Honke Tankuma Honten

One of the rare Michelin starred restaurants in Japan offering a halal omakase menu. The restaurant is nearly a hundred years old and advance booking with prepayment is required. The food was outstanding. This is a fourth generation family run restaurant and the chef and his parents personally introduced themselves and shared the history of the restaurant, which was a thoughtful and memorable touch. The full dining experience lasts around two hours. Overall, an exceptional experience.

Unforgettable experience. The food was absolutely incredible and we were served each of our dishes by the couple that owned the restaurant (that had been passed down generations) with their son in the kitchen. Their family has owned the restaurant for 98 years!! So passionate about their food and you can taste it!! I will never ever forget my experience at this restaurant, it was so special. Unique food I have never tried anywhere else! I highly recommend if you are in Kyoto.

This was an incredible meal. We had an incredible little room with a view overlooking the river. Every dish was delicious and there was a great variety in the food served - we got the classic sashimi and cooked fish, but a lot of dishes we hadn’t tried during our trip to Japan. We did the Japanese Sake pairing which was a great experience. We got to taste different types of Sake and learn about regional differences. The team was absolutely amazing. The owner explained the history of the restaurant and took a photo with us after! Felt like home!

My partner and I (Americans in their mid 30’s) had an amazing and unforgettable meal here. We got standard fish/seafood meal and did the Sake wine pairing. The owners came out and met with us before the meal started and gave us a brief history of the restaurant. The meal took 2 hours from start to finish. We also had a private tea ceremony room. The staff were very friendly and attentive. They were so appreciative and grateful to host us and you could tell they took a lot of pride in their foods history and culture. We have had a lot of fine dining experiences and eaten at several Michelin restaurants- we will always remember this one as one of our best experiences. After the meal, I looked up the Google reviews and was surprised to read some of the lower star ratings. I can only shake my head and wonder why those people even try venturing beyond McDonalds. If you cannot appreciate the subtlety and delicacy of Japanese food, don’t eat at Japanese restaurants. Every dish was superb and unique- I consider them very flavorful in their own way but obviously very different from European or American cuisine. If you are interested in Japanese food which is lighter and more subtle in flavor and appreciate their culture, this is the place for you. After the meal the server showed us the back deck area and took photos of us. Then the owners came back out and showed us one of the paintings they had which is apparently a famous painting. We also took a photo with them. I included all my photos so you should have a good sense of whether this is something you are into or not, especially when considering the price point.

Halal Michelin Star rated restaurant, I had to try it. Full disclosure, if you’re not into sushi and raw fish, the menu only has ONE item that’s meat/wagyu. Rest are all vegetables and seafood. I loved every single dish but couple of people in our group weren’t really a fan. A must try for sure, the chef and his son are very knowledgeable. Son chef has had traveled all India Bangladesh and few other countries by boat.

What I recall from my visit to Kyoto is this great restaurant. They have a Halal option (require reservation) ,the owners of this restaurant are really friendly and welcoming, their son the chef greeted us before we leave which was lovely. The dishes were excellent but it requires certain taste that would enjoy the the food as it is, which is the core idea of the Monmo cuisine, I’v never thought I would enjoy a steamed fish dish and this restaurant proved me wrong. Also, the service was spectacular and they have explained each and every dish.

We were momentarily stunned upon arrival, as if we had stumbled upon a hidden, forbidden castle. From the entrance to the very end of our journey, it felt like stepping back into the era of the shogun. Words cannot fully capture the experience—the exquisite cuisine, the impeccable service, and the timeless atmosphere. It is truly a must-visit destination, transporting you through decades of history with every moment spent within its walls.

We had such a beautiful, memorable meal here. All 3 of us are vegetarians and were overjoyed to have such well-made food, in our own room and next to the river. Staff was attentive and joyful which, as an american, you don’t always see! People seem to love working here which made the meal even better. We met the owner who was very kind, telling us the story of the restaurant and even giving us free umbrellas since it was raining outside and we had none. Lovely, unforgettable experience.

This was the highlight of my trip to Japan. From the ambiance to the food, everything was absolutely stunning. We were greeted by the owner's wife, who sat down and told us about the history of the restaurant, as well as little tidbits about its location and Kyoto. We learned that her son, who was training under her husband's guidance, would be cooking for us that day. Each group of guest is served in a private room overlooking the river. While we weren't able to sit outdoors given the weather, the view was stunning. The courses came very well paced. There was a server sitting near our door throughout the meal, ensuring that each dish would reach us shortly after the last. The food was beautiful, clean and so gentle. I tried a lot of dishes that I haven't had anywhere else. The standout for me was the bamboo - it was fresh, soft and flavorful. I'd highly recommend treating yourself to a nice meal with friends here if you're in Kyoto. The price is well worth it. Make a reservation in advance on their website - we were able to secure a fairly good deal as a result.

This Kaiseki restaurant is a family run business that is about 90 years old. The owner is the chef and the lady of the restaurant helps to host. She was very gracious and came over to tell us more about the restaurant and to entertain a little. The several courses were all amazing, service was extremely attentive and left feeling comfortable and satisfied. My favourite courses were the consume that was packed with flavour served in a hot stone bowl... After a few minutes the server would re-enter the room to tip the bowl slighlt more so the it would be easier to scoop up. This happened about 3 times - now that is attentive!

On the pricy side. The dishes are reasonably good. I only give 3 stars as the service should really be better as we always need to wait in the room for half an hour after we already finished our dishes to have the next dish served. More explanation of the dishes we have will be helpful. Besides, I did not expect to be charged separately for the ice in my drink. Impressive.