Bifteck Kawamura Sannomiya Flagship Restaurant — Restaurant in Kobe

Breaks my heart to give this review. I wanted to like this, and I can't fault the service, I've just had better. I've even cooked better myself. This meat has such thick veins of fat (should be fine webs or flecks) I had to ask the chef to cook the second portion medium, because at medium rare it was just chewy. No wagyu flavour, which I've heard is a thing for the top stuff, but still means no wagyu flavour. Wasn't melting in my mouth either. Tasted empty, normal. Needed to use the sides to add flavour. Shady neighbourhood. Barkers and drunks calling out, groups of hoodlums squatting in carparks, etc. And once inside there were Americans as always thinking that any room's ambience is a song that needs their vocals laid over it. So it was hard to enjoy any part of the experience. The sides are good. Sauces, desserts, salad, drinks, etc saved a Food star. It's a high quality establishment. All the staff have radios so they can serve the next portion or refill your drink as soon as the chef sees you empty it. But even spending 40 thousand yen to get their best beef, I'd had better going to a boutique butcher in Ginza and getting their private reserve they don't have on display. I'd even had better going a Wagyu & Sake experience booked through AirBnB. Both had finer marbling and better texture and flavour that nearly made me weep. Marbling quality here was barely above Australian Wagyu (supposedly a 7/10 compared to Kobe's 10/10 on international quality scale with USDA Prime at 4). Overall, a fine dining experience with outstanding service, but you're not tasting...

Odds are if you're reading this review, you're looking for somewhere to enjoy the world renown Kobe beef. Furthermore, odds are if you've stopped to read this review written in English, you're a foreigner looking for a once in a lifetime experience.

If the above are true statements, then your search for Kobe beef is over. This location was recommended to us for not only its high quality Kobe beef, but its staff as well. There is a steakmaster here who speaks near perfect English, and if you call ahead of time and make a reservation, they'll ensure he is the one cooking your steak. He was a delight to talk with.

Regarding the steak, it's exactly what you'd expect. It dissolves the moment it hits your tongue. Masterly raised, and masterly prepared. You'll find no better cut of meat on the planet.

Its also worth mentioning that there are several other dishes that come alongside the steak. They are all quite good, with one notable expection. The beef stew that is served alongside the Kobe beef is not good-- its remarkable. To be perfectly honest, it may be better than the Kobe beef itself. I'd come back to Japan, travel back to Kobe, and return to this restaurant all for the beef...

Came to Japan with my friends for a 2 week vacation. We took a day trip to Kobe to try out some famous Kobe beef. Was recommended Kawamura for some authentic Kobe beef. The staff was kind and communicated well with us even though we only spoke English. I ordered the Special Award Winning Kobe Beef Steak Course and was blown away by how good it was. I could already tell just visually that the steak was on a whole different level just by the marbling. The steaks were prepared right in front of us, and the chef was very accommodating. He asked us how done we wanted our steaks (medium rare) and was quick to refill our sauces and drinks. The steak itself was absolutely exquisite. The best steak I've ever had in my life. We were given a variety of sauces, but my preferred choice is a little bit of salt with some fried garlic. The fattiness of the steak mixes well with the salt, creating an absolutely divine flavour that lingers in your mouth. The other parts of the course were very good as well (appetizer, vegetables, soup, rice, dessert), but the steak was something which I wanted to write about.

Would definitely recommend the Special Award Winning Kobe Beef...