Came here on a day trip to Kobe, in search of our first taste of Kobe beef. We were not let down!! It was very delicious! Cooked to perfection. Counter seating where you can watch them make your meat and vegetables. Not very expensive either. We weren’t able to make reservations online the same day so we went around 12:45 on a Thursday afternoon and they said they could take us at 13:30. Overall really great experience! It’s on the 2nd floor, you enter through their butcher shop downstairs. Look for all the Kobe meat in the display case and you’re in the right spot. Highly recommend!

U know how there is always 2 type of restaurant exist? One if very popular among the tourist / outsider / people who is not from that area and another one is the local pick. Kobe Kikusui is the later. It all started as a butcher shop selling meats and later expand into restaurant up stairs that served teppanyaki and shabu shabu / Sukiyaki as well. Place was not posh but cozy, 3-4 tables and a teppanyaki bar that sit up for 6-8 person. As you can see, the size or set up can’t accommodate your usual bus load of tourist, hence it’s not noisy, over crowded and the local’s choice. There is a lots to choose from the menu, set meal with different grade of beef, either wagyu or Kobe beef, with different cut or you could go for A La Cart. Would highly recommend this place if you wanna blend in and eat like local, I would definitely be back for more.

High expectations for Kobe beef - and this place surpassed them! Absolutely delicious meats, tender and melt-in-the-mouth. The chef was friendly, and presentation was wonderful. The atmosphere is also very authentic. Would recommend!

The food is absolutely amazing and worth it and the staff are so sweet and kind. It was perfect. They explained everything very well and it was so interesting to see how he cook it. Glad I went there to try the Kobe beef

Very recommended for experiencing kobe steak without breaking your budget. it doesn't mean it's cheap, though, but they have sets that goes below ¥5000 all the way up to ¥18000. it's near the station and have been recommended by the local reviewers too.

A restaurant like this needs to be experienced first hand to truly appreciate the dynamics in flavour and skill. I ordered the Kikusui tenderloin steak lunch, and was cooked to perfection as requested. The assortment of dipping sauces and vegetables complimented the dish extremely well. My only gripe? I'm not one for desert at lunch, but I won't knock a establishment because I'm fussy. Either way this place is incredible and if you have time you should make it a point of call on your trip to Kobe.

Very glad I ate my first Kobe beef in this restaurant during lunch. Not only the meat, but also the other ingredients were high quality. De chef explained a lot and was happy to answer all of your questions (in English). Will definitely go back when I’m in Kobe again.

Had an excellent lunch today, the sides were good and beef excellent, but the chef was lovely and made a real effort to make the experience special. 100% worth trying if you’re in Kobe and definitely a good experience for the novelty of having Kobe beef in Kobe. Restaurant is upstairs, but just walk into the ground floor shop and the staff will help you out. We had to wait a brief period, but hadn’t made a reservation and still got in on a Friday lunch - so try a walk in if you’ve not booked!

This is my first time eating kobe beef. I choose this resto because it was surrounded by locals. The chef is a friendly guy. Actually, all the staffs are friendly. They helped even with little english. The prices are tax included which I really liked. If you can understand japanese (conversation level) , the chef will be even more friendly. For me, I only speak survival level such as asking bill and water but chef still offers additional (free) rice refill and ocha. The steak was unique, as expected from kobe beef. Chef recommends the medium rare one. But you can choose your options. The resto is in 2nd floor. The 1st floor is the meat shop. I would really recommend this restaurant. If you are on budget. They have dice kobe steak that is half price of the steak. Oh the best part of it. It is close to JR Sannomiya.

Closest decently priced make your own tepanyaki that is near base. Daiso is right next to it too so its great! Its very filling i would recommend the veggie version not the flour based version as its too heavy.

Best teppanyiaki tested in Japan. Staff is so nice ! And the beef is amazing. We had the kikusui tenderloin and it was delicious

Good service and great food! Highly reccomend! Chef Kawasaki-San has provided excellent service and good food! Great personality! Thank you! Shigemichi downstairs also provided great service!

We didn’t go to the restaurant on the second floor, but the butcher shop on the bottom. We just wanted 200g of the Kobe sirloin to take home and cook. We got that plus amazing service from the nice butcher. Go here if you want to get premium Kobe beef to take home!

While the presentation and teppanyaki preparation were impressive, the star of the meal, the meat, was lacking. Despite ordering from the expensive options, one meat was so though that the chef even struggled to cut it. The other piece was better, but still not suitable for a higher-priced 'special meat of the day'. When I asked if I could see the meat cuts prior to ordering I was told that I 'wouldn't understand' or be able to tell them apart. That was not just rude, but I also would clearly not have picked the tough piece of meat, at least. The chef insisted that Kobe beef is about flavor, not fat content, which is why the meat didn't melt in our mouths and didn't quite look like the pictures on their website. Overall, we didn't feel we got a good 'Kobe beef' experience. Would not recommend.

Not as good as expected. Actually I was so stupid that went to the Kikusui office in Arata-cho, have to take a taxi to go back to the restaurant which cost me additional 1900JPY. Odd costs increase lol. Lunch set from 3000JPY to 8000JPY can be choose. Ordered a 8000JPY set which stands the highest quality. Beef smells good but I don't like the appetizer, it uses bits and pieces and is too fatty. Also it's a bit pity they do not provide A5 beef in lunch time which I think most of visitors would like to try. Chef was smiley and looks professional, but we do not communicate except "how would you like your beef?" that kind of question. Restaurant was full of visitors, few locals seems go there during my lunch, even taxi driver do not know the restaurant which also seems weird.