Kobe, located on Osaka Bay in western Japan, is a port city best known for its eponymous local brand of beef. Japanese beef, or wagyu, includes several breeds of cattle that have been domesticated from wild oxen, with the various regions of Japan specializing in their own local wagyu brands. Kobe beef, in particular, is world famous for its intense marbling. Rich and sweet without being greasy, the meat possesses a unique tenderness and melting texture that is second to none.
Because richly marbled Kobe beef has a lower melting point than other kinds of beef, it is especially delectable when perfectly seared on the outside and warmed through.
Two of the best ways to enjoy Kobe beef are yakiniku, grilled over a charcoal or gas brazier, and teppanyaki, grilled over an iron cooktop. Here are 10 Kobe teppanyaki and yakiniku restaurants that provide a great gourmet answer to the question of where to eat Kobe beef.
Best Kobe Yakiniku Restaurants
#1 Sumibi Yakiniku Goemon Sannomiya
Kobe yakiniku—with specialty beef as its main ingredient—is the highlight at Sumibi Yakiniku Goemon Sannomiya, an ideal dining location for families, friends, and couples. Their “Hime Yaki Shabu,” delicately seasoned with crystal salt, is highly recommended, as are their “Kobe Beef Onion Kalbi (short ribs)” made with an original marinade containing a tasty trifecta of onion, green onion, and leek. The aroma and sweetness of the onions are a delectable match for the savory flavor of the short ribs. Indulge in their “Special Homemade Umami Soy Sauce” which uses wasabi horseradish root sourced directly from a grower with 400 years of history.
Dinner: From 4,000 JPY
#2 Sumibi-yakiniku Yasubee
Savor succulent kurogewagyu black-haired Kobe beef prepared by a passionate chef who excels at crafting homemade ingredients. Among these are the special house sauce, which comes in three varieties. In order to provide customers the very best flavor from each part of the meat, the chef purchases it in large blocks and painstakingly divides them into individual cuts herself. Highlights of this Kobe yakiniku haven include the thickly cut “Special Wagyu Skirt Steak” and exquisitely flavored “Special Wagyu Tongue”.
Dinner: Varies/ Lunch: 800 JPY
Fabulous Kobe Teppanyaki Restaurants
#3 Kobe Entrecote
For a Kobe teppanyaki style meal featuring the region’s signature beef and a tantalizing array of fresh seafood, look no further than Kobe Entrecote. Their “Kobe Beef and Seafood” course meal offers the finely marbled Kobe beef of the highest quality cut precisely to the diner’s preferred thickness, as well as a choice of various seafood delicacies including grilled abalone. Wrap up the course with dessert—Entrecote’s popular “Teppanyaki Ice Cream”, with ice cream and pineapple cooked directly on the open teppan grill in front of guests, comes highly recommended.
Dinner: 7,000 JPY
#4 Kobe Harborland Sandaya
Kobe Harborland Sandaya offers quality Kobe beef served in a calm atmosphere with live piano music, where food can be appreciated rather than rushed. The meat is carefully chosen and allowed to mature until it reaches its peak of utmost deliciousness. Try their thick-cut wagyu steak that’s brimming with savory richness, prepared on a teppan cooktop made from Nambu iron. The specially prepared steak is served rare, but can be grilled to any level at the customer’s request, creating a fantastic made-to-order Kobe teppanyaki experience.
Dinner: 6,500 JPY / Lunch: 2,625 JPY
Only the most excellent A4- and A5-ranked Kobe beef and black wagyu beef is used at Kobe Gyu / Kobe Yukiyasai Shin. They have a large selection of Kobe beef, sourced directly from trusted farms, and organic vegetables procured in their peak condition. In addition to their Kobe beef sirloin, their specialty “Hamburg Steak Lunch with Kobe Beef and Foie Gras” is a clear lunchtime highlight.
Dinner: 10,000 JPY / Lunch: 3,000 JPY
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One of the finest dining locations in Kobe, Teppan-yaki Kokoro transforms Kobe beef into delectable dishes using vibrant culinary techniques that are expertly complemented by the breathtaking ocean view from the window. While overlooking the Kobe port connected to the Seto Inland Sea, guests can enjoy the extraordinary sight of pleasure cruisers passing through the magnificent and ever-changing scenery. The spectacular view is topped only by the experience of Kobe teppanyaki itself. A fantastic array of Ingredients from premium wagyu beef sourced from throughout Hyogo prefecture to organic vegetables served farm-to-table and freshly caught seafood from the Seto Inland Sea and the Sea of Japan, are meticulously hand-picked by the chef himself. Exquisite Kobe beef is accompanied by a decadent spread featuring ten different types of special spices, such as Ako sea salt, offering a taste for every palate, while their black abalone is herb-grilled with parsley and garlic-infused butter.
Dinner: 15,000 JPY / Lunch: 5,000 JPY
Watch a firsthand show of expertly prepared A5-ranked Kobe beef and other high-end ingredients at teppanyaki restaurant Kobe Steak Sai Dining. All of their ingredients, including meat, vegetables, and fish are carefully selected before being procured, and their meal courses use an abundance of seasonal vegetables meticulously curated by a vegetable sommelier. The seasoning techniques are employed at Kobe Steak Sai Dining are simple as the ingredients they stock are never anything less than the highest-quality, and they serve each and every dish with confidence. Guests will be transported by the chef’s expert knife work and cooking skills, proof that delicious food is not the only factor when deciding where to eat Kobe beef.
Dinner: 13,000 JPY / Lunch: 4,500 JPY
#8 Originator of Teppanyaki Steak Misono, Kobe Main Branch (Sannomiya)
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This is a famous teppanyaki restaurant that opened in 1945. There is a made-to-order iron griddle at each table, so you can enjoy Kobe beef freshly grilled to perfection. The recommended cut is A4-grade sirloin. It has a distinct flavor of its own, so it is seasoned only with salt and pepper. It has just the right amount of fat to enhance its flavor, resulting in a dish that one does not tire of. The [Garlic Rice Set] (1,000 JPY (excl. tax)) is a great accompaniment to this cut of meat. It is also seasoned simply with just garlic, and goes perfectly with Kobe beef.
Dinner: 15,000 JPY / Lunch: 5,000 JPY
#9 Setsugekka Sumibiyaki - Kobe Beef Steak Kappo (Sannomiya)
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At this restaurant, you can enjoy Kobe beef through a traditional Japanese course meal. The restaurant is licensed to serve raw meat, so you can enjoy Kobe beef as sashimi or seared. Recommended is the [100g Dry-aged Kobe Beef Steak Charcoal-grilled in a Kiln Course] (16,000 JPY). The main dish in this course meal is dry-aged Kobe beef steak grilled with binchotan charcoal in a special kiln. It is supplemented by appetizers, salad, and rice cooked in a clay pot. You are sure to be amazed by the flavor of the Kobe beef that has been enhanced by aging.
Dinner: 20,000 JPY
#10 Teppanyaki Shioji (Island Center)
This is a Japanese-style teppanyaki restaurant on the top floor of Hotel Plaza Kobe. It offers a gorgeous view that lets you admire the ocean all the way to the horizon in the morning and is especially romantic in the evening. It is dedicated to simply and carefully grilling high-grade ingredients, including Kobe beef, fresh seafood, and carefully selected Kuroge Wagyu beef. Its signature course meals are [Kobe Beef Lunch] (12,000 JPY (excl. tax)) and [Kobe Beef Dinner] (15,000 JPY (excl. tax)). Both courses include flavorful Kobe beef steak as the main course, appetizers, salad, grilled vegetables, and rice.
#11 Kobe Beef Steak SAKURA (Sannomiya)
This is a teppanyaki restaurant where you can enjoy Kobe beef steak and grilled shabu-shabu (sliced meat parboiled with vegetables). The interior is unusual with dragons and cherry blossoms painted on the walls, but it has a strangely comforting ambiance. The food can be ordered a la carte, but the courses, of which there are many, are recommended—particularly the [Hanagasumi Course] (14,000 JPY (excl. tax)), which is available for even-numbered parties of two or more. The course includes beautifully presented and small dishes of appetizers, chawanmushi (savory steamed egg custard), grilled vegetables, rice in an earthenware pot, the restaurant's specialty grilled shabu-shabu that's made with Kobe beef rib eye meat, and Kuroge Wagyu chateaubriand steak.
#12 Beefsteak Kawamura Sannomiya Main Branch (Sannomiya)
This teppanyaki restaurant serves the highest grade meats, including ones that have received awards at Kobe beef competitions. It is renowned for the skills of its veteran chefs, who grill the meat perfectly depending on the condition of the cut. As such, the recommended course is the [Steak Course Using the First Prize Winning Kobe Beef (140g)] (32,000 JPY (excl. tax)). It is a great way to enjoy Kobe beef in various ways, including a plate of flame-grilled Kuroge Wagyu beef presented three ways, tail soup, and a 140g steak of Kobe beef that has won the top prize in a competition. It also comes with grilled vegetables, rice or bread, and dessert.
Knowing Where to Eat Kobe Beef is Simple with Savor Japan
Home to one of the fine
st array of culinary ingredients in the world, Kobe is the ultimate destination for the finest Japanese steak, succulent seafood, and grilled vegetables. Visit Savor Japan for a
full guide to the best restaurants in Kobe, whether it’s traditional yakiniku grilled over a charcoal brazier or teppanyaki cooked tableside with flair by a dazzling chef. The choice of where to eat Kobe beef—grilled or not—is safe with Savor Japan.
Disclaimer: All information is accurate at time of publication.
