Kyoto Meat Restaurant

Kyoto Meat Restaurant. For meat lovers, it would be hard to find a more appealing name, wouldn’t you agree? True to form, the name alone had me expecting to “eat as much meat as I wanted,” so I headed to Shijo Horikawa, where the restaurant is located, for lunch on a weekday. So, how did it actually turn out…

Kyoto Meat Restaurant: A Diner and Izakaya Produced by the Kyoto Yakiniku Chain Masuichi… Here’s What It’s Like

Kyoto Meat Restaurant was established in 2016 by Masuichi, a yakiniku chain with several locations throughout Kyoto City. Since the parent company specializes in high-quality meats like Omi beef, just hearing that name is practically a guarantee of the meat’s quality. However, even though the restaurant has only been around for about 10 years, the premises gave off a rather well-worn impression. The automatic doors at the entrance were even manual…

The interior decor is simple, creating an atmosphere where both solo diners and families can feel at ease. That said, the menu features a wide selection of alcoholic beverages, giving the impression that it also functions as an izakaya. There are a total of 31 seats, including 15 at the counter. Since half of the total seating is at the counter, this might be just the right spot for a solo drink.

The meat quality is truly impressive… How did Kyoto Meat Restaurant’s signature dish, the “Gorilla Rice,” actually turn out?

So, let me introduce the “Gorilla Rice,” the restaurant’s signature dish, which I ordered at Kyoto Meat Restaurant that day. The price, which you’re probably curious about, is 780 yen (tax included) for a single serving. This time, I ordered it as a set with miso soup and a salad, and asked to swap the miso soup for pork soup, bringing the total to 1,160 yen (tax included)…

Just two or three minutes after placing my order, the Gorilla Rice set (with the miso soup swapped for pork soup) was brought right to my table. While it doesn’t have the massive portion size you might expect from the name “Gorilla Rice,” there’s more than enough meat. On the other hand, the salad seemed a bit meager for the extra charge, so I thought maybe I didn’t need it after all…

Well then, let’s dive right in… The beef tendon, seasoned with a rich, sweet-and-spicy soy sauce glaze, was melt-in-your-mouth tender, and with every bite, the savory umami—perfectly infused with the sauce—just oozed out. The quality of the meat really lives up to the reputation of a restaurant produced by a yakiniku specialist. And underneath that meat, the bowl was lined with konjac. So, the true nature of this “Gorilla Rice” is essentially a bowl of “sujikon” (beef tendon and konjac) served over white rice. It’s seasoned a bit on the salty side, but when the yolk in the center is broken and mixed in, it becomes absolutely delicious… The thickness of the yolk and its rich depth of flavor elevate it into the ultimate “rice thief.”

In contrast, the pork miso soup is light and mild, with a strong ginger kick, making it perfect for resetting the mouth after the rich, heavy flavors. Besides pork, it’s packed with carrots, daikon radish, konjac, and burdock root—plenty of ingredients to get a solid veggie fix and completely erase any guilt from the Gorilla Rice. Honestly, I do think, “For an extra 280 yen, I’d like a bit more volume…” But on the flip side, I think the Gorilla Rice alone at 780 yen is an unbelievably good deal, so pairing it with the pork miso soup probably evens things out. If you skip the salad and just go with the Gorilla Rice and pork miso soup combo, you can save 100 yen, so if I get another chance to eat Gorilla Rice, this is definitely the way to go without any complaints…

Other Menu Items at Kyoto Meat Restaurant (Prices include tax)

• Beef Hitsumabushi: 1,480 yen
• Lean Beef Steak: 1,380 yen
• King Kong Rice Bowl: 1,280 yen
• Steak Bowl: 1,080 yen
• Steak skirt Bowl: 1,080 yen
• Tonteki: 980 yen
• Pork Gorilla: 680 yen

There’s also a weekday-only daily lunch special… Kyoto Meat Restaurant is a 6-minute walk from Omiya Station on the Hankyu Kyoto Line, the nearest station.

At Kyoto Meat Restaurant, you can order a weekday-only lunch menu. The menu changes daily…

• Mon: Japanese Black Wagyu Kalbi Yakiniku Set Meal
• Tue: Pork Kimchi Set Meal
• Wed: Tender Harami Rice Bowl
• Thu: Grilled Offal Set Meal (with pork miso soup)
• Fri: Meat Restaurant’s Special Stab Don

I get the impression that the meat quality seems higher on Mondays, but maybe that’s just my imagination? Anyway, the price is 1,100 yen (tax included). Orders are accepted until 2:30 PM, and quantities are limited, so if you’re aiming for the daily lunch special, be sure to visit early…

Now, here are the restaurant details…

It’s a 7-minute walk from Karasuma Station on the Hankyu Kyoto Line.