GYUKATSU Kyoto Katsugyu Kyoto Yodobashi — Restaurant in Kyoto

Came to Gyukatsu Kyoto Katsugyu as I had heard about them from a friend in Singapore who reviewed about their recently opened branch there and my god, the OG did not disappoint at all. The restaurant may take a while to find as it is located on the 6th floor of Yodobashi Camera in the corner near a bookshop but not near the escalators or lifts.

Visited on my first night in Kyoto with my family without much time waiting for a table and the dining and atmosphere was such an experience. The food is ordered through a vending machine inside the restaurant which dispenses a ticket notifying which dish you ordered and then you must give the staff your ticket immediately; although if there is a queue to dine in as this restaurant can get busy and seating is limited, they won't cook your meal until your entire party is seated. I ordered the Sirloin Gyukatsu Zen and it was absolutely mouthwatering!! Although I have aten Gyukatsu before many years ago this was like no other. All the set meals come with wasabi, lettuce, Kyoto style curry, dashi soy sauce, Gyukatsu sauce, Japanese pepper salt, spicy miso soup and a bowl of rice We also ordered 2 mince meat katsus and it was also a katsu to die for. Very tasty.

Immediately after our meal, our family loved the restaurant so much that we decided for our last night in Kyoto to dine again. However this time, I decided to order the larger serve of Sirloin Gyukatsu Zen which had 1.5x meat and once again, extremely mouthwatering and unbelievably tasty.

Such a fabulous restaurant and one that I will never forget. Easily will come back again in a hearbeat when I am next in Kyoto. Highly recommended and sending some love from...

Maybe it’s the tourist-heavy shopping mall environment but I find the e-kiosk pay before you eat ordering system a bit subpar for the price we pay. I was quite keen for my first gyukatsu experience in Kyoto after much searching and this place is showered with great reviews.

I think it’s more of the system rather than their actual service, which was decent. I like how a staff helped to explain the set and condiments on the tray, and how we can best enjoy our gyukatsu (in addition to what’s written on the table info placed on each table). definitely helps with customers who prefer a more personable touch.

The e-kiosk ordering system really made the whole experience quite impersonal. We got tickets after our purchase and we handed these tickets to the staff to communicate our order. It’s on the pricier end for a gyukatsu meal imo (and the vibe reminds me of a “fine dine fast food” spot).

Otherwise, I like how the place is quite cosy with limited bar / counter seating, allowing the restaurant to have its serving phases depending on the number of vacant tables and no of customers on queue.

I definitely liked the variety of beef cuts there were: tenderloin, wagyu, striploin, tongue, flap cheek. So many options 💯 I got their spring special - aged striploin ft...

This is my first time having beef katsu and I was blown away by this experience. I ordered the most economic set, which was a sirloin beef katsu. The beef itself was tender and juicy and it was medium cooked. The crust was crunchy but it didn’t dry up the beef texture and juiciness. It came with shredded cabbage and you can add yuzu dressing for salad, or to use it as one of the methods to enjoy your beef. The beef itself was not overly seasoned because the set offered at least 4 ways to have it (you may find the methods in one of the pictures). I preferred the wasabi+soy option or the wasabi salt method. I preferred the rice to be more al dente and less sticky, and I’ve had rice for my entire life. The miso soup was average. It maybe a strategy to highlight the main course, aka the beef katsu itself. There are more choices for better grade of beef and more add-ons obviously. All in all, it’s a pleasant experience and I highly recommend it. Oh and the price was 1750 yen, which was less than £10. Staff were polite as usual and the restaurant environment was basically the same as...