Personally, and according to Tabelog, this is the number one restaurant in Kariya. It’s understandably difficult to make reservations here. On this day, I had a small New Year’s gathering with two old friends. We opted for a 5,000 yen course. ◇ Two bottles of Yebisu beer ◇ Various kinds of Japanese sake, including Nanbu Wakura ◆ Croquettes (a specialty of the restaurant) ◆ Chawanmushi (savory steamed egg custard) ◆ Shirako (cod milt) ◆ Sake-steamed oysters ◆ Grilled fugu (naturally caught from Hekiran) ◆ Beef steak ◆ Fried fugu ◆ Buri-don (yellowtail rice bowl) ◆ Yuzu sorbet with strawberries As usual, we started with the delicious croquettes packed with meat. Every dish that followed was exquisite! The grilled fugu was intentionally cut thick, allowing it to be enjoyed both grilled and as sashimi, with a wonderfully crunchy texture. I couldn’t stop ordering Japanese sake. While I won’t detail each dish, every item was crafted with a unique touch characteristic of this restaurant, delivering a flavor experience that left us in awe. It’s no wonder reservations are hard to come by! We spent a delightful and tasty time throughout the meal. Thank you for the wonderful experience!

This restaurant is located near Kariya Station, about 40 minutes by car on the highway or the same time by train from the center of Nagoya. Despite its somewhat inconvenient access, it offers an overwhelming variety of wonderful dishes at an incredible price, truly making it a godsend of a restaurant! I used it for a birthday party for an executive from our business partner. We reserved the 10,000 yen omakase course in advance, and the menu for the day included items like meat and potato croquettes, grilled scallops with fresh sea urchin, marbled horse sashimi, Karei (flatfish) served in a clay pot, grilled Matsutake mushrooms with shrimp, steamed hairy crab, and sukiyaki with Matsutake mushrooms and black wagyu beef, plus dessert. To think that all of this was part of a 10,000 yen course is simply mind-blowing! No matter when I go or who I take with me, everyone is astonished by the cost performance! If there was a place like this near my home, I'd be going five times a week! The seasoning is also exceptional! Honestly, anyone who visits will be thoroughly satisfied. Thank you again, and I look forward to coming back! Thank you for the meal!

We had a course meal for two at the counter for 7,000 yen on a weekday. The much-talked-about croquettes were packed with meat and juicy. Personally, I found the grilled cod roe on kelp to be the most delicious. We also enjoyed fried oysters, pufferfish, and snow crab, truly relishing the winter flavors. I wonder what we can eat in spring? I hope to visit around that time.

I was invited by a friend and went there! I thought, "Kariya?!", but it was definitely worth the visit! From the very first croquette to the last sorbet, everything was delicious♪ I love white fish♡ The sashimi of the Ise lobster was still moving, making it fun to look at. Of course, it was plump and sweet♪ The crab had a tag, and dipping it in miso made me so happy! The abalone rice cooked in a clay pot was so good that I could eat it even when I was full. It was a very satisfying meal. I definitely want to go again!

In Kariya, there's this restaurant that I can’t get enough of. On this visit, I indulged in a 7,150 yen course. We started with the famous croquettes, and right from the beginning, I was blown away by the sashimi made from Ise lobster. After that, we had varieties like shirako (fish milt), fried fugu, and dried fish. The main dish was the renowned steamed wagyu beef. Following that, we enjoyed a sea bream rice dish and a miso soup made using the broth from the initial Ise lobster (I added udon for an extra 100 yen). I also had two soft drinks, and it totaled around 8,000 yen. Wow, once again the portion sizes were enormous, and the high-quality ingredients were plentiful. The taste was fantastic overall, although perhaps there were a few dishes that were a bit too salty? Maybe it’s just perfect for those who enjoy drinking? There were quite a few young staff members, and there were moments that made me go “Hmm?” but despite being a popular place, the owner’s hospitality was exceptional and not overly complacent about their success. It’s definitely a place I want to visit again!

I visited again after a long time. The korokke (croquettes) that were served as an appetizer were hot and delicious, and my friend whom I invited was very happy as well, which was great. The sashimi made from live Ise lobster was firm and incredibly tasty. The restaurant was bustling as usual. The chef was very friendly, and he even saw us off outside when we left. I definitely want to visit again.

This place is indeed a popular and renowned restaurant in Kariya. The ingredients are high quality, setting it apart from ordinary izakayas. I would be happy if there were a bit more variety on the menu. The staff's service is good, but a downside is that the noise level inside the restaurant is quite high, making it difficult to have conversations with people sitting farther away.

The menu includes seared bonito, beef and potato croquettes, deep-fried flounder with a hot mushroom sauce, grilled matsutake mushrooms, live shrimp grilled on charcoal, sukiyaki with wagyu sirloin and matsutake, octopus tempura, and rice cooked in a clay pot with scallops—all of which are fresh and delicious. Both the owner and the staff provide friendly service. Reservations are essential, but if you arrive around 9 PM when the turnover is slow, you might have a chance to get a table by calling in last minute.

This time, I visited in September, and I was excited to see what seasonal ingredients were available. Let's raise a glass with a draft beer, squeezing a wedge of citrus and having a dry one. For the appetizer, we had croquettes, which paired perfectly with the beer. Next came the horse sashimi. I also received a small portion of rice, and they explained the dipping sauces for the sashimi. The soy sauce had grated daikon radish, and the salt was served with sudachi citrus. Alongside the meat, we had grated ginger and garlic, and I tried all the flavors. Personally, I found the combination of garlic soy sauce and grated daikon to be the most delicious. Then, we had grilled scallops topped with sea urchin. The combination of the sea urchin and scallops was fantastic, making me feel blissful. Following that was the flounder simmered with sweet vinegar sauce, which had shimeji and maitake mushrooms. It was hot and delicious. Then, we were served grilled sweetfish with roe. I couldn’t eat the head, but when I took a bite from the rest, the popping roe enhanced the flavor. I enjoyed the bones too. Next was the seasonal highlight, matsutake mushrooms. We grilled them over charcoal until they started to sweat and release their aroma, signaling they were ready to eat. The texture was delightful when I broke into the cap. The next dish was black wagyu beef prepared like sukiyaki, and of course, it had matsutake mushrooms as well. The chef mentioned that the pairing of matsutake and beef is exceptional, and when I wrapped the matsutake in the beef and took a bite, it was incredibly delicious. The meat was tender, and the crunchiness of the matsutake complimented it beautifully. For the finale, I had sanma (Pacific saury) salted and grilled, served over rice. When eaten alone, the fish had a slightly salty taste, but pouring the broth over it enhanced the flavor immensely. By the time I finished the sanma rice, I received bone chips from the sanma dish to snack on. The crunchy bones were like a snack, they were quite enjoyable. Finally, for dessert, I had pear and ice cream, concluding this delightful meal. Everything was delicious, but I particularly loved the grilled sweetfish with roe for its fresh flavor. Thank you for consistently serving such tasty dishes. I will be back again!

I can always leave satisfied after visiting. While many places are raising their prices, this restaurant seems to have stayed the same (or so I feel). I learned how delicious it is to eat matsutake mushrooms and beef together at this place. Next time, I’ll come back to try the shirako.

Kanasu, renowned as the number one in Kariya, offers an omakase course for 7,150 yen, and I had the pleasure of experiencing it. It began with an appetizer of croquette, followed by chilled steamed egg custard with horse sashimi (my wife’s favorite dish), flounder and mushroom with sauce (served with flounder belly sashimi), grilled matsutake mushrooms, and sukiyaki with matsutake as well. We also enjoyed seafood tempura and a clay pot rice with beef, finishing off with dessert. I skipped lunch to prepare for the meal, but I ended up completely full. The cost-performance is excellent. During our meal, the staff engaged with us about the dishes, and when we left, the owner even came out to see us off. It was truly delicious, and we had a wonderful, happy time.

North side of Kariya Station. Given the location, it’s filled with salarymen from auto parts companies. Horse sashimi, crab, matsutake mushrooms, and beef sukiyaki are all delicious ingredients that keep coming out. There are no elaborate dishes, just beautifully prepared quality ingredients... But it’s so tasty that this kind of izakaya is great too. Thank you for the meal, I’ll come again!

The exterior of the restaurant is surprisingly ordinary. It’s about a 5-minute walk from Kariya Station. Once inside, the space feels quite cramped, including the counter area. The staff, while friendly, seemed busy and it was difficult for them to move around to serve the food properly. However, the food was delicious. Since it's autumn, I enjoyed some matsutake mushrooms. The A4 grade beef for the sukiyaki was excellent, and the dessert was also great.

I had difficulty making a reservation, but I finally found one for Tuesday. I ordered the omakase course (7,150 yen including tax). At first, I thought, "This seems a bit expensive," but I was amazed by the dishes that were served. I definitely want to visit again.

--- A Long-Awaited Michelin Restaurant --- On Tuesday, July 9th, I visited "Konasu" in Kariya for the first time in a while. It’s a restaurant specializing in grilled dishes over charcoal. I made a reservation about a month ago. Even on a weekday Tuesday, the place was fully booked. It feels like it's been six years since my last visit, largely due to living far away and being on a solo work assignment. I opted for an 11,000 yen course, but asked for smaller portions. Here’s what I enjoyed, in the order of the dishes... First, we had croquettes, a staple of this restaurant. They called it an "appetizer." With a nice hit of pepper, eating this dish makes you feel like you've truly arrived at Konasu. Next was grilled scallops and sea urchin. While they can be eaten raw as sashimi, grilling enhances their sweetness and flavor. Then came the octopus from Himakajima, which had just been alive moments before. It was delicious with soy sauce after being grilled. We also had grilled sweetfish with salt. The flavor was elevated by the aroma of the bamboo leaves it was served on. The abalone liver was grilled and served atop toasted baguette, with a bit of a pesto-like flavor. Next was a hot pot featuring king crab and scallops, followed by charcoal-grilled chateaubriand, topped with salted kelp and sea urchin and a little soy sauce. We enjoyed a cooling eel tempura with udon, possibly the best eel I’ve ever had, and finished with matcha ice cream. For dessert, since it was my wife’s birthday, we added some fruits. I requested something understated, just a little to celebrate. We also had two beers and about five glasses of various sake, totaling 27,355 yen. It’s always truly delicious here, and I thoroughly enjoyed this visit. Thank you for the wonderful meal!

The total for two people was around 18,000 yen! The abalone with liver sauce and the grilled eggplant with a thick sauce had a wonderful smoky aroma, and the finely chopped ingredients in the sauce matched perfectly! The abalone was tender, and the liver sauce was rich and flavorful! It was very delicious! However, the grilled scallops with sea urchin were disappointing. The sea urchin was not good… it had a bitterness and a slight odor. For someone who has eaten sea urchin from Hokkaido that doesn’t use the alkaline preservative, the difference in taste is quite noticeable. The fried fish was very average… typical of an ordinary izakaya… As for the main dish, the lemon steak, I was advised to eat it with lemon. However, the strong acidity and flavor of the lemon overshadowed the meat, which looked beautifully marbled but lacked any rich meat flavor. Overall, 18,000 yen for two people felt overpriced…

This is my second time visiting this restaurant this year. Once again, it was fully booked, so I made a reservation with the condition that I could be there until 8 PM. Since I could only arrive at 6:45 PM, I had about an hour for the meal, so I ordered the quickest course available. It was the lowest-priced course on the menu, but it was still amazing! The main dish featured abalone and steak. The abalone, in particular, was impressively large, and its liver was rich and flavorful. I didn’t want to leave any behind, so I even ordered some additional bread on the side. Next time, I’d love to go back and enjoy a leisurely meal without worrying about time.

I made a reservation for the omakase course, which was 7,150 yen plus drink charges and seating fees. Dishes kept coming one after another. There were many seafood dishes, and I particularly liked the abalone miso served on a baguette. Everything was delicious. However, I was surprised when a staff girl took away my half-finished drink. It felt a bit like we were being rushed. I recommend going early.

I was taken to Konasu by a friend from Kariya City. The restaurant was completely full, and there were people waiting, but since we had a reservation, we were able to be seated smoothly. We enjoyed a seasonal ingredient-based course that featured creative cooking. The flavors were very delicious. Although the space between the tables is narrow, which makes it feel a bit crowded, it's a nice place overall.

I regularly visit this restaurant, and I was pleased with this course, which featured plenty of seafood including bamboo shoots, oysters, clams, shrimp, firefly squid, beef, and scallops. For the finale, I ordered abalone rice, which was enriched in flavor by butter and liver. This is my favorite restaurant in Kariya!

I visited the restaurant with a reservation at 19:00, but it was completely full with customers. I was surprised by its popularity. The appetizers included handmade croquettes, chawanmushi with pufferfish skin in a thick sauce, steamed crab, Wagyu beef sukiyaki, fried pufferfish, abalone rice, and matcha ice cream. Every dish was delicious, and it was a wonderful experience! The staff's service was great, and the speed of alcohol delivery was impressive. Thank you for the amazing meal!

I visited a very famous restaurant called "Konasu!" for the first time in a while after making a reservation. It's located just a 5-minute walk from Kariya Station, in a corner of the Sakuramachi Dining District, and it's always fully booked. When making a reservation, you must choose a course, which can vary in price. However, due to the time constraints of my companions, we could only stay for a little over an hour, so we ordered a 5,000 yen course that could be served in that timeframe. When the food was served, I was amazed! The quality of the dishes, including pufferfish and steak, was incredible for just 5,000 yen. The owner suggested various ways to enjoy the pufferfish: you can eat it one slice at a time, have two or three slices together, or grill it at the charcoal stove, which made the experience even more satisfying! It's not a place I can visit frequently, but I definitely want to go a few times a year.