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If you’re planning your day at Universal Studios Japan, you might be wondering if you need to book restaurants – or, if you even can. Our guide gives you the answers.
What is Priority Seating at USJ
Priority Seating is USJ’s system that lets you reserve a time slot to arrive at certain full-service or table-service restaurants and be seated with priority over walk-in guests.
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It’s not like a normal table reservation; the table won’t be cleared especially for you, so you may still wait a little if the restaurant is very busy, but it does ensure you have a guaranteed table to dine at without, hopefully, having to wait in line for too long.
Which Restaurants Offer It?
Okay, while USJ might have Priority Seating, don’t get too excited, as there are currently only three restaurants in the park that offer it. These are…
Park Side Grille – New York Area
Park Side Grille offers an Italian-themed menu with pizzas and pasta sold at lunch and more upscale set-course menus served from 3pm. They can cater for allergies and plant-based options and offer kids’ meals. It’s not the cheapest place to eat in the park, but it aims for a less theme-parky kind of atmosphere.
It’s open from 10.30 am to 8 pm.
Finnegan’s Bar & Grill – New York Area
This is styled as an Irish pub/bar, with a cozy, relaxed feel and pub fare like Irish Stew or steaks. Not surprisingly, they serve alcohol, including beer, wine and cocktails. They can cater for those with allergies, kids’ meals and plant-based options.
Finnegan’s is open from 10.30 am to 8 pm.
Note: Finnegan’s Bar and Grill is closing on November 3rd 2025. This day will be very busy as local visitors say goodbye to a favourite restaurant.
SAIDO – New York Area
SAIDO is a full-service Japanese restaurant, offering traditional Japanese cuisine such as sushi, udon, tonkatsu, and rice dishes. They can cater for guests with allergies, offer plant-based options and have children’s meal options.
SAIDO is open from 10.30 to 8 pm.
How to Book Priority Seating?
Bookings for the Priority Seating restaurants open at 11:00 a.m. one month in advance of the day you wish to visit and remain open until 24 hours before.
If you’re visiting on the 31st of the month but booking in a month with fewer days, you should make your booking on the 1st of the following month. So, for bookings for 31st October, book on the 1st October.
Make your bookings here. Simply choose your restaurant from the drop-down menu.
You will pick a one-hour slot to arrive at the restaurant rather than a specific fixed time.
You can also make Priority Seating bookings from 9 am at the door of the restaurant.
Don’t Forget to Buy Your Studio Pass
Everyone who visits USJ needs to buy a Studio Pass. You can buy a simple one that lets you into the park, or, if you buy them early, you might find the Klook special that also includes Super Nintendo World. Tickets are now released two months before the date you want to enter the park, so, check if they’re available now for your dates.
On the Day
Arrive at the restaurant during your scheduled booking window, and you will be shown to the first available table.
Note: Your booking will be cancelled if you don’t arrive within your one-hour window, so please don’t leave it too late. The park can be a bit confusing, and you may find it takes longer to get from point A to point B if it’s crowded.
How to Book Kinopio’s Cafe
The interesting thing about the Priority Seating service at USJ is that it doesn’t include the restaurant that’s hardest to get into in USJ – Kinopio’s Café in Super Nintendo World.
Kinopio’s Café is the sit-down restaurant inside Super Nintendo World. Since you also need a timed-entry ticket to visit Super Nintendo World, it does not offer the same Priority Seating service as the other table restaurants.
Instead, you need to go to the restaurant itself on the day of your visit and scan the QR code located outside. This will give you a return time to line up for a table.
Not only do you need to be in SNW to do this, but you also can’t exit the land and come back in to take your slot, so do it as soon as you enter SNW and then spend the time going on the rides.
But, don’t get too carried away either. If you do get a slot, you only have 15 minutes to enter; if you miss it, the slot will be given to the next person.
NB: I know there’s a hack for doing this that doesn’t require you to be in SNW to make a booking, but I try not to encourage behaviour that might get tourists a bad reputation or annoy the Japanese guests who will follow the rules on this site, so I’m steering clear of mentioning it.
That’s it – the simple explainer guide to Restaurant Priority Seating in USJ. If none of the restaurants included within it appeal to you, then don’t worry, you can walk into all of the other park restaurants and mostly you’ll only have a short queue. Eating outside peak times will help reduce your wait.
