Tokyo Yakiniku Guide: Best Picks for a Memorable Meat Feast

Located just a two-minute walk from Akasaka-mitsuke Station, "Akasaka Raimon" is a highly recommended Japanese barbecue restaurant. The interior is elegantly decorated, featuring both bar and table seating, and operates entirely on reservations, ensuring that guests can enjoy their meals in a peaceful and comfortable setting.

"Akasaka Raimon" is famous for its "Omakase Course" (chef's recommendation set), which includes not only rare and precious cuts but also the extremely famous Chateaubriand—a rare cut that only yields 800 grams per cow. Particularly popular is the thick-cut "Ue-Tan Shio," known for its substantial texture and taste, providing diners with a uniquely springy meat experience.

Additionally, the "Tokusen Liver Shioyaki" is also a must-try. This dish, with its unique angular cuts and top freshness, has won the hearts of diners. The grilled tender liver, seasoned with sesame oil, brings out the natural sweetness of the liver, making for an unforgettable taste.

"Akasaka Raimon" not only selects its ingredients carefully but also excels in its cooking techniques, making it a rare find among high-quality barbecue restaurants. For barbecue enthusiasts, it is undoubtedly an unforgettable culinary experience.

In the gourmet enclave of Ebisu, there's a notable Japanese barbecue restaurant called "YORONIKU" which continues the exceptional traditions of "Yoroniku" in Minami Aoyama. Each piece of meat here is cut with meticulous care, as beautiful as a piece of art. The chefs cook each slice at the ideal moment, ensuring the flavors are presented at their best.

The restaurant manager, Mr. Handa, was born in the 1970s in Iwate Prefecture, surrounded by famous products such as short-horn cattle, and developed a deep interest in meats. He previously worked at an Italian restaurant in Tokyo, where he enhanced his understanding of both fish and meat and broadened his knowledge of ingredient distribution. He also participated in training at "Yakiniku Jumbo Shinozaki Hon-ten," where he learned numerous techniques for handling high-quality meats, all of which are reflected in the cuisine at "Yoroniku."

"YORONIKU" is located on the top floor of a new commercial building in front of Ebisu Station. The space is expansive, with a design that merges classical and modern elements, offering service as meticulous as that found in top luxury homes, ensuring that customers can fully immerse themselves in an unparalleled feast of meats.

Here, every piece of meat is carefully selected and prepared. Special sets like the "Silk Course" feature slices of meat that are as smooth as silk, lightly grilled and served with exquisite small rice balls, each bite a tremendous temptation to the taste buds. The premium Wagyu beef is supplied directly by the venerable "Hiyama," with daily adjustments made to the cutting and cooking methods based on the meat's texture and condition, all to fully showcase the deliciousness of the meats.

Yakiniku Jumbo Hanare is a high-end Japanese barbecue restaurant located in Hongo, Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo, famous for its selection of A5 grade Wagyu beef. Since its opening in 2013, the restaurant has become a leader in Japan's barbecue industry.

The interior is elegant, featuring smoke-free grilling equipment to ensure that diners can enjoy their meals in comfort and safety. Additionally, the restaurant offers private rooms, making it an ideal choice for business dinners or intimate meals with friends and family.

One of the restaurant's signature dishes is "Nohara-yaki," a special large cut of beef loin served with a unique sauce known as "Jandare." It is lightly grilled and then dipped in egg yolk, a popular choice among patrons.

Chef Norimitsu Minamihara, the head chef at "Yakiniku Jumbo Hanare," is renowned for his exquisite skills and strict selection of meat. He not only personally selects each piece of meat but also adjusts the thickness of the slices based on the quality of the meat to ensure that each piece showcases its best flavor.

Furthermore, the restaurant offers a diverse à la carte menu and carefully designed set meals, catering to various needs and preferences, whether for individual enjoyment or group sharing.

In the Shirokane Takanawa area of Tokyo, there is a longstanding barbecue restaurant called "Sumiyaki Kinryuzan" that has been in operation for over 40 years, becoming one of the hardest-to-book top barbecue restaurants in Japan. It has earned a reputation as a "must-visit yakiniku restaurant in one's lifetime," on par with the hard-to-book "Akasaka Raimon," which is run by the daughter and son-in-law of the owner of "Kinryuzan."

This restaurant has maintained its status as extremely difficult to book for over a decade, primarily due to the top-notch quality of its barbecue, a rarity in the market. The restaurant's rustic style and smoky atmosphere capture the essence of a traditional barbecue joint. Despite leaving with clothes smelling of smoke, patrons remain enthusiastic about the cuisine.

Recommended signature meats include the thick-cut "harami," which is juicy with every bite; "akami rosu," favored for its rich lean flavor; and "shinshin aburi," perfectly balanced in fat and red meat ratios and served with a slightly sweet special egg yolk sauce that makes it hard to stop eating.

For those with unique tastes, "jo-tan shio" and "tan shio" are must-tries, with the former being thick-cut and rich in fat, offering a full-bodied salty flavor; the latter is lighter and more budget-friendly. Specialty side dishes like "tokusen reba" (select liver), miso-flavored "jo-mino," and "tan tare yaki" add endlessly to the memorable dining experience.

Located in Koto Ward, Tokyo, "Yakiniku Seiryuen" is just a 3-minute walk from Kiyosumi-Shirakawa Station and is a Japanese barbecue restaurant highly esteemed by food lovers. The restaurant operates on a reservation-only basis, allowing diners to enjoy delicious meals in a private setting.

"Yakiniku Seiryuen" is particularly famous for its "tan shio," which features thinly sliced beef tongue grilled to perfection, melting in the mouth like velvet. Additionally, "harami" is not to be missed; this cut is tender yet chewy, with every bite bursting with rich meaty flavor.

The interior of the restaurant is simply decorated, creating a warm and inviting dining atmosphere. The service is very attentive, managed by the owner and a friendly proprietress who often interact with customers, making each dining experience exceptionally special.

For those wanting to dine at "Yakiniku Seiryuen," it is advisable to make reservations in advance, especially during holidays when bookings may need to be made weeks or even months ahead.