As always, you can always find a seat at the Sukiya Higashi Ikebukuro Gochome store. I arrived around 1:30 pm on a Sunday and there was only one customer ahead of me. It was hot outside and I was feeling a bit tired, so I decided to have eel for lunch. I ordered the "Unagi Gyuu Tokumori" (tax included 1630 yen), which comes with two pieces of eel. I placed my order and within about 3 minutes, my meal was ready. The eel was plump and surprisingly delicious. The sauce was also drizzled over the rice, and when I sprinkled the included sansho pepper, it added even more flavor. Considering the price, it might be from China, but the taste was quite good. While the two pieces of eel were satisfying, I felt like the beef portion was a bit lacking. Overall, it was just the right amount of food. Although it was a bit pricey, I left feeling satisfied. I think this meal would be perfect for the midsummer Day of the Ox! (laughs)

I came to the East Ikebukuro Go-chome store because Ikebukuro Center Street is extremely crowded. On weekends in Ikebukuro, the restaurants between the East exit station and Sunshine City are always packed, even if they're not that great (lol). So, it's better to go a bit further away. I arrived at the store around 1:30 pm on a Sunday, and there were no other customers (lol). It's quite stable. In fact, it's quite nice. You order at the register first, then wait at your table until your order is ready to pick up. It's like a food court. I ordered the "Charcoal-grilled chicken bowl (regular size, 580 yen including tax)" and an "Onsen egg (90 yen including tax)". I put the onsen egg on top of the chicken bowl, essentially making it a parent and child bowl. The chicken bowl was reasonably priced and the flavor of the sauce matched the chicken well, it was delicious. It was even tastier when I mixed the egg with the chicken. Personally, I wished there was a bit more chicken, but other than that, I was satisfied. Most importantly, this hidden gem of a place where you can eat without waiting in line on a Sunday afternoon, I will definitely come back when in need. Thank you for the meal.

I had a large beef bowl at Sukiya in Higashi-Ikebukuro. Honestly, I didn't plan on eating, but it was raining quite heavily and I entered the store to take shelter from the rain. This store is self-service, but it seemed like they were short-staffed. It was a bit of an awkward time, after 4 pm, but they were still operating with just one person. It had been a while since I had a beef bowl at Sukiya, but it wasn't bad. I had a bit of a negative impression about their rice, but it was actually pretty good.

First visit. One customer. One staff member. Empty. Wasn't expecting much from the curry rice. Compared to the beef bowl I had last time, it was much better. Doesn't feel cheap. It was delicious, even though I couldn't believe it's a complex roux made from blending 20 types of spices as advertised.

There was a Sukiya restaurant near Higashi-Ikebukuro Station, along the Shuto Expressway. It wasn't very crowded, so I decided to have lunch there. I wasn't very hungry, so I ordered a mini beef bowl. The ordering process was automatic, with trays lined up at the register. The service was quite fast. The staff could have been a bit more friendly though. Despite being a mini size, the bowl still had a decent amount of food. The beef was tender and the rice soaked in sauce was delicious. During lunchtime, the restaurant quickly filled up and then emptied out, creating a bustling urban atmosphere at Sukiya.

At lunchtime, I was walking and wondering what to eat, and suddenly I was drawn to Yoshinoya. I ordered a large beef bowl and topped it with plenty of red pickled ginger and lots of shichimi pepper. I love to eat it this way. Why isn't the shichimi pepper at beef bowl restaurants spicy? I have been eating it in one go like this since I was young. It was my first time in a while, but it was delicious.

This is the Sukiya restaurant located near Higashi-Ikebukuro Station, just before heading to Ramen Daihachi. I decided to eat here because Daihachi was full. I generally don't like waiting in line, so I haven't been to Sukiya in a few years due to their reputation as an anti-black company. I ordered the curry with extra rice for 560 yen at the counter. It was served quickly, which was nice. The curry had carrots, potatoes, onions, and meat in it. It was a typical, decent tasting Japanese curry that wasn't too sweet or heavy. I finished it quickly, but felt like the portion was a bit small. I regretted not getting it with a beef bowl for extra satisfaction. In conclusion, it was fast, cheap, and decently tasty. It's a good alternative when Ramen Daihachi is full.

This is Sukiyaki-ya ☆ Higashi Ikebukuro Go-chome branch. Sukiyaki pilgrimage journey: 90th stage Beef bowl restaurant pilgrimage journey: 118th stage This shop is a little bit from the tram station. It is operated by one Japanese man and one foreign woman. It seems to be a medium-sized shop with 33 seats, and it seems to have a decent number of customers. Except for me, there are only three other customers (laughs). Beef bowl ............ 350 yen Miso soup ............ 80 yen It is a cold water dispenser instead of tea, and this model does not cool at all (cries). Now, it's a rare order for miso soup. However, although there were plenty of ingredients, it was a little lukewarm. The beef bowl was slightly overcooked. Thank you for the meal.

Near the Arakawa Line of the Toden Arakawa Line, there is a Sukiya in the Higashi-Ikebukuro Zone. Until the end of August 2016, there is a limited-time menu item called Habanero and Tomato Arrabbiata Gyudon that looks interesting. The eel and beef shijimi soup set is recommended, with thick eel slices and a satisfying balance with white rice. The Maguro Namero Don is intriguing, with a pink color that looks artificial. The dish consists of tuna sashimi topped with miso sauce, which can be a bit overwhelming in flavor. Other options like the Tekka Don, Maguro Yukke Don, Maguro Tataki Don, and Yama-kake Tekka Don are also worth trying.

I saw a summer vegetable curry sign and decided to go in. The restaurant was packed during lunchtime, so we had to wait a bit before being seated. I ordered the summer vegetable curry and my partner got the Negi-tama gyudon. The vegetables looked a bit strange, but the curry was delicious and I finished it quickly. The curry at this gyudon restaurant is really tasty! Gyudon is affordable and convenient, but I'm starting to get tired of just eating that. Maybe it's because of my age, haha. My partner also ordered tonjiru, and the total for both dishes was 1280 yen. It's a satisfying lunch at a reasonable price!