The 5 Best Japanese BBQ Spots in Singapore
Yakiniku, meaning ‘grilled meat’ in Japanese, originated in Korea and was introduced to Japan in the early 20th century. Today, it has reached Singapore and has become a popular and interactive dining experience.
Feeling spoilt for choice and not sure where to start? Bring your appetite as we embark on a sizzling adventure to search for the best Japanese BBQ spot on the island today!
How much is Japanese BBQ in Singapore?
The cost of Japanese BBQ in Singapore can vary widely depending on the restaurant’s location, reputation, and the specific menu items you choose.
More affordable Japanese BBQ places in Singapore might make you spend around S$20 to S$40 per person for a basic meal with a limited selection of meats.
Mid-range Japanese BBQ restaurants typically offer a wider variety of meats and side dishes, with around S$40 to S$80 per person for a satisfying meal.
If you opt for premium cuts of meat like Wagyu beef or dine at high-end Japanese BBQ establishments, you could spend anywhere from S$80 to S$200 or more per person.
Some Japanese BBQ restaurants in Singapore offer buffet-style dining, where you pay a fixed price for unlimited food. Prices for these buffets can range from S$40 to S$100 or more per person, depending on the quality of ingredients and additional offerings like seafood and alcohol.
How We Picked
1. Shatoburian
Website: http://shatoburian.com.sg/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shatoburian/
Address: 390 Orchard Rd, #02 – 08, Singapore 238871 (Google Maps)
Contact: +6569043308
Hours: Tuesday to Thursday, noon – 2 PM and 6 PM – 8.30 PM; Fridays and Saturdays, noon – 2 PM and 6 PM – 10 PM; Sundays, noon – 2.30 PM
Shatoburian is a wordplay on the prized chateaubriand cut, symbolising premium dining. This high-end Japanese yakiniku restaurant by the Black Carvery Group offers prime Japanese Wagyu beef and a dedicated yakiniku section with BBQ or shio marinades.
You’ll find chateaubriand, ribeye, and the hard-to-source Misuji cut on the menu, along with French caviar. The chateaubriand (S$150) here is the pinnacle of tenderness, featuring 120 grams of the finest tenderloin cut!
Shatoburian is also big on sustainability. The restaurant sources cattle from the Gifu Prefecture and offers a diverse menu with various cuts of Wagyu, following a nose-to-tail importing approach.
Located in Palais Renaissance, it’s a popular choice for celebrities, influencers, Wagyu enthusiasts, and anyone seeking a delicious yakiniku feast.
Pros
- Offers top-grade meat cuts
- Practices sustainability
- A favourite hangout of celebrities
Cons
- Pricey menu
- Closed on Mondays
Customer Reviews
Shatoburian has the ultimate best and most sumptuous Gyudon in the country
“Came here with a group of friends to indulge in beef galore. Did not disappoint. Shatoburian has the ultimate best and most sumptuous Gyudon in the country. Just look at these pics. Even the rice itself tastes better than any Japanese rice I have had before. Definitely coming back for more.”
– Vincy Sudarwo, Google Reviews
Easily one of the top 3 Yakiniku restaurants in Singapore
“Easily one of the top 3 Yakiniku restaurants in Singapore. Under Black Carvery Group and they certainly delivered the quality. Everything is fantastic, my must-order items are 1)Shato-Suki 2) Chateaubriand 3) Signature Yakiniku Don with A5 Wagyu Beef. They all taste absolutely incredible. Service is excellent and they are being very accommodating.”
– Kit W, Google Reviews
2. Yakiniquest
Website: http://www.yakiniquest.sg/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yakiniquest/
Address: 333A Orchard Road Mandarin Gallery, #04-08/09/10, Singapore 238897 (Google Maps)
Contact: +6562234129
Hours: Daily, noon -3 PM and 6 PM -10.30 PM
Yakiniquest specialises in yakiniku omakase, where you select your menu and the skilled staff expertly grills your yakiniku to perfection.
Started by Sugur Ishida; his wife, Tomoko; and several friends; it began as a mission to explore Japan’s yakiniku gems. Together, they covered over 2,000 speciality restaurants in 15 years!
Each omakase course offers carefully selected Wagyu beef cuts. We found the Nakaochi particularly fascinating. It’s a section of the ribeye that’s grilled to achieve a delightful charred texture, with abundant marbling and rich fat content.
Prices are reasonable, with options like the Lunch Omakase “Chic” starting at S$88 and featuring half a dozen beef cuts.
Its Mandarin Gallery location is easily accessible by public transportation, with nearby bus stops and the Orchard MRT station.
Pros
- Affordable premium beef cuts
- Omakase-style dining
- Accessible location
- Open daily
Cons
- Open-concept layout offers limited privacy.
- The omakase dinner requires at least one week advance reservation
Customer Reviews
Food quality was worth the price
“One of my most favourite meals. Everything was just right, not too much, not too little. Food quality was worth the price. Service was impressive – the lady who served us was friendly, yet professional and knowledgeable. The meal was very enjoyable.”
– Supatcha Denpairojsak, Google Reviews
Dinner was well paced and the variety of dishes was excellent
“First time here since they moved from their old location. The food is still top-notch, and even though they replaced the charcoal grill with a gas-powered one, I didn’t miss the charcoal as much as I thought I would. Dinner was well paced and the variety of dishes was excellent.”
– Kai Meng Goh, Google Reviews
3. Yakiniku Like (Junction 8)
Website: https://www.facebook.com/yakinikulikesg
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yakinikulikesg/
Address: Junction 8, Bishan Place, #01-40 9, Singapore 579837 (Google Maps)
Contact: +6569939384
Hours: Daily, 11 AM – 10 PM
Don’t think yakiniku should be a shared experience? Yakiniku Like understands you, as it’s a simple Japanese chain specialising in solo dining with individual electric smoker grills.
One of its most popular offerings is the Karubi and Harami Set with tender beef short plate and skirt steak. Overall, the beef pieces are succulent, tender, and doesn’t have a rubbery texture even when slightly overcooked.
Set meal prices begin at S$8.80, inclusive of meat, rice, soup, and a choice of kimchi or salad.
To minimise human interaction, Yakiniku Like has a QR code ordering system that you’ll receive when seated.
Its location in Bishan Place makes it well-connected in terms of transportation. It’s near the Bishan MRT Interchange station, which serves as a major transportation hub for both the North-South Line and the Circle Line.
Pros
- Ideal for the solo diner
- User and introvert-friendly ordering system
- Affordable set meals
- Open daily
Cons
- Not a lot of premium meat cuts
- Could get easily crowded
Customer Reviews
The server changed my grilling mesh when he saw that it was charred
“Went during off-peak hour so there was no queue. The meats were fresh and tasty, and the service was excellent. The server changed my grilling mesh when he saw that it was charred and even helped to grill when the flame got too big! Two thumbs up!”
– “K”, Google Reviews
My family loves coming to this place
“My family loves coming to this place. It’s a cheaper version of Gyu Kaku. Don’t expect much for meat quality, you pay what you get! But it’s reasonable for the price!”
– Joshua Ng, Google Reviews
4. Yen Yakiniku
Website: https://www.theyengroup.com.sg/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yen_social/
Address: 15 Ann Siang Rd, Singapore 069695 (Google Maps)
Contact: +6583600922
Hours: Daily, 6 PM – 11 PM
Yen Yakiniku has a farm-to-table concept featuring premium cuts. Its speciality is dry-aged beef along with a wide selection of hand-selected meat cuts like the Karubi intercostal, which is like garlic pork spare ribs with flavourful sesame.
It’s a cosy restaurant that seats over two dozen people at a large bar, with each group having an individual charcoal grill. It’s also the sole Michelin-recommended yakiniku restaurant in Singapore.
Instead of table-side grilling, the staff grills right in front of the customers. A unique touch is that the restaurant’s owner, Chef Jones Chen, personally cuts and marinates the meat before grilling it to perfection, ensuring no overcooking!
Located on Ann Siang Road, Yen Yakiniku is easily accessible by public transportation, with bus stops and the Chinatown MRT station nearby.
Pros
- 2019 Michelin Plate awardee
- Chef personally cuts and marinates the meat for customers
- Open daily
Cons
- In-house dry-aged cuts need to be pre-ordered
- Non-beef and seafood specialities are seasonal
Customer Reviews
Food is fabulous and perfectly grilled
“It was one of the best dining experience ever. The staff were very attentive, even offering to change my tea for me as it was no longer hot. The food is fabulous and perfectly grilled. We had sake too and although I’m not much of a drinker, it was perfect. I chose a small cup of course! The excellent dining experience and well deserved of another Michelin Star!”
– Kelvin Goh, Google Reviews
Food was amazing
“Food was amazing. We had Wagyu Striploin, Pork Jowl, Scallops, Cod Fish and Prawns. Other than the Cod which was slightly average, the rest of the food was amazing. Will definitely come again.”
– Sabrina Soh, Google Reviews
5. En Yakiniku
Website: https://www.enyakiniku.sg/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enyakinikusg/
Address: 112 Middle Rd, #01-00A Midland House, Singapore 188970 (Google Maps)
Contact: +6562555744
Hours: Monday to Thursday, 11.30 AM -3 PM and 6 PM -10 PM; Fridays and Saturdays, 11.30 AM – 3 PM and 5.30 PM -10.30 PM; Sundays, 11.30 AM – 3 PM and 5.30 PM – 10 PM
En Yakiniku, a relatively new Japanese Yakiniku restaurant and sake bar, is situated in Bugis along Middle Road. It features a spacious, neon-adorned setting, dark-themed decor, and high ceilings.
While En Yakiniku falls in the mid-price range and is pricier than typical casual Yakiniku restaurants, it provides a wide selection of premium meats, including Wagyu beef and pork.
Among its meat offerings, the standout choice is the Miyazaki beef. The Miyazaki A4 Wagyu Ribeye with shio or tare marinade has good marbling, resulting in remarkable tenderness and flavour.
Besides beef, customers can try the well-marinated Iberico Pork Collar and Spanish Pork Jowl for a change. For those who want to go the classic route, the Karubi or the US Prime Short Rib are popular choices known for their tenderness and juiciness.
Pros
- Great marbling on the Wagyu
- Also offers premium pork cuts
- Modern and spacious setting
Cons
- A bit pricey for a casual restaurant
- Could get smokey
- Confusing operating hours
Customer Reviews
Will recommend the order of meat to eat which really enhances the experience
“Good ambience. Service is great (served by friendly Connie). She will recommend you the order of meat to eat which really enhances the experience!”
– Chik Sheng Hay, Google Reviews
Food is fresh and presentation is superb
“One of the best in Singapore. The food is fresh and the presentation is superb. Worth every single cent spent. Excellent service too. The place is well maintained and the ambience is great with nice music and decor. The wide variety of Japanese food as they have two levels. Upstairs for Japanese cuisine and level 1 for Japanese BBQ. Very well-spaced seating arrangement so you don’t feel cramped. Can park your car in Bugis+, per entry after 6 pm and you can enjoy yourself for a long time there as this place is just next to it. Highly recommended.”
– Daniel M, Google Reviews