The Place Located in Asakusa, my love for sukiyaki brought me to Chinya, a restaurant first founded in Asakusa, Tokyo in 1880 (Meiji 13), and became a sukiyaki specialty store in 1903 (Meiji 36). The current Chinya Asakusa space is a revamped and new space as the restaurant reopened in the spring of 2022 after a short closure, and the interior marries traditional and contemporary elements. 

Shoes are taken off at level one, before I was ushered to the main dining hall on level two. There are also a couple of private rooms if you need to host. 

The Food The beef at Chinya is sourced exclusively from Japanese Black Wagyu heifer cattle, chosen for its exceptional natural sweetness, and is 100% purebred Wagyu cattle. The cows are bred for 30 months and undergo a sufficient fattening period to produce the umami-rich flavor. In addition, the beef here is also aged for one month to condense the flavor and enhance the tender texture. 

I had the Ekibasha Course (10,800 yen per person), which comes with a series of appetisers before the main beef act. 

Here is what I had from this course: 

Sakizuke – Appetizer 

Zensai – Seasonal Appetizer 

Mukozuke – Sashimi 

Kuchinaoshi – Pickles 

Regular Beef (120g) Aged Wagyu Lean Beef 

The friendly staff first helps us with cooking the first slice of beef, where the meat is flavored with Senju spring onions. The sauce used is a slightly sweetened soy “Warishita” sauce, which is delicious. 

The beef is first lightly grilled along with some of the “Zaku” (Fresh Vegetables), before the sauce is added. Dip the beef in the accompanying raw egg, which is the right way to enjoy sukiyaki. I like that the beef itself is flavourful, even though the set I had is lean beef. 

The rest of the beef is then left to be cooked by ourselves after the first round of demonstration by the staff. Different sukiyaki restaurants in Tokyo have different ways of presentation, where the staff at the previous sukiyaki restaurants I tried at Imafuku and Ishibashi helped to cook all my meats. 

I actually enjoy cooking the beef myself which is part of the whole experience. 

The meal then concluded with Miso Soup followed by Dessert which is a Seasonal Gelato. I was served a Sakura gelato since I visited during Sakura season. 

Rants Though I did not have my sukiyaki meal fully cooked by the staff, I believe the staff would be happy to accommodate such requests. 

Will I Return Again? I had a pleasant dining experience at Chinya where service is good, and the food is of good value. The Ekibasha Course I had offered a good mix of dishes in addition to the sukiyaki beef. If you like a good sukiyaki meal without breaking the bank, this is one to consider in Tokyo. 

TheRantingPanda says:
Taste bud: 4/5
Hole in the pocket: 4/5
Ambience: 4/5
Overall Experience: 4/5

Chinya Asakusa 
Kototoi Hashinishi 2-16-1, Hanakawado, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Tel: 03-3841-0010 
 
Opening Hours 
Monday to Friday: 11am to 3pm; 4:30pm to 10pm 
Saturday & Sunday: 11am to 10pm 

Ranted by The Ranter