Go Tokyo Your Experience
When traveling to Japan, many people enjoy dining at all-you-can-eat yakiniku restaurants. But how do you choose the best ingredients, and when should you visit to taste the freshest meat? A man who has worked at several yakiniku chain restaurants recently disclosed some secrets about Japan’s all-you-can-eat yakiniku dining.
1. “Sold Out” Might Not Mean Completely Gone
Although it’s all-you-can-eat, some items might sell out when the restaurant is crowded. Former yakiniku employee Takeshi Murata (pseudonym) revealed that some restaurants offer both a la carte and all-you-can-eat options. To reserve some items for a la carte customers and increase revenue, they may tell all-you-can-eat customers that only a small portion is left. However, if customers insist, the staff might still be able to provide a sufficient amount.
Moreover, if the item you want is sold out, you can ask the restaurant for other compensations. In the past, some customers complained when the most expensive items in the all-you-can-eat plan ran out, and the manager offered a plate of “Kuroge Wagyu” (Japanese Black Beef) usually reserved for a la carte as compensation. Murata advises that while he doesn’t suggest everyone complain, if the restaurant runs out of all-you-can-eat items, it is worth asking if there are alternative compensations available.
2. Don’t Fully Trust Popularity Rankings
Some all-you-can-eat yakiniku restaurants list the most popular ingredients, but part of these rankings might reflect “items the restaurant wants to promote,” rather than actual popularity. Murata notes that the top three items might genuinely be popular, but items ranked sixth and beyond could just be low-cost ingredients, so you don’t need to trust these rankings entirely.
3. When is the Freshest Meat Available?
Murata recommends choosing later dining hours if you want the freshest meat. At his previous yakiniku restaurant, the meat was served from the time it was thawed until the next day. Therefore, at opening time, the restaurant might still be serving meat thawed the day before, and it is only after a few hours of operation that they start offering meat thawed that day.
However, this can vary by restaurant, as the thawing schedule depends on the size and location of the establishment. This information is merely a guideline. Murata still suggests visiting yakiniku restaurants in the evening to increase the chances of tasting the freshest meat.
By keeping these insider tips in mind, you can have a more enjoyable and satisfying yakiniku experience in Japan.
