Sakamoto

Lovely small restaurant overlooking a canal. Dinner was excellent— each course was beautifully prepared and delicious. Tried a few sakes to complement the meal and they were very good also. Service was impeccable.

Visited November 2023

Ryuta Sakamoto is a soft-spoken, outstanding chef. His skill set includes more than the ability to create an exceptional dining experience. He deals and works with his staff who together perform and deliver an outstanding Omakase dinner. The space he has created is beautiful.....right through to the... toilet room. With only 14 seats available, we felt privileged to have secured 4 seats at the bar, so we enjoyed the interaction with Ryuta-san and his staff. Beauty and elegance all evening. And the elegant woman who greets you at the door is his mom. A special woman, to be sure!

Visited November 2023

Sakamoto-sensei provided a great atmosphere for his restaurant. I had called ahead for a reservation, and he was able to accommodate for dinner service. Initially, I had wanted to do lunch, but that requires at least 24-hour notice (so keep that in mind). The restaurant is located along the banks o...f the stream that runs along Gion Shirakawa. I do not regret coming for dinner, as that gave me a good opportunity to take night time photos of the street that I was looking out towards as I enjoyed my dinner. The meal was extremely enjoyable and the presentation was very much the experience you would want for a high-end meal in Kyoto. Chef Sakamoto and his team served dishes beautifully, explained each dish, and also explained some of the tools used in serving (ask about the box he serves the bean curd skins with). I enjoyed every minute of the dining experience. You will find the restaurant in a relatively indistinct smaller side street that is adjacent to Shirakawa lane. There is a nice secluded path that leads to the back of the building and into the restaurant.

Visited June 2023

Thank you to Chef/owner Routan Sakamoto for an outstanding dining experience! You really have a gift of creating perfection! We had no idea what to expect and each dish that came not only tasted amazing but were visual masterpieces! We dared to try a few things that we would not have selected on ...a menu and loved every dish. We paid a set price (I believe there are 3 and we selected the middle one) and all the courses are selected for you. If you love a small intimate environment (maybe 20 people) and spectacular food this is a must do in Kyoto! Book well in advance and don't miss it.

Visited October 2019

Dinner here was one of the delights of our holiday in Japan and definitely in Kyoto. On arrival we were sat at the bar, which I would recommend, and my wife asked the Chef for a menu. She was told there wasn’t one. So what are we going to eat she asked? “Nothing scary “ was the response which was t...he start of a wonderful and fun evening. By the way did I say the food, setting and ambience was great too very obvious that everyone was having a great evening. Ryuto, the Chef, not only told us he is very keen on rugby but that he had tickets for the Japan Ireland match in the World Cup. I am sure he is a very proud man today having just seen Japan beat Ireland very unexpected but very well deserved. Congratulations, not just for the rugby but also for running a most excellent restaurant and for giving us an exceptional evening.

Visited May 2019