Is It Okay To Order A Sake Bomb At A Japanese Restaurant?

Perhaps a sake bomb brings you back to fond college memories or blurry nights with friends. And as you find yourself sitting at a Japanese restaurant, the thought may cross your mind to revisit some of those partially-forgotten experiences. As you scan the room, you notice other diners are sipping sake or toasting pints of beer. Should you be the one to kick things up a notch and combine the two with a round of sake bombs? Not so fast.

In more traditional establishments, sake bombs tend to circumnavigate the basic reverence for a quality sake pour. For obvious reasons, when sake is splashed into a container of beer and drank quickly, the subtle nuances of flavor and delicate floral notes of the drink that might be savored on its own are lost in those urgent, gulping moments. Plus, while sake bombs can be found in many American university towns, the order is less likely to be found should you find yourself traversing across the Japanese countryside. 

Unlike sake itself, sake bombs aren't the kind of beverages designed to be sipped and savored. It's a drink order with a clear message and intention — and it may not be appropriate for establishments that seek to emphasize either quality of food or service. 

Smashing your hand into a table to knock a shot that is balancing precariously on chopsticks into a glass of beer is bound to cause some commotion, and this may not be the kind of attention you want to attract, particularly when traveling to new countries or trying to make an impression on fellow diners.

Should the desire to smash sake bombs run inescapably hot, consider buying the necessary ingredients to host a sake bomb theme night at your home. With beer, sake, and chopsticks at the ready, you can unabashedly guzzle boozy rounds in the comfort of your kitchen instead of mistakenly turning a Japanese restaurant into a more raucous affair.