minaaso MARUDEN — Restaurant in Minamiaso

We are from America and have been living in Japan for a year, and this is the best restaurant we have eaten at. It’s an absolute must if you’re hiking Mount Aso and are nearby. When we arrived they were full but they still accepted us anyway. We waited just for a few minutes outside where they had a couple rope swings and hammocks for the kids to play on. The food was excellent, we ordered 2 steak and currys and 1 curry and rice. Each meal came with a soup and salad before hand which was fresh hand picked vegetables. The couple that owned the place and the chef were hospitable and very caring. The chef speaks very good English, so even know the menu is in Japanese there are pictures and he helped us order. The curry is the best curry I’ve probably had in my life. The chef also gave us tiramisu after our meal which was delightful. Definitely recommend and we...

Absolutely Outstanding! This charming establishment boasts an array of locally sourced, fresh ingredients that elevate the entire dining experience. From the meticulously crafted small plates to the rich and flavorful mushroom soup, every dish exceeded our expectations. However, the true stars of meal were the steaks. We indulged in both the succulent sirloin and the leaner ranichi cut, and they were an absolute delight – exceptionally juicy, tender, and bursting with flavor. To cap off this exceptional meal, the desserts were equally delightful.

If you find yourself in the vicinity, particularly before or after visiting Mount Aso, I cannot recommend this restaurant highly enough. Making a reservation online is a breeze, ensuring you won't have any regrets about this culinary journey.

Thank you for the great...

We stayed near the Aso station but there were not many food available. Restaurants either ask you to make a reservation first or they are closed early before 5pm.

We chanced upon Maruden and asked our hotel receptionist to make a reservation for us. They were kind to accept us at the last minute.

You would need a car to get here. Food and service were amazing and personal. I think they used fresh local ingredients for the dishes. The beef ramp was lean but very flavorful and not tough to chew.

The curry beef is also a must-order. It comes with rice as well. So you should share it with more people.

Overall, the restaurant and surrounding are clean and pleasant. The owners are kind and friendly. For the price we paid it was very worthwhile and great.

If you are in the vicinity do give this...