Fast Food in Tokyo

Aside from Sushi there is much to experience in Japanese dining and that also includes got ol’ fast food. Your Japanese Experience is not complete without at least sampling a few fast food restaurants.

Mos Burger

Japan’s answer to McDonalds (although they have even more Mickey D’s than Mosburgers…) Mos Burger does burgers, but with more varieties in toppings, meat, etc than you’d believe. This constant strive for variety prevents Mos Burger from becoming humdrum.

Variations include: rice burger (instead of a bun it is a compressed rice paddy) shirp burger, teriyaki burger, croquette burger and the list goes on.

They are competitively priced at around $2.50 per sandwich. And no, they don’t have a $1 value meal, shucks.

Mos Burger's Menu

A few Mos Burger locations in Tokyo

Matsuya

Almost or equally omnipresent as Yoshinoya, Matsuya has taken Japan by storm and you can find them literally everywhere. Matsuya is part of a group of four restaurants that are all basically the same thing, just with a slight menu variation. (yoshinoya, nakau, sukiya)

These shops utilize the menu vending machine for placing orders. You insert some yen, then the machine with pictures of every meal, will light up, then you press the meal you want, out pops your change and your ticket, you go up to the counter, give the cook your ticket, and they bring you your food, simple.

Dining at establishments such at these are cheap indeed. Expect to pay under 600 yen for a full sized meal.

Matsuya’s menu focuses more on Curries and hamburger patties but also has the standards like ‘beef bowl’ (gyudon).

Matsuya's Menu

Yoshinoya

So popular that it has bursted the borders of Japan and been exported to many countries around the world (including the USA). Yoshinoya is synonymous with ‘beef bowl’.

A beef bowl is simply a bowl of white rice topped with seared strips of caramelized onions and very thin beef strips. Although there are several variations on the menu that is the dish in essence.

Yoshinoya's Menu

A few Yoshinoya locations in Tokyo

Nakau

Following in the footsteps of its cousins (or are they doing the following?) Nakau offers many of the same menu items but with the exception of Udon, and various flavors.

Don’t get your hopes up however, the udon is less then delicious… if it is your first time having udon then you won’t be disappointed as you have nothing to compare it to. But if you have indeed had udon then you will find no enjoyment here.

Nakau's Menu

A few Nakau locations in Tokyo

Sukiya

Quite possibly tying Yoshinoya as far as omnipresence in japan, Sukiya is everywhere.

The Sukiya menu is quite standard, lots of curries and beef bowls. Variations include salmon fillets.

It is interesting to note that at Sukiya there are generally four sizes for every dish: mini, normal, big and mega. Lets take curry for instance:

  1. mini (460 yen)
  2. normal (540 yen)
  3. big (640 yen)
  4. mega (760 yen)

Each size is essentially 1/3 more than the other… so a mega is actually 2 minis.

Sukiya's Menu

A few Sukiya locations in Tokyo

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