Local Guide
6 recommended restaurants in Sendai area where you can enjoy excellent beef tongue lunch.

Beef tongue" is an indispensable part of Sendai's gourmet cuisine. Beef tongue cut into thick slices is grilled to a savory perfection and juicy on the inside. There are many restaurants specializing in such authentic beef tongue in and around Sendai. In this issue, we will introduce a wide variety of restaurants, including a long-established restaurant that is the birthplace of grilled beef tongue, a restaurant where you can enjoy a variety of dishes other than grilled beef tongue, a new restaurant that has become a hot topic on SNS, and a popular restaurant that has been a favorite of the locals for a long time.

Each restaurant prepares its beef tongue differently, creating a unique flavor.
Each restaurant prepares its beef tongue differently, creating a unique flavor.

Beef tongue is a specialty of Sendai. It is made by carefully cutting a thick slice of beef tongue, aging it slowly for several days, and then grilling it over charcoal such as bincho charcoal. The roots of this dish can be traced back to the early postwar period, when food shortages persisted. Beef tongue, which was not widely used as an ingredient at the time, was first cut into thick slices and grilled over charcoal. The first owner of Aji Tasuke, known as the "birthplace of grilled beef tongue," Keishiro Sano, created this dish in 1948 when he opened a restaurant in Sendai, and the culture of beef tongue took root throughout Sendai and spread to the rest of Japan.

Beef tongue is usually served set meal style with barley rice, tail soup, pickled Chinese cabbage or cucumber, and green chili peppers in miso paste, all grilled to a savory flavor. The thickness, degree of grilling, and seasoning vary from restaurant to restaurant, and comparing them is one of the pleasures of eating beef tongue.

Currently, there are about 100 restaurants specializing in beef tongue in Sendai City, and there is also a "Beef Tongue Street" lined with six restaurants on the third floor of Sendai Station. The third floor of Sendai Station is lined with six restaurants called "Beef tongue street." It is an easy place to stop by and enjoy the authentic taste of beef tongue. Beef tongue has long been a part of the local culinary culture, and it is also one of the most enjoyable parts of a visit to Sendai for tourists. Its popularity and popularity can be seen in the fact that it is widely known as one of the most popular gourmet foods in Sendai.

Beef tongue specialty restaurant with direct connection to Sendai Station and excellent Direction

The
The "Top-Special Extra-Thick Shinchu-Tan Set Meal (3 slices, 9 pieces)" is 3,960 yen.

This beef tongue specialty restaurant is located on the third floor of Sendai Station's "Gyutan Dori" (Beef Tongue Street). The restaurant is directly connected to the station and is crowded with many customers during lunch time, as it is a casual place to enjoy beef tongue.

We recommend the "Josen Goku-Thin Shinchu-Tan Set Meal," which is a thick slice of the softest part of the beef tongue near the base; only one or two pieces of this rare part can be obtained from a single beef tongue, allowing you to enjoy the full flavor of the meat. The set includes barley rice made from roasted barley, tail soup, grated yam or salad.

Enjoy traditional beef tongue carefully prepared by hand

Located inside the station, many customers stop by on their way home from business or sightseeing.
Located inside the station, many customers stop by on their way home from business or sightseeing.

The secret of delicious beef tongue lies in the meticulous and painstaking preparation. Beef tongue is cut by hand, one by one, and grilled over binchotan charcoal, giving it a juicy and exquisite texture. For salt, we use "powdered salt," which is finely ground into powder form. You can feel the gentle and mild saltiness and the flavor of the meat.

In addition to the standard grilled beef tongue, you can also enjoy curry and stew made with beef tongue, and whale yukke-don (whale yukke bowl) made with whale meat landed in Miyagi Prefecture.

Local Guide Comment
In addition to the beef tongue set meal, there are many other menu items. There is also a nice service that offers up to one free refill of barley rice.
Tanya Zenjiro Sendai Station 3F Beef tongue street branch
  • Address JR Sendai Station, 1-1-1 Chuo, Aoba-ku, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture 3F Ushitan Dori MAP
  • Direction Close to JR Sendai Station
  • Business Hours 10:00-21:30 (L.O. 21:00)
  • Closed No holidays
  • TEL 022-722-5081
  • Parking None

A New Experience to Taste Beef Tongue in Hitsumabushi Style

The
The "Tokusen Gyutan Hitsujimabushi Gozen" (special beef tongue with rice cake) is 3,500 yen, and has been introduced on SNS and TV programs, creating a buzz.

Opened in 2023 as an up-and-coming beef tongue specialty restaurant that offers a new Experience while utilizing the traditional way of cooking beef tongue.
The signature dish is the "Tokusen Beef Tongue Hitsujimabushi Gozen," which is a sumptuous selection of beef tongue carefully selected for Hitsujimabushi. The beef tongue is laid out in a hitsu and rice is served with tsukudani (food boiled in soy sauce and soy sauce), which is recommended to be eaten as is. Next, add yakumi (condiments) and tororo (grated yam) to enjoy the change in flavor, and finally, top it off with dashi broth. It is a luxurious dish that can be enjoyed in three stages.

The juicy, thickly sliced beef tongue is a must-try!

The restaurant's interior has a modern, relaxed Japanese-style atmosphere.
The restaurant's interior has a modern, relaxed Japanese-style atmosphere.

Another popular menu item is the "Thick Cut Three Kinds of Beef Tongue Set Meal," which is made with aged, extra-thick beef tongue and served medium rare. The root portion of the beef tongue is carefully selected and cut out to provide a tender and juicy flavor.

Lemon, wasabi, and yuzu kosho are provided as tabletop seasonings. Additional seasonings are also available, such as chili pepper and raayu (Chinese chili oil) combined with the beef tongue stew, and nanban miso, which is also made from the beef tongue stew, allowing you to arrange the seasoning to your liking.

Local Guide Comment
While many specialty restaurants stick to grilled beef tongue set menus with salt, you can enjoy beef tongue in new styles, such as arrangements with a wide variety of seasonings and hittomabushi. This is one restaurant that combines tradition and novelty.
Beef tongue Keyaki Sendai Ichibancho Honten
  • Address 3-9-2 Ichibancho, Aoba-ku, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture MAP
  • Direction 4 minutes drive from JR Sendai Station
    10 minutes walk from JR Sendai Station
    5 minutes walk from Subway Aoba-dori Ichibancho Station
  • Direction Approx. 9 min. by Sendai City Bus from JR Sendai Station
  • Business Hours 11:00-15:00 (L.O. 14:30), 17:00-22:00 (L.O. 21:30)
    Open from 10:45 on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays
  • Closed No holidays
  • TEL 022-399-9391
  • Parking None

Don't miss the "tsubomeshi" (rice in a pot) that contains the delicious taste of high-quality beef tongue.

The
The "Top Beef Tail Pot Rice" (with tail soup and pickles) is 3,278 yen and shows off the visual appeal of the pot.

Tsubomeshi" is a popular menu item consisting of barley rice topped with beef tongue and special green onion sauce. It was originally created as "makana-meshi," or "makanai rice," by using beef tongue offcuts from the preparation process and the core of shiragane leeks used for tail soup. The combination of the beef tongue's flavor and juices, the appetizing salt sauce, and barley rice was so well received by the Staff/staff members that it was added to the menu.
Currently, the restaurant offers the "Original Beef Tongue Tsubo-Meshi," which recreates makanai using a less fatty and chewy part, and the "Top Beef Tongue Tsubo-Meshi," which focuses on carefully selected tender parts of the beef tongue.

A popular restaurant loved not only by tourists but also by locals

The restaurant has counter seats, table seats, and a small tatami room.
The restaurant has counter seats, table seats, and a small tatami room.

We opened our restaurant in 2000, daring to choose a suburban residential area far from the center of Sendai in order to be a restaurant loved by local people. Since then, the restaurant has been supported by many people, from locals to tourists. It is sometimes chosen as a caterer for artists' concerts, and many people visit the restaurant after hearing about it.

In addition to the "Beef Tongue Pot Rice," the "Beef Tongue Yaki Set Meal" with its soft texture and "Lunch Beef Tongue Yaki Set Meal" with a smaller portion of beef tongue and two small dishes are also popular.

Local Guide Comment
The restaurant is often introduced in the media, and there is often a line of customers waiting in line around lunchtime. Early arrival and reservations by phone are recommended.
Gyuuya Tanbei
  • Address 5-1-12 Akashidai, Tomiya-shi, Miyagi MAP
  • Direction 28 min. from JR Sendai Station by car
    From Subway Izumi-chuo Station, take Miyagi Kotsu Bus. 2 min. walk from Akashidai 2-chome Bus Stop.
  • Business Hours 11:30-14:00 (L.O. 13:45), 17:30-22:00 (L.O. 21:30)
  • Regular holiday Wednesdays, 1st Tuesday of the month
  • TEL 022-772-5118
  • Parking Free of charge

Enjoy the flavor and tenderness of beef tongue grilled over charcoal!

The
The "Tan-yaki Set Meal A (4 pieces)" (2,500 yen), a royal set recommended for first-timers.

When the restaurant was established in 1988, it was the first restaurant in Sendai to introduce "beef tongue tataki" and "beef tongue sashimi" to its menu, and it became a hot topic of conversation.
The "Tan-yaki Set Meal" is a persistent favorite among tourists and repeat customers alike. You can choose from two types, 4 or 5 pieces, depending on the volume of beef tongue. The tongue is grilled slowly over binchotan charcoal, making it crispy and fragrant on the outside and plump and juicy on the inside. The hard muscle parts are carefully removed, and the unique cut brings out a soft texture while leaving the thickness intact. One bite and the concentrated flavor and juices will spread in your mouth, making you smile.

The beef tongue specialties, such as kakuni (stewed cubes) and curry, are also noteworthy.

The seats are spaced widely apart, allowing you to spend a relaxing time.
The seats are spaced widely apart, allowing you to spend a relaxing time.

For lunch, the restaurant offers a special menu that includes beef tongue with a Kakuni or Beef Tongue Curry. Kakuni beef tongue, which is so tender that it can be loosened with chopsticks and soaked in flavor, is a must-try. The rich, flavorful beef tongue curry also has a taste that only a beef tongue specialty restaurant can offer.
We also offer a satisfying lunch course meal that includes a tomato salad with a secret dressing inherited from the previous generation, popular beef tongue dishes, and dessert.

Local Guide Comment
It is recommended to visit the restaurant for lunch or dinner. The "Tan-Tataki" (tongue tataki), which is only available for dinner, is an excellent match with sake. Be sure to try the "Sendai beef loin tataki," which is only available in limited quantities.
Beef tongue cuisine Kaku Sendai Yamatomachi
  • Address 2-11-10 Yamatomachi, Wakabayashi-ku, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture MAP
  • Direction 11 minutes drive from JR Sendai Station
    Take Sendai City Bus from JR Sendai Station, get off at Shiwa-machi or Yamato-cho Miyagi no Hagi Odori (Hagi Boulevard), 10 min. walk.
    10 min. walk from Subway Wholesale-machi Sta.
  • Business Hours 11:00-15:00 (L.O. 14:30), 17:00-22:30 (L.O. food 21:30, drinks 22:00)
  • Regular holidays Wednesdays, December 31, January 1
  • TEL 022-355-8029
  • Parking Free of charge

A long-established restaurant serving Sendai beef tongue with a traditional taste

Beef tongue set meal A (3 pieces): 2,400 yen
Beef tongue set meal A (3 pieces): 2,400 yen

The restaurant is run by a proprietor who preserves the taste inherited from his predecessor. Around 1945, after the end of the war, the first owner established the current style of grilled beef tongue after many trials and errors, from the thickness of the meat and how to cut it, to the amount of salt, the heat, and the aging process.

The "Beef Tongue Set Meal" is available in three types: 3, 4, or 5 slices. The set meal is simple but full of flavor, with thick slices of beef tongue grilled to a savory perfection, barley rice, clear tail soup with a hearty portion of meat, and pickles. The aroma of the charcoal fire and the taste that has remained unchanged since the establishment of the restaurant can be enjoyed.

At-home atmosphere with a hint of Showa-era atmosphere

At the counter, you can watch the chefs grilling beef tongue over charcoal up close.
At the counter, you can watch the chefs grilling beef tongue over charcoal up close.

In order to maximize the flavor of the ingredients, the beef tongue is seasoned only with salt. Binchotan charcoal is used to carefully grill each piece of beef tongue, resulting in a crispy, aromatic surface and a plump, juicy interior. The taste is a true classic, and is the result of the skill and attention to detail of a craftsman who knows his ingredients inside and out.

Another of the restaurant's specialties is the "eel set meal," which is said to have supported the business when beef tongue became difficult to obtain due to the BSE problem in the 1980s. The kabayaki is so large that it protrudes from the bowl of rice, making it a satisfying dish that is sure to satisfy.

Local Guide Comment
The restaurant's homey atmosphere and old-fashioned atmosphere, unique to a family-run business, make it nostalgic and cozy. The restaurant has a small tatami room and counter seating, making it easy to come alone or with your family.
TASUKE TASUKE
  • Address Chimatsushima Bldg. 1F, 2-11-11 Kokubuncho, Aoba-ku, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture MAP
  • Direction 6 minutes drive from JR Sendai Station
    Approx. 20 min. walk from JR Sendai Station
    Approx. 4 minutes walk from Kotodai Koen Subway Station
  • Direction About 12 minutes from JR Sendai Station by Miyagi Kotsu Bus or Sendai City Bus
  • Business Hours 11:30 - 20:00 (L.O. 19:30)
    Closes when all meat for the day is gone.
  • Regular holiday Mondays, Year-end and New Year holidays
  • TEL 022-262-2539
  • Parking None

Enjoy barbecue of fresh beef tongue delivered directly from the factory

Set menu with beef tongue, beef halami, assorted grilled vegetables, tail soup, rice balls with five-grain rice, pickles, and dessert from 3,500 yen per person
Set menu with beef tongue, beef halami, assorted grilled vegetables, tail soup, rice balls with five-grain rice, pickles, and dessert from 3,500 yen per person

A barbecue Property operated by a restaurant specializing in beef tongue. Located close to Yuriage fishing port, you can enjoy barbecue using beef tongue and fresh local vegetables directly from the factory where processed beef tongue products are manufactured, without having to bring your own.

Beef tongue is aged for a long time and then heated at a low temperature so that it is ready to be served with only a light grilling on the surface. There is no need to worry about overcooking the beef tongue, allowing you to fully enjoy the original flavor of the ingredient. We recommend the set menu, which includes beef tongue and beef halami with rice and soup. The appeal of the set menu is that you can enjoy the different tastes of each part of the beef, such as the tongue tip and the tongue base.

You can choose a barbecue booth and menu according to the number of people and purpose of your visit.

Outdoor barbecue area with camping sites where cars can be driven in. Advance reservations are recommended for barbecues.
Outdoor barbecue area with camping sites where cars can be driven in. Advance reservations are recommended for barbecues.

The barbecue booths are divided into two areas: an outdoor auto site with a grill on each table and an indoor house area with a table-top charcoal grill. In addition to set menus, "all-you-can-eat" and "beef tongue set menus" are also available. Beef tongue and vegetables can also be ordered separately.

On the same premises, there is also a "FACTORY STAND/SHOP" that sells Jinchu products and freshly prepared beef tongue lunch boxes, and a "FACTORY RESTAURANT" that serves beef tongue set menus. It is also recommended to stop by on your way home from a barbecue and buy some souvenirs.

Local Guide Comment
Beef tongue is marinated in salted malt sauce in advance, but it is also recommended to taste it with wasabi or Sendai miso nanban (soybean paste) if you like.
Beef tongue Jinchu FACTORY GARDEN
  • Address 3-9-1 Yuriage-higashi, Natori-shi, Miyagi MAP
  • Direction 25 minutes drive from JR Sendai Station
  • Direction Take a bus from Natori Station, get off at "Earthquake Memorial Park" and walk about 2 minutes.
  • Business hours 10:30-19:30
  • Closed Closed on weekends and holidays
  • TEL 0120-70-4129
  • Parking Free of charge

MAP

Hoshino Resorts facilities nearby
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