Wagyu

The dishes behind chain flavors

The flavors of national chains are said to trace back to dishes from particular places. Pick a chain to see the dish behind it.

• Gyukaku — casual yakiniku chain nationwide

  Gyukaku's casual style reflects the broader trend of yakiniku becoming an everyday, affordable meal built around staple cuts like kalbi and harami.

  • →short rib — the classic cut behind the word karubi
  • →outside skirt — tender, rich offal often mistaken for lean meat
  • →beef tongue — grilled thin as the classic "gyutan"

• Yakiniku King — all-you-can-eat yakiniku chain

  Yakiniku King's all-you-can-eat format is built around a wide range of cuts — from kalbi to sirloin and harami — meant for easy side-by-side tasting.

  • →short rib — the classic cut behind the word karubi
  • →sirloin — the standard-bearer of Japanese steak cuts
  • →outside skirt — tender, rich offal often mistaken for lean meat

• Anrakutei — casual yakiniku chain from Saitama

  Anrakutei's menu centers on staple cuts like kalbi, harami and tongue, part of the everyday yakiniku culture that grew across the Kanto region.

  • →short rib — the classic cut behind the word karubi
  • →outside skirt — tender, rich offal often mistaken for lean meat
  • →beef tongue — grilled thin as the classic "gyutan"

• Amiyaki Tei — Tokai-region yakiniku chain known for domestic beef

  Amiyaki Tei built its name on domestic beef and grew out of the Tokai region's yakiniku culture, with close ties to local wagyu brands like Mikawa beef.

  • →ribeye roll — the marbled roast just behind the loin
  • →sirloin — the standard-bearer of Japanese steak cuts
  • →one of Japan's oldest beef-cattle regions, tracing to Edo-era pack cattle

• Jojoen — upscale yakiniku chain from Roppongi, Tokyo

  Jojoen's salted tongue helped spread the practice of putting tongue on the yakiniku menu, and the restaurant sits within the upscale end of yakiniku built around small servings of premium cuts.

  • →beef tongue — grilled thin as the classic "gyutan"
  • →ribeye roll — the marbled roast just behind the loin
  • →a title only the best Tajima cattle may bear

• Yakiniku Like — one-person yakiniku fast-food chain

  Yakiniku Like gives each diner a personal smokeless grill, making staple cuts like kalbi and harami easy to enjoy solo.

  • →short rib — the classic cut behind the word karubi
  • →outside skirt — tender, rich offal often mistaken for lean meat

• Ikinari Steak — stand-and-eat, pay-by-weight steak chain

  Ikinari Steak's stand-and-eat, pay-by-weight format made thick-cut steaks like sirloin and tenderloin an easy, casual order.

  • →sirloin — the standard-bearer of Japanese steak cuts
  • →beef tenderloin — the leanest, most delicate cut
  • →ribeye roll — the marbled roast just behind the loin

• Bronco Billy — suburban steakhouse chain from Nagoya

  Bronco Billy is a suburban steakhouse built around wagyu, rooted in the beef culture of Nagoya and the Tokai region.

  • →sirloin — the standard-bearer of Japanese steak cuts
  • →ribeye roll — the marbled roast just behind the loin
  • →one of Japan's oldest beef-cattle regions, tracing to Edo-era pack cattle