11 best yakiniku restaurants in Singapore for a grilling good time

Did you know that yakiniku, which is literally translated to “grilled meat” in Japanese, is conventionally believed to have been brought to Japan by Korean immigrants who settled in Osaka? 

Despite adopting the same grilling style as Korean BBQ, yakiniku focuses more on premium cuts of meat, such as A5 wagyu and Kobe beef, to create a divine meal that’s centered around the natural flavours of the meat. 

There’s just something about the sizzling sounds of meat that’s utterly satisfying, and if you’re starting to get hungry, we’ve got you covered. From wallet-friendly casual options to fancy Japanese restaurants, here are our top 11 picks for the best yakiniku restaurants in Singapore.

1. Yakiniku Like

If you ever thought that yakiniku (or BBQ in general) could only be eaten with a group of friends, Yakiniku Like is here to prove you wrong.

This no-fuss yakiniku chain from Japan specialises in solo dining, with individual electric smoker grills which allow customers to dine alone. By the sides are tables with shared grills for two, which cater to larger groups of diners.

More importantly, its fast food concept means that yakiniku is now affordable, with solo sets starting from S$9.80! You can find Yakiniku Like at several malls in Singapore, such as PLQ Mall, Suntec City, VivoCity, AMK Hub and Junction 8.

Those on a budget can try Yakiniku Like’s cheapest set option— Pork & Chicken Set (S$9.80 for 100g). It comes with pork belly and chicken thigh, and is accompanied by rice, soup, kimchi or salad. Note that Yakiniku Like offers free upsize for its rice.

One of its best-sellers is its Karubi & Harami Set. Karubi is beef short plate while harami is skirt steak, and both cuts are well known for its tender and flavourful marbling. Get the 100g version for S$13.80 or if you’re hungry, try its 200g version for S$20.80.

For those who love marinated cuts of meat, Yakiniku Like also offers Sukiyaki Karubi Set (from S$11.80) and Garlic Butter Karubi Set (from S$11.80).

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2. YAKINIQUEST

How obsessed are you about yakiniku? Not as much as the founders of YAKINIQUEST, I’m guessing.

In a bid to eat through the very best of Japan’s yakiniku eateries, Suguru Ishida and his wife, Tomoko, have dined at over 2,000 yakiniku restaurants in Japan over the span of 15 years. You can call it their gastronomic quest for the best yakiniku ever— thus its name.

YAKINIQUEST first opened in Boat Quay in 2015 and in 2022, it shifted to its latest location in Mandarin Gallery.

YAKINIQUEST specialises in yakiniku omakase, so all you have to do is pick your choice of menu and leave the rest up to its skilled staff, who will grill your yakiniku to perfection.

For an up-scale yakiniku restaurant, it’s surprising to note that YAKINIQUEST’s menus start from very reasonable prices. For example, its Lunch Omakase “Chic” (S$88++), which includes a starter and salad, 6 different cuts of beef, cold noodles, and a dessert. Even its Lunch Omakase “Appetite” is priced at S$128++, considering you’re given 7 types of beef, such as its signature “yakisuki” and wagyu aburi sushi.

There are 2 dinner menus: Dinner Omakase “Classic” (S$138++) and Dinner Omakase “Quest” (S$188++), both of which serve wagyu appetisers, its signature niku somen, and premium cuts of wagyu.

333A Orchard Road, Mandarin Gallery, #04-08/09/10, Singapore 238897
+65 6223 4129
Daily: 12pm – 3pm & 6pm – 10.30pm
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3. Syohachi Yakiniku

Fancy an all-you-can-eat yakiniku buffet? Head to Syohachi Yakiniku, which is located on the ground level of Guoco Tower.

Its buffets start from S$28.80++ per person, and depending on which category and time slot you’re going for, the prices can go all the way up to S$88.80++ per person.

Most folks come to Syohachi Yakiniku for its Premium A5 Japanese Wagyu Ala Carte Buffet. Prices for this category start from S$46.80++ per child and go up to S$88.80++ per person for dinner.

Lasting 120 minutes, you can order as much meat as you want, including its A5 wagyu platter, which comes with 5 different parts— wagyu knuckle, wagyu brisket, wagyu bite sized, wagyu round and wagyu chuck.

While you might be inclined to stick solely to the wagyu meat for pure value, my biggest advice would be to even it out with different cuts of meat, such as its Thick Slices Pork Belly served with Salt and Chicken Thigh served with Yuzu Zest and Peppers, as the fattiness from the wagyu does get quite jelak after awhile!

5 Wallich Street, Guoco Tower, #01-13, Singapore 078883
+65 9431 8804
Daily: 11.30am – 11pm
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4. Tajimaya Yakiniku

At Tajimaya Yakiniku, prepare yourself for an unparalleled authentic Japanese charcoal grill experience in a welcoming ambience. With a high-performance exhaust system that effortlessly handles the smoke, the restaurant offers a delightful and interactive ‘hands-on cooking’ and dining adventure, enabling you to grill your choice of exquisite meats right at your table.

For the ultimate feast, relish in Tajimaya Yakiniku’s renowned all-you-can-eat Premium Wagyu Buffet (S$49.90 from Mon to Thu). The top-quality Australian Wagyu beef is sourced with the highest grading, with an impressive MS5/6 beef marbling score. This means that every bite offers a more indulgent, denser, and creamier sensation compared to other beef grades— just the thought of it is making my mouth water!

To balance all that umami luxuriance, there’s also a range of over 40 unique and delectable side dishes to choose from to keep your premium buffet experience going— perfect for the ‘Gram. There’s Potato Cheese Mochi, Truffle Tonkotsu Ramen, Garlic Fried Rice, Onsen Tamago and Spicy Kani Salad, just to name a few.

Seasonal à la carte platters including a Premium Seafood Platter featuring air-flown seafood from Japan (varies weekly based on availability) will be available exclusively to diners who opt for the Premium Wagyu Buffet.

The Taijimaya Yakiniku Platter (S$228.80 for 2 pax) has a total of 9 cuts of premium meats including M5 Miyazaki Striploin, A5 Kagoshima Nakaochi Karubi Ribs Finger and Japanese Kurobuta Pork Collar. The set menu includes house salad, san chu, sashimi, tempura, chawanmushi, miso soup and garlic fried rice.

For a list of locations, contact numbers and opening hours, click here.
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5. Wa-En Wagyu Yakiniku

Hailing from Hong Kong, Wa-En Wagyu Yakiniku first opened in Jewel Changi Airport in Nov 2022. This famed yakiniku restaurant has over 20 years of experience grilling wagyu meat in Hong Kong, and has even earned itself a spot in Hong Kong’s Michelin Guide in 2016 and 2017.

Wa-En Wagyu Yakiniku specialises in a particular type of A4 and A5 wagyu that’s flown in from Miyazaki, Japan. Also known as Miyazakigyu, this exquisite wagyu is known for its snowflake marbling. It’s also been used as the winning prize in Japanese sumo competitions!

The one platter you must try is its Luxury Wagyu Beef Platter (S$158). It comes with 4 types of wagyu: Miyazaki wagyu sirloin, Miyazaki wagyu ribeye, deluxe Miyazaki marbled wagyu karubi and premium Australian thick-cut wagyu beef tongue.

You can also choose to order its Miyazaki wagyu à la carte, such as Australian Wagyu Karubi in Grilling Sauce (S$23) or Premium Miyazaki Wagyu Chuck Roll (S$35). For a more value-for-money option, go for its Wa-En Premium Course Set (S$88 per pax), which will entitle you to 13 items, including 6 types of meat.

78 Airport Boulevard, Jewel Changi Airport, #01-224, Singapore 819666
+65 6246 7488
Daily: 11am – 10pm
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6. Yakinikutei Ao-Chan

Hidden within Concorde Hotel along Orchard Road is Yakinikutei Ao-Chan. This quaint Japanese restaurant is well-loved by many thanks to its authentic vibes, as well as its delicious, high quality yakiniku. I loved its cosy booth seats, which made me feel like I was in Japan again.

Not to mention, it has great lunch sets starting from S$28.80++ per pax, which allow you to satisfy your yakiniku cravings without breaking the bank.

Whether or not you’re in the mood to order à la carte cuts of meat, such as its Akami Ox Tongue (S$12.80), Wagyu Stick Karubi (S$28) or Japanese Pork Belly (S$15.80), or go for its all-encompassing Prime Beef Course (S$45.80), a meal at Yakinikutei Ao-Chan promises to be utterly satisfying.

Don’t belittle its hidden location, because Yakinikutei Ao-Chan is said to always be full! So be sure to make a reservation prior to going down to avoid being disappointed. 

100 Orchard Road, Concorde Hotel, #02-22/26, Singapore 238840
+65 6735 6457
Mon to Fri: 12pm – 2.30pm & 6pm – 10.30pm
Sat & Sun: 4pm – 10.30pm
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7. The Hitsuji Club

Walk along Circular Road and you’ll find The Hitsuji Club thanks to its noticeable noren, which sports its name in Japanese.

As its name suggests (hitsuji means lamb/mutton in Japanese), The Hitsuji Club specialises in lamb. In fact, it’s the first Jingisukan (Japanese grilled mutton dish) specialty restaurant in Singapore, with lamb directly from Hokkaido.

While we’re used to thin cuts of marbled A5 wagyu with typical yakiniku restaurants, The Hitsuji Club is where you head to if you’re craving thicker, meatier cuts, such as its Premium Lamb Chops (S$24), which you can grill directly on the hotplate to the doneness of your choice.

There are also other types of lamb, such as the Special Fillet (S$23), Special Loin (S$23) and Sauce on Jingiskan (S$24). If you’re dining in a larger group, I advise that you order the Premium Jingiskan with Lamb Chop Set (S$70), as it comes with 3 types of lamb, mushrooms and vegetables.

65 Circular Road, Singapore 049419
+65 6221 3789
Mon to Sat: 6pm – 10.30pm
Closed on Sun
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8. ROCKU Yakiniku

ROCKU Yakiniku, located on the 4th floor of Bugis+, serves up yakiniku in style. In fact, it’ll allow you to rock to modern music (thus “rock-you” yakiniku) while enjoying your yakiniku thanks to its live bands!

Its entertaining live bands will perform a range of upbeat music, such as Korean, Japanese and even Mandarin Pop-Rock songs. The music might get a tad loud at times, so you’ll need to talk louder when speaking to your friends.

At ROCKU Yakiniku, enjoy an all-you-can-eat Buffet (from S$24.90++), which will entitle you to unlimited servings of more than 30 types of meat, appetisers, salads and vegetables and desserts. These range from U.S. Short Plate to Beef Chuck Roll, as well as Smoked Duck and Pork Collar.

Feeling bougie and want to go for more premium cuts? Opt for ROCKU Yakiniku’s Premium Buffet (from S$52.90++), which grants you access to exclusive cuts like Australia Wagyu Short Plate, Hoso Tiger Prawn and Salmon Sashimi. Each table will also get 1 ROCKU’s Yakiniku Platter, which has stellar cuts like Miyazaki Chuck Short Ribs.

201 Victoria Street, Bugis+, #04-06, Singapore 188067
+65 6634 3313
Daily: 11.30am – 10.30pm
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9. Waa Cow! Yakiniku

Remember Waa Cow!, the well-loved restaurant that sells flame-torched wagyu beef bowls? They’ve created a new dining concept, Waa Cow! Yakiniku, which specialises in grill-it-yourself yakiniku. 

Frankly, given their expertise in wagyu, this came to us as no surprise when they officially opened at myVillage at Serangoon Gardens on 1 Sep 2022.

From Karubi (S$9.90) to Gyutan (S$19.90), Waa Cow! Yakiniku offers a carefully curated selection of meat that’ll satiate you. There are also combos such as Trio Beef (S$25.90), which offers karubi, tongue and sirloin, and Trio Meats (S$10.90), which has karubi, pork collar and chicken. 

To complete your yakiniku experience, order Waa Cow! Yakiniku’s Signature All Dips Platter. For S$3.90, you’ll get to enjoy a tasting flight of 5 sauces: mentaiko sauce, truffle sauce, spicy miso and leek relish, sweet sukiyaki with onsen egg, and wasabi mayo.

1 Maju Avenue, myVillage, #02-10/11, Singapore 556679
+65 9836 0693
Daily: 12pm – 10pm
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10. Hey! Yakiniku

The next time you’re at Bugis Junction, walk along the road-facing shops on the first floor to find Hey! Yakiniku, a casual yakiniku joint that serves wallet-friendly grilled meats.

Hey! Yakiniku offers a total of 9 yakiniku set menus, all of which come with rice, soup, kimchi or salad and spicy bean sprouts. Pick from a wide range of cuts, such as the popular Karubi Set (S$16.90 for 200g) or Sukiyaki Karubi Set (S$13.90 for 100g). You can also try its combination sets, like the Duo Prime Set (S$17.90 for 100g) which comes with boneless short rib and beef short plate.

More importantly, Hey! Yakiniku prides itself on a smokeless yakiniku experience that won’t leave you saturated with the heavy scent of oil and barbecued meats after your meal. Not to mention, they also don’t charge GST or service charge, which makes their already affordable meals even more worth it!

80 Middle Road, Bugis Junction, #01-92/96, Singapore 188966
Daily: 11am – 10pm
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11. Yakiniku Warrior

Whoever said that yakiniku could only be served in fancy restaurants has never seen Yakiniku Warrior, aka Singapore’s first coffeeshop-style yakiniku joint. 

Expect a no-frills yet satisfying experience when you’re here at its Geylang East Central coffeeshop, and while there might not be air-conditioning or fancy seats, its affordable prices more than make up for it.

In a manner that’s almost similar to mookata, Yakiniku Warrior serves up incredibly affordable yakiniku.

To get the most bang for your buck, go for its Karubi Set (S$7), which features 100g of U.S. beef short plate. Alternatively, go for its Grade A Premium Karubi Set (S$15), which uses luscious melt-in-your-mouth U.S. short ribs. 

À la carte options are also available in the form of Wagyu Steak (S$17 for 120g) and Harami (S$5 for 50g). Psst! there’s also Gyu Tan (S$12 for 100g), an off-menu item which only their regulars know about; don’t say bo jio.

121 Geylang East Central, #01-90, Singapore 380121
Mon & Wed to Fri: 12pm – 2pm & 3.30pm – 10pm
Tue: 12pm – 2pm & 4pm – 10pm
Sat & Sun: 3pm – 10pm
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