Kira Honten

We ordered 1) Saga beef loin shabu shabu 2) Saga produced beef loin shabu shabu 3) Lean saga beef shabu shabu All 3 were different price points and we wanted to compare the beef. The lean saga beef shabu was actually really really good for the price and we were very impressed by that even though it was the cheaper cut compared to the other two. it does come with one less appetizer but you can definitely do without that. The shabu was a really clean and healthy option - super yummy for a cold winter day. Not many places were open at saga, but this was a really nice meal!

Stopping at this restaurant while traveling between Nagasaki and Fukuoka is a fantastic choice. Just a short distance from Saga Station, it is a must-visit for any steak enthusiast. • Exceptional Quality: The Saga beef features rich marbling and a deep, savory aroma that melts in your mouth. • Great Value: The lunch sets are highly recommended, offering a diverse variety of high-quality dishes at a much more affordable price than dinner. • Beautiful Presentation: As seen in your photos, the food is presented with great care, accompanied by fresh vegetables and a traditional, serene atmosphere.

Visited on Wednesday for lunch. Many other restaurants on my “to-go list” were not open. Cant tell if this is a tourist trap or not. You can’t let a la carte, set meals only. Beef was decent, but we didn’t like the dipping sauces. Definitely other better choices at this price point (around 5000 yen per person for lunch). The lady who served us was not rude but wasn’t very welcoming.

We tried the A5 saga beef and it was surprisingly disappointing. Meat was lean and not as juicy considering it was A5. Price was 3 times more than what we paid for compared to another beef restaurant we went to during our Kyushu trip. You can get better versions of A5 at a cheaper price. This place is extremely overrated and would not recommend.

Dined in and ordered the 9800yen Saga beef shabu shabu set for two. Total 19600 + 400 yen for orange juice. Cannot help but compare this to Kisoji in Tokyo/Kanto that we sometimes visit. Personally, I would say Kisoji is significantly better in all dimensions. Food quality, service and ambience. The only thing that is good here in my opinion is that you can choose Saga beef which we did and it does taste good. (Kisoji beef also taste great, btw) Other than that, the service is just okay. We had to clear our soup of scum ourselves whereas Kisoji would do it for us. The atmosphere is just like a standard restaurant. The general food quality is also not great (except the beef). Disappointed with the sesame sauce too. Think it is just so so overall at least for Shabu Shabu. Might come back for YakiShabu as wife loves the Saga Beef.

When you're in Saga, you have to eat Saga beef. My first meal was at this place. They were so friendly, seeing I was alone, they gave me a private room. The meat was so tender, the atmosphere was great, and it was delicious.

The staff there is very nice and helpful to make booking for me, although I am not Japanese. Teppanyaki and Saga beef course are the best of the best I have ever had in Japan! Chef is super skillful and cooked the beef in a very nice way! I will definitely recommend all people to come for Teppanyaki in this restaurant!

Excellent Saga beef shabu shabu for under 10,000yen. The set comes with an appetizer plate, 4 big slices of beef, mixed vegetables, rice, miso soup, dessert and a drink of choice. Note that there is a minimum of 2 person portion order required for shabu shabu. Service is slightly lacking compared to other shabu shabu places of similar level (eg other places will at least cook the meat for you, clear out the scum, cook the vegetables, etc) There is free parking available right outside the restaurant.

FYI, NO photography allowed in Teppanyaki area (with SIGNS displayed, not sure about the rest of the entire place) I have been to Kira Hakata 3 times and Kira Ginza once in the past, I would say Kira Honten is the BEST among all three based on food freshness, quality, ambiance and most important: service. I went there for solo teppanyaki dinner two nights in a row. There is a separated waiting room for teppanyaki customers. Once my seat was available, the server took me to teppanyaki area. This hall is very open but quiet filling with light scent from fresh lilly. The teppanyaki chef was very skillful cutting and preparing my food, NO onion volcano or knife throwing/chopping show (which showed this is a real high end teppanyaki place). Dishwares are all premium pottery lines from Arita-yaki. Beautiful!! Most produces are from Saga with a few exceptions from Kyushu. Everything was very delicious including desserts & coffee (what a surprise!) Service is really top notch! This is the best dining experience compared with other worldwide Michelin star restaurants i have been to in the past. Actually i didn't know this place got any star until now. My water glass was always full, and the server always refilled my sake glass. He speaks good english and we had no communication issue at all. I can tell he was little nervous serving me the first night (fyi, single woman dining alone in high end restaurants is rare in Japan) but he was very comfortable the second night. He offered recommendations on teppanyaki course and cut of beef to make sure i got a chance to sample both great cut they offer. We ever chatted a little about my dining and travel experience in the rest of Japan. The whole experience made my solo Japan trip very memorable and forget the rude treatment from other Japanese business in Tokyo! I definitely must go to this place again when i visit Saga!