01
Miso and fermentation
Marinated tofu, aubergine, condiments that deepen every plate.
Subaco
巣箱 · Neighbourhood izakaya · Paris 18th
A small Japanese nest in Paris.
Near Simplon, Yuka Kubo welcomes a handful of tables around seasonal Japanese cooking, small sharing plates and a carefully selected range of sake.
- Adresse
- 20 rue Joseph-Dijon
- Métro
- Simplon metro
- Horaires
- Tuesday–Saturday
- Téléphone
- 09 50 59 28 01
Subaco means nesting box
Subaco takes its name from the Japanese word for a small nesting box. The name captures the place: a compact room, a few tables, a counter open to the kitchen, and the feeling of being welcomed into a refuge. It brings together the closeness of a Japanese izakaya and the charm of a Parisian neighbourhood bistro.
巣箱
From Osaka to Rue Joseph-Dijon
Born in Osaka, Yuka Kubo left engineering for the kitchen. After training at Le Cordon Bleu and working in Paris — including Chez les Anges — she opened Subaco in 2019: an intimate, living, deeply personal izakaya.
Her cooking carries Japanese gestures and flavours without freezing them into décor or ritual. Osaka appears on the plates, but Subaco remains a true Parisian neighbourhood restaurant.
Osaka
Origins and taste memory
Le Cordon Bleu
Training in Paris
Chez les Anges
Documented Paris experience
2019
Subaco opens
Uroco
Second address, same street
Japanese flavours, a menu in motion
Marinades, miso, broths, citrus, seaweed, light fries and slow cooking shape the plates. The menu changes, but keeps a clear taste of produce and frank sauces.
The menu evolves with the seasons, the catch and the kitchen’s inspiration.
02
Broths and citrus
Dashi, lemon, yuzu — clear liquids that carry vegetables and fries.
03
Light frying
Tempura-like textures and karaage without heaviness.
04
Slow cooking and glaze
Braised meats, lacquered pork, patient sauces.
A short lunch set, plenty of flavour
At lunch, Subaco narrows the menu to a few complete dishes. The offer changes with the day and makes the house cooking easy to discover.
Lunch set — price and composition available from the restaurant.
Several plates, one meal
As evening falls, Subaco settles into its full izakaya rhythm. Plates arrive in sequence: vegetables, tofu, meats, seafood, fries, slow-cooked dishes and Osaka specialties shared around the table.
The menu changes regularly with produce and the kitchen’s mood.
A little Osaka on Rue Joseph-Dijon
Osaka shows up in Yuka Kubo’s cooking through generous plates, sauces, frying and okonomiyaki. Subaco does not recreate the city: it builds its own identity between Japanese memory and Parisian neighbourhood life.
Okonomiyaki and related specialties may vary from service to service.
Okonomiyaki — Osaka-associated specialty, subject to the menu
Vegetables at the centre of the table
Tofu, aubergine, leeks, potatoes and seasonal vegetables are treated with as much care as meat and seafood. Broths, miso, seaweed and condiments give them depth and character.
Plates, textures, seasons
A glimpse of Subaco’s culinary territory — vegetables, fries, meats, seafood, okonomiyaki and sweets.
The menu evolves with the seasons, the catch and the kitchen’s inspiration.
A sake for every table
The sake selection follows the textures and intensities of the cooking. Fresh, fruity, soft or more structured: the team can guide each table according to taste and plates.
The selection changes regularly.
Light and fresh
To begin, with fries, or with more delicate plates.
Round and aromatic
With sauces, miso and more generous dishes.
Deep and food-friendly
With glazed meats, richer broths and the end of the meal.
Fruity and open
Easy to share, without a complicated manual.
Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health. Drink in moderation.
From a glass of wine to yuzu lemonade
Alongside sake, Subaco keeps a short selection of wines and drinks chosen for the cooking. Yuzu lemonade offers a fresh non-alcoholic path.
From the counter, everything is in view
The open kitchen is part of the Subaco experience. Cooking, plating, frying and exchanges with the team bring a particular closeness to the meal.
Blue mosaic and old tiles
Behind a former shopfront, whose marble still carries the word “Boucherie”, Subaco has housed a small neighbourhood izakaya since 2019. The pool-blue mosaic counter opens onto the kitchen. Old tiles, found furniture, bottles and objects compose an intimate room where the team stays close to every table.
And a few doors down, Uroco
A few doors down, you will also find Uroco, Yuka Kubo’s second address dedicated to fish and seafood.
16 rue Joseph-Dijon, 75018 Paris
Rue Joseph-Dijon, near Simplon
A short walk from Simplon metro, Subaco sits on a quiet street in the 18th, at a comfortable distance from the bustle of Montmartre. A true neighbourhood restaurant, loved by locals and by those seeking Japanese small plates.
- 20 rue Joseph-Dijon, 75018 Paris
- Simplon metro — line 4
- Nearby: Jules Joffrin (line 12), Marcadet–Poissonniers (lines 4 & 12)
A discreet address, widely noticed
Since 2019, Subaco has built a loyal following and a reputation that reaches far beyond Rue Joseph-Dijon. Food guides, sake specialists and lovers of Japanese cooking regularly recommend this small izakaya in the 18th.
- Le Fooding
- La Maison du Saké
- Le 18e du mois
Practical information
Opening hours
- Monday
- Closed
- Tuesday
- 12 pm–2:30 pm & 7 pm–10:30 pm
- Wednesday
- 12 pm–2:30 pm & 7 pm–10:30 pm
- Thursday
- 12 pm–2:30 pm & 7 pm–10:30 pm
- Friday
- 12 pm–2:30 pm & 7 pm–10:30 pm
- Saturday
- 7 pm–10:30 pm
- Sunday
- Closed
Getting here
- Simplon metro — line 4
- Nearby: Jules Joffrin (line 12), Marcadet–Poissonniers (lines 4 & 12)
Follow
@subaco.frA table in the nest
Subaco is a small room. Call the restaurant directly to reserve your table and ask about the menu of the moment.