Japan has a wide range of unique but tasty cuisine as you know,
there is no surprise that many foods you should try during your trip,
If you don’t know “Gyudon” (牛丼 ), you should try it, especially at “Gyudon” chain restaurants.
“Gyudon” is a “beef bowl”, juicy beef slices that simmered slowly with sweetened onions on the sticky rice with a savory sauce.
“Gyudon” at the “Gyudon chain restaurants” are often called “Japanese style fast food”,
You don’t require to wait for serving, and the serving way by masters will catch your eyes.
Today, I am telling you the top 3 “Gyudon” Chain restaurant and each character.
Gyudon Chains For Japanese
“Gyudon” at “Gyudon” chain restaurants have been the essential lunch food especially busy *” Salarymen” because of affordable, quick and filly.
A regular bowl cost around ¥380, the average serving time is 20 – 25 SECONDS.
Most of the chains are opened for 24 hours, 365 days, you also can take out a beef bowl so people eat it as a dinner when they don’t have time or feel lazy to cook.
It had been considered as “Men’s food” so women tended to avoid to go eat at “Gyudin” chain restaurants, however,
eating “Gyudon” became popular among young women, so chain restaurants make a variety of menus to make a place more for women and family.
*Salarymen is the Japanese word which means employees or workers in Japan.
Top 3 “Gyudon” Chains
Yoshino-ya
When people think of “Gyudon” chain restaurant”, “Yoshinoya” (吉野家) comes the first of name as it.
It is the pioneer “Gyudon” chain restaurant that started 24-hours open, quick serving time, and people call “Yoshinoya” has loved for a long time since established in 1899.
No matter how much you eat, you do not get tired of its taste.
Don’t miss the secret source that has 100 years of history.
There are still lots of fans for the pioneer “Gyudon” chain restaurant,
The white wine-based sauce added a pinch of fresh ingredients is the secret recipe of successful “Yoshinoya”.
A “Pork Bowl” (Butadon, 豚丼) is another signature rice bowl (don, 丼) menu.
- Regular beef bowl…¥380 ( Take out ¥387)
- Regular pork bowl…¥351 (Take out ¥357)
* Prices may vary by branch.
Suki-ya
“Sukiya” (すき家) has become the lead chain restaurant that blows away “Yoshinoya” from the top today.
The reasons that “Sukiya” has been successful because of the variety of unique toppings (such as cheese, Kimuchi) and other food menus (such as Fresh seafood bowl, curry), of course, affordable, and focus their new targets for women and family.
Their most popular beef bowl topping is the three kind cheese.
Until then, “Gyudon” chain restaurants had only a counter table, but “Suki-ya” started to set table seats to make the customer more comfortable.
- Regular beef bowl…¥350
- Gyudon with three kind cheese topping…¥500
Matsu-Ya
“Matsuya” (松屋) is well-known “Gyudon” chain restaurant as well as “Yoshino-Ya” & “Suki-Ya”, and only one that uses ticket vending machine system to order foods among top 3 restaurants.
Ticket vending machine system for food is very common in Japan, especially small but busy restaurants such as Ramen noodle restaurants, Chinese restaurants, Udon noodle restaurants.
(but this is why to make hard for international customers to order because the machine usually is available only in Japanese. The vending machine in Matsuya is available in English, Chinese, Korean and Japanese. Yet, it doesn’t cover partially, and also the ticket is written in Japanese.)
People use “Matsuya” more like a family restaurant due to the wide range of menu, and the best service for especially Japanese customers is “complimentary” Miso soup comes with the order.
- Regular beef bowl…¥320
- Matsuya curry & rice…¥490
Breakfast Menu
If you want to try Japanese-style breakfast reasonable,
go to “Gyudon” Chain restaurants during the breakfast service hour.
The Japanese traditional breakfast menu is a bowl of white rice, a bowl of Miso soup, a grilled fish ( the major fish is salty salmon ), Notto beans (fermented soybeans), Nori sheets and a raw egg.
It is a common way to eat rice in Japan which called “Tamago Kake Gohan”. Mix with rice, a raw egg (very safe to eat) and soy sauce and eat.
The service hour depends on the restaurants but generally from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Gyudon Jargon
There is some jargon for ordering “Gyudon” at the chain restaurant.
| Nami Mori | 並盛 | Regular size |
| Oo Mori | 大盛 | Large size |
| Toku Mori | 特盛 | Extra large size |
| Ko Mori | 小盛 | Small size |
| Tsuyu Daku | つゆだく | Extra Sauce |
| Daku-Daku | だくだく | Super Extra Sauce |
| Tsuyu Nuki | つゆ抜き | No Sauce |
| Negi Nuki | ねぎ抜き | No Onion |
| Negi Daku | ねぎだく | Extra Onion |
If you order extra sauce, the rice is going to be soupy…
Conclusion
Did you get hungry?!
I love “Gyudon” very much,
you don’t have to spend money on a unique experience in Japan.
Why not????
Don’t forget pickled ginger on the bowl!
But…
I don’t want you to blame me,
so I honestly tell you,
it is Not low-cal…
But, there are the petit size of bowl for dieters,
you can try it if you feel guilty.
I am very happy if you want to save it on Pinterest! Thanks!
