About Us
Kings of Kobe - where Wagyu reigns and the burger is king.
Known for its wildly creative, premium American Wagyu burgers, Kings of Kobe takes everything up a notch — bold flavors, indulgent ingredients, and a touch of irreverence. But the story doesn’t stop at the bun: our American Wagyu steaks bring the same swagger — seared hot and paired with house-made sauces that hit hard.
For those looking for the ultimate indulgence, we offer a selection of Japanese A5 Wagyu — rich, rare, and priced like nowhere else in NYC.
Open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, with a daily Happy Hour, an all-day bar dining menu, and late-night weekend action, Kings of Kobe delivers steakhouse-level firepower in a space that’s more fun than formal. Guests rave about the energy, friendly service, and inventive starters like giant mozzarella sticks, Wagyu “cinnamon buns,” and other sleeper hits that go way beyond beef.
Whether you’re diving into cocktails at the bar or going all-in on Wagyu, the portions are big, the vibe is bigger, and the flavor? Loud, proud, and unapologetically Wagyu.
American Wagyu
‘WAGYU’ refers to all Japanese beef cattle, where ‘Wa’ means Japanese and ‘gyu’ means cow. This choice favors animals with more intra-muscular fat cells (leading to marbling) which proves a reliable source of energy.
Wagyu cattle were first imported in 1975. In 1989, Japan began to reduce tariffs on imported beef, and this encouraged U.S. producers to produce high-quality products for export. Kobe, a city in Japan known for marbled beef, is thought to be the original source of American Wagyu cattle, ultimately brought to the U.S. for breeding.
Most U.S. production was initially exported to Japan. However, when chefs and other cognoscenti began to recognize the superior eating quality of Wagyu, most production transitioned to domestic consumption.
Delicious and tender, the marbled beef of Wagyu makes for an unrivaled eating experience.
And, not only is Wagyu a delight, but it’s likely healthier for you, too. Health experts have determined the ratio of monounsaturated fat to saturated fat to be higher in Wagyu than in other beef. Moreover, the saturated fat in Wagyu is qualitatively different. Forty percent of Wagyu fat is stearic acid, regarded to have a minimal impact on cholesterol levels. Wagyu beef contains the highest amount of something called Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA, a fatty acid) per gram of any foodstuff, and CLA is alleged to have both anti-carcinogenic and anti-inflammatory properties.