A type of Japanese drinking establishment which also serves food to accompany the drinks. They are casual places for after-work drinking. "Izakaya" entered the English language by 1987. It is a compound word consisting of "i" (to stay) and "sakaya" (sake shop), indicating that izakaya originated from sake shops that allowed customers to sit on the premises and drink.
The basics... …Order a drink. Explore the menu. Ask as many questions as you want. Almost everything on the menu can be shared.