Kani Douraku — Restaurant in Nara

Kani Douraku is a renowned Japanese restaurant chain famous for its high-quality crab dishes and iconic giant crab signs adorning its storefronts. Established in 1960 in Osaka, the restaurant quickly gained a reputation for serving fresh, flavorful seafood, particularly crab, sourced directly from local and international waters. Over the years, Kani Douraku has expanded its presence across Japan, attracting both local and international diners eager to experience its exquisite offerings.

The menu is a celebration of crab cuisine, featuring a wide variety of dishes, including hot pots, sashimi, tempura, and grilled crab. One of its signature dishes is “kani-suki,” a crab hot pot that highlights the delicate sweetness of the crustacean. Kani Douraku also offers set menus that provide a well-rounded taste of their specialties, often paired with seasonal ingredients to enhance the dining experience.

The restaurant is known for its dedication to quality, with chefs meticulously preparing each dish to showcase the natural flavors of the crab. The interiors often reflect a traditional Japanese aesthetic, creating an inviting ambiance for diners.

For many, a visit to Kani Douraku is more than a meal—it’s an authentic and memorable culinary journey into the world of premium...

Made a booking at this restaurant as the Osaka outlets were fully booked.

Arrived at station, taxi ride to the Nara outlet cost about 1700 yen. Promptly greeted and served to our tables.

Lunch was excellent and amazing value. Despite our terrible Japanese, we still got by (staff didnt speak any English, not that it really mattered anyway). Finished our 10 course set lunch and went to settle the bill. As someone used to various service charges, taxes, tips, it was very refreshing seeing only a fixed figure on the final bill.

Partner and I decided to walk off our lunch by taking a 5km walk to Nara Park. Overall a very memorable lunch and will likely return again on our next trip (assuming we can't get any booking at the...

The worst Kani Douraku experience ever :( We have visited Kani Douraku around Japan for over 20 times - this Nara branch has the worst service.

It is unfortunate that the staff is impolite just because we are foreigners. There was no tea/ water served upon arrival. Service was really slow during the entire meal. The signature matcha ice cream dessert was not whisked in front of us like the standard procedure at the other branches - a rude server just brought it to the table without saying a word. He did not bring lemon for hand refreshing and hot tea at the end (again, not following their sop).

It is disappointing and I would never recommend this brand to any non-Japanese guests as you will...