The Japanese style of grilled meat often cooked at the table is yakiniku. The name literally means “grilled meat,” and modern yakiniku usually features bite-size pieces of beef, pork, chicken, offal, seafood, and vegetables cooked on a tabletop grill.
Diners typically order raw ingredients, grill them a few pieces at a time, and dip the cooked food in tare, a savory sauce often based on soy sauce, sake, mirin, sugar, garlic, sesame, or fruit. Restaurants may use charcoal, gas, or electric grills, with built-in ventilation helping reduce smoke.
Although yakiniku is now strongly associated with Japanese dining, its modern form was heavily influenced by Korean barbecue, especially dishes such as bulgogi and galbi. Korean restaurants in Osaka and Tokyo helped establish the style after World War II.
Yakitori is a common mix-up: it means skewered grilled chicken, whereas yakiniku is a broader grill-at-the-table cuisine.