Have you ever craved some Japanese barbecue but found yourself low on cash? Well here in Osaka is the cheapest yakiniku you’ll ever find!
A sign that seemed too good to be true, this Osaka restaurant called Nikuya offers all-you-can-eat yakiniku (Japanese barbecue) for just 1000 yen (6.70 USD)!
Easily the cheapest yakiniku restaurant I’ve seen in my life, let me share with you how my experience went down at this place that can only be described as a highway robbery bargain.
Fantastic Varieties
Upon walking into the restaurant, my friend and I couldn’t help but wonder what the catch was for this restaurant to be so utterly cheap.
As expected, it was super crowded and the atmosphere was very lively as everyone seemed to be having a great time!
There was no shortage of meat in sight and the restaurant was certainly not lacking in variety of meats either.
You could grab anything from string beef to tenderloins, ox-tongue, sirloins, ribs, and even sausages!
Furthermore, you can also enjoy all-you-can-drink for an extra 420 yen (2.80 USD), giving you unlimited access to all the soft drinks, coffees, and teas at the drink bar.
90 Minutes Of Non-Stop Cooking!
Like the unbelievably cheap price wasn’t enough, you also get a generous 90 minutes of cooking and eating time!
I’ve been to my fair share of yakiniku restaurants both in Japan and Australia, so I can confirm a 90-minute time limit is not always guaranteed (some places only give you 60 minutes!).
To make your time at Nikuya even more cost-efficient, the grills cook the meat exceptionally fast, so you won’t be waiting long at all to start eating!
An Absolute Feast For 1000 Yen
In addition to all the meats and drinks at your disposal, there are also a range of side items such as steamed rice, kimchi, and condiments like dipping sauce and seasoning to spice things up.
With the added cost of the unlimited drinks, my friend and I just paid 1,420 yen (9.50 USD) each and went home with a big belly full of fatty meat and plenty to spare in our wallet!
So What’s The Catch?
Well, if I were to be brutally honest, there is one catch with Nikuya, the cheapest yakiniku restaurant in not just Osaka, but possibly the entire world. And that is the quality of the grills.
While we did get a fair bit of well-cooked meats at the start, it wasn’t long until the grill became blackened with charcoal, and our meats were negatively affected the longer we cooked and ate.
Hence, unless you’re trying to save some money, I wouldn’t recommend Nikuya if you are on holiday in Japan and don’t want to compromise on quality. On the other hand, if you’re in Japan for the long term, then I’d say absolutely visit Nikuya to get your yakiniku hit without a dent in your bank account!
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