The popular shop, 'All-You-Can-Eat Yakiniku 298' (pronounced 'Nikuya,' or 'meat shop'), has several branches, including one in Umeda near Osaka Station, one in the downtown area of Namba in Osaka Minami, and one in Kobe's Sannomiya.

The newest branch, which opened in March of 2022, is located in Shinsaibashi, a popular shopping spot with lines of trendy shops and fashion boutiques that cater to a wide range of customers.

To get to 298 Shinsaibashi from JR Osaka Station, ride the Osaka Metro Midosuji Line to Umeda Station, and take the train bound for Nakamozu, Tennoji, or Abiko. Shinsaibashi Station is three stops away. Get out at Exit 5 and head north on Shinsaibashi Shopping Street through the arcade. After about one minute, you will see Daikoku Pharmacy on your right.

Turn right at the corner of Daikoku Pharmacy. A giant sign to the left of the street reads: "1,000 yen All-You-Can-Eat Yakiniku" (excluding tax). This is 298 (Nikuya) Shinsaibashi. The signs are easy to spot, so the shop itself should be easy to find.

In front of the entrance, you'll see the 1,100 yen all-you-can-eat yakiniku menu, as well as menu signs announcing their set meals, curry, and fried chicken dishes. Be prepared for a bit of a wait if visiting at lunchtime or on a holiday.

Once you enter the store, be sure to disinfect your hands. The five counter seats to the left of the entrance are perfect for solo diners.

The shop interior is spacious, with 36 seats on the first floor, including booth and table seats.

You'll find 38 more table seats on the second floor, which can be reserved for groups. The second floor is bright and spacious, with natural light illuminating the space from the ceiling. All seats are non-smoking, although there is a smoking room on the second floor.

Once you're guided to your seat, you're free to peruse the table menu. The menu is entirely in Japanese, but don't worry!

Although there's no English menu, the Japanese menu includes pictures and is relatively easy to understand. Also, depending on the time you visit, some staff members may be able to speak foreign languages.

When choosing the 90-minute all-you-can-eat yakiniku option (1,100 yen for adults), you'll be given an explanation of the ordering system.

The all-you-can-eat menu includes meat (beef, pork, chicken, red and white entrails, sausage, and tsukune meatballs), as well as rice, curry, spaghetti salad, cabbage, fried chicken, and kimchi. Elementary school children can eat for 770 yen, while younger children and babies are free.

Additional all-you-can-eat options include All-You-Can-Eat Pork Tongue (+300 yen), Shinsaibashi All-You-Can-Eat Limited Edition Menu (pork tongue, fatty pork, chicken neck, skirt steak, motsuni, +420 yen), and All-You-Can-Eat Pork & Beef Tongue (+480 yen).

Be careful not to order too much at once or leave behind any uneaten sides. Customers will have to pay an extra 1,000 yen per every 100g of leftover food. Only take what you can eat at one time!

In addition to the all-you-can-eat options, the menu also includes Fried Chicken Set Meals (700 yen), Fried Shrimp Set Meals (850 yen), Yakiniku Curry (650 yen), and Katsu Curry (800 yen).

For an additional 1,100 yen, you can also add on All-You-Can-Drink Alcohol (beer, shochu, sours, highballs, fruit liquor, and soft drinks). For 420 yen, you can order All-You-Can-Drink Soft Drinks. All drink corners are self-service and can be found on both the 1st and 2nd floors.

When ordering from the 90-minute all-you-can-eat yakiniku menu, you'll only receive one serving of meat at a time. However, you can order as many times as you like, including meatballs and innards. Be sure only to order extra food at the pace you can eat.

Of course, anyone can eat as much delicious brand-name meat as they want if they're willing to pay the price. However, the concept of this shop is to fill you up on equally delicious meat for only 1,000 yen (excluding tax).

"Whether student or office worker, everyone should be able to eat their fill at a reasonable price. I hope everyone comes and visits us at least once," says Hontani, head of the PR department and our special server for today.

Prices and menus are the same, whether visiting for lunch or dinner. Business hours are 11:30 a.m. - 11:30 p.m. from Sunday through Thursday, and 11:30 a.m. - 5:00 a.m. (the following day) on Fridays and Saturdays. There are also no regular holidays, which means you can eat as much as you want, whenever you want, for the same price!

The first meat platter is an assortment of beef, pork, chicken, sausage, and innards. The meat cuts included in this assortment vary by day, depending on what is available on that day.

For the beef, it will usually be the recommended part of the day (loin, kalbi ribs, or skirt steak). Each glossy slice not only looks appetizing but tastes delicious, as well! The first assortment alone contains about 160g, a rather generous portion, especially when combined with sides.

As for meat refills, you can order your favorites in one-serving portions (50g for meat slices, or one individual sausage). Be sure to tell the staff exactly how much you want of each type of meat, such as "two servings of chicken and three sausages."

You can also order tsukune (meatballs) and innards from the refill menu. The last order is 10 minutes before the end of your time limit.

The sauce is a shop original, made with a soy sauce base from a long-established Fukuoka brewery that has been in business for 100 years. It has a good reputation not only for its yakiniku but also for its rice, which pairs wonderfully with the sauce.

Once you receive your first meat platter, everything else is self-service. First, turn the knob to ignite the smokeless gas roaster.

There are no particular rules for grilling your meat. Cook in order of preference, or throw them all on the grill to cook all at once. We do recommend starting with the chicken, however, as it takes a little longer to cook, and does not leave much residue on the net.

When grilling chicken thighs, cook from the skin side for more fragrant, flavorful results. But be careful, as the pieces will burn easily over high heat. Adjust the flame as you cook.

After grilling your chicken thighs, try them with the sauce! With crisp outer skin and soft, juicy meat, the taste is sure to satisfy.

Next, you'll want to cook the pork. Available pork cuts will vary from day to day.

Today's cut is lightly salted pork rib. This delicious cut, dripping with fat and enhanced by the grilled flavor, is easy to cook together with the other meats.

However, be careful, as cooking too much at once may make it difficult to cook evenly. We recommend cooking only as much as you plan to eat at a time.

Let the excess fat drip, and grill the surface until crisp for a richer texture. Adding sauce will really bring out the flavor of each juicy bite. Our pieces were so tender, we finished eating them in no time flat!

The beef ribs boast a subtle sweetness, entwined with a delicious homemade flavor and an appetizing aroma that will leave you wanting more. Once cooked, add some sauce and enjoy. The tender beef ribs served are some of the finest selections, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious.

The white meat offal from the first assortment are selections of reed tripe from the large intestine, small intestine, and abomasum. Each cut has been carefully prepared, with no strong odor.

However, do keep an eye on them as they cook, as dripping fat may cause the flame to rise.

But don't worry about the smoke - the exhaust hood above will vacuum it up! Our cuts were delicious, with that chewy texture unique to entrails. We practically wolfed it down!

The sausage is made of minced meat, with a cut in the center, allowing the flame to pass through easily. Cook it carefully so that it doesn't burn.

The skin is nice and crispy, and the minced meat inside is hot and juicy, a delicious savory sausage that oozes flavor in each and every bite.

Unsurprisingly, this is one of the more popular dishes, with many repeat orders.

If there's too much residue stuck on your grill net, you can replace it for 50 yen.

Side dishes are self-service, buffet style. Choose from all-you-can-eat kimchi, spaghetti salad, fried chicken, cabbage, and more. A salt-based sauce is provided for the cabbage.

The shop's specialty fried chicken is another popular dish, seasoned with Nikuya's 'Special Sauce' and accented with broth, salt, garlic, ginger, and coarsely ground pepper.

The fried chicken's seasonings may vary by day, but you can be sure that all dishes will be crisp, juicy, and delicious - they can even be eaten cold! However, you may still want to roast them a bit on the grill.

A plate of kimchi pairs well with yakiniku. You may be tempted to grab a lot of side dishes at first, but keep in mind the pace at which you will eat your meat. Take side dishes little by little to avoid leftovers.

Rice and curry are available in the same corner. The rice comes from Aomori Prefecture, with firm grain and moderate elasticity. Cooked over a gas fire, this delicious rice is the perfect addition to your yakiniku and curry!

The curry is made with 298's special roux, containing 30 types of spices, beef tendon, pork, chicken, and roasted vegetable bouillon, and finished with garlic and special sauce. The sweet-and-savory curry roux packs a spicy aftertaste and goes great with the addition of your own grilled meats, sausages, and chicken cuts.

You can refill your side dishes as often as you like within the time limit. However, be sure to only take what you can eat, as leftovers are subject to additional fees.

For refills, we ordered one extra serving of beef and two extra servings of sausage (2 pieces) and were satisfied with that. The number of refills you order will depend on how many side dishes you eat.

The average adult customer orders at least one refill. Although the time limit is set to 90 minutes, you can probably eat your fill in about 45 minutes if dining alone.

Even if visiting as a group, 90 minutes is more than enough time to eat your fill of meat and side dishes at your own pace for only 1,100 yen! Considering the content, quantity, and satisfaction of the meal, 1,100 yen is a bargain indeed!

298 (Nikuya) Shinsaibashi is a cozy and delicious spot that anyone can enjoy, whether dining solo or in a group. No matter the time of day, rest assured that you'll always be able to eat at the same price.

Also, about 30% of customers are visitors from abroad! It's a popular restaurant that's open for lunch, dinner, and until 5 a.m. (the following day) on Fridays and Saturdays!

As you can imagine, this popular restaurant has plenty of repeat customers. As such, prepare for weekend and holiday crowds, with long waits for entry. To avoid this, we recommend making reservations by phone, or visiting during slower hours, such as around 2-3 p.m. on weekdays.

Regardless of when you come, one thing is certain: 298 (Nikuya) Shinsaibashi is the place to go for delicious, affordable, all-you-can-eat yakiniku! So set aside 90 minutes, stop by, and eat to your heart's content!

*Business hours and menu are subject to change based on the guidance and policies of government agencies to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

*Information in article as of June 2022. Please see official website for the latest updates.

Translated by: Krys Suzuki