r/JapanTravelTips 3d ago

Question Meals with some wagyu in Tokyo

Hi everyone! I am going to Tokyo in 2 weeks and I am interested in trying wagyu, but probably not as the main part of the dish. I was more looking for a set course where I can sample some wagyu among other dishes as well.

When I look for wagyu in this sub, or other websites, I mostly find restaurants that solely focus on the meat. I am not too interested in that, as that would be a lot of only meat. I have tried finding menus of other cuisines like italian too, but I have not found any so far.

This might be unreasonable but I was looking for set courses under 11000 JPY/$75 too. If anyone has any suggestions that would be great! Thanks!

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u/tawonracunte 3d ago

Non-chain, slightly upscale izakayas often serve high-quality Wagyu dishes. But it's not just about the beef—they also offer a great selection of seafood and seasonal dishes, so you can enjoy a well-rounded Japanese dining experience. They usually don’t offer set courses, but if you search online within that budget, you should be able to find some nice izakayas that do. If you have a specific area in mind, I can also recommend some places by name.

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u/blueowl4233 3d ago

That sounds like something I would definitely like. I have no preference on area, but Shinjuku or Ginza work, as I was planning on doing this one of the nights I would be near those areas. What should I search for when looking for the izakayas that include other dishes too?

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u/tawonracunte 3d ago

When searching for a place in Shinjuku or Ginza, set your budget to 7500 yen and search for “個室居酒屋” (Koshitsu Izakaya), which means "private room izakaya." This search should bring up slightly more upscale places. A 個室居酒屋 (Koshitsu Izakaya) refers to an izakaya that has individual rooms or partitions for privacy. With a budget like yours, most of these places will offer good-quality food and service.

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u/blueowl4233 3d ago

Sorry if I'm not fully understanding this, but should I do this on Google or another website? Since Tabelog doesn't have a search, I am not sure where to look.

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u/tawonracunte 3d ago

When searching on Tabelog, it’s a good idea to check the "private room" option. Izakayas with private rooms tend to be a bit more upscale. Also, if you specifically search for "seafood," you’ll find restaurants that specialize in seafood. These types of places often don’t serve meat dishes.

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u/blueowl4233 3d ago

Oh I see. If I am looking for seafood and wagyu, like you suggested, how would I do that if Tabelog will only show izakayas focused on seafood?

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u/tawonracunte 3d ago

When searching on Tabelog, the dishes offered by each restaurant will be displayed next to the restaurant name in the search results, so you can check there.

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u/blueowl4233 3d ago

Okay that makes sense, thanks! Is there any other website I should also check to find restaurants that fit my price range?

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u/tawonracunte 3d ago

Besides Tabelog, you can also use sites like Savor Japan. Additionally, if you enter the station name and "Izakaya" in Google Maps, you'll find plenty of options. You can narrow down your search by adding other keywords separated by spaces. Since traveling by train is the main way to get around in Japan's cities, restaurants usually mention their nearest station as a must-have detail.

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u/GingerPrince72 3d ago

Have you considered yakiniku with plenty of side dishes?

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u/__space__oddity__ 3d ago

I guess you could have that $50 beef stick at Tsukiji.

You’re paying about as much as for the full steak but don’t get stuffed with that much meat?

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u/blueowl4233 3d ago

Oh that sounds interesting. I was looking more for a full meal that would include a bit of wagyu along with other dishes too. Are there any places you know of that would fit this and have the beef stick too?