The hamburg tower challenge at Teppan Kingdom Akihabara, a steak restaurant in Tokyo, includes up to four giant meat patties. (Jeremy Stillwagner/Stars and Stripes)
You’ll have plenty of dining options while out and about in Tokyo’s Akihabara district, including its famous maid cafes, but Teppan Kingdom is a must for those craving steak.
The restaurant is surrounded by arcades and a short walk from Akihabara Station’s Electric Town exit. It occupies two floors and is relatively small but can easily seat groups of four.
My friends and I waited only about two minutes before we were escorted to our third-floor table.
The menu greeted us with a wide selection of traditional steaks and hamburg. It even shows from which part of the cow each cut originates. Hamburg, popular in Japan, is basically seasoned hamburger meat formed into a patty and served with sauce.
My eyes were immediately drawn to the menu’s challenge section. I decided to order the hamburg steak tower with four 5-ounce hamburg steaks, cheese, an egg, corn, green beans and potato salad. Each order comes with the option of an additional plate of rice. The tower costs about 2,000 yen, or about $13.
Unfortunately, you don’t win anything for completing any of the challenge orders – they’re just larger portions.
Teppan Kingdom Akihabara is surrounded by arcades and a short walk from Akihabara Station’s Electric Town exit. (Jeremy Stillwagner/Stars and Stripes)
We waited about 10 minutes for our orders, which came simultaneously.
The hamburg steaks were juicy, and the egg and cheese complemented the taste of the meat extremely well. The meal overall was very filling, and I barely finished mine.
Overall, Teppan Kingdom is a great option for a break from the busy streets and packed arcades of Akihabara and a filling meal without breaking the bank.
Teppan Kingdom Akihabara
Location: 101-0021 Tokyo, Chiyoda City, Sotokanda, 1 Chome−10−9 2F・3F Ty2 Bldg
Hours: Open daily, 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; last order at 10:45 p.m.
Price: Meals range from 700 yen to 4,250 yen
Dress: Casual
Information: Online: gardengroup.co.jp/brand/teppan_oukoku
