Onigiri-ya Goku — Restaurant in Kyoto

Stumbled upon Goku and left wishing I hadn’t already made dinner plans. I limited myself to just one onigiri salmon roe and flaked grilled salmon combo but honestly, I could’ve easily gone for three (or more). The roe was generous, with tiny, caviar-like pearls that popped beautifully against the warm, fluffy rice.

Next time, I’ve got my eye on the soy-pickled egg yolk… and maybe even the tsukemen. I’m definitely coming back with an empty stomach.

The staff were lovely, and the vibe was cozy. Probably best enjoyed as takeout with a little picnic by the Kamogawa. Small shop, big flavor definitely worth a revisit.

The owner, I’m assuming, had a fun sense of humor. When I asked for recommendations, he pointed at the soy-pickled egg yolk “my favorite”then slid his finger across the menu and paused at the fried fish onigiri: “This. Tourist favorite.” 🤣 That playful, slightly backhanded charm A+. Still, I stuck with my salmon picks this time… but his rec is next on my list. My pictures don’t do justice. But hey more for me next time. I’d hate it if this place...

We stayed at the Cross Hotel Kyoto for a few days. We bought takeout from this restaurant every day before going out. We tried their fried fish fillets, fried shrimps and rice balls. The food quality was very high, especially the fried fish fillets, which were simply world-class. My daughter never liked fish, but she fell in love with the fried fish in this restaurant after trying it. The outside was golden and crispy, and the inside was tender and juicy with very delicious tartar sauce. My daughter even took the initiative to eat the fried fish fillets again the next day. Next time we travel to Kyoto, we will definitely come to this restaurant again. Thank you for the delicious food and...

Wow! Absolutely delicious. We got the egg yolk, mentaiko, salmon roe, and tuna mayonnaise onigiris. The egg yolk is possibly the best onigiri I’ve had in my life. In addition, the staff were so kind and polite and made sure to check-in on us. The atmosphere was also very warm and inviting, with a great selection of music and nice decor on the second floor. This place is cashless and takes card, transportation electronic money, and QR code payment. You also order on the first floor and eat on the second floor. There is a ramen shop on the first floor. Thank you for an...