Kobushi Ramen — Restaurant in Kyoto

Before I comment on the great many one-star reviews, let me share the experience of me and my wife. We got our meal tickets using the machine, gave it to the waitress, and were seated. The food came about in about 10 minutes. The food was quite good. I had the Abura Soba. Thick udon-like noodles in a Taiwanese sauce redolent of 5 spice seasoning with tasty ground pork, etc. Overall very tasty and filling. My wife had the Duck broth noodles. The duck meat was excellent and super tasty. We will definitely be coming again soon. This is now one of our three favorite ramen ships in Kyoto.

It’s true the owner/chef is a high strung individual. He clearly has high expectations for the quality of food he is serving. He was a bit mean to the waitress—who seemed to be a high school student—but it could be that she just started working there and he wanted her to do the job properly.

As to the negative reviews. First, I don’t know any small mom and pop ramen shop such as this that can make a living if parents often come in with very young children who can’t eat their own bowl of ramen. To me this is common sense. I can understand why non-Japanese unfamiliar with Japanese culture might not realize this but Japanese should. It’s plain common sense. If tablog says it’s a child friendly place then of course the owner should correct this. Better to bring your little kids to a chain ramen place—they’re a big corporation so you won’t be negatively affecting their livelihood.

Second, for the non-Japanese who got yelled at for filling up their water bottle using the shops water dispenser machine: Isn’t it common sense to ask the staff first whether it’s okay to do this!? Were you brought up by wolves in the forest or something.

Third, to the Japanese who wondered why the owner got angry at him for parking his moped right in front of the store: please have your head examined by a competent neurologist as soon as possible.

Forth, the owner wants customers to be able to enjoy their noodles that he has worked hard to make without the distraction of using cell phones while you’re eating. There is a sign outside the store in Japanese with pictures—though I didn’t notice it, my wife did, about all this. Perhaps the waitress should tell customers how they are expected to behave in the store so there are no misunderstandings.

Fifth, a ramen shop is not like a coffee shop where it’s ok to linger long after you’ve done eating and drinking. It’s a low margin business so you really should eat and leave. It shouldn’t take more than 20 minutes or so to eat ramen. So once you’re done, especially if the place is starting to fill up, please leave.

[x] Conclusion: Sure the owner /chef may not be the most patient and personable individual on earth, but he clearly takes seriously his work and works hard to create delicious food. And, I might add, in a country where passive/aggressive behavior is common if not culturally ingrained, isn’t it a bit refreshing that the owner/chef does not hide or sugarcoat what he is...

Please read other reviews before deciding to come here. This restaurant is EXTREMELY RACIST, with an owner/chef who is entirely unfriendly toward customers.

The two of us arrived in the afternoon. When we got there, there was a line of about four people ahead of us. Before entering, we were asked how many people were in our party by a young female waitress who was very friendly and polite.

After being welcomed, we went inside and placed our order using a ticket machine. We then handed the ticket to the same waitress , who kindly directed us to sit at the counter. However, as I sat down, I couldn’t help but notice the owner/chef glaring at me with a very unpleasant and hostile expression. Was it because I’m not Japanese?

At the counter, there was a clear "NO SMOKING" sign, but there were no signs indicating that photos or videos were prohibited.

When the chef lifted noodles from the pot, I decided to record a video of the noodles, thinking it wouldn’t be an issue. I made sure not to record anyone, as I understand that would be disrespectful. Despite this, the chef immediately shouted, "DON’T," and I quickly put my phone down and said sorry.

Afterward, while eating and drinking, I accidentally made eye contact with the chef several times, and each time, he stared at me with a frightening and unfriendly expression. It made the entire experience feel extremely hostile.

If your restaurant has a strict no-photo/video policy, it should be clearly stated at the entrance, on the walls, or on the tables.

This was the worst dining experience I’ve had during my 14 days in Japan. I will never return and cannot recommend anyone to...

The broth was divine! My favorite was definitely the famous Kyoto duck and nodoguri broth ramen. Personally the noodles weren’t as bouncy or thin as I would like (just personal preference) but the broth was truly something special.

We were just a group of two so we started with the original duck ramen and tantanmen. I loved the yuzu vinegar. Secretly added it to my tantanmen as well though I wasn’t supposed to. Before coming I read lots of reviews of customers upset with the chef’s attitude, so I tried shooting him a smile when we made eye contact since we were right at the bar. He did not smile back. LOL. I was just curious, it didn’t affect my review though since he was still super efficient and the food was really good. 🤷🏻‍♀️

We enjoyed it so much that we decided to get a third bowl to share between the two of us. We got the seasonal special of the lemon butter Kyoto duck ramen with truffle that I had been eyeing from the get go. It was so buttery and rich and the flavors all melded so well together. I asked for the yuzu vinegar again but was told that no! You cannot add it to this dish! That’s fine, I just squeezed every drop out of the lemon slices topping the dish. Still brightened it up. I drank so much broth that now my belly hurts from being stretched and I think it’s pushing against my lungs… worth it though!

Note: heard a couple come in asking for vegetarian and apparently the kombu...