Rounding off the trio of Gyudon chains in Japan I’ll be comparing – I’m heading over to Sukiya.

I’ve never actually tried Sukiya before, so unlike the other Gyudon chains I’ve covered over the past few weeks, I have no idea what flavors to expect today. But as the largest Gyudon chain in Japan with over 2,000 stores, I’m guessing that this place should at least be pretty good.

But will this place live up to my expectations? And is it worth a visit? Let’s get to it. How Good is Sukiya Actually?

–Ordering Process–
–Gyudon with Green Onion, Raw Egg & Korean Spicy Sauce–
–Gyudon Beef–
–Green Onion & Korean Spicy Sauce–
–Raw Egg Topping–
–Sauce Options–
–Extra Order: Beef Stock Curry–
–Payment System–
–Verdict–
–Getting There–

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📋 Ordering Process 📋

At Sukiya, you’ll be making your orders via the tablet at the table.

Select which item you wanna order (there’s a lot,) choose a size and any other add-ons, and then hit “Order” to send it over to the kitchen. 

Side Note: Sukiya’s Gyudon ranges from ¥400~¥1,100

One thing that I really appreciate about Sukiya’s ordering system is the customization you can do with your dish.

Say you prefer some extra sauce with your Gyudon – Sukiya’s got you covered. Fancy some extra onions? That option’s also available – free of charge, might I add.

Experiment around and customize it to your preferences, of course, but since I’m here to compare Sukiya with the other Gyudon chains, I’m going with the default options today.

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🍱 Gyudon with Green Onion, Raw Egg & Korean Spicy Sauce (XL) – ¥910 🍱

Here’s Sukiya’s version of my favorite Gyudon dish – Gyudon with Green Onions + Raw Egg.

Presentation-wise, it’s exactly like any other bowl of Green Onion Gyudon: A bowl of rice, topped with some Gyudon beef and sliced Green Onions. Pretty Standard stuff, though Sukiya also tops their bowl off with a little bit of Korean Spicy sauce.

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🥩 Gyudon Beef 🥩

Sukiya’s beef is sliced slightly thicker than what I consider to be the standard Gyudon thickness. It has its pros and cons, of course, but the thicker cut really gave the dish this ‘rugged’ feel to it. Tender as usual from the fat and simmering, but with a satisfying bite. The same also applies to the thick cut onions – of which there were a lot of.

It’s not bad, all things considered, but not necessarily what I prefer in a Gyudon. But if you want a bowl of Gyudon with some substantial texture, this place is it.

Contrasting the thick ruggedness of the beef and onions, the Gyudon Tare sauce had an interestingly light flavor to it. It’s got the same sweet, salty, and savory profile as any other Gyudon (Soy Sauce, Sugar, Mirin, Dashi, etc.), but I was kinda expecting a much more concentrated flavor here.

Sukiya does give you the option for more broth when you make your order, so maybe consider getting extra when you’re customizing the dish.

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🥗 Green Onions & Korean Spicy Sauce 🥗

Now onto the Green Onions & Korean Spicy Sauce. The green onions were surprisingly really fresh, giving the dish a nice brightness.

And for the Korean spicy sauce? It wasn’t as flavorful as I thought it would be, but it did give the dish a slight kick from the chili, with some fragrant aromas from the sesame oil. (As well as giving the Gyudon a very Korean-inspired taste.)

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🥚 Raw Egg Topping 🥚

This Gyudon also comes with a Raw Egg, and if you haven’t experienced Gyudon + Raw Egg before, you’ll be in for a treat!

The egg is served whole, so you’ll have to crack it yourself. (An egg separator is also available if you prefer just the yolk.)

Pour the egg over the beef or rice and give it stir, and the heat from the Gyudon will cook the egg slightly, resulting in this rich, custard-like texture.

It’s a whole different dish compared to a regular bowl of Gyudon, so even if you’re not planning to order the Green Onion one, I’d recommend you consider grabbing a raw egg with whatever Gyudon you’re getting!

The extra sweetness and richness is easily worth the ¥80 – if your set doesn’t come with one.

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🧂 Sauce Options 🧂

Sukiya has a couple of sauce options should you need it. Mostly salad dressings, but you can also find the usual shoyu soy sauce and Shichimi chili powder here.

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🍛 Extra Order: Beef Stock Curry Sauce – ¥390 🍛

For some add-ons, I decided to try out their Beef Curry side dish.

It’s just alright – a simple serving of mildly spiced curry with some minced beef.

Nothing too special, but not bad if you decide to go for it. Good portion size, though.

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📋 Payment System 📋

Once you’re done, head over to the counter to pay for your meal, and after that – you’re good to go!

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⭐VERDICT⭐

So how good is Sukiya actually? Value-wise, it’s really good. Chains like Sukiya are famous for their affordable Gyudon bowls, and at ¥400 for their standard portion – it’s a great place to visit if you wanna grab a budget-friendly bite that’s big enough for a quick meal. And if you fancy something much more filling, you can easily grab some with their (still really affordable) ¥1,000 options.

Flavor-wise, Sukiya leans towards the bolder side of things when it comes to Gyudon, between the relatively thick sliced beef and onions, alongside their spicy Korean sauce and sesame oil (though not much of the Tare, unless you request for more). Objectively, it’s good, of course. But as someone who prefers a lighter, more delicate tasting Gyudon, this one’s not particularly my style.

But if a meatier tasting Gyudon is what you want, then this place has just that. So if you want to go for some pretty nice tasting Gyudon that’s also budget friendly, then definitely check out what Sukiya has to offer. 

But is it any better than the other two Gyudon stores I’ve visited? Check out my other reviews here:
Full Review: Matsuya
Full Review: Yoshinoya

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🚗 GETTING THERE 🚗

Sukiya has stores all across Japan, but my visit today was at their Suehirocho Store. To get here, head over to Suehirocho Station (Ginza Line), scan out from Exit 4 or Exit 2, and Sukiya should be just under a minute’s walk.

Alternatively, you could walk here from Akihabara or Ueno Station as well, in which case, it’ll be about a 10 minute walk.

Sukiya (Suehirocho Store)

🌏 Location 🌏
6 Chome-15-14 Sotokanda, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 101-0021, Japan
🗺 Map 🗺
https://maps.app.goo.gl/VtB8k9KLsGBvA2Uu8
⏰ Opening Hours ⏰
Open 24 hours.
💻 Website 💻
https://www.sukiya.jp/en/
🏠 List of Stores 🏠
https://www.sukiya.jp/en/locations/
📖 Online Menu (English) 📖
https://stag-www-sukiya.nssx.work/en/#menu

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