Barbacoa Takanawa Branch — Restaurant in Tokyo

A Visitor’s Guide

Welcome to Barbacoa in Shinagawa, a Brazilian restaurant that promises a unique dining experience in the heart of Tokyo. Here’s a short guide to help you make the most of your visit.

Reservations: Highly recommended, especially for weekend lunches when it can get busy.

Timing: Aim to arrive right at opening time (11:00 AM) to avoid waiting for freshly prepared meats.

Location: Conveniently situated near Shinagawa Station, making it easily accessible.

Atmosphere: Spacious compared to its Shibuya counterpart, with a salad bar that impresses with its variety.

Food: While the restaurant is known for its meat, initial offerings may include chicken and sausages. Patience is key, as the best cuts are worth the wait.

Salad Bar: A highlight for many, offering a range of fresh salads and sides to complement the meat.

Arrival: If you’re there for the meat, arriving as they open may mean a short wait as the grill gets going.

Variety: Take advantage of the salad bar while you wait for the main attraction.

Patience Pays Off: The best selections of meat, including their signature cuts, will make their way to your table in due time.

Barbacoa in Shinagawa is a must-visit for those looking to indulge in authentic Brazilian cuisine. With its vibrant atmosphere and delectable food, it’s an experience that’s sure to leave you satisfied....

Friendly service, really good food, and always a good experience. The price is a bit high, which is the only drawback, but I don't exactly have the ability to consume all-you-can-eat meat very often, so it's nice for special occasions…and the lunch price is more reasonably priced than dinner. Also: reservations are highly recommended.

The salad bar is small, but well-stocked, with lots of fresh greens and veggies (beets! yay!) and side dishes and cheese and more. The meat is all perfectly cooked, from the sausages and the picanha to the flank steak and even the roasted pineapple. The dessert buffet is not very impressive, but after two hours spent devouring most of an entire cow, I didn't mind too much.

For COVID countermeasures, masks must be worn when you're not eating, the tables are spaced comfortably apart, and disposable gloves are provided in the buffet areas. The plastic dividers at tables are a bit of overkill, as they made it hard to hear staff, kept my partner and I from sitting next to each other or speaking at a normal volume, and did nothing to separate us from other diners (and arguably do little of anything at all). However, the staff seems to be doing the best they can, and it's...

I spent a bit more than two months in Japan and this was the best place for eating, no doubt! Authentic Brazilian barbecue, the best one! Everything was great, the ambient, the staff (both the Japanese and the Brazilian ones) and the food, of course. When we thought it had been already a great experience, we were surprised with the great selection of several famous Brazilian desserts.

It's very very close to the Shinagawa station, so even if you are not staying in a hotel nearby, it is very easy to get there (it is basically a matter of crossing the street). My baby also had the longest and best nap ever in Japan, as they provided her with a super comfortable baby chair / crib.

For comparison, some days before going there we had also quickly visited the Shibuya Barbacoa branch to check how it was but we didn't like the place/food presentation and also didn't feel that welcomed, which was totally different from when we got to know the pleasant Takanawa branch.

We had lunch on a Monday and we made the reservation directly in the restaurant on the previous day. It was also great to speak Portuguese with some of the workers there. If we visit Tokyo again, I hope we can eat...