I’m back in Japan again, and through the recommendation of my friend, I’m at Yakiniku Jambo Hanare for my first big meal. It’s a cozy little restaurant a few stations away from the Ueno area – a family owned Yakiniku restaurant, with Hanare opening in 2013. Every single time we were planning our schedule, my friend would emphasize his desire to visit this place, listing its 5-time Tabelog Silver Awards and one Gold Award on its debut year. I figured, “If I’m going to spend one place to break my budget, I suppose this should be the one.” Besides, It would be a shame to visit Japan without having at least one good Yakiniku meal. But now that I’m here, let’s find out if this place is as good as their rating says. How Good is Yakiniku Jambo Hanare Actually?
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🥩 Chateaubriand (¥4,800 / 100g) 🥩
Chateaubriand Steak, the most premium item on the menu. A 100g portion of a center-cut Wagyu Fillet, grilled steak-style by the staff, and presented on a fancy wooden board.
For premium cuts like these, the staff will grill it to your desired doneness, so no need to worry about messing up such a rare dish. Larger portions of this cut are also available, so check with the staff there for availability.
You have the beefy flavors from a good quality Tenderloin, add to that the sweet, buttery notes of Wagyu marbling with a simple blend of salt & pepper, and you have a cut that’s easily the highlight of the evening.
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🥩 Noharayaki (Varies, ¥2,350 on our visit) 🥩
A Sukiyaki style slice of Sirloin grilled by the staff at the table.
A good mix of Sukiyaki and Yakiniku, as you get the sweetness from their special sauce alongside the aroma of beef on a hot grill. Best experienced with an optional raw egg.
Out of all the premium dishes my friend went for, he recommends this as the most impressive dish. The price here depends on each shipment, so be sure to ask the staff for details. Definitely the priciest item on the menu, per-gram, but the experience is well worth it. If you have the budget for this, definitely give it a go!
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🥩 Misuji (¥3,650) 🥩
Slices from the Top Blade of Wagyu. A good combination of marbling and deep flavors.
This cut does have a line of gristle down the middle though, so It’s not really my preferred cut when it comes to grilling. But that’s where my friend comes in, so he can enjoy it while I snap some photos from the side.
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🍣 Wagyu Sushi (¥650 each) 🍣
For a nice appetizer, I say this Wagyu Nigiri is the way to go. A slice of Wagyu Beef grilled by the staff served on top of a portion of Genmatcha-infused sushi rice.
The aroma of this dish was truly surprising. Since the beef was seared on the grill and not via a blowtorch, the flavors of the beef really shine through here, especially in combination with the matcha rice. Despite being a simple one-bite dish, this Wagyu Sushi is definitely my personal recommendation for this place!
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🥩 Gyutan (¥2,500) 🥩
Slices of Gyutan seasoned with salt and pepper. For those who haven’t tried Gyutan (Beef Tongue), I say it’s quite similar in texture to Pork Neck. Full of the expected beefy flavors, but has a unique firmness to it without being tough to bite through.
The staff recommends a 20 second cook time for each side here. Maybe follow this one more carefully though, since Gyutan gets tough quite fast if you overcook it. ‘Superior Gyutan’ is also available for ¥3,800, but it was out of stock for my visit.
It’s really a simple dish, but I must say I was surprised at how good this thing was. And this was just the standard Gyutan we had today! If you’re a fan of Gyutan, have a go at it!
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🥩 Sankaku Karubi (¥2,850) 🥩
I would’ve gone for their standard Karubi here, but my friend persuaded me otherwise to go for the premium version. So here it is, their Sankaku Kaurbi
As a cut with a lot of marbling, this is one of the occasions where I prefer my slices cooked slightly over the recommended times to render out a bit more of the fat. As expected from Karubi, the flavors here were absolutely fantastic.
By far the richest thing I’ve ordered, so I recommend getting some rice or side veggies to go alongside it.
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🥩 Outside Skirt (¥2,300) 🥩
Since most of my orders today are on the richer side, I thought it would be nice to get something more meaty as well. There’s still a lot of marbling, but the deep flavors here really do contrast well with the lighter profile of the other cuts.
The sweet soy sauce they coated the beef with here does wonders to bring out the savory flavors of the Skirt Steak. I’d also recommend some rice here, and maybe the Korean Seaweed for a Korean BBQ side-experience.
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🍛 Gyudon (¥1,450) 🍛
Yakiniku Jambo also features a variety of different rice dishes, from their Omurice, Wagyu Curry, and Beef Bowl. I went for the gyudon, probably because I wanted to go for an all-beef meal for this visit.
Let’s be real, while really good by itself, the beef here is never going to be as good as the Yakiniku options (just look at the price difference!) But as a companion to the Yakiniku dishes, the sweet and tender flavors of the dish really perform well as a little side dish between each Yakiniku session. If you want to order some filling items to go with your premium selection, I say take your pick from their main course menu. Or you can just order a plain bowl of rice. That’s also an option.
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⭐ VERDICT ⭐
So how good is Yakiniku Jambo Hanare actually? If you have the budget for a premium Yakiniku experience, this should be the spot to go to. From the Wagyu Nigiri as a starter, to their premium dishes like the Chateaubriand and Nohara Yaki, if you know your beef, it’s easily worth the money. For those on a moderate budget, I’d recommend the Wagyu Nigiri, Gyudon, and your choice of premium cut for a filling, but wonderful, 3 course meal.
Like any Yakiniku place in Japan, they also have some beers and alcoholic drinks available, so it’s also just a great place to just enjoy the evening with some friends. If you want to experience one of the best Yakiniku places Tokyo has to offer, Yakiniku Jambo Hanare is the place to go.
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🚗HOW TO GET THERE🚗
The closest metro station is the Hongo San-Chome station. Take Exit 5, and it’s a quick 5 minute walk to get to the restaurant. I was around Akihabara that day, so I ended up walking to the restaurant after the stores closed at 8pm. The walk took about 20 minutes, but the nice Autumn weather made the walk really relaxing. So if you have the time and the weather is on the nicer side, maybe consider walking there. Same also applies if you’re around the Ueno area.
Yakiniku Jambo Hanare
🌏 Location: 3 Chome-27-9 Hongo, Bunkyo City, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
🗺Map: https://goo.gl/maps/1sddMmE1cWKJ9ogH8
📱Website: https://yakiniku-jambo.com/hanare.html
⏰Opening Hours: Everyday 5PM – 12AM (Last Order at 11PM)
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