Gyushige in Fairfax, VA: Chef Junzo Miyajima's Most Luxurious Yakiniku Menu, From a $58 Taste of A5 Wagyu to Kobe Beef

Gyushige is an IVEA restaurant. We publish this story to introduce our own restaurant; it is not an independent review.

Gyushige, signed Gyu Shige Japanese BBQ & Bar, is a Japanese yakiniku restaurant at 2980 District Ave., Suite 100, in the Mosaic District of Fairfax, VA. It is the first U.S. location of Gyu Shige, founded in Tokyo in 1988. "Gyu" means cow and "shige" means busy, and the restaurant says the name now has over 160 stores worldwide. The Fairfax branch soft-opened on February 14, 2021, Northern Virginia Magazine reported.

The chef behind the menu. Chef Junzo Miyajima, IVEA's Executive Master Chef, created the Fairfax menu. Northern Virginia Magazine called him "the creative force behind the menu at Gyu Shige in Fairfax." It is the most luxurious of his barbecue menus: unlike the all-you-can-eat courses at Gyusan, Gyushige sells its best beef by the cut, so you choose exactly how far to go.

How yakiniku works here. Every table has its own grill. The restaurant explains that yakiniku is about the natural flavor of the meat, so many cuts come unmarinated, with a little salt or a splash of tare after grilling. Its signature is Miyazaki A5 Wagyu, and it says authentic Japanese A5 comes with a birth certificate and a certificate of authentication letter. A5 is the highest grade Japanese beef can receive.

The A5 ladder. The menu lets you climb one step at a time: A5 Wagyu 3 oz for $58, an A5 Wagyu Cube of 4.5 oz for $88, the A5 Wagyu Striploin Steak, 7 oz, for $128, and the A5 Wagyu Ribeye Steak, 12 oz, for $198. When the restaurant opened, Northern Virginia Magazine described the A5 arriving in dry-ice vapor with a single orchid, grilled at the table by a trained server and served with Himalayan salt, truffle salt and freshly grated wasabi.

The most luxurious plate: Kobe. At the top of the menu sits Premium Kobe Wagyu, $238 for 7 oz or $328 for 10 oz. Kobe and Miyazaki are different origins, so the two A5 sections are worth comparing side by side if the table is celebrating.

Everyday cuts worth ordering. Not every plate needs a certificate. Beef Tongue, thin or thick cut, is $16, and Prime Short Rib, boneless or bone-in, is $18; both are good first rounds before the Wagyu.

Junzo's luxury bites. Some of the most talked-about plates never touch the grill. The Wagyu Uni, $36, is two pieces of torched A5 Wagyu rib cap topped with Hokkaido uni, Osetra caviar, truffle salt and kizami wasabi. The restaurant calls its Hokkaido Uni Shot, $18, "our popular Uni-Shot." There is also A5 Wagyu Nigiri at $15 a piece, Toro Tartare at $19 and the Mosaic Roll, lobster tempura, mango and jalapeño wrapped in thin daikon, for $21.

Our pick for a first visit. Start with tongue and short rib, add the $58 A5 tasting and one Uni Shot per person, then finish with the Wagyu Truffle Fried Rice, $32, made with 3 oz of A5. Save the striploin or the Kobe for a birthday. Reservations are on Resy, tables have a 90-minute limit, and bar and outdoor seats are first come, first served. Desserts include a Kyoto Matcha Crepe Cake ($12) and Taiyaki with ice cream ($10).