Eleven local recommendations for eating on the cheap at this famous restaurant chain.

Welcome to Episode 25 of Japan Super Budget Dining, our in-depth series where we explore what 1,000 yen (US$7.02) can get you at some of the country’s best-known chains.

This time, we’re off to Matsuya, one of Japan’s leading beef bowl chains, where our Japanese-language reporters are using their local expertise to share with us their top recommendations. The only rule is that none of the meal ideas exceeds the 1,000-yen limit, a requirement that’s becoming increasingly difficult with rising costs, so let’s get to it and see what they recommend below!

▼ Masaunki Sunakoma’s “Beyond 1,000-yen Set”

  • Set Meal of Hamburg Steak in Brown Sauce Topped with Cheese (1,030 yen → 960 yen with app coupon)
  • Free large rice upgrade

Total: 960 yen

▼ “I cheated death with a coupon! The melty cheese and savoury sauce makes this wild combo worth the gamble.”

▼ Go Hatori’s “Meat Mountain Mega-Serving”

  • Beef Bowl with Large Serving Simmered Beef ＆ Onion on Regular Serving Rice (580 yen)
  • Beef Plate Side Dish (370 yen)

Total: 950 yen

▼ “I kept piling on meat until my bowl looked like a beef volcano. Pure happiness!”

▼ Takashi Harada’s “Secret Lunch Set That Takes the Classic Breakfast to the Next Level”

  • Sausage & Egg Breakfast Set (490 yen)
  • Large Beef Plate Side Dish (480 yen)

Total: 970 yen

▼ “I turned breakfast into lunch by adding a mountain of beef. Pro tip: Eat it at 11 a.m. for maximum brunch-style satisfaction!”

▼ Yuuichiro Wasai’s “Ultimate Takeout Drinking Combo”

  • Stewed Chicken Curry and Rice Single Item (660 yen)
  • Mini Beef Plate (200 yen)
  • Cold Tofu (100 yen)

Total: 960 yen

▼ “This isn’t just food, it’s beer’s best friend. Takeout lets me savour Matsuya like it’s a drinking snack!”

▼ Seiji Nakazawa’s “All-You-Can-Eat Rice, Hamburg and Tonjiru Set”

  • Set Meal of Hamburg Steak in Brown Sauce with Tonjiru pork miso soup (1,000 yen)
  • Free extra rice (select locations)

Total: 1,000 yen

▼ “I exploited a location-specific promo for unlimited rice. Two bowls in, I was in carb heaven!”

▼ P.K. Sanjun’s “Beef Mountain Bibimbap Bowl Set”

  • Beef Bibimbap Bowl (630 yen)
  • Beef Plate Side Dish (370 yen)

Total: 1,000 yen

▼“Matsuya’s bibimbap is criminally underrated. Adding beef? Now it’s a feast!”

▼ Furusawa Takamichi’s “Classic Beef Bowl Set”

  • Large Beef Bowl (630 yen)
  • Raw Egg (90 yen)
  • Potato Salad (240 yen)

Total: 960 yen

▼ “Simple, timeless, and perfect. Adding the potato salad was a stroke of genius.”

▼ Yoshio Ueda’s “Food Coma Set”

  • Set Meal of Hamburg Steak in Brown Sauce with Tonjiru pork miso soup (1,000 yen)
  • Free extra-large rice

Total: 1,000 yen

▼ “I ate so much I couldn’t move for three hours. Worth it.”

▼ Ahiruneko’s “All Hail the Chicken King”

  • Stewed Chicken Curry and Rice (780 yen)
  • Side Salad (150 yen)

Total: 930 yen

▼ “The chicken curry is a god-tier dish. Adding salad could be viewed as heresy but I did it anyway.”

▼ Mr Sato’s “The Rebel’s 500-Yen Lunch”

  • Small Beef Bowl Set (500 yen)

Total: 500 yen

▼ “Why waste 1,000 yen? Spend half, then buy Starbucks with the rest. Freedom!”

▼Mariko Ohanabatake’s “Early Bird Breakfast Hack”

  • Cheese Omelette Over Rice & Pork Soup Set (550 yen)
  • Extra Grated Yam (120 yen)
  • Mini Beef Plate (150 yen)
  • Side Salad (100 yen)

Total: 920 yen

▼ “This feels like a hotel buffet, and the omelette bowl with cheese and black pepper is absolutely divine.”

So there you have it — 11 meal ideas for Matsuya that won’t break the bank at 1,000 yen or less. While there were some  clear overlaps, particularly in the way of hamburg steak sets, this just proves how popular these dishes are with locals. So next time you want to eat like a local, at breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner, pull up a stool at Matsuya and order yourself a meal to remember. And if you’re looking for more cheap meal recommendations, head on over here to find out what 1,000 yen will get you at the Lawson convenience store chain!

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