Yakiniku Yazawa Tokyo — Restaurant in Tokyo

Seldom do I settle in my seat and prepare a review. And this is one of them. We were in desperate search for a wagyu yakiniku joint that was modern, cozy, yet not too factory-like. Yazawa appeared as an option on Google Maps (a 4.6!) near Tokyo Station. But knowing the relatively lack of dominance of Google Maps restaurant scoring in Japan (pushed around by Tabelog), our hopes weren't too high up.

Yazawa is a cozy joint, like many Japanese eateries. However, it is modern, well laid out. The kitchen is in the middle while there are booths that surround it. I'd say no more than 10. This allows for a personal experience and yes, you won't get a seat if you don't reserve in advance.

The interior is clean, crisp, but also has an interesting "beef" twist that the owner is trying to tell. And of course, a small grill in the middle. But of course, you come here for the wagyu. So let's talk about it.

Wagyu Tartare : this appetizer will blow your mind. It is a perfect blend of wagyu, soy seasoning, green onions and that yolk. Perfection is all I can describe. I've had hundreds, if not thousands of tartare of all kinds in my life. And I can confidently say that this is one of the top 5 I've ever had. It is perfection.

Wagyu Grill : we got 6~7 different cuts and pretty much each was brilliant. And yes, you do feel the difference between the cuts which was surprising. We thought they might all be the same once grilled. Not at all. Again, to better taste the beef, we went for the simple salt and pepper seasoning. Do not worry about choices here. I recommend ordering one of each and then doubling down on ones that you like. Each and every one melts in your mouth in their own special way.

Wagyu Clay Pot Rice : whoa, so they mash up rice, butter, garlic and wagyu bits and you get this perfect "mixed rice". And as it is prepared in a hot clay pot, the rice on the bottom crisps out. But it is all about the balance. Not overly buttery and garlicky, as well as perfect amount of crisp. Again, another dish that inches towards perfection.

And finally, the egg pudding. This one has a solid upper, almost thick as you can rest a marble on top, but as you dig in, softens up. Egg and vanilla mixed to perfection, not too sweet yet enough to crave for more. Again, I've had thousands of puddings in my life. This must be one of my favorite.

All of the above was put together with the hospitality of our wonderful server Erika. I had no idea she would be doing the grilling for us, let alone bringing all the dishes. She was absolutely a professional in grilling the meat, restrained yet friendly. She was attentive and made us feel welcome throughout the entire meal. And provided a service that can only be expected in Japan's top restaurants. We were extremely fortunate to have her as our server.

All of this netted out in a meal we cannot forget in Tokyo. There are many great food joints in this beautiful city, but this one is the one we'll keep talking for years to come as we reminisce. If you are in Tokyo, this is the place to go. And hope you get lucky like us with Erika as your server.

5 stars all around. Food - I'd give 6 if I could. Service, I'd give another 6. Atmosphere was great.

Thank you for the wonderful meal. We shall return each time...

more upscale than our other yakiniku spots, slightly pricier, but table-dedicated wait-staff also handles the grilling. brilliant idea to ensure I don't mess up the meat at these prices. really liked how the english menu had a short description for each cut, every other place just stated the cut of beef.

meat was top class, dipping sauces were great quality. grill was replaced after each meat selection. small touches like storage area under seats so jackets and bags don't smell like a grill made a difference.

wagyu butter fried rice was super simple but blew my mind. hot stone bowl, rice topped with butter, plenty of fried garlic bits and wagyu - all served and mixed table-side. loved it, wifey thought it was a little too rich. perfect - had half of hers as well!

honestly don't have enough of a feel to say if this was pricier than average in Tokyo, but considering it was in the business area down the road from Shangri-la, and relative to my home country of Singapore, personally feel it was well-worth the price.

whale of a time but not sure I'd return because of the price. not prohibitively priced but can get very similar results for less - except I'd have to handle the...

This place popped up on our itinerary last minute and restored my confidence in a leap of faith with no questions asked ! 😆

We arrived at the place without a reservation not knowing what to expect, thank goodness we were early and there were still seats available. I'd have to say, the trip was so worth it! The Wagyu was SOOOO GOOOOD! Never in my culinary travels have I tasted beef of such exceptional quality! The service was equally impressive, too! Watching our chefs grill the beef at our table with a magical sleight of hand was truly an enjoyment all on its own. We were blown away by their skills and their carefully selected cuts of beef tasted like variations of heaven. My kids were also well-behaved throughout the meal because they were too busy savoring every bit of the flavor LOL. (We ordered two of the ¥10,000 set that comes with assorted slices of Wagyu beef. For drinks, I was thrilled when I saw that they offer 0.00 alcohol beer on the menu, which is so thoughtful because I personally don’t drink.)

We really really love the dining experience, which turned out to be the highlight of our...