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Azuki Iro no Marcus あずき色のマーカス
Duck into Tenjinbashi-suji Shotengai in Temma for the best kept secret since Grandma’s apple pie! Azuki No Iro Marcus awaits you! It’s part of the Kurama Project, a group that’s been transforming old spaces into lively standing bars all across Osaka. Alongside Marcus, they also run spots like WASHU GINZO, Jack to Matilda, Rojiura Avant-Garde, and Stand Tiger Lily.
Address:4 Chome-12-11 Tenjinbashi, Kita Ward, Osaka, 530-0041. N/A. Open: 15:30-24:00 (L.O. drinks 23:00), daily. Closed New Year.
Many standing bar izakaya are known to have a simple, hard, blue collar, working man’s vibe that seem to yell out over the crowd, “Step off the moving cars for one at our place! Lay your worries aside, and your money down! HERE is where you can forget about the grind for a time, step up to the counter, boys! Wash thine troubles away!”
A Welcoming Environment
Traditionally, the izakaya has been a working man’s world. Azuki Iro no Marcus proves otherwise; this restaurant is very popular with women of all ages. An ‘F’ for ‘free’, one size fits all, Team Marcus has something everyone seems to love.
Says one male reviewer on Tabelog: “My date and I went into Marcus on a whim. Seeing ‘standing bar’ on the sign, I entered hesitantly only to be pleasantly surprised. The place was nicely decorated and full of a younger female crowd enjoying the tradition of standing bar as if they were born to it! One side of the menu was totally dedicated to sake. Brands from all over the country! Right up our alley! I tried one from the hometown of the woman I was with, Nagasaki, and was very pleased. The menu was beautifully prepared and reasonable. The dishes were delicious, and the drinks were like home. The atmosphere seemed to be a great place for women who might be trying standing bars for their first time. Besides, my date and I could thoroughly enjoy sake paired with exquisitely prepared dishes, not so huge in volume but packing a big punch in taste. I love Marcus!”
The Discovery: A Tip Out of The Blue
Known around the town and well versed on all things Osaka nightlife, Tatsuya “Tats” Inaoka originally put Azuki Iro no Marcus on our radar. “You’ve got to try that place! We were just there, we ordered the shiitake mushrooms with parmesan cheese,” says Tats, an Izakaya standing bar enthusiast since the late seventies. “”I like them a lot.”
“It seems that Marcus is famous for their mackerel saba sandwich however, I’ve never tried it. At least, not yet! As you know, Japanese people like glutamic acid. I’m one of them. That [ingredient] is included in shiitake mushroom a lot. And it goes well with soy sauce and cheese. All Osaka people love such kind of dishes.”
Celebrating at Azuki Iro no Marcus
In the beginning of March, my friends Matt, Jake and I decided to take Tatsuya’s advice and hit Azuki no Marcus for ourselves to celebrate our friend Mike’s birthday. Within about 150 meters we found the front door to Marcus down a rock paved path just off the main arcade. The place was packed! After a short wait, were offered the best standing ‘seats’ in the whole house! An old, refurbished kominka town house from times past around which four grown men could stand and enjoy their very own waist high “bar”!
Throughout the night, upon that countertop, bottles of Sapporo Black Star beer and plate after plate of some of the finest offerings were placed and quickly devoured. Of particular interest was their 100- yen feature: a champagne flute housing sprigs of Japanese mustard leaf, komatsuna, served with a thimble of spiced olive oil and herb.
The place was packed with a fun loving, jovial crowd, both male, female, and quite a few couples. The retro style of the place in tandem with old refurbished Japanese furniture had Mike saying, “Now THIS is a place I like!”
Shiitake Parmesan しいたけパルメザン
The very first dish we ordered and savored most was the very same shiitake dish Tatsuya had told us we had to try! In one word? AMAZING! Pan steam- fried in sake, ponzu citrus soy, truffle butter, glutamic acid, quartered and tossed in the pan again, plated and garnished in grated shards of parmesan, the shiitake are a perfect pairing with a sweet, smooth glass of sake or an ice-cold tankard of ale!
Renkon Tempura (蓮根の天ぷら)
The next dish we got was a plate of renkon tempura, lotus root slices lightly battered and fried until golden. They were crunchy on the outside, with that starchy almost chestnut-like sweetness inside.
Shima Katsuo Sashimi 島鰹刺身
We decided to order a plate of Shima Katsuo Sashimi. It contained thick slices of ruby red bonito in a tangy orange sauce that was topped with scallions. One of the reasons that Azuki Iro No Markus is so popular is that people don’t come here to get filled up. They come here, have a few light dishes and then move on to the many other drinking establishments around Temma Station.
Seri and Chicken Egg Hot Pot セリサワ鶏卵寄せ
This dish came bubbling hot in a clay pot. The beaten egg swirled around tender pieces of chicken, while the fresh green seri leaves (Japanese parsley) added a sharp kick in the pants. If you ever find yourself going overboard boozing it up, then this is the perfect cure for a bad hangover. We usually order things like greasy karaage at an izakaya, but here we were carefully picking out healthy menu items that our doctors would all approve of.
Marcus Izakaya Menu
The izakaya highlights fresh vegetables from Yamagata Prefecture, a region renowned for its produce thanks to its fertile soil, favorable climate, and rich agricultural traditions. The team at Azuki Iro No Marcus keeps the menu changing regularly, so not everything listed here may be available when you visit. These selections are taken from menus in June and July 2025, but they give a good sense of the kind of dishes you can expect.
Daily Specials & Fresh Fish
- Today’s Fresh Fish Sashimi 本日の鮮魚造り – 時価 (Market price)
- Tempura Assortment 天ぷらの造り – 800 yen
- Sea Bream Eye with Wasabi マダイのめぐみわさび – 600 yen
- Squid Sashimi ケンサキイカの酒盗卵黄 – 700
- Kinmedai (Golden Eye Snapper) Kamameshi Rice Pot 金目鯛カブト酒蒸し – 750 yen
- Charcoal-Grilled Yellowtail Collar with Daikon ブリの照焼きトロおろし – 750 yen
- Red Sea Bream (真鯛 – Madai) – 750 yen
Appetizers
- Masu Persimmon Pone (savory persimmon & cheese bake) マス柿ポーネ – 350 yen
- Bacon & Strawberry Shira-ae (tofu dressing) ベーコンとイチゴの白和え – 500 yen
- Octopus with Grated Yam たことろろ – 700 yen
- Sea Bream Ochazuke (tea rice) 鯛出汁茶漬け – 650 yen
- Saba Pickled & Smoked サバのぬか漬けくんせい – 500 yen
- Fried Octopus with Spicy Cod Roe Mayonnaise 揚げだこ辛子マヨネーズ – 400 yen
- Marcus-Style Curry Bread マーカス流カレーパン – 350
- Marcus-style Shrimp Toast マーカスエビパン – 600 yen
Meat Dishes
- Homemade Chicken Chashu (自家製チキンチャーシュー ) – 600 yen
- Beef & Mushroom with Egg 鳥海なめこの卵とじ – 650 yen
- Beef Tongue & Mashed Potato with Soy-Sesame Sauce -牛タンとマッシュポテト ニラ醤油 – 950 yen
- Duck Hotpot –鴨わさ – 650 yen
- Bacon & Strawberry Shira-ae (tofu dressing) ベーコンとイチゴの白和え – 500 yen
- Beef & Mushroom Butter ホタルイカとマッシュルームの木の芽バター – 550 yen
- Chicken & Egg Terrine with Seri (Japanese parsley) セリサワ鶏卵寄せ – 500 yen
- Roast Beef (Chuck Flap) 牛カイノミローストビーフ – 900 yen
Vegetables & Sides
- Juicy Komatsuna (Japanese mustard spinach) from Yamagata ジューシー小松菜（山形庄内野菜） – 100 yen
- Lettuce with Buckwheat Mustard Dressing (レタスとソバからし和え) – 450 yen
- Daikon Musubi with Yamagata “Dashi” 大根むすびと山形出汁 – 500 yen
- Grilled Shiitake with Soy Sauce 原木しいたけ出汁醤油焼き – 500
- Tantan-Style Glass Noodles 担々マロニー – 550 yen
- Potato Salad of the Day (日替わりポテサラ) – 350 yen
Snacks Pairings for Alcohol
- Pickled Wasabi Shoots (つんつん漬け) – 500 yen
- Dried Firefly Squid (ホタルイカ丸干し) – 450 yen
- Pollock Roe Tartar (めんたいタルタル) – 450 yen
- Crispy Pickled Daikon (大根ポリポリ) – 200 yen
- Shark Cartilage with Plum (梅水晶) – 450 yen
- Salted Bonito Entrails with Cream Cheese (酒盗とクリームチーズ) – 450 yen
- House Sake Lees Raisin Butter (あずき色の酒粕レーズンバター) – 450 yen
- Smoked Mixed Nuts (燻製MIXナッツ) – 250 yen
- Cheese Rice Cracker (チーズせんべい) – 300 yen
- Marcus’s Spaghetti Salad (マーカスのサラスパ) – 400 yen
Drinks
Soft Drinks
- Oolong Tea (ウーロン茶) – 430 yen
- Ginger Ale (ジンジャーエール) – 430 yen
Fruit Liquor
- Choya Super Lychee (超ライチ) – 500 yen
- Hyakunen Umeshu – “100 Year Plum Wine” (百年梅酒) – 580 yen
Shochu (Distilled Spirit)
- Sweet Potato Shochu “Satsuma Shima Bijin” (芋焼酎 さつま島美人) – 530 yen
- Barley Shochu “Sato” (麦焼酎 佐藤) – 580 yen
- Cardamom Shochu – House-made (カルダモン焼酎) – 630 yen
Sours
Tomato Sour (トマトチューハイ) – 480 yen
Chunky Frozen Lemon Sour (ざく切り凍らせレモン) – 530 yen
Shochu with Oolong Tea – Oi-Chū (オイチュー) – 530 yen
HXH Sour (HXH酎ハイ) – 530 yen
Beer & Highball
- Sapporo Draft Beer (サッポロ生ビール) – 480 yen
- Sapporo “Red Star” Large Bottle (赤星〈大瓶〉) – 650 yen
- Shodoshima Craft Beer 330 ml – 1500 yen
- Whisky Highball (ハイボール) – 480 yen
Conclusion
Thoroughly impressed, we will be seeing more of Azuki Iro no Marcus real soon!
