Known for its sudden rise in popularity due to curling, Kitami is a city where food lovers associate with yakiniku, especially with many popular and affordable restaurants offering fresh and delicious offal meats. Visiting Kitami after a long time, I asked locals for gourmet recommendations, and they suggested that I must visit the classic "Kokuen" restaurant. Among their recommendations, the "Jou Gatsu" (pork version of top mino) was a must-try, so I made a reservation and visited. Despite it being a weekday, the restaurant was bustling, and I enjoyed dishes such as the crispy and flavorful "Jou Gatsu," the rich and excellent "Hiyo Horumon," the meaty and delicious "Jukusei Sagari," the juicy and plentiful "Nama Maru Horumon," the unique and generous "Moyashi Namul," the juicy and plentiful "Eringi Yaki," the sweet "Kimchi," the fluffy and balanced "Tamago Kuppa," the refreshing "Hiyashi Chuka," and of course, plenty of beer. Everything was delicious, with the recommended "Jou Gatsu" being surprisingly delicious and surpassing my expectations. The "Nama Maru Horumon" and "Tamago Kuppa" were also the best I've ever had. The cost performance was great, and I even thought about trying solo yakiniku at the counter next time, not only for the delicious meat but also for the refreshing smiles and attentive service of the young staff, creating a warm atmosphere. Although I thought about trying solo yakiniku at the counter, I couldn't help but wish for a day when I could go with a larger group to try all the dishes I still want to taste. Thank you for the wonderful meal, I definitely want to visit again when I go to Kitami.

On Sunday night, the goal was to go to "Yakiniku Michi Shoku" but it was closed. Later found out it's closed on Sundays, haha, should have checked on Tabelog. Anyway, ended up going to this place. Looks expensive from the outside but inside, even dining alone felt comfortable. Let's eat and drink! - Sapporo Draft Beer (medium) x 2: ¥550 each - Specialty Ice-Finished Raw Hormone: ¥450 - Hanamino: ¥900 - Aged Beef Kalbi: ¥980 - Medium Rice: ¥300 - Aged Beef Sagari: ¥980 - Raw Upper Hormone: ¥750 - Salt Lemon Sour: ¥500 The signature dish "Ice-Finished Raw Hormone" was truly delicious. It had a clear and elegant taste. The other meats were also high-quality, with the Kalbi having so much fat that the sauce couldn't stick to it. The sauce is said to be free from artificial flavorings and colorings, with a slightly sweet taste, maybe from onions or honey. It wasn't satisfying for me, so the rice didn't disappear quickly. As for the service, with such good meat and atmosphere, I expected a more appropriate level of service.

During the Obon holiday, I went to an all-you-can-eat restaurant. I made a reservation by phone about two weeks ago and arrived right when they opened. Today, it seems you couldn't enter without a reservation. As a light drinker, I opted for the all-you-can-eat with soft drinks for ¥4,000. The ice-cold raw hormone was delicious! The salted hormone was also delicious. The sagari was a bit thick. Is it okay to start with the best meat first in terms of order? Thank you for the meal. The parking lot is not next to the building, but a little further away. You can get a stamp at the restaurant for free parking.

Yakiniku!! Ajikoen is a famous restaurant in Kitami with locations scattered around. There is also one in Sapporo. But if you come to Kitami, it's best to visit the main branch♡ I recommend going for the all-you-can-eat and all-you-can-drink option! They start with a platter of assorted meats which includes delicious cuts like top kalbi and lamp, but unfortunately these are not included in the all-you-can-eat menu that follows.

In Kitami, there are many yakiniku (Japanese BBQ) restaurants, with Kitami being known for having the most yakiniku restaurants per capita in Japan. One of the popular restaurants is Kitami, which is directly managed by a butcher shop. The Kitami yakiniku set, which includes 15 types of meat, can be ordered for 2 people starting at 3000 yen. For an additional 1000 yen, you can add aged premium cuts of meat, such as thick slices of beef tongue. The meat is fresh and thick, making it very delicious. Some of the highlights were the thick slices of Hokkaido beef tongue, kainomi (skirt steak), sasami (chicken tenderloin), and premium kalbi (short rib). The juicy and sweet onions, which drip with water when grilled, are a must-try in Kitami. The egg soup and rich beef tail soup were also delicious.

When it comes to Kitami, it's all about yakiniku. I visited this yakiniku restaurant for dinner with a friend in Kitami. I didn't know my way around, so I just followed their lead. The restaurant was located on the top floor of a building, and at first, I felt a bit suspicious, but the inside was a cozy yakiniku place. We ordered various cuts like tongue, kalbi, harami, as well as bibimbap and cold noodles. We ended up drinking too much beer. Eating out in Hokkaido is already cheap, but in Kitami, it's even cheaper and delicious. I currently live in Tokyo, and you can't find such affordable and tasty food there. I was so impressed that I even thought about moving to Kitami. If you ever visit Kitami, be sure to try the yakiniku.

On a night in Kitami City, Hokkaido, about an hour from Memanbetsu Airport, we decided to try a local restaurant recommended for its affordable and delicious meat. We opted for the all-you-can-eat BBQ and all-you-can-drink deal for 5000 yen. The meat was surprisingly fresh and plentiful, with a great variety to choose from. The must-try items included beef sagari and hormone, both of which were included in the all-you-can-eat menu. The beef sagari, which is the diaphragm of the cow, had a thick and satisfying texture. The hormone, sourced locally from nearby farms, was incredibly fresh. We were advised to enjoy the red meat with sauce and the white meat with salt, grilled over charcoal and paired with beer or a megasour for a blissful dining experience. We also ordered the thick and aged lamb and more hormone dishes, leaving us fully satisfied. It was a fantastic night in Kitami with delicious food and great value for money. I would love to visit again.

Visited at 8:00 PM on June 3, 2023. "Ajikanen" is a long-established yakiniku restaurant founded in 1968, operating in Hokkaido with a focus on aged meat, fresh offal, and purchasing whole Koshimizu Wagyu cows. Today, I visited their main store. The main attraction was the all-you-can-eat and drink (120 minutes) for a great value of ¥5,000 including tax. Since it was a Saturday night, I made a reservation just in case. They also have a regular menu, so I will mention how cost-effective the all-you-can-eat option was. First, I ordered a "Mega Lemon Sour" for ¥980. *The regular Lemon Sour is ¥500, so this is an estimate from the grand menu. Before the all-you-can-eat menu, I was served a piece each of "Thick-cut Tongue, Kaimei, and Upper Kalbi." *These are not included in the total calculation. The first order consisted of 9 items: "Aged Sagari ¥980," "Salted Aged Sagari ¥980," "Aged Kalbi ¥980," "Salted Aged Kalbi ¥980," "Beef Liver ¥700," "Beef Tongue End ¥500" *This is an estimate as it is not on the grand menu, "Wagyu Intestines ¥750" *This is an estimate as it is not on the grand menu, "Salted Onion ¥350," "Chinese Cabbage Kimchi ¥450." The meat was of high quality, with no compromises, and just as delicious as the items on the grand menu. I was already quite full at this point. I added more orders: "Aged Lamb ¥780," "Aged Sagari ¥980," "Aged Kalbi ¥980," "Thick-cut Pork Sagari ¥680," "Spicy Cabbage with Cod Roe ¥480," "Medium Rice ¥300," "Pepsi Cola ¥300." As the 75-minute order stop approached, I finished all the orders and left in just under 120 minutes. When calculated using the grand menu, the total would have been around ¥12,150, but I got it all for ¥5,000 flat! It was delicious. Thank you for the meal.

This was my first time in Kitami City. I stayed at a city hotel and decided to enjoy outdoor dining at night. After doing some research, I found out that Kitami is known as a city of yakiniku (Japanese BBQ). I made a reservation at a popular restaurant in Kitami where you can have all-you-can-eat and all-you-can-drink for ¥5000 per person. Kitami is particularly famous for its horumon (offal) yakiniku. The seating time is 120 minutes with a last order at 75 minutes, so I was too busy eating to take any photos while waiting. The meat was delicious, especially when eaten with just salt and pepper as that is the Kitami-style yakiniku. It was really tasty! The dessert menu looked good too, but I decided to go to another bar before heading back to the hotel for late-night soba noodles. The restaurant was fully booked on a Friday night, indicating that it is well-loved by the locals.

Hormone ordered raw hormone and giblets, raw hormone tastes slightly pungent when eaten with salt and pepper, but it actually adds to the flavor. Giblets tasted good with salt sauce. People from Kitami prefer sagari over kalbi, and sagari was indeed delicious. The unexpected onion salad was a nice surprise, and the cold and refreshing tsukemen-style noodles paired well with the grilled meat. The beer was Sapporo, but it wasn't the classic version.

Visited on Saturday night (19:20) after making a reservation by phone. Purchased a discounted "Meat Coupon" for ¥2,500 at the hotel before coming. The restaurant was crowded with families and tourists, probably because it was a Saturday. After having my temperature checked and using hand sanitizer at the entrance, I was seated at a table. I started with a draft beer and maruchou, then enjoyed the delicious Kitami yakiniku with the coupon.

- Ordered Aged Negi Shio Tan for 1280 yen, Aged Beef Sagari for 980 yen, and Kitami-style Eight Internal Organs Platter for 1180 yen. The Negi Shio Tan included parts close to the tip of the tongue, which was satisfactory for the price. The Sagari left a lingering internal organ smell. Would like to order it again on my next visit to confirm. The Eight Internal Organs Platter had delicious 1. Shima Chou and 2. Maru Hormone. Mainly consisted of pork internal organs, which were well-prepared. Overall, good value for money.

When you come to Kitami, the first day has to be yakiniku! I probably visited Ajikoen main store for the second time! I ordered a platter of beef and pork hormones, as well as a local order called sagari of beef and pork! (laughs) Last time I visited, I saw a poster for Medon and ordered it for the finishing touch. Yep, yep! The tamagodon is definitely a winner (*^ω^*) And the onions are even more delicious than the meat!

I visited Ajikoen in Hokkaido (from Kitami to Sapporo) on a business trip. They offer a all-you-can-eat and all-you-can-drink plan for 5,000 yen per person (as of November 2022). The restaurant is known for its famous yakiniku, so I was excited to finally have a yakiniku dinner there. The entrance had a sign for the all-you-can-eat and all-you-can-drink menu, which we ordered from. The interior had a retro atmosphere with counter seats, table seats, and tatami mat seating. We chose a table seat. A local friend showed us how to eat yakiniku the Kitami way, starting with kainomi, which was followed by various cuts of hormone, kalbi, lamb, and tongue from the all-you-can-eat menu. The fresh hormone was a highlight, unique to Kitami yakiniku. The meats were not heavily seasoned, allowing us to enjoy the natural flavors, mostly with salt. We also tried their specialty dish called Medon, which is basically a bowl of rice topped with a perfectly cooked sunny-side-up egg and a delicious sauce. It paired well with the meat. Overall, the cost performance was excellent, and we had a great time enjoying a delicious meal. Thank you for the wonderful experience.

On a business trip to Kitami, I had a solo yakiniku experience. Luckily, the counter was empty probably because it had just opened. I started with a draft beer, followed by onion salad to prepare my palate, and then an assortment of 8 internal organs. The flavors were simply amazing. Next, I had thick-cut aged Japanese beef sagari! The more I chewed, the juicier it got – full of flavor! I had another draft beer and some kimchi. The miso-toro-horumon was incredible! What a lineup of dishes. I couldn't rush through this meal. The miso-toro-horumon was irresistible! I wanted rice! Should I get steamed rice or fried rice? I went with fried rice. It was delicious! I poured the leftover sauce on it to make the ultimate fried rice! The Kitami Ajikoen main store is so considerate even for solo diners. I finished off with salted ice cream for a refreshing ending! I definitely want to go back!

Kitami City is famous as a yakiniku town in the northern land, and one of the well-known restaurants there is Ajikoen. I recently tried the three signature dishes of Kitami yakiniku - beef sagari, lamb Genghis Khan, and pork horumon. This restaurant serves large portions, so if dining alone, be cautious of ordering too much. However, it could be a great choice for groups. After exploring various yakiniku restaurants in Kitami, I found that I am not a big fan of the Kitami-style yakiniku without pre-seasoning. I prefer when the meat is seasoned by the restaurant to enhance its flavor. At Ajikoen, I found that the meat was a bit bland when cooked without any seasoning, and I wished for a more flavorful punch. However, the "meat bowl" was exceptional. It is a dish unique to Kitami, consisting of rice topped with a fried egg and sauce. It perfectly concluded my yakiniku experience, and I highly recommend it as a must-try dish in Kitami. If you visit Ajikoen, be sure to order the meat bowl along with your meat dishes for a satisfying meal. I run a blog called "Yakiniku Encyclopedia," where I record my experiences dining at yakiniku restaurants across Japan. Feel free to check out my blog for more information on other yakiniku restaurants.

I visited the restaurant the night before my visit to the "Kamino-ko Ike" pond. I had to wait for about 30 minutes for a table as I didn't have a reservation. It was very crowded. As for the parking, it seems that the location marked as "4-5" for valet service was correct (up to 2 hours free). Our order included 2 servings of green onion rice, rich salt harami, Kitami-style eight internal organs platter, regular salted omelette, 2 glasses of orange juice, katsugen, and Calpis. I usually don't like vegetables, but I had no trouble eating the salted omelette. I think I once managed to eat a piece of onion in the past. The eight internal organs platter had some items I had never seen in my residential area, and I was very satisfied. The cost performance of all the dishes was excellent! (I didn't expect the total to be around 4500 yen for this amount of food). The only drawback was that there were no bells, so it was difficult to place additional orders, but other than that, I am very satisfied. Thank you very much for this experience.

This is my second trip to Eastern Hokkaido this year. Before returning the rental car and boarding the limousine bus, I will have some yakiniku (horumon) in Kitami to end my journey. The restaurant opens at 5:00 PM and the limousine departs from Kitami Station at 6:30 PM, so time is limited. Plus, yakiniku in Kitami is very popular, so making a reservation is a must. The location is a bit far from the station, about a 10-minute walk, and slightly away from the city center (arcade). Be mindful of the limousine schedule. The restaurant is on the 6th floor of a high building, with a white noren curtain that says "Horumon Yaki" - the atmosphere is great. The interior is deep inside the building, with main floor seating for 4-person tables, 5-6 person tables, and counter seats. The staff is hospitable and quick to respond to empty plates and glasses. For a quick meal, I ordered the Kitami-style horumon with 8 types of offal, using onions for vegetables and focusing on Sagari meat. The Sagari meat, especially the aged beef Sagari, was delicious with a unique richness. The meat is cooked over charcoal and enjoyed with salt and pepper, or dipped in a fruity, sweet sauce with garlic. The meal ended with pouring the remaining sauce on rice, a classic Kitami-style finish. The quality of the meat is quite good compared to other restaurants. PS. Kitami is known for its onions, and even a regular order comes with a generous amount.

The main store of the famous yakiniku restaurant "Kagakuen", representing Kitami. Recently renovated, the exterior is modern and beautiful, located on the 6th floor of a building. The spacious interior has a total of 77 seats, with a cozy atmosphere that you can feel the warmth of wood. It is easy for families with a large number of people to use. Even for solo diners, there are counter seats with partitions so you can focus on the meat. The menu is fantastic, ranging from classic items to value-packed assortments, rare cuts you may have never heard of before, and premium cuts like Ichibo. Additionally, they offer all-you-can-eat courses for solo diners, which is a great point. For example, ▷All-you-can-eat (¥4000) ▷With alcohol (¥5000) ▷75 minutes order stop, seats available for up to 120 minutes. Perfect for those who want to eat heartily. ▶Sapporo draft beer (¥550) ▶Kitami-style internal eight kinds assortment (¥1180) ▶Ice-closed raw hormone (¥450) ▶Salted egg omelet regular size (¥350) ▶Medon (¥450) ▶Solron ramen (¥880) Total ¥3860. This time I ordered the above items individually, unfortunately, there is no bottled beer available. ◇Kitami-style internal eight kinds assortment The assortment contents vary daily, with 2 cuts of 8 different internal organs each. The contents of the day were Wagyu heart, heart base, gizzard, Wagyu small intestine, white nankotsu, upper hormone, and tongue. You can enjoy a variety of cuts in small amounts, feeling the freshness. ◇Medon When in Kitami, you must try the local donburi, and the highlight is the sunny-side-up egg bowl. The appearance is very simple. Soft-boiled egg, finished with seaweed, seasoned with yakiniku sauce that penetrates into the rice. This is incredibly delicious. ◇Solron ramen I planned to end with Medon, but I couldn't resist and ordered the ramen that caught my eye. The soup, simmered slowly for a long time, is thick with the umami of vegetables and meat, rich and flavorful. It has a sweet and spicy taste with plenty of onions, and the chewy medium-thick noodles cling to the soup. Adding sansho pepper for flavor enhancement, it becomes incredibly delicious. Additionally, the Kitami-grown onions seasoned with salt dressing are very sweet. The draft beer, enjoyed with raw hormone, was exceptionally delicious. ◆Summary I have been to Kagakuen in front of Hokkaido University's main gate before, but the long-awaited main store is still amazingly delicious. Kitami is a yakiniku town with many yakiniku restaurants, but Kagakuen is definitely recommended. Make a reservation in advance and try visiting not only on weekends. Instagram@moritapan7 There are also videos.

I wanted to eat something by myself on a regular night, so I decided to go for yakiniku since Kitami is famous for its horumon (offal). Sometimes it can be difficult to dine alone or the restaurant might be crowded, but the person on the phone was very helpful and I felt reassured to visit. I was recommended the eight kinds of offal platter, and since I love offal, I was excited to try a variety of them. The platter had a few different items listed on the menu, so I imagine locals enjoy trying different things. Each type of meat had its own unique flavor and was delicious. Grilling the onions marinated in salt sauce along with the meat helped cut through the richness and was very refreshing. The restaurant also had very thorough COVID-19 precautions in place and was clean. Thank you for the meal!

In Kitami, I chose this place recommended by the hotel staff for yakiniku. The restaurant had a nice sign, good ventilation, and thorough COVID-19 precautions. The staff were friendly and helpful. The meat we ordered was delicious, just like in the photos! The portions were generous and the value for money was great. Yakiniku on a rainy day in summer at 17 degrees Celsius is the best! Thank you for the meal~