Takezaki — Restaurant in Kyoto

An incredible and very personal dining experience! It felt almost like a private dinner with the chef, who used Google Translate and even shared books so we could better understand Japanese cuisine. Each dish was beautifully seasonal; from tuna and squid to specialties like hamo (pike conger) and rockfish that we’d never come across outside Japan. Looking up the ingredients as we went along made us appreciate how traditional and time-specific the menu was. Even without a common language, the chef’s passion and knowledge came through in every course. This is the kind of place where the menu changes with the seasons, so every visit would feel unique. Highly recommended if you want something authentic, memorable, and unlike anywhere else.

We made a reservation through instagram and the chef responded straight away so if you’re struggling to book on TableLog, would recommend messaging on instagram instead (we got this tip from the...

If you want to really enjoy Japanese food, you can hardly find another better restaurant in Kyoto. Only 4 seats and just the chef by himself doing everything. Yet, over the course of the dinner, he will make you full with the use of freshest ingredients and authentic Japanese style preparations, right in front of you. If you are not fluent in Japanese, there will hardly be any conversation. But at the end of the dinner, you will realize, sometimes it is not the spoken words but the food that speaks for itself. This restaurant or rather the private kitchen of the Chef can be described in one word - authenticity.

Be prepared to eat a lot. Try the sakes, they are excellent for the price. Feel the silence as you watch the food being prepared. Savor the food. And above all, experience the Japanese authenticity.

Contact chef using instagram only.

美味しい食事をありがとうございました...

Takezaki was an absolute highlight of our trip to Kyoto. It’s a intimate, elevated izakaya with only one chef, who is also the owner and who personally prepared and served each dish for us. He is incredibly talented, attentive, and made my birthday celebration feel truly special. We enjoyed a wonderful variety of dishes paired with excellent sake, each served in unique plates and cups that added to the experience. And each dish somehow managed to be even better than the previous one.

After dinner, we had a lovely conversation with the chef-owner himself, a kind, thoughtful man whose passion for his craft shines through in every detail. This was more than just a meal, it was a memorable experience...