Sukiya Jingu-mae San-chome Store - The most ordinary beef bowl is the best As of May 25, 2020, the food review rating on Tabelog is 3.01. I work in Tokyo. Studio work usually starts at 1 pm, but in an effort to finish recording early and send musicians home quickly to reduce the risk of infection, I decided to start an hour earlier at 12 pm. This means I miss the opportunity for lunch, so I thought of getting a quick and cheap beef bowl takeaway from Sukiya in Jingu-mae San-chome. The store is located about 5 minutes from the studio, along Meiji Street near Harajuku Takeshita Exit towards Shinjuku. There were already 4-5 male customers eating inside the store. Sukiya doesn't seem to have any specific virus prevention measures in place. The seating is not spaced out, so I didn't feel like sitting at the counter. I opted for a takeaway. The staff were all Asian, possibly from Southeast Asia, working as part-time staff. I was considering the usual beef bowl, but then I saw they had a "Kale Lettuce Beef Bowl". I thought it might be a good way to get some vegetables. Kale is known as a superfood, rich in fiber, calcium, and vitamins. It was introduced on April 15, priced at 550 yen for a regular serving. I expected the dish to have sautéed kale and lettuce, but it turned out to be mostly lettuce with a little kale and red bell pepper. The beef bowl itself had the usual taste, but I personally prefer Yoshinoya or Matsuya (premium) for beef bowls. The kale and lettuce portion was disappointing, with mostly lettuce and minimal kale. Overall, the Kale Lettuce Beef Bowl was like a regular beef bowl with a simple salad on top. It lacked the expected flavor and creativity. I think I would have been better off with a regular beef bowl. It's a shame. With the state of emergency being lifted, the rowdy surfers in Shonan will surely heat up even more. They better behave themselves. Taste Deviation Score: 50 Comfort Level: 50 Tabelog Rating: Based on personal experience judgment Regulars: □□□■□ Male-friendly: ■□□□□ Female-friendly: ■□□□□ Commoner-friendly: ■□□□□ High CP Value: □□□■□ Low CP Value

Cheap and delicious. Everywhere else is too crowded to get in.

Creamy three cheese beef bowl Regular size $5

Found a Sukiya in front of the Jingu Stadium. It seems that Sukiya is everywhere, whether in the city center or elsewhere. Inside the store, there was nothing particularly Shibuya-like, just the usual Sukiya atmosphere with mostly solo male customers. I bought a beef bowl for takeout. It took a bit of time before it was ready, which was a bit frustrating. When I opened the lid of the beef bowl, I noticed that there was quite a bit of fat on the meat. The texture had a fatty chewiness to it, but the seasoning was just right. Not too spicy or too sweet, just the perfect balance, allowing the quality of the meat to shine through.

Well, I was thinking there weren't any convenient restaurants around here for lunch, but then my colleague recommended a chain beef bowl restaurant. It had been a while since I last visited this chain restaurant, and I was surprised that it wasn't a ticket system. I was also amazed by the variety of menu items in addition to beef bowls. The small and clean interior with a bright atmosphere was nice, and I was particularly happy that it was non-smoking. That made me feel comfortable entering the restaurant. I was indecisive because of the wide range of menu options, so I went with the standard beef bowl set with miso soup and pickles for 490 yen! The taste was typical of a chain restaurant. The miso soup with plenty of ingredients was satisfying, and the refreshing pickles were a nice palate cleanser. It was also a nice touch to have barley tea instead of water.

This is the Sukiya Jingu-mae Sanchome branch. This is my 105th visit on my Sukiya pilgrimage and my 150th visit on my Gyudon restaurant tour. The restaurant is located 300 meters north of Meiji Street from the Jingugaien-mae Station. It is operated by two Japanese men. I stumbled upon this restaurant when I was on a pilgrimage to the Sukiya in Shibuya. Despite being a regular restaurant, it was surprisingly crowded. Today, around 80% of the seats were occupied. I had the Mix-noodle breakfast for 320 yen. The miso soup was a bit lukewarm, but it was tolerable. The rest of the meal was standard in taste. Thank you for the meal.

This restaurant is located near Meiji Jingu-mae Station rather than Harajuku Station along Meiji Street. I had eaten at a Sukiya restaurant in another location, so I had no resistance to entering this place. I was surprised to see that nowadays beef bowl restaurants offer a variety of menu items. They had authentic dishes like Tofu Kimchi Hot Pot that you wouldn't expect at a beef bowl restaurant. I decided to go with the classic beef bowl. They had a menu option between regular and large sizes called 1.5 servings, which means more meat and less rice. This was ideal for me as I prefer more meat but less rice. I also ordered the Pork Miso Soup 3-piece set. The beef bowl came with pork miso soup, pickles, and a boiled egg. I wish other beef bowl chains would introduce set menus like this so you don't have to carefully read through each item on the menu. Compared to other beef bowl chains, the sauce here is on the richer side, giving a strong beef bowl flavor. The meat portion felt larger than the large size, and I was very satisfied. The pickles had a strong salty taste but were easy to eat without any strong flavors. The pork miso soup was surprisingly delicious, with a strong pork flavor and well-cooked vegetables. It seems like a nutritious option. If you want to keep your meal costs down in this area, this place is a good choice.

I finally had my first experience at a beef bowl chain restaurant other than Yoshinoya. I apologize for cheating on Yoshinoya, which I have been relying on since my student days... The new restaurant is located about 50 meters from the intersection of Takeshita Street and Meiji Street towards Sendagaya. It is located across from the SECOM headquarters. The restaurant has 10 counter seats and 10 table seats, so it's not very spacious. I visited around 12:20 pm, and although the restaurant was full, I was seated within about 3 minutes. To avoid getting lost in the menu, I studied it online beforehand. They offer a variety of options such as beef bowls, curry, and set meals, with the "pork toro bowl" being particularly tempting. However, I decided to go with the beef bowl for my first visit, ordering the beef bowl with 1.5 servings of meat for 380 yen. Although I didn't specify, the beef bowl was quite "juicy", which is fine for me as I prefer it that way. I wonder if this is a standard at this chain? The onions still had a crunchy texture, indicating that they were not cooked for long. The regular rice portion with 1.5 servings of meat was quite satisfying. There was pickled ginger and chili pepper on the table for flavor adjustment, and the addition of a spoon alongside chopsticks was a thoughtful touch.

There are many places to eat nearby, such as convenience stores and restaurants, but having a gyudon (beef bowl) restaurant nearby is much appreciated. It was difficult to go all the way to Yoshinoya in front of Harajuku Station, so the area is bustling with people working nearby during lunchtime. Sukiya offers a variety of menu options (including sizes), making it suitable for families, friends, or colleagues to dine together. Surprisingly, despite being meat, the calorie count is low. Since my friend's house is nearby, I drive to Harajuku, but the nearby coin parking lots are too expensive. The other day, when my family and I went, the parking fee was higher than our meal cost. Definitely a restaurant to walk to.

I think the light sauce on the gyudon is not necessary!