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Yakiniku King offers all-you-can-eat options that allow customers to order various dishes from a large touchscreen tablet on each table that is outfitted with a grill for patrons to cook their own food.

Yakiniku King offers all-you-can-eat options that allow customers to order various dishes from a large touchscreen tablet on each table that is outfitted with a grill for patrons to cook their own food. (Elena Pendleton/Special to Stars)

Yakiniku King offers all-you-can-eat options that allow customers to order various dishes from a large touchscreen tablet on each table that is outfitted with a grill for patrons to cook their own food.

Yakiniku King offers all-you-can-eat options that allow customers to order various dishes from a large touchscreen tablet on each table that is outfitted with a grill for patrons to cook their own food. (Elena Pendleton/Special to Stars)

Yakiniku King's all-you-can-eat lunch costs 1,980 yen (about $18.40), with a 100-minute time limit. The all-you-can-eat dinner, available after 3 p.m., is 2,680 yen. The popular restaurant has franchises across Japan.

Yakiniku King's all-you-can-eat lunch costs 1,980 yen (about $18.40), with a 100-minute time limit. The all-you-can-eat dinner, available after 3 p.m., is 2,680 yen. The popular restaurant has franchises across Japan. (Elena Pendleton/Special to Stars)

At Yakiniku King, you must remove your shoes and place them in a locker after entering the restaurant. You'll be seated on the floor in comfortable booth-like seats with space below for your legs.

At Yakiniku King, you must remove your shoes and place them in a locker after entering the restaurant. You'll be seated on the floor in comfortable booth-like seats with space below for your legs. (Elena Pendleton/Special to Stars)

Yakiniku King franchise is well-known across Japan for its delicious grilled-meat dishes.

Yakiniku King franchise is well-known across Japan for its delicious grilled-meat dishes. (Elena Pendleton/Special to Stars)

The Yakiniku King franchise is well known across Japan for its delicious grilled-meat dishes.

This popular restaurant, which has a location in Hamura near Yokota Air Base, offers all-you-can-eat options that allow customers to order various dishes — meat, sides, vegetables, dessert, drinks and more — from a large touchscreen tablet on each table that is outfitted with a grill on which patrons can cook their own food.

The all-you-can-eat lunch costs 1,980 yen (about $18.40), with a 100-minute time limit. The all-you-can-eat dinner, available after 3 p.m., is 2,680 yen.

The process works like this: Take off your shoes and place them in a locker after entering the restaurant and you’ll be seated at ground level in comfortable booth-like seats with space below for your legs.

Order from the tablet — English is not available, but the pictures are helpful — and servers will deliver your plates of uncooked meat and turn on the grill. Use tongs to cook the meat, and once it’s done, use chopsticks to transfer the food to a clean plate to avoid cross-contaminating raw and ready-to-eat meat.

My party ordered pork, beef, chicken and a plate of round, pink slices of meat that turned out to be cow’s tongue. It was savory and chewy, almost like bacon.

We also had sausage, onions, peppers and corn placed in metal tins with slices of butter. We tried kimchi, salad, bibimbap (Korean vegetables), fried chicken, rice, egg drop soup, seasoned cabbage, fries and seaweed soup.

Yakiniku King offers three dipping sauces. Two are soy-sauce based — one salty and one sweet — and the third is a clear vinegar. I preferred the salty soy sauce, though the sweet version ranked a close second.

After the main course, it’s time to think about dessert, which is included in the all-you-can-eat meals. Options are almond tofu, gelatin and ice cream. Don’t be afraid to order more than one dessert. My favorite was the ice cream with chocolate syrup.

The same goes for beverages. The drink bar boasts melon soda, oolong tea, orange juice and more.

Yakiniku King proved to be a great choice for all-you-can-eat yakiniku. Be sure to order as much as you like within the 100 minutes, and try a little of everything.

Yakiniku King

Location: 2-21-4 Hamura, Hamura-shi, Tokyo

Hours: 5 p.m. to midnight weekdays; 11:30 a.m. to midnight weekends.

Prices: All-you-can-eat options cost 1,980 yen (about $18.40) for lunch and 2,680 yen for dinner.

Dress: Casual

Directions: Drive straight out of Yokota Air Base’s main gate, and veer right at the fork in the road. Take a right near Seiyu on the road marked Fussa Station East Entrance No. 2 and continue for a couple of miles. Yakiniku King will be on your right. Look for a large blue sign that says Aoki Men’s Plaza.

Information:www.yakiniku-king.jp; 042-570-1881

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