Takahashi — Local services in Kyoto

Food was ok but service was unacceptable. DON'T GO UNLESS YOU BOOKED. More than ONE HOUR to get served with no water, no appetizer whatsoever. When I told them I was about to leave, they suddenly served the food! Apparently the "kitchen was crowded by people with reservation". I respectfully asked for a commercial gesture as a token of goodwill, but all I got was an apology and a MENACE to call the cops if I insisted. In all fairness the food was fine but the overall experience was really BAD and I got out outraged (and still STARVED). To the shop manager who argued I should have left if I was not happy with the waiting time : if you cannot take any more orders in a reasonable time, then warn the incoming customers of the waiting time or simply refuse the entry. It doesn't just take a "sorry" to show your consideration to a customer.

Answering the response under: my comment is a description of facts and of my point of view. If the commercial gesture I suggested seamed unreasonable to you, which I can perfectly understand, you were free to propose another arrangement (small discount, serve a free drink or water, ...) . As I said, I was expecting a token of goodwill from your part in acknowledgement of the fact that I had to wait so much without warning (+ no free water or tea served, first time I've seen this). I did have to wait one hour to get the soba. You said I could have left if I was not happy with the waiting, but since you had started cooking for me, I thought it would not have been nice. Your intimidation and suggestion that I would have a reason to avoid the police is properly odious. Have a nice day ahead.

Response 2: dear Sir, I am not "dissatisfied with [your] response". What I was dissatisfied with was the service. I am sure plenty of other clients had good experiences at your restaurant. I was just not my case. We obviously have diverging points of view on what should be done if the service is disappointing, and that's fine. What I find shocking and out of place though, is your insinuation that I would have "things to conceal" from the police. But I can understand this as an expression of your own indignation, as was this comment an expression of mine. Please refrain from making such judgments on people you don't know in the future. I believe we both spent enough time in this conversation. I raised my note as a token of goodwill for the time spent :p Best of luck to your establishment...

This is the first time I’ve ever written a negative review, but unfortunately, my experience at this restaurant left me no choice. To start with the positives, the food—particularly the cold soba—was good.

However, the service was shockingly poor and completely overshadowed the meal. Before the food was served, I asked about getting water or tea. The staff informed me, after some back and forth due to a language barrier, that they only offer bottled water or tea for 400 yen. Using a translation app, I then asked if tap water was available since I know the water in this area is generally safe to drink. The staff claimed the building’s old pipes made it undrinkable. I then requested two cups to use with the water I had brought in my own kettle, but they refused, saying they couldn’t provide cups for outside beverages. I questioned how they managed to prepare the noodles if the water wasn’t drinkable, which I thought was a fair point. However, this seemed to upset the staff. He walked away with what I can only describe as mocking laughter.

When he returned, he dramatically slammed a bottle of water onto the table, shouted, “I service you,” and stormed off. This behavior was incredibly rude and unprofessional, and it is in stark contrast to the impeccable politeness and hospitality we’ve experienced throughout Japan.

While the food deserves praise, the service was truly the worst I’ve encountered anywhere. It’s disappointing that such a good kitchen is let down by staff who seem uninterested in providing basic courtesy. Five stars for the food, but the service drags the overall experience down...

This is a great place. I went without a booking just after 6 pm, and the restaurant was already full. Fortunately they found a space for me at the counter, so I was able to witness the buzz, the fun and the slick professionalism of the interactions of the three staff as they prepared and served everything. They have set menus priced at 3,000￥, 5,000￥ and 7,000￥, with a sake pairing for an additional 3,000￥ if you wish. Everything was fresh and delicious and beautifully presented. Nice people, relaxed atmosphere, really lovely food - a...