


Kushiya Monogatari – ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT SKEWER FEAST
🍢 Introduction to the chain
Kushiya Monogatari (串家物語) is a Japanese restaurant chain specializing in the “kushiage” or “kushikatsu” style: skewers of meat, vegetables and seafood that you fry yourself at the table. The concept is original and fun, perfect for discovering a convivial aspect of Japanese gastronomy.
Nationwide presence
The chain is present throughout Japan, with outlets in major shopping malls and lively districts. In Kyoto, they can be found in the AEON Mall Kyoto.
What can we eat?
The restaurant offers an all-you-can-eat buffet of self-fried raw kebabs, with a wide choice of meats, seafood, vegetables and creative products. There’s also a buffet of salads, desserts (chocolate fondue, ice cream), curries, rice and drinks, depending on the options chosen.
Order at Kushiya Monogatari
The system is simple: you sit down at a table equipped with an individual fryer, help yourself to the buffet, then fry your kebabs to your liking. Everything is self-service, with a fixed price depending on duration (generally 90 minutes) and time of day.
What is kushikatsu (串カツ)?
Kushikatsu – also known as kushiage – is a Japanese specialty consisting of ingredients coated in breadcrumbs and fried on skewers (kushi means “skewer”, katsu comes from katsuretsu, a deformation of the French word for ‘chop’, which in Japan refers to a “breaded chop”).
Skewers can contain :
- meat (pork, chicken, beef),
- vegetables (onions, eggplants, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, etc.),
- seafood (shrimp, squid, etc.),
- or even more original ingredients such as cheese or quail eggs.
Kushikatsu are generally :
- dipped in a light batter, and then
- covered with breadcrumbs (panko),
- and then fried until crisp and golden.
They are often served with :
- special sauces (sweet, spicy or sesame),
- chopped fresh coleslaw
Kushikatsu originated in Osaka, but are now popular all over Japan, both in street stalls and in themed restaurants.




Personal experience
At around 1pm on a weekend in June, we went to the Kushiya Monogatari restaurant, located in Aeon Mall. Although the restaurant was almost completely full, we were able to enter without waiting. As it was lunchtime, we opted for the 70-minute all-you-can-eat menu. The price was 2,100 yen for an adult and 1,300 yen for an elementary school child. In this restaurant, the system is based solely on an all-you-can-eat formula. All you have to do is tell the staff how many people you are, and they’ll assign you a table. Once seated at the table, if you wish to add the all-you-can-drink option (non-alcoholic beverages) or order alcoholic beverages separately, simply let the staff know. Afterwards, each person can help themselves to the kebab ingredients of their choice, then fry them themselves using the deep fryer installed on the table.
There are around 30 different types of skewers to choose from. However, the ingredients on display change regularly, so it can happen that some of the items you took the first time are no longer available when you return to serve yourself – they are sometimes replaced by new skewers. A wide variety of sauces are available to accompany the fried kebabs. You can choose from several options, such as the house special sweet sauce, spicy sauce (similar to tonkatsu), ponzu (citrus-based sauce), or seasonal sauces.Several sauces can be poured onto a plate, and you can then enjoy your skewers with the ones you prefer.
In addition to fried kebabs, you can also enjoy a wide choice of side dishes, such as colorful salads, pasta, Japanese dishes (oshozai) or curry.A varied buffet to suit every taste. Once you’ve chosen your favorite skewers and returned to your table, you can start preparing your own kushikatsu.
To fry them, you’ll need not only the skewers, but also batter (neriko) and breadcrumbs (panko), which you’ll also need to pick up yourself from the buffet and prepare on your table before you start cooking. To prepare your kushikatsu skewer, start by dipping the skewer into the batter (neriko), then cover it with Japanese breadcrumbs (panko). Then simply dip the breaded skewer into hot oil at your table and fry until golden brown. Once cooked through, you can dip it in the sauce of your choice and enjoy! As the kebabs are cooked right at the table, children can participate in the preparation of the kebabs, making the experience even more fun for them. Our child really enjoyed both cooking and tasting the kushikatsu!
For dessert, you can serve Italian-style ice cream directly from a machine. You can also dip marshmallows in a chocolate fountain, or enjoy mini cakes. A delicious selection of sweet treats to finish off your meal!
The 70-minute time limit can seem a little fast when you’re with children, and we would have liked to have taken a little more time. But all in all, we were very satisfied, and our child said he’d love to go back. The length of the meal and the price can vary depending on several factors: whether it’s lunch or dinner, a weekday or a holiday, and whether it’s an adult or a child.
The amount we have paid is therefore given as an indication only.




Actual cost
- Adult buffet (weekends and public holidays) (70 min): ¥2,100×2
- Children’s buffet(weekends and public holidays) (70 min): ¥1,300
- All-you-can-eat drinks: ¥330
- Draft beer (medium size): ¥600×2
- Japanese Sour (cocktail made with shōchū and soda): ¥550×2
Total amount: ¥8,130 (approx. $50.37)
(based on an exchange rate of 1 USD = 161.4 yen)
Basic information
📍 Location: AEON Mall Kyoto, shopping malls in Japan
💰 Average price: ¥2,500 – ¥3,500 (adult)
⏰ Opening hours: 11:00 – 22:00
👪 Recommended for: families, groups, play experience enthusiasts
🌐 Official website: https://www.kushi-ya.com/
Highlights
– Unique, interactive experience
– Wide choice of kebabs and side dishes
– Fun for all ages
Note
– Beware of oil splashes
– Reservations recommended at weekends