I made a reservation for 12:00 on the weekend and visited this renowned traditional Japanese restaurant located in a serene area surrounded by the greenery of Kodai-ji Temple, just a 7-minute walk from Gion bus stop in Kyoto. Established in 1912, this flagship store is one of the four branches in Japan, known for its top-notch ingredients, exceptional culinary skills, and exquisite presentation. The lunch course I ordered was priced at 14,300 yen and included a variety of dishes such as appetizers, sashimi, simmered dishes, grilled items, and desserts. Each dish was meticulously prepared and beautifully presented, showcasing the chef's expertise. The service provided by the kimono-clad waitresses was impeccable, adding to the overall dining experience. The restaurant's elegant atmosphere, attentive service, and delicious food made it a memorable dining experience.

I was looking forward to visiting this restaurant. They have created a place where even regular people can treat themselves a little. The service, the food, everything about this restaurant exceeded my expectations. I was full from all the delicious dishes. I would love to visit again soon.

Visited a client and went to the restaurant. I had been to Kikunoi in Tokyo before, but this was my first time at the main branch. I was nervous and excited about experiencing a traditional Kyoto establishment. When I arrived at the restaurant in the rain via a narrow road in a taxi, I was taken aback by the entrance. It didn't look like a typical restaurant, more like a historical building. The graceful hostesses greeted me warmly in elegant Kyoto dialect. It was exactly the high-class Kyoto-style restaurant I had imagined. According to Kyoto regulations, we toasted with sake containing chrysanthemum petals. The food was exceptional, as expected from a Michelin three-star restaurant. The presentation of each dish was like a work of art, with beautiful colors and arrangements. I had a wonderful evening. The only thing to note is that the portion sizes are quite generous, so it's best to come with an appetite. I look forward to bringing my wife here in the future.

Kikunoi Honten in Kyoto is a famous restaurant that you must visit at least once. It is a high-end traditional Japanese restaurant that is great for entertaining guests, with exceptional hospitality and a wonderful atmosphere. It has received various awards, including Tabelog Award bronze for 5 consecutive years and Top 100 Restaurants for 2 consecutive years. It has also been awarded three Michelin stars. Surrounded by greenery, the restaurant has spacious private rooms and excellent customer service. I visited on September 4, 2023, and had the chef's special course for ¥30,000, which included a variety of dishes such as grilled sea bass sushi, conger eel roe, lotus root matsukaze, salmon roe, scallop salad, conger eel with vinegar, chestnut tea towel, ginkgo nuts, pine needle somen noodles, grilled prawns, and gingko nuts. Each dish was delicious and the portion size was generous. The dashi broth for the conger eel shabu-shabu was particularly tasty and had a gentle flavor. Considering the quality of the food, the ambiance, and the hospitality, I think ¥30,000 per person is quite reasonable. Thank you for the delicious meal! Thank you for reading until the end. Please consider saving, liking, and following for more reviews. I am still new to writing reviews, so please be gentle with your feedback. I will reply to comments as well. Please also follow me on Instagram at @eri.ogawa1102.

From Gion to a more formal atmosphere, Kyoto's high-class restaurants are scattered around the area near Maruyama Park and Kodai-ji Temple. This is my sixth visit, the first since the pandemic, and all the restaurants seem to have significantly raised their prices. In my opinion, Kikunoi is right in the heart of Japanese cuisine, very orthodox with not much innovation. Roan has a bit of a twist to it, which I like, but it lacks the sense of hospitality. Last time, in 2019, I was the one hosting and couldn't focus on conversation, take photos, or even hear the explanations of the dishes. The style of the dishes has changed, with more innovation now. Some dishes felt a bit too much, making me wonder. The ambiance, tableware, and service were all top-notch.

As it is an established restaurant, the atmosphere, service, and food were all truly amazing. Every dish was incredibly delicious, and not only that, there were also visually unique items that captivated me with each dish. The menu changes with the seasons, so I definitely want to visit again.

I revisited Kikunoi, unable to forget the excitement from my last visit. The restaurant offers all private rooms, and I was looking forward to see what kind of room I would be in. The room had a large window, which was nice. We started with a delicious appetizer, and the young sweetfish was exquisite. What I appreciated the most was the hospitality. They changed my towel and chopsticks multiple times without me even noticing. The food was incredibly delicious once again this time. Thank you for the wonderful meal!

Reservations are harder to come by compared to during the pandemic. I used the lunch course for 17,600 yen plus a 15% service charge. The private room had beautiful new greenery ✨ The dishes were seasonal and well-prepared, very delicious. However, compared to when I went last year in the same month, the main dish was fish bones, and one dish was mozuku seaweed and nagaimo yam, with cheaper ingredients. I wonder if it's due to a price increase that the main dish didn't include meat or fish. Also, last year, the rice dish was luxurious with sea bream, so I regret not ordering a slightly more expensive course next time.

Kikunoi Honten is a historic Japanese restaurant located a 12-15 minute walk from Higashiyama Station. Established in 1912, this renowned traditional Japanese restaurant has been selected as one of the top 100 Japanese restaurants in the west in 2021 and 2023, as well as receiving the bronze award on Tabelog from 2018 to 2023. Unlike many other Kyoto restaurants where you sit at the counter and enjoy banter with the chef and apprentices, Kikunoi Honten offers private rooms for a more relaxed dining experience. I recently tried their lunch kaiseki course, which featured a seasonal menu for Hina Matsuri, the Doll Festival. The beautifully presented dishes in the multi-tiered box showcased a variety of ingredients that captured the essence of early spring. Standouts included the tender simmered octopus, fragrant wild vegetables with udo and bamboo shoots, and the flavorful clam and potato dish. The sashimi of squid and sea bream, as well as the sea bream with cod roe powder, were also exceptional. The meal concluded with a delicious chirashi sushi, mushroom soup reminiscent of French cuisine, and delightful desserts like mango sorbet and sakura mochi. Every dish was meticulously prepared and showcased the best of Japanese cuisine. I highly recommend visiting this restaurant for an unforgettable dining experience. Thank you for the wonderful meal!

The restaurant Kaiseki Mutsuki offers an exquisite eight-course menu featuring dishes like Handmade Sushi, Grilled Pike Conger with Eggplant Miso, and Simmered Tilefish with Tofu and Truffles. The meal ends with a refreshing dessert of Cocoa Mochi and Milk Ice Cream paired with a sparkling sake. The elegant presentation and delicious flavors make it a must-visit dining experience in Kyoto.

When I contacted them a month ago, the reservation was full, but after reaching out a few times about cancellations, I was able to secure a reservation about a week ago. The meal starts at 12 pm and lasts for about 3 hours in a completely private room where you can enjoy your meal at a leisurely pace. There are 12 rooms available, and they change the room for me every time I visit. This time, I was in a tea room with a beautiful view outside. I usually order Kikunoi's Junmai Daiginjo sake, but it was sold out so I had Kuro Ryu instead, which cost 3000 yen per serving. The dishes included snow crab, shirako with black truffle sauce, and winter yellowtail, all made with luxurious seasonal ingredients in December. Each dish was meticulously prepared and delicious. Although it's a bit pricey, I am satisfied with the atmosphere, food, and service, so I would like to use this place for special occasions or as a reward.

Here is the translated review: Kikunoi Honten, whose owner is Mr. Yoshihiro Murata, played a significant role in having Japanese cuisine (washoku) recognized as an intangible cultural heritage by the world. I had the pleasure of enjoying their luxurious dishes, which included truffles, crab, fugu, yellowtail, duck, and abalone. It felt like a complete winter ingredient full-course meal. The room setting and tableware were also splendid. Every dish was beautifully presented and delicious. I was thoroughly satisfied with the experience. It was incredibly delicious. Thank you for the wonderful meal!

Visited a friend's gathering after a long time. It was actually my first time experiencing Kikunoi's cuisine without the collaboration with Chef Sakai from La Rochelle, as it was during my initial visit with Mr. Murata. The number of seats and the spaciousness of the venue truly reflect the essence of a traditional Japanese restaurant. The attentive service and the ambiance that exudes history and tradition are characteristics unique to high-end traditional Japanese restaurants. Interestingly, we dined in the same largest room as the previous event. The dishes were all of high quality and delicious. I was told by the proprietress that Mr. Murata is diligent in his research and often creates new dishes. The new dish of abalone, sea urchin, and cucumber jelly was particularly delightful. Considering the high-quality setting, service, and cuisine, the prices were not exorbitant, depending on the course chosen, which I found to be a good balance. It is truly impressive to see such high-quality dishes being served in a restaurant of this scale. I would love to visit again if given the chance. Thank you for the wonderful meal. Green tea mint jelly, Hassun (assorted appetizers), Fig with white miso dressing, Sashimi of sea bream and beltfish, Deep-fried eggplant with shrimp and shishito pepper, Grilled conger eel with shiitake mushrooms, Abalone, sea urchin, and cucumber jelly, Grilled beef with fig, Anago rice, Red miso soup with shishito pepper, Pickles, Uji Kinsho matcha ice cream with shiratama (rice flour dumplings) and red beans.

I visited Kyoto Takadaiji Kikunoi Honten with our female staff. They always work hard for our company, so I wanted to treat them to a meal at a high-class restaurant in Kyoto. The restaurant was very considerate and prepared a wonderful room for us. I would like to express my gratitude here. - The dishes were all beautifully presented and delicious. - This restaurant is perfect for experiencing Kyoto. - I was very satisfied with the food. It was delicious. - The cleanliness of the restaurant was impeccable. - The service provided by the staff, especially the woman who served us, was excellent. - Unfortunately, we couldn't park on the premises this time due to a local event, but usually, parking is available. - The pricing was reasonable and I was satisfied. - I definitely plan on revisiting Kikunoi Honten. - I highly recommend this restaurant. The hospitality, atmosphere, and food were all top-notch. I had a wonderful experience and will definitely visit again.

Kikunoi Honten, a Michelin three-star restaurant. Upon entering, we were greeted by seven staff members. The room was spacious with a private toilet, and there was a pond with carp. The staff were attentive, but the landlady's hospitality was truly exceptional. I'll skip the details of the dishes, but they were all outstanding. The farewell was also wonderful. Thank you for the feast!