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    Lion, Restaurant in Imari
    Restaurant
    Tabelog 2025

    Lion

    Niricho Ozato Otsu, Imari

    Restaurant in Imari, Japan

    SaveMark VisitedBook with Pearl

    The Read

    Price

    $30–50per person

    Dress

    Casual

    Why go

    Lion is Imari's only Tabelog 100-recognized teppanyaki venue, offering counter-cooked beef at ¥6,000–¥7,999: double the price of the city's next-tier options but far below Tokyo equivalents. The 23-seat counter anchors the experience; weekday lunch offers the best chance for walk-ins. Worth booking for occasion dining in a city with few upscale alternatives.

    About Lion

    Lion is a restaurant in Imari with a spend of JPY 6,000–JPY 7,999 and casual dress code. It is also listed in Tabelog 100 - Steak / Teppanyaki - WEST - 2025, giving diners an external recognition point to consider when planning a meal in the city.

    Planning the Visit

    Lion is best understood through the basics: Imari location, JPY 6,000–JPY 7,999 spend, casual dress code, and Tabelog 100 - Steak / Teppanyaki - WEST - 2025 listing. Those details make it a straightforward choice for planning a meal in Imari.

    Navigating the Imari Dining Landscape

    For diners comparing options, Drive-in Tori Imari ten, misa*rosso, Kate cuore, Restaurant Chimney, Shitamachi no Yoshoku Jidaiya, and other dining rooms can be considered alongside Lion where relevant. Lion's point of distinction is its Tabelog 100 - Steak / Teppanyaki - WEST - 2025 listing.

    This positioning makes Lion a candidate for diners who want a restaurant in Imari with category-specific recognition. Use the award category as the main cue for its positioning.

    What the Price Delivers

    At JPY 6,000–JPY 7,999, Lion has a spend range that visitors can use for planning. Anchor expectations around the price band, the casual dress code, the Imari location, and the Tabelog 100 - Steak / Teppanyaki - WEST - 2025 recognition. Ask the restaurant directly about specific sourcing claims, chef biography, seating format, beverage program, and detailed menu structure.

    Lion serves lunch and dinner Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 11:30 AM–1:30 PM and 5–8:30 PM, and Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 AM–2:30 PM and 5–8:30 PM; it is closed Wednesday.

    Venue detailsLocal Sourcing
    Know before you goBefore you book
    Recognition and awards1 source
    Also considerAlternatives
    Restaurant contextImari, Japan

    Planning details

    Hours
    Monday: 11:30 AM–1:30 PM, 5–8:30 PM · Tuesday: 11:30 AM–1:30 PM, 5–8:30 PM
    Location
    86-3 Niricho, Imari, Saga 848-0035, Japan
    Website
    imari-lion.com
    Phone
    +81 955-23-9772
    Explore ImariNearby
    Around this placeMore Pearl picks

    Venue details

    Ambiance

    Warm, old-school steakhouse atmosphere with counter teppan seating where guests can watch steaks and hamburg steaks cooked on the iron griddle; casual and welcoming, popular with both locals and visiting families.

    Tags

    Vibe

    CozyClassicLively

    Best For

    Date NightFamilyGroup Dining

    Experience

    Chefs CounterOpen KitchenStandalone

    Sourcing

    Local Sourcing

    At the Table

    Dress Code
    Casual
    Noise Level
    Conversational
    Service Style
    Casual
    Meal Pacing
    Standard
    Capacity
    Small
    Kitchen
    Comfort cooking
    Menu Format
    A la carte, Set menu, Counter dining
    Drinks Focus
    Beer, Sake, Soft drinks
    Dietary
    Pescatarian friendly

    Signature Dishes

    • Special Wagyu Fillet Steak set
    • Imari beef steak
    • Hamburg steak grilled on teppan
    Know before you go

    Know Before You Go

    Getting there
    86-3 Niricho, Imari, Saga 848-0035, Japan

    Planning details

    Hours

    Monday
    11:30 AM–1:30 PM, 5–8:30 PM
    Tuesday
    11:30 AM–1:30 PM, 5–8:30 PM
    Wednesday
    Closed
    Thursday
    11:30 AM–1:30 PM, 5–8:30 PM
    Friday
    11:30 AM–1:30 PM, 5–8:30 PM
    Saturday
    11:30 AM–2:30 PM, 5–8:30 PM
    Sunday
    11:30 AM–2:30 PM, 5–8:30 PM

    Location

    86-3 Niricho, Imari, Saga 848-0035, Japan · Directions

    +81 955-23-9772

    imari-lion.com

    Recognition and awards

    Also consider

    Also Consider

    • Restaurant Chimney, JPY 3,000 - JPY 3,999 JPY 3,000 - JPY 3,999 View spending breakdown, JPY 3,000 - JPY 3,999 JPY 3,000 - JPY 3,999 View spending breakdown
    • Kate cuore, Italian, Italian
    • Drive-in Tori Imari ten, JPY 2,000 - JPY 2,999 - JPY 999, JPY 2,000 - JPY 2,999 - JPY 999
    • Shitamachi no Yoshoku Jidaiya, JPY 2,000 - JPY 2,999 JPY 2,000 - JPY 2,999 View spending breakdown, JPY 2,000 - JPY 2,999 JPY 2,000 - JPY 2,999 View spending breakdown
    • misa*rosso, JPY 1,000 - JPY 1,999 - JPY 999, JPY 1,000 - JPY 1,999 - JPY 999

    Restaurant context

    Lion sits alone at the top of Imari's dining hierarchy. Restaurant Chimney charges half (¥3,000–¥3,999) but lacks award credentials and serves Western-style plates rather than teppanyaki. For Italian, Kate cuore offers a change of format at mid-range pricing, though it skews casual and better suits lunch than special occasions. Budget diners will find Drive-in Tori Imari ten (¥2,000–¥2,999) functional for quick meals, but the quality gap is significant, think highway rest stop versus destination restaurant.

    The real comparison point lies outside Imari: Tabelog 100 steak venues in Fukuoka or Nagasaki charge ¥10,000–¥18,000 for similar counter formats and provenance-driven beef programs. Lion undercuts that tier by 30–40% while holding the same award, making it the value play for teppanyaki enthusiasts willing to drive into Saga Prefecture. If you're already visiting Imari's kilns or Okawachiyama pottery village, Lion is the logical dinner anchor. If teppanyaki is the sole reason for the trip, Fukuoka's deeper roster offers more variety at higher expense but easier booking through hotel concierges.

    For regulars, the calculation is simpler: Lion is the only game at this quality level within 30 minutes. Kate cuore works for weeknight variety, but when the occasion calls for tableside-cooked beef and the theater of counter service, Lion has no local peer.

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    FAQ

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What are alternatives to Lion in Imari?

    Restaurant Chimney, Kate cuore, Drive-in Tori Imari ten, misa*rosso, and Shitamachi no Yoshoku Jidaiya are named options that may be useful for comparison where relevant. Lion's main distinction in this comparison is its Tabelog 100 - Steak / Teppanyaki - WEST - 2025 listing.

    Is Lion good for a special occasion?

    Lion may be considered for a more planned meal in Imari because of its JPY 6,000–JPY 7,999 spend and Tabelog 100 - Steak / Teppanyaki - WEST - 2025 recognition.

    What should a first-timer know about Lion?

    First-timers should know that Lion is in Imari, has a spend of JPY 6,000–JPY 7,999, has a casual dress code, and appears in Tabelog 100 - Steak / Teppanyaki - WEST - 2025. Lion serves lunch and dinner Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and is closed Wednesday.