Shibuya is the epicenter of Japanese youth culture. It's a constantly changing area with ongoing construction, where new shops and facilities continually open.
Shibuya, always bustling with people, is home to the famous Hachiko statue, a popular meeting spot, and the Scramble Crossing, known as "the world's busiest intersection." It's also currently popular as an anime setting.
With its unique museums, live music venues, and clubs, Shibuya has an artistic and musical side that appeals to both young people and adults. As an area popular among Japanese and foreigners alike, it boasts numerous restaurants. Many izakayas and bars are open late into the night.
Today, I'll introduce some popular Japanese BBQ (yakiniku) restaurants in Shibuya that are favorites among locals and a must-try for tourists visiting in 2024.
What is Yakiniku in Japanese Cuisine?
Yakiniku, or Japanese BBQ, originated from "Horumon yaki" (grilled offal) in Japan. It's said to have been started by Korean residents in Japan during the food shortages after World War II ended in 1945.
Originally, there was no tradition of eating offal in Korea. However, during the food shortages, Korean residents in Japan began selling grilled offal at food stalls, which gave birth to the style of "grilling meat over direct fire."
This style later evolved from food stalls to restaurants, with the addition of menu items like loin and boneless short ribs, creating the current style of yakiniku restaurants.
In essence, yakiniku, or Japanese BBQ, is a cuisine that developed uniquely in Japan.
Key Points of Yakiniku
There are two types of yakiniku restaurants in Japan: those where you grill the meat yourself and those where the staff grills it for you.
If you're grilling the meat yourself, keep these points in mind:
- Don't grill too much at once; Grill small amounts at a time, enjoying drinks and conversation while eating bit by bit.
- Don't flip the meat too often; Generally, flipping once is best.
- Pay attention to cooking time; Overcooking can make the meat tough, so aim for the right level of doneness.
- Season to your liking; Usually, sauce and lemon are provided for yakiniku, so enjoy it according to your preference.
Recommended Yakiniku Restaurants in Shibuya
Shibuya Yakiniku Kongoen
source：Tabelog
If you want to try top-grade, carefully selected meat for your Japanese BBQ (yakiniku) in Shibuya in 2024, Kongoen is recommended. They offer rare cuts of meat, allowing you to enjoy not only the taste but also the different textures due to thickness and cut variations. The offal is particularly known for its large size.
This restaurant lets you grill the meat yourself. They use charcoal instead of gas, promising a juicy finish. Personally, I appreciate their attention to the freshness of the meat and the presentation.
Recommendations include beef tongue with salt, skirt steak, and Reimen (Korean cold noodles). The beef tongue pairs well with lemon or salt sauce, while the skirt steak offers a tender texture. Reimen is perfect for cleansing your palate at the end of the meal.
<Store Information>
- Address: 2F Plaza Dogenzaka, 2-25-7 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
- Closed: Open year-round
- Phone: 050-5869-3974
- Hours: 12:00-23:30 (Last order 22:30)
- Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kongoen_shibuya/
BeBu-Ya
source：Tabelog
BeBu-Ya in Shibuya offers an all-you-can-eat Japanese BBQ (yakiniku) experience with high-quality wagyu beef in 2024. You can enjoy the melt-in-your-mouth tenderness unique to carefully selected wagyu beef. Experience the different textures of various cuts and the taste variations depending on how you grill them.
The interior has a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere, perfect for gatherings with friends or family. Share the joy of grilling meat together. With a wide variety of side dishes, you can eat to your heart's content without getting bored.
Note that the all-you-can-eat option typically has a 90-minute time limit. Be careful with your order quantities as the time limit starts right after the last order. Dessert items are also included in the all-you-can-eat menu.
<Store Information>
- Address: 5F HULIC & New SHIBUYA, 31-1 Udagawa-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
- Closed: New Year's holidays
- Phone: 03-5784-1729
- Hours: Mon-Fri: 16:00-23:00, Sat-Sun: 12:00-14:30, 16:00-23:00
- Store URL: https://shop.bsp-j.com/detail/Be_shibuya/
Yakiniku Kuroda
source：Tabelog
Yakiniku Kuroda is a place where you can savor high-quality Japanese BBQ in Shibuya. As you enter, you'll be charmed by the hidden gem atmosphere, feeling separated from Shibuya's hustle and bustle.
Using carefully selected fresh meat, you can enjoy flavorful tastes. The lean meat, in particular, is carefully sourced and has no gamey smell, offering a rich and mellow flavor. It's perfect for those who want to enjoy delicious lean meat.
They also offer many homemade menu items and sauces, allowing you to enjoy flavors unique to this restaurant. A special recommendation is the Kuroda yaki, where you briefly sear large, thinly sliced meat and eat it with a soft-boiled egg and sauce. This has a sweet soy sauce-based flavor similar to Sukiyaki, where meat, green onions, shiitake mushrooms, and tofu are cooked in a shallow iron pot. Personally, I like to eat this with rice.
<Store Information>
- Address: 1F-2F Shibumaru-kan, 1-16 Maruyama-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
- Closed: None
- Phone: 03-6455-2600
- Hours: 17:00-23:30 (Last order for food 22:30, drinks 23:00)
- Store URL: https://kuroda-shibuya.owst.jp/
Yakiniku Yokocho Shibuya
source：Official website
Yakiniku Yokocho is recommended for those looking for affordable all-you-can-eat Japanese BBQ (yakiniku) in Shibuya in 2024.
The restaurant is located in Niku Yokocho, an area in Shibuya known for its hidden pubs. You can also enjoy the atmosphere of Japan's casual drinking culture here.
A unique feature of this restaurant is that meat sushi is included in the all-you-can-eat menu along with grilled meat. Meat sushi is sushi topped with meat instead of fish. They use fresh meat, so it's delicious without any gamey smell.
Other side dishes, rice, and soup are also included in the all-you-can-eat menu. Note that there's an additional charge of about 500 yen for weekend pricing on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, and the day before holidays.
<Store Information>
- Address: 3F Chitose Kaikan, 13-8 Udagawa-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
- Closed: –
Phone: 03-6712-7624
- Hours: 17:00 - 00:30 (Last order for food 23:30, drinks 00:30)
- Store URL: https://nikuyokocho.jp/shop/yakinikuyokocho/
Shibuya Yakiniku Kamiyama
source：Tabelog
If you want to enjoy Japanese BBQ (yakiniku) in a refined space away from Shibuya's hustle and bustle in 2024, Kamiyama is recommended. All seats are in private rooms, allowing for a relaxed experience.
This restaurant serves rare Japanese Black wagyu beef. Japanese Black wagyu has a fine meat texture that melts in your mouth. They also offer unique cuts that aren't available at other restaurants, sourced through their own channels.
They provide ways to enjoy each meat's characteristics with specific sauces and grilling methods. Yakiniku with salt brings out the sweetness of the meat. My recommendation is the "Kamiyama Yaki," where thinly sliced meat is seared by the staff and served with a special sauce. You can taste the unique umami of wagyu beef.
Although it's a 15-minute walk from Shibuya Station, this famous restaurant is worth the trip.
<Store Information>
- Address: 1F IN Building, 17-5 Kamiyama-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
- Closed: –
Phone: 050-5600-7740
- Hours: Mon-Sat: 17:00-23:00 (Last order for food 22:00, drinks 22:30), Sun: 16:00-21:30 (Last order for food 20:30, drinks 21:00)
- Store Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shibuya_kamiyama/
Summary
Japanese yakiniku restaurants have developed their unique style while incorporating Korean influences. There are two types of yakiniku restaurants: those where you grill the meat yourself and those where the staff grills it for you.
In Shibuya, there are many restaurants where you grill the meat yourself, but some restaurants have staff grill the meat for you. The restaurant ranking, recommended cuts, meat quality, all-you-can-eat options, and prices vary.
Choose a restaurant based on your preferences: whether you want to eat a lot, enjoy high-quality meat, prefer lean meat or offal as your main dish, etc. The recommended restaurant also depends on whether you want to enjoy a casual izakaya atmosphere or savor delicious meat in a relaxed setting.
Each restaurant introduced here has its unique charm. Please use this as a reference when choosing a yakiniku restaurant in Shibuya for your Japanese BBQ experience in 2024.