Japan's big three beef bowl chains are now all in Singapore, and the cheapest bowl costs less than a plate of chicken rice. We compared them with the best kaisendon, aburi and tendon chains on price, outlets, halal status and current deals, all checked on 9 November 2026.
A beef bowl is still one of the cheapest sit-down meals in Singapore, and the choice just got bigger.
> Quick view: the bowl to beat is Sukiya's gyudon from $4.50, halal and open 24 hours at 10 outlets; most bowls here cost $4.50 to $15. The catch: Kei, Aburi-EN and Tenya add 10% service charge and GST on top of the menu price.
The cheapest proper beef bowl in Singapore and the easiest to find. PRICE: the signature Gyudon is $4.50 (S), $4.90 (M), $7.30 (L), $9.30 (XL) and $11.30 (MEGA); Kimchi or Okra Gyudon from $6.10, Triple Cheese from $7.10, and a Low Carb Gyudon on tofu for $5.90. Prices include 9% GST and there is no service charge.BREAKFAST: Morning Mix sets with a mini beef or chicken yakitori plate, egg, rice and miso soup or a drink are $4.90 ($5.90 with both plates), from 5am at the 24-hour outlets and 8am at most others, until 11am.WHAT'S NEW: the Demi-Glace Mushroom Gravy & Fluffy Egg Gyudon launched on 4 November at $8.30 (M), and the dine-in Tsukimi Beef Sukiyaki Hot Pot combo runs from 3pm at $12.40 with rice.OUTLETS: 29, from Suntec City #01-647 and Funan #B1-32 to Jurong Point and Changi Airport T2. Ten run 24 hours, including Century Square, Hougang 1, Woods Square and Sengkang Grand Mall. HALAL: all 29 outlets appear on the MUIS register.BEST FOR: a $5 lunch, a 3am supper, or a halal group meal.
New Demi-Glace Mushroom Gravy & Fluffy Egg Gyudon from $8.30 (launched 4 Nov 2026, no end date published). Breakfast sets $4.90 until 11am daily.
The original gyudon chain, and the one to pick when your group needs halal and wants more than a beef bowl. PRICE: Gyudon $6.00 (Jr.), $6.50 (R) and $8.00 (L); Ontama Gyudon from $7.50, Cheese or Kimchi Gyudon from $8, and two-topping combo bowls such as Beef & Salmon or Beef & Karaage at $11.90. There is also Beef Curry Rice at $8.90, Shoyu Beef Ramen at $9.50 and Unagi Don at $13.40.STUDENT MEAL: $8.50 for a gyudon, ramen or curry rice set with a free drink, plus a $5.50 kids' set.OUTLETS: 15, including Bugis Junction #B1-10, The Cathay, Junction 8, NEX, Bedok Mall, Our Tampines Hub, The Star Vista and Holland Village, mostly 10am to 9:30pm. HALAL: Yoshinoya says all its Singapore restaurants are MUIS halal-certified, and the MUIS register lists 17 Yoshinoya certificates.BEST FOR: halal families and students.
Student Meal: gyudon, ramen or curry rice set $8.50 with a free drink (standing offer, no end date published).
The newcomer, and the reason all three of Japan's big beef bowl chains now trade in Singapore. Matsuya opened its first outlet at Suntec City Mall #B1-149/149A on 31 October 2026. PRICE: Gyumeshi beef bowl $5.50 (S), $5.90 (M), $8.50 (L) and $10.90 (LL); topped versions from $7.50, curry rice $6.90, set meals from $10.90, grilled eel bowls from $12.50 and a $3.50 dine-in kids' set.HOW IT WORKS: order at self-service kiosks, take a queue number and wait at your seat. HOURS: 10am to 10pm daily, last order 9:30pm, per Matsuya's own post; it is not 24 hours as in Japan.FINE PRINT: no opening promotion has been published, and the menu includes pork, so it is not a halal option.BEST FOR: trying the Japanese original near the CBD.
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The pick when you want raw fish instead of beef. Kei serves kaisendon, diced sashimi over vinegared rice, in mall outlets across the island. PRICE: the Kei Signature Kaisendon is $14.90 (S), $18.90 (R) and $22.90 (L); Mentaiyaki Kaisendon and Salmon Kaisendon are $19.90 and Mentaiyaki Tamago Kaisendon $20.90. Make it a set from $4.90 with edamame, sesame tofu or two chicken drumlets plus green tea, or $5.90 with seafood chawanmushi. Prices are before 10% service charge and GST.OUTLETS: 23, including Suntec City #02-372, Great World #B1-129, Wheelock Place, VivoCity #02-136, Jewel Changi #03-213, i12 Katong, AMK Hub and Hillion Mall, mostly 11am to 10pm (last order 9:30pm).FINE PRINT: Kei is not halal-certified.BEST FOR: a sashimi fix without omakase prices.
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Flame-seared donburi from the EN Group, using Hokkaido Nanatsuboshi rice and A4/A5 Miyazaki wagyu on its premium bowls.THE DEAL: Weekday Value Lunch Sets from $12.90++, Monday to Friday until 5pm (not on public holidays), each with miso soup, mini salad, two pork gyoza and a drink. The Chicken Teriyaki Don Set is $12.90 (U.P. $20.70), Mentaiko Chicken Don Set $13.90, Buta Don Set $15.90 and Wagyu Suji Don Set $18.90. Aburi-EN's promotions page lists these sets at Causeway Point and NEX.SUNTEC AND VIVOCITY: on weekdays before 5pm (excluding public holidays), every main comes with a free miso soup and appetiser of the day, and these two outlets also serve the limited Ultimate Steak Donburi.OUTLETS: 11, including Paragon, Isetan Scotts, JEM, Jewel and Guoco Tower, 11am to 10pm daily.FINE PRINT: prices are before 10% service charge and GST, and the menu includes pork.BEST FOR: a sit-down office lunch that feels like more than $13.
Weekday Value Lunch Sets from $12.90++ (Chicken Teriyaki Don Set, U.P. $20.70), Mon-Fri till 5pm, excl. PH, at Causeway Point and NEX. Free miso soup + appetiser with any main on weekdays before 5pm at Suntec City and VivoCity.
For a tempura bowl rather than beef. Tenya, the Tokyo tendon chain franchised here since January 2020, serves freshly fried tempura glazed with its own tare over rice. PRICE: on Tenya's own ordering menu, the Tenya Tendon (prawn, Japanese whiting, squid, pumpkin and French beans) is $10.60, Vegetables Tendon $10.00, Premium Tendon $14.60, Prawn Tendon $15.60 and Seafood Tendon $16.60. It also sells an Omori Gyudon at $15.40. Prices are before 10% service charge and GST, and miso soup is not included for takeaway.OUTLETS: just two, ION Orchard #B4-56 and Orchard Central #B1-01, both 11am to 10pm daily, walk-in only.FINE PRINT: Tenya is not halal-certified.BEST FOR: an Orchard Road lunch that is not another ramen.
Visit website| Chain | Cheapest regular bowl | Charges | Outlets | Halal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sukiya | Gyudon (S) $4.50 | GST included, no service charge | 29 (10 open 24 hours) | Yes, MUIS (29 certificates) |
| Yoshinoya | Gyudon (Jr.) $6.00 | Counter service | 15 | Yes, MUIS |
| Matsuya | Gyumeshi (S) $5.50 | Self-service kiosks | 1 (Suntec City) | No (serves pork) |
| Kei Kaisendon | Signature Kaisendon (S) $14.90++ | 10% service charge + GST | 23 | No |
| Aburi-EN | Chicken Teriyaki Don lunch set $12.90++ | 10% service charge + GST | 11 | No (serves pork) |
| Tenya | Vegetables Tendon $10.00, Tenya Tendon $10.60 | 10% service charge + GST | 2 (Orchard) | No |
We started with Japan's big three beef bowl chains, all now in Singapore since Matsuya's Suntec City opening, then added the most widespread kaisendon, aburi and tendon chains so there is a pick for every kind of rice bowl. Every price comes from the brand's own menu page, menu PDF or ordering site, read on 9 November 2026. Outlet counts are from each brand's own location page, and halal status from the MUIS register, searched the same day. We left out chains we could not verify from an official source, including Kim Dae Mun, which closed on 30 November 2025.
*Source: each brand's own menu, outlet and promotions pages and Tenya's ordering site, read 9 November 2026; halal status from the MUIS halal establishment register, searched 9 November 2026. Photos: SUKIYA Singapore, Yoshinoya Singapore, Matsuya Foods Singapore, Kei Kaisendon, Aburi-EN and Tenya Singapore official.*
Sukiya has the cheapest gyudon of the big chains: a small bowl is $4.50 and a medium is $4.90, and its prices already include 9% GST with no service charge. Its breakfast sets, served until 11am, start at $4.90 with a mini beef plate, egg, rice and miso soup or a drink. Matsuya's small gyumeshi is $5.50 and Yoshinoya's junior gyudon is $6.
Yes. The MUIS halal register lists 29 certified Sukiya outlets, which matches the 29 outlets on Sukiya's own location page as of 9 November 2026. Yoshinoya is also MUIS-certified, and its website says every Singapore outlet is halal. Matsuya, Kei Kaisendon, Aburi-EN and Tenya are not on the register, and Matsuya and Aburi-EN serve pork.
Ten Sukiya outlets run 24 hours daily: Century Square, Sengkang Grand Mall, The Seletar Mall, Woods Square, Hougang 1, Jurong Point, KINEX, Northpoint City, YewTee Point and Changi Airport Terminal 2, based on Sukiya's breakfast and location pages. Their breakfast menu starts at 5am. Matsuya is not open 24 hours in Singapore: its Suntec City outlet runs 10am to 10pm.
All three are Japanese beef bowl chains. Sukiya is the cheapest and biggest here, with toppings such as triple cheese, kimchi and okra and a breakfast menu. Yoshinoya, the oldest brand, leans on combo bowls, ramen and curry, and is the sit-down halal option at 15 outlets. Matsuya opened its first Singapore outlet at Suntec City on 31 October 2026, sells gyumeshi from $5.50 with Japanese curry and set meals, and uses ordering kiosks.
