Tabelog ratingAsari Honten (阿佐利 本店) has been serving sukiyaki in Hakodate since 1901. The restaurant occupies a traditional wooden townhouse, now a registered cultural property, and operates its own butcher shop on the ground floor, ensuring a supply of high-quality beef. Guests dine in private tatami rooms where staff prepare the sukiyaki—thinly sliced beef simmered in a sweet and savory broth—at the table, often cooking the first few pieces for you.
Reviewers consistently praise the quality of the meat, which includes A5-grade sirloin and rump, as well as A3 shoulder. The polite, hands-on service and the calm atmosphere of the private rooms are also frequently highlighted. The weekday lunch set is considered exceptional value, with reviewers recently paying ¥1,800. Other popular items include the house-made croquettes (korokke), which cost around ¥250, and the refreshing yuzu sherbet to finish the meal.
Dinner is a more premium experience, with courses featuring top-grade wagyu costing around ¥5,000 to ¥6,000. Some guests find these portions a little small and recommend ordering an extra 80g of meat for about ¥900. While the dinner prices are higher, most feel they are fair for the quality of the beef, the attentive service, and the unique historical setting.
- Booking: Phone reservations are strongly recommended and should be made well in advance, as booking can be difficult. Walk-ins are sometimes possible but are often turned away when the restaurant is busy.
- Getting There: The restaurant is a one-minute walk from the Houraicho tram stop.
- Seating: Seating is in private tatami rooms where you must remove your shoes. Some rooms have low tables, which may be a consideration for guests with limited mobility.
- Payment: Credit cards (VISA, Master, JCB, AMEX) are accepted. Electronic money and QR code payments are not.
- Children: Children of all ages are welcome.
- Language: English menus may be available, and staff are noted to be helpful to non-Japanese visitors, but it is wise to confirm when booking.
- Smoking: The entire restaurant is non-smoking.
- Parking: Parking is available.
