Kintan is a lively Japanese BBQ restaurant perfect for families and friends alike situated in the Al-Wadi neighborhood of Riyadh.
A grill-it-yourself-style restaurant, Kintan brings out the meats for you to sear to your desired degree.
The restaurant is dressed in ambient warm lighting that creates a relaxing atmosphere without being too dark to detract from the fun or the visibility.
Kintan’s menu offers a selection of a la carte meats topped with your choice of sauce — miso, sweet soya, spicy garlic, and others — as well as a selection of chicken, lamb, and seafood for those less beef-inclined.
The vegetables are the perfect light pairing to an otherwise meat-heavy meal, and they are grilled and dipped in sauce or butter as well.
The meat is fresh and tender, with a variety of cuts tailored to those who like thick, thin, or fatty strips. It is also highly recommended that you give your strips an additional dip into the provided sauces before or after grilling for extra flavor.
They additionally offer six types of sushi rolls including a California roll, crunchy spicy tempura, ebi roll, and more, as well as some rice and noodle dishes such as beef or vegetable bibimbap and chicken or vegetable garlic noodles. The garlic fried rice is a must-have.
To accompany your meal are “agenomo,” or deep-fried dishes, and a variety of appetizers, including soups, gyoza, kimchi, chicken karaage, and spring rolls.
The appetizers felt a bit weak-flavored and lackluster. The “spicy addicting cucumber” and the “spicy addicting cabbage” were topped with a spicy sauce rather than marinated, lacking effort. The chicken gyoza and kimchi were also less than impressive and easily skipped.
Overall, if you are looking for a fun night out or hoping to indulge in conversation with your friends while you wait for your meat to cook, Kintan is a great place to be.
