01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
Over tabletop charcoal grills, Yamagen highlights the pure savory richness of beef with simple salt seasonings. The signature Jo-Tan Shio uses only the tender base of the beef tongue, best enjoyed lightly touched with dipping salt. For skirt steak (harami), the menu offers both Kuroge Wagyu Tokujo Harami and Jo Harami, letting guests compare textures and degrees of marbling according to preference.
A key pleasure of dining here is exploring the finely categorized cuts. Options span rich, heavily marbled cuts like zabuton (chuck flap), sirloin, and sankaku (tri-tip), alongside rarer lean choices such as rump, ranbon, kamenoko (lower round), and megane (pelvic lean). For dining in pairs or groups, combination platters provide an easy entry point, including the Yamagen Mori featuring sirloin and skirt steak, or the Shio no Nikumori combining beef tongue, harami, and shimacho (large intestine) seasoned with salt.
Horumon (offal) holds an equally prominent place on the menu, covering small intestine, akasenmai (abomasum), and shimacho. Well-prepped starters round out the meal, from fresh senmai sashi (beef omasum sashimi) and house-made namul to crunchy salted cabbage. Drink choices range from draft beer and Chita highballs to red, white, and sparkling wines, allowing diners to select a pairing that cuts through richer cuts or accents sauce-glazed meats.
Located in Ogikubo 4-chome, Yamagen opens for dinner from 17:00 in the evening until 23:00 at night. Diners gather around charcoal grates at relaxed table seating, tasting the contrasting textures and flavors across various cuts of beef.
