Hong Kong’s fine dining scene gains an intriguing new contender with Yakiniku Yama Oku, a 12-seat counter that transforms Japanese barbecue into an intimate kappo performance shaped by premium wagyu, mountain folklore, and old-school culinary craftsmanship.
Among the latest restaurants to open up in Hong Kong is Yakiniku Yama Oku, a specialty Japanese fine dining concept that introduces a more intimate, theatrical interpretation of Japanese barbecue that blends the precision of kappo dining with the primal pleasures of grilling premium wagyu over live heat.
Opened by CSC Collective — the group behind Sukiyaki Nakagawa and Teppanyaki Mihara Goten — the new restaurant occupies a discreet 12-seat counter within flashy retail mall CUBUS. The name translates to “barbecue in the heart of the mountains”, drawing inspiration from Japan’s pre-Meiji era when meat consumption was officially prohibited and villagers retreated to remote mountain huts to cook livestock in secret. But rather than leaning into rustic nostalgia, Yakiniku Yama Oku reimagines that hidden culinary culture through a contemporary cave-like dining room where diners sit face-to-face with the chefs, watching every slice, grill and finishing touch unfold before them.
Leading the counter are chefs Koji Takazono and Koichi Kuga, both from Kyushu and dripping with extensive experience across respected yakiniku, washoku and luxury hospitality establishments in Japan. Together they bring a style of yakiniku kappo that extends well beyond simply grilling meat. Slicing, steaming, boiling, ageing and smoking all feature throughout the menus, allowing different cuts and ingredients to reveal their character through multiple techniques.
Wagyu, as one might expect, remains the headline attraction. Seasonal selections include Omi beef from Shiga and award-winning Oita wagyu, showcased across a range of lunch and omakase-style dinner menus. Signature dishes include Sea Urchin and Wagyu Ichibo Tartare, Wagyu Lean Beef Seaweed Roll, dry-aged Chateaubriand grilled over straw, and Yamaoku-yaki, alongside premium cuts paired with century-old brewery-made soy sauce and Hyogo’s prized Kodawari Tamago eggs.
Perhaps most interesting is the restaurant’s willingness to look beyond wagyu alone. Alongside beef tongue and offal, diners can expect dedicated pork and chicken menus, while seasonal game such as venison and wild boar is slated to appear when available. It is a thoughtful nod to the mountain-hut inspiration behind the concept, and one that introduces a degree of variety uncommon in Hong Kong’s increasingly crowded yakiniku landscape.
Yakiniku Yama Oku
Address 3/F, Cubus, 1 Hoi Ping Rd, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong (Google Maps link)
Opening Hours 12pm to 2.30pm and 6pm to 11pm daily
Tel (852) 4497 5412
Facebook yakiniku.yamaoku
Instagram @yakiniku.yamaoku
Reservations book here
Follow us on Telegram to get updated on events and other spirited announcements!
