Buffet Restaurants
For when you're feeling especially ravenous, here are a few restaurants that offer either a buffet table or some other all-you-can-eat arrangement.
Osaka
Decent all-you-can-eat Chinese fare, including a popular Y2000 dim sum lunch buffet. The red-themed dining room is divided up into several sections, with an open kitchen at one end filled with big steamers.  Nanbanaka 2-10-70, Nanba Parks 6F. Open 11am-9pm (LO) daily. | |
It's do-it-yourself deep-fry fun at this popular kushiage chain - pick as many of your favorite skewers as you like along with unlimited side dishes and desserts. Y2625 at dinner, plus an extra Y1000 for all you can drink. Nanbanaka 2-10-70, Nanba Parks 6F. Open 11am-11pm daily. | |
Buffet brunches (Y4000) and weekday lunches (Y2700) with a great view are the daytime draw at this skylit hotel restaurant. Dinner prix-fixe menus start at Y6300, but there's a cheaper a la carte menu as well. Nanba 5-1-60, Swissotel Nankai. Open 11:30am-11:30pm daily. Osaka: Umeda -- Ab. 06-6347-1439 This lively hotel restaurant is worth knowing about for its lunchtime buffet (Y1890 weekdays, Y2100 weekends). They also offer a dessert buffet if you're in need of a mid-afternoon pick-me-up. Umeda 3-1-1, Grand Via Hotel 19F. Open 11am-3:30, 4:30-11pm daily. Beef shabu-shabu and sukiyaki are the specialties here, with all-you-can-eat deals from Y2300. You can also opt for mixed shabu-shabu (beef and pork) and crab shabu-shabu in season. They're ready to handle parties of up to 100! Doyamacho 10-2. Open 5-10:15pm (LO) daily. | |
Osaka: Umeda -- Amadeus. 06-6440-1062 This bright and airy dining room offers a far more interesting menu than the typical hotel coffeeshop, with many organic and vegetarian dishes in the "Nature Cuisine" section. There's also a popular buffet lunch and Friday and Saturday evening dinner buffets. Oyodonaka 1-1-20, Westin Hotel Osaka 1F. Open 6:30am-11pm daily. | |
Osaka: Umeda -- Kushiya. 06-6360-3394 All-you-can-eat deep-fried skewers of meat and vegetables, plus assorted side dishes and desserts, will set you back Y2500 (or Y1260 at lunchtime). There's a two-hour limit, so don't dawdle over the fryer. Kakudacho 7-10, Hep Navio 7F. Open 11am-10:30pm daily. | |
Osaka: Umeda 2-chome -- Sasa. 06-6342-5051 Sasa serves Japanese fusion cuisine with lots of European touches, plus an extensive wine list that includes many choices by the glass. Budget around Y4500 for dinner, Y1200 for the buffet lunch.  Umeda-2-2-22, Herbis Plaza Ent 5F. Open 11am-11pm daily. | |
All you can eat - everything from Mexican to Chinese to pizza - at this large buffet restaurant. Y3200 per person, with a two-hour time limit. No smoking. Umeda 2-2-2, Hilton Plaza West B2F. Open 11am-4, 5-10pm (LO) daily. | |
Osaka: Universal Studios -- Aen Table. 06-6467-1270 A healthy Japanese buffet is the unusual concept here - all you can eat of seasonal hors appetizers and side dishes, salads and original desserts, plus rice and miso soup. Y1800 before 5pm, Y2500 after. Do-it-yourself take-out bentos are also available for Y1000. Shimaya 6-2-61, Universal Citywalk. Open 11am-4, 5-11pm daily. | |
Kyoto
A branch of a popular Kobe Cantonese restaurant, Old HK is known for their impressive dim sum lunches (Y3400 for all you can eat, with a 90-minute limit) - they even have dumpling trolleys making the rounds of the dining room. Karasuma-dori Shijo-sagaru, Suiginyacho 620 Cocon Karasuma 1F. (on W side of Karasuma-dori, just S of Shijo) Open 11:30am-3, 5-9pm (LO) daily. | |
This popular shop lets you cook your own kushiage skewers in a deep-fryer right at your table. It's all you can eat, including various side dishes and a big variety of skewered tidbits. Y2500 per person, with a 90-minute limit. Lunch is served on weekends only. Uraderacho 598, Oki Bldg 2F. Open 4-11pm daily. Kyoto: Kawaramachi -- Tagoto. 075-221-1811 Although it's just steps away from the busy Shijo-Kawaramachi intersection, Tagoto is hidden away behind a narrow entrance and a long, lantern-lit passageway. The food menu includes budget-friendly mini-kaiseki dinners (Y3000) and all-you-can-eat lunch specials (also Y3000) as well as more standard kaiseki and bento-box choices. Shijo-dori Kawaramachi Nishi-iru. (entrance alley is on Shijo, just west of Kawaramachi) Open 11:30am-3, 4:30-9pm daily. | |
This popular shop lets you cook your own kushiage skewers in a deep-fryer right at your table. It's all you can eat, including various side dishes and a big variety of skewered tidbits. Y2500 per person, with a 90-minute limit. Nishi-Kujo Toriguchicho 1, Aeon Mall Kyoto 1F. Open 11am-9pm daily. Obanzai-ryori - Kyoto home-style cooking - is the specialty here, and you can choose from a wide selection of local delicacies in tiny portions. At lunchtime you get one main dish (tempura, fish, Kyoto-style chicken) plus an all-you-can-eat buffet, starting at around Y1400. Budget around Y3500 at dinnertime. JR Kyoto Station, The Cube, 11F. Open 11am-9:30pm (LO) daily. | |
Kobe
This popular shop lets you cook your own kushiage skewers in a deep-fryer right at your table. It's all you can eat, including various side dishes and a big variety of skewered tidbits. Y2500 per person, with a 90-minute limit. Higashi-Kawasakicho 1-6-1, Mosaic 3F. Open 11am-10pm daily. Churrasco-style Brazilian grilled meats (beef, pork, chicken) are served here, and the waiters will keep bringing you meat until you tell them to stop; all-you-can-eat deals cost around Y2450 per person. The Brazilian music and staff add to the atmosphere. Open throughout the day. Higashi-Kawasakicho 1-6-1, Mosaic 3F. Open 11am-10pm (LO) daily. | |
Kobe: Kitano -- Patrie. 078-272-1313 With excellent food and a comfortable, casual atmosphere, Patrie also delivers good value for money - full-course dinners are around Y6000, and their lunchtime buffet is Y2300. Ninomiya 4-20-5, Hotel Piena Kobe 2F. Open 11am-2, 5-8:30pm (LO) daily. | |
This popular shop serves all the dim sum you can eat - Y1200 at lunch, Y3150 at night. Naka-Yamate-dori 3-5-8. (at Naka-Yamate-dori 4-chome crossing (Koikawa-suji)) Open 11:30am-3, 5-8:30pm. Closed Wednesdays. This popular shop lets you cook your own kushiage skewers in a deep-fryer right at your table. It's all you can eat, including various side dishes and a big variety of skewered tidbits. Y2500 per person, with a 90-minute limit. Nishinomiya, Takamatsucho 14-2, Hankyu Nishinomiya Gardens 4F. Open 11am-11pm daily. This popular shop lets you cook your own kushiage skewers in a deep-fryer right at your table. It's all you can eat, including various side dishes and a big variety of skewered tidbits. Y2500 per person, with a 90-minute limit. Kanocho 4-3-5, Chateau Kitanozaka Bldg 9F. Open 4-11pm daily. Good Indian food and plenty of atmosphere, from the tapestries on the walls to the movies playing on the video system. At lunchtime there's a Y1000 buffet. Kita-Nagasa-dori 2-12-6, K Bldg 3F. (on W side of Ikuta Road, about 1.5 blocks south of Tokyu Hands) Open 11am-3, 5-10pm daily. | |
The large and varied all-you-can-eat buffet is served in a pleasant, library-themed dining room. Y1800 before 5pm, Y2200 after. Kumoidori 7-1-1, M-int Kobe 7F. (next to JR Sannomiya, south side) Open 11am-10:30pm daily. | |
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: Open late
: Open Sundays
: Notable decor
