Yakiniku is a very attractive dish not only for Japanese people but also for foreigners.
I personally love yakiniku, and have visited many famous yakiniku restaurants in Japan and eaten a lot of yakiniku.
In this article, I will introduce 12 of my favorite yakiniku chain restaurants. Of the 12 restaurants, 7 restaurants offer all-you-can-eat menus, and 5 restaurants offer single-item orders. All of them are famous in Japan and you can eat very delicious yakiniku.
“Are you looking for an all-you-can-eat yakiniku restaurant where you can order to your heart’s content?”
“Or would you prefer a high-end yakiniku restaurant where you can eat Wagyu beef?”
You can introduce all the yakiniku restaurants you want in this article.
Let’s take a look together.
7 Famous All-You-Can-Eat Yakiniku Chain Restaurants in Japan
At all-you-can-eat restaurants, you can “eat as much as you like” from the menu and only pay a fixed price.
Both cheap and delicious, Tabehōdai yakiniku restaurants are very popular with Japanese people, especially on occasions when gathering friends or eating out with family.
Here are 7 famous all-you-can-eat chain restaurants in Japan.
ONE KARUBI (ワンカルビ)
If you go to the store, you will understand why Japanese people love ONE KARUBI so much.
Unlike many all-you-can-eat chains, ONE KARUBI prefers chilled meat over frozen meat. In addition, all of ONE KARUBI’s menu items are prepared in-house so that they are always served fresh.
Certainly, the meat and side menus of ONE KARUBI are very high quality compared to those of all-you-can-eat chain stores in the same price range.
The interior of ONE KARUBI has a luxurious and comfortable design, which is my favorite point. All seats are semi-private rooms with partitions, so you can relax and enjoy your meal while feeling a private space.
Reference price
Tabehōdai (All-you-can-eat)
ONE KARUBI serves Tabehōdai both at noon (depending on stores) and evening (all stores).
Time limit is 120 minutes, last order is 30 minutes before.
Lunch (12:00-14:00): 2,780 yen
Evening (from 17:00): There are 3 courses below.
- 3,480 yen course: Fixed menu, excluding some dishes.
- 3,980 yen course: Fixed menu.
- 4,380 yen course: Fixed menu + beef salt tongue.
Nomihōdai (All-you-can-drink)
ONE KARUBI has the following 3 courses all-you-can-drink menu.
- 390 yen course: All soft drinks.
- 550 yen course: All soft drinks and non-alcoholic drinks.
- 1,390 yen course: All drinks.
Homepage: https://one-karubi.1dining.co.jp/
YAKINIKU KING (焼肉きんぐ)
YAKINIKU KING is a very famous all-you-can-eat yakiniku chain in Japan.
YAKINIKU KING is often introduced by TV shows and culinary magazines, so most Japanese people know this chain of restaurants.
YAKINIKU KING has a special menu called the Four Major Specialties.
- King Karubi (きんぐカルビ): A rare part of meat that can only be taken from a single cow, about 500g.
- Aburi Sukiyaki Karubi (炙りすき焼カルビ): An exquisite dish of meat with sukiyaki sauce dipped in egg.
- Hanasaki Jōrosu (花咲上ロース): A menu to eat thickly-sliced loin meat dipped in gari-bata soy sauce (garlic butter soy sauce).
- Jōharami Sutēki (上ハラミステーキ): A menu to eat thick-sliced skirt steak with onion sauce.
The interior of YAKINIKU KING is spacious and clean, so you can eat comfortably. Customers are mainly young people and families with children, so the atmosphere is somewhat lively.
Reference price
Tabehōdai (All-you-can-eat)
YAKINIKU KING serves Tabehōdai both at noon (depending on stores) and evening (all stores).
Time limit is 100 minutes, last order is 20 minutes before.
Lunch (OPEN-15:00): 1,980 yen
Evening (from 17:00): There are 3 courses below.
- 2,780 yen course: 58 dishes.
- 3,180 yen course: Fixed menu.
- 3,980 yen course: Fixed menu + Japanese beef.
Nomihōdai (All-you-can-drink)
YAKINIKU KING has the following 2 courses all-you-can-drink menu.
- 390 yen course: All soft drinks.
- 1,390 yen course: All drinks.
Homepage: https://www.yakiniku-king.jp/
PREMIUM KARUBI (プレミアムカルビ)
PREMIUM KARUBI is a relatively new restaurant among all-you-can-eat yakiniku chain restaurants. However, thanks to its appealing menu and excellent quality control, it has become a popular restaurant.
The yakiniku is of course delicious, but the side menu of PREMIUM KARUBI is exquisite. In particular, the desserts in this shop are made by skilled craftsmen, so they are not only delicious but also very pretty.
The interior of PREMIUM KARUBI is like a family restaurant where you can relax. Also, most of the stores are new, so they look very clean inside.
Reference price
Tabehōdai (All-you-can-eat)
PREMIUM KARUBI has 3 Tabehōdai courses with a limited dining time of 100 minutes, last-order 20 minutes in advance.
- 2,980 yen course: 66 dishes.
- 3,680 yen course: 105 dishes.
- 4,580 yen course: Fixed menu + beef tongue + harami…
Nomihōdai (All-you-can-drink)
PREMIUM KARUBI has the following 2 courses all-you-can-drink menu.
- 450 yen course: All soft drink.
- 1,480 yen course: All drinks.
Homepage: https://www.premiumkarubi.jp/index.php
GYŪKAKU (牛角)
GYŪKAKU is probably a familiar name for those living in Japan.
GYŪKAKU is a yakiniku chain restaurant that boasts an overwhelming number of stores with more than 600 stores throughout Japan.
Also, many of GYŪKAKU’s stores are close to the station, so it’s very convenient for going after work or gathering with friends.
GYŪKAKU has a variety of menus, but the all-you-can-eat menu is the most popular.
The taste is stable and delicious, and various campaigns are held frequently, so it boasts high popularity.
A small minus point is that the seats at GYŪKAKU are often a bit tight, so if you go in a large group, you should book in advance to be able to choose a spacious seating area.
Reference price
Tabehōdai (All-you-can-eat)
GYŪKAKU serves Tabehōdai both weekday noon (depending on stores) and evening (all stores).
Time limit is 90 minutes, last order is 20 minutes before.
Lunch (Open~18:00): 2,480 yen.
Evening (from 18:00): There are 3 courses below.
- 3,180 yen course: 70 dishes.
- 3,580 yen course: 90 dishes.
- 4,880 yen course: all 100 dishes (including beef tongue and some delicious meat dishes).
Nomihōdai (All-you-can-drink)
GYŪKAKU has 2 Nomihōdai courses with the following prices.
- 480 yen course: All soft drinks.
- 1,480 yen course: All drinks.
Homepage: https://www.gyukaku.ne.jp/
ANRAKUTEI (安楽亭)
ANRAKUTEI is a long-established yakiniku restaurant founded in 1963.
At ANRAKUTEI, we are particular about using additive-free, fresh meat for safety and peace of mind.
ANRAKUTEI is recommended for those who enjoy yakiniku with the elderly or families with children.
The space inside ANRAKUTEI is often designed to be simple and cozy, the atmosphere is not too bustling like other Tabehōdai restaurants, so eating is very comfortable and pleasant.
Reference price
Tabehōdai (All-you-can-eat)
ANRAKUTEI has 5 Tabehōdai courses with a limited dining time of 100 minutes, last-order 20 minutes in advance.
- 2,580 yen course: price for students or groups include students (student card required).
- 3,480 yen course: 80 dishes.
- 4,280 yen course: 100 dishes.
- 6,280 yen course: Fixed menu + beef tongue + harami…
- 8,780 yen course: Fixed menu + Kuroge Wagyu.
Nomihōdai (All-you-can-drink)
ANRAKUTEI has the following 3 courses all-you-can-drink menu.
- 780 yen course: Highball + Sour.
- 980 yen course: All soft drinks + highballs + sours.
- 1,580 yen course: All drinks.
Homepage: https://www.anrakutei.co.jp/
KAMIMURA BOKUJŌ (上村牧場)
KAMIMURA BOKUJŌ is an extremely interesting Tabehōdai yakiniku restaurant chain with a “conveyor belt yakiniku” style.
Specifically, after you choose the dish on the tablet, the meat will “run” straight from the kitchen to your table using a special conveyor belt, just like Kaiten-Sushi.
KAMIMURA BOKUJŌ has a modern, cheerful space and an attractive yakiniku menu, so it is always crowded with customers.
Families with children love KAMIMURA BOKUJŌ because there is a Drink-bar with many soft drinks for children to choose from. Female also like KAMIMURA BOKUJŌ because they can enjoy a variety of vegetables at the Salad-bar that any branch is equipped with.
Reference price
Tabehōdai (all-you-can-eat)
KAMIMURA BOKUJŌ has 4 Tabehōdai courses with a limited dining time of 100 minutes, last-order 20 minutes in advance.
- 2,980 yen course : 60 dishes.
- 3,380 yen course: 100 dishes.
- 3,780 yen course: 110 dishes
- 4,380 yen course: Fixed menu + Kuroge-Wagyū.
Nomihōdai (All-you-can-drink)
KAMIMURA BOKUJŌ has the following 2 courses all-you-can-drink menu.
- 418 yen course: All soft drinks.
- 1,518 yen course: All drinks.
Homepage: https://kamimura-bbq.com/
GYŪSHIGE (牛繁)
GYŪSHIGE is an all-you-can-eat yakiniku chain restaurant that is very popular among Japanese families and young people.
The grilled meat at GYŪSHIGE is marinated quite well, especially the Japanese beef Karubi. In particular, GYŪSHIGE also serves Yukke-style horse meat (桜ユッケ) – a unique menu that is rarely seen in other Tabehōdai yakiniku restaurants.
GYŪSHIGE is decorated in a relatively simple and friendly manner, especially suitable for those who want to enjoy delicious grilled meat at an affordable price with family or close friends.
Reference price
Tabehōdai (All-you-can-eat)
GYŪSHIGE has 3 Tabehōdai courses with a limited dining time of 120 minutes, last-order 20 minutes in advance.
- 2,890 yen course: Fixed menu.
- 3,290 yen course: Fixed menu and some delicious meat dishes.
- 4,290 yen course: All menu + beef tongue + Sakura Yukke + special Karubi meat.
Nomihōdai (All-you-can-drink)
GYŪSHIGE has the following 3 courses all-you-can-drink menu.
- 590 yen course: All soft drinks.
- 990 yen course: All drinks (excluding draft beer).
- 1,490 yen course: All drinks.
Homepage: https://gyushige.com/
5 famous yakiniku chain restaurants in Japan where you can order a single item
In Japan, along with Tabehōdai yakiniku restaurants, there are Tampin yakiniku restaurants, that only serve individual orders.
Here, we will introduce 5 very famous yakiniku chain restaurants in Japan where you can order a single item. The restaurants are JOJOEN, TORAJI, AMIYAKITEI, AN AN and YAKINIKU LIKE.
In particular, JOJOEN and TORAJI are high-end yakiniku chain restaurants. They are suitable for those who are looking for a yakiniku restaurant in a special situation, such as those traveling in Japan, entertaining important guests, and dating lovers.
AMIYAKITEI is characterized by the fact that you can taste a wide variety of Wagyu beef at reasonable prices.
AN AN is a super-cheap yakiniku chain restaurant that is very popular with students and international students.
And YAKINIKU LIKE is a yakiniku chain restaurant with a very distinctive style of “solo yakiniku”.
Let’s learn more specifically about the characteristics of each restaurant!
JOJOEN (叙々苑)
JOJOEN is a very famous high-end yakiniku restaurant in Japan.
All beef at JOJOEN uses carefully selected Japanese beef, and is carefully prepared by skilled chefs.
Not only high-quality meat, but all of JOJOEN’s menus are attractive.
JOJOEN doesn’t have many stores, but they are all located in prime locations and have very luxurious interiors.
The staff here often wear kimonos or vests and look very neat, and their service is also extremely professional.
JOJOEN is the number 1 suggestion for those who are looking for a classy yakiniku restaurant to receive guests or go on a date with someone special.
Reference price
- Salad: from 800 yen
- Yakiniku: from 3,000 yen
- Cold noodles: from 1,500 yen
- Soft drinks: from 600 yen
- Beer/alcohol: from 900 yen
Average cost per person (according to personal experience): 12,000 – 17,000 yen.
Homepage: https://www.jojoen.co.jp/
TORAJI (トラジ)
TORAJI is a famous yakiniku chain restaurant founded in Ebisu in 1995. Currently, TORAJI has more than 60 stores all over Japan.
TORAJI’s yakiniku is thick cut, but soft and juicy, and very delicious.
TORAJI’s specialty menu is yakiniku using Kuroge Wagyu beef raised on its own ranch (Saitama Prefecture). This is also the common source of meat for all branches, so no matter which TORAJI branch you go to, you will enjoy fresh meat with the same quality.
The space at TORAJI is designed to be very youthful and modern, and the staff is also professional and dedicated.
If you’re going to eat yakiniku on a date, TORAJI is the place to go.
Reference price
- Salad: from 600 yen
- Yakiniku (Wagyū): from 1,500 yen
- Rice or noodles: from 900 yen
- Soft drinks: from 400 yen
- Beer/ Alcohol: from 800 yen
Average cost per person (according to personal experience): 10,000 – 12,000 yen.
Homepage: https://www.ebisu-toraji.com/
AMIYAKITEI (あみやき亭)
AMIYAKITEI is a famous yakiniku chain restaurant with stores mainly in the Chūbu region of Japan.
AMIYAKITEI is characterized by its extensive menu. Apart from the seasonal menu, there are more than 200 kinds of regular menus. Among them, there are many reasonably priced dishes using Wagyū beef.
The space inside AMIYAKITEI is very spacious but feels a bit old. AMIYAKITEI is very suitable for those who want to go have a yakiniku with their family.
Reference price
- Salad & Dessert Bar (buffet style): 580 yen
- Yakiniku (Wagyū): from 700 yen
- Rice or noodles: from 600 yen
- Soft drink (Drink-bar): 180 yen
- Beer/ Alcohol: from 400 yen
Average cost per person (according to personal experience): 5,000 – 7,000 yen.
AMIYAKITEI serves Tabehōdai in some branches.
Please check AMIYAKITEI’s homepage for more details.
Homepage: http://www.amiyakitei.co.jp/
AN AN (安安)
With many branches and extremely cheap prices, AN AN is a chain of yakiniku restaurants that is very popular with students in Japan.
From December 2021, AN AN has stopped serving Tabehōdai (all you can eat) and officially transformed into a chain of yakiniku restaurants that only sells individual items. However, AN AN’s appeal remains unchanged thanks to its reasonable price and quality.
The space inside AN AN is usually very large, the tables and chairs are a bit old, but there are partitions between the tables so eating is relatively comfortable.
Reference price
- Salad: from 300 yen
- Yakiniku: from 300 yen
- Soft drink (Drink-bar): 300 yen
- Beer/ Alcohol: from 300 yen
Average cost per person (according to personal experience): 2,500 – 4,000 yen.
Updated 1/2024:
AN AN is starting to serve the Tabehōdai menu again in some branches.
Please check AN AN’s homepage for more details.
Homepage: https://anan.fuji-tatsu.co.jp/
YAKINIKU LIKE (焼肉ライク)
YAKINIKU LIKE is a unique yakiniku chain restaurant with a “solo yakiniku” style. Although it was born recently, YAKINIKU LIKE became famous very quickly and is increasingly popular in Japan.
The basic yakiniku-like menu consists of rice + soup + kimchi + meat.
If you don’t want rice, you can order the meat separately.
YAKINIKU LIKE’s seating design is extremely compact and smart, all the necessary features for yakiniku are integrated in minimal space.
YAKINIKU LIKE is truly a “paradise” for those who like to eat grilled meat alone or suddenly crave grilled meat but haven’t found someone to go with.
Reference price
- Set menu (rice + soup + kimchi + meat): from 580 yen
- Meat: from 300 yen
- Beer: from 400 yen
Average cost per person (according to personal experience): 800 – 2,000 yen.
Homepage: https://www.yakiniku-like.com/
Conclusion
We introduced 12 delicious and famous yakiniku chain restaurants in Japan.
If you have the opportunity to be in Japan and love Yakiniku – Japanese barbecue, then definitely try these chain restaurants.
All prices in the article are before tax and were updated at the time of writing.
Comment