Lee Cook

The natural opening choice for the grill is the thick-cut beef tongue, which cooks up crisp and tender over the heat. At Lee Cook in Bunkyo Ward's Mukogaoka neighborhood, diners find reliable cuts like harami skirt steak and liver alongside specialties that showcase pure ingredient flavors, such as salt-grilled Shingen chicken.

While meats cook over the fire, cold plates add color to the meal, from seasonal vegetable namul assortments to wakame salad. Later courses round out the table with aromatic garlic rice that reignites the appetite, refreshing cold naengmyeon noodles, or a bowl of warming yukgaejang soup.

Smokeless roasters keep the dining room tidy and pleasant, allowing guests to savor beer, wine, or a bold highball without lingering grill smoke. Because the space is intimate—centered around 4 tables—booking ahead is advisable for evening dinner visits.