SPRING VALLEY BREWERY Kyoto — Restaurant in Kyoto

Food was fine, I enjoyed the 3 appetizer combo and the mackerel tea rice.

The beer flight was bizarre: 6 beers...3 of them were IPAs. Why so many IPAs???

I really don't like IPAs so I asked to swap them out, server said no substitutions. I asked for the manager and he allowed 1 substitution...what a saint.

I will never understand why restaurants don't let you make substitutions in beer flights: either they are trying to unload bad beer by sticking them in the flights (in which case you shouldn't have that beer on the menu to begin with) or they are trying to flex on the customer and show the customer whose the boss (in which case you should seriously reconsider why you're in the service industry).

I asked for the check, the server dropped it off, never came back. I had to go find him after waiting for 20+ minutes. Could it be that Japanese restaurant culture is different from US restaurant culture? Sure...but then why were all the other tables around me able to pay quickly?

As previously stated, I don't like IPAs but even the non-IPAs were mediocre at best and service was terrible. Never coming back and not recommending this place.

Hopefully my server was just having a bad...

Kyoto has so much to offer, how unfortunate I picked this place for my happy hour... their beer was mediocre at best. It was somehow served to me without any head and actually tasted flat.

But that's not what makes me give one star review. I ordered an appetizer, I believe it was red snapper with daikon. I took one bite, and it was super fishy, I could not swallow it. Out of respect to the restaurant, I quietly spat it out to my napkin. After few more sips of the flat beer, I decided to give a benefit of the doubt, and give another bite a try. It was even fishier and probably, most likely rotten. I spat that out too and promptly asked for check, leaving much of the beer and appetizer untouched.

I probably should have complained, but really I was in no mood to compound my misery with confrontation. It is also true that no one came to ask me how the food/drink was. Staff there mostly chatted among themselves.

Kyoto is pretty awesome and there are tons of great places to eat/drink, just stay away...

Very interesting experience. The outside of the building is smashing. All these wooden panels blend so well in the Kyoto neighborhood this brewery has been installed. Once inside, the staff will take you to your sit. You are informed of a 2 hours limited time on site. As I was alone, I have been seated on the top floor not far from the toilet. The menu is very interesting and detail all the beers profile. Great tips for food pairing. All the dishes (even the western style) have a Japanese twist. Went for the 6 beers sample tray (2000 yen) and the Obanzai sample plate. Beer were very different from one another and it was interesting to work my taste buds on this. The food was very impressive. Seasonal, fresh. I've enjoyed every bit of it. Definitely want to come back and try other dishes and beer. Check out was very smooth and easy. Overall a good spot for the...