My husband and I are going to Japan for the first time this fall and looking for recommendations for restaurants that do meat courses really well. Specifically in Osaka, Kyoto, Takayama and Tokyo. We are open to all price points so whether you really enjoyed a meal at a hole in the wall dive, or a Michelin 3 star that featured meat (as opposed to fish and seafood) please share. Also, if any require advanced reservation and you were able to do it using a specific site that would be so helpful to note as well. The amount of reservation websites to book ahead is a little daunting so far…
My most memorable meat meal was a Katsu combo at a restaurant called Mai Sen inside the Daimaru department store in Tokyo.
I was a walk-in in the mid-afternoon. The restaurant, which is small, was full.
I had wanted to try a special gyukatsu restaurant in Shinobu (which also has locations in Kyoto and a few other places) , called Gyukatsu Motomura, that a chef who is a friend had recommended, but it didn’t work out.
Gyukatsu Motomura site:
Some Tokyo recs:
in Tokyo:
BEEF
- Yoroniku. Multiple locations. https://www.diarygrowingboy.com/2016/03/tokyo-sakura-trip-day-2-happy-to-meat.html
- Sumibiyaki Nakahara. https://www.diarygrowingboy.com/2018/12/tokyo-2018-day-7-more-sizzling-beef.html
- Yakiniku Jambo
- 29 Terrace. https://www.diarygrowingboy.com/2024/12/tokyo-2024-day-3-instagram-famous-tongue.html
- Nikuya Tanaka
PORK
- Tonkatsu Narikura. https://www.diarygrowingboy.com/2023/04/japan-michelin-tour-2023-day-9-best.html. MUST book via Omakase.
- Tonkatsu Marushichi. Multiple locations. No bookings, must line up. The location in Fukagawa Fudo is slightly out of the way but has the most number of seats - meaning shorter wait time. The usual “premium” is 300g of pork. On the 29th of each month they offer TWO portions that comes in at 600g and is 7cm high. https://www.diarygrowingboy.com/2024/12/tokyo-2024-day-4-instagram-famous.html
CHICKEN
- Yakitori Shinohara. https://www.diarygrowingboy.com/2023/04/japan-michelin-tour-2023-day-9-chicks.html. Book via Omakase.
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