The hamburger steak and ribeye combination from Sizzler in Japan. (Juan King/Stars and Stripes)
Undeterred by center-city traffic, my family braved the drive through Tokyo recently to Aqua City, a waterfront shopping complex in Odaiba, and an iconic steak house.
Sizzler, a spacious family restaurant with an amply supplied, all-you-can-eat salad bar, occupies a spot in an entertainment destination popular with locals and foreigners alike.
The Japanese version of the familiar U.S. franchise, but under different ownership, features a large, open layout with comfortable indoor seating, and outdoor seating for more than 150 people, with a view of the scenic Rainbow Bridge.
Reservations can be made online or by phone, but we didn’t need one when we arrived around dinnertime. The restaurant was empty, and we were seated immediately.
After looking over hard-to-decide menu options for delicious varieties of beef, chicken, lamb and seafood, I settled for double meats — a 100% beef hamburger steak along with a 150-gram ribeye and onion pepper sauce to drizzle on them both for 5,863 yen, or about $39.
The Japanese version of Sizzler features a large, open layout with comfortable seating. (Juan King/Stars and Stripes)
All the menu choices allow you to enjoy the salad, soup, hot food, drink and dessert bar. Alone, the dinnertime premium salad bar will cost you 3,498 yen, including tax. The lunchtime salad bar is 2,799 yen.
After ordering, I started my dining experience with a good helping from the salad bar, including a variety of greens, with all the fixings, like beets. Alongside the salad, enjoy fruits, pasta, curry and a delicious roasted pumpkin and sweet potato salad. After exploring and getting a few extra portions at the salad bar, my meal arrived at near perfect timing.
Every bite of the hamburger steak was ultra juicy. The steak, cooked medium-well, was not as tender as I hoped for, but was seasoned well.
I opted out of the side of carbohydrates, which included fries, mashed potatoes or a baked potato. The restaurant offers larger platters fit for two or more people.
My wife took on three Australian lamb chops with a chimichurri sauce and mashed potatoes on the side. Two out of three pieces were to her liking but the third needed further grilling, which the server kindly exchanged with a new, freshly cooked chop.
Australian lamb chops with a chimichurri sauce and mashed potatoes from Sizzler in Japan. (Juan King/Stars and Stripes)
A generous children’s menu includes some of the same items in smaller portions. My son sampled the grand slam platter of beef, chicken nuggets and grilled shrimp. A signature Sizzler cheese toast with crusted cheese on thick sliced bread is another children’s meal option.
Dessert could not be left out of the equation with assorted sweets offered at the bar, including three choices of soft serve ice cream, cakes, apple crumble, coffee jelly and more. My son enjoyed two small ice cream cones.
Sizzler
Location: Aqua City Odaiba 5F, 1-7-1 Odaiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Hours: Open daily, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; lunch is 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; dinner 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. Last order at 10 p.m.
Prices: Meal choices vary from 1,000 yen to approximately 20,000 yen; adults pay 3,498 yen, including tax for all you can eat and drink from the premium salad bar; 1,045 yen for ages 3 to 6; 1,749 yen for 7 to 12; 65 and older pay 2,970 yen.
Dress: Casual
Directions: A short walk from Yurikamome Daiba Station.
Information: Online: sizzler.jp
