Unlike other shops, Gen Asakusa Honten doesn’t buy parts of different cows, but instead buys its cuts from a single one. They also serve Matsusaka beef, one of the three main beef qualities in Japan. The store is proud of its A5 rank meat and offers it at a reasonable price.

Here, you can enjoy a wide variety of yakiniku dishes, like ribs, loin, harami, as well as assorted Matsusaka beef. Rice and soup are included in the price of the lunch menu. Also, an all-you-can-drink Drink Bar set is available for an extra 200 yen.

An all-you-can-eat “Viking set” is available for an additional 500 yen, adding Korean food side dishes, salad bar, Matsusaka beef curry, and more. The time limit for the all-you-can-eat is 70 minutes. (*A “Viking set” single item is 780 yen; tax not included.)

You may be wondering what to order from such a broad menu, but we definitely recommend the “Gen Kalbi Lunch.” For a reasonable price, you can eat Japanese black beef ribs for 800 yen (tax not included)! The flavor of the grilled marbled meat is amazing.

If you go for the “Viking set,” you can get all-you-can-drink and eat for the price of 1,300 yen (tax not included). Recommended to those who want to enjoy a full buffet.

The “Matsusaka beef kalbi lunch” is prepared with one of the most prestigious types of wagyu beef. It’s a specialty of Gen Asakusa Honten, one of the few restaurants where you can enjoy this meat at reasonable prices.

“Matsukasa beef kalbi” also comes with the “Viking Set” for 1900 yen (tax not included), and you can also add all-you-can-drink and eat.

The drink bar and salad bar available with the “Viking set,” is located at the counter in the center of the store.

There are many Korean dishes such as buchimgae, or spicy Korean pancakes, and various kinds of namul that are perfect for yakiniku.

Rice and curry are set at the end of the salad bar.

If you order the buffet, you should definitely try the “Matsusaka beef curry.” This luxurious beef simmers in the sauce for a flavor-packed, luxurious dish you'll want to heap on your plate. Some regular customers even order the buffet (780 yen – tax not included) just to have the curry.

The appeal of Gen Asakusa Honten is not limited to the A5-rank yakiniku lunch buffet. Here we’ll introduce some gems from the main menu. To start, the “Ittō-kai
sampler” is a selection of different cuts in small portions. (*5 types 1,280 yen, 6 types, 1,680 yen, 9 types 2,280 yen; tax not included). It can be made for two people or more as well.

Also, the “specialty fresh tongue,” is a rare dish that you can hardly see anywhere outside of Gen Asakusa Honten. Beef tongues in other yakiniku restaurants are often frozen, but in this store, they are particular about freshness and do not use frozen ones at all.

You will definitely feel the difference once you cook and eat them. The texture and flavor are completely different! It’s a gem that you won’t be able to fully appreciate until you try it, but you won’t be able to forget it once you do.

Our next recommendation is “5 kinds of Kobe & Matsusaka beef.” This is a very luxurious dish where you can try and compare different cuts of Kobe beef and Matsusaka beef.

You will be able to enjoy two of the three best kinds of wagyu in Japan at a reasonable price! This is something that you can only see at Gen Asakusa Honten.

The “Kobe beef steak,” 2,180 yen (tax not included), with a thickness of 3-4 cm, is also a very popular and recommended item.

Also, the “meat cake,” is a dish we recommend to anyone visiting for birthdays or anniversaries. The dish is presented with meat petals decorated with a sparkling candle.

Itto-kai Yakiniku Gen Asakusa Honten is a 1-minute walk from Tsukuba Express Asakusa Station, and an 8-minute walk from Tokyo Metro Asakusa Station.

The spacious store has three floors, two with tables, and 1 with tatami mats. The spacious seating arrangements are also ample for anyone careful about social distancing to enjoy their meal with peace of mind.

Yakiniku restaurants have constant ventilation, and measures are taken to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, such as measuring the temperature of patrons at the entrance, alcohol disinfectant at each table, and staff wearing masks.

Menus are also in English and traditional Chinese, and reservations can be made in advance. And if there is a vegetarian or vegan in your party, let the staff know in advance: thanks to their experience in operating for many years, the store is prepared and flexible in accommodating various requests.

At Gen Asakusa Honten, you can enjoy the carefully selected Japanese A5-rank Wagyu at a reasonable price. You can also enjoy “Gen kalbi lunch,” “Harami lunch,” and “Beef tongue lunch.” Enjoy the finest yakiniku.

Written by Naho Jishikyu