Lion
Niricho Ozato Otsu, Imari
Restaurant in Imari, Japan
Book with PearlThe Read
Price
JPY 6,000 - JPY 7,999 JPY 6,000 - JPY 7,999 View spending breakdown
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 listed 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.
For detailed service policies and room configuration, confirm directly rather than assume from older or informal listings. If seating style, group arrangements, payment, or timing matters to your visit, check with the restaurant before setting plans.
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, and ask the restaurant directly about signature dishes, chef details, seating count, or a tasting-menu format.
What the Price Delivers
At JPY 6,000–JPY 7,999, Lion has a listed spend range that visitors can use for planning. Anchor expectations around the listed 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's listed hours include lunch and dinner service on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 11:30 AM–1:30 PM and 5–8:30 PM; Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 AM–2:30 PM and 5–8:30 PM; and closure on Wednesday. Practical details should still be checked directly before visiting, especially if seating preference, group size, or schedule will affect the meal.
Planning details
- Location
- 86-3 Niricho, Imari, Saga 848-0035, Japan
- Website
- imari-lion.com
- Phone
- +81 955-23-9772
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
Best For
Experience
Sourcing
At the Table
- Dress Code
- Casual
- Noise Level
- Conversational
- Service Style
- Casual
- Meal Pacing
- Standard
- Capacity
- Small
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
Location
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.
Explore Imari
Around this place
Discover more on Pearl
Unlock the full Lion guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
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.
How far ahead should I book Lion?
Availability should be confirmed directly with the restaurant. Check booking policies and seat availability ahead of time, especially for weekends, groups, or any meal tied to a specific schedule.
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 listed spend and Tabelog 100 - Steak / Teppanyaki - WEST - 2025 recognition. Details such as menu format, seating style, and service arrangements should be confirmed directly.
Can I eat at the bar at Lion?
Confirm seating arrangements with the restaurant. If a particular seating style is important to your visit, check before going.
Is the tasting menu worth it at Lion?
Ask the restaurant directly about any tasting-menu structure. For planning, note the JPY 6,000–JPY 7,999 spend, casual dress code, Imari location, listed hours, 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 listed spend of JPY 6,000–JPY 7,999, has a casual dress code, and appears in Tabelog 100 - Steak / Teppanyaki - WEST - 2025. Listed hours show lunch and dinner service on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, with Wednesday closed.
