Kyoto Kitchen Reviews Summary

Food Quality

Pros:

• "It was the most gorgeous food, giving a great insight into Asian cuisine."
• "Absolutely stunning food and exceptional service."
• "The food is amazing, not much more to say about that."
• "Fabulous, fresh ingredients in every dish be it sushi, sashimi or anything else through to the dessert - all simply delicious."
• "Food was absolutely fantastic."
• "Honestly the best meal I have eaten in 10 years."
• "The food was delicious and the presentation of the food was gorgeous."

Cons:

• "The only thing disappointing us is the gyoza, the filling (though plenty of meat) is dry."
• "The Unagi roll is cold as it came out from the fridge clearly not freshly made."
• "The pudding course was absolutely vile."
• "The beef tataki was too chewy with tendon. Tempura was below standard that was wet without crispy texture."
• "The salmon sashimi smelled fishy, the portions were very small and the pieces themselves were cut in half."
• "The veg Tempura was oily, Winchester Roll was nearly all rice with miniscule filling which was a ripoff for the £16 price."
• "The Salmon teryaki was dry, the dumplings were crispy and tasteless, the squid starter was like cardboard, the tempura was soggy."

Service

Pros:

• "The team were brilliant - especially as they had to go up and down the stairs all night."
• "Service was very attentive, helpful, friendly and informative."
• "Service was friendly, food was exquisite and the sparkling sake was just delightful."
• "Our waiter was incredible, so knowledgeable of the restaurant and the food they cook."
• "Service was very friendly and attentive."
• "Service was also fantastic, everyone was incredibly friendly, and we never felt rushed."
• "The service was equally first class and without question the best and most personal service we've received."

Cons:

• "The restaurant was not crowded when we went yet service was extremely slow, not proactive or attentive which was frustrating."
• "The service could have been better, slow to be served drinks, we were rushed to order and there was a lack of personal touch and knowledge of the menu."
• "We got served our dessert before our main, they forgot the gyōza we ordered but it was still on the bill."
• "We felt a little pressured to order saki and when we didn't, it felt very awkward with hovering waiters."
• "Food was absolutely fantastic, however service was very very slow."
• "As the restaurant became busier they became less attentive and we had to wait longer than desirable to place our dessert order."
• "Service was friendly & adequate, though inconsistent: drinks on arrival took ages to come, whereas dishes were cleared under our noses while still chewing the last mouthful."

Ambience

Pros:

• "I love the vibe, so calm and relaxing."
• "So happy to have found this place when staying one night in Winchester. Small, great ambience."
• "Michelin star Japanese restaurant. Decor is simple and elegant."
• "Ambience was nice and they are complying with covid regulations."
• "The decoration of the restaurant is tastefully executed and the ambience is very relaxed and convivial."
• "The restaurant itself is very crisp and clean, but can seem quite sterile and overly quiet if not full."
• "The restaurant gives you a relaxing feeling with soft music and lighting environment."

Cons:

• "Bias or preferential treatments?"
• "Maybe the place is struggling in current climate but really, after having forked out £135 (incl.£25 deposit) for a meal for 2 incl wine was OTT for what we got."
• "The restaurant itself is very spacious and have a fantastic ambiance."
• "To be in the cellar room was a disappointment."
• "The customers at the other tables were too noisy, it was hard to follow the explanation of each course."
• "By the way that part of the restaurant is very noisy to the annoying level."
• "The restaurant smelled so strongly of purfumed chemical sprays I could taste it, which made me feel quite unwell."

Value

Pros:

• "Overall thought it was very tasty, good value."
• "Very top quality sushi. It's expensive but worth it."
• "Overall, the tasting menu was lovely, and great value for money."
• "It's an amazing place with a delicious and great value tasting menus."
• "The price was very reasonable, we would definitely recommend."
• "All in, we spent £100 on the dishes and drinks - well worth it!"
• "The Vegan taste of Japan was excellent value and showcased lots of wonderful flavours."

Cons:

• "We spent £92 for two. The price is Michelin but not the quality and taste of food."
• "The food was great, but the portions were too small for the price."
• "In conclusion great service but poor food and not worth the value for money."
• "Paid £98 for two people and i am not big eater but still hungry."
• "Astonishingly expensive for what amounts to a couple of bowls of mediocre food - more than £80 for two."
• "Exorbitant prices, small portions AND they specify when you need to leave by."
• "Obligatory service fee is ridiculous. So be prepared for extra 10% to your bill."