Hyōto Shijō Karasuma — Restaurant in Kyoto

My family and I (group of 4) visited this restaurant on New Year’s Eve, and made a reservation before hand at 8.30pm. We had heard good reviews of this place and we were excited for our time there. We booked in advance by about a month.

On arrival on time, we were seated into a small corner 4 person table that was slightly deep. The atmosphere was abuzz and the place was busy - it was New Year’s Eve after all. We expected some wait. What we had however we did find ridiculous. While the tables around us had their orders taken and were being served, we had to wait for 30 mins before anybody approached our table. This was also only after we had to gesture and wave for the staff to notice us. Drinks came quickly so we thought service was picking up. However, we had to again wait another 45 mins before the food came. (We had already reserved the main courses in advance, so we only had to order drinks). The vegetable dishes finally came but to our surprise the meat dishes lagged again by another 1 hour - and again we had to chase the staff to get our dishes out to us. This repeated with the udon and the dessert subsequently. At the end, they ran out of the dessert that we had ordered in advance. We were given half melted vanilla ice cream that was honestly not bad, but the experience had left a really sour taste in our mouth then. In total we for about 3 hours from start to end - 8.30pm to 11.30pm. Mind you this was New Year’s Eve and we had plans to count down in a temple which we had to abandon as we did not have enough time.

Food given (the meat dishes) - were 4 slices of pork belly and about 4 pieces of crab.

I felt that if we were paying 135,000 yen per person, we should have either had way better service or more food quantity. Either way it was not worth it.

I will not come here again in the future. I suggest to avoid them at busy hours.

Food was not bad...

We visited as a party of 4 on New Year’s Eve, Dec 31 2024.

While the food was really actually really good, unfortunately the restaurant was extremely overbooked/understaffed and was not equipped to handle so many tables.

As soon as we arrived at 8pm for our reservation, there was a long line to enter and we were not seated until 8:20. It took us almost half an hour to receive each course on our set menu, and we did not finish until almost midnight - so we were there for almost 4 hours.

We did not receive the hojicha pudding that was on the set menu that we had pre-ordered and only got a vanilla ice cream instead. There were also a bunch of dirty uncleared dishes on other tables and staff running around trying to attend to everyone. Clearly not the staff’s fault, but it was just a bad experience all around for both diners and staff. There were multiple diners who walked out early without having received their full courses because it was taking so long.

The staff were friendly and really apologetic for the slow service, but considering this put a damper to what was supposed to be a special occasion and prevented us from going anywhere else for the evening, we want to warn other people booking during busy periods/holidays and also urge management to cap the number of reservations so that this doesn’t happen again...

Absolutely Outstanding Shabu-Shabu Experience in Kyoto

If you’re looking for a truly memorable dining experience in Kyoto, I can’t recommend this place enough. From the moment we arrived, the service was impeccable—warm, attentive, and professional. Every detail was handled with care, making us feel welcomed and valued.

The quality of the food was exceptional. The Wagyu beef was incredibly tender and beautifully marbled—it simply melts in your mouth. Each course was thoughtfully prepared, from the delicate appetizers to the rich, flavorful shabu-shabu broth that developed throughout the meal. The seasonal vegetables, tofu, and dipping sauces complemented the meat perfectly.

We also tried the Aotake sake served in a handcrafted bamboo tokkuri—it was smooth, aromatic, and a beautiful touch to the overall experience.

The ambiance of the restaurant was elegant and peaceful, allowing us to fully enjoy every bite without feeling rushed. It’s the kind of place where every element—food, drinks, and atmosphere—comes together flawlessly.

Highly recommended for anyone looking to enjoy authentic Japanese cuisine at its finest. A perfect spot for food lovers and anyone seeking a special...