Miami’s dining landscape continues its global evolution, and this time the journey leads straight to Tokyo. KARYU, the U.S. debut of Michelin one-star restaurant Oniku Karyu, has arrived in the Miami Design District, bringing with it a rare and deeply refined expression of wagyu kaiseki — a culinary tradition rooted in precision, ritual, and reverence for ingredients.
At the heart of KARYU is Chef Haruka Katayanagi’s philosophy: wagyu is not simply luxury — it is heritage. In Japan, wagyu represents centuries of patient breeding, care, and respect. Each cut reflects a lineage shaped by craftsmanship and time. Miami diners are now invited into that lineage through an intimate 12-seat omakase experience designed to feel less like a meal and more like a ceremonial progression.
Rather than adapting for an American audience, the restaurant imports its soul intact. Chef Katayanagi’s protégés relocate directly from Tokyo to lead the Miami outpost: Head Chef Hiroshi Morito, Sous Chef and Sommelier Seishiro Tatsukawa, and Service Director Akiho Saito. Together they preserve the discipline, hospitality, and artistry that earned Oniku Karyu its Michelin star.
The wagyu itself carries a story few restaurants in the world can tell. KARYU is the only restaurant in the United States serving Tajimaguro cattle from Ueda Chikusan, a family-run ranch in the mountains of Hyōgo Prefecture. The farm operates on a full-cycle system, raising a limited number of animals each month with meticulous traceability. Tajimaguro, the purest lineage of Tajima-gyu — the same bloodline that produces Kobe beef — is prized for extraordinary marbling and depth of flavor. It is not abundance that defines it, but rarity.
MENU & BEVERAGE PROGRAM
MENU & BEVERAGE PROGRAMKARYU’s opening menu presents a refined progression of wagyu-focused kaiseki, showcasing premium Tajimaguro through both traditional and modern expressions. The initial opening menu includes:
Nikusui – a delicate beef broth that awakens the palate with clarity and umami
Beef Cutlet Sandwich – a playful take on the classic, featuring a Kobe beef tenderloin
KARYU “Taco” Tribute – lettuce in place of a tortilla, layered with shiso, aged Gruyère, and lightly seasoned raw egg yolk, mixed tableside as part of the chef’s live presentation
Chateaubriand – an elevated expression of Tajimaguro’s tenderness and depth
Traditional Sukiyaki – served with Japanese white rice, raw egg yolk mixed in front of the guest, and miso soup
Tantanmen – a sesame-based broth with noodles nestled beneath the surface, finished with aromatic vegetables
– a shaved ice dessert that honors Japan’s micro-seasons
That sense of seasonality is not decorative — it is structural. The menu evolves monthly, reflecting subtle shifts in temperature, produce, and mood. Each visit promises a different interpretation of wagyu, reinforcing the idea that kaiseki is not static cuisine, but a living language.
The beverage program mirrors the restraint of the kitchen. Approximately ten curated sakes anchor the list, many from rare producers seldom poured outside Japan. A focused wine selection — three whites, five reds — is chosen for structure and acidity, designed to balance richly marbled beef rather than overpower it. The pairings function as dialogue, not decoration.
Design plays an equal role in the experience. Created by Rockwell Group, the space channels the quiet ceremony of Tokyo while absorbing the contemporary pulse of the Miami Design District. Guests enter through warm white oak and linen scrim, passing an ikebana-inspired installation and illuminated sake display before arriving at the chef’s counter. Inside, Japanese cedar–inspired millwork, hay-embedded plaster, raku pottery, indigo linen partitions, and terrazzo floors create a palette rooted in wabi-sabi — beauty found in texture, imperfection, and time. The room balances traditional and modern elements with deliberate tension: bronze oven hoods and noren screens coexist with lacquered walls and woven leather seating, forming a setting that feels transportive yet grounded.
KARYU is not designed for scale. It is designed for focus. Two nightly seatings, twelve guests, and a progression measured in nuance rather than spectacle. In a city known for excess, its power lies in restraint.
By bringing Tokyo’s Michelin-starred wagyu kaiseki intact to Miami, KARYU offers more than exclusivity. It offers proximity to a culinary philosophy rarely exported at this level of integrity. Each dish becomes a conversation between farmer, butcher, chef, and guest — a reminder that luxury is not simply indulgence, but intention.
KARYU
40 NE 41st Street
Miami, Florida 33137
Hours of Operation
Seatings | Wednesday – Sunday: 6:00 pm and 9:00 pm
Reservations available via Seven Ro