Rikyu Tokyo Solamachi

Must have beef tongue. Super delicious. If you are coming to Tokyo Skytree for lunch or dinner, this is not a bad choice. For an advice, don’t order unnecessary dishes but just beef tongue set.
Pros: good dinning environment, quality service, authentic Japanese food, good location, one set lunch is enough quantity for 1 person.
Cons: little pricey (help with the low Japanese yen), no English menu which it will be difficult for foreigners to order.
Overall: Will be back again. Giving it a 4.5 stars.

— Good quality beef tongue —
Food: 4 stars
Price: 3 stars
Service: 4 stars
Ambiance: 4 stars
Overall: 3.75 stars
Food:
I ordered «beef tongue healthy set» for 1575 yen. It include a bowl of rice, a bowl of beef soup, a small bowl of salad, and a small bowl of chinese yam (shan yao, or white yam or Dioscorea opposita).
The soup was good with lots of green onion, and the salad was refreshing but not that special. My set includes 5 pieces of beef tongue, and they’re chewy and yummy! I’ve never enjoyed beef tongue as much as I did there, but I usually don’t find restaurants that specialize in beef tongue, so. haha
I like the chinese yam and Japanese like to put it on rice to eat it. They also have a side order that you can order to get a bowl of chinese yam with egg, which tastes even better. However, some people think it’s sticky and gross.like. booger. lol…
Price:
I think the price is alright for the quality of food, but I think I’d be happier eating raw fish just because I love sashimi so much, and it’s Japan. you know what I mean!
Service:
It was actually not busy when I went there at 5pm on Tuesday. But then again, January is a slow season. They asked me where I want to sit, and I said I can sit at the counter since it’s weird to sit in a table by myself. I could see the chefs cooking, and I used «sign language» to ask one of them if I could take pic of the food, and he said ok. haha! I also took a pic of the other chef secretly because he’s cute (HELLO!!!)
They refilled my tea a couple times and you can use credit card there. Make sure to use a card without foreign transaction fee since it gets big if you think it’s a small amount, then it adds up…
Ambiance:
It’s bright and comfortable there even though the chair weren’t that comfortable to sit. The noise level is fine as well.
Overall:
It’s a nice place to eat beef tongue, but I think if you aren’t into it there are other good options in Tokyo Skytree for food. But then again the quality of beef tongue was pretty good and worth the price. It’s also a good place to eat alone if you happened to travel alone like I did.

i’m so inspired by the launch of Unilocal Japan that i just can’t stop writing!:)
well, if you still didn’t get enough of the queuing at tokyo skytree, you have come to the right place!
my first encounter with rikyu was in fukuoka.
looking around for something to eat, the queue at rikyu had an enchanting magnetic lure.
in no time i was in the queue and the charcoal grill perfume emitting from within was affirmation.
i was back for lunch at rikyu again, the very next day!
so when i saw rikyu at the mall next to tokyo skytree, i was on autopilot and in the queue in no time.
the holding pattern was unique here and the locals knew exactly where to queue and where to proceed even though we were queuing on either side of the main entrance.
so what exactly do they sell here?
technically i should say ox’s or cow’s tongue.
but beef tongue sounds more palatable.
and saying gyutan immediately seduces.
not sure what to try?
just look at the photos, point and nod.
but you can’t go wrong with the thick cut gyutan, charcoal grilled.
order the biggest serving available and if you can’t finish, just shove it my way!:)
and for those who can’t make it there, just look at my attached food porn for instant gratification.
the soup, that comes with most sets, is a clear beef broth filled with leeks.
awesome goodness, pure and simple.
and for those who can’t do without rice, they serve a special rice with barley kernels mixed in.
so does it sound healthy already?
free flow of green tea, always topped up without having to ask and baskets to hold your bags instead of lying them down, naked on the floor.
efficient, friendly service which is actually the norm in japan.
and when you are done eating, you can actually buy merchandising here!
from packaged gyutan jerky, fresh thick cut gyutan to gyutan mobile phone accessories!
what can i say?
if for some strange reason, you don’t enjoy queuing, just walk straight up to the cashier to place your takeout order for a swift getaway!