Gyukatsu Motomura Nishi-Shinjuku Branch

Super yummy and food came very quickly! Theres a few chains walking distance amongst each other so if you see a huge a line at one chain just go to another chain to try your luck. Thats what we did, one chain had a line out the door and we walked another one and it was three people waiting only and got seated fairly quickly. Very cool atmosphere as it was underground so when cooking sometimes the places fills out with smoke giving it a mystical feel! Food is very yummy and tender. If i could eat two plates i honestly would! Definitely a must try and will return place.

Probably the quickest we’ve been seated and served throughout our trip in Japan. We ordered immediately and got our food 2 minutes later. Very small location, can fill up quite fast. Food was a very fun experience. Wasn’t too sure what to do with some of the items on the tray, but we played around with dipping and cooking with/without sauces. Everything was delicious! Everything on the table gets quite oily while cooking the meat, so avoid leaving your stuff anywhere near, and roll up your sleeves! Definitely ask for a bib too.

One of the best food I've had whilst in Japan. Inside is quite small and there may be a wait (we waited about 15min during lunch time on a weekday) but it's definitely worth it. Gyukatsu was just so good and would definitely be back next time!

Overall feedback: > I'm not a big meat eater, but I really enjoyed both the taste and the experience. The beef itself wasn’t seasoned, yet it was incredibly light, tender, and unlike any regular steak. What amazed me most was how they managed to coat the beef with crispy breadcrumbs without actually cooking it. I found that cooking each side for just a few seconds brought out the best flavor—despite the lack of seasoning, the taste was surprisingly satisfying and didn’t feel heavy at all. They provide sauces and wasabi for extra seasoning, but personally, I thought it was already delicious on its own. Wait time: > None! We visited on a Saturday at 3:50 PM, and our food was served in less than 5 minutes after ordering. Price: > ¥1,930 per person for the small portion Portion size: > The small portion was filling for one person, as it also included soup, salad, and dessert (warabi mochi) Crowd: > Surprisingly, about 80% locals during our visit, which speaks to its authenticity. I was honestly expecting 90% tourists like us 😅 Location: > Conveniently located in Shinjuku near the pedestrian area. It’s a small underground spot, so you might miss it at first, but if you pay attention to the store signs, you’ll find it! Additional note: > Since you’ll be grilling the meat at your table, it’s natural for your clothes and hair to pick up the scent. However, like many Japanese restaurants, they provide a fabric spray to freshen up afterward.

had a great time here! There was a wide variety of sauces to choose from, which really added to the experience. I loved that I could cook the meat exactly how I wanted—whether well done or rare. The taste was really good, and the whole experience was fun and interactive. Definitely worth a visit!

It’s worth the hype but waiting time can be crazy so do go during non peak hours We ordered both the 1 and 1.5 servings and believe they were enough for an average female and male, respectively. The meat was precooked so I personally like to cook each side for 10-15 minutes but feel free to cook them according to your liking. I even tried not cooking them and to my surprise the slices were still amazing 🤩 The cabbage was less than the usual proportion from other katsu places however the dressing was one of a kind. It was not the usual sesame dressing and was definitely more flavorful. Hints of garlic, miso etc can be tasted but not so sure what else were added The cod roe was ✨ hope i had more hahahaha even the miso soup was flavorful. Note that ive read from different sources that the you get 1 free refill of rice but the cabbage and miso soup are unrefillable. we never requested so could not confirm.

As a foodie I am totally in love with this restaurant! I’ve been here 5 times and I can say it is the best gyukatsu on my trip. I’ve been to kyoto gyukatsu and I was really disappointed by the difference of the quality, so that right after it I went to the motomura. The ambience is a bit rusty but I liked that about motomura. The flavor was really unique. It might be a bit too fatty for others.

I think it's delicious but not the wow wow I have expected. However if you are in the area I recommend you to try it. Suggestion is to arrive earlier as the queue builds up very quickly. Card payment is ok which is good and you get to choose the cutlet size for the meal.