Ushimatsu

About Ushimatsu

The room tells you immediately this is not a standard yakiniku house. Seven counter seats, a stylish basement space in the LA·RES Nishiazabu building, and no private rooms mean every guest is at the same counter, close to the action. The format is intimate by design: with only seven covers per service, the ratio of attention per guest is high, and the experience is closer to omakase-style counter dining than to the table-grill format most people associate with yakiniku.

Chef Tatsuro Hirakubo runs the counter, and the wine program is taken seriously — the listing notes a particular focus on wine, which at this price tier is relevant if you are planning to pair through a full evening. Credit cards are accepted (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Amex, Diners), but electronic money and QR code payments are not, and no outside drinks are permitted.

On the lunch versus dinner question: the Tabelog record shows no lunch service. This is a dinner-only destination, which is worth knowing if you are trying to fit it into a packed daytime itinerary. The full evening budget, once wine is included, should be planned at JPY 50,000–60,000 per person based on reviewer spending data. For a special occasion dinner in Tokyo at that price, you are comparing this against kaiseki counters and high-end sushi — the differentiation here is the yakiniku format itself, which offers a more tactile, interactive experience than a passive tasting menu.

Timing matters for booking more than for the experience itself. Ushimatsu is currently operating at full capacity, with no phone reservations accepted. The only route in is via the OMAKASE reservation platform: add the restaurant to your favourites, monitor for cancellation releases, and move fast when a slot appears. Given the seven-seat counter, cancellations are rare and fill quickly. For visitors to Tokyo planning a trip weeks or months out, this is not a walk-in or last-minute option.

The venue is a short walk from Hiroo Station (approximately 600 metres by the address data), placing it in the quieter, residential end of Nishiazabu rather than the busier Roppongi strip. The basement location, combined with the non-smoking policy and counter-only seating, creates a focused atmosphere suited to the occasion. Private room hire is not available, but full private buyout of the space is, which makes it a viable option for small corporate or celebration groups willing to take all seven seats.

For context within Tokyo's broader dining scene, explore our full Tokyo restaurants guide. If you are building a wider Japan itinerary, comparable high-end counter experiences can be found at HAJIME in Osaka, Gion Sasaki in Kyoto, and akordu in Nara. For yakiniku specifically at a different price tier and format, Jumbo Hanare, Nikusho Horikoshi, Kiraku-Tei, and Kinryuzan are all worth considering. International yakiniku comparisons include Nikushou in Hong Kong and Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ in Los Angeles.