Ushikoi Ikebukuro

Restaurant Details

The Ushikoi — meaning “cow love” — yakiniku restaurants are popular all over Tokyo, but perhaps nowhere more so than in Ikebukuro. Why specifically Ikebukuro? It’s common for manga artists to celebrate a successful publication, or for idol fans to end a concert night with yakiniku.

But idol fans, aspiring manga artists and many more Ikebukuro frequenters have one thing in common: most of their money goes right into their passions and hobbies, meaning that the price of said yakiniku becomes a major factor. This is where Ushikoi’s value proposition makes it extremely appealing: cost-effective yakiniku that doesn’t sacrifice quality for affordability.

This philosophy makes Ushikoi’s anonymous founder, “Koinosuke,” a real superhero to the aforementioned. Appropriately, Koinosuke only ever appears in a full Superman-esque outfit, complete with cape, with a paper lantern on his face to obscure his identity.

More than anyone else, Koinosuke understands the struggle of not being able to afford yakiniku. Growing up in a lower-income household that could only afford to indulge in yakiniku once a month, he made it his life’s mission to make yakiniku an everyday luxury for the common man.

This resulted in the first Ushikoi restaurant being founded in 2012 in Kanda, with a clear focus on providing not the most fatty and marbled meats, but those that would give the best price-performance ratio — meaning lean meat.

Just because it’s leaner doesn’t mean it’s any lower in quality, though. Koinosuke sources his meat from the finest wagyu producers in western Japan, incorporating some of the finest brands from suppliers based in regions famous for their wagyu beef, like Saga, Kagoshima and Miyazaki Prefectures.

Each cut at Ushikoi is chosen for its “lean flavor,” and is prepared in a manner that brings out the characteristic flavor of that specific cut of meat. This emphasis on lean meat makes the restaurant popular with women and athletes, or those looking to indulge in a lot of yakiniku without feeling too guilty afterwards.

Perhaps the dish at Ushikoi that best reflects this philosophy is the “Peace Beef.” Dubbed “pure edible protein,” the Peace Beef is a hand-cut piece of beef that is said to have half the fat of a typical beef loin, and an even deeper flavor. Another popular item is the “neginchu,” which is chopped green onions in spicy sauce, wrapped in cuts of meat — an explosion of spice, umami and pure lean meat flavors in a single bite.

Ushikoi Ikebukuro Remarks

• Guests with dietary restrictions and/or food allergies should inform the restaurant beforehand. The restaurant might not be able to accommodate guests who make same-day requests.

• Guests are requested to note that the restaurant may not be able to accommodate certain dietary restrictions.

• The course menu content listed below is an example, and is subject to change based on seasonal availability.

• The restaurant cannot always guarantee that it can provide guests with their preferred seating options after a reservation due to availability.

• The pictures provided are for illustrative purposes.

Ushikoi Ikebukuro Business Days

Ushikoi Ikebukuro Address

The Kindai 01 Ikebukuro, 7th Building, 2nd Floor, 1-13-11 Higashiikebukuro, Toshima City, Tokyo, 170-0013

Ushikoi Ikebukuro Access Info

• Ushikoi Ikebukuro is located a 5-minute walk from the East Exit of Ikebukuro Station.

Ushikoi Ikebukuro Phone Number

Ushikoi Ikebukuro Cancellation Policy

Cancel your reservation at least 3 days before the dining start time to receive a full refund minus a 3.2% transaction fee.