Japan's Marumichi Yakiniku Debuts in Taiwan: Fall in Love with Its Signature Next-Gen Diaphragm Meat

▲ Next-Gen Diaphragm Meat. (Photo / Provided by Marumichi Yakiniku)

Reported and photographed by Huang Shiyuan, Taipei

Meat lovers, rejoice once again — the renowned Japanese yakiniku chain Marumichi Yakiniku has arrived in Taiwan. Its Taipei branch is located in the bustling East District and officially opened on December 17. In addition to the usual beef cuts, Marumichi specializes in offal that’s less commonly found in Taiwan, such as beef heart, liver, and intestines. Among them, the much-loved diaphragm meat is not only available but also prepared as barrel-aged (tsubo-zuke) diaphragm — tender, juicy, and so delicious you won’t want to go anywhere else.


▲ The Taipei branch of Marumichi Yakiniku has opened.


▲ The restaurant is adorned with many lanterns, giving it a distinctly Japanese vibe.

The Marumichi Yakiniku brand originates from Japan’s D0??? Corporation. The Taipei location was designed by a Taiwanese team in close collaboration with the Japanese headquarters. The interior uses wood as the main material, combined with warm lighting and black-and-white tiled flooring, creating a serene and elegant ambiance reminiscent of a high-end Japanese izakaya. Chen Hongzhou noted that the large space was designed entirely in Japan, aiming to recreate the calm and refined atmosphere of traditional Japanese dining.

▲ Premium Beef Tongue.

 
▲ Offal is the highlight of Marumichi Yakiniku’s menu.


▲ Beef Heart.


▲ Beef Large Intestine.

Although Japanese wagyu is currently all the rage, with many yakiniku restaurants now offering it, Chen Hongzhou explained that Marumichi does not use Japanese wagyu in Taiwan due to its prohibitively high import costs, which don’t align with the restaurant’s mid-to-high price positioning. Instead, they source beef approved by Japanese partners.

Most yakiniku restaurants in Taiwan primarily serve beef slices, with limited offal options. However, Marumichi takes pride in its offal selection, offering items such as beef heart, heart tube, liver, tripe, various types of intestines, and beef tongue tendon. Because offal tends to have a stronger odor, these items are pre-marinated. Aside from offal, tsubo-zuke (barrel-aged) dishes are also a Marumichi specialty, including tsubo-zuke super beef small intestines, tsubo-zuke super beef large intestines, and the next-gen diaphragm meat.


▲ Next-Gen Diaphragm Meat.

The next-gen diaphragm meat weighs around 280 grams — nearly 10 ounces — and is grilled by the staff. They first sear a large piece on the grill, then cut it into smaller pieces before placing them back into the barrel to soak up more sauce. The grilled diaphragm is tender, easy to chew, and even more flavorful when paired with the restaurant’s garlic butter.


▲ Grilled Toast with Ice Cream — a unique dessert at the restaurant.

Besides beef, the restaurant also offers pork, chicken, and seafood, along with salads, beef soup, Korean-style spicy tofu stew, spicy offal hot pot, chilled noodles, stone pot bibimbap, and beef seaweed rice rolls. If the meat doesn’t fill you up, there are plenty of other options to choose from.

Address: No. 5, Lane 6, Alley 170, Section 4, Zhongxiao East Road, Da’an District, Taipei City
Phone: 02-2711-3086