Kitashinchi Yamagataya (北新地やまがた屋)

Kitashinchi Yamagataya is a very small, exclusive counter-only yakiniku restaurant in Osaka’s Kitashinchi/Dojima district, run by owner-chef Takashi Yamagata. Founded in Nishi-Tenma in 1997, the restaurant relocated to its current location around 2001 and shifted to a fully chef-served model, in which the chef grills and serves each course rather than guests grilling their own meat. It is particularly known for its beef tongue, meticulously trimmed to expose the most tender muscle fibers and served both grilled and as a tongue shabu-shabu hot pot, paired with a curated wine list. The restaurant has been selected for the Tabelog Yakiniku Hyakumeiten (WEST) every year from 2018 through 2025. Note: in addition to its weekly closed day, the restaurant is also closed on public holidays; dinner is served in two seatings.