Hikiniku to Come (Kyoto) — Restaurant in Kyoto

Let it be known: I did not walk into Hikiniku to Come expecting a religious experience. I came for hamburger. I left with enlightenment.

First, a PSA: it’s pronounced tu-ko-mae, not to come, as in “I will cry tears of joy TO COME.” But cry I did, dear reader. Cry I did.

This humble meat temple hides in Kyoto and serves one thing: charcoal-grilled hamburger patties. No bun. No fluff. Just beef, smoke, and wizardry. You get three. Each is delivered to your table one by one, like sacred offerings placed over a charcoal warmer. Kinda like omakase, but for carnivores.

🔥 Patty #1: The Purist’s Prayer The first patty, naked and unashamed, slides onto your plate. No toppings. No sauces. Just moist, juicy, smoky, umami-laced magnificence. I took a bite and had to close my eyes. It was beef... but transcendent beef. Like someone had distilled the concept of delicious meat and grilled it into reality. I devoured it with my first bowl of rice. Yes, first. Because the rice—fluffy and unlimited—is there to soak up every last drop of meaty essence. This isn’t just eating. It’s spiritual sopping.

🥢 Patty #2: The Tangy Twist Enter the radish dip, a cool, slightly bitter, citrusy addition that cuts through the fatty joy of the meat like a well-written breakup text. It cleansed, refreshed, and reset my taste buds. Suddenly, I was reborn. A new man. A man with two bowls of rice under his belt and zero regrets.

🍳 Patty #3: The Creamy Conundrum An egg appears. Raw, perfect, seductive. You're meant to swirl your final patty in it, creating a silky, rich coating. The flavor mellowed, the texture turned dreamy, the rice went full-on comfort food. And while it was beautiful in its own right, I personally prefer bold flavors punching me in the taste buds like a tender meat fist. Still, I licked my bowl clean. Again.

🍚 The Rice: A Love Story I ate three bowls. One for each patty. Because I needed to honor them. That rice carried the soul of every drop of juice from each grilled masterpiece. I came for meat, but I stayed for ritual.

💴 The Logistics (aka What It Costs to See God) Meal set: 1,820 yen (includes 3 patties, unlimited rice, condiments, egg) (~$12 USD)

Reservation: 1,000 yen (yes, you pay to guarantee a seat if you make it more than seven days in advance... welcome to Japan). Otherwise no reservation fee if done within seven days of visit but you gamble not getting a seat (advance res worth during busy seasons like Hananmi and Golden week) (~$6.70 USD)

My total: 2,820 yen + side + my dignity, which I left on the floor next to bowl #3 (~$19 USD).

Reservations are mandatory. I grumbled at the pay-to-book system... until the first bite. After that, I would have paid in gold, tears, or emotional vulnerability.

🎤 Final Thoughts This was one of the top three meals of my Japan trip. I am now ruined for all other hamburg. Every patty since has been a shadow. A ghost. A distant memory of a time when meat had meaning.

So go. Book it. Pay the fee. Fast for a day beforehand if you must. And when they bring that first patty to your table, lean in close and...

Presentation is definitely what makes people come here. It is extremely photogenic the way they elevate charcoal cooked Hamburg on Rice. It's definitely a must try for the experience however, the taste and the food quality while not bad is pretty unmemorable. It's definitely a one-time visit for me to soak in the experience however I'm unlikely to return as the food just did not wow me like other food.

About the meal.

Extremely generous meat portions to price. It's definitely going to fill you up. They will serve you 70-80gm patties. That's a whopping 220-240gm of meat.

1.) They need to get more beefy cuts and the beef taste while juicy is pretty mild with some light Hamburg seasoning. Get some USDA or domestic Chuckroll if available. I am a beef burger specialist by profession

2.) They are proud of their rice which I find it underwhelming to my standards. That said I have extremely high standards on iron pot or donabe cooked rice. This came out like restaurant level rice quality but not that decisively game changer.

3.) Pickle game can be improved. Maybe stronger and sweeter tsukemono and heavier beef taste might be a better

4.) Kudos to generous servings of sauces and condiments for variation while it doesn't really make

All in all, can't really fault the price of 1650yen honestly. Really wished they can sell a more premium and compelling palate as this comes out light and too mild for my foreigner taste buds.

Conclusion. If you have half a day to spare to queue for a ticket at 9am. Then walk around town and come back to your appointed time. I recommend this space for the dining experience. It is extremely generous servings would fill you up for the long Kyoto tourist walks. But definitely, food not impressive enough for a return.

I actually sacrificed my limited food allocation for my tonkatsu for this. I would have taken tonkatsu anytime than this, there are better food to eat out there, this is more show...

An excellent restaurant serving hamburger steaks with different side options and sauces.

The restaurant only offers chargrilled hamburger steaks as an entree. Each guest is seated at the counter and you are given rice and a wire rack. The chefs grill the hamburger steak and place it on the wire rack when it’s ready. You can then move to your plate/bowl to eat. The quality of the meat and preparation is top notch. The meat is only season with salt and pepper but is still very juicy and flavorful.

Throughout the course of the meal, you will receive three steaks with the option to purchase more. The first bite is recommended to be eaten with no sauce or additional flavoring. After the first bite, it is recommended to try some of the difference sauces available at your table. The last steak is recommended to be dipped in the provided raw egg (one available per customer). Each way of consuming the hamburger steak is delicious and provides a range a flavors throughout the meal. As you eat your hamburger steak, you can also use the rice to catch the drippings. The staff will provide you with as much rice as you need throughout the meal.

I also ordered the side of kimchi and potato salad which were a great side to snack on throughout the meal.

The inside of the restaurant is a darker and well designed industrial atmosphere. It is a larger space, but still feels intimate. The staff are highly attentive and do an excellent job of making sure you have everything you need during your visit.

The restaurant is very popular amongst tourist and has a limited number of seatings that can be completed per day. They tend to become fully booked early in the day. The restaurant opens reservations in-store at 9am, but it might be better to come around 8:30-8:45am as a line will form outside of the restaurant. If you try to get a walk-in table, you are highly likely to be turned away.

Overall, an excellent experience with very delicious...