Benjamin Steak House Kyoto — Restaurant in Kyoto

Read the article about this steak shop in the magazine so decided to try it out. The service could be AAA because it was clearly to see the “ under the training “ staff and others who are expert. We can not eat so huge dinner so decided to have big lunch and came to here. Ordered 2 x 6000 course menu with some drinks with.

Waitress who must be Apprentice did not know what is today’s fish and seems not used with her job yet so made us feel like NOT professionally treated. Breads were dried and honestly bread shop “ DONQ” bread is 5 times tastier …..

This is not good start, I was getting be nervous. Salad was very nice, just normal Ceaser salad, but it was fresh and not drooping. Maybe Only the salad and the soup are the “ eatable “.

The soup was Omar bisque soup, it was good but if you love same type of soup by “ Soup stock Tokyo”, this isn’t gonna be good enough.

The main dish steak…. I had lamb chops, it looks huge and needed to cut it separated by yourself one by one and more than half of the lamb was fat. I had it as rare so it was ….( I am so sorry to tell about this but ) gross. If they told me they will serve it as chunky size, I was going to ask them to cook it as well done.

Our total payment was 17000 yen lunch for two. That was completely my mistake or my expectation was little bit above than reality. Anyway I ended up talking about that nightmare lamb steak over and over all day long.

I asked to the floor manager if it has too much fat on the lamb, he replied “ many of people love lamb fat”. REALLY?????? That was a new thing I learned. I always surprised that I know only few things in this world indeed.

You know, this restaurant is not the DINER , so the price is the first class but somehow they set up the unprofessional young part time job girl for our table and less caring service. Is it because of lunch time? Is it because we did not ordered the USAD beef steak ?? If I spent over 240$ for the lunch we could have more better experience? Nah.

No big thumb for this steak house. So we Left here with big disappointment and we just need to forget about it.

3 starts are for soup and the salad and fresh squeezed orange juice for me. And my lamb chop was good enough for my 3 pooches :) I was almost gonna call my...

Kyoto Meets Manhattan: A Steakhouse So Refined, Even the Silence Tastes Better

Review: After a day on the mats training judo in Kyoto, I wasn’t just looking for dinner—I was hunting for an experience. Benjamin Steakhouse didn’t just deliver; it elevated. Tucked into the quiet elegance of the city, this steakhouse feels like a secret handshake between New York swagger and Kyoto precision.

The lighting is low and golden, casting a cinematic glow over polished wood and deep leather. Every detail—from the heavy silverware wrapped in a blood-red cloth to the understated jazz drifting from the bar—whispers intention.

I ordered the New York Sirloin Steak, medium rare. What arrived was a masterclass in dry aging: a deep crust, velvety center, and flavor that spoke fluent umami. Paired with creamless creamed spinach and mashed potatoes, it was steakhouse minimalism done with Michelin-level execution. The steak sauce, served in a porcelain saucer with a silver spoon, was bold yet refined—just like the room.

Service was as sharp as the steak knives—discreet, intuitive, and quietly confident. I never asked for water; it appeared. I never looked for my server; they anticipated.

Standout Moment: That first bite. The kind that silences conversation and narrows the world to flavor and texture. A moment of pure culinary clarity.

Final Verdict: Benjamin Steakhouse Kyoto isn’t just a place to eat—it’s a place to arrive. Ideal for global foodies, business diners, or anyone who understands that a steak, done right, can be a spiritual experience.

Ratings: • Food: 5/5 • Drinks: 4.5/5 • Vibe: 5/5 • Service: 5/5 • Value: 4.5/5

Pro Tip: Ask for the sirloin medium rare, pair it with spinach, and savor it slow. This is not a meal—it’s a memory.

#BillyEats #TopGoogleReviewer #BenjaminSteakhouseKyoto #GlobalBites #SteakLoversDream #LuxuryDiningKyoto #BillyDrinks...

I really don't want to leave a negative review because I think the staff here seem very nice - but since the owner responds with comments to reviews here I hope they will take this as constructive feedback rather than unfair criticism.

First of all - the room temperatures during winter are way too high, I came here few days ago when the weather outside was 3C. So naturally, I was dressed very warm (uniqlo extra warm heattech inner wear).

After a while I started to sweat quite a lot, taking off the upper body layers isn't difficult, but its very troublesome to have to remove the leggings as well - since I have to put them back on when I go back outside.

Restaurants really should adjust their temperatures accordingly based on the expectation of guest wear in my opinion.

Secondly, the burgers here are way too rare/raw. It goes without saying a lot of people are not comfortable with eating undercooked minced meat for obvious reasons; even though I know this is a high quality restaurant which serves steak tartare.

However that wasn't the main issue I had. Before ordering, I specifically asked "can I choose how well cooked it is?". The waitress told me there is only the default standard (but she did not go on to say what level that was).

So I was expecting medium since this was a fine dining place (otherwise medium-well if its at like cheaper burger joints). But when I cut it there was quite a lot of blood - it definitely seemed like it was between medium rare/flat out raw; which is what my friends & family said as well when I showed them the photo.

I then asked the waitress again, is this normal, the standard? She said yes it is - but then kindly offered, we can cook it more for you if you prefer. Which then begs the question, if it can be cooked to be less raw, how come that wasn't an option given in the first place...