Gion Nanba - Kyoto

Delicious food and the whole setup is so beautiful. they feel like back in the old traditional kyoto.

Randomly found this place. Wanted to try kaiseki before we leave Kyoto and we went for 18k set. A new experience. The service was good, she tried her best to explain every dish. Be prepared, it took us about 2hours to complete the course. We like most of the dish. I took all dishes except the ice cream the ice cream was good too..

Gion Nanba is a good option for traditional kaiseki cuisine in Kyoto that won’t make your wallet cry. The highlights: The service is top notch, with our attendants in full kimono while guiding us through the meal with grace and precision. Even the way they cleared away dishes appeared to be elegantly choreographed. The price is quite reasonable compared to similar establishments i.e. Michelin starred kaiseki restaurants). I believe we paid 10,000 yen $110 CAD) for 10 courses including dessert. The space was tastefully decorated and intimate. The bottom floor fits about 12 people at the counter and in two separate private Japanese style rooms. We scored one of the private rooms and were pleased to find that the seating is raised to allow for legroom beneath the table, so we didn’t have to sit cross legged for three hours! The lowlights: Each dish was beautifully presented and crafted with care. Though the flavours were nice, we just didn’t find the food all that exciting. We did expect a traditional meal going in, but I would have hoped that at least one of the ten courses would have made us go WOW. Plus, three courses featured eel as the star, which was overkill. That said, the meal was certainly enjoyable and tasty. The atmosphere was somewhat lacking. I think they want it to retain an elegant, refined charm, but a bit of ambient noise from the service staff, chefs, clientele, or even some recorded music would have helped give the space some life. If you’re looking for a buzzy, lively meal, this may not be the place for you. Tip: Be sure you have the location pinpointed on Google Maps and know what the front door looks like before heading out. The entrance is very discreet, hidden in a quiet lane with no signage other than a curtain. Overall, I would recommend Gion Nanba for those looking for a refined, elegant, reasonably priced kaiseki experience.

Really good food but didn't blow my mind. Its a small family owned establishment that obviously had regulars. You could tell by the constant laughter and shared drinks across tables. We go an omakase meal that had sashimi, tempera, grilled fish, and tofu. All were delicious but it just fell short of amazing.

Delicious food. Comfortable small restaurant. Polite staff who tried very best to introduce the dishes.