Tsuruhashi Maguro Shokudo

I always thought Tsuruhashi in Osaka was known mainly for yakiniku (barbecue), but it’s not “just” about yakiniku. In fact, Tsuruhashi has a fresh fish market where chefs from Osaka, Kyoto, and other places come to buy ingredients.

So, I heard there’s a shop in Tsuruhashi specializing in tuna, and I was curious about what kind of place it was. I went there for lunch the other day. The shop’s name is Tsuruhashi Maguro Shokudo. So, what was it actually like…?

Handmade charm galore, with a little thrill thrown in… Tsuruhashi Maguro Shokudo is that kind of place.

I visited Tsuruhashi Maguro Shokudo around 10:30 a.m. on a weekday. I arrived right at opening time and, being a weekday just before lunchtime, managed to get pole position. However, the shop wasn’t quite ready yet, so I had to wait outside for a little over 10 minutes before entering. During that time, customers started trickling in, and by the time I went in, about half of the nine counter seats inside were filled. Online reviews often mentioned “lines forming before opening,” so I was lucky that day.

Now, about the interior. In a word, it’s a “restaurant with tremendous character.” They relocated from inside Tsuruhashi Shopping Street to this spot outside about three years ago in April 2024. The owner apparently did the interior himself. You could say it has a “strong handmade vibe,” but personally, I also found myself wondering, “Would this hold up in an earthquake?” For me, it added a little thrill to the meal.

The toppings outnumber the vinegared rice—a reverse scam situation… How did Tsuruhashi Maguro Shokudo’s most popular menu item, the signature “Everything Topped” bowl, actually turn out when I tried it?

So, let me introduce what I ordered that day at Tsuruhashi Maguro Shokudo: the restaurant’s most popular menu item, the signature “Everything Topped” bowl (price: ¥3,000 including tax). After waiting about 10 minutes after ordering, the bowl brought before me looked like this…

The surface of the bowl is completely covered with four types of toppings: medium fatty tuna, lean tuna, yukhoe, and seared tuna. Visually, the volume of toppings looks substantial. And underneath the toppings, the rice can be either vinegared rice or plain white rice, whichever you prefer. Since I’m a vinegared rice person for seafood bowls, I went with vinegared rice without hesitation.

Now then, about this tuna bowl… I’m not sure if the image conveys it, but the slices are incredibly thick. The red meat and seared tuna slices are probably 2-3 times thicker than regular sashimi. Even the medium fatty tuna slices were easily 1cm thick. The freshness of the fish is also on a completely different level compared to supermarket sashimi. I couldn’t tell the exact tuna variety with my amateur palate (probably not bluefin…), but with 4-5 pieces of this thick, fresh tuna per bowl, you’d be hard-pressed to complain about the volume. In fact, it’s practically a reverse scam – there’s definitely more tuna than vinegared rice. No wonder it’s a line-forming spot. It might not be the ultimate value for money, but if this bowl comes with miso soup and a small side dish, it’s definitely worth the 3000 yen. If I had to nitpick, the vinegar in the rice was a bit too strong for my taste. If I get another chance to eat here, I might ask for plain white rice instead.

Other Menu Items at Tsuruhashi Maguro Shokudo (Prices include tax)

• Fatty Tuna Bowl: ¥5,000
• Medium Fatty Tuna Bowl: ¥4,500
• Tekka Bowl: ¥2,300
• Seared Tuna Bowl: ¥2,300
• Yukhoe Bowl: ¥2,300

Note: Choose either plain rice or vinegared rice.

Takeout marinated sushi is also available… Access to Tsuruhashi Maguro Shokudo is a 5-minute walk from Tsuruhashi Station on the JR Loop Line (Kintetsu Line, Osaka Metro Sennichimae Line).

At Tsuruhashi Maguro Shokudo, takeout marinated sushi is also prepared…

It contains half lean tuna and half medium fatty tuna, priced at ¥2,800 (tax included). Since the tuna is marinated, it’s fine if some time passes before you eat it. How about “Tuna as a Tsuruhashi souvenir”? It might make for a fun little surprise. If you get the chance, consider trying the takeout option.

Now, here are the shop details…