Nakaichi

My wife and I had dinner here and had a great time. Our hotel, Dhawa Yura Kyoto, made the reservation on our behalf. When making the reservation we could request a sushi-based dinner, kaiseki-based or a combination (e.g. 50/50). You also choose a price range. We chose a high-end sushi-based dinne...r. We sat at the counter and our chef was Taka Ikiri, who I believe co-owns the restaurant with his father. He spoke excellent English and was very friendly. The food was outstanding and the quantity was also ideal. We had been over-served at a few other sushi restaurants in Japan but this dinner was just right in terms of quantity. The atmosphere is casual and very friendly. The 3 chefs seemed to really enjoy their work. Highly recommended.

Visited March 2024

The evening started on a wrong footing. It started with being told to sit on a table (there are only two tables, since it is a sushi restaurant clients sit at the sushi counter to benefit from the chef’s culinary expertise, observing him prepare the dishes and freshly season them) after an argument ...at which they stressed the counter wasn’t booked - which it was - and that they have local regulars we unhappily sat at the table observing empty counter seats get filled by tourists - like us they were booked by their hotel. The food started to arrive, mostly bland, we had to ask for lime and salt to add to our sushi squid. The table was largely left dirty, we had to ask for cleaning and clearing. The hand cut roll was so mediocre - same sub-standard as poor quality western sushi counters. Things did not improve… We left unhappy and paid $150 per person (no alcohol) to add insult to injury… I can’t recall the last time I gave a two star rating. I can’t see it deserving more than that. I see they’ve largely had happy clients. Maybe they should cancel their two tables and focus on the counter. They’ve lost a sense of pride and tradition-shame.

Visited April 2023

What a night! We had made reservations via our hotel concierge. When we arrived, we were warmly welcomed (despite being only one of two non-locals in the restaurant). Taka was essentially our personal chef. He was warm, funny, welcoming, and answered questions. He treated us like family, told us ab...out the history of his restaurant, and his family. He loves what he does, and it shows. He served each bite with a smile, complimented my husband on his "perfect technique", and explained anything interesting or special about each dish. The fish selection was top-knotch, each bite more mouth-watering than the last. The service was impeccable (worthy of their Michelin star), and the chefs and hostesses walked us to the door when we left. We are so grateful for our experience here and have recommended several groups of family and friends traveling to Kyoto this year to visit. Make reservations, slide open that wood door without worry (yes, it can be hard to find!) and get ready to be wow'ed!

Visited May 2019

We had a great experience here. The hosts made us feel welcome and the sushi was just so so good. We had our ryokan make a reservation, and when we got there they gave a brief intro and brought out two courses of delicious sushi. Very reasonably priced by standards in town and very good.

Visited May 2019

Went here by chance, and wound up with a sushi experience that I'll remember for the rest of my life. It is family run, and the sushi chef, Taka, is so warm and personable an takes great pride in what he does, and is meticulous about each course he delivered, piece by piece. I don't know how to de...scribe the sushi in a way that does it justice-- All I can say is that is it fresh, extraordinary, and far and away better than anything I've ever had in my life. No, it's not cheap. But I left thinking, "You know what, there's a reason why some sushi spots are cheap". I dream of returning one day!

Visited September 2018