KICHISEN

Very disappointing. Lots of well decorated, but tasteless dishes, way too much raw fish, raw eggs (including turtle eggs). I wouldn’t mind that, but apart from lack of taste, the quality of the products was not amazing: for example the sea bass had lots of nerves and was hard to bite. Definitely not... recommandable for Europeans who may not appreciate not so fresh raw fish with no seasoning… . On top, the atmosphere is not great - table and room decoration lack any taste. It’s a miracle to me who has been in many restaurants around the world how this place could get two Michelin stars…. . I still fear I may have to throw up.

Visited August 2023

I greatly enjoyed my 16-course lunch (35,000 yen, second-most expensive option), and I’m so glad I’d visited the nearby Kawai Shrine before lunch and the restaurant-adjacent Shimogamo Shrine just afterward - they enhanced the whole Kyoto nature experience. I have to say that while a few of the dish...es were underwhelming - mostly the root and other vegetables - that may have been just my own subjective palate - and overexposure to the the hyperstylized molecular/fusion Western (including in Japan) Michelin-star dining blowouts I’ve enjoyed over the years. All of the seafood courses were outstanding - especially the two large squares of toro. Wow. I dined at the counter, along with two elegant women from Tokyo. (Covid measures limit the usual five-seat bar to just three diners; I was great with that.). Chef-Owner Tanigawa spent quite a bit of time with us - I think he likes the direct attention and intimacy of the counter, and almost all of the conversations with him and his sous-chef/barman (a handsome young man) were in Japanese - perhaps because, when asked in Japanese whether I’d prefer English or Japanese, I responded, both are OK. My single-favorite Kaiseki moment - and one many reviews have noted - was when Tanigawa-san served me the soup and directed me to intro-sip and taste each ingredient once before he moved the julienned citrus to the other side of my bowl, and then directed me to sip again. Yup; different taste experience. I loved the theater of it, and I could tell he enjoyed it as well.) I had the Chef susume (recommended) sake paring - six glasses of amazing sake - for 110,000 yen. The meal concluded with two of the best teas I've ever tasted - a matcha and a smoky roasted - and lasted a little over 2-1/2 hours. I was perfectly (and not overly) full. I found the old-school Kyoto design, decor, and layout of Kichisen to be authentic and very soothing. All of the focus was on the amazing fresh food, presentation, and sake. I'll be back - kairimasu! Thanks to Chef Tanigawa-sama and his team for a truly memorable kaiseki experience.

Visited October 2022

My wife and I booked for lunch on Jan 17th. We had the room to our self. The staf were cordial and we were attended to by a young man,who spoke quite good english. He was very helpful through out the whole meal. The presentation of each course was probably the best we experienced on our trip. The su...shi course very generous and of the highest quality. The whole meal was a pleasure!!! The service, crockery immaculate. After the lunch the chef Mr Tanigiwa introduced himself. All in all the meal was not expensive and I would return,for sure. Unlike other reviews I disagree ,Kichisen is a 3 michelin star restaurant!

Visited January 2020

I do really apologize, but probably I did not understand the concept of this restaurant. We asked for two Omakase menus and we were both enthusiastic to try the traditional Japanese cooking in such a 3 starred restaurant. I recognize that the quality of all the ingredients was superior. All the dis...hes were presented in a very professional way. The vegetables were very rare and perfectly marinated and perfectly cut. The Chef's technique is really impressive. For all the courses. No single one excluded. So I really do apologize if I am rating this restaurant so low. But almost all the courses seemed to me just an assembly of multiple ingredients with different flavors, different vegetable sliced very thin and put in the plate very elegantly. I did not find my beloved concept of combining ingredients and tasting the "ensamble". I really did not understand why all those ingredients were together.. In regard to the tuna, unfortunately, the fat one is not my favorite. Also in this case, probably that's a limit of mine. Anyhow, I would not come back, especially after spending so much money (with no wine) - something like 750 euros in 2 people.. I do not complain about the quick and apparently cold service, as I learnt that the way of "sitting" around and eating in a very long time while talking and enjoying the company does generally not belong to Japanese culture (I am saying that with all respect). That was a pretty unfortunate experience.

Visited April 2019

Michelin Star restaurant should atleast maintain basic cleanliness. Street food stalls don’t serve bugs in the food. Multiple bugs in the dining area. One bug found in one of the courses. Not worth paying ridiculous amount of money to have bugs in the food. Even after reporting the bug to the serv...er, just an apology and was still charged the full amount. Michelin needs to step up its game while awarding stars.

Visited August 2019