Only Half An Hour Away From Osaka! Best 5 Places to Have Your Fill of Wagyu Beef in Kobe

28 Aug 2020

The KANSAI Guide

Kobe beef is a type of wagyu beef raised in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture, and very well-known in both Japan and the rest of the world. If you ever come to Japan, wouldn't it be a great opportunity to have a taste of Kobe beef in its hometown? From Osaka, you can get to Kobe City in only half an hour by train! In this article, we will introduce you to the best five restaurants to eat Kobe beef in Kobe City.

Why Is Kobe Beef so Special?

Kobe beef is renowned as one of the three premium wagyu brands in Japan. Cattle bred in Hyogo Prefecture must meet very strict requirements to get such a desgination. The quality of the meat that comes from such cattle is globally recognized. The inside of the red flesh is marbled with layers of fat and looks like the meshes of a net. The meat is easy to digest, its texture is so soft that it melts in your mouth, and its rich flavor tantalizes all your taste buds.

1. Kokoro

This is a great place to enjoy grilled meat while getting a view of Kobe Port. All five your senses will get to enjoy the experience of the chef grilling the meat in front of you. Recommended courses are the Kobe Beef and Fresh Fish Lunch (15,000 JPY (excl. tax and service charge)) and the Kobe Beef Course (20,000 JPY (excl. tax and service charge)). There is also a dress code, so make sure you wear something appropriate!

【Facility Name】 Kokoro
【Opening Hours】 Lunch: 11:30 am - 3:00 pm (L.O. 2:00 pm), Dinner 5:30 pm - 10:30 pm (L.O. 9:00 pm) *Weekends and public holidays: 5:00 pm - 10:30 pm (L.O. 9:00 pm)
【Days Closed】 Open all year round
* Only closed when the establishment is fully reserved for private events
【URL】
Official Homepage
KANSAI Tourism Bureau Official Homepage
【Address】 Hotel La Suite Kobe Harborland 2F, 7-2 Hatoba-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo
【Google Map URL】 GoogleMap

2. Hana-Houbi

The chef who works at this teppanyaki restaurant has 30 years of experience in this field of cooking. Their menu is exquisite, with dishes such as Lean Kobe Beef Steak (6,000 JPY) and the Kobe Beef Sirloin Course (15,000 JPY) that allow one to fully enjoy the taste of the ingredients. They also have a wide variety of wines that go very well with Kobe beef!

【Facility Name】 Hana-Houbi
【Opening Hours】 Lunch (only on weekends and public holidays): 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm (L.O. 2:00 pm), Dinner: 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm (L.O. 9:00 pm)
【Days Closed】 Monday
【URL】
Official Homepage (Japanese only)
KANSAI Tourism Bureau Homepage
【Address】 TN-Ⅱ Bldg. 2F, 2-11-30 Shimoyamate-dori, Chuo-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo
【Google Map URL】 GoogleMap

3. Kitano BURN

Kitano BURN is a teppanyaki restaurant with an original menu that offers over 30 different dishes, from the classics to more unusual things. People tend to picture teppanyaki restaurants as expensive places, but this classy place has carefully-selected teppanyaki offerings centered around Kuroge Wagyu beef at reasonable prices! We especially recommend their Kuroge Wagyu Beef Steak of the Day (from 2,590 JPY (excl. tax)).

【Facility Name】 Kitano BURN
【Opening Hours】 Dinner: 5:00 pm - 12:00 am (Food L.O. 11:00 pm, Drinks L.O. 11:30 pm)
【Days Closed】 Monday
*If Monday is a public holiday, then the restaurant will be closed on Tuesday
【URL】
Official Homepage (Japanese only)
KANSAI Tourism Bureau Homepage
【Address】 2-4-6 Yamamoto-dori, Chuo-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo
【Google Map URL】 GoogleMap

4. Miyabi Sankita Branch

This restaurant specializes in A5-ranked Kobe beef and is popular because it charges relatively reasonable prices, a feat achieved by purchasing the cattle whole and butchering it themselves. Try the Miyabi Course (5,500 JPY (excl. tax)) to thoroughly enjoy Kobe beef with dishes such as Kobe beef sushi, roast beef, 100 grams of steak, and the soup of the day!

【Facility Name】 Miyabi Sankita Branch
【Opening Hours】 11:00 am - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:30 pm)
1F: 11:00 am - 3:30 pm (L.O. 3:00 pm), 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm (L.O. 9:30 pm)
2F/3F: 11:00 am - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:30)
【Days Closed】 Has irregular closures
【URL】
Official Homepage
KANSAI Tourism Bureau Homepage
【Address】 Platinium Bldg., 1-2-7 Kitanagasa-dori, Chuo-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo
【Google Map URL】 GoogleMap

5. Ahtpekot

This well-known yet somewhat discreet teppanyaki restaurant is frequented by all kinds of celebrities. They have their own procurement route for Kobe beef, which is what allows them to offer Kobe beef at very reasonable prices. Their standard course is the premium Kobe beef steak course, otherwise known as the A Course (9,800 JPY (excl. tax)), for which you can choose from either tenderloin or sirloin. We recommend you try their original wasabi paste, made by mixing horseradish and Japanese wasabi, to accompany your meat!

【Facility Name】 Ahtpekot
【Opening Hours】 Monday - Saturday, Day before a public holiday: 5:00 pm - 3:00 am (Food L.O. 2:00 am, Drinks L.O. 2:30 am)
Sunday and public holidays: 5:00 pm - 12:00 am (Food L.O. 11:00 pm, Drinks L.O. 11:30 pm)
【Days Closed】 Open all year round
【URL】
Official Homepage (Japanese only)
KANSAI Tourism Bureau Homepage
【Address】 Tensei Bldg. 4F, 1-10-10 Nakayamanote-dori, Chuo-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo
【Google Map URL】 GoogleMap

These are our top five restaurants to have a taste of Kobe beef, from having it teppanyaki-style to enjoying it as sushi! You should definitely treat yourself with this exquisite meat when visiting Kobe!