Matsuki-Ushi — Restaurant in Takayama

This is hands down the best Japanese food in this category we have ever had—an absolute must-visit in Takayama! Every time we visit this beautiful town, we are so excited to eat here every single night lol. The food is that good. The beef melts in your mouth with every bite, the sushi and sashimi are beautifully presented and incredibly fresh, and every dish is crafted with care and perfection and attention to beauty.

Beyond the food, what truly sets this place apart is the warmth of the staff. They welcome us like family every time we visit, making each meal feel special. When we are away from Japan, we can only dream of all the delicious meals we’ve had here and our happy walks back to the hotel with big full bellies and smiles.

If we could eat here every single night for the rest of our lives, we would—and never feel like we were missing anything. This restaurant always puts a smile on our faces. Don’t miss this absolute gem!

Thank you so much to Mr. Kiyotaka and to all of the wonderful staff for always making us feel...

Very good service and delicious food. We were lucky enough to get seats when we walked in for dinner, but most of the tables were reserved.

We got a Hida Beef Steak. We opted for the cheapest steak, the "Round" steak. It was delicious and perfectly cooked. It was not overly fatty, so I think it's a good option for those who'd like to experience Hida Beef but don't want super fatty pieces.

We also got some Nigiri. Standouts were the Chu-toro (fatty enough, not sure how fatty O-toro would be), and the Hida Beef with Uni (Sea Urchin) topping. The latter was extremely flavourful, but surprisingly the two strong flavours work together.

A surprising highlight for us was the Grilled Prawn. The seasoning was on point and were very impressed.

We were also lucky to get a counter seat, allowing us to see steaks being grilled live. The chefs were all very professional and impressive, and I saw their hygiene...

Amazing sushi and wagyu beef, really. Extremely easy for foreigners with English menu and Sushi Chef is so friendly too! He explains each sushi, takes time to welcome everyone. I highly recommend a set to sample both their steak and sushi. This is likely one of my best experience so far in Japan and I've been many times to many cities! We were offered uni and beef nigiri and a homemade pudding which were all as amazing as everything we ate tonight!! Note: Matsuki-Ushi is the sister restaurant of Matsuki Sushi. We went to the latter one first but it was full, then the staff was very helpful and suggested us to go to this location. They even call ahead to book for us by the time we walked there (5 min). Thank you to all the staff for this...