Marco — Restaurant in Kyoto

Wine Bar Marco is a charming, tucked away Kyoto gem. I can't say I've been anywhere similar. The owner/bartender/chef is welcoming and passionate about finding delicious and interesting global wines. In-between presenting wines, he attentively cooks flavorful Italian dishes for you in a tiny kitchenette right there at the bar. Great for bringing a date or going solo. Either way you'll have a wonderful experience. (Note: The streetside bar with the glass windows near Wine Bar Marco's sign is not Wine Bar Marco and not where you should go. Go to the door at the end of the passageway near the sign. That door leads to a fantastic experience at...

Half of the seats were empty. We walked in around 930pm and the bartender seemed okay with letting us in but before we even took our coats off he said 'your perfume is strong you can eat with your coats on or leave'. I had only sprayed one spray of Versace an hour prior. It was very warm and I said I didn't want to eat with my jacket on, and my partner said he could barely smell my perfume. The bartender escorted us out. The rest of the patrons appeared Japanese and we got weird looks as we came in. It felt like we would've been asked to leave given what we were wearing or how we looked regardless. Very rude, I've never...

Glass of wine costs 1100-2000 which is an ok price (though to be clear, it’s a small glass of 0.1l). As a European, the focus on French wines is not super helpful, I have those at home, at better prices. I would have loved to try a few Japanese wines, but only 1 was offered by the glass. I understand this will be different for locals and non-European tourists. The atmosphere is a bit strange. The owner communicates in a somewhat stern, commanding manner. Overall didn’t really...