梨香苑, a yakiniku restaurant, stands quietly on its own along Koshu-kaido. It's fairly close to the station, but there's nothing flashy about it; if anything, its timeworn appearance is strangely captivating. The yellow sign glowed faintly along the nighttime street, and I passed through the noren curtain as though drawn inside. Inside, the savory aroma of slowly grilling meat drifted through the air. The atmosphere felt nostalgic, with menu sheets on the walls and smokeless grills sitting at the tables. This might be promising. After ordering, I settled in to wait. As rumored, service certainly isn't quick. But if everything is prepared by hand, that's part of the flavor too. If anything, the wait whets the appetite and builds anticipation. First came 角切りレバー塩. Its color looked unmistakably fresh, with a moist sheen. Add a little green onion and lightly grill it. The liver's distinctive creamy texture and the simple savoriness of the salt sauce spread through the mouth. Yes, this is definitely delicious. No unpleasant odor at all—there's even a sweetness to it. This dish tests a yakiniku restaurant's skill, and it earns a solid passing grade. Next, ネギタン塩. The thinly sliced tongue has just the right marbling, with scattered peppercorns on the surface. Grill it quickly and squeeze on lemon. The moment you bite, the tongue's distinctive crisp chew combines with crunchy green onions, while refreshing acidity pulls everything together. Simple, but this is the essence of yakiniku. I also ordered grilled vegetables. Zucchini, carrots, pumpkin, king oyster mushrooms, maitake… They're brushed with a spicy sauce. Eaten between bites of meat, their sweetness and grilled aroma stand out and reset the palate. This kind of quiet balance is the secret to keeping on eating. To finish, I ordered クッパ. Bean sprouts, zenmai fern shoots, and egg mingle in a deeply red soup. Spoon it into your mouth and a sharp heat spreads over the tongue, followed by a gradual wave of savoriness. It's not just spicy—the broth has real depth from its dashi. A finish that makes the stomach happy. You can trust a restaurant that puts care not only into yakiniku but also dishes like these. I visited for dinner this time, but apparently they serve lunch too. Next time, trying 梨香苑 during the day might be nice. If this review was helpful, hit the 👍 button, yes. And a follow would be very encouraging. Thank you.

+3

This was my first visit. Honestly, I go for yakiniku about 2 times a month, and this was among the worst-tasting of them all. Once the beef tongue and harami arrived, I felt this flavor simply couldn't justify the price, so I canceled the other orders. Even so, compared with other cheap and delicious yakiniku restaurants, there was little meat per plate, the lemon wasn't fresh, and the sauce was just salty. I truly regretted it… Many older reviews are positive, so perhaps the quality has declined recently, but I can't find any aspect of this yakiniku restaurant worth defending.

The brown-haired female floor staff member's service is shockingly bad. Even when you call “excuse me,” she comes over slowly, silently glaring. When bringing orders, she sets them down without saying the dish's name, so with yakiniku, you don't even know which cut it is. When we entered, she also gave us a look as if to say, “Huh?” The meat and rice arrived normally, but the Korean seaweed took forever after we ordered it. Apparently it's an item the floor staff prepares, so it does seem the floor staff member is the problem.

For ねぎタン, you first heat the separately served green onions in their dish over the flame. Once softened, put them on the grilled tongue and eat. Very delicious. They explain that you should add the onions on your plate, rather than placing them on the tongue on the grill. ウラタン had a slightly distinctive flavor that I didn't like. The meat is generally sliced thin, so it might be unsatisfying for anyone wanting to really pile into the meat.

I start slowly with a beer and chilled tofu. The set meals are recommended, making it easy to enjoy yakiniku even alone. The owner and female staff kindly chat with you, making it comfortable. The hot stone bibimbap is the perfect finish. The accompanying soup is delicious too, and very soothing.