Jack's Steak House — Restaurant in Naha

Recommended by a hotel reception as the most famous steak house in town, and boy, he is so damn right! Even though it was our first time there, somehow it felt like we had been there before since childhood. The ambience took me way back to the good old days like I was back in my home town favorite restaurant after a long away-from-home.

As for the steak, the cuts are so marbly soft, not quite Wagyu but very close, much butterier and tastier than US Prime or Aussie Angus. I ordered a medium rare and I get a medium rare. Since the steak is served in a hot plate, it comes slightly rarer than ordered, but it gradually get to your desire doneness when you eat while the hot plate keeps your steak warm. If you are afraid of it to be over cooked, just transfer it to your cold plate and the cooking will stop.

The serving is very Japanese. If you expect it to taste exactly like western steak, you could be disappointed, but hey, you come to Japan to taste Japan right? and this is a Japanese interpretation of a western food, and it is phenomenon! Can't wait to get back to taste that melty tenderloin again and again.

PS: Their "New York" steak looks and tastes more like a ribeye steak than a strip steak like most places. (It tastes...

This steakhouse in Naha is extremely popular, and we ended up waiting more than half an hour outside. When we arrived, there were 16 groups ahead of us, so naturally I thought, “Wow, this must be one of the best steaks I’ll ever have.”

Once inside, we ordered two sets – a New York steak and a filet steak. Each comes with a choice of doneness, along with a starter soup (which tasted somewhat like potato, though the flavor was quite neutral and not really to my liking), plus a simple side of cabbage, corn, and mayonnaise. The steaks are served on sizzling hot plates with a small portion of potatoes and onions.

The New York steak was chewy and lacked juiciness, and in my opinion, it wasn’t worth the price. The filet was tender, but again, I didn’t feel the quality of the meat justified its cost.

The atmosphere is pleasant and lively, and it’s certainly a famous spot that draws many visitors. Personally, I wouldn’t go back, but if you’re curious about experiencing this well-known restaurant and its bustling vibe, it might be worth...

Let's be frank.

Nobody really enjoys the meat they serve. It is not tasty. You will eat it, but when you're paying the bill you will definitely have this lingering feeling that it was not worth the wait and the money.

People go there because they see other people queueing up. It's a classic in Japan. The queue for no good reason at all.

They ride on their popularity well by not compromising on service quality. That's the only reason I'm not giving one star. Side dishes are ok. But the meat is PLAINLY BAD. I was forcing myself to finish it. It had the texture of a tire, and flavour of a steak that expired in the 90s but is still legally edible because it was frozen.

Do yourself a favour and just go to a random izakaya, or, if you're into steaks, a reputable place serving proper wagyu...