Tsurugyu

Tsurugyu is so worth it — and probably one of the best deals you can get for Kobe beef! Your best bet is to make a reservation before coming — I stumbled over rudimentary Japanese on the phone, but the man on the other end understood and could speak enough English to confirm what I wanted.
When we arrived, we were shown to a table with a grill on a tatami mat. There’s also bar seating. Each table is nicely sectioned off by wooden slats for privacy — but not so much that you never see anyone.
Since I had never had Kobe beef before, we ordered mostly the top cuts, like specially selected hanesita (the most expensive item on the menu), which is extra fatty. Other customers seemed to order more of the regular ones, but they all looked amazing. Each cut comes with its own sauces or accompaniments (like fried garlic!), and sometimes, the server will come by to check that we’re cooking the meat properly. Tongue was one of our favorite cuts.
At the end of your meal, we got complimentary roasted corn tea and a shot of green juice. Both were so delicious and helpful in aiding digestion for all the meat we devoured. Haha.
In total, we spent about $ 108 US for the two of us. One can definitely spend less by ordering the cheaper cuts and still be more than satisfied with the meat quality.

This was our splurge meal while in Japan and it was well worth every yen we spent! We ordered the 10 course meal which came with different cuts of Kobe beef (ranging from the premium cuts to tongue to innards) that we cooked on our own and each coming with different sauce pairings. Our waiter watched us closely to make sure we didn’t overcook or undercook any meats and let us know which sauces/​pickles went with what cuts. Every bite just MELTED in your mouth. I know people say that all the time and I never understood it as in reference to meat but for reals… this really did melt in your mouth. When in Japan, experience Kobe beef y’all — it’s pretty damn good. This is definitely a meal I will never forget.

Ate the best Kobe beef I’ve ever had the pleasure of eating at Tsurugyu. I recommend sitting at the bar if you’re a couple. Order high end Kobe beef (it’s not that pricey) and either the tongue or beef cheeks — I got a bit squeamish about the tongue but it was delicious).