2025.02.21 Castle Rock Diner is an American diner × Okinawan drive-in where you can enjoy hot steaks

• Okinawa
• Gourmet
• Gourmet
• Okinawa
• Central main island
• Yomitan Village

REVIEW0

1. Fresh and nostalgic. The space that makes you feel like you are lost in a rural town in the United States is attractive
2. The largest number of stores per capita in Japan! Enjoy a steak that you can't miss on your trip to Okinawa
3. I am also intrigued by the many stories hidden in the store
4. On the way home after a cozy time, you may be ♪ humming the theme song of the movie
5. Access to and basic information about "Castle Rock Diner"

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One of the pleasures of traveling is delicious food. You want to cover all the popular restaurants that are supported by the locals.

Now is the time to go to such gourmets before they are flooded with customers! Deliver newcomer information.

In April 2024, the famous burger restaurant "GORDIES" in Sunabe, Chatan Town, opened two sister restaurants at the same time ♪

This time, we will take the time to introduce one of them, "Castle Rock Diner".

Fresh and nostalgic. The space that makes you feel like you are lost in a rural town in the United States is attractive

A photogenic diner in an idyllic village

"Castle Rock Diner" is located in Yomitan Village, located on the west coast of the central island of Okinawa, where new spots are being created one after another and are showing excitement.

When I asked the owner, Shunji Kobayashi, about the reason for opening the business, he said, "I've been wanting to open a diner (American popular restaurant) in an old folk house for a long time! After more than 10 years of searching for the perfect place, I finally found the right place in the world."

Let's go to a one-of-a-kind space where old and new coexist!

The moment you open the door, you will see retro lighting with orange light, a space with a tiled roof, a ceiling with exposed beams, and antique furniture. It's a new store, but I know it from a long time ... I feel a strange sense of nostalgia.

If you go to the back looking for your favorite seat, you will feel a unique atmosphere and immersion that will make you feel like you have come to another world.

On the terrace deck where the wind blows through, you can enjoy the view from Mr. Kobayashi's own windows.

The day of the interview coincided with the rainy season, but the sound of rain listening on the terrace was pleasant, and the green of the tropical plants that grew densely around it was even more shining, so it might be a good idea to dare to visit the store on a rainy day. ♡ I thought so.

On this day, I saw ♪ a heartwarming scene of two old men who casually walked in and enjoyed a coffee break on a rainy day

The largest number of stores per capita in Japan! Enjoy a steak that you can't miss on your trip to Okinawa

If you go to the trouble of choosing the most voluminous menu in the ♪ store

After the war, Okinawa has had a steak culture since the era of the "American Era" under U.S. military rule. The steaks that Uchinanchu taste on a daily basis will also be a memorable food experience because they are tasted in this space.

Among the steak menus prepared here, the best is the "Special Plate". Just by being brought to the table, the tension explodes! On a hot griddle covered in appetizing smell and steam, two types of steak and cheese hamburger steak are served, each serving 150 grams.

First of all, I snapped a steak that was cut into large pieces. The exquisite browning of the outside and the beautiful pink inside brings out the soft texture and the original flavor of the meat to the maximum, and you can eat it to the last slice. The hamburger steak is a mix of coarsely ground mince and wagyu beef, which is also used in "GORDIES", which is popular for its authentic burgers. This one also has a meaty taste!

If you like, you can ♪ combine it with an original onion-based Japanese-style sauce and a sour "A1 sauce"

In between the meats, you can enjoy a broth made with chicken stock, stewed vegetables, and roux with flour and butter. The nostalgic taste will also soothe you.

For dessert, how about a shake or ice cream?

The shakes in the glass are available in chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate cookie flavors. The royal style with whipped cream and cherries on top is cute ♡

After eating a lot of meat, you can only ♪ finish it off with something sweet

I am also intrigued by the many stories hidden in the store

How → old folk house is transformed into a fashionable diner

An American diner that is open from morning to night × "Castle Rock Diner" is said to be inspired by a space that combines a drive-in that has been around for a long time in Okinawa

"For some reason, I've been strongly attracted to old things since I was a child, and I'm sure you'll be surprised to see the current building in its original form," Kobayashi said, showing me a photo of BEFORE.

"When I first saw an old house that had not been inhabited for more than 10 years, the grass was all around it, there were holes in the ceiling, and the chest of drawers and Buddhist altar were still there. Even so, I immediately decided to renovate it over the course of about a year and a half with the help of various people, including a friend's interior decorator and a local carpenter."

As the construction of the store progressed, the wall materials were brought from a Fukuoka contractor by demolishing an old American house that was 100 years old and bringing it from the site. For the interior, such as tables and lights, Mr. Kobayashi kept envisioning "I want to open a restaurant like this someday," and he brought in what he had been collecting for a long time.

Mr. Kobayashi smiles, "Even now, I go to look at thrift stores in Okinawa Prefecture every week, and when I travel to the United States, I visit antique shops. It's ♪ also interesting to pay attention to Mr. Kobayashi, who likes treasure hunting and making things, and the interior of the world is full of possibilities

Fascinated by classic movies that will always make you feel like a child

The name of the restaurant is derived from Castle Rock, a small town where the four boys who appear in the 1986 movie "Stand by Me" were born and raised.

If you're a fan, you've probably already noticed that Kobayashi's first store, "GORDIES," is named after the main character, Gordy, and all of the affiliated stores have Kobayashi's "I like it! "It's included.

"I first came across this film when I was about the same age as the boys in 'Stand by Me,' and I rented it every time at a video rental store, and I still love it so much that I watch it," he recalls, flipping through the pamphlet fondly.

Mr. Kobayashi has been living in Okinawa for more than 20 years.

"Instead of having a firm concept like we have in the past, we're taking it quite casually. I hope that this will change to a comfortable place for the customers," he says with a smile.

In addition to steak, "Castle Rock Diner" also features a cafeteria menu such as "ginger grilled set meal". The reason for this was that I had a lot of support from the local people. They will also incorporate a menu that will allow neighbors to come easily. They are thinking about gradually adding new menus in the future.

On the way home after a cozy time, you may be ♪ humming the theme song of the movie

Since it has only been open for a short time, the madams in the neighborhood have been using it for mock (gatherings unique to Okinawa), and now most of the customers are locals.

"If the name recognition increases in the future, I think the number of tourists will increase, but I think this restaurant is a good opportunity for me to go back to the beginning.

Why don't you visit a store full of champloo charm that mixes the good old days of both the United States and Okinawa?

After your visit, you'll ♪ want to revisit Stand By Me

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