Ryoriya Otaya — Restaurant in Kyoto

An unbelievable experience. As authentic and delicious as you can get in Kyoto, and I would guess the whole of Japan.

The restaurant is beautiful on the inside; very clean with a friendly staff - and the food? It's out of this world delcious. The head chef/owner is a true master of his craft, and we were lucky enough to get a seat at the table where we could watch him and his team work. It was something else to see such care and dedication given to every dish. They explained each one, which all come from his home region, and we were genuinely enamoured with the whole set menu. I believe you can do a la carte, but if you're a tourist, just let the artist curate the playlist. You will not be disappointed.

To top it all off, they put a candle in my dessert and sang me happy birthday, which the entire restaurant joined in for. We had a great time - even with the two local patrons seated beside us, and I'm thankful that this was the last dinner we got to experience before our flight back home the next day. Can't recommend Ryoriya Otaya highly enough. Book a...

I had this restaurant saved for 2 years already, and now that we've returned to Kyoto for my birthday, we were happy to book it. The food (seasonal menu) was beyond exceptional, all courses masterfully crafted and very, very delicious! Not bland at all, like some reviews mention. The service was also excellent. The chef kindly explained every single dish and we also got very good sake recommendations to follow the dishes. The atmosphere was very relaxed, with some locals sitting around and talking I felt very at ease. There was one foreign couple who arrived dressed in shorts and plain T-shirts - I found that attire honestly a bit disrespectful despite the relaxed vibe, because this place is soooo excellent, it deserves coming dressed up, for any occasion. So if you come, make sure to book a table and dress properly. I cannot wait to come back next time, it was so great. Thank you Ryoriya Otaya for making my birthday dinner so unforgettable...

Delicious and mind boggling dinner at Otaya. Went for the bigger course menu (¥8000) which included high grade wagyu beef instead of a fish main. A lady server with great English explained the dishes and answered many of my questions regarding ingredients, fish names etc. This really made the dining experience much more meaningful. Sitting at the counter I could see the chefs doing their craft. Very impressive. The food was top notch, very seasonal and traditional, focusing on the ingredients rather than masking their flavors with all kinds of heavy seasoning. On the menu were sashimi, teapot soup, wagyu course, pumpkin ball stew, 20 vegetables salad and more. Super recommended, especially considering the relatively low price point. Sunday night, the place wasn't completely full, and welcomed walk ins, though I would try...