Tokyo Gourmet｜The Hottest Food in Nishi-Shinjuku ~ Popular Extra Thick Cut Beef Tongue Set Meal — Gyutan no Lemon

Restaurant: Gyutan no Lemon
📍Address: YS Building B1F, 7-16-12 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
🕰️Business Hours: 11:30~15:00 / 17:00~22:00
💰Average Cost: From ¥4000 JPY~
💞Recommended Because:
"Tokyo Shinjuku Lemon’s Beef Tongue Gyutan no Lemon" truly lives up to its reputation. I heard you need to make an online reservation a month in advance. I got off at Shinjuku Station on the Toei Oedo Line and walked about 15 minutes. The restaurant is located at a low-key corner, not very noticeable at night, but you can see the line of people waiting.

Transportation Tips: Get off at "Nishi-Shinjuku Station" on the Toei Oedo Line, about a 5-minute walk; get off at "Shinjuku Station" on the Toei Oedo Line, about a 15-minute walk. From Seibu Shinjuku Line or JR Yamanote Line, get off at "Shinjuku Station," about a 10-minute walk.

Without a prior reservation, I waited about 50 minutes in line. Suddenly, a staff member came out to ask if there were any single diners. Luckily, I was seated before others. The restaurant is in the basement floor, a small space with the kitchen and bar counter in the middle, and the rest filled with tables and chairs. I was led to a bar seat and ordered by scanning a QR code with my phone. If you don’t know how to use it, the staff can help you order. Dining time is limited to 60 minutes, and the food arrives within about 10 minutes after ordering.

The thick-cut beef tongue is charcoal-grilled on the outside and tender pink inside, sprinkled with peppercorns to enhance the aroma. The restaurant reportedly uses Binchotan charcoal to grill the beef tongue, controlling the doneness evenly, preserving the meat’s juices and moisture. One bite is crispy and springy without any gamey taste, not hard at all, retaining the original sweet flavor of the beef tongue. A squeeze of lemon juice makes it even fresher, truly impressive. The set meal includes white rice, beef tongue soup, beef tongue curry, fresh salad, grated yam, and spicy miso sauce. The grated yam can be paired with rice or beef tongue. The beef tongue curry has a slightly spicy flavor to change things up. The fresh salad is tossed with a vinegar ginger dressing, crisp and refreshing. The spicy miso sauce is also a good dip for the beef tongue since the tongue itself isn’t heavily seasoned. The meal costs about 4000 yen. The staff are enthusiastic and speak good English, with a bit of an American style, frequently checking on diners. I recommend everyone come and try it.

Post by 大叔衝日本 | May 8, 2025