Kyoto Sen-ryo — Restaurant in Kyoto

This place is the definition of a TOURIST TRAP. It's quite surprising, even alarming, to see this restaurant receive such high praise from "local guides," calling it some of the best sushi they've ever had. Based on that, we booked a table for four and left deeply disappointed. As Tokyo natives familiar with authentic sushi standards—and currently living in NYC where we've enjoyed excellent sushi even at modestly priced (see: ~$35 per person) establishments run by non-Japanese chefs—this experience fell far short.

If this meal had been priced around 2,000–3,000 yen, I wouldn't bother writing this review. But given the cost—comparable to some of Tokyo’s most respected omakase restaurants—I feel compelled to caution others.

Some key issues we encountered:

The miso soup was surprisingly thin and lacked the rich, umami depth expected from a quality preparation—in all seriousness, it was comparable to the miso soup served on my flight to Japan.

The sushi rice was a major letdown. The balance and quality of the vinegar seasoning (su) in the shari is fundamental to good sushi—it should complement the fish and enhance overall harmony. Here, the rice had an off-putting vinegar flavor that disrupted the experience. Regardless of how fresh the neta (toppings) are, poor shari means poor sushi.

Despite three staff attending our table, service was slow and disorganized. Portions arrived out of order, and by the time I finished, two others had only received a couple pieces. At one point, we had to ask if a particular piece was coming, only to be told it was already served—clearly some confusion. This is concerning because sushi is best eaten immediately—and I mean seconds—after it's made. When the rice is slightly warm and the fish is at its optimal temperature and texture.

Presentation was underwhelming. The uni arrived toppled over and everything was delivered all at once on inexpensive dishware, rather than piece-by-piece on a single plate/board as is customary in authentic omakase.

The restaurant’s decor felt surprisingly cheap and generic—more like a low-budget American sushi chain than an authentic Japanese establishment, which further clashed with the unjustifiably premium pricing.

Perhaps most puzzling: the meal cost hundreds of dollars, yet the food was delivered via rolling carts rather than prepared and served directly in front of us by the chef. This method felt impersonal and uncommon for high-end sushi dining, where the experience typically includes watching the chef craft each piece with care and precision.

To be fair, the landlocked Kyoto is not known for sushi (you'll have to travel further north/east for Japan's best), so I would advise visitors—especially those unfamiliar with Japanese cuisine—to opt for traditional Kyorori, or highly rated vegetable and tofu-based eateries on Tabelog instead of this restaurant. We left feeling that the experience did not match the price...

This review is VERY late, so I apologize to the owners. Japan was on my bucket list, and I FINALLY got a chance to go last year for my birthday around this time. Let me just say that this restaurant was one of the highlights of our 3 week trip. It's fantastic. We happen to be staying around the block and stumbled on it. It had only been open for a couple of weeks at that time, so we were able to get in very easily. The staff is amazing, friendly, respectful and accommodating. We had a 5mo old infant and they were very kind and patient. The highlight, though, was the food. I can't say enough out the quality and taste of everything we ate. And, again, the staff made the experience perfect. The photos don't do it justice. It was SO nice, that we did it twice.

Again, I'm sorry this review came so late. When I remembered, it wasn't in Google at the time. But now that it's here, let me just say that if you're in Kyoto and at the transit center, just walk across the main street and get one of the best sushi experiences you...

We arrived here by chance, based on outstanding reviews, a desire for sushi, proximity due étoile rain and thought we’d hit gold.

The place is beautiful, with wooden panel, outstanding welcoming staff and a beautiful sushi counter.

But we were sadly disappointed. First off, we felt rushed during the entire service, perhaps due a group of four having arrived before us, but it deterred from the pleasure we were hoping to derive from the meal.

I should be clear, the quality of the fish is good and sushi execution excellent. But the chef was heavy handed on the wasabi, which ruined the scallop (among other delicate flavors), and most disappointing of all, if a snow crab sushi was served, it was smothered under the salmon roe (appart from the obvious why??? The real question is whether crab was in fact served, and if it was not, what would justify the price point?).

Suffice to say, we left disappointed. Thankfully, the station is across the street and provided ample...