SUSHI&ABURI WASABI

We had the best sushi ever! Everything was absolutely delicious. The fish and the steak sushi just melted on your tongue. We can truly recommend going here.

Visited August 2023

The food was very good here and we enjoyed the bustling atmosphere. The service was friendly and attentive. Food came out at intervals, as I would expect different components of a set meal to be paced. The interior is interesting with a bar, tatami rooms, tables, and little nooks for 2. There were... many locals and businessmen in groups and private rooms. It was very full and I don't think we could have gotten a table without a reservation. The only drawback for us was that there were smokers at several tables. The ceilings were high and it seemed pretty well ventilated, so we could tolerate it. However, we prefer to enjoy food without smelling smoke. Note: The cab drops you off to the side of the restaurant (in the alley) and we didn't see the sign. We were afraid it was closed post-Covid. You need to walk around the corner to find the entrance. The cab that picked us up, also drove into the alley and was not visible from the front entrance. GPS must be sending them to the side alley. There are uneven stone floors inside the restaurant - not accessible for wheelchairs.

Visited March 2023

I will start by saying this was an uncharacteristic experience for us in Japan, and in Kyoto. Every other restaurant we have visited, regardless of size, busyness, or language capacity, has tried to make us welcome and we have in return treated the establishment with respect and appreciation, and we... have had some fantastic experiences as a result. This is the first time that we have felt that we were treated with obvious disrespect, and obviously differently and worse than other customers. As an initial and clearly minor example, we were not given hand towels when we arrived, only after we had ordered, and the towels we were given were in plastic disposable wrap when we could clearly see that all other tables near us had cloth towels, and were given them on arrival. What is the point of that? Then there is the 500 yen per head 'service charge', which is OK when you get a reasonable entree in return but what was offered was not up to scratch. Again, we have not been hit with a 'service charge' anywhere else we have dined in Kyoto, and when it happened previously in Takayama the entree was at least interesting, and the establishment welcoming and cheerful. The service was perfunctory, to say the least. We are not particularly fussy about service, as long as it is efficient and effective - we don't need to be treated like we're special. Unfortunately, we were treated like we barely existed, which, I repeat, has not been our experience anywhere else in Japan thus far. Our order seemed fairly simple (some sushi platters, karaage, tofu salad, grilled salmon) but dishes arrived at inexplicably long intervals, and the plate of karaage was completely forgotten until we reminded the staff after everything else had been finished. The sushi platters were served without wasabi, again a minor detail but something we haven't experienced anywhere else so far, and we had to ask twice before the wasabi arrived. The food was adequate, without being anywhere near the standard of every other meal we have had in Japan. As far as decor goes, the seats in our booth were badly stained, and the drink coasters were mouldy on the underside. On completion of our meal, we waited for ages for our bill to arrive, to the point that we put our coats on and were waiting to leave while the staff still seemed to have no idea what to do. I completely understand that not all restaurants in Japan are or should be welcoming of foreign tourists, and am totally fine with that. I just wonder why you would put an English language menu outside your restaurant when you intend to treat customers so poorly? My recommendation is that you avoid this place - there are so many better places within walking distance, let alone in Kyoto.

Visited January 2023

Do you want mediocre sushi and service? Then you should eat here. Unfortunately we traveled to Kyoto during a holiday when a lot of restaurants were closed. So our hotel recommended this place but I wish they had not. I live in LA where we have great sushi. But I was blown away by sushi in Tokyo. Th...is place fell short on so many levels - service, fish, everything. I honestly couldn’t understand how this place stays open — it’s a serious insult to sushi, especially in Japan. Avoid — go somewhere else. I’ll add that we are not Japanese and I felt they avoided serving us for a long time — we almost left. It was infuriating.

Visited January 2019

We didn't have a good experience here despite being recommended by the hotel we were staying at. Arrived at 6pm, restaurant empty but for 2 people seated at the bar which was quite an impressive piece of wood. We were told restaurant was fully booked but we were seated in the second section, near t...he front away from any diners. Not happy with this, we asked to sit at the bar so we could be part of the action. When we told them we would only be there an hour or so, they found us a seat at the bar. Restaurant was still empty, except for the other 2. Average meal, with no interaction by the chef or staff - in fact they stood to the side, talking amongst themselves. Left, paid the bill after an hour and still no more customers. Perhaps they eat late. We had lots of great food over our 5 days in Osaka and Kyoto but unfortunately this was just average.

Visited February 2018