Hyperlocal Tokyo

This is a Korean barbecue restaurant located in a small Korean town in Higashi-Ueno. There are about 10 Korean barbecue restaurants in the area, so when you exit Ueno Station's Exit 3, you'll be greeted by the aroma of grilled meat. I've tried several restaurants in this Korean town, but I think this one has the best flavor. The restaurant isn't exactly clean, and I've encountered cockroaches a few times. The signboard and the first floor (I didn't go to the second floor this time, so I don't know) seem to have been renovated a bit, making it slightly cleaner, but it's still a pretty shady place. The restrooms are shared by all the stores in the area. I've been coming here for over 20 years, but due to the pandemic, it's been 5 years since my last visit. In the past, their beef tongue, skirt steak, and raw liver were particularly excellent, but after the raw liver incident at a low-cost chain restaurant, they stopped serving raw liver here, which was a bummer. The skirt steak and beef tongue were still delicious as ever, but the premium beef tongue was priced at ¥2,800 per serving, quite a price hike. A full meal for one person can easily cost over ¥10,000, so I'm not sure if it's worth coming all the way here. I think there are other restaurants that are cleaner and cheaper. The food is good, though. It's not very clean, and there's a lot of smoke, so some people might find it off-putting. Despite this, it's a popular restaurant, so it's difficult to just walk in, and I recommend making a reservation.

☑️Sunday Closed☑️Phone Confirmation Required☑️Dinner Time Only☑️Cash Only☑️East Ueno☑️Yakitori Street 2023/10/18 (Wed) 17:05 Phone Reservation (17:11 Visit), Cash Only Payment ① Bottled Beer ¥880 ② Sanchu (Lettuce) ¥715 ③ Rice ¥330 ④ Premium Black Wagyu Tongue Salt ¥3,410 ※Tan Moto (Tongue Root) ⑤ Premium Black Wagyu Tongue Tip Salt ¥1,100 ⑥ Premium Black Wagyu Raw Kalbi Salt W ¥3,300 Ordered ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー ⑦ Premium Chilled Harami Salt W ¥3,300 ⑧ Premium Black Wagyu Hormone Salt ¥1,265 ⑨ Pork Belly Salt ¥935 Ordered ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー Personally, everything was spot-on! Absolutely delicious! I haven't been here often, but the service was amazing. I visited in March 2006 and again around 2011, when it was still a first-floor tatami room during the day. First of all, the meat is delicious. The salt flavor with the green onion and sesame oil dressing is excellent. Personally, I love the seasoning, but the premium tongue salt, harami salt, pork belly salt, appetizer, and rice are particularly outstanding. The freshly cooked rice is the best I've had in Japan this year, hands down. And the best part was confirming the existence of the two successors... I hope this great place continues for a long time. I'm definitely coming back next month!⭐

I visited on Saturday, July 2, 2022. It's about a 5-minute walk from Ueno Station, located in what's known as Kimchi Alley. I've loved this yakiniku restaurant ever since it was recommended to me as a delicious place when I lived in Ueno about 12 years ago. This was my fourth visit in about 4 years. The restaurant's sign has been renewed, and the seating has changed from a raised platform to tables. I arrived a little after 5:30 PM and immediately ordered the premium tongue, premium skirt steak, and premium sirloin (you have to order these quickly before they run out!). We toasted with bottled beer while we waited for the meat. First came the premium tongue, thick and with a crispy texture, the saltiness and the sauce were delicious! It was simply amazing! Next was the premium skirt steak. This is what I was looking forward to! The skirt steak at this restaurant is exquisite! Lightly grilled and then a bite, the sweet, juicy fat melts in your mouth, the flavor is incredible. We switched to makgeolli (Korean rice wine), which paired perfectly! It was delicious. The premium sirloin was a large piece of meat that we grilled and then cut. The sirloin also had a refined, delicate fat. It was fantastic! Finally, we had some tripe and finished with a refreshing egg soup. I was completely satisfied. Thank you for the meal.

Located in Higashi-Ueno, the Korean Town is a fantastic place with a unique atmosphere that sets it apart from everyday life. Even the narrow alleys are lined with yakiniku restaurants, and many eateries share communal restrooms, adding to the distinct vibe. Among the numerous yakiniku restaurants, Kyeongseongwon is a popular choice. Reservations are often hard to come by, but I was lucky to snag a table on a day they happened to have an opening. The restaurant is small, so a table for four can feel a bit cramped, but it adds to the experience. I highly recommend embracing the cozy atmosphere. I ordered: * Tokujou Tan (Premium Tongue) * Kami Rosu (Premium Sirloin) * Kami Harami (Premium Skirt Steak, with sauce) * Kalbi (Short Ribs) * Kobkuro (Beef Tripe) As many other reviews have mentioned, the Kami Harami was the most delicious. While many recommend the Kami Harami (with salt), I'm a firm believer that yakiniku is meant to be enjoyed with sauce. I opted for the Kami Harami with sauce, and the sweet marinade paired perfectly with the tender skirt steak, creating a truly satisfying dish. The Kami Rosu was the most visually impressive. A large chunk of meat was placed on the grill, and we cut it with scissors after it was cooked. It was incredibly delicious when eaten rare, but it became a bit tough as it cooked further, diminishing the enjoyment over time. I also ordered Kalbi, which was excellent! It was genuine short ribs, a far cry from the imitation kalbi often served at other yakiniku restaurants. The rich fat made it a bit challenging to cook, but the sweet marinade added a delightful touch, making it a perfect accompaniment to rice. This is a very smoky restaurant, so you should consider your attire and the occasion. Many restaurants in famous areas are all hype and no substance, but Kyeongseongwon is a truly exceptional yakiniku restaurant. However, while Kyeongseongwon is great, I've noticed that many yakiniku restaurants in this Higashi-Ueno area have a unique, distinct flavor to their kimchi. I ordered a kimchi assortment this time, and the kakuteki (radish kimchi) was just not for me. (Of course, there are delicious kimchi restaurants in the area.) The napa cabbage kimchi and oi kimchi (cucumber kimchi) were delicious, so it might have just been a one-off. On the other hand, the namul (seasoned vegetables) served as an appetizer was fresh and flavorful. I've tried almost all the yakiniku restaurants in the area, and Kyeongseongwon is definitely one of the best. I run a blog called "Yakiniku Zukan" where I document my journey through yakiniku restaurants across Japan. If you're interested in learning more about other yakiniku restaurants, please check out my blog.

Everything is delicious. The smoky barbecue is amazing. The silver plates are a nice touch.