaranteed get stuck in your head... [100 Yelp Review Challenge 2018: 68/100]

TLDR - dont come here, unless you want to slurp undercooked takoyaki soup with ur chopsticks The giant store front and people crowding around the front for pictures drew me towards restaurant. I was very eager to try this place but after reading some of the negative reviews on yelp i wanted to step off of the line and go somewhere else, but decided to give it a try anyways, because how bad can it be? It was PRETTY BAD, and heres why: 1) Undercooked - as many other reviews stated. Fluffy and soft is one thing, but the takoyaki balls here INSTANTLY fell apart and turned into LIQUID when i attempted to pick one up... i had to slurp it up out of the box to get a taste, it was like trying to eat soup with a chopstick. 2) No ingredients (onions or picked ginger) in 2/4 takoyaki balls (pudding) i had. They did not cook any of them with care at all. Maybe i just came on a bad day? Doesnt seem like it according to some of the other reviews here. As a store claiming to be #1 for takoyakis I would expect the quality to be consistent.

The line only took us around 10 minutes and we chose the "big cut" takoyaki (~ $8 USD). If you choose to eat inside, you get to sit at a table but each person needs to order at least 1 set of takoyaki. Takoyaki is freshly made and super hot! Really big cuts of octopus inside so definitely worth it. More on my blog: https://sincerelyloewe.com/kyoto-osaka/

It's fairly good but the outside was a little too soggy. Inside was fine though. Lines are long but move reasonably quickly. Lots of seating inside.

This was the first takoyaki stand that we stumbled onto in Dotonburi and there was a line...so like any tourist, we got on it! Since we had not eaten anything since our bento boxes on the shinkansen (it was probably 7pm by now), we quickly gobbled down the takoyaki before venturing further into Dotonburi. The line went by quickly and the takoyaki wasn't very expensive. It was a solid batch of takoyaki, but I definitely had better in Tokyo and in other parts of Osaka. I wouldn't recommend seeking out Bikkuri on purpose, but if you spot it during your stroll through Dotonburi, it wouldn't hurt to give them a try

When you come to Osaka, you must try takoyaki. Many people know that takoyaki is an Osakan staple, so I really wanted to try out authentic Osakan takoyaki. I took notice of Kukuru because of the huge octopus display and the huge line. My friend and I decided to stop by there and grab some takoyaki and a drink, since it was a hot hot summer day. The takoyaki itself was delicious. They cook the takoyaki right in front of you, so you know it is fresh. They also serve it in a cute plate. I'm only giving them two stars because they are heavily overcharging on their drinks. When I went there, their menu was on a huge board. They conveniently choose to not list prices... hmm. Maybe they did this so they could scam tourists?? Who knows. It was incredibly hot, so I asked for one "sports drink" (no price listed) in addition to my takoyaki. Turns out, this sports drink was a 500 ml standard sized Aquarius. These drinks cost about ¥128 yen at ANY convenience store in Japan, and even less at any supermarket. And guess how much they charged me here?? They charged me ¥420 for this Aquarius. 420 YEN! Seriously?! I know this wasn't simply a mistake because my friend was also charged ¥420 for her drink. Even if everyone is charged this much for one 500 ml soft drink, that is ridiculous. This place was awfully chaotic and busy, so of course, once they gave me back my change, they shoved me aside so they could assist other patrons. I was so shocked when I saw how much the drink costed! If you come here, don't make the mistake that I made - regardless of how hot and sweaty you are. Go to the convenience store to get your drinks. And DON'T buy anything without knowing the price, don't think that they wouldn't stoop so low as to overcharge you. I honestly want to give this place 1-star just for overcharging on the drink, but the takoyaki was so good that I'll still give it 2-stars.

When we arrived in Dotonbori, we were craving for some takoyaki so we lined up at this spot. Apparently, this place is popular and has been featured in tv and such. Of course, there were a few people ahead of us but when he started making the takoyaki, I forgot that we've been waiting. It's so cool to see how they make those yummy balls and their skills on how fast they flip it. The inside seating area opened while we were in line so we decided so sit inside and enjoy our takoyaki there. Delicious!! I've had takoyaki in the US before its nothing like this. I guess nothing compares to where it originated.

No tourists would have walked by and missed Kukuru. I have seen photo of their store front on television, on internet and in traveling brochures. And of course I need to give them a try!! There was no line waiting to get into the restaurant, but I ended up getting some Takoyaki to go so we could snack on while waiting in line at another restaurant for Okonomiyaki. I got the freshly made Takoyaki and I was hungry. I did wish that the outer layer was more crispy but I love how it was nice and chewy inside. Perfect snack to tie me over till my next meal....

Taste: 8/10 Value: 7/10 Bacon and cheese and the takoyaki Both are really good. on the softer side but would definitely eat again

Not very impressed with their takoyaki. Seemed a bit too chewy and gooey in the inside and not very crispy on the outside.

We had eaten takoyaki here on a previous trip and decided to eat here again. It must be the best in the area if there's a giant tako above it right? We got our order pretty quickly and went upstairs to eat. I agree with other reviewers that the takoyaki was undercooked. Not total liquid, but liquidy enough to know it was undercooked. I think the cooks aren't cooking them enough since there's always a long line of people waiting and they want to get their takoyaki out quickly. Our takoyaki did have the green onions and ginger along with the piece of tako. We'll check out the reviews for other takoyaki places (since they're all over Dotonbori) and find the better reviewed shops.

The line to sit in the restaurant was a bit long so we opted for the smaller "to-go" line. It was 650 yen for a small of their regular takoyaki and you get about 6 pieces. We didn't have very much luck with takoyaki in Japan and we're still not sure if it's just the norm, but the ones here were also so liquidy and were just falling apart. Aside from that, they were threatening to burn our tongue off and the diced octopus inside was a small offering. The toppings were yummy though with the Japanese mayo, takoyaki sauce and anori (that bright green stuff). You'll see takoyaki offered as street food everywhere, especially in Osaka. But, we've had it twice and maybe it's not the best way to get takoyaki because it does look like the grilling process is a bit rushed. I'll never know if that's just how it is in Japan -- liquidy battered octopus. Either way, I wasn't a fan. Maybe you'll find takoyaki elsewhere in Dotonburi. There are many options after all.

This place lured us in with its colorful storefront and impressive octopus sign, but the takoyaki was a letdown. They had a long line and the cooks didn't cook the takoyaki long enough, so they were too soft. The takoyaki was served with yakisoba noodles on the side, which tasted okay. We should've tried the shop across the ways instead.

They have three kinds of takoyaki. A regular one, another kind with giant octopus but it costs 3 times more, and they also have one in soup. We opted for the standard takoyaki cos it was a hot summer day so no soup for us, and we didn't care about giant octopus. We made a good choice, the regular one was delicious! The balls were hot with the perfect consistency in the inside. Light crunch on the outside, just the way it should be. You can go, I approve this place.

I don't have a basis for comparison since this is the only Takoyaki place we tried in Osaka...the Takoyaki balls were pillowy-soft and umami-yummy! You can order in boxes of 8, 12 or 20. Good street food and a must-try in Osaka.

I never really liked Takoyaki until I had it here in Japan. The takoyaki I've had before (in the US, of course) just always seemed so bland and I just didn't get the hype. We need we had to get takoyaki during our Japan trip and I'm glad we did because it really changed me! My boyfriend found this place on some Dotonburi must eat list. You can find the restaurant by looking for a huge purple octopus above the entrance. It will be a little hard to find because Dotonburi is full of large and whacky kind of restaurant signs. The takoyaki was being made right on the sidewalk, so you can see and smell the food. My dude and I got 6 regular takoyakis with all the dressings, which included mayo and bonito flakes. We planned to eat it as we were walking but it was a little hard to do as it was raining. We found a little spot and we devoured our takoyaki. It was really good! The octopus flavor was delicious, and the texture was great. I really enjoyed it. I would definitely recommend coming here for takoyaki in Dotonburi Osaka!

I knew this place was good when I saw a line forming outside, even in the rain. When I finally got a chance to sit down and eat, it definitely did not disappoint. There are three types of yakis offered at Kukuru. I had all three and loved them all. 1. Takoyaki - the standard 2. Akashiyaki - boiled octopus balls in soup 3. Bikuri takoyaki - the jumbo sized standard with an octopus tentacle sticking out Gotta catch'em all.

I didn't try last time last year in Japan, this time I tried , sauce is really good I love it , but the octopus and egg is not well done yet , I feel I'm eating a great taste sauce eggplant lol

This place has a giant octopus on top! Apparently this takoyaki shop has been on television and magazines and everywhere, so we decided to try it to see what the hype is. The line was pretty long, but it moved by quickly. It was like factory assembly- these guys know what they're doing! I ordered the standard takoyaki (they also have shrimp and bacon and cheese) and got 8 balls instead of the usual 6. They come in little boats which were cute! The takoyaki was hot and fresh, but it was really soft. Like so soft the takoyaki would just fall apart. Other than that, it was yummy! The octopus was fantastic- best octopus I've had in a takoyaki. A nice chewiness to it. Even though we were super full, we were glad we got to try it!

Really bland and under cooked takoyaki. Don't be fooled by the line. Don't waste your time or money here.

I had never eaten takoyaki before our visit to Japan, so we made sure that this was our first stop on our Osaka eating itinerary. I was super excited to try this local speciality and I was not disappointed! Totally not what I was expecting. The balls were hot and gooey in the middle and a little crispy on the outside. They really were an incredible texture and the flavor was amazing too. From the looks of the place, you can eat inside, though we just lined up outside and got a to-go box of takoyaki and ate standing in the street (the line was long but moved fast, and I liked that they were so busy because there was high turnover in the takoyaki - they weren't sitting around getting dry). I believe regular takoyaki is the only dish you can order to go. The price is certainly right at (I think) 600 yen for a box of about 8-10 balls. This is definitely not enough for a meal but it was just right for the wife and I to share before heading down the street for some okonomiyaki. It goes without saying that takoyaki is a must do on your Osaka culinary advenure,and I doubt you could do better than Kukuru. Easy to find - look for the big octopus!

I really enjoy Akashi Yaki and regular tako yaki. If you want to eat inside of building you have to order one drink and one food for per person.

Got the takoyaki and yakisoba set. Personally am not a fan of the mushy takoyakis, but I believe even if you are this isn't the best out there. Yakisoba was just straight up bad. Our wait was not long at all and there were plenty of seats so I believe we came at an off peak time.

Terrible. Tourist trap. Don't be fooled by the long lines. It's so hype. It's so undercooked and made without any care. I'm rethinking all the YouTube people that I watch including Mickey Chen who really screwed up recommending this place. Not only is the food bad, but it's at least 1.5x more expensive than everywhere else. Stay away

This place is right at the entrance to dontonbori and so gets a lot more traffic than it should. The takoyaki were terrible. Wet and soft on the outside and mushy and tasteless on the inside. Walk 5 minutes in any direction to get much better takoyaki.