Brand beef in Japan is so delicious that it is the stuff that makes up gourmets' dreams. However, It is not as simple as labeling a cow raised in Kobe as Kobe beef. The amount of effort put in by the producers in order to raise healthy cows that pass the strict and numerous brand beef conditions and eventually be labeled, is tremendous. Here are 5 yakiniku restaurants in Osaka where you can enjoy brand beef.
1. Nidaimejirou
This certified Omi beef restaurant uses Omi beef for both its prime meats and horumon (innards). As it is difficult to get stocks for brand beef horumon, Nidaimejirou buys its Omi beef by the cattle, allowing it to provide to its customers about 20 different types of horumon. For diners who have never tried horumon, try the Otameshi Horumon Mori (500 JPY (excl. tax)), which comes with 6 different types of horumon in small quantities. Experienced diners may go ahead with the Horumon Hasshu Mori (1,000 JPY (excl. tax)). The Premium Omi Beef Tongue (1,300 JPY (excl. tax)) is also really popular and usually sells out. With so many choices at a reasonable price, Nidaimejirou is the place to go to in order to enjoy some Omi beef.
2. Kurobekoya Umeda Shibata Branch
At Kurobekoya, you can enjoy all-you-can-eat kuroge wagyu from Kyushu (Kagoshima, Miyazaki, and Kumamoto) without having to travel all the way there! This restaurant takes pride in its 3 all-you-can-eat courses, the Standard (2,980 JPY (excl. tax)), Premium (3,980 JPY (excl. tax)), and ‐Kiwami‐ (5,480 JPY (excl. tax)). Try the ‐Kiwami‐ course if you want to have a taste of wagyu beef so finely marbled that it almost melts in your mouth. Not only is there a good selection of meat cuts, but you can also order, to your heart's content, a good 95 different types of food, such as seafood, hotpot, salad, and desserts! Make sure your leave your house with an empty stomach!
3. Matsusaka Wagyutei
Here, diners can feast on the world renowned Matsusaka beef, known as one of the three top brands of wagyu beef. Matsusaka Wagyutei buys the high-class Matsusaka cattle whole in order to provide reasonable and competitive prices to its customers. Try the Special Boneless Beef Short Rib (1,250 JPY (excl. tax)). The perfect tenderness and the moderately marbled meat makes it almost feel like it dissolves in your mouth. In terms of taste, texture, and aroma, Matsusaka beef is like no other! Depending on the day of the week, this item might not be available, so you should enquire beforehand in order to avoid disappointment. This restaurant is in a good location, just 3 minutes' walk away from Hankyu Umeda Station. Why don't you savor the goodness of Matsusaka beef in the modern-looking interior of this restaurant?
4. Hakuundai Grand Front Osaka Branch
The popular Hakuundai Grand Front Osaka Branch is located in Tsuruhashi, where the fiercest competition between yakiniku restaurants take place. You can enjoy some authentic yakiniku at this place, with carefully selected kuroge wagyu (Saga beef, Sendai beef) as your main ingredients. Sendai beef is the highest quality wagyu beef that you can find, so much that you will never find Sendai beef that is below A5-grade, the top grade of beef in Japan. As this restaurant is merely a minute away from JR Osaka Station, visiting during lunch time (11:00 am - 3:00 pm) is a good idea. The lunch time Sendai Beef Set comes with soup and rice for 5,000 JPY, which feels like a little more of a bargain compared to dinnertime prices. Do try some of this elusive, high-grade brand beef, which only makes up 0.049％ of domestic beef production.
5. Yakiniku-no GYUTA Honjin Yodobashi Umeda Branch
You can pay this place a visit in the middle of your shopping, on the 8th floor of Yodobashi Umeda. Yakiniku-no GYUTA Honjin transports its prime meats directly from the butcher, and the cattle are bought whole in order to allow customers to enjoy a good variety of parts and cuts. Try the Wagyu Yakisuki (590 JPY/slice of meat (excl. tax), accepting orders of 2 slices and up). The thinly sliced prime meat is slightly seared, dipped in tsukimi sauce, and then used to wrap with rice before being eaten. The sweetness of the meat and the sauce combine to fill your mouth with a rich aroma. Do drop by either to take a break from shopping, or after you're done with all your shopping!
※Please note that there is a 2-hour time limit.
The savoriness and tenderness of wagyu beef is world-acclaimed. Do enjoy wagyu beef in Japan, which has to clear numerous strict standards before being served as part of your wonderful meal!
*Please note that the information in this article is from the time of writing or publication and may differ from the latest information.
