Last order at an izakaya: what it means and when it happens

Near the end of the night, a staff member comes to your table and says “Rasuto ōdā ni narimasu” (ラストオーダーになります) — “it’s last order”. This is your final chance to order anything. After that, the kitchen and bar stop taking orders for your table.

When last order happens

There are two kinds of “end”, and last order comes before both:

• Closing time. Most places call last order about 30 minutes before closing.
• Your time limit. If you’re on a 2-hour slot or all-you-can-drink, last order usually comes about 30 minutes before your time is up.

Menus and signs often show it as L.O. — for example L.O. 22:30. Some places have a separate, earlier last order for food (フードL.O.) and a later one for drinks (ドリンクL.O.).

Photo coming soonA sign showing opening hours with L.O. times for food and drinks

What to do when they call it

• Order everything you still want, at once. One more round of drinks, a final skewer, something to finish (rice balls or noodles are a classic “shime”, the closing dish).
• Or just say no thanks. 大丈夫です daijōbu desu (“we’re fine”) is perfect.
• Then finish up. You can stay while you finish what’s on the table, but don’t linger long after you’re done, especially at busy places.

It’s not them rushing you

Last order is routine — it’s said to every table, not just to you. It’s simply a heads-up so the kitchen can close on time.

Back to the full evening: How an izakaya works.