CHIBO — Restaurant in Kyoto

While the vibrant okonomiyaki restaurants of Dotonbori were unfortunately overflowing during our visit, we were thrilled to discover a fantastic alternative in a mall basement just a block from our hotel and conveniently linked to Kyoto Station. This hidden gem turned out to be a culinary highlight of our trip! We started with their incredibly tasty flat gyoza and perfectly grilled scallops, which were both exceptionally good. But the star of the show was undoubtedly their Dotonbori Okonomiyaki. This Japanese pancake was a true masterpiece, boasting the finest ingredients that created an explosion of delicious flavors with every bite. It easily ranks as one of our top food experiences in Kyoto and is highly recommended. Be prepared for a potential wait – we queued for about 30 minutes – but trust me, it is absolutely worth it for this...

Poor queue management and did not manage our expectations at all. They had over half of the restaurant kept as a booking, but that did not begin for over an hour after we had arrived. We could have been fed and left before their booking even began!

The booking of over 10 people arrived and we then realised that they were allocating all of their resources to serving that group rather than even thinking about the others who were waiting.

Yet they failed to inform anyone in the queue about their booking and so we ended up waiting over an hour. We were made to feel stupendously small and insignificant by this business and I would recommend that you visit another Okonomiyaki/Teppanyaki restaurant as this one does not deserve...

CHIBO is on B1 of the shopping centre.

The okonomiyaki was delicious. It was our first time trying them and they tasted like a combination of Yorkshire puddings and savoury pancakes.

We had two - one pork, and one a combination of pork, beef, shrimp and squid with an egg added on top. Both were delicious, along with the sauces (okonomiyaki, spicy, and japanese mayonnaise), and condiments (fish flakes).

There's beer on tap and sake, as well as sours drinks options as well as non-alcoholic drinks.

Recommend going for the okonomiyaki, most enjoyable meal we've ever had in a...