No trip to Japan of mine is complete without a stop at a premium Yakiniku place. My friend and I are back in Tokyo (at the same time) again, and having been really impressed by last trip’s Yakiniku shop, we decided to try out a different place to see what they have to offer. After a bit of research, we landed on Yakiniku Uguisudanien – not too far from our hotels around Ueno.
As our one premium meal for the trip, we had high hopes that this place would be the highlight of the trip. But did it live up to our expectations? Let’s get to it. How Good is Yakiniku Uguisudanien Actually?
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🥩 Lamb (¥1,430) 🥩
Let’s begin with by far my favorite item on the menu – Lamb. Lamb isn’t a very common cut at Yakiniku places, so I wasn’t expecting much from it. (I didn’t even order it on the first round.)
But when my friend had one bite from his order, he demanded that I give it a try. And… oh, my. This stuff is amazing.
I was genuinely at a loss for words. I had no idea that lamb could be this good. It doesn’t have that strong of a lamb taste (for better or worse,) but the richness of this cut was quite eye-opening.
I’ll get to the Kabli later in this review, but even that doesn’t compare to how sweet and melt-in-your mouth the lamb was. (I mean, just look at it!) If you ever stop by here, this is the one dish to try.
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🥩 Lamb (2 Servings – ¥1,430 x2) 🥩
Surprise, surprise… I ordered my own plate of lamb on the second order, how could you tell?
By far the highlight of this meal, it’s no wonder why the Lamb is one of the restaurant’s most popular items. (My friend told me that some people will even reserve plates of lamb alongside their table reservation – just to guarantee that they’ll get some on their visit.)
Side Note: The premium cuts will also come with a little slice of mochi rice cake. Don’t forget to grill the thing while your meat cooks. (And keep the “1 slice per serving” thing in mind if you’re sharing a plate.)
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🥩 Skirt Steak (2 Servings – ¥1,045 x2)
One of my go-to cuts when it comes to Yakiniku, the Skirt Steak offers a deep, beefy contrast to the richer, fattier cuts on the premium menu.
I’ve tried skirt steaks at different Yakiniku places before, but this one really left an impression on me.
Maybe it’s the pronounced beefy flavors, or maybe it was the sauce. In any case, the combination of everything on this dish really brought out the bold profile of the Skirt Steak, and definitely my recommendation if you want something meaty between your premium cuts.
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🥩 Premium Gyutan (¥2,420)
Another one of my Yakiniku essentials, Yakiniku Uguisudanien’s Premium Gyutan (Beef Tongue) is presented thick-cut style, so cook times will differ from the more common sliced Gyutan.
Full of beefy flavors, with a slight firmness to it (and bouncy, I say,) it’s the cut to go if you want to try out some beef with a completely different profile.
This Gyutan is from their premium lineup, but if you want something more affordable, they also have regular (sliced) Gyutan here for ¥990.
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🥩 Premium Kalbi (¥1,760) 🥩
And for another rich cut of beef, we also ordered their Premium Kabli (Short Rib.)
Marbling-wise, it was nearly identical to the lamb, so everything there applies here – with hints of beefy flavor instead of lamb.
If you prefer beef for your Yakiniku, this is the dish to order. Melt-in-your-mouth tender, and bursting with amazing flavors.
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🥩 Premium Fillet (¥1,760) 🥩
My friend basically ordered every single premium item on the menu, so here’s the Premium Fillet.
If you enjoy fillet steaks, this is a great cut to grab.
But while very remarkable on its own, it’s sorta overshadowed in both the flavor and marbling department by the Skirt Steak and Kalbi options – at least to my tastes. Your preferences may be different, of course, maybe you prefer more balanced cuts like this one.
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🥓 Tontoro / Pork Toro (¥605) 🥓
For a non-beef item, here’s one of my favorite Yakiniku pork cuts – Tontoro (Pork Neck).
Being one of the fattiest cuts of pork, it really appreciates a longer cooking time, allowing more of the fat to render out and crisp up, resulting in a cut that’s slightly crispy on the outside, and firm on the inside. Top it off with the restaurant’s Gyutan-like salt and pepper coating, and you got one amazing dish right here.
And, I mean, look at the price. One of the main reasons I got it in the first place was its value. Between that and just how good this thing was, you can bet that a second order was made after this one.
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🥗 Lettuce Salad (¥550) 🥗
This place isn’t all meats, of course. You can find a selection of greens, soups, and rice bowls here. I didn’t actually try out my friend’s order of salad, so all I can say is “well, there’s some salad if you want ‘em.”
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🍻 Drinks 🍻
And for drinks. Like other Yakiniku restaurants, there’s a bunch of beers, sours, sake, and other alcoholic beverages to choose from. And for non-alcoholic choices, there’s some teas and soft drinks to go for. I’m a tea person, so my choice today was their Oolong Tea.
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💬 Reservations 💬
I highly recommend you make a reservation via phone if you want to try this place out (looks to be the only way to reserve.) It can be a little inconvenient if you don’t know a local who can call for you, but you can find some services online that specializes in phone reservations (usually for a fee.) If you really want to try this place out, find out which days you’re free and make the reservation ASAP!
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⭐VERDICT⭐
So how good is Yakiniku Uguisudanien actually? Mate, this place is incredibly amazing! How good a Yakiniku place is is heavily based on the quality of its ingredients, and this place really delivers on that front. From the top-tier cuts like the Lamb and Kalbi, to even the more affordable Tontoro – everything here just simply works very well.
And that’s not even factoring my favorite thing about this place – the pricing. You basically get the same quality meats you can find at an upscale Yakiniku place for like two-thirds of the cost. My wallet would usually tell me to choose between a Lamb or Kalbi dish, but here? I’ll take both. And an extra serving of Lamb to go with it! (Ok, three might be kinda expensive, but this place is seriously good!)
So if you want to experience a premium Yakiniku place that’s also really budget-friendly for what you get, then definitely head over to Yakiniku Uguisudanien.
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🚗HOW TO GET THERE 🚗
The closest station would be Uguisudani Station (JR Line). Once you arrive, head out via the North Exit, and the store should be right around the corner – just under 5 minutes.
Uguisudani Station is only a station away from Ueno Station, so if you’re around the area (say, Ameyoko Market or Ueno Park,) walking there is also an option. From Ueno Station, the walk should take no more than 15 minutes.
Yakiniku Uguisudanien
🌏 Location 🌏
1 Chome-5-15 Negishi, Taito City, Tokyo 110-0003, Japan
🗺 Map 🗺
https://goo.gl/maps/Qfsk3yS6374SRDvu9?coh=178572&entry=tt
⏰ Opening Hours ⏰
3 P.M. to 12:00 A.M. (weekends)
4 P.M. to 12:00 A.M. (weekdays)
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💬 Parting Words 💬
Honestly, this place really caught me off guard with how good it was. Unlike Yakiniku Jambo Hanare from last week’s review (which was also really amazing), the ambience in this place was much more… local – with groups of people sitting around their tables just having a good evening. But yeah, this place is really amazing, and well worth the small hassle of finding a way to reserve via phone.
