Appetizer Dekohoko Kyoto Station Store — Restaurant in Kyoto

I walked in without a reservation relatively early on a weekday night, thankfully the staff member looked at the bookings and said I could sit at the counter. There are lockers for your shoes and you just pull the wooden piece out which is the "key". It feels very old school lol.

Friendly people overall and pretty good food! The waitresses were great, they always apologized here and there for their English and I was sorry for my very poor attempts at Japanese 😅 there is the typical izakaya fee (付き出し for reference on the check, they list it on the back of the English menu as well) theres another review for this place complaining about how it's a foreigner fee but it's very likely everyone gets charged that. Anyway it came with some basic rice and shrimp and then some sort of salad with some sesame dressing. Both were litttttle bites and not particularly notable but that's to be expected. I also got potato salad (ポテトセラダ) a lemon sour, nigiri (apparently only on the English menu from what I can tell and based off the receipt? Odd, wonder if it's not something any of the locals want) and a negitoro dish. It came out to just a bit above ¥3000. I think someone with a big appetite or more of a drinker would have a larger bill but I don't have a large appetite and this filled me up fine. My favorite was the negitoro dish. There's a picture of it on the bottom of the Japanese menu. The lemon sour was OK but not lemony enough for my liking.

You pay up front (they will bring you the check to confirm though as long as you ask for it!) and she gave me the business card, waited for me to put my shoes on and effectively escorted me out. Japanese customer service is very formal and the staff here seem to treat foreigners well. There was a weird foreigner being a tad obnoxious nearby being hosted by some Japanese businessmen and I commend the staff for dealing with that on the daily 🫡.

Other notes; You can use credit card here although I am not knowledgeable on which ones but didn't have any issues paying with it.

All in all- this is a place I'd recommend to any friend staying near Kyoto station! I ended up here mainly bc I needed something for dinner and this seemed to have good food according to reviews. The vibes are good because you can either have a semiprivate booth room (seems like it's a recessed kotatsu situation) or watch the kitchen at the counter (which I liked because I...

Hidden Gem of Authentic Japanese Cuisine. If you're looking for a truly authentic Japanese dining experience, this small restaurant is a must-visit. Yes, the staff don’t speak English, but that’s honestly part of the charm. You come here to eat — not to chat — and the food speaks louder than words ever could. The menu is packed with variety. Every dish feels like a piece of Japan brought straight to your table. It’s clear that quality and tradition are at the heart of everything they serve. The atmosphere? Cozy, warm, no flashy signs, no frills — just genuinely good food and a vibe that’s hard to find anywhere else. Don’t expect small talk or over-the-top service — expect incredible food that keeps people...

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Hands down the best soba noodles I’ve had in Japan (and I’ve been here for two weeks already!). I ordered the Seafood Salt Grilled Soba Noodles — number 14 on the menu — and honestly, it blew my mind. The texture is unreal, perfectly elastic and smooth, and the creaminess… I don’t even have the words for it. It’s one of those dishes that just stays with you.

Everything we tried was delicious, and the restaurant itself is beautiful — tucked away in a quiet little street in Kyoto, which is rare to find. The atmosphere is calm and intimate, making the whole experience even more special.

If you’re in Kyoto and love noodles, this place is an...