Matsuya Singapore: One of Japan’s “big three” beef-bowl chains opens in Suntec, with bowls from S$5.50
Are you one of those Singaporeans who loves Japan, has been there a billion times, and often starts your sentences with: “That reminds me of that time I went to Japan”?
Then we know you’ll be excited with the opening of one of Japan’s most beloved fast-food chains Matsuya at Suntec City.
Touted by many as one of the best chain concepts in Japan, Matsuya is also known as one of the “big three” beef-bowl brands in Japan, alongside Sukiya and Yoshinoya (both of whom already have a presence in Singapore).
Matsuya, which boasts over 1,500 outlets in Japan as well as a 60-year history, is beloved for its affordable beef bowls and everyday Japanese dishes, such as curry rice.
Fervent Japanese food lovers might have noticed that it is the last of the “big three” to make its way to Singapore: Sukiya opened here in 2021 to massive fanfare, while Yoshinoya will be celebrating two decades here in the following year.
If your next trip to Japan is a while away, or you simply want to relive those Matusya flavours, you’ll want to make your way to the basement of Suntec City for Matsuya’s first Singapore outlet right now.
Like in Japan, Matsuya’s Singapore outlet will also have ordering done entirely through self-service electronic kiosks to make things fast and streamlined!
Matsuya Singapore has already soft-opened its doors to the public, with a grand opening date slated for October 31.
The decor is simple, similar to many other Japanese casual restaurants, though it does have a slew of hanging paper lamps to jazz things up a little.
Affordable Japanese food in Suntec City
As you’d expect of the Japanese salaryman lunch hotspot, Matsuya Singapore offers the same good-value proposition, with its gyumeshi beef bowl priced at a decently low S$5.50.
Prices start from S$5.50 for the S-sized bowl and go all the way to S$10.90 for the LL one.
And the best part? These prices are nett — Matsuya doesn’t have any additional GST or service charge!
You can also choose to spruce up your bowl with add-ons such as its kimchi and drink set (S$4.20) or with our fave choice of grated yam and soft-boiled egg set (S$3.20).
For Matsuya’s smallest sized gyumeshi beef bowl, you still get a decent amount of beef slices and rice. It can be decently filling, but just won’t leave you overly full — perfect for days you want something less heavy.
Flavourwise, it’s on the lighter side, but not bland at all, while the beef was decently tender. We preferred it with the soft-boiled egg (S$1.90 a la carte), adding a touch of silkiness.
Besides its beef bowls, another of Matsuya’s popular dishes is the curry rice.
Prices at Matsuya Singapore start from S$6.90 for a plain curry and rice, though meat options such as the curry and rice topped with grilled boneless short rib (S$11.90) and curry and rice topped with cheese & hamburg steak (S$14.40) cost a bit more.
We ordered the curry rice with cheese and hamburg steak, and were quite satisfied with both the curry and the hamburg.
The hamburg was tender and paired well with Matsuya’s curry, which boasted a stronger spice note than the usual sweet Japanese curry.
If you want to experience the Japanese salaryman life, Matsuya is also known for its teishoku (Japanese set meals) where you get a protein main, accompanied by salad, rice, and miso soup.
Our grilled pork with citrus leek sauce set (S$11.40) was pretty solid — for just a little over 10 dollars, you get a plate of grilled pork with a small pile of leeks with citrus sauce.
The pork is nowhere near mind-blowing but still tastes pretty decent and homely, and we quite enjoyed how Matsuya paired the fragrant leeks with the bright and tangy citrus sauce!
Unagi lovers can also consider visiting Matsuya for unagi, considering how expensive Singapore’s unagi specialist shops can be.
The most basic unagi bowl starts from S$12.50, and you can even get double unagi for S$21.
There are also options of toppings such as soft-boiled egg (from S$13.50) and even an option for the double threat of gyumeshi with unagi (from S$15.90)!
While not quite as spectacular and smoky as the unagi specialists, Matsuya’s affordable unagi is soft and well-glazed, without being cloying at all.
Is Matsuya’s Singapore foray going to be as big of a success as the other Japanese brands that opened here in the recent years?
We can’t say for sure, but from what we see, everything seems to have been executed quite well and consistently for a casual chain.
And we can say Matsuya Singapore is definitely a great option to have, compared to some of the other average-but-overpriced Japanese food chains we have in local malls!
This was a hosted tasting.
For more ideas on what to eat, read our stories on the Italian concept by a Michelin-starred Korean restaurant group, and beloved brunch spot Dough Coffee’s relocation!
Tue 9am to 10pm
Wed 9am to 10pm
Thu 9am to 10pm
Fri 9am to 10pm
Sat 9am to 10pm
Sun 9am to 10pm
- Promenade
- Esplanade
Evan started off writing about food on Instagram, before joining outlets such as Buro and Confirm Good to pursue his passion. His best work usually comes after his first whisky shot in the morning.
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