Gion Nishikawa — Restaurant in Kyoto

A very disappointing dining experience. My sit was on the very left corner of the counter. After I sit down, I noticed that a food wrap box was on the upper layer of the table and some dirty chopsticks were on the lower layer of the table until I told the waiter to remove them. No one seems to care that there were trash items right on the table until I let them know. The service attitude shocked me. There were no apologies for these trash items, what they said is just a simple “OK”. I can’t believe this is a Michelin 2-star restaurant.

Even though the service makes me feel kinda uncomfortable, I won’t blame this part that much as long as their food is OK. To be honest, the dishes tasted not bad though. But the sixth dish was unacceptable. They didn’t even clean the clam properly. Shell parts (or sands? I don’t know) were just on the clam. My poor tooth suffered. This is the first time in my life experienced this kind of issue in a Michelin restaurant (including non-star restaurants).

I talked to the line cook behind the counter table. He just said one word “Sorry” without any explanation or any further apologies. Then I spoke to the chef. The chef apologized to me politely and waived the charge for two of our three drinks. This was the only solution they provided. And I felt this is not a professional solution as a Michelin 2-star restaurant. Also, the clam dish tasted too bad. Even if this sand problem doesn’t exist, there should be a new problem. This should not be a Michelin 2-start dish. Simply throw a boiled clam with some boiled veggies into a bowl of starch-velveted salt water?? This is not an acceptable dish in any dimension.

The funny thing is that after I complained about the clam issue with the chef, the line cooks stopped to even introduce the dish names. Instead, they just put the dish on my table without any word, no matter in Japanese or I. English. This is a very funny, naïve, and unprofessional practice.

The restaurant may also have hygiene problems since there was an insect flying over my face. I’m not sure if it was a fly or a mosquito. But there was indeed an insect, I swear.

Overall, an offensive dining experience. I'm shocked that this is a Michelin 2-star restaurant and a food provider of ANA first class. Wow, such a...

Cute restaurant with very animated chef. Smells were wonderful from the counter, and it was a pleasure to watch people work in the kitchen.

Service was on the slow side. For example, we found it difficult to place drink orders, having to flag down a sous chef and ask a couple of courses in.

Food looked very nice, but I think there were some planning issues in the kitchen that night. Some of the dishes it seemed like they had not made enough, so the portions that they plated first were reasonably sized, but by the last few plates they were tiny.

I think there was also a timing issue, with the first half of meal being very, very slow to come out, and then the second half seemed rushed, with requests to clear plates when not even finished eating.

Even with all these issues, it wouldn’t have been terrible, although definitely not two Michelin star caliber.

Finally, to top it all off, food poisoning set in and I started feeling painful stomach cramps about 10 minutes after meal ended, and this has resulted in almost two days of...

Dining at Nishikawa was an unforgettable culinary experience! The moment we walked in, we were greeted with warm hospitality and an ambiance that perfectly balanced elegance with comfort.

Each dish was a masterpiece, beautifully presented, and bursting with flavor. The chef’s creativity and attention to detail were evident in every bite, and the use of fresh, high-quality ingredients truly set this dining experience apart. The wine pairings were spot-on, elevating the flavors of each course even further.

The service was impeccable—attentive without being intrusive, and the staff’s knowledge of the menu was impressive. They made excellent recommendations and ensured our evening was nothing short of perfect.

Nishikawa deserves every accolade it has received. It’s not just a meal, but a journey through exquisite flavors and fine dining at its best. Highly recommend to anyone looking for a truly special...