Sukiyaki Shabu Shabu Haruna Hommachi — Restaurant in Osaka

Easily the best sukiyaki meal I’ve ever had. The chef is a true rising star in a city filled with master chefs. Found this place randomly on Tabelog and Google Maps during our stay at the St. Regis and went in with zero expectations.

We got the Pork and Beef sukiyaki set and from beginning to end, it was a perfectly executed symphony of culinary treats.

The zensai was imaginative and showcased the chef’s impeccable understanding of flavor while previewing the meal to come. I loved the shrimp with mustard seed here.

Moving on, there were three surprising kushikatsu skewers with some fun twists that I won’t spoil. Suffice to say, when he said Camembert I knew I was trapped.

Oh and let’s talk drinks. The tomato sour is easily one of the most interesting drinks I’ve had in Japan and happened to pair perfectly with the kushikatsu. Get it. You won’t regret it.

The sukiyaki was divine. The chef slices the pork and beef right in front of you at the bar. The sauce and broth were impeccable. The vegetables just perfect.

And then came a wonderful star of the meal, the last dish - a ume infused udon with a tinge of pink that we added to the sukiyaki pot and flash cooked to perfection. The udon noodles comforting. The hint of ume plum in them cutting through the starch, salt, and fat in the leftover broth. Wow.

We ended the set menu with a dessert of yuzu sorbet and tea.

The service was also impeccable. In an area filled with tourists on a weeknight, the chef and server (it’s a two person operation) were warm, kind, and incredibly welcoming. They had an English menu but the chef still took the time to translate every dish and explanation on his phone. Service with a smile.

We left this meal in a daze of contentment. The chef himself saw us out and sent us on our way. I told him I was sad because this was one of those meals you wish would go on forever.

We let our hotel concierge know how wonderful our experience was. I will be sending every friends I have visiting Osaka...

This was one of the best dining experiences I've had in my life, and definitely the best I've had in Japan (which is saying something because my wife and I have eaten VERY well during our visit). The quality of the ingredients and the skill in which they are prepared is masterful and beautiful. Every dish we tasted was well balanced, perfectly portioned, and delicious. Then there is the staff, they took the experience to a completely higher level. They are incredibly kind, helpful, understanding (because I was quite ignorant of the process of how to eat sukiyaki). They have a relaxing, helpful, friendly, and efficient manner.

I highly recommend, even if you don't speak Japanese because they were very accommodating, it was an unforgettable experience. My wife and I are already trying to plan another visit before we...

This was by far the ONLY bad restaurant experience we had in Japan after having stayed in Japan for 10 days. Complete tourist trap with a diluted English menu. They have a different English menu and Japanese menu for the same price; however, the English menu is 3 courses and Japanese menu is 7 courses. We had the 3 courses (katsu, veggies, and meat) which tasted ok. It was very little food (think a couple slices of Napa cabbage, mushroom, and about 10 thin slices of meat for 2 people), we weren’t full, and it totaled to over $100 USD for two people (including 3 drinks). Really soured our experience in Osaka (which has been wonderful otherwise). Please spare yourself the disappointment and...