I'm about to celebrate my birthday soon, and although the festive season has long passed, I still want to reflect on this milestone... It's my father-in-law's first memorial service, so it's going to be busy, but if I can have a drink, that's enough. Without mentioning that, I declared, "I really want to eat delicious gyoza!" and my naturally clueless but occasionally sharp wife said, "It's a pre-birthday celebration," and laughed. That's just how she is. I aimed to arrive before 7 pm and headed to "Matobe" restaurant. It was a Sunday, but the roads weren't too crowded, so I arrived at the desired time. I wanted to sit inside the restaurant, but unfortunately, that wasn't possible. "It will be quick if you sit outside... I'm not sure how long it will take if you sit inside," they said. So, we ended up at an outside table under the arcade, where passersby could see us, which doesn't happen often. I ordered a highball and a non-alcoholic shikuwasa (both 450 yen), gyoza x3 (500 yen each), and various skewers like chicken skin, tsukune, and pork belly to start. We toasted and after a few bites, the skewers arrived first. They were quick. There was something sprout-like on the plate, which I later found out was "Matobe's famous alfalfa." It's actually called "purple alfalfa," but it tasted like bean sprout children... I didn't expect to try something new in this setting. It used to be cabbage, so when did it change? Well, it was delicious. The skewers, I always admire the quality and price in Kurume. Despite being only 100 yen each for 5 types (chicken skin, gizzard, tsukune, heart, sausage), they were really delicious. Especially the chicken skin is a must-try. It had no peculiar smell, just great flavor and sweetness. Next came the gyoza, and I was surprised by the shape. It was round! But the taste was the same... just a rounder shape, which made it easier to eat. It was as delicious as ever. If it was a normal size, after eating 2 portions with my wife, I would say "that's enough," but with this size, you can easily eat 6-7 portions while drinking. And you don't get tired of it, so that's why I wanted to eat it. I ordered an additional 5 skewers and 2 more portions of gyoza, including the Stamina Bara and the new Negi Bara. Honestly, I thought the Negi Bara would be just okay, but the Stamina Bara was still delicious. The price was the same as the pork belly, so I felt like I got a good deal. The disappointing part was the lettuce wraps... last time, they had grated daikon radish and sauce, but this time it was just grilled. It lost its goodness. I would like them to reconsider even if they raise the price. At this point, I had already had 6 drinks, but my wife didn't order more gyoza. Well, not that she didn't want to, but due to various reasons... I drink and eat in proportion, so it must be time to finish. I added one last drink and paid the bill. If I have one complaint, it's that the staff outside the restaurant are not easily available. They don't seem to pay much attention to the outside, but with about 14 people outside, they should be more considerate. Also, they seem to give special treatment to regulars or familiar faces, which I don't like. I understand, but... "Long time no see, is there a table inside?" "Oh, just a moment, let me clean up." If I had heard that, in my younger days, I would have shouted, "You said you didn't know when it would be available! Ask the waiting outside customers first if it's available!" But now I have more sense, so I won't...

Both the gyoza and yakitori are delicious, so if you're going to eat yakitori, I think this is the place to go. The negima yakitori was delicious, so I came back again. It was still delicious, but this time I was surprised at how delicious the gyoza was! They were small and crispy, and I felt like there was natto inside, but I saw them making the gyoza in front of me and they didn't put any natto in. It cost 3,310 yen for one person. I tried to pay with PayPay, but I think the busy Saturday night market caused the connection to fail, so I paid with cash.

Fukuoka trip, Day 2. Today, I stayed in Kurume City and searched for a nearby restaurant that looked delicious. I was actually planning to go to a different restaurant called "Ore no Kushi Sabu-chan," but when I arrived at the location guided by Google, the restaurant was not there. So, I ended up coming to this restaurant located in a shopping street. I didn't have a reservation, but luckily I arrived just before they opened, so I managed to get a table in the crowded restaurant. The atmosphere was lively and nice. Watching the dumplings being wrapped in front of me, the food was delicious, including the dumplings and yakitori. The waitstaff was attentive and made ordering stress-free. It seemed like a very popular and bustling restaurant with a constant stream of customers. In the end, it turned out to be a good restaurant. By the way, this restaurant is located in a shopping street with a park in the back. The restaurant I originally planned to go to had the entrance on the park side, it turns out it was the same building with entrances on both sides.

I went on a sake tour in Kurume and tried various gyoza dishes. My friends recommended this place as having delicious gyoza, so we decided to check it out. The restaurant was bustling, but we were lucky to get a table on the terrace. The breeze was nice and refreshing. The gyoza was indeed delicious, so we ordered several plates along with some yakitori. The gyoza was easy to eat and I could have kept eating more. The local specialty, darm, had a unique texture and I enjoyed the seasoning. It was a great experience to enjoy good food and drinks at a reasonable price. Thank you for the meal.

Kurume Hashigo Tour, 4th stop. We didn't plan to go, but ended up at Matazaemon. We tried to make a reservation but they were fully booked, so we decided to go without one. We sat outside and had crispy and fluffy vegetable-filled grilled dumplings, grilled beef tongue, and grilled chicken skewers. The dumplings were light because they didn't have garlic. The skewers were small but cheap. The staff was energetic and friendly. Thank you for the meal!

It was delicious! I'm not a fan of dumplings, but these ones were tasty! The skin was thin and juicy, you can tell why they're so popular! It was around 5:00 PM and the place was packed! The terrace seating was great, and both the regular dumplings and leek dumplings were delicious! I want to come back next time and enjoy a leisurely meal!

I'm not fazed by the fact that the gyoza at Matabee has become more beautiful. However, I was taken aback when the tanteki appeared in a stylish new dish. The taste is still as wonderful as before, constantly changing yet remaining the same. I would love to know how they make their amazing nira-tama, which always arrives in a flash. The nira-tama at Matabee is incredible, with perfectly runny eggs and rich flavor. It's the best.

I visited for the second time. You can enjoy Hakata Gyoza (bite-sized dumplings) here. A local person told me this is the most delicious place! The restaurant is lively and stands out when walking in the shopping street! I would like to visit this place again when I come to Kurume.

When I came to Kurume, I wasn't told "Let's have gyoza!", but the first restaurant I visited actually had the gyoza that suited my taste the best. I started with ordering a beer, and besides that, I got gyoza, yakitori, and alfalfa. The alfalfa served with the yakitori is low in calories and makes a great side dish. Since both gyoza and yakitori have some calories, I feel like the alfalfa balances it out. The gyoza comes in servings of 9 bite-sized pieces per person. Compared to Osho gyoza, it's about 2-2.5 pieces worth, so it's like having 2 servings of this restaurant's gyoza is equivalent to 1 serving of Osho gyoza. In other words, it feels very healthy. The yakitori I ordered were chicken skin, chicken thigh, and chicken heart, all with a lightly sweet sauce that was delicious. What is this... this is Kurume yakitori? So tasty!!! I was happy to enjoy delicious Kurume gyoza and yakitori twice at this restaurant. I wish there was a place like this nearby... -kokoronokori-

I casually explored Kurume and was intrigued, so I decided to enter this restaurant. It was my first time drinking in Kurume, and it was quite lively with a good atmosphere. I can see why people get hooked on Kurume. Sukebei is mainly a counter-style restaurant with a few table seats. The gyoza was small bite-sized dumplings that were easy to eat and delicious. I vaguely remember the yakitori being very tasty (I may have had a bit too much to drink, haha), but overall, I had a good impression, so I'll definitely go back for a rematch! Thank you for the meal!

Branch is Okinawa Shokudo during the day, and at night it's Matahyakubei-san. It was mentioned that reservations are not possible, but in reality, you can only reserve the opening time. I wanted to make a reservation for 6:00 pm (opening time on weekends is 5:00 pm), but I was told that only the start time is available for reservation, so there seems to be no mistake. Since I couldn't gauge how long the wait would be due to the good turnover rate, I made a reservation based on the opening time. I arrived at the restaurant 10 minutes early, but there were already about 5 groups waiting. If it's this crowded on a Saturday, reservations will probably be essential for the Friday opening time (which seems to be 6:00 pm). By the way, the inside of the restaurant is non-smoking, while the outside table seats (probably 5 or 6) are smoking allowed. I will only mention the dishes that left a strong impression to avoid making the text too lengthy. First and foremost, the gyoza is a must-try. As I felt strongly last time, my wife and son also mentioned that it's very similar to Anbe's in Kochi. In reality, there are differences in the size of each piece, the careful wrapping (Anbe carefully wraps to prevent the filling from leaking), the way it's cooked (Anbe is closer to deep-frying), but the fluffy texture and taste of the filling, and the thinness of the skin are truly similar. On the other hand, Matahyakubei-san serves bite-sized gyoza that are crispy on the outside and have a light texture. If it's just gyoza, you can easily have 10 plates (sorry, this is just an example). Next is the Stamina Bara and Lettuce Wrap. The lettuce wrap was recommended by the staff as "a popular item", so I ordered it as an additional dish. The Bara is also very delicious, but if you can order Stamina Bara for the same price, a balance of 1 Bara to 2 Stamina Bara might be better. The lettuce wrap has carefully wrapped lettuce that refreshes your mouth. The grated daikon radish with sauce on top adds a nice accent. The Heart Left (limited to 10 pieces, the menu name may not be accurate) seems to be a rare item made of heart, with a crunchy texture and a burst of umami. Other yakitori items are cheap and delicious. Truly Fukuoka. Fukuoka's yakitori is based on providing cheap and fast service, so they are made small and thin to cook quickly, but this makes them dry and prone to burning, so I heard that the cooking staff have a tough job. The Shiso Maki is tightly rolled and thinly sliced, and grilled in a way that it doesn't curl at all. It's a little work of art. I ended up staying for about an hour and a half at this high turnover rate restaurant, but I left with a better impression than when I first visited. Thank you for the meal.

I visited the Gyoza and Yakitori restaurant Matubee in Kurume Ichiban Street. I suddenly felt like eating Gyoza and Yakitori, so I decided to visit. It is a popular spot for Kurume Gyoza. It used to be located in a back alley, but like the neighboring Sabuchan, it has moved to a new location due to redevelopment. I used to frequent the old location, so this was my first time visiting the new one. The Gyoza (500 yen) comes in a set of 9 pieces, with a fluffy inside and crispy outside, just like I remember. The Yakitori is reasonably priced and while the portions are small, they are quite tasty. The atmosphere and customer service were a bit lacking in warmth, which was disappointing. Overall, the food is decent and the prices are reasonable, making it a good value restaurant. Thank you for the meal.

We went to Yakiniku restaurant for our first stop and then visited Yakitori restaurant called Matahei as our second stop. We arrived around 8 PM on Saturday but it was fully packed. The place is always lively and bustling. Even though it was our second stop, my husband and I finished 20 gyoza each. The gyoza was light and easy to eat, which is one of the charms of Matahei. We were impressed by the attentive and considerate staff. Be sure to visit this famous restaurant in Kurume!

Renowned restaurant. Established in 1964, Kurume Gyoza Omiyake, Gyoza no Matahei. The handsome third-generation owner skillfully prepares and grills the gyoza, following in the footsteps of the previous generations. The gyoza is delicious and expertly made. Matahei's gyoza is not made with garlic, so it is light and you can eat as much as you want. I also tried the "Dalm" for the first time in a while. Matahei is on a different level, with a bustling atmosphere.

This is a shop I often visit when I come to Kurume. In Kurume, it's all about ramen and yakitori! I always eat the classic dishes here. Locals usually start with ramen before drinking, then enjoy yakitori and drinks, and finish off with ramen again before heading home. This yakitori shop is famous for its gyoza, which is small and light in taste, perfect for snacking. When it gets crowded, the staff will ask you about ordering gyoza before you even sit down (laughs). This day, I had dinner with my colleagues before a training session. We had a fun and delicious meal! Thank you as always!

Gyoza, tanteki, nira toji, skewers... The basic menu has never changed. The only thing that has changed is that the gyoza looks more beautiful now. It feels somewhat lonely. The taste remains the same. The filling of these gyoza is unique. That's why I keep coming back. The nira toji is simple but has a delicious taste that you can only experience here. And the speed at which the dishes are served after ordering. It's a blend of tradition and evolution in the midst of trends.

During a business trip to Kurume, I was recommended this restaurant by a client. The menu is simple, with gyoza, yakitori, and a few other dishes. They only serve bottled beer. I was asked for my drink order and how many gyoza I wanted first. I ordered a Kirin Lager and one gyoza. The gyoza was like Hakata-style, small bite-sized ones. My friend and I quickly finished one and ordered more. We also ordered various yakitori dishes and had about 5-6 glasses of shochu. The restaurant was busy, but the young staff members were efficient and quick in taking and serving orders. The background music was Showa era songs. I usually don't like noisy places, but this place had great food and atmosphere.

I visited this place that I was curious about during my previous visit to Kurume ε=((っ・ω・)っ The restaurant opened at 18:00, and we arrived quite early, but there were already several customers inside. Even after we were seated, more and more people kept coming in, and the place quickly became bustling with activity. Truly a popular spot! The main dishes at this restaurant are gyoza and yakitori, with other items like side dishes and shumai also available. This time, we ordered gyoza and yakitori. The gyoza were mini-sized, typical of Kurume style. The filling was smooth and the skin was thin and crispy, with a delicious aroma. I felt like I could keep eating these gyoza endlessly with just beer. We were running out of time, so we didn't order more, but I regretted not ordering more in the beginning... We ordered 5 yakitori skewers, and the shiso-wrapped one was surprisingly delicious this time. The first time trying the darmu was too strong in pork smell for me, personally not a fan. I'm curious about how it is at other restaurants. The tongue, chicken, and tsukune were average. With 2 people, this and 2 bottles of beer cost around 2000 yen per person. I think it's a good deal. The staff members were incredibly energetic, cheerful, and efficient, which left a strong impression on me.

Despite the lack of COVID-19 prevention measures, the restaurant was bustling with energy. The staff were all cheerful and made the experience enjoyable. The yakitori was delicious, but the portions were small. The gyoza was crispy on the outside, finely minced and fluffy on the inside. It would be even better if the fillings were larger.

During the visit in February 2020, some shops in Kurume were closed even though it was a long weekend. This particular shop stood out and the staff were overly energetic and cheerful, almost to the point of being excessive. While sitting at the counter, it felt chaotic with staff running around frantically. The shouting was so loud it was almost like screaming. I tried the grilled dumplings, chicken, pork belly, tsukune, darm, and the recommended oden, but the experience left me feeling unsettled. I don't think they meant any harm, but...