In terms of yakiniku restaurants, Gyu-Kaku is top-notch. The staff are very friendly and provide customer service reminiscent of the past. They offer to replace the grill once it starts to get dirty and the restaurant is always full.

Extremely crowded

The next day, I stayed in Otaru for my second son's high school entrance exam. I thought it would be nice to have yakiniku once in a while. I went to Gyu-Kaku in Otaru thinking it wouldn't be too crowded, but as expected, Gyu-Kaku is always crowded no matter where you go (mostly with foreigners). However, we were seated about 10 minutes after entering at around 18:50 (although it was a non-smoking section, as my wife insisted). We ordered two all-you-can-drink alcohol for ¥1,480 and two all-you-can-drink soft drinks for ¥980. We had Gyu-Kaku Kalbi, pork hormone (spicy miso), raw lamb, and Chorogi salad (half). My son had stone-grilled bibimbap with cherry yukhoe, and my wife had egg soup and dessert (I forgot the name of the dish). We also added liver. It had been a few years since I had been to Gyu-Kaku, but we enjoyed the delicious meal.

After finishing work, my friend and I decided to spontaneously have some meat, so we ended up visiting the restaurant quite late around 11 pm. We ordered beef tongue, sagari, hormone, and beer among a few other items. Since we ordered items individually, the prices were on the higher side, around 6000 yen per person. Overall, we found the meat quality to be lacking, with not much oil and tough texture, especially the beef tongue was disappointing. In conclusion, the taste was a bit disappointing, and we felt that another more casual restaurant might offer better meat quality. Service and atmosphere were average, while the value for money was a bit low due to the high prices for individual items. The drink selection was decent, slightly above average.

I visited this restaurant in February 2008 after a long time. Jazz music was playing in the background. The "Sagari" beef was soft and delicious. I hadn't been here in a while, and back then they didn't have raw lamb on the menu, so I was hesitant to go. But this time they had it, so I decided to give it a try. In comparison to other yakiniku chain restaurants, this place felt a bit cramped and a bit pricey. The kimchi wasn't free here like in other yakiniku places in Otaru, and I love kimchi so I felt a bit unsatisfied. For dessert, we had waffle ice cream which was delicious. They bring a new waffle to grill on the yakiniku grill, then top it with ice cream. Lastly, I like to mix the leftover yakiniku sauce with complimentary hojicha tea in the winter to warm up. It's my personal little tradition. Overall, it was a good experience. In April 2016, we came here for my daughter's birthday. We ate a lot. If we were to eat this much, it would have been cheaper to go for the all-you-can-eat option. Laugh out loud.

When the restaurant first opened in Sapporo in 2015, the staff's enthusiastic "Welcome!" was a refreshing change from the usual chain restaurants. I used to frequent both this place and GAJA for a while, but now that they both have locations in Otaru, I tend to go to the closer GAJA from my home. This time, I went to GAJA but it was crowded, so I quickly came here instead. I ordered the black wagyu upper kalbi and marbled beef tongue salt for the next day's main event, focusing on quality over quantity. The kalbi was not as juicy as expected for black wagyu, and the marbled beef tongue salt was thinner than the advertised 2-3cm, more like just over 1cm. But when cooked, it was tender and flavorful. For dessert, I had Yukkejang Kuppa, a dish I haven't had since the now-closed restaurant Tsukasatei in Sapporo. It was delicious, but made me crave the even better Yukkejang I had there. This meal for four cost ¥7,300, and considering I could have eaten at Daikimmon for an extra ¥3,000, a return visit is... questionable.

We come here with our family once a month and the staff already recognize us with smiles. We always start by ordering drinks, and I always go for the "Yuzu Honey Sour" which has lots of yuzu jam and tastes really good. Then we order various dishes, but one thing we always get is the "Addictive Salted Cabbage" which has finely chopped cabbage with sesame oil dressing on top. The sweetness of the cabbage is so delicious, it's truly addictive. I also love the soup here, and we always order either the "Gyu-Kaku Samgyetang" which is great for when you have a cold, or the "Gyu-Kaku Garlic Hormone Soup (with glass noodles)" which is full of garlic and tasty glass noodles. It feels like it gives you energy! And of course, we always have to have the Bibimbap, both the stone pot and regular versions are delicious here. The staff always ask if we want it mixed, which is nice. The "Choregi Salad (with white sesame dressing)" is refreshing and makes you want to eat more even when you're full. I haven't mentioned the meat much, but personally, I prefer the side dishes at Gyu-Kaku.

It has been about 5-6 years since I last visited this restaurant. In the past, I remember that there was another popular BBQ restaurant in town that offered more flavorful and refreshing free kimchi, making it a better value for money. However, I wonder how things are now. The location and atmosphere of this restaurant remain the same as before. The quality of the meat here has always been superior. I do find the variety and prices of the side menu a bit high, but as an adult, it doesn't bother me as much. While I didn't pay much attention to it in the past, coming back after several years, I find the calming atmosphere quite appealing. The service is also very calm and good. In comparison, the other popular BBQ restaurant lacks this sense of tranquility. Perhaps it's because I've gotten older, but if I were to spend the same amount of money, I'd rather visit this restaurant twice than go to a cheaper but less comfortable place three times. It seems that this restaurant has grown into a place that makes me think it's better to visit.

I took my friend to Otaru. We had sushi for lunch, and then we were wondering what to do at night when we saw a familiar sign. It was decided right away. The exterior looked stylish, so we knew it wouldn't disappoint. We had a great time with the all-you-can-drink option. The staff were friendly and quick to bring more beer without making us wait (unlike other izakayas where we had to wait a long time for refills, which was frustrating). We enjoyed delicious kalbi and hormone dishes. It was a very enjoyable time. At Gyu-Kaku, you can feel comfortable saying, "Order whatever you like." This might be the best part.

Renowned for its management by the Reigns Group, this barbecue chain is well-known in Hokkaido for establishing a "clean, female-friendly, affordable, and delicious" barbecue chain. They have a branch on the upper floors of Sapporo JR Tower, offering high-cost performance lunches that are popular on weekends. However, this Otaru branch is a different story. Complaints include "the beer served is warm" (multiple occurrences), "the charcoal fire is weak" (even after requesting assistance from staff), and "lacking sincerity in customer service that only emphasizes cheerfulness." The franchise chain's service limitations are evident at the Gyu-Kaku Otaru branch.

Sometimes I go to Otaru. And I often go to Gyu-Kaku. Even in Otaru, I end up going to Gyu-Kaku. Gyu-Kaku is located along the canal street in a stylish building. It stands elegantly in harmony with the surroundings. It's always crowded with tourists and locals. Gyu-Kaku is a place where you can feel at ease. I'm sure that wherever you go in the country, you can feel at ease entering Gyu-Kaku. It's great for parties and even for lunch alone. This time, I tried the weekday all-you-can-eat option. I ate a lot, especially the marbled kalbi. I just love Gyu-Kaku.

I chose a franchise restaurant that I had been to before because I was with my child. The seating was sunken kotatsu style and the staff were friendly and provided prompt service, which was good. However, the food itself was a bit disappointing... I have been to Hanabatake in Hakodate before, and I felt that the quality of the meat and rice was quite different. Especially the rice was smelly and dry... I left without ordering much and the portion of stone bibimbap was surprisingly small. I realized that even within the same franchise, there can be differences in the food quality depending on the location.

We occasionally go out for yakiniku as a family. The staff are very friendly and it's a reasonably priced restaurant, making it easy to visit. I really enjoy their naengmyeon. For dessert, I often have the yuzu sherbet.

I am a regular here. The all-you-can-eat option is much appreciated.