Omen Ginkaku-ji — Restaurant in Kyoto

We visited Omen Ginkaku-ji on a warm day in mid-May, and while the food turned out to be phenomenal, the wait was definitely a test of patience. This place is clearly popular—with both tourists and locals—and seating is competitive. What we didn’t know when we arrived is that you need to write your name on a list at the entrance to get in line. There's no real signage or staff guidance about this, so it’s easy to miss.

There’s a tiny bench with shade for maybe two people, and the rest of us waiting either stood in the sun, crossed the street to find some shadow, or leaned against the nearby parking lot wall. The staff calls names without much warning or volume, so if you’re not right by the door and paying attention, it’s easy to miss your turn—which is exactly what happened to us after over an hour of waiting. No one checked in with us, even though we were clearly waiting.

That said, once we finally got in, the mood changed completely. The service was fast and friendly, and honestly… it was the best udon I’ve ever had. Deep, rich flavors, perfectly cooked noodles—completely worth the hype. They have an English menu, and some of the staff speak English as well. Prices were fair for the area, and they were even kind enough to let us charge our phones, which we really appreciated after a long, hot day.

Just be prepared for a potentially long, loosely managed wait—but know that a great...

Traditional Japanese Udon shop where vegans are also catered to + all can eat very well here!

Usually, in Japan Udon shops use fish stock and it takes some ordering savvy to be able to get a dining option that is vegan or vegetarian, but it was such a relief to see on the menu that they can offer a vegan #shojin dipping sauce for their noodle dishes.

The atmosphere is simple and classy, the pricepoint is very reasonable- even for dinner it is possible to eat very well and still pay around $30 (3,000 yen) per person.

I ordered the signature Omen noodle set with the seasonal vegetables, shoin vegan broth dipping sauce and generous portion of ground sesame (usual vegan noodle set they offer) and was not disappointed.

I also ordered the FU set with its black sesame shojin vegan dipping sauces, seasonal vegetables. Both sets were delicious and I ordered the hot versions but it is possible to get the cold versions as well.

As I was hungry and keen to try it all, I also ordered the dessert- seasonal YOKAN dessert with persimmon and fig.

They have a good range of drinks and other side dishes to choose from inluding sashimi, miso paste covered baked FU (made with egg), tempura and other dishes.

The staff were very helpful and nice, refilling my warm green tea (service/free) many times while attentive to my progress through dishes before bringing the next dish. Would highly recommend...

10/10 Kyoto Omen noodles (udon + sets)! We both ordered udon sets. Mine came with tempura and mackerel sushi (a Kyoto specialty), while my partner got the set with beef and rice. Both were delicious, but honestly, I ended up loving the udon itself more than the sides. The tempura and other fried items came with a little pile of salt on the plate, and I didn’t realize it at first. Some of the sides rolled into it and got way too salty - even for me, and I love salt - so I couldn’t really eat them. The noodles, though, were absolutely perfect: fresh, chewy, and full of flavor.

We came on a really hot day, and it was great to try both the cold and hot udon options. The dipping style is fun too, you sprinkle sesame seeds, add the seasonal veggies, then dip the noodles in the broth. Everything felt super fresh and balanced.

I’d definitely recommend this spot to anyone visiting Kyoto to try at least once. When we bring family or friends to Japan, this will be one of the restaurants we take them to.

It’s not something I’d personally eat more than once on the same trip, but it’s definitely a place I’d go back to so others can...