Muromachi Kaji — Restaurant in Kyoto

We had a very disappointing dining experience at this restaurant. As tourists, we did not feel welcome from the moment we walked in. The staff seemed indifferent to our presence, which set a negative tone for the evening - almost as if we were non-existent. The food itself was subpar, especially considering the high expectations we had for this kaiseki meal. To make matters worse, we noticed that we were not receiving the same items as the locals who were also dining there. This inconsistency was quite frustrating and made us feel like we were not valued as customers. Additionally, the service was incredibly slow. We had to sometime wait over 40 minutes for some course, while we observed locals being served directly and promptly. This disparity in service was unacceptable and only added to our disappointment. Overall, this experience was far from what we had hoped for, and I would not recommend this restaurant to...

I would personally ignore the negative reviews! Exceptional restaurant and value - it’s in the Michelin Guide for 2025 for a reason. The staff were very, very nice and did their best to explain the dishes in English. You MUST make a reservation - I had my Japanese hotel staff call the restaurant for me the night before and I was able to get in just fine. If you try to just walk in they are going to look at you like you’re crazy - and it has nothing to do with you being a foreigner! There are only about 10 seats and the chef’s menu takes 90-120 minutes to finish. You can also order a la carte - but if you don’t speak Japanese I recommend taking the chef’s menu for your...

This Japanese restaurant receives high reviews, and it actually does serve some good food but personally I would not return. Many authentic restaurants serve ama-dai (tilefish). Here, it is brought out of freezer, vacuum packed, and is defrosted with running water. The assignment of skewers was given to a junior cook but he had great difficulties with it -- regrettable sight. Because of its "open kitchen" structure you can see the actions right in...