Sushi restaurant Shimaya — Restaurant in Kyoto

Friends and I had dinner here twice while in Kyoto.

The first time, we were right in front of the store hungry as our initial restaurant choices were closed. Friend suggested we eat sushi since we have yet to try authentic sushi while on this trip. As luck would have it, the menu was right there and when we went to check it out, we were told that we had approximately 1.5 hours to order and eat as the tables were booked. Very glad we took the chance and opportunity as everything we ordered was incredible.

The atmosphere was pleasant and welcoming. The staff were kind, patient, and easy to converse with. Momoka, in particular, is amazing. She is not only fluent in Japanese but also in English and French. It was a delight to have her serve us and even offered to take photos.

The sushi was incredible and authentic. The fish was fresh with real wasabi. Very filling with excellent presentation. Personally, I love sushi and this place blew it out of the water. My friend is not one for raw fish, but she managed to finish her plate within minutes and was ready for a second serving.

The second time was planned, and we reserved a table. We arrived a bit earlier than planned, but unfortunately, the place was as busy as usual. As such, we had to wait until our reserved time. Once more, the sushi was amazing. I probably got looks from other customers with what I ordered, but I didn’t even notice until my friend told me. Goes to show that presentation alone has a big impact on customers.

The atmosphere was quite rowdy this time with a fully packed restaurant, but the vibe it gave was clearly a positive one. People seemed very happy. Momoka and other staff were attentive even when they were busy. It painted a clear difference from what I am used to in the US. There was no need to ask for a bigger glass of water or how to go about preparing and eating my own sushi.

Excellent service, great atmosphere, and amazing sushi. My friends and I ranked our top restaurants while we visited, and Shimaya easily placed #1.

I’ll be sure to return when the opportunity allows in the future. Thank you so much, Momoka and the other...

A must go!! We went here on our first night in Kyoto right when it opened, excited to try the sushi. The good reviews don't lie! The tables were on more traditional risers and it was such a fun atmosphere. The sashimi was delicious, the miso soup absolutely hit the spot with its rich anf flavorful broth, and my mom absolutely loved the grilled fish head. The fish was very fresh and we did not have to wait long for food. What really surprised us was the excellent service. The server spoke really good english (I tried speaking Japanese, but I only knew very limited phrases) and while I knew that the water was self-serve, she brought us water before we could get up and serve it ourselves. She was super friendly and welcoming. Unlike Tokyo, we weren't pressured to order one dish or drink per person. If I found myself in Kyoto again, I would 100%...

The restaurant is ideally located and quite good looking ! Despite having a welcoming message on our table, and an overall good atmosphere, we couldn’t help but be particularly disappointed by the quality of the sushi served. After experiencing a few local fishes elsewhere, the fish served were tasteless. We experienced the 10 sushi players, the Philadelphia rolls, and the Spicy salmon rolls, and all of them were disappointing… At the time of writing the rating for this restaurant is 4.8, and so we were expecting a lot ! It felt more like a good place for tourists than a good sushi.

As for the service, we were brought a QR code and had to order online on our mobile phones. We have to access the restaurant through stairs so it is not easily accessible for people with mobility issues. Not the greatest experience, I...