Kimiya

When word spread that this restaurant had the most tender meat, it wasn't an exaggeration. This yakiniku restaurant in Nara specializes in fillet-style grilled meat. Kimiya's reputation is now so high that people now have difficulty securing a booking. The welcoming and friendly chef carefully slices the cuts of meat for serving. The restaurant only holds two tables of four, each with its own grilling plate in the center, but no one's complaining — the coziness of it all allows the chef to be involved with every one of his customers. The legend is true — the specialty beef here is extremely tender. The chef will come to each table and personally cut the meat with forks himself, a show that Kimiya is proud of. For most people, only fillet meat is served. But for the regulars and special guests, the beef tongue is served too. One would expect meat of this quality to leave a dent in the wallet, but Kimiya has stuck true to its word, and remained fairly affordable, even though it’s become one of the best restaurants in Nara.