Chef Takashi Kaji, who honed his skills at Michelin⭐️⭐️ Gion restaurant "Nishikawa," showcases his talents at the extremely popular counter-style restaurant "Muromachi Kaji." We were seated at the far end of the 12-seat counter, extending from the entrance to the back. At "Muromachi Kaji," besides the initial appetizer, all dishes are à la carte, allowing you to choose and have them prepared as you like in the traditional kaiseki style with no set course menu. That evening, we enjoyed the seasonal delicacy "Kohakogani" that can only be savored at this time of year, today's "sashimi platter," grilled "ni-anago," fried "amadai" with Wakasa-style deep-fried, paired with "Yukujira" special Junmai sake, "Sawayam Matsumoto" Junmai sake, and "Shiromoku Hisa" BLACK LABEL Junmai Unfiltered Fresh Sake. The dishes we savored included a delightful assortment of appetizers, each meticulously prepared and delicious. The most appealing aspect is the reasonable pricing, almost half that of a kaiseki restaurant in Gion, offering a great sense of value. Although reservations are hard to come by, the friendly atmosphere and pleasant clientele make for an enjoyable dining experience, with the possibility of striking up conversations with neighboring diners.

Made a reservation online and visited with three people. However, even though the reservation was made for three people online, it was booked for two. Luckily, there was an empty table in the back, so we were able to sit there. We enjoyed a variety of dishes from appetizers to sashimi platters, salted sea squirt, squid with mountain pepper, and crab bread, including both classic and mysterious menu items. As expected from a popular restaurant, dishes like herring sashimi, appetizers, and eggplant soba all had a delicious Kyoto-style seasoning. Eating sashimi with soy sauce, simmered fish, and liver was great. The flavors were good and the prices were not too high, but it was a bit difficult to place orders due to the crowdedness and the receipt was slow to arrive, but these may just be minor inconveniences.

Visited during a trip to Kyoto. The basic menu is minimal, and you choose the cooking method based on the ingredients of the day. I think my choice of matsutake mushroom steamed in a pot was good, it was very delicious. Overall, it wasn't at a level that would blow you away with taste, but considering the cost performance was good, it felt like a slightly upscale izakaya. The owner and staff were all friendly, making it a place I would like to visit again.

I visited this restaurant for the first time during my trip to Kyoto in August. Despite feeling a bit anxious in an unfamiliar place, we managed to arrive just before our 6 pm reservation. The restaurant had a sophisticated and elegant atmosphere that almost made it easy to miss. We were seated in the middle, surrounded by other guests who had arrived earlier. I was relieved when we were finally served the appetizer after a bit of a wait. The explanation of the ingredients for the day included eggplant, chili peppers, and fatty tuna, all of which looked delicious. I wanted to try the "nodoguro" fish, but when I ordered it, I was informed that the price had increased to 6000 yen, which made me rethink my choice from a value perspective. We ordered rice cooked in a pot, rice with whitebait and plum, assorted sashimi, crab meat bread, and adult potato salad. For drinks, we had draft beer, "Aosora" sake, "Tanoshiku" sake, and "Senkin" sake. We also added sea urchin to our sashimi order, which had a firm texture, no fishy taste, and a sweet flavor. The sea urchin was lighter in taste than expected. Due to overeating earlier in the day, we were already full when we arrived, so we couldn't fully enjoy the meal. Everything was delicious, but I imagine it would have been even better on an empty stomach. We had the leftover rice made into rice balls to take home. The cute napkins were available for taking home, which we gladly did. Our counter was taken care of by a friendly and efficient young man. Considering the quality at this price point, I was truly impressed. If I have the chance to visit Kyoto again, I would definitely love to come back to this restaurant.

If you're looking for a place to have dinner in Kyoto, this is it! I had been thinking about this restaurant for a while. When I visited Kyoto before, I couldn't get a reservation two weeks in advance. This time, I made a reservation about a month and a bit ahead, and finally got to go. The restaurant is located between Shijo and Gojo. There are only 8 seats at the counter, and it seemed like there was a private room in the back. Despite being small, it didn't feel cramped, and I was able to enjoy my meal in a relaxed manner. We ordered: - Assorted appetizers - Sashimi - Simmered Man'yō-ji chili peppers - Rolled omelette - Duck breast with plum sauce - Corn rice in a clay pot We started with Kyoto's sake "Ginshari" for a toast! It had a refreshing taste and smooth finish, making it easy to pair with any dish. The assorted appetizers were beautifully presented and each had a different flavor, making it enjoyable to eat. The sashimi included cuttlefish, tuna, herring, and mackerel sushi, along with two other small dishes. Everything was delicious, but the herring sashimi stood out with its rich and tasty fat. The rolled omelette had a gentle dashi flavor, was thick and satisfying. The grated radish with pickled shallots added a refreshing touch. This combination was really delicious. The clay pot rice was freshly cooked. Each grain of rice was plump and sweet. Was it just the corn? It had a very simple flavor, allowing us to enjoy the taste of the ingredients. All the dishes had delicate flavors. It felt like the seasoning was light and the focus was on cherishing the ingredients themselves. I felt like I was enjoying something good for my body. The cozy and attentive service made the experience enjoyable and a pleasant time overall.

On the second night in Kyoto, I visited Muromachi Kaji. Starting with the owner's greeting and recommendations on cooking methods based on the day's ingredients, we began with an appetizer platter. In Kyoto, where course meals are common, it's nice to be able to order a la carte. I prefer to choose what I want to eat since I have specific preferences. All the dishes we tried were delicious, and it's understandable why it's difficult to make a reservation. By the way, I made my reservation one month in advance. One recommended dish is the crab bread. The bread made with plenty of crab is definitely worth a repeat visit! Thank you for the wonderful meal.

In the past two trips, I couldn't get a reservation, but third time's the charm. From now on, I'll make a reservation as soon as my trip is decided. Honestly, among many restaurants where the cost includes a lot for the location, this restaurant is rare where you can enjoy the food without feeling too formal. I hope the prices stay the same.

A restaurant located on Matsubara Street between Shijo and Gojo. After the first course of appetizers, you can order a la carte. Normally, they make a two-person serving of sashimi for one person. The sashimi includes herring, sea bream, cutlassfish, and striped horse mackerel. The tempura assortment, seafood gratin, and everything else are delicious.

Hassun, sashimi, Kamo eggplant, sweetfish, ayu tempura, and kamameshi with sansho pepper. The hassun with yuba and the slightly seared swordfish sashimi were delicious! They paired well with sake. We always make a reservation for our next visit before heading home, looking forward to the next season. Thank you for the wonderful meal.

It's a great value for money and the food is excellent. This restaurant seems to have two time slots, from 18:00 and 20:30. I was lucky to make a reservation through Gurunavi the day before. First, we were served with an appetizer while enjoying our drinks, and they introduced a special menu for the day that was not listed on the menu. We decided on what to order during this time, and we chose seasonal recommendations such as sashimi and vegetable tempura. We added seasonal sea urchin and tuna to the sashimi. Since I have a mackerel allergy, they replaced it with something else. Then we had tempura with Man'yoji peppers and vegetables in a dashi broth, and we were convinced it would be absolutely delicious, so we ordered the corn rice cooked in a clay pot. I had two drinks per person. Although I've heard it's good value for money, I thought we might have eaten too much. I expected it would cost around 10,000 yen per person, but when we asked for the bill, it was just over 8,000 yen per person. My mother was also surprised. We agreed that we must come back here whenever we visit Kyoto again.

During my annual business trip to Kyoto, I visited this restaurant for the first time for a solo pre-celebration. The place had a vibe of everyone gathering at 6 pm all at once. The evening started with a confident introduction by Mr. Kaji, followed by the usual appetizers. The assorted sashimi platter was also a classic. Both dishes were meticulously prepared. While the restaurant operates a la carte, ordering in sync with their flow might ensure a seamless dining experience. I, unfortunately, didn't quite catch on to the rhythm, but the gracious lady (perhaps the owner?) skillfully made up for it, earning high praise from me! The grilled fish and simmered Kamo eggplant arrived simultaneously as the main dishes. Both the presentation and taste were simply outstanding! Particularly, the crispy skin and tender white flesh of the grilled fish offered a unique and delightful flavor experience. Following that, we enjoyed salt-grilled sweetfish, tempura mushrooms, and mochi with karasumi. We paired our meal with a variety of Kyoto sake after starting with draft beer. To top it off, the bill was surprisingly reasonable! What a feast it was!

The dishes at Muro-machi Kaji were all very delicious. After the initial appetizer-like dish, we received an introduction to today's ingredients not on the menu, and we were able to choose the cooking method from them. We made onigiri with the leftover clay pot rice and had it for breakfast the next day.

I made a reservation two months ago for 6:00 p.m. The restaurant is quietly located off Gojo Street. All seats are at the counter. It was a wonderful time watching the beautiful movements of the chefs. They explained the seasonal ingredients and served an appetizer platter. Then we ordered dishes individually. We started with a sashimi platter. We were told that the last order is at 8:20 p.m., so we also ordered the mixed rice dish in advance. The atmosphere, presentation, and taste were all excellent. They offered to make rice balls with the leftover mixed rice. They have a good selection of sake, and we enjoyed Aizu Chujo and Tanada sake. The food made the sake taste even better.

I went there for the first time, and I was very satisfied with the delicious food and reasonable prices. We started with an assortment of appetizers, where they introduced the seasonal ingredients of the day, and then we could order our favorite dishes a la carte. The sashimi platter was a popular choice, and it was a great decision to order it. It looked beautiful and tasted delicious. We also enjoyed fried horse mackerel, lotus root, and sweet potato tempura, all of which were flavorful and satisfying. I also had enoki mushroom tempura and salt-boiled asparagus, but I got so caught up in the food that I forgot to take pictures. For the finale, we had a hot pot dish. There were many options to choose from, but I decided on the corn hot pot, which included my favorite seasonal ingredients. It was so tasty with both corn kernels and the core adding depth to the flavor. If you can't finish it, they will make onigiri for you to take home, which was a nice touch. I had three highballs, and the bill came out to around 8,000 yen per person, which felt like a great deal for the quality of the food we enjoyed.

I visited this restaurant for dinner during my trip to Kyoto. Reservations fill up quickly, so I recommend making an early reservation. The appetizer assortment was delightful for sake lovers, and each dish was delicious, complementing the sake well. I enjoyed trying various Kyoto sakes. The sashimi platter included sea bream, red snapper, bonito, and horse mackerel with seaweed. The saba sushi was generously portioned, and the fresh sashimi was delightful. The steamed dish with rock oysters, tomatoes, duck, and eggplant sauce was flavorful. The beef and sansho pepper hot pot was also excellent. Every dish highlighted the quality of the ingredients and was skillfully prepared, making it delicious. The cost performance was good, and it's understandable why this restaurant is popular.

During my trip to Kyoto, I searched on Tabelog and visited this restaurant. The most impressive thing was their careful selection of ingredients, allowing us to enjoy high-quality food. The staff's attentive service also made it a highly hospitable place. If the frying technique for the fried food was a bit better, I would have been completely satisfied. The rice cooked in the last pot is a must-try! Each grain of rice seemed happy. Overall, it was a satisfying meal. Thank you!

I visited this restaurant for the first time after being introduced by an acquaintance. I started with the appetizer platter and then ordered a la carte dishes. Since it was my first visit, I was a little nervous. In addition to the regular menu, there were recommended ingredients for the day, so I mainly chose a few items from there this time. I started with sashimi. The fish, cut thickly, was very sweet with a great texture and delicious overall. In particular, the mackerel pressed sushi was delicious. The lightly boiled asparagus and tomatoes brought out the natural flavors of the vegetables and were very flavorful. The tempura of mountain vegetables was served in three dishes, with a light and crispy batter. The original taste of the mountain vegetables remained nicely and was delicious. The specialty kama-meshi was delicious, but seeing other customers order it with rolled omelette made me think it would go well together, so I plan to order them together next time.

I had the opportunity to dine alone on a business trip. The moment I walked in, I could sense the "great restaurant aura" with the elegant atmosphere of the sophisticated gourmets. I didn't have to wait and started with the specialty assorted appetizers. You remove the fresh leaves to reveal the dish. I then enjoyed the elaborate dishes that highlighted seasonal ingredients. The hotaruika (firefly squid) in a clay pot was delicious. I definitely want to come back.

I decided to go to Kyoto four months ago and immediately made a reservation here. Since it was four months ago, it was not surprisingly fully booked. Once all nine seats at the counter were filled, they started serving. Today's recommended sashimi platter was excellent, with tender sweet shrimp and delicious mackerel sushi. We started with a thick beer, but when the person next to us chose sake, we discovered they had Juyondai. There was only one glass left, so it was a shame, but it was really delicious. This is a place I want to visit again when I go to Kyoto. The cherry blossoms were in full bloom, making it a wonderful trip.

I made a reservation two weeks ago. With many high ratings in reviews, I had high expectations, and I must say, the food exceeded my expectations and provided great value for the price! For the dishes: the octopus and fish roe appetizer was visually stunning and delicious, the sweet potato croquette was a must-try with its crispy texture, the grilled blackthroat seaperch was juicy and flavorful, the tuna sashimi and squid sashimi were fresh and delightful with soy sauce and wasabi, the rolled omelette had a perfect dashi flavor, the Thai fish milt was addictive, the tofu miso dip was rich and beautiful, the beef fillet steak was tender and juicy, and the clay pot of boiled whitebait was fragrant and perfectly matched with plum saltiness. The clay pot of sea bream was plump and sweet, and the natural saltiness made it delicious. The sake was smooth with a wide flavor profile, making it easy to drink with a sweet aftertaste. I couldn't finish the clay pot dishes, so I took the leftovers home and made rice balls. Definitely coming back!