Meiki Tairiku Shokudo — Restaurant in Kyoto

Ok, so the place could be cleaner, better ventilated and well-lit, ok. We get it.

Granted, this place is not for the faint of heart, but if you're in it for best value for money, as I am, then this could very well be your new favourite Kyoto restaurant.

I had dinner there not once, but twice and was certainly not turned away, as others have suggested (Ok so maybe they were in such shock a 'gaijin' would even venture on inside they had no time to react, but that's beside the point).

On to the good stuff; the food. They have a Chinese/Japanese menu so you'll need some understanding of written Japanese or enlist the help of an interpreter (sold separately). If in doubt, just ask for the "gyouza setto" and a "nama biiru" and you'll be good to go.

The gyouza setto featured 12 delicious Gyoza, a bowl of white rice, a small soup, 5-6 pieces of 'karaage' (fried chicken) and a small salad, all for an unbeatable price of just ¥750. The beer'll set you back about ¥550 for either a chilled jug or a large 600ml...

Crazy good worth for ¥. One of the best ramen spots I've been to so far after about 12 different bowls.

Strong green onion taste, thin broth and firm noodles, smoky flavor from the spices. Ramen set was 950¥ and came with a huge bowl of ramen as well as a large bowl of egg fried rice with meat and greens. Nama Beer was a bit expensive.. :( at 650¥ for a 600ml~ but the set had insane price/amount&quality ratio.

Cooks were friendly and the place had a very nostalgic home-y local vibe. By that I mean the place the place looked a bit dingy but that's how you know you're getting the best food for the lowest prices...

Over-all one of the best spots I've been to in Japan after visiting Tokyo, Osaka, Nara and Hiroshima. Heavily recommend. I also heard the...

Tasty food served quickly. The lady in here is very friendly and gave us an English menu. I enjoyed the pork stir fry, it was generous with the vegetables. My partner had the fried chicken and loved it. It’s a bit dark and smoky but it kind of adds to its charm. Incredible value for money, would...