Kachikura Ramen — Restaurant in Kyoto

Authentic Local Ramen Experience in Kyoto This small, unassuming ramen shop is clearly a favorite among locals. The menu is entirely in Japanese, but the chef kindly explained and translated everything for us — a very friendly and attentive gesture, especially since we don’t speak Japanese.

The ramen was absolutely incredible — without doubt the best we’ve ever had. The largest portion costs just 1,000 yen and is truly huge. We ordered two large bowls, plus gyoza, chicken wings, and beer, and paid less than 4,000 yen in total.

The chef prepared everything right in front of us, adding to the charm. This is genuine Japanese cooking — no frills, no “Instagram-perfect” plating, just fantastic food and a warm atmosphere. We would...

One man. Small kitchen. Limited seating. Amazing, high-quality food.

This was, I think, my favorite ramen place we visited over the span of our 10-day adventure through Japan (Oct. '23). This place is no larger than a local American Waffle House — it might even be smaller. The food is exactly what we wanted after making the trek up and through Fushimi Inari. The ramen was delightfully fatty and flavorful, and the gyoza were crisped to perfection. The quality of everything was multiplied by the fact that everything was being operated by one chef (who I assume is the owner).

It's affordable. It's delicious. It's absolutely...

Rude owner. He didn't even bother asking what kind of ramen my friend and I wanted (i.e. broth and toppings), but instead only what size! We both felt extremely unwelcome, as though we were a burden on him!

Ironically, we were not your everyday tourist in Kyoto. We both have a 15-year love of Japanese culture and were spending an entire month (!) in Kyoto alone. Both of us could speak decent, basic Japanese, but we never got a chance to use it because he was so aloof and cold.

From beginning to end, it was a terrible experience (the ramen was just okay). Stay away and take your money somewhere your business is...