CIRCLE HAKONE — Restaurant in Hakone

Where do I begin? This Nepalese restaurant is responsible for our favourite meal in Japan so far. As someone with little experience with this cuisine, it is now up there with my favourites. If you are looking for somewhere to eat, that isn't crazy expensive like everywhere else in Hakone, Circle Hakone is the place to go. The Cheese Naan had an unreal cheese pull due to its generously stuffed interior. The chefs make the food fresh after you order. I could not be happier with my experience at this restaurant. This restaurant is better than the Michelin guide restaurants I've eaten at, so I believe it will have one soon. The Butter Chicken Rice was perfectly savoury and was a very generous portion. The Momo was delicious too. I cannot recommend this restaurant enough. The atmosphere inside and decor is also very nice and clean. Side note, the cutlery was also great. If you're reading this, GO TO CIRCLE HAKONE

Ps. The naan bread is missing two piecesin the picture because...

After a week of eating Japanese food, we tried Circle Hakone and were absolutely blown away. Our family owns an Indian-Pakistani restaurant in California, so it takes a lot to impress us — and this place truly did.

The chicken dal bhat tasted like home — warm, comforting, and perfectly spiced. We loved the radish achar for its tangy kick, and the naan was soft, fresh, and some of the best we’ve had in Japan.

What made the evening even more special was the hospitality. Raj Sahani, Narad, and Sumon gave us exceptional service, and we had the loveliest, heartwarming conversation with them. Their warmth and kindness made the whole experience unforgettable.

If you’re in Hakone and craving authentic Indian food with genuine hospitality, don’t miss...

I was hesitant to go at first because they were not answering the phone and I was uncertain if they were halal. We ended up going by bus to check it out in person and the staff there confirmed it was halal. This was definitely the best food I’ve had during my stay in Hakone! We ordered butter chicken with cheese naan, chicken momo, peri peri chicken pasta and pani puri. Star of the show was the butter chicken and cheese naan. We were a party of 3 and we ate all this for under $50. 10/10 would recommend if...