TAKAYAMA KYOTO

Where do I start? There are lots of fancy restaurants that charge a lot for a meal. Not all of them are worth it, or even close. Few many-course dinners are paced properly; often ending with the diner being hungry or overstuffed. Takayama nailed every last part of this incredible, highly recommen...ded meal experience, from the moment I walked in the door (solo) to see the ultra cool, beautiful half-circle table that all diners sit at. I was seated next to a super fun couple that I basically made friends with over the course of the night, which made coming here as a solo diner even more fun (unlike being seated at a separate table alone). The whole staff, including the chef, were super friendly and warm and asked questions about where people were from, their travels in Japan, etc. It felt like having dinner at a big fun family gathering (but without the family stress haha). I had the half-wine pairing, and the drinks were all delicious and interesting and perfectly paired with the food. The food was incredible; every dish with fascinating flavor combinations (and even fun to eat, like the explosion of delicious juice in the first little bite). The amount was *just right*, so important in such a lengthy meal. I can't recommend this place more highly. They are so very good at what they do; make a reservation and you will not regret it. This is a Michelin experience that is truly worth every penny. Thank you so much to Chef Takayama and team for a truly memorable evening!

Visited October 2025

An amazing Japanese and Italian experience. Superb quality of ingredients, the Japanese caviar with squid in in a green onion potato cup was one of many exquisite courses or bites. The chef patron welcomes you warmly to the restaurant, it’s small and intimate with 12 seats per service and an amazing... chefs table experience. The wine pairing is more than generous and the advice to ‘go hungry’ couldn’t be more appropriate. More than anything, this dining experience conveys a real taste of Italian abundance with Japanese style and quality. Worthy of at least two Michelin stars and probably the best restaurant I’ve eaten in, in the world.

Visited August 2025

Amazing food & presentation, nice chef and staff. It’s a lot of food, so make sure to be hungry when you go. Great for a date night!

Visited July 2024

How does this place only have one Michelin star?! This is an incredible restaurant that should be on every foodie’s list when visiting Kyoto! Chef Takayama is the ultimate host when you arrive at his immaculate table. We treated our college aged kids to this special meal and I was a little worried s...ome of the courses might be too adventurous for their palates but this was an experience that they will always remember, hands down our favorite meal in Japan and perhaps in our lives so far! Every dish is prepared with the love, care and the finest ingredients! And there are almost too many dishes to count, so arrive hungry because you will want to eat every morsel. And if dessert is your favorite course (like myself), prepared to be blown away! Not only was the food creative and unexpected at times, each dish is a work of art. I have dined at several Michelin starred restaurants worldwide and this is one of the most memorable experiences I have had. Chef Takamaya and his lovely staff were so engaging that everyone at the table felt like we were at one big dinner party even though we were all strangers. I consider my self lucky to have scored a reservation here, it is quite a hidden gem!

Visited May 2024

the only other Michelin starred restaurant (Astrance in Paris) that I'd ever eaten was previously the best meal that I'd eaten. that meal had 4 - 5 courses/plates which were delightfully presented and tasted wonderful. Takayama had similar presentations and unique taste but did it over more than... 25 separate plates.... not counting the dessert plate at the end with 10 separate bites. each plate may have been only 1-2 bites but we were more than full by the end of dinner--we actually took home a few bites from the finale dessert plate. the first dish was perhaps the most memorable because it was presented on a "blank slate", was a cube of white chocolate, presented on a bed of flowers. the Cube had a QR code imprinted on it and we were instructed to take a picture of the dish, open the QR code and the dinner menu appeared. we then were instructed to eat the cube "in one bite" to find that the cube contained sweet pineapple juice. Another dish was a slice of tomato that was the most "tomato-ey" tomato I've ever tasted. as if they distilled that flavor of a whole tomato into one slice. and the dishes kept coming, one after another. Chef Takayama was engaging and clearly knew the origin of every bit of food. He accommodated each guest's food allergy easily, on the fly. The room is like a classroom theatre, with only 10 seats. the kitchen with refrigerator, torch, grill visible is visible with a large plating table in front. there was no waiting, wondering when we would get the next plate; we were either enjoying food or watching it being prepared in front of us. caviar, sea urchin, Wagyu, sashimi, truffle, foie gras was just a taste of what we had. It was the best meal that I've ever had.

Visited March 2024