Sandaime Bunji
What Makes Sandaime Bunji Special
About Sandaime Bunji
Sandaime Bunji traces its roots back over 80 years to Ginza, Tokyo, where the family began making kamaboko — the traditional Japanese fish cake with its characteristic pink edges. The name 'Sandaime' means 'third generation', and 'Bunji' is the family name, marking this as a truly generational business. Singapore became home to their first-ever outlet outside Japan when they opened at Millenia Walk in 2011, bringing with them a specialisation that few Japanese restaurants in Singapore attempt: beef, in all its forms.
The restaurant specialises in three pillars of Japanese comfort food: Sendai-style gyutan (beef tongue) that is double-aged and thick-cut with a special marinade from the Sendai region; wagyu roast beef served as a dramatic 250-gram mountain atop rice, drizzled with a proprietary sweet-savoury sauce; and traditional oden — a simmering pot of fish cakes, daikon radish, tofu, konnyaku, and boiled eggs in a light dashi broth. Beyond these signatures, the kitchen also produces yakitori, sashimi, beef skewers, and a limited-quantity mazesoba (soupless ramen) available only during lunch hours.
The space itself feels like stepping into a backstreet izakaya in Tokyo: dark wood panels, paper lanterns suspended from the ceiling, a long counter facing the open kitchen where chefs work over charcoal grills and simmering oden pots, and traditional zabuton (floor cushion) seating in a raised tatami area. Servers in pink kimonos attend to guests — including the beloved Madam Jenny Wong, who speaks fluent English, Mandarin, and Japanese, and has been with the restaurant since its early days. Most telling is the clientele: every evening, a significant portion of diners are Japanese expatriates — the surest sign of authenticity. The same management also operates Sandaime Hiraki at #02-10/11 upstairs, a sister izakaya focused on grilled fish, grilled oysters, pork, and oden.
Recommended For
Menu & Pricing
All prices before 10% service charge and 9% GST.
Signature Dishes
| Wagyu Mountain Roast Beef Set (lunch) | S$19.90 |
| Wagyu Mountain Roast Beef Set (dinner) | S$24.90 |
| Gyutan Steak Sendai Special 6P | S$29.90 |
| Gyutan Steak Sendai Special 10P | S$39.90 |
| Aging Gyutan with Yuzu Pepper | S$21.90 |
| Toro Tan Skewer 2P | S$16.40 |
| Oden Mixed Platter 7P | S$28.90 |
| Oden Mixed Platter 12P | S$46.90 |
Omakase Courses
| Gyutan Yaki Omakase (9 items) | S$65++ |
| Roast Beef Course (8 items) | S$45++ |
| Free Flow Drinks (2hrs, min. 2 pax) | S$30++/pax |
Lunch Specials
| Beef Tendon Curry | S$9.90 |
| Limited-quantity Mazesoba | from S$12 |
| Sashimi Promo (with alcoholic drink) | S$16.90 |
À La Carte Skewers & More
| Mixed Beef Skewer Platter 4P | S$23.95 |
| Wagyu Short Rib Skewer 2P | S$16.30 |
| Wagyu Sirloin Steak Skewer 1P | S$9.90 |
| Gyutan Tsukune Skewer 2P | S$12.80 |
| Grilled Hokke (whole) | S$19.90 |
| Otoro Sashimi 5P | S$18.90 |
Practical Information
Dietary Information
Photos
From @sandaime_bunji on Instagram
Location
9 Raffles Boulevard, #01-14/15 Millenia Walk, Singapore 039596
⚠️ Ground floor, facing OUTSIDE Millenia Walk (near Conrad Hotel). Not inside the mall corridor. Look for the traditional dark wooden Japanese shopfront.
📍 Open in Google MapsYour Dining Journey
A guide to the full Sandaime Bunji experience — from the wooden entrance to the last sip of sake.
The Entrance — Step Into Tokyo
The dark wooden shopfront facing the outside of Millenia Walk is your first clue that this is not a typical mall restaurant. Inside, paper lanterns glow overhead and the sound of sizzling charcoal fills the air. Request the tatami area if you want the full izakaya experience — zabuton cushion seating on the floor, just like in Japan. Solo diners should sit at the counter for a front-row view of the kitchen.
The Mountain — Wagyu Roast Beef
The Wagyu Mountain Roast Beef Set arrives as a towering stack of 250 grams of thinly sliced wagyu, draped over a bowl of rice and drizzled with a sweet-savoury proprietary sauce. It is served at room temperature — intentionally, to preserve the texture and tenderness of the beef. Break the onsen egg on top, mix it through, and eat. The set includes salad, silky tofu, and a surprisingly flavourful oxtail soup. At S$19.90 for lunch, this is one of the most generous wagyu bowls in Singapore's CBD — and at 250 grams, it can genuinely challenge bigger appetites.
The Tongue — Sendai Gyutan
The gyutan is double-aged and thick-cut in the Sendai tradition — Singapore was one of the first cities outside Japan to serve this preparation when Sandaime Bunji opened in 2011. The tongue has a distinctive crunch on the charred outside while remaining tender and juicy inside, served with pickles, spicy miso, and rice. If you have never tried beef tongue before, this is one of the most approachable places to start — the flavour is beefy without gaminess, and the texture is unlike any other cut. Add chilli pepper for an extra dimension of heat that pairs surprisingly well.
The Comfort — Traditional Oden
The oden simmers gently in a pot behind the counter all day — daikon radish, fish cakes, tofu, konnyaku, boiled egg, and assorted ingredients absorbing the light dashi broth. It is the kind of simple, warming food that Japan does better than anywhere else, and Sandaime Bunji prepares it with care. Order the 7-piece platter to share, or pick individual items. The broth itself is worth drinking — clear, subtly sweet, and deeply comforting on a rainy Singapore evening.
Stay for Sake
Sandaime Bunji is an izakaya at heart, and the evening is when it comes alive. The sake list is well-chosen, and the 2-hour free-flow option (S$30/pax) is excellent value for groups. Order a round of beef skewers (the wagyu short rib at S$16.30 for two is outstanding) and let the evening unfold. The atmosphere shifts after 8pm — the Japanese expat crowd arrives, the conversations get louder, and the restaurant feels exactly like its inspiration: a back-alley izakaya in Tokyo where the night is young and the food keeps coming.
Editor's Note
For a quick, affordable lunch, the Wagyu Mountain Roast Beef Set (S$19.90) is genuinely one of the best deals in the CBD — 250 grams of wagyu for under S$20 is remarkable by any standard. The Beef Tendon Curry (S$9.90) is also excellent value for those on a tighter budget. For dinner, the Gyutan Yaki Omakase Course (S$65) gives you the complete Sandaime Bunji experience in one meal: gyutan, roast beef, oden, and more across 9 courses. The sashimi promo (S$16.90 with any alcoholic drink) is a hidden deal that regulars know about. The restaurant is popular with Japanese expats every evening — arrive before 7pm for a better chance at your preferred seating. Counter seats are best for solo diners and couples; the tatami area suits groups of 4-6. The private room (up to 14 guests) requires advance booking. The limited-quantity lunch mazesoba sells out fast — arrive by 11:30am if you want it. Important: the entrance faces the OUTSIDE of Millenia Walk, near Conrad Hotel. Do not look for it inside the mall corridor — you will walk right past it. Look for the traditional dark wooden Japanese shopfront with the cloth noren curtain.