Family Dining · Practical guide
Tomato & Onion
100% Beef "Bullet Hamburg" & Black Curry Bar
Prices, ordering steps, payment details, and common mistakes — in one place.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Japanese name | トマト＆オニオン (Tomato and Onion) |
| Category | Family Dining / American Homestyle Diner & Hamburg Steak Restaurant |
| Store Count | Approximately 40 locations across Kansai (originating in Maizuru, Kyoto in 1979), Hokuriku, Tohoku, and Kanto, operated by Tomato & Associates Co., Ltd. (Skylark Group) (Store Locator) |
| Ordering Style | Booth or table seating in cozy American homestyle cabin interiors; order via tabletop multilingual digital touchscreen tablets; autonomous musical delivery robots; sear meat on personal tabletop stones; settle bill at cashier/self-checkout |
| Membership Required? | No membership or reservation required for regular dining; walk-ins welcome, subject to seating availability. |
| Approximate Price Range | Daytime lunch sets ~¥900–¥1,400 (many incl. curry, rice, and soup bar); evening spend ~¥1,300–¥2,200; signature "Bullet Hamburg" by size — Half 120g ~¥1,099, Regular 240g ~¥1,704, King 360g ~¥2,309 (sets extra); all tax-included (as of September 30, 2026; subject to revision) |
| Payment Methods | Cash, major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express, Diners Club, UnionPay), Japanese transit IC cards (Suica, PASMO, etc.), electronic money (iD, 楽天Edy, QUICPay), smartphone QR code apps (PayPay, d-barai, 楽天ペイ, au PAY, Merpay), and Skylark Points |
| Multilingual Support | Tabletop touchscreen ordering tablets feature multilingual language toggles with full-color photos |
What it is
Tomato & Onion (トマト＆オニオン) (fondly nicknamed Toma-Oni), founded in Maizuru, Kyoto in 1979 and today a beloved boutique brand within the Skylark Group, is a retro American homestyle diner chain. Designed like a cozy Western country home with warm timber paneling and friendly vintage collectibles, Tomato & Onion is famous for its signature "Dangan Hamburg" (弾丸ハンバーグ - Bullet Hamburg)—a 100% coarse-ground beef patty seared over flames and served rare on a sizzling skillet with a personal red-hot heating stone (Pellet). What makes Toma-Oni an enormous favorite among travelers is its unlimited "Black Curry Bar & Soup Bar"—featuring rich, deeply spiced Japanese black curry poured over steamed rice—and its fun DIY cotton candy machine at the drink bar.
How to order
Dining at Tomato & Onion is warm, fun, and automated:
- Enter and take a seat: Walk inside. Staff or digital displays will seat your party in a comfortable wooden booth table with high privacy dividers.
- NO Otoshi cover charge: Enjoy honest family pricing—Tomato & Onion charges zero cover charge and zero table fee (¥0).
- Switch tablet to English: Pick up the tabletop touchscreen ordering tablet and tap the language toggle for English.
- Choose your entree & Curry Bar option:
- Dangan Hamburg (弾丸ハンバーグ): The #1 must-order dish. 100% pure beef patty served with a sizzling circular heating stone.
- Add the Curry & Soup Bar Set: Unlocks unlimited self-service Black Curry, Steamed Rice, and 2 Daily Soups.
- Add the Drink & Dessert Bar: Includes unlimited sodas, juices, coffee, and access to the DIY Cotton Candy Machine.
- Visit the Black Curry & Soup Bar: Grab a clean plate, ladle steaming white rice, and pour Toma-Oni's signature dark, rich beef black curry all over it.
- Delivery by robots: Musical delivery robots roll smoothly up to your table carrying sizzling cast-iron platters.
- Sear your beef on the hot stone: Cut bite-sized pieces of the juicy, coarse-ground beef patty with your fork and press them firmly against the sizzling heating stone to sear each bite to juicy perfection.
- Spin your own cotton candy: Visit the dessert station and spin fresh, fluffy cotton candy on a paper stick.
- Pay at automated self-checkout: Take your printed check slip to the front cashier desk to complete payment.
What to order first
Dishes below reflect core brand staples officially featured on the Tomato & Onion Official Website:
- Signature 100% Beef "Bullet Hamburg" (Dangan Hamburg - 弾丸ハンバーグ): 100% pure coarse-ground beef patty seared rare, served with a sizzling tabletop heating stone and house garlic onion glaze (Half 120g ~¥1,099 / Regular 240g ~¥1,704 / King 360g ~¥2,309, tax-included as of November 2026; sets are charged separately).
- Unlimited Black Curry Bar (Kuro Curry Bar): Deeply caramelized, rich Japanese dark beef curry served unlimited alongside steaming rice and hot soups (~included in sets).
- Cheese-Stuffed Hamburg Steak: Juicy beef-and-pork patty oozing with melted cheese and brown demi-glace.
- DIY Cotton Candy Machine (Watame): Free with drink/dessert bar; make your own fluffy pink and blue cotton candy.
- Weekday Lunch Grill Combos: Sizzling chicken, hamburger, and sausage platters with unlimited curry and soup for under ¥1,100.
Payment & practical info
Practical dining and payment guidance based on official Tomato & Associates policies (consult the Official Store Locator for branch locations):
- Accepted Payment Methods: Accepts cash, international credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express, Diners Club, UnionPay), Japanese transit IC cards (Suica, PASMO, etc.), electronic money (iD, 楽天Edy, QUICPay), smartphone QR code apps (PayPay, d-barai, 楽天ペイ, au PAY, Merpay), and Skylark Points.
- Free Fresh Grilling Stone (Pellet Kokan): If your sizzling stone cools down before you finish eating your meat, simply ask staff or tap the tablet for "Pellet kokan"—they will bring a piping-hot fresh stone for free.
- High Value for Families & Drivers: Located along major road corridors in Kyoto, Hyogo, and Hokuriku with large free parking lots and spacious child-friendly booths.
- Wi-Fi & Power Outlets: Availability varies by branch; dining booths generally do not provide customer power sockets.
- Tax-Free Status: Not eligible for tax-free shopping. Restaurant dining is domestic consumption.
Good to know / Common mistakes
- Not cooking the 100% beef patty: The Dangan Hamburg arrives rare inside and finishes on your personal sizzling heating stone. It is ground beef, so sear each bite on the stone until it is cooked through to the center before eating — not just to your preferred doneness — and ask staff if you want it cooked further.
- Skipping the Black Curry Bar: Toma-Oni's Black Curry is intensely savory, dark, and aromatic—don't miss out on unlimited bowls of rich curry over rice.
- Requesting a new hot stone: If your circular heating stone stops sizzling, staff will gladly swap it for a glowing-hot fresh stone at zero extra charge.
- Tipping: Tipping is not customary in Japan, so there is no need to leave a tip. Settle your exact bill total at the front cashier desk.
FAQ
Q1: What is the "Dangan Hamburg"? The Dangan Hamburg (Bullet Hamburg) is Toma-Oni's signature 100% coarse-ground beef patty shaped like a bullet, seared on direct fire and finished tableside on a personal sizzling heating stone.
Q2: What is included in the Black Curry Bar? The Curry Bar includes all-you-can-eat dark caramelized Japanese beef curry, steamed Japanese white rice, and two daily hot soups.
Q3: Can foreign tourists easily order in English? Yes. Tables come equipped with a digital touchscreen tablet supporting English language navigation and clear photos for all dishes.
Sources
- Tomato & Onion Official Website: https://www.tomato-a.co.jp/tomatoonion/ (Verified: 2026-09-30)
- Tomato & Onion Store Locator: https://www.tomato-a.co.jp/tomatoonion/store/ (Verified: 2026-09-30)