Kobe Beef MIYABI Kitanosaka Store — Restaurant in Kobe

AUTHENTICITY:

First of all, this was AUTHENTIC Kobe Beef. I actually did some research, and this restaurant Kobe-Gyu Miyabi, Kitanozaka location is under THE most-selling Kobe Beef gourmet umbrella group in the world, Kisshokichi, and it handles your Kobe Beef with quality, safety, and care straight from the farm. Quality and authenticity is guaranteed. Rest assured and enjoy your steak. I say this because sometimes there are places that advertise to be handling Kobe Beef but not necessarily only Kobe Beef, meaning they handle other types of beef including other Japanese beef brands or non-Japanese beef. The chef even said that his kitchen could be inspected any day, and you would never see anything but Kobe Beef. Amazing.

FOOD: It was FIRE. So nice and tender, and not greasy at all to the extent that it felt like I could even eat a pound and still not feel heavy or upset in the stomach afterwards. They also have a reasonable option of side dishes of a salad, garlic fried rice, and soup.

SERVICE: The chef and the server are nice, friendly, and funny. The service was smooth and impeccable.

ATMOSPHERE: Nice and cozy with pleasant, peaceful, and romantic music playing in the background. Would be perfect for a date night or a special occasion.

PRICE: It was reasonable and worth every penny. All this for less than $70 dollars!? Are you kidding me?? Shut up and my money.

P.S. Last but not least, but the Katana on display only added to my true Japan experience :)

Thank you, Chef Hinokami, for making my first Kobe Beef experience...

Our group of four visited this hidden gem in Kobe for lunch, and the experience was nothing short of exceptional. Knowing how popular great spots in the city can get, I made a reservation nearly a month in advance—and I’m glad I did. The restaurant has limited seating, and booking ahead is definitely the smart move if you want to guarantee a table.

There was a tiny hiccup when we arrived; despite our advance reservation, there seemed to be a mix-up and the staff initially had to improvise by adding an extra chair to accommodate our full party. However, once another table became available, they kindly relocated us so we could enjoy our meal more comfortably. Their attentiveness and willingness to make things right stood out.

Now, on to the highlight—the food. Simply put, it was outstanding. Every dish we tried was crafted with precision, full of flavor, and presented beautifully. But what elevated the experience even more was the service and the delightful atmosphere at the table. We were lucky to be seated with Chef Hiroshi Hinokami-san himself, the head chef and owner. His playful and engaging style, along with his clear passion for his craft, brought an extra layer of enjoyment to our lunch.

Overall, we had a fantastic time and would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone visiting Kobe. Just one piece of advice: make sure to book...

The most overrated meal I ever had. I’ve traveled all over Japan and lived here for a year. I’ve had many fabulous meals. This is not one.

I ordered the highest grade Kobe beef, A5, and several different cuts of it at that, for my first Kobe beef experience. The meat was good, but nothing deserving of the reputation. The vegetable sides were close to flavorless and entirely pedestrian. The salad was fine but nothing to write home about. The sauces didn’t impress. The atmosphere was nice except for the blown speaker which added a fuzzy distortion to every song. The staff and chef are very nice folks, welcoming and kind, if a bit corny.

All in all this was completely underwhelming. Mind you I’ve had some of the best meals of my entire life in Japan…this just doesn’t measure up. I admit I’m a bit spoiled for steak as I’ve had some of the finest steak cuts America has to offer at famous, chain, and local steakhouses (Morton’s, Flemings, Angus Barn, Sullivans), although to be fair there are probably even better cuts to be had in NYC, LA or other culinary hot spots. I’d take any one of those steaks over what I had in Kobe, even if not considering price. If you throw price in, it becomes a really poor value proposition here. Maybe I should try different cuts or a different restaurant. Sorry to be so harsh, but that was...