Today I had lunch in Ueno. I decided to try going to the Koreatown in Higashi Ueno. Unfortunately, the yakiniku restaurant I was looking for was closed. So, I found a nearby restaurant called "Gyuu Star" and decided to try their yakiniku lunch set called "Aimori Set" which came with kalbi, loin, and harami. It was a generous portion of 250g and had good value for money, but the meat was thickly cut which made it a bit difficult to eat. It was a shame.

I visited the restaurant for lunch alone on a regular day. It was my first visit. I ordered the "Aimori set meal" from the lunch menu for 1,800 yen including tax. I asked for oolong tea as my drink. It arrived in about 5 minutes. The set included a total of 250 grams of three types of meat - kalbi, harami, and loin, which was quite a generous portion for lunch. I requested for gochujang and garlic. The gochujang was in a bottle and had a liquid-like consistency. As for the garlic, it came in a small glass jar and had a cream-like color, not like the usual grated garlic. When I dipped the cooked meat in the sauce and tried it, the taste was... sweet, like butter. I've never had sweet butter-flavored grilled meat before, and it just didn't sit well with my taste buds. If the garlic they brought was not just regular garlic but mixed with butter, I wish they had mentioned it when serving. Also, the loin was quite tough, and it had a taste reminiscent of liver, with a slightly bloody taste. Eating meat that tastes like liver was another surprise. Honestly, I didn't find it delicious. The set meal came with rice, a mini salad, namul and kimchi, soup, and a soft drink, along with the substantial amount of meat, all for 1,800 yen including tax. The cost performance may be good, but I don't think I will visit again. No offense intended.

It's rare to have yakiniku for lunch in this area, as there are many yakiniku restaurants around! This place also offers donburi dishes, with prices around 1000 yen. The most expensive option is the special mix for 2000 yen, but even with regular cuts like harami or tan, you can get a free extra portion of rice and be satisfied. The lunch set comes with salad, kimchi, namul, and a drink. There are usually seats available on the second floor, so it's easy to get a table even on short notice. They serve the food quickly, which is convenient. It's a smoking-friendly restaurant, so that's something to consider based on personal preference. This time, I had the harami set. The meat was thick enough to be satisfying, and I left feeling content.

I visited the restaurant during lunchtime as they use Iwate beef. The interior of the restaurant gives a clean impression. There are seating options on the first and second floors, both with smokeless roaster tables. There are 19 lunch sets available, and I chose the beef kalbi set. The beef itself is delicious, but both the pre-coated sauce on the meat and the sauce provided at the table are quite sweet. In my opinion, when using high-quality Japanese beef, which already has a slight sweetness in its fat, there is no need to make the sauce so sweet. It feels like a waste when using such quality beef.

The third installment of the Dongueno Korean Town Series is a visit to "Gyustar" for the first time. This shop specializes in Iwate beef, and this time I ordered the Tokumori lunch menu for 2,000 yen. The set includes four types of meat - beef loin, harami, kalbi, and pork kalbi (in that order) totaling 300g, along with salad, soup, kimchi & namul, and one soft drink, all for a very reasonable price. The amount of meat on the plate is quite generous, and the quality of the meat is also impressive for a lunch set. In particular, the kalbi is well-marbled and tender. The pork kalbi is also carefully prepared with cuts, showing attention to detail. Among the many longstanding Korean barbecue restaurants in the area, Gyustar may be one of the newer establishments, but it can certainly hold its own against the more established ones.

First time visiting. Smoking allowed on the first floor. However, it's a yakiniku restaurant so it wasn't too smoky. They have a decent variety of yakiniku options and a good selection of drinks. The interior is spacious and the seating, like sofas, was comfortable. There's also a second floor, suitable for large group gatherings. The reason for the low rating was the staff. Some seemed to have poor language skills, which is understandable, but their service was also quite sloppy. During payment, they said the credit card machine wasn't working and that they don't provide receipts, only receipts. The gum near the cash register was so dirty that I regretted touching it. I wish they were more organized.

Near the famous Eiju General Hospital in Ueno (a hospital that worked hard during the early stages of the corona pandemic!), there is a bustling area full of yakiniku restaurants. The level seems pretty high here. I was originally aiming for a nearby restaurant, but they said, "If you want lunch, you can go to the place next door," which was a nice touch. I'll definitely go there next time! So I entered this restaurant. I was taken to the second floor. I chose the Kalbi set meal for 1,000 yen. Oh, and the rice is free for a large serving. Alright, I'll have that. However! First, Namul, soup, and rice were served. The rice looked pretty good. Oh, is it not good to have a good-looking rice in a diverse place? Wait, what's diverse? What's that? The soup was served in a miso soup-like bowl. The Namul was all delicious. Oh, the meat is taking a while to arrive (sweat). Maybe they're busy? While I was thinking that, the salad arrived. Oh, so there was a salad (laughs). The salad came five rooms later. Then the meat arrived right away. It was thick. And it seems to have marbling, right? Nice, nice! However, when eating the salad, it was surprisingly hot. It seems like the grill's heat is strong. So, let's hold the salad plate while eating it. Otherwise, it'll feel like a punishment game (laughs). The meat had a sweet taste and I was quite satisfied. It left an impression of having a bit too much fat, but they used good quality meat. I had an oolong tea for my drink. It was the right choice because I wanted something refreshing. I had a hard afternoon, so I'm grateful to have eaten plenty of meat and carbohydrates here. Thank you for everything. It was delicious.

I went to Ueno Koreatown after browsing military uniforms at Nakata Shoten in Okachimachi. I wasn't looking to drink alcohol, but rather wanted to fill my mouth with greasy goodness and wash it down with beer. So, what better choice than yakiniku, right? I randomly chose Gyu Star. I didn't feel like ordering little by little, so I opted for the all-you-can-eat course. Despite my frugal nature, I couldn't help but calculate in my head. Still, yakiniku in Japan is definitely tastier than in Korea. Maybe yakiniku is actually a Japanese dish. It's not related to taste, but there was a burnt hole in the seat...

[Location] The restaurant is located in a corner of a yakiniku street just a little south of Showa Street, beyond Ueno Station. [Store, Interior] This yakiniku street (just my own opinion) seems to have existed since just after the end of the war. The shops are lined up like row houses, and the toilets are shared. It's about the size of Omoide Yokocho in Shinjuku. There are mostly yakiniku restaurants, but also butcher shops, Korean food ingredient stores, and similar shops. [Cuisine] Around the third day of the new year, I suddenly felt like eating meat (laughs). Assuming that they wouldn't be open, I decided to visit the yakiniku street and found a few shops open for lunch, including the restaurant "Gyuu Star." The lunch menu is quite varied. I ordered the "Aimori" set for 1800 yen, which includes a generous 250g serving of beef kalbi, loin, and harami. It also comes with rice, soup, salad, and kimchi. It was a great way to start the new year with some yakiniku. [Beverages] A drink was included with the lunch, so I chose a cola. [Service] The front staff were women, and the kitchen staff were men. I was surprised to see the restaurant quite busy, wondering who would have yakiniku for lunch on New Year's. Well, I guess everyone gets cravings for yakiniku. I hope this review helps you choose a restaurant.

A restaurant located near Ueno Station in the Korean town, known for its concentration of yakiniku restaurants. I ordered the beef harami set lunch for 950 yen, which came with salad, namul, soup, rice, and a soft drink - a great deal. The meat portion was quite generous and cooked on a gas stove.

I recently got hooked on GyuStar for an early dinner. I was the first one there because I arrived early. Today, I wanted to eat a lot of pork belly, so I ordered extra. The pork belly here is thick and even when cooked crispy, it still has a good size which is great. I started by grilling garlic nicely and then moved on to the beef tongue with salt. It was very fatty and the seasoning was just right, very delicious. The galbi was as tasty as ever. It was my first time ordering the Comtangkuppa, and it had a lot of rice and a little soup, making it quite filling. This place has really delicious samgyeopsal. The three types of miso sauce have a taste of celery or cilantro, which goes really well with the pork belly. I wish they sold the sauce separately. It would go well with cucumbers, lettuce, or anything. I ended up very full. Thank you for the meal.

I recently got hooked on the lunch at Gyu Star for yakiniku. In these times when many Korean town restaurants are refraining from business, it is reassuring that Gyu Star is always open. They are operating with shortened hours, but I hope they continue to do well. The restaurant was as popular as ever when I entered, but thankfully I managed to get a seat. I ordered the Kalbi set meal for 1000 yen, while my companion ordered the Harami set meal for 900 yen. Once again, the Kalbi with plenty of marbling arrived. The fat was so deliciously sweet! It was tender and the fat was so tasty, providing a moment of happiness. I couldn't stop eating because it went so well with the rice. My companion seemed to really like the Harami. It was delicious. Thank you for the meal.

I went to Gyu Star in Ueno's Koreatown for the first time at night. Finally, the alcohol ban in Tokyo was lifted, so I could enjoy beer with my yakiniku after a long time. The nighttime menu was new to me, and surprisingly very affordable. I ordered a beer, and some meat dishes. The salted beef tongue was fatty, tender, and perfectly seasoned with salt and pepper. The wagyu kalbi was incredibly tender with a sweet fat. The garlic yakiniku was just the right size and thickness. I was happy with the generous portion of lettuce. The pork belly was crispy with a delicious miso sauce that had a hint of cilantro, which complemented the meat well. Everything was delicious and great value for money. I was completely satisfied. Thank you for the meal.

This is my visit to the restaurant for the umpteenth time. I had lunch at Gyustar. I ordered the beef kalbi lunch for 1000 yen (comes with soup, salad, rice, three types of kimchi, and a drink). My companion ordered the chicken, pork belly, and pork loin lunches. We arrived a bit late, so the restaurant was not crowded. The salad and drink arrived first. Soon after, everything else came out. Oh! Today, instead of the usual beef broth soup, they served miso soup. When I mentioned it to the staff, they explained that they try to change things up a bit for the regular customers who come in daily, even if it's just the soup, to keep things interesting. It was a thoughtful gesture and made me happy. The miso soup had seaweed, green onions, and sweet potatoes in it and was delicious. The meat looked amazing with marbling and got me excited. As expected, it was super delicious! The meat was sweet! I left feeling very satisfied. Thank you for the meal.

I revisited Gyu Star for lunch. It was my first time being seated on the second floor as the first floor was reserved for a private party. I ordered the Beef Kalbi Set for 1000 yen. My companion ordered the Mix (Pork Kalbi, Pork Belly, Chicken Thigh) 300 grams for 1500 yen. The set meal included salad, kimchi namul, green vegetables, beef broth soup, meat, rice, and a drink all for just 1000 yen including tax! The dishes arrived promptly. It had been a while since my last visit, and I was pleasantly surprised by the thick slices of beef with lots of marbling. It made me happy just looking at it. While waiting for the meat to cook, I enjoyed the kimchi and salad. Everything was delicious. I'm not a fan of rare meat, so I made sure to cook it thoroughly before taking a bite. The slices were so big that I thought about asking for scissors, but I was able to easily cut it with my teeth. The meat was incredibly tender. The fat from the meat was so sweet and satisfying. It was a very satisfying lunch. Thank you for the meal.

Beef kalbi set meal for 1,000 yen. Located in Koreatown in Higashi Ueno, about a 10-minute walk from the office, we decided to have a yakiniku lunch. Unfortunately, the restaurant we originally planned to visit, "Tokyo-en," was closed for the day. So, we decided to try this nearby restaurant instead. We arrived at 11:40 am with two colleagues. There were 3 customers already inside and 3 more came in after us. Although they had 19 lunch menu options, we quickly decided on the beef kalbi set meal. We also ordered hot coffee, which came with the meal. The portion of kalbi meat was 100g, which seemed a bit small. We asked about getting an extra 100g, but it would have cost an additional 700 yen, so we stuck with the regular portion. We were served a salad and hot coffee first. After about 8 minutes of waiting, our meals arrived. The kalbi meat, with a good amount of marbling, was delicious and tender. One of my colleagues ordered the harami set meal and we ended up trading a piece. The harami was tasty but didn't quite compare to the kalbi. Overall, we were satisfied with the meal. The 100g portion was actually enough for me, a light eater. We finished with a cup of coffee and left feeling content. Had a delicious meal on February 24, 2021, during lunchtime. Rating: 3.06

I wanted to go to Koreatown in Higashi-Ueno, but Tokyo-en was already finished with lunch when I arrived, so I had to give up. I ended up going to the neighboring yakiniku restaurant, where they offer large portions for rice, which was nice. I originally planned to order the 200g meat set meal, but it was around 2000 yen, so I decided to go with the 950 yen loin set meal instead. The meat was tender and very delicious! The sauce was also sweet, which I liked, so I left satisfied. Thank you for the meal!

On the first floor, there were 5 tables available. If you are in a group, you will have more conversation. I was seated at a table where chopsticks were set, but was asked if I had a reservation. I moved to another available table. I ordered the Kuppa set meal instead of BBQ because my stomach wasn't feeling well. There were some smokers, but the smoke didn't bother me at all. The food was served with kimchi, salad with sesame dressing, and a generous portion of rice. The dish was packed with meat, eggs, and vegetables, which were all delicious. Overall, I was satisfied with the food. The only downside was the service, which could be improved due to the large number of customers.

Beef Kalbi set meal for 1,000 yen (including tax) with drink, salad, soup, and pickles included. Lately, I've been curious about Koreatown. There are some great lunch deals available here and there. So, I headed to this quite large building that stands out on the corner. I entered just after 12:30 pm and was surprised to find that the place was much smaller inside than it appeared from the outside. The first floor was full, so the staff directed me and another solo male customer to the second floor. Up the stairs, I found that there were only a few tables - 5 tables for 4 people, 2 tables with a roaster, and 3 regular tables. I had planned to have yakiniku that day, but almost ended up sitting at a table without a roaster, so I quickly moved to a table with one. The solo male customer also chose a table with a roaster. There was only one menu on the second floor, so I waited for the male customer to order before receiving my menu. Before ordering, a salad and pickles were brought to the table along with water. After ordering, miso soup was served. I decided to start with the salad, which was dressed with sesame dressing and quite tasty. Then, I ordered a small portion of rice and the meat, which looked delicious. The meat was tender and flavorful, with 7 slices served. It was already seasoned, so no additional sauce was needed. I grilled the meat and tried a piece with rice - it was so delicious and tender. However, it was difficult to chew through, but I didn't mind as it was so tasty. The miso soup, which was full of ingredients like seaweed, tofu, carrots, and green onions, was left untouched until the rice and meat arrived, so it had cooled down and lost some flavor. By the time I finished eating, the place was empty, and I had the whole second floor to myself. I tried to call the staff for coffee, but there was no response at first. Eventually, they brought me a hot coffee, which seemed to be instant. I enjoyed my time there and realized they also had harami lunch and beef tongue set meal options, which I would like to try next time. I would definitely visit again.

Do you know that there is a small Korean town behind Gyuu Yakiniku Gyu Star Ueno (on the east side after crossing Showa Street)? The number of shops has changed quite a bit, and the number of stores has decreased, but there are many delicious shops known to those in the know. Gyuu no Star is definitely delicious. The shop that used to be there before was also delicious. I couldn't decide what to eat, but I ended up choosing my favorite Harami with a large portion of rice. I didn't go for seconds because I had plans to eat more later, but it was so delicious that I wanted to try the all-you-can-eat option at the shop in the future.