% ARABICA Kyoto Arashiyama — Restaurant in Kyoto

The line to this shops is no joke. I must advise you, before lining up, please make sure that you're lining up in the one that ordering, not the one waiting for the order. That's a fatal mistake in my end because I saw two line lining up, and assuming it's ordering either way, so we spend almost an hour in the line and just noticed it right in front of the shops that this line is for taking the ordered menu. There are no sign whatsoever so we changed the line quickly while waiting outside in the chilly weather, fortunately the order come around 30 mins after we changed line. It would be better if there are indication of which line to ordering and which one is for taking so people don't get confused. This is not only because we're tourist because right behind me is a local and they also experience this same condition. So it would be better if the shop can help indicate the people lining up for ordering to avoid the misunderstanding happen again. In the end we got our drinks but we're already too tired to get hyped. The view in front of the shop is real good though, we were expecting the overall experience...

I’m sorry to say this, I really wanted to like this place but honestly I think it’s highly overrated. The coffee was strong and okay, but I’ve had much better at other spots and it was very expensive for what you get. I believe we ordered the Kyoto latte. It was fine, but the portion was small, the price was high, and overall it just didn’t feel worth it.

There are coffee shops all over Kyoto, and I feel like this one gets a lot of hype mainly because of its location and the tourism around it. There are plenty of other places nearby where you can get better coffee, even to-go, without the wait or the crowds.

It was also very packed when we went. The inside is tiny, just enough room to stand and order, and most people end up sitting outside along the steps by the river. We just grabbed ours and walked the river, which was nice, but I wouldn’t go back for the coffee itself.

I guess I’m glad I tried it once so I know but personally I would not recommend this place. I’d say skip it and look for a smaller, more local coffeehouse in the area for a...

The coffee was really good. Im not an expert at coffee and i was lining (yes! Theres quite a long queue) just bcoz my friend says this is one famous coffee. I ordered a hot americano not expecting anything n just thinking i wouldnt be able to tell how it is different anyway. But then i was very surprised that i actually could tell it was very different from any other kind i have ever had. Taste was very clean n there was no bad aftertaste at all. Its just that the place was super small with no seat at all. So if u think its a cafe place where u order n sit n chill... no its not. It is placed exactly at a nature tourist spot tho so u can take it n pick a spot along the river or the bridge n enjoy your coffee while also enjoying nature. Just not while walking because its a culture thing in japan not to drink/eat while walking. And if u walk too faraway, u may have serious problem of not finding trash bin to throw away your cup and ended up having to carry the empty cup with you for quite...