Kikunoi

It's truly a 3-star restaurant. It's a perfection of art and food. Service was wonderful. For 20,000yen, I can't say it's expensive. Eyes and taste buds were well satisfied. Wonderful!

Definitely will come here again next time. Every single dish is very well designed and delicious for sure. It's the only fine dining Japanese restaurant I booked by myself from overseas and didn't have any issues in terms of communication. Excellent!!

Japanese haute cuisine among the Michelin stars N35°0.099' E135°46.925' Kyō-ryōri (Kyoto kitchen) is a style of cooking that originated from the landlocked location of Kyoto and the ancient customs of the imperial court. The dishes are prepared using fresh seasonal vegetables in an ingenious way, emphasising subtle flavours that reveal the natural taste of the ingredients. Kyō-ryōri is selected according to the mood and shades of the ever-changing seasons, and the preparation, presentation and atmosphere in which it is enjoyed are as important as the taste. Kaiseki-ryōri (Japanese haute cuisine) is the epitome of refined dining, where ingredients, preparation, setting and presentation come together to create a multi-course banquet of seasonal delicacies that is unparalleled. Restaurant Kikunoi was extremely difficult to book in April 2018. They only accept bookings from well-known hotel reception managers. Because we did not stay in a hotel, our only option was to drive to the restaurant and request a reservation. The receptionist spoke English, accepted our request and we made a reservation in 3 days. We had to pay 49.680¥ for a multi-course dinner (yes, kaiseki-ryri is expensive) and in advance (very unusual for a restaurant). In Kikunoi, the atmosphere of the room, where the meal is served, is just as important as the food. In April 2018, we sat on tatami, a roll decorated with calligraphy hung in the tokonoma (alcove). Before dinner the owner welcomed us with a gracious bow. She showed us a book with pictures of all the dishes on the printed menu. The server in kimono served each course with beautiful porcelain and lacquer work. Look at the menu. The food was great, as you can expect. Beautiful textures and flavours. Delicious in every way. Perfect personal service. We smiled discreetly and were impressed by the whole experience. For a kaiseki-ryori experience where interior design, food and service are at three-star Michelin level (and the bill of course), Kikunoi offers a unique opportunity. Highly recommended.

Absolutely amazing experience. The attention to detail is next level. I've waited a while before posting this so they'll probably have a different seasonal menu by now. Service was also very good, with each dish coming out with enough time in between to enjoy the tranquillity and calm. Would highly recommend any travellers to give it a go. Goes without saying that it's Japanese Kaiseki Cuisine, which is the height of Japanese food. Expect high quality food especially vegetables and raw seafood. Marvellous. ? ? ?

We went there for kaiseki lunch. The presentation and quality of the food are top notch. The ambiance is excellent. Service is wonderful and the timing for each course is spot on. We got our own suite with a bathroom and garden view. End of the meal we were stuffed. Highly recommended.

As you would expect from a three Michelin star restaurant the service and food were both impeccable. I also disagree with Shu A's comments. I understand that some restaurants may order ingredients assuming patrons will show up, it's very common for them to ask customers to reserve through the hotel. I didn't have this problem. I told them I was visiting, and they didn't need any hotel information to confirm the booking. Everything was very easy. When we arrived we were led to our private tatami dining room. Our personal waitress had an amazing sense of when we were done eating, so the pacing for the course of perfect. She also spoke fluent English and so we were able to ask questions about the meal, and she answered all our questions. We never felt rushed, and we never waited for more than a few minutes for the next course. Everything was delicious, and made from the highest quality ingredients. Even the tea was phenomenal. Highly recommend. We will be back the next time we are in Kyoto.

Amazing experience, worth the hype (speaking as a very skeptical person). We got the 13,000 lunch option and was worth every dollar, our host was great and very accommodating. Felt like we got the best version of Kaiseki cuisine and a taste of what it’s all about. I didn’t research the menu beforehand or come expecting any dish in particular, would avoid online photos or menu for the full experience and surprise. Arrive 10 mins early, expect the whole experience to take approx. just under 3 hours. Would come again if I’m ever again in Kyoto.

Three Michelin stars and traditional kaseiki cuisine. Service was exquisite (bows held longer and deeper than usual and very, very attentive). Each dish hurt my brain when I considered how much time must've going into preparing it. We did an eleven course dinner in a private room with our own bathroom and tiny brook outside. My only quibble is that I've done many high-end kaseiki places and this place didn't really distinguish itself.