Gyoza & starters
Pan-fried Japanese dumplings, edamame, miso-glazed aubergine: the small plates you pick at with a controller in one hand.
Video game restaurant · Marseille
Video game restaurant in Marseille
At Iwao, the meal is as much played as eaten. You push the door on rue Sainte, grab a piping-hot bowl of ramen and start a game on the arcade cabinet, under the lanterns. An immersive ramen-ya where video games are part of the menu, steps from the Old Port.
The concept
Eat, play, insert coin
Iwao isn't just a Japanese restaurant: it's a slice of Tokyo dropped into the heart of Marseille, with its arcade cabinet, manga shelves and weathered signs. You come for the house-made ramen and stay for the game that stretches the evening. Here the screen and the counter answer each other — you drop another credit without ever leaving your table.
Insert coin
The cabinet, the manga, the broth
Video games aren't just extra décor here: they're the other half of the trip. You snack on gyoza between two credits, leaf through a volume at the counter, chase a high score under the neon. Posters, worn wood, pixels and lanterns turn every service into a bonus level. In Marseille, this is the address you come to as much for the retro-gaming mood as for the broths.
Retro arcade cabinet
The cabinet takes pride of place in the room: a few credits between courses, in the spirit of Tokyo game centres.
Free manga library
Shelves of manga within reach: read a volume at the counter while you wait for your bowl of ramen.
Immersive 8-bit décor
Lanterns, signs and neon replay a Japanese alley — you change worlds without leaving Marseille.
At the table
What you snack on controller in hand
Honest Japanese cooking to share between two rounds, from quick bites to big comforting bowls.
Karaage & fried bites
Marinated Japanese fried chicken, crisp outside and juicy inside — the classic that lasts from one round to the next.
Ramen & donburi
House-drawn broths and generous bowls: enough to refuel before the next boss.
Good to know
Coming to play & eat at Iwao
- Address27 rue Sainte, 13001 Marseille (1ᵉʳ)
- Phone+33 4 91 54 08 27
- Opening hours
Tuesday · 19:00 – 22:30
Wednesday → Saturday · 12:00 – 14:30 / 19:00 – 22:30
Sunday · 19:00 – 22:30
Closed on Monday.
- Terrace
Around 15 outdoor seats
Our tip
The tables near the cabinet go fast, especially in the evening. Book online to be sure of your seat at the game counter.
Explore
Also worth a look
The Iwao experience from every angle, and the rest of the house.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is there really a video game cabinet at Iwao?
Yes: an arcade cabinet is set up in the dining room, in the spirit of Tokyo game centres. You play between courses, in the restaurant's Japanese-alley setting.
What makes Iwao a video game restaurant?
The world it builds: an arcade cabinet, a freely available manga library, retro-gaming posters and neon, all around a genuine ramen-ya kitchen. You eat Japanese and you play, without leaving your table.
Can I play games and read manga on site?
Yes, the cabinet and the manga library are freely available: start a game or leaf through a volume at the counter while you wait for your bowl of ramen.
Does the gaming mood also suit a quiet meal?
Absolutely: the cabinet and the manga are an invitation, not an obligation. You can come simply for a bowl of ramen and the atmosphere of the alley.
Do I need to book to come play and eat?
It is strongly recommended, especially in the evening and at weekends when the room fills quickly. You can book online through the dedicated tool or by phone.
Where is Iwao in Marseille?
At 27 rue Sainte, in the 1st arrondissement, a few minutes’ walk from the Old Port and the Opéra district.
Stage clear — table booked
Book your game
The dining room and the cabinet fill up fast, especially in the evening. Book in seconds and come eat, play and insert coin at Iwao.
Continue → book your table
Or by phone: +33 4 91 54 08 27