About OOTSUKAGRILL A.K.A.

Hello, this is Aikero, writer for [Sarukuma]!

Today I’m introducing OOTSUKAGRILL A.K.A., located in Ryutsu Danchi, Minami Ward, Kumamoto City.
The Ootsuka Group’s restaurant 〈Löffel〉 has closed.
It has been renamed 〈OOTSUKAGRILL A.K.A.〉 and reopened on December 3rd after a full renewal!

This refresh is great news for anyone who wants both quality meat AND a buffet experience!
Every menu item now comes with a salad bar, and the variety of salads and desserts has been upgraded.
Rest assured — the location and core menu at both the Ryutsu Danchi and Musashigaoka branches remain largely the same. (^^)/
The parking lot is spacious with plenty of spots ♪
Inside, the seats have been rearranged to give a bit more space between tables.
Moving to and from the buffet area is now smoother too.
Did you know it’s also family-friendly?
There are tatami (Japanese-style floor) seats and child-sized chairs available, so families with little ones can dine with peace of mind.
The tables are large, so there’s no worry about dishes getting knocked off the edge ♪
High chairs are also available for table seating.
Reservations can be made quickly through the OOTSUKAGRILL A.K.A. official LINE account.
Please note: phone reservations are not accepted. (^^)/
Restrooms are located outside the restaurant.
There are men’s, women’s, and a multi-purpose restroom. The multi-purpose restroom has a child seat attachment, but no diaper-changing station.
Now, let’s take a look at the menu!
The star of the show is the Aka-Ushi Hamburg Steak — letting you indulge in the famous Kumamoto Aka-Ushi (red beef) that gives the restaurant its name!
For those who want to try a bit of everything, there are also combo menus pairing the hamburg with other items.

〈Aka-Ushi Hamburg Steak〉
・Kumamoto A.K.A. Aka-Ushi “GRILL” Hamburg Steak
Single 150g — 2,034 yen
Double 150g x 2 — 2,804 yen

〈Kumamoto A.K.A. Aka-Ushi “GRILL” Hamburg Combo Menu〉
・Kumamoto A.K.A. Aka-Ushi “GRILL” Hamburg
＆ Homemade Tartar with Plump Fried Shrimp — 2,584 yen
＆ Original Herb-Grilled Chicken — 2,364 yen
＆ Greedy Juicy Grill Combo — 2,474 yen
＆ Aka-Ushi Juicy Cube Steak (80g) — from 3,464 yen (Double available)
Aka-Ushi steak is gaining popularity for its lean, tender quality.
A sizzling-hot pellet stone lets you cook it to your preferred doneness right at the table!

〈Aka-Ushi Steak〉
・Kumamoto A.K.A. Aka-Ushi Shoulder Loin Premium Steak
Single 150g — 3,464 yen
Double 150g x 2 — 5,554 yen

・Rich and Flavorful Aka-Ushi Lean Steak
Single 150g — from 3,904 yen (Double available)

・The Pinnacle of Beef! Aka-Ushi Fillet Steak
Single 150g — from 6,324 yen (Double available)

・Premium Aka-Ushi Sirloin Steak
Single 150g — from 5,334 yen (Double available)

・Acorn-Fed Pork Grilled with Shio-Koji
Single 180g — from 2,144 yen (Double available)

・Kumamoto A.K.A. Iron-Plate Napolitan — 1,814 yen
There’s also mixed-meat hamburg steak and pizza baked in a wood-fired oven! (^^)/
The prices may seem a touch high, but considering every dish includes the salad bar, it’s actually a great deal!
There’s even a kids’ lunch plate for the little ones ♪

Children up to 2 years old enjoy the salad bar and drink bar for FREE!
Kids age 3 and up are asked to order one item per person.
For children over 3 with a smaller appetite who might find the kids’ lunch too much, the salad bar (which includes curry and seasoned rice) is a great choice on its own.

・Kids’ Salad Bar (single order) — 418 yen
(Ages 3 to pre-school)

・Elementary Schooler Salad Bar (single order) — 748 yen
(Up to elementary school age)

Previously, the soft-serve all-you-can-eat was bundled with the drink bar, but after the renewal, they are now separate!
Great news for those who only want soft serve, or only want drinks ♪
Ordering is done by scanning a QR code with your own smartphone.
Once you’ve placed your order, it’s time to head to the salad bar! ♪
Let’s see how the renewed and upgraded salad bar has changed! ♪

First, the salad selection has expanded!
Fresh vegetables, seaweed salad, macaroni salad, Japanese-style potato salad, glass-noodle salad, and more.
There’s also ratatouille, bang-bang chicken, pickles, and a variety of dressings to choose from.
For rice, you can choose between plain white rice and gomoku takikomi (mixed seasoned rice).
And of course — being a buffet — refills are unlimited!
So generous!
How about a little curry to warm you up before the main meat dish? (laugh)
There are even soup options!
Great for picky eaters — like my own kid, who’ll skip the corn soup but happily slurp up the egg soup ♪

I didn’t snap photos, but there were also shrimp crackers, candied sweet potatoes (daigaku-imo), and fries.
The fries come with shaker seasonings in your favorite flavor — perfect for keeping kids entertained while waiting for the main dish! ♪
There’s even bread!
With blueberry jam, honey, margarine, AND a toaster — incredible!
And my personal favorite — the dessert corner ♡
It felt like there was more variety than before… and turns out the cakes used to only be available during Löffel’s dinner service!

After the renewal, prices have been lowered from the previous dinner-time rates, and the dessert lineup has been expanded! What a wonderful change (‘ω’*)

You might fill up before your main even arrives — but don’t stop at one trip! Go back twice, three times, and enjoy to your heart’s content! (laugh)
There are 4 sauces to choose from.
Take a little of each and switch up the flavors as you go!
Drinks are available both at the family-restaurant-style drink bar and over here.
There’s even milk and vegetable juice available.

OOTSUKAGRILL A.K.A. Recommended Menu

The buffet alone is enough to fill you up — but don’t forget the main dish!
I ordered the Kumamoto A.K.A. Aka-Ushi “GRILL” Hamburg & Greedy Juicy Grill.

The sausage and bacon come from 〈Sakuraya Shokusan Aso Meat Workshop〉 — another Ootsuka Group facility located in Nishihara Village.
Delicious, guaranteed!
It arrives sizzling on a hot iron plate.
A paper guard wraps around the edge, so you can pour on your favorite sauce without splattering your clothes!

First, the Aka-Ushi hamburg.
Juicy, with a satisfying meaty texture!
Is it coarsely ground? It’s hearty yet finishes clean on the palate, making you reach for just one more bite!

The crisscross sear marks bring out a lovely charcoal aroma — and that adds another layer of flavor!

(It may look a bit pink in the photo, but rest assured — it’s fully cooked through.)
Speaking of which — did you know?
At OOTSUKAGRILL A.K.A., all the meat is grilled over real charcoal!

The far-infrared heat seals in the umami, and the smoky charcoal aroma becomes part of the flavor itself!
The white rice goes down so easily!
The bacon is thick-cut, and the sausage has a snappy skin that bursts open with juicy meat — your mouth becomes a traffic jam of deliciousness!
Both are quite generous in size, so paired with the hamburg, I was satisfyingly stuffed (‘ω’*)

“Wait — can I only get this bacon and sausage at the restaurant?” Don’t worry!
They’re proudly sold at the Niku no Dokkin-Ichi (Meat Market) Ryutsu Danchi branch right next door ♡
I’ll share some of my personal favorites from the shop a bit later!

The vegetable side is served on a separate plate.
I love this — too often, the sides get drowned in sauce or end up scorching hot from the iron plate. So nice to avoid both!
I was full — but there’s always room for dessert ♡
Fresh fruit was on offer, but I went with cake, soft serve, and panna cotta.
It was my first time trying the cake, and the smooth chocolate ganache cream was incredible!
Unlimited refills on this? Pure heaven!
The soft serve has a milky, creamy sweetness ♪
Note: soft serve is a separate paid item, so add it on with your main if you want it! (^^)/
Here’s what I picked up at Niku no Dokkin-Ichi on the way home!

The intriguingly named “Miwaku no Salty” karaage (Japanese fried chicken) is from Karaage Senpai — a fried chicken specialist that used to be set up right outside the Niku no Dokkin-Ichi Ryutsu Danchi store.

A while back, I searched on Sarukuma for delicious karaage and went to visit, only to find they had closed…!
When I called Niku no Dokkin-Ichi to ask if they had relocated, they said, “We’re selling them inside the store now ♪” — and I’ve been buying them ever since ♡

[CLOSED] Karaage Senpai — A Karaage Specialty Shop Next to Niku no Dokkin-Ichi, Irresistibly Delicious (Ryutsu Danchi, Minami Ward, Kumamoto City)

I picked up the same bacon and sausage I had at the restaurant!
When you boil-grill them (briefly boil, then sear), the skins snap and the meat juices burst out!

The bacon has plenty of fat, so personally, two slices was just right for me.
The aromatic spices, the meaty bite of the lean part, the juicy fat… why is thick-cut bacon SO outrageously delicious?
There’s also a sign at the storefront!
Meat Boxes are available — perfect gifts for year-end and Christmas, while supplies last!

This is a butcher-owned restaurant, so the quality of the meat is guaranteed!
The whole family will leave full and happy (‘ω’*).
It’s easy to visit even with babies and small children, so why not make it your weekend dining destination? ♪

And I’d love to see this event come around again ~|ω･`)

[Ootsuka Food Education Meat Festa] Confirmed!

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Frequently Asked Questions

※Information is current as of the time of the visit. Prices and hours are subject to change. Please confirm before visiting.