This Korean town in Ueno seems to have some of the best yakiniku restaurants around. Each place has its own unique charm, but I think the liver here is the best among all the other restaurants. The interior and exterior of the restaurant are surprisingly clean and the atmosphere is great. The foreign male staff working there is quick and speaks Japanese well. The liver is fresh and really delicious, I particularly like it cut into bite-sized pieces. The quality of the meat is just amazing! I feel lucky to be able to stop by easily, but it's always packed!

I stopped by while shopping in Ameyoko after a long time. It has been renovated and looks really beautiful now. The yakiniku around here has the best cost performance. It was a shame that the sirloin was sold out this time, but the other meats were really delicious. I want to go drinking here again!

Second stop of the day! Tokyoen in the yakiniku district of Ueno is popular, but the smoke is so thick you can't bear it (lol). The hormone dish is delicious, even though it gets smoky. Not recommended for women, but definitely tasty. I will definitely come back! It was a delicious meal. Thank you!

It's really getting hot lately and it's exhausting. It's so hot that there's hardly any time to eat lunch, and I finally managed to eat something in the evening after rushing around. I'm not working anymore today! I'm going to eat a lot of meat, so I decided to go to Tokyo En. The atmosphere here is really deep. Look at this: - Premium tongue salt ¥2,000 - Premium kalbi ¥1,600 - Premium harami ¥1,900 - Fresh toro hormone ¥1,000 - Seseri ¥800 Just look at the beauty of the premium tongue and other meats. And when you taste it, it surpasses all expectations. This restaurant comes highly recommended by Foreign Deb Hashi, and I definitely want to come back!

I made a reservation in advance and when I arrived, they said they didn't have harami and tongue, so I decided to give it a try after about a year. I ordered upper harami, upper tongue, salt harami, and others, but the salt-based ones were the most delicious. I might actually prefer the ones that are not upper grade. A regular customer next to me recommended the special liver, so I ordered it and it was surprisingly delicious with a unique taste. Next time, I think I'll go for salt harami, tongue, and liver.

Visited the restaurant with 5 colleagues from work. It was very popular and the place was quickly filled up. We heard that the harami (skirt steak) is their specialty, so we started with that. The regular harami was okay, but when we tried the premium harami, it was a whole different level! It was only about a 300 yen difference, so it's worth ordering the premium one (photo is of the premium harami). The total bill came out to 6,500 yen per person, which isn't bad, but I think it still doesn't compare to Uguisudani-en. Nevertheless, we enjoyed our meal. Thank you for the delicious food.

I visited the restaurant alone during lunchtime on a regular day. There was a sign outside saying "Open for business." When I entered the restaurant, I was immediately hit with a sharp blow: "We're not serving lunch..." I was taken aback because how can a place be open for lunch but not serve lunch? However, since I had come all the way to the birthplace of harami, I couldn't just leave. I ordered the "Harami" from the regular menu (¥1,300 before tax), a "Medium Rice" (¥200 before tax), and a "Flavored Salad" (¥600 before tax). The dishes arrived in about 5-6 minutes. I started with the salad. It looked like a generous portion in a large bowl, but it was mainly filled with sunny lettuce, so it wasn't as voluminous as it appeared. The spicy dressing was tasty. The meat consisted of five or six slices of harami, each about 5-6mm thick. The color looked good and promising. I lightly grilled them to get a nice sear, dipped them in sauce, and savored the tender and flavorful meat with a satisfying chewiness typical of harami. I opted for a medium-sized rice, which was a decent portion for lunch. After finishing the meat and rice, I had the complimentary wakame soup, and I was full. Even though there was no lunch menu, I ended up spending ¥2,310 in total for lunch, but I thoroughly enjoyed the harami at the birthplace of harami. Thank you for the meal.

I saw on TV today that Aquarius is ranked as the worst 12th place, and I had a bad feeling. I planned to eat delicious yakiniku in Ueno today, so I visited "#Kyoseien" but it was closed. I didn't want to fail, so I quickly checked the surrounding information. I was drawn to "#Origin of Harami" and "#Tokyoen" and decided to enter. During lunchtime, there was only one previous customer... I ordered the C lunch with 100g of domestic Harami for 1700 yen. Before the meat arrived, Namul, kimchi, nori, and sauce were served. The moment I saw this, I had a bad feeling. The Namul was similar to the one from a supermarket in Kansai. The lower Harami was tender but still just average in my opinion. The atmosphere was lacking energy, and the quiet restaurant made me leave in 15 minutes. This is not the fault of the restaurant! It was due to the inflated expectations from the information I had. After leaving, I checked online, but there was no mention on the website or any reliable media outlet. Perhaps it was mentioned on the website before but was removed after receiving criticism. According to some reviews, the restaurant claims to have been serving Harami since the 1970s and is considered the originator. There are probably older restaurants in Osaka offering Harami, though (laughs). #Don't rely on reviews #Tokyo 12th restaurant #Yakiniku #Ueno #Ueno Korean Town

[Overall Impression] Located about a 5-minute walk from Ueno Station, this long-established yakiniku restaurant is situated in the depths of the Koreatown-like area of Higashi-Ueno. The restaurant has received mixed reviews online, and after visiting, I can understand the reasons behind both the positive and negative feedback. The seasoning and cuts of the meat are excellent, and the quality of the meat is also good. The cooking techniques enhance the flavors. However, there were some ingredients that felt lacking, which was a bit disappointing. It is undeniable that the location has a touristy aspect, but the restaurant does have a certain level of skill. It's a bit challenging to evaluate this place. [I visited Ueno for work-related procedures at the end of the year. For lunch, I headed to Koreatown in Ueno after a long time. The restaurant I visited is probably the most famous yakiniku restaurant in the area, Tokyo En. It's located along a narrow alley, and the entrance is quite hard to find. The first floor is the kitchen, and the seating area is on the second floor. There are four table seats upstairs, and the setup is quite impressive. The interior is simple, but for some reason, there is a prominent beam running across the ceiling. And there's smoke from customers grilling meat (^_^;) The menu is quite standard for a yakiniku restaurant. There are no rare cuts, and the side dishes and drinks are standard. I have another appointment later in the evening, so I can't drink here. Let's at least enjoy some meat. - Napa cabbage kimchi, soup *Complimentary The kimchi is sour and spicy, with just the right amount of moisture, making it pleasant to eat. This kind of seasoning somehow feels very Ueno-like (^_^) The soup is probably based on beef bones with seaweed as an ingredient. It's simple but a proper yakiniku restaurant soup. Both are delicious. - Sirloin 1155 yen Recommended by the restaurant. Probably thinly sliced sirloin that has been frozen. When grilled, the juices come out. The texture and flavor are not too bad once grilled. It's decent to eat (^_^;) But when this is recommended by the restaurant, it's a bit...hmm, that's my honest impression. - Upper tongue 2200 yen It's finely cut with small cuts throughout, making it easy for the heat to penetrate. It's tender and springy, easy to chew, and incredibly delicious! No uneven cooking (^_^) - Upper harami 2090 yen Cut with a delicate knife work, it's very tender. This harami is quite delicious. The texture and cut complement each other (^_^) The original sauce is soy sauce-heavy, but the sauce in a separate dish was slightly sweet. Both taste great, so adjust to your preference. - Upper skirt 1430 yen This one also has bold knife work. It's cut so finely, almost like a lattice pattern. The meat itself is quite thick but tender with no strong taste. Add to that the delicate cut. This skirt is really delicious (^_^) - Rice (medium) 220 yen Since I can't drink alcohol, I ordered rice. Rice goes best with meat and offal. [In Conclusion] The recommended sirloin was a bit disappointing, but the other dishes were quite delicious. However, it does feel a bit expensive. The more expensive meats and offal are delicious and worth the price, but the cheaper dishes feel like you get what you pay for (^_^;) It's a famous restaurant, but the good and bad aspects are clear, so be cautious in choosing your dishes. The total bill for today was 7095 yen. Thank you for the meal.

Visited Tokyo En, said to be the birthplace of Harami. When I called to confirm the location in Ueno, they asked if I meant Tokyo En, as there are many with the same name. Ordered: Top Harami, Tongue Salt, Top Kalbi, Sirloin, Top Sirloin. The Harami, being the birthplace, was indeed delicious. Other cuts were just average. The Top Kalbi had decent marbling but was thin with little substance. Overall, everything was thinly sliced, so it may appeal to some. Probably won't revisit.

Lunch■Manpuku Crunch ¥1,300 (tax included) Located in the Koreatown of Higashi Ueno, known as the oldest Koreatown in Tokyo, is the yakiniku restaurant "Tokyo En". It is famous for being the birthplace of harami meat. I visited during lunchtime on a weekday. I arrived before 12 o'clock, but it seemed that they were turning away customers on the phone and in person, possibly due to the limited lunch menu options, and they even turned down a call that came in at 12 o'clock, haha. If you go for lunch, I recommend going early. The restaurant has two floors, and I was seated on the second floor. Even though it was a weekday, many people were enjoying their meal and grilling their meat from noon. Somehow, I mistakenly chose the hormone from the "Manpuku Crunch" lunch menu. I wanted to eat kalbi, but it was too late. Normally, the meat is served in 100 grams, but for the Manpuku Crunch, it comes in 150 grams. The lunch set includes white rice (free refill), seaweed soup, kimchi, nori, and assorted namul. The hormone is seasoned with miso. It is grilled starting from the skin side to create a nice char. The seasoning has a good saltiness to it. It goes well with the sharp yakiniku sauce. The heat of the roaster was a bit unstable, making it a bit tricky to grill. If you want to refill your rice, please come down to the first floor, they said, haha. A long-established yakiniku restaurant known for harami. I definitely want to try their harami next time.

After finishing my errands in Ueno, I visited this place that I had been curious about for a while. It's said to be the birthplace of Harami. As a Harami lover, I really wanted to go to this restaurant. I ordered Upper Harami and Upper Tan. Looks good - check! Grilled nicely - check! When I tasted it, it was so delicious that I almost cried! I also wrapped it in lettuce. So good! There were many other menu items that caught my eye, but since I was dining alone and focusing on Harami today, I decided to stop here for now. One thing to note is that the second floor is a tatami room, so my legs got a little tired. But the taste wins, so I'll find another opportunity to visit this yakiniku restaurant. Highly recommended! Thank you for the meal!

Kalbi fat has a good texture. The taste of the meat is as expected. The harami sashi is beautifully marbled, melting in your mouth while still retaining a rich flavor. The texture is similar to tongue. It has a mild chewiness. The hormone assortment includes shouchou, heart, liver, tripe, and sagari liver, with the heart and liver being particularly memorable. They have a nice texture and a meaty flavor. Various types of kimchi like oi, kakuteki, and petchu are slightly sweet and perfect for pairing with alcohol. The changjajang is flavorful, with a rich taste similar to meat miso. This is delicious. The atmosphere of the restaurant is cozy, with small tables on the first floor and a traditional Japanese seating area on the second floor. The proximity to other customers may be a personal preference.

I felt like eating yakiniku in the evening, so I went to this restaurant in Higashi Ueno. Even though I was alone, they welcomed me in. There were two 4-person tables on the first floor. The second floor seemed to have tatami seating. I ordered beer, kimchi, liver, and harami. They quickly brought me the beer and kimchi. I took a sip of the beer and thought it was delicious. The kimchi had a nice level of spiciness. The harami was in block form rather than sliced, and when grilled, it was really tasty. The liver was chewy and delicious. After finishing my meal, I really wanted to eat tongue with salt, so I ordered it along with another beer. They changed the grill and brought the tongue. Grilling it, squeezing lemon over it, and taking a bite was pure bliss. When I left, the second floor was reserved, and the other table on the first floor was also full. It's a popular place. I was satisfied and will definitely go back again.

The second visit to a yakiniku restaurant in Dong Ueno Korean Town was at "Tokyo En" located in a back alley right behind the previously visited Basyamakan. The restaurant is run by a couple and has a small layout with seating on the second floor as well. Initially planning to have lunch, I was informed that lunch is only available on weekdays and not on weekends or holidays. A bit disappointing, but I switched gears and ordered a la carte menu items - Harami and Hormone assortment. Tokyo En is known as the birthplace of Harami, so ordering Harami was a must. As expected from the birthplace of Harami, the tenderness and quality of fat were excellent! The Hormone assortment included liver, heart, large intestine, and small intestine - all fresh and chewy. The liver, as well as other items, were well-prepared with no unpleasant smell, showcasing the meticulous work of the owner. Despite having a ventilation fan on the wall, there was no duct above the grill, resulting in a lot of smoke and flames when grilling the Hormone. This traditional yakiniku experience added to the charm of the restaurant. Overall, I enjoyed delicious Harami and Hormone at this long-established yakiniku restaurant.

I came to Tokyoen, famous for its Harami, after finishing my business in Ueno. I ordered Tan Shio Harami, Aburi Roast Special, Liver Hormone Assortment, and Grilled Vegetables. Harami is truly the best - thick, tender, and delicious. The special liver was so fresh and melted in my mouth when lightly grilled. Everything was excellent. Thank you for the feast.

This is East Ueno/Chinatown. Pachinko maker, Korean food store, butcher shop, and yakiniku restaurant line up here. In a deep location in the back alley, there is Tokyo En, a yakiniku restaurant. It's just past 1 pm on a weekday. When you open the door, smoke fills the air. The renovated, clean interior still retains the atmosphere of the Showa era. The Hormone (150g) lunch set for 1,300 yen (with rice, soup, namul, seaweed, kimchi) is delicious. The hormone is placed on the grill from the skin side to prevent it from burning. Be careful not to put too much, as the fat can sizzle. Is this Kopchan or Shimachou? Either way, the fat is delicious. The sauce is relatively spicy. The wakame soup, namul, and kimchi are also tasty. Very satisfying.

When it comes to the two major settlements in Higashi Ueno, one is the pachinko showroom and the other is yakiniku (Japanese BBQ). Among the numerous yakiniku restaurants, today's choice was Tokyo En. Originally, I wasn't planning on having lunch, aiming for the hormone platter, but when I opened the door, the first thing I heard was "We don't do lunch, is that okay?" I didn't even know they had lunch, so it was more like a lucky find to come during the day instead of just at night. But once I heard that, I became curious about what their lunch menu was like. Perhaps they weren't serving lunch due to the New Year's business, or maybe they don't have lunch at all, I'm not sure. Today they weren't serving lunch, so I couldn't see the full picture. There were only two tables on the first floor, and one was already in use. I was led to the other table, and the first floor was full. There is a staircase, so with this seating capacity, I imagine there must be a second floor as well. I wonder what it's like up there. I had decided on the hormone platter as planned, but since freshness is crucial for offal, which they only serve at night, it seemed they hadn't received their shipment yet. They mentioned it was past 2pm. They had liver and mino available, but I didn't feel like eating a lot of mino, so I chose liver and kalbi instead. Later I saw reviews mentioning their harami (skirt steak) was famous. I didn't have enough information and made a mistake. First, the kalbi and rice were served! Now, for the taste... I was so hungry that I accidentally placed one piece of kalbi on the rice before taking a picture (^◇^;) The kalbi was a bit smaller in the photo. Still, this was the portion. Even though I placed it in the middle to cook, the meat didn't sizzle right away. They said, since the roaster has fire coming from both sides, unlike charcoal, you have to place the meat on the edge to cook. I quickly moved it to the edge, and it started sizzling. I prepared a small plate with sauce and gochujang, and once the kalbi was cooked, I dipped it in. This gochujang was quite spicy. It was one of the spiciest I've had among the yakiniku restaurants I've been to. However, the sweet high-quality fat from the kalbi beautifully balanced out the spiciness. The meat had cuts to make it easier to eat, which was also noteworthy. I almost finished the rice. The liver also had a good portion, but the popping texture was slightly weaker. Still, it was delicious. This restaurant offers delicious yakiniku. I heard rumors from a long time ago that it was an incredibly delicious place, but I didn't feel that way. Next time, if available, I'll try their lunch first before aiming for the harami or hormone platter. Lastly, thank you for the soup service. ( ^ω^ )

"Tokyo En" is a long-established yakiniku restaurant located in a corner of Ueno, the oldest Korean town in Tokyo (also known as Kimchi Yokocho). The atmosphere here feels like time has stopped, with a retro charm that will appeal to fans of Showa-era nostalgia. This restaurant is run by Japanese people in a Korean town, and while it is famous for being the "originator of harami," the truth of this claim is uncertain. But that doesn't really matter. The rivalry over who started first is not important to customers; what matters is whether the food is delicious or not. The interior of the restaurant is surprisingly clean, with a stark contrast to the back alleys. You have to take off your shoes and go up to the second floor seating area. Everyone is lively and noisy, with smoke filling the air and a small grill on each table. This is the ideal setting for a town yakiniku experience. However, they don't serve draft beer, so we toasted with bottled beer. The restroom used to be a shared one in the alley, but now it's on the third floor of the restaurant. The menu offers a limited selection of yakiniku cuts like kalbi, loin, tongue, and harami. We opted for the standard cuts for our first visit. Here's what we ordered and ate: - Kimchi platter (1,000 yen): Served on three separate plates, with a slightly sweet seasoning. - Tongue (1,400 yen for 2 servings): Sliced roughly with a knife, a good size and texture, easy to eat. - Harami with salt (1,200 yen for 2 servings): Not too thin, with a good amount of fat and a fine texture. Tasty harami. - Horse meat yukhoe (1,000 yen) - Harami with sauce (1,400 yen for 2 servings): The sauce is underneath the meat, not soaked in it. The sauce is not overpowering but adds depth to the flavor. - Top mino (1,300 yen): Easy to eat with a crispy texture. - Geta salt kalbi (900 yen): Tender with a rich flavor, best enjoyed with rice. After eating and drinking, the bill came to around 23,000 yen for 3 people (about 7,700 yen per person), which is quite reasonable for the quality and atmosphere of the yakiniku. Recommended for those who want to enjoy an atmospheric yakiniku experience in Ueno. Thank you for the meal.

At "Tokyo-en" in Higashi Ueno, Taito-ku, we had yakiniku for our year-end party. The area around Higashi Ueno is a well-known Korean town with Korean grocery stores and barbecue restaurants. The premium liver here was lightly seared and then dipped in sesame salt oil, making it delicious to eat.