Kobe beef: the best quality Wagyu Beef brand in Japan
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Kobe beef is one of the high-class beef brands in Japan. But did you know that Kobe beef is actually just an another brand name of Tajima beef which is a breed of Japanese beef, Kuroge Wagyu in Hyogo Prefecture. Only those beef with good quality of fat are allowed to bear the name of Kobe beef brand name.
There are 3000 Kobe beef cows produced every year in Kobe, which only amounts around 0.06% of whole beef market in Japan, and that is one of the reasons making Kobe beef valuable. In addition, there is always no guarantee that cows will meet the criteria to be sold as Kobe beef even if bred for more than two years.
And then, where should you taste the authentic Kobe beef? Kobe is the best place to eat the renowned Wagyu beef without a doubt while it is served in other areas such as Tokyo and Kyoto. There are numbers of Kobe Beef steak and teppanyaki restaurants in town to choose.
Here, I introduce the best Kobe beef restaurants in Kobe that will surely serve you top quality Kobe beef.
*Please note that this article contains affiliate links.
1. STEAK AOYAMA
Steak Aoyama (ステーキ青山) was founded in 1963. Since then, they have been serving top-quality Kobe beef to satisfy the meat lovers coming from all over the world. Steak Aoyama really value the source as much as they do on the beef. They recommend eating steak with their homemade ponzu sauce (Japanese citrus based soy sauce) to extract the ultimate & original taste of Kobe beef.
There are several course menus at Steak Aoyama, the one I want to recommend you is “the Aoyama Steak Course” (6500 yen). They have Appetizers, soups, desserts, and 130 grams of sirloin / filet steak as a main dish. You can try the very original taste of Kobe Wagyu Beef only at here in Steak Aoyama.
▶ Reservation for Steak Aoyama Kobe Beef Restaurant in Kobe
Access: 9 mins walk from Motomachi Station (元町駅)
Business Hours: 12:00-21:00 (lunch until 14:30)
Closed: Wednesday (next day if Wednesday is national holiday)
Website (Japanese): https://www.steakaoyama.net/
2. Kokubu
If you want to eat high quality Kobe beef, you should visit this place, Kokubu (コクブ). But Just make sure to make a reservation as the number of seats is limited here at Kokubu. The beef quality is no doubt, the best of the best. The chef chooses cooking process carefully to ensure maximizing the taste of Kobe beef so that they will be served to you in a best state.
Garlic rice here, served after enjoying high-quality Kobe beef, is also one of Kokubu’s popular menus. Their Garlic rice is lightly simmered with garlic, highlight the fresh smell of garlic and will perfectly marks the end of your dinner. I hope you visit this place with your loved ones to mark your anniversaries.
Access: 5 mins walk from Sannomiya Station (三宮駅)
Business Hours: 17:00-21:30
Closed: Sunday
Price Range: 10,000 -15000 yen
3. Steak and Grill Meriken Hatoba
The restaurant Steak and Grill Meriken Hatoba (ステーキ&グリル 神戸メリケン・波止場) is located in Kobe’s Chinatown. It’s in the back street of a crowded Chinatown where almost impossible to find without checking the location on the map in advance. It might be a good idea to make a reservation since the restaurant is run by only two people.
During the lunch time, they serve Kobe beef lunch dishes at very reasonable price, so the restaurant will get super crowded with visitors from all over Japan. Not only their main dish Kobe beef is awesome, but also their carefully selected fresh vegetables on the dishes and rice which gives the sense of unity in taste. The personality of the owner and his wife is also very warm, and you will surely be healed with their hospitality.
Access: 2 mins walk from Motomachi Station (元町駅)
Business Hours: lunch 11–15:00, dinner 17:30-22:00
Closed: Monday, 1st and 3rd Tuesday
Price Range: 5,000 -15000 yen
Website: https://meriken-hatoba.jp/en/
4. Kobe Steak Restaurant MOURIYA
The Kobe beef restaurant I introduced next is Kobe Steak house Mouriya (神戸牛ステーキレストラン モーリヤ). It is a 130-year long-established restaurant that offers well-aged Kobe beef. The concept here is “The time at Mouriya will give you the energy for tomorrow”. The perfect harmony of every single delicious dish will definitely satisfy your tongues. I hope you’ll visit Mouriya on the last day of your journey in Japan.
Mouriya order their Kobe beef daily from the ranch that Mouriya privately has contracted which meet all the Mouriya’s standards of pedigree and breeding environment etc. Various cuts of meat is on the menu such as fillet, sirloin, rib eye and rump. I also hope you enjoy watching the chefs cooking Kobe beef right in front of your seat. The restaurant also offers lunch menu which is slightly more affordable then dinner. There are currently 5 branches in Kobe City, all located near Sannomiya Station.
▶ Make a reservation at Royal Mouriya in Kobe
Access: 5 mins walk from Sannomiya Station (三宮駅)
Business Hours: 11:00-22:00
Price Range: 10,000–15,000 yen
Website: https://www.mouriya.co.jp/en/
5. Kobe Beef Steak Ishida Kitanozaka
There is a reason I introduce this restaurant, Kobe Beef Ishida Kitanozaka in the end. I would say that Kobe Beef Ishida Kitanozaka (神戸牛ステーキIshida 北野坂店) is a restaurant worthy of being called a Kobe beef expert. Some of the Kobe beef restaurants mentioned above are only specialized for specific cooking methods, but different here in Kobe Beef Ishida Kitanozaka.
You can of course enjoy Kobe beef in Steak. But also, you can eat Kobe beef in different styles such as shabu-shabu, yakiniku and teppanyaki. If you have no idea where to eat Kobe beef, visit this place and try everything of Kobe beef here at Kobe Beef Ishida Kitanozaka.
Access: 2 min walk from Sannomiya Station (三宮駅)
Business Hours: lunch 11:30-15:00, dinner 17:00-21:30
Closed: Tuesday
Price Range: 10,000–20,000 yen
Website: https://kobebeef-ishida.com/
6. MISONO
Misono (みその) was founded in 1945 as a Teppanyaki style steak restaurant that serves the finest quality Kobe Beef. Since the establishment Misono has always put their focus on creating healthy and delicious Wagyu dishes. That means Misono never rely on chemical seasonings so that they can maximize the natural flavor of the ingredients they use.
Misono’s passion for Kobe Beef is incomparably strong that they even set the strict standard of their own to rank Beef Wagyu such as; being a pure Kuroge Wagyu (Japanese black cattle), having passed 24 months or longer after the birth, and having not given a chemical feed or growth hormone. Misono considers these conditions as essential factors for raising Kobe Wagyu cattle.
Chefs at Misono also offers wine, sake, beer and shochu that best fit each of their dishes. Personally, I recommend you to try the sake called Hukujyu(福寿), a 300-year-old, fruity and refreshing sake that is also rooted in Kobe City.
▶ Make a reservation at Steak Misono Kobe
Access: 2 mins walk from Sannomiya Station
Business Hours: Lunch 11:30 – 14:30/Dinner 17:00 – 22:00
Price Range: 3,000-5,000 yen (lunch), 15,000-20,000 yen (dinner)
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/L9z4nmqt4x6pSUFE6
7. Steakhouse En
Steakhouse En (ステーキハウス 縁) is a teppanyaki restaurant located in Motomachi, Kobe where you can be indulged with fine teppanyaki cuisine includes premium Kobe beef and quality seafood. The Kobe beef served at the restaurant is sourced from Nakanishi ranch, a renowned producer of award-winning Kobe beef with over 80 years history . The ranch specializes in rising Tajima Beef, the basis of Kobe Beef and is highly praised for the technique of breeding and feeding cattle with high quality meat and marbling.
Another specialty in En is Tennozan beef sourced from Tennozan ranch in Kobe City, which is among the hybrid of Japanese Black and Holstein cattle. The meat is very tender and has a well-balanced flavour of the marbling and red meat.
There are also selected black-haired wagyu beef and domestic beef, and all meat are served as steak with two parts of meat, sirloin or fillet. The restaurant also serves a variety of luxury seafood such as lobster, abalone and oyster as well as seasonal vegetables cooked right in front of customers. The restaurant offers ala carte menu and various courses, but multi-course option is highly recommended for an ultimate teppanyaki experience!
▶ Make a reservation at Steakhouse En
Access: 3 mins walk from Motomachi Station
Business Hours: Lunch 11:30 – 14:30/Dinner 17:00 – 21:30
Closed: Wednesday (next day if Wednesday is national holiday)
Price Range: 3,000-5,000 yen (lunch), 10,000-15,000 yen (dinner)
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/wjMJJgHQc1D165UVA
+Kobe Beef and Cultural City Experience in Kobe
This is a highly recommended food tour that you can explore the city of Kobe and taste mouth-watering Kobe beef all in a half day! The tour begins with a walk in Ikuta Shrine, the oldest shrine in Kobe and participation in short morning meditation. Then explore the town of Kitano district, one of the most culturally diverse places in Japan, and learn about the history of the area. At last, the tour takes you to one of the most popular Kobe beef restaurants in town where you can indulge yourself with delicious high-quality wagyu beef cooked right in front!
Booking ▶ Kobe Beef and Cultural City Experience in Kobe
Thanks for reading! I hope you will enjoy the high quality Kobe beef when you visit Kobe! If you travel to Western Japan including Kyoto and Osaka, you should not miss the neighbor city Kobe for the amazing food experience. For more info about Japan, check out these articles below, too!
▽Best Wagyu Beef Restaurants in Other Areas▽
▶︎15 Best Wagyu Beef Restaurants in Japan
▶︎5 Best Wagyu Beef in Osaka
▶︎5 Best Wagyu Beef in Kyoto
▶︎15 Best Wagyu Beef Restaurants in Tokyo
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