Kyoto Katsugyu’s Shijo-Kawaramachi branch — the gyukatsu phenomenon in the heart of downtown Kyoto. Crispy breaded beef, rare inside, finished on your own hot stone. Tourist-friendly, fast, and genuinely delicious.
→ TouristyRegion
Kyoto
Check out this essay from my favorite menswear + travel writer: The Kyoto Chronicles by David Coggins.
In general, my advice is to just stay away, unless you can splurge on the highest of high end experiences. There is the deepest history of Japan here, well-preserved. Although i would normally be put-off by the throngs of costume kimono-clad tourist families with photographers hired for the hour, I have to admit it’s oddly endearing to see people so enthusiastic about it. And in the end, it’s mostly harmless. The actual geishas of Gion are long-gone.
If temples are your thing, there are many, many great ones here, with varying degrees of tourist load.
But i suppose there are rewards for those steadfast in the pursuit of anti-tourism. One night, we stumbled upon a members-only bar on a 2nd floor in a quiet neighborhood that inexplicably let us drink there. I still have the business card of one of the patron-members. And there are still many small, back-alley casual eateries and drinking holes off the main tourist drags. And there is a small pleasure in strolling along the Kamo River at night, walking past the small groups of local young people drinking canned highballs while sitting on the banks of the canal.
But i’m just not convinced any of it is worth putting up with the absolutely staggering amount of tourists.
Eat
Shijo · ★ 4.8 (8,843) GYUKATSU Kyoto Katsugyu Shijo Kawaramachi —
Higashiyama · ★ 4.9 (1,388) Japanese Ramen YUKOU —
Solid ramen joint near the very touristed Ninen Zaka street.
→ 1 Jodoji · ★ 4.6 (372) Juugo —
Phil Rosenthal called it the best soba in the world on Somebody Feed Phil — and the handmade noodles here make a strong case. Delicate, nutty, perfect. Soba purists and TV pilgrims agree on this one.
→ Kyoto · ★ 4.1 (2,363) Kichi Kichi Omurice —
Kyoto’s most theatrical omurice — the chef’s tableside performance, slicing the omelet open over rice, is half the show. Yes, it’s touristy; yes, it’s worth it once. Book ahead — the tiny room sells out to visitors who planned better than you.
→ Touristy Kyoto · ★ 4.4 (240) LURRA° —
A Noma alum’s Kyoto restaurant, featured on Somebody Feed Phil — LURRA cooks with fire and Nordic-Japanese curiosity in an intimate room. It’s the kind of meal people fly in for. Book far ahead; the Phil bump is real.
→ Splurge · Reservation needed Ichijoji · ★ 4.0 (2,901) Men-ya Gokkei —
Recommended by Hiroki-san at the Park Hyatt Kyoto — and he knows his ramen. Gokkei, in the Ichijoji ramen battleground, is famous for a chicken broth so thick it’s closer to a sauce, coating every noodle. It’s a divisive, unforgettable bowl; purists argue about it, everyone remembers it.
→ Kyoto · ★ 4.6 (381) Monk —
One of Kyoto’s hardest tables: a tiny wood-fired restaurant where the chef cooks almost everything over fire, in a room that seats barely a dozen. The menu is a study in restraint — a few perfect courses, no noise. Book the moment reservations open; this is a pilgrimage meal.
→ Reservation needed Shimogyo · ★ 4.6 (644) nokishita711 —
A restaurant with a cryptic name and a serious 4.6 across 600+ reviews — the kind of place locals protect. The details are thin on Ken’s list, which usually means it’s a word-of-mouth room. Worth investigating; the crowd has spoken.
→Drink
Nakagyo · ★ 4.7 (314) APOTHECA —
An apothecary-themed bar with the ratings to prove the concept works — 4.7 across 300+. Botanical, precise, a little mysterious. The drinks read like prescriptions for whatever ails your evening.
→ Nakagyo · ★ 4.4 (461) Bar Alchemist —
The name promises transformation, and 461 reviewers at 4.4 say the drinks deliver — expect the theatrical side of mixology without the tourist-trap energy. A fun, slightly mysterious night out. Order something smoked.
→ Nakagyo · ★ 4.8 (138) Bar Base —
Back to basics, done brilliantly — a 4.8 suggests Bar Base nails the fundamentals: good spirits, good ice, good judgment. No theme, no gimmick, just a proper bar. Sometimes base is exactly where you want to be.
→ Gion · ★ 4.9 (330) Bar Ixey —
A 4.9 across 330 reviews puts Bar Ixey in the top tier of the list’s many great bars — the numbers alone demand a visit. Small, excellent, and clearly personal. Trust the rating; go.
→ Gion · ★ 4.9 (409) Bar KAKTEL (speakeasy) —
Another speakeasy, another near-perfect score — Bar Kaktel’s 4.9 across 400+ reviews speaks to serious craft behind the unmarked door. Intimate, deliberate, and clearly beloved. The hunt for the entrance is part of the fun.
→ Pontocho · ★ 4.7 (228) BAR PILLARS —
A 4.7 across 200+ reviews — Bar Pillars is holding up its end of the bargain with quiet consistency. Classic cocktails, done right, in a room that doesn’t need to shout. The reliable choice.
→ Kyoto · ★ 4.3 (956) BEE’S KNEES —
A Kyoto cocktail institution with nearly a thousand reviews — BEE’S KNEES has been pouring some of the city’s best drinks for years. Classic technique, warm room, zero pretense. The reliable great night in Kyoto.
→ Gion Gion Bobbi —
We stumbled upon this place, on the 1st or 2nd floor above the ground level, late one night after we had already been drinking. I think it was members-only but inexplicably they let us drink there. We had a very broken conversation with one of the patrons. The drinks were fine (cannot go wrong with a highball) but it was quite an experience.
→ 1 members-only Kyoto · ★ 4.8 (613) House of KI NO BI —
The Kyoto bar from the makers of KI NO BI gin — which means the gin cocktails here are the definitive article. A beautiful room in Japan’s old capital, built around one of the world’s great gins. Gin lovers: this is the pilgrimage.
→ Kiyamachi · ★ 4.4 (896) Rocking chair —
With nearly 900 reviews at 4.4, Rocking Chair is no secret — it’s an institution. The name suggests the vibe: settle in, slow down, stay a while. A comfortable, well-worn favorite for an unhurried drink.
→ Nakagyo · ★ 4.9 (589) Scotch & Branch (speakeasy) —
A speakeasy with a 4.9 across nearly 600 reviews — that’s not a hidden gem, that’s a landmark that happens to be hidden. The name says Scotch; the reviews say everything else is excellent too. Find the door; it’s worth it.
→Coffee & tea
Uji · ★ 3.6 (97) Kanbayashi Shunsho —
A centuries-old Uji tea house — one of the town’s historic merchants, selling tea the serious way for longer than most family businesses survive. The matcha here is the real thing. Buy the good stuff; this is the source.
→ Kyoto · ★ 4.4 (554) WIFE & HUSBAND —
A Kyoto kissaten-style coffee shop with a local following — slow-brewed coffee in a room that feels like a friend’s living room. The husband-and-wife warmth is the whole brand. Go for the ritual, stay for the calm.
→ Local gemShop
Kyoto · ★ 4.3 (1,610) Ichizawa Shinzaburo Hanpu —
Sheena wants a handmade tote — and Ichizawa Shinzaburo Hanpu is the place: Kyoto canvas bags, handmade for over a century, built to outlive you. The shop itself is a piece of living craft history. Go choose yours together.
→ Local gem Kyoto · ★ 4.8 (449) Japan Blue Jeans KYOTO —
Japan Blue’s Kyoto shop — the accessible face of Okayama denim, with great fabrics at prices that don’t require a trust fund. The Kyoto store makes it easy to try the real thing. Your future favorite jeans are probably here.
→ Kyoto · ★ 4.7 (49) Real Mccoy's Kyoto —
The Kyoto outpost of The Real McCoy’s — obsessive reproductions of vintage American workwear and military garments, made in Japan to absurd standards. For the heritage-menswear faithful, this is a temple. Touch everything; the fabrics tell the story.
→Stay
Higashiyama · ★ 4.6 (731) Park Hyatt Kyoto —
The Park Hyatt Kyoto sits in the heart of Higashiyama, steps from the old lanes — modern luxury wrapped around a historic soul. Ken’s ramen intel came from Hiroki-san here, which says everything about the staff. The special-occasion Kyoto base.
→ SplurgeSee & do
Uji · ★ 4.5 (5,188) Nintendo Museum —
Nintendo’s official museum in Uji — the company’s history from hanafuda cards to the Switch, told with typical Nintendo charm. Reservations are required and sell out fast; this is a plan-ahead pilgrimage. Gamers of all ages: clear half a day.
→ Touristy · Half day