I was short on money and wanted to eat fish for 1,000 yen or less, so I went to Yayoiken. I had the mackerel miso simmered set meal with five-grain rice. It cost around 800 yen and I could eat comfortably in a place that is easy for solo diners, with many women around. I will definitely go back when I want to eat fish on a budget.

It was my first time in a while having a meal at Yayoiken. It was just about dinner time, so the restaurant was full and I had to write my name down to wait for my turn. It took about 10 minutes until my name was called. This time, I ordered the miso eggplant and grilled fish set meal. There was plenty of eggplant but the pork was a bit lacking (lol). The grilled mackerel was cooked just right and the rice was delicious. It had been a while, but I was very satisfied with my meal.

I went to Yayoiken for the first time as a lunch refugee. I used the high-tech ordering machine to order the limited-time spicy noodles with a side of multigrain rice. The counter seats were mostly occupied by solo female diners. The water was self-service, and I snacked on the daikon pickles while waiting. The bright red spicy noodles arrived, packed with chili peppers. The soup was spicy and not too salty, with medium-thick noodles and simple toppings like leeks, ground meat, and scrambled eggs. I dipped the multigrain rice in the soup and had pickles for a refreshing break. By the end of the meal, I was sweating from the heat. The tables had serving robots busily at work. It was a satisfying meal.

I visited the restaurant around 7 pm on Friday. I was seated quickly without waiting. I bought a meal ticket and ordered the spicy ramen with rice for 820 yen. The food arrived in about 8 minutes. The noodles were soft and difficult to eat, and the rice was also soft and challenging. I realized that ramen should be eaten at a proper ramen shop. Thank you for the meal.

I have tried the delicious and tender meat tofu and grilled fish set meal before. The fatty part of the delicious and tender meat is very tender, and I enjoy the meat and tofu without leaving any fat. This time it was made into croquettes, with cabbage as a side dish. Finally, I enjoyed the free dashi broth.

I went for a quick solo lunch. It gets really busy around 11:30 to 13:00 with long lines. After 13:00, it's less crowded and you can go in without waiting. Today, I ordered the Cheese-in-Hamburger. You place your order on a touch panel before entering the restaurant. The food was brought to me by a robot named "servi." While eating, I thought about labor costs and the cost of buying the robot. The salad was big, and there was plenty of rice. The main dish included a hamburger, one shrimp fry, and three large pieces of fried chicken. It was a bit overwhelming. When I cut into the hamburger, the juicy meat oozed out. The cheese was melty. The little bit of spaghetti that came with the kids' meal was tasty too. The fried food was crispy. This set was too much for me. Yayoi-ken has a wide variety of menu options, is affordable, and convenient for both lunch and dinner.

I couldn't eat lunch at noon, and by around 3 o'clock, I was looking for a place where I could eat a proper meal. I was wandering around Yurakucho and stumbled upon a Yoshinoya. It looked like a comfortable family restaurant where I could sit down and eat, so I immediately went in. I chose the miso katsu set meal from the vending machine at the entrance. The staff cut my ticket and took it. I had to get my own water. I could also get a refill of rice on my own. It's nice that you can choose the portion size. The set meal was brought to me by a robot. The taste was a bit disappointing, probably because it's a chain restaurant. I don't think I'll go there again.

Prologue: I found a review of Yayoi Ken's Mizutaki (chicken hot pot) on a website called "Gourmet Attack" (mostly featuring articles about chain restaurants), and decided to give it a try. I arrived before 11:00 AM on January 21st (Saturday) as they were opening at 11:00 AM, but there was already a line of 6 people! When the doors opened at 11:00 AM, only 2 customers were allowed in at a time. I noticed that everyone had to buy their meal tickets from the ticket machines - one machine for credit cards and one for cash. The person in front of me initially used the credit card machine, but then realized they needed to use the cash machine. After a bit of a wait, it was finally my turn to order, but the previous customer's order was still on the screen. I had to wait for a while before I could place my order. Once seated, I waited for over 20 minutes for my food. The female staff was very kind. Water and tea were self-service. The Mizutaki itself was fine, and it was nice to have yuzu pepper for flavor variation. However, the horse mackerel fry was really bad - I could only manage to eat two bites. The Mizutaki was decent, but overall, I don't think it's worth going out of your way to visit this restaurant.

On the afternoon of November 14th, I had a small meeting scheduled so I decided to have an early lunch at Yayoiken Ginza Inz store. Due to its location, it was quite crowded but my companion and I managed to find a seat. We both ordered the Demi-Glace Hamburg Steak set. The miso soup was delicious with a rich broth. The Hamburg Steak was juicy and flavorful, and the Demi-Glace sauce was just right. The portion of rice was perfect for me as I have a small appetite. They offer free refills for rice, and I noticed other customers taking advantage of it. The restaurant now uses a machine to serve rice, which was new to me. The ticket vending machine was also modern and took me a moment to figure out.

Arrived at 3:20 PM. Some customers were there. Ordered the Cheese Hamburg Steak set meal (with a substitution of multigrain rice) for 930 yen. Free refills of white rice available. Added 100g of extra rice. The Hamburg Steak was warm, not hot. The cheese was slightly solidified. Surprisingly, the complimentary pasta was chewy and delicious. The miso soup had only wakame seaweed as an ingredient, with a bonito base. Easy to drink. With the extra rice, I left feeling completely full at 100% satisfaction.

I like strong flavors and often eat the "eggplant miso and grilled fish set meal". The meat in the dish has been replaced with soy meat made from 100% plant-based ingredients. I was intrigued and decided to try it! The texture was soft, and I did feel satisfied, just like with real meat. I think the strong flavoring really complements it well.

In the Inz Shopping Street, located right by Yurakucho Station, the second floor and basement are a treasure trove of dining options. From Michelin-starred restaurants to family restaurants, you can find it all here. Among them is Yayoiken on the second floor of Inz 2. During November, there is a cashback promotion in Chiyoda Ward with PayPay! The restaurant operates with a ticket vending machine system, but you can also pay with PayPay, which is convenient! I love their pickles here, and I often come here when I want to relax. You can get seconds for your rice, and you can even change your first cup of rice to brown rice, which is great. They also have a seasonal limited-time oyster dish, and I was delighted to find that the Oyster Fry Set Meal included both fish and meat. Self-service for water, tea, and rice. Enjoy your meal!

After dinner, I had some free time so I stopped by "Yayoiken". This time, I didn't come for the food, but for the campaign offering highball and lemon sour for 99 yen. I enjoyed some drinks with snacks like fried squid. There was no restriction on the number of dishes you can order, so you can order as much as you want. If you feel like having a meal, you can order a set meal, or just enjoy your drinks. There are no additional charges for appetizers or seating, so I thought it was a very cost-effective way to enjoy.

Ginza Inz 2nd floor is a chain restaurant specializing in set meals. I tested the hypothesis that even on Sundays, it wouldn't be fully booked. I waited for a bit at the food ticket vending machines as they were both in use, then I used the touch panel to order the "Ginger Pork Curry Set Meal" for 790 yen with cashless payment. After sanitizing my hands, I was seated at a partitioned table. I was informed that I could help myself to water and rice refills. The refill process was unappealing without a ladle, so I reluctantly refilled my water. I noticed some customers not wearing masks while waiting, but I used the provided disinfectant on the table. After 7 minutes, my tray arrived with rice, curry, miso soup, condiments, an empty bowl for refills, napkins, and a spoon. I rinsed the spoon in my water, added the pickles to my rice, and poured the curry over the rice. The curry was not spicy, so I used the condiments, but the combination of pork and curry didn't quite match. After finishing the curry with the rice, I had a second glass of water. I later learned that I could refill my rice without using the ladle, which I missed. I spent 20 minutes there.

▼Location: 2 minutes walk from Yurakucho Station ▼Reason for visit: Dinner ▼Taste, portion: Rice, ochazuke dashi, pickles are free for refill ▼Service, atmosphere: Purchasing food tickets in advance, table seats, counter seats, self-service for water and rice ▼Customer base: Salarymen, office workers ▼Overall: Despite being on a diet, I suddenly craved a lot of white rice, so I decided it was okay to indulge today and visited this place. In my mind, restaurants where you can get free rice refills are like "Yayoiken"! I chose the Chicken Nanban, which I thought would go well with rice. The meat was tender and the tartar sauce was delicious. I had the normal 150g x 3 bowls and the small 100g x 1 bowl of rice for refills. The initial serving was probably around 200g. So this time, I ate 750g of rice. Surprisingly, I was able to eat more than I thought (laughs). Even though it's a chain restaurant, it's great to have a place where you can get free rice refills in Ginza. I will visit again if I have the chance. Thank you for the meal.

Lunch was great. They had a variety of set meal options. I tried the colorful vegetable and chicken with black vinegar sauce set meal. They mentioned that you can get a refill of rice, which surprised me because it was done in a high-tech way. It was like a drink machine, but for rice! You place your bowl and press a button, and the white rice comes out like a drink, it was amazing! I had no idea such a machine existed. You can also choose the serving size, like one bite, 100 grams, etc. It's a fun experience, you should try it! The fact that you can make ochazuke (rice with tea poured over it) for the second serving is a nice touch. Thank you for the meal.

A nationwide chain restaurant where you can get unlimited rice refills with set meals. It's a great place for big eaters. The restaurant is not high-end, but they have a wide variety of delicious menu items. It's a popular spot for me when I'm hungry and dining alone.

Miyazaki cold soup and chicken nanban set meal for ¥960. Today, I decided on the same cold soup set meal as last time. The cold soup, with flaked grilled mackerel, paired perfectly with the crispy chicken nanban topped with slightly sweet tartar sauce. I enjoyed a delicious late lunch in a calm atmosphere, even after lunchtime had passed.

Miyazaki-style chilled soup and chicken nanban set meal for ¥960. Today, I decided on a perfect menu for early summer. The chilled soup with flaked grilled mackerel, paired with chicken nanban topped with slightly sweet tartar sauce, was a perfect match. I enjoyed a delicious lunch in a calm atmosphere with available seating, even during lunchtime.

Customers kept coming in one after another in search of the night set meal. The ratio of men to women was evenly split. ⭐️