Tokyo Steak House Serves Aged Meat Loved by International Wrestlers; Superstar Wrestlers Adorn Walls in Meguro Restaurant

By Yuta Nagatani / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

20:00 JST, December 16, 2024

The Meguro branch of the highly rated Ribera Steak House restaurant is popular not only among meat lovers but also combat sports lovers. The interior of the Tokyo restaurant is adorned with photos and autographs of many fighters, including wrestlers from overseas. The restaurant is always full of customers craving lots of steak.

Hulk Hogan, a legend of the World Wrestling Entertainment organization; Dynamite Kid, who took on the original Tiger Mask; and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who went on to become a movie star as well as photos of famous wrestlers who wowed Japan during the Showa period (1926-89), Heisei period (1989-2019) and Reiwa period (2019-) fill the walls and the ceiling. Even just looking around is fun.

Ribera Steak House’s first restaurant opened in Tokyo in 1974. The Meguro branch, its second restaurant, opened a few years later. According to branch manager Toshihiko Yamaguchi, 49, Ribera Steak House became popular among foreign wrestlers after Bruiser Brody visited Japan in the 1970s and got hooked on the taste of the steak. Brody not only recommended the steak house to other wrestlers but also wore one of its T-shirt during his entrance before a match, which quickly raised the restaurant’s profile among wrestling fans.

The restaurant’s most popular dish is a one-pound (about 450-gram) steak priced at ¥4,200. It looks huge but melts in the mouth, each chew drawing out more of the meat’s tasty juices. The restaurant’s original sauce, which has an onion and soy sauce base, goes perfectly with the steak. At first, I was unsure if I could finish it all, but soon I found myself left with just one last bite.

“The secret of our delicious meat is that it’s aged,” Yamaguchi said.

The meat at the restaurant has been aged for two to three weeks, during which it is carefully examined. It is served medium rare. Nowadays, an increasing number of restaurants boast about serving aged meat.

“For many years, we’ve been trying to find the best timing [for aging the meat]. The taste of our meat cannot be imitated,” Yamaguchi said proudly.

Sometimes foreign tourists come to the restaurant and use a translation app to convey that it has been their dream to visit the steak house.

“It’s a magic-like connection brought by wrestlers. I hope the steaks that I grill won’t let them down. I want to make [this restaurant] popular worldwide,” Yamaguchi said as if he were making a vow to himself.

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Ribera Steak House Meguro branch

Address: 6-17-20 Shimo-Meguro, Meguro Ward, Tokyo

Access: A 16-minute walk from Gakugei-Daigaku Station on Tokyu Toyoko Line

Memo: Some dishes are named after combat sports veterans who gave their input, such as the Badr Hari steak. The restaurant’s original corn soup is also popular.