The wait is over: the famed Nikuya Tanaka steakhouse from Japan is finally opening its first-ever outlet in Singapore this week, from 26th September 2025! ICYMI: the award-winning steakhouse is dubbed as No.1 in all of Japan, serving omakase-style dining featuring some of the best and rarest cuts of Tajima Wagyu.
Nikuya Tanaka specialises in serving Kobe beef exclusively from female cows, prized for their intense marbling and silky texture. At the Singapore outpost, guests will be able to savour the beef prepared in various ways: deep-fried, seared, raw, and most notably the traditional way over charcoal flame. We tasted Nikuya Tanaka’s most expensive Dinner menu at $550++ per person for 12 courses, and we’re here to tell you if it’s worth the price tag.
Fig Shira-ae with Caviar
White Fish & Kobe Beef Seaweed Roll
We’re off to a light and refreshing start with Japanese Fig Shira-ae topped with Caviar, before our first beef dish: the White Fish & Kobe Beef Seaweed Roll, which features hamachi and raw beef slices rolled up with fresh chives and topped with shaved bottarga. This was an easy introduction to raw beef, and is easy to eat even if you’re not a fan of raw beef.
Abalone Somen
Kobe Beef Tataki
Hokkaido Hairy Crab Shinjo
The Abalone Somen served with abalone cream offered a nice seafood break that’s a nice lead-up to the next Kobe Beef Tataki: subtly smoky beef slices that are very lightly seared so you can really taste the natural flavour and tenderness of the beef itself. It’s also to be enjoyed simply with either salt and freshly-grated wasabi or dipped in soy. After which, we were served another seasonal seafood dish, Hokkaido Hairy Crab Shinjo, which came with a generous serving of crab meat served in a clear dashi broth. The crab was fresh and sweet, though we noted that there were some remnants of crab shell laced in the crab meat itself.
Kobe Beef Tenderloin Tempura
Kobe Beef Sirloin “Shabu-Shabu”
And now, the beef course begins again in earnest: starting with a unique Kobe Beef Tenderloin Tempura—you have a fillet of beef that’s been entirely deep fried in a savoury and almost nutty tempura batter. This one’s served directly to your hand in paper packaging for you to bite into directly. The beef was so soft and tender to the bite, with no hint of toughness whatsoever. To follow on a lighter note comes the Kobe Beef Sirloin “Shabu-Shabu”: thin, marbled beef slices that are very lightly swished in hot broth just until the beef isn’t completely raw. Beef purists can enjoy the beef as-is, wrap it up with raw chives for some added freshness or dip into the freshly-made sesame sauce. The beef shabu is also served with a side of monkfish liver, which we could’ve honestly done without.
Kudzu Somen in an Ice Vessel
By this point, we were feeling a little heavy from all the beef, so the Kudzu Somen in an Ice Vessel couldn’t have come at a better time. This dish is one of Nikuya Tanaka’s signature items: with each ice bowl being carved by hand, right in front of you. The ice-cold somen in zesty soy broth was definitely a much-needed respite after all that beef, and does the perfect job in cleansing the palate for the main beef attraction that’s up next.
Kobe Beef Tenderloin Steak
Undoubtedly, the star of the entire course has got to be the Kobe Beef Tenderloin Steak. The highest grade of premium Chateaubriand steak that’s carefully grilled over Japanese binchotan charcoal, flipping constantly for even cooking until the perfect crust is created. The result: perfectly even and medium rare-pink steaks that cut like butter. The cuts of steak are served with an assortment of pairings: salt, wasabi, soy sauce, grated radish, garlic chips and lime. You can eat the steak however you please, however such a perfect piece of beef truly doesn’t need any further embellishments. The beef itself is so tender that you can easily bite into it without any resistance, and you don’t even need a knife to cut into it—quite possibly one of the best pieces of steak we’ve ever had.
Matsutake Mushroom Rice with Kobe Beef Shigure-ni
A Japanese meal is never truly over until you have some form of rice, and Nikuya Tanaka serves a seasonal rice dish with beef—of course—and sides. This time, we were served Matsutake Mushroom Rice with Kobe Beef Shigure-ni: and the rice itself was shiny and chewy—almost glutinous, with a savoury umami aroma from the Matsutake mushrooms. All in all, a super comforting and hearty finish to an already unforgettable meal.
Signature Warabi Mochi & Shizuoka Musk Melon
For dessert: Nikuya Tanaka’s Signature Warabi Mochi that’s freshly made on the spot. Chef Tanaka tells us that their warabi mochi is made from all-natural ingredients, which gives it that telltale greyish hue, quite unlike most commercially bought “clear” warabi mochi you might find at the store. The mochi is served with fresh seasonal fruit—ultra-sweet Shizuoka Musk Melon for us—and hot tea.
In total, the 12-course dinner menu features:
Fig Shira-ae with Caviar
White Fish & Kobe Beef Seaweed Roll
Abalone Somen
Kobe Beef Tataki
Hokkaido Hairy Crab Shinjo
Kobe Beef Tenderloin Tempura
Kobe Beef Sirloin “Shabu-Shabu”
Kudzu Somen in an Ice Vessel
Kobe Beef Tenderloin Steak
Matsutake Mushroom Rice with Kobe Beef Shigure-ni
Signature Warabi Mochi
Seasonal Fruit of the Day
Since the menu is omakase-style, some of the items on the menu might differ depending on seasonality. However there are a couple of mainstay dishes you can look forward to: the Kobe Beef Tataki, Kudzu Somen in an Ice Vessel and Kobe Beef Tenderloin Steak.
Now the question everyone’s asking: is it worth the hefty $550 price tag? For the price, you can rest assured that you’ll be getting only the best quality cuts and cooks of Kobe beef, and you’ll likely won’t be able to taste this kind of top-notch quality outside Japan. While it’s definitely not an everyday affair, we think it’s worth the splurge for very special occasions, especially if you really love quality beef that’s done right. The intimate private experience and luxurious, attentive hospitality provided by the staff and chefs are also a major plus in our books. With such a small space that seats only a maximum of 15 people, we can expect that slots to dine here will be snapped up like hotcakes. Nikuya Tanaka serves lunch and dinner sessions:
9-Course Lunch ($350++ per person)
10-Course Lunch ($420++ per person)
10-Course Dinner ($420++ per person)
12-Course Dinner ($550++ per person)
Nikuya Tanaka
Address: 1 Teck Lim Road, Singapore 088379
Opening Hours: Monday-Saturday, 12pm-3pm & 5.30pm-11pm
