Restaurant in Nara, Japan
Three-year Tabelog Bronze. Rare Nara value.
Nikutoieba Matsuda holds three consecutive Tabelog Bronze Awards and a Michelin Plate while staying at ¥¥ pricing — rare in Nara's fine-dining tier. The 18-seat Wagyu counter in Kashihara delivers lunch from around ¥7,000 (review-based) and dinner around ¥20,000–¥29,000. Reservation-only, three minutes from Yamato Yagi Station. Lunch is the value case; dinner suits special occasions.
Nikutoieba Matsuda has held a Tabelog Bronze Award for three consecutive years (2024, 2025, 2026), earned a Michelin Plate in both 2024 and 2025, and carries a 4.7 Google rating from 112 reviews — all while keeping dinner within the ¥10,000–¥14,999 range. That combination is rare in Nara's fine-dining set, where comparable award-holding restaurants typically sit at ¥¥¥ pricing. If you want a serious Wagyu counter experience in the Yamato Yagi area without the commitment of a kaiseki price tag, this is the clearest yes in the city.
The restaurant occupies the second floor of the FACE building in Kashihara, three minutes on foot from Yamato Yagi Station on the Kintetsu Osaka Line. At 18 seats total , 12 at the counter and 6 at tables , this is a tightly configured room. The counter is where you want to sit: it puts you directly in front of the preparation, which is integral to the experience the venue describes as theatrical. The table section is quieter and works for groups of up to 6, but you lose the proximity that makes the counter compelling. For parties of 2 or 3, request the counter. For groups of 4 to 6, the table section is functional. The room is described as stylish and relaxing with spacious seating , an unusual combination for an 18-seat venue, suggesting the layout prioritises comfort over cover count. There are no private rooms, but the entire space can be hired for up to 20 people.
This is the most important question for most visitors, and the data gives a clear answer. The listed average price is ¥10,000–¥14,999 for both lunch and dinner. However, review-based spending data tells a different story: dinner averages ¥20,000–¥29,999 in practice, while lunch averages ¥6,000–¥7,999. That gap is significant.
Lunch at Matsuda is the value case. At ¥6,000–¥7,999 based on actual reviewer spend, you are accessing the same award-winning kitchen, the same counter seats, and the same Wagyu focus at roughly a third of the dinner price. For visitors to Nara who are already exploring Kashihara or the broader Yamato Yagi area, the lunch slot on a Wednesday through Friday is the most efficient way to eat here without restructuring your evening budget. On weekends and public holidays, lunch starts at 12:00 and dinner splits into two seatings at 17:00 and 20:00 , the 17:00 slot on a Saturday or Sunday is the closest thing to a dinner-quality, counter-seat experience at a lunch-adjacent hour.
Dinner is the fuller commitment. If the ¥20,000–¥29,999 realistic spend feels appropriate for your occasion, the evening format on weekends , with two distinct seatings , is clearly structured for a more considered pace. A sommelier is on-site and the drinks program takes sake and wine seriously, which points toward dinner as the natural fit for anyone building a longer meal around the beverage pairing. For a special occasion or a deliberate food trip, dinner earns its price. For a day visitor to Nara, lunch is the smarter call.
This is a reservation-only venue with no walk-in option. The counter seats 12 and the maximum party size for seating is 12 people, which means groups larger than that need to book the full private-use option for up to 20. The venue is open Wednesday through Friday for lunch from 12:00 and dinner from 19:00; Saturday, Sunday, and public holidays offer the split dinner seatings at 17:00 and 20:00. It is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Junior high school age and above only , children are not accommodated. The space is entirely non-smoking. Credit cards are accepted (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Amex, Diners); electronic money and QR payments are not. A service charge applies. No parking on-site, though paid coin parking is available nearby.
Reservations: Required; book via the venue's reservation link at 1link.jp/nikutoieba_m2d. Budget: Lunch ¥6,000–¥7,999 (review-based); Dinner ¥20,000–¥29,999 (review-based). Dress: No stated code, but the stylish room and price point suggest smart casual at minimum for dinner. Getting there: 3-minute walk from Yamato Yagi Station, Kintetsu Osaka Line. Booking difficulty: Manageable , easier than comparable Nara award restaurants, but advance planning is still advisable given the 18-seat capacity.
Within Nara's award restaurant tier, Matsuda sits at a noticeably lower price point than most of its peers. Wa Yamamura, Araki, and Tama all operate at ¥¥¥, making Matsuda the practical choice if Wagyu is your primary interest and you want to keep spend below ¥15,000 at dinner or closer to ¥7,000 at lunch. akordu and NARA NIKON offer different cuisine profiles (Spanish-innovative and Japanese respectively) at the ¥¥¥ tier , useful alternatives if the beef-focused format is not what you are after. For broader context on eating in Nara, see our full Nara restaurants guide.
If you are comparing Matsuda to beef-specialist restaurants elsewhere in Japan, Oniku Karyu in Tokyo operates at a higher price tier with a different style of service. Matsuda's counter format and theatrical framing sit closer to that end of the spectrum than to a standard yakiniku restaurant, but the price remains more accessible. For visitors building a broader Japan itinerary, HAJIME in Osaka and Gion Sasaki in Kyoto represent the higher-commitment options in the Kansai region; Matsuda is the right choice if you want a serious, award-backed meal in Nara without pushing to that level of spend or booking complexity.
Three consecutive Tabelog Bronze Awards and a Michelin Plate at a ¥¥ price point is the clearest signal this restaurant is over-delivering relative to its tier. The 18-seat room keeps quality control tight. The lunch value case , under ¥8,000 based on actual reviewer spend , makes this one of the more accessible entry points into Nara's fine-dining scene. Book the counter, go at lunch if budget matters, and plan your reservation in advance given the limited seat count. Also see: Oryori Hanagaki, Tsukumo, and Ajinokaze Nishimura for other Nara options worth considering. Explore more through our Nara hotels guide, Nara bars guide, Nara wineries guide, and Nara experiences guide.
| Venue | Price | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nikutoieba Matsuda | ¥¥ | Easy | — |
| akordu | ¥¥¥ | Unknown | — |
| Wa Yamamura | ¥¥¥ | Unknown | — |
| Araki | ¥¥¥ | Unknown | — |
| Tama | ¥¥¥ | Unknown | — |
| NARA NIKON | ¥¥¥ | Unknown | — |
Side-by-side comparison to help you decide where to book.
The venue runs a set course format built entirely around beef and Japanese cuisine, so it is not well-suited to guests who do not eat red meat. The database does not document specific allergy accommodation procedures, so check the venue's official channels before booking — reservations are made via or by phone at 0744-24-0029.
The venue lists no dress code, but the space is described as stylish with counter seating and a sommelier on hand — context that points toward neat, presentable dress rather than casual. Given the ¥10,000–¥14,999 price point and the Tabelog Bronze and Michelin Plate credentials, treating it like a mid-to-upscale dinner out is the right read.
Yes. The restaurant has 12 counter seats out of 18 total, making counter dining the primary format here. Solo diners and pairs are well served at the counter; groups larger than two should note the maximum seating party size is 12.
For a wagyu course format, the listed price of ¥10,000–¥14,999 is a strong value relative to the venue's credentials — three consecutive Tabelog Bronze Awards (2024, 2025, 2026) and a Michelin Plate in both years. Reviewer-reported spend runs higher at ¥20,000–¥29,999 for dinner, so budget accordingly, but even at the upper end this is a competitive price for award-level wagyu in the Nara/Osaka region.
Lunch is the better value call: reviewer data puts lunch spend at ¥6,000–¥7,999 versus ¥20,000–¥29,999 at dinner, and both sittings carry the same Tabelog Bronze-level credentials. If budget is a factor, lunch on a weekday (Wednesday–Friday, from 12:00) is the move. Dinner is worth the premium if you want the full evening counter experience and want to use the sommelier service.
Yes, with a practical caveat: there are no private rooms, and the maximum party size for seating is 12. For groups up to 20, full private use of the venue is available — that is the better route for a celebration. For couples or small groups, the 12-seat counter at dinner works well for a notable occasion given the Tabelog Bronze and Michelin Plate standing.
At the listed ¥10,000–¥14,999 range, yes — this is one of the few award-tier wagyu venues in Nara operating at a ¥¥ price point. Three consecutive Tabelog Bronze Awards and a Michelin Plate for two consecutive years (2024, 2025) put it well above what that price typically signals. If you are comparing against higher-priced Nara peers like Wa Yamamura or Araki, Matsuda delivers comparable recognition at a lower cost of entry.
■Business hours[Wed - Fri]Lunch: From 12:00 onwardsDinner: From 19:00 onwards[Sat, Sun & Public Holidays]Lunch: From 12:00 onwardsDinner Part 1: From 17:00 onwardsDinner Part 2: From 20:00 onwards■Closed onMondays and Tuesdays*Open on public holidays
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