Kyoto Scottsdale at the Waterfront

Dark and dingy. No wall art or cute architecture. Floors were dirty. Much more of a bar then a nice restaurant. Alexis gave bad service. Our food allergies were not taken seriously. We spent like $175 to feed the two of us and our kid, and it wasn't worth that at all. The steak was be supposed to be medium Rare but it was well done. The miso soup was served cold and the salad was old. Save yourself the trouble and skip this one.

I was craving sushi and I had parked nearby this place so decided to walk in. This is hands down the best sushi I've had in years, and definitely the best sushi in Arizona! I had 3 rolls, one baked, one fried, and one cold and they each were unique and delicious. The fried one had a fire going on in the middle! I'm definitely coming back here next time I have a craving. The server was great and attentive as well, I forgot to get her name tho unfortunately, I had several Asahi by the time I left! Thank you!

I was really excited to try this place, but I left super disappointed. We waited at least 45 minutes to get our food while the restaurant was slow. I understand if the restaurant is shortstaffed, however the waitress did a poor job communicating expectations. I had to ask the busser if our food was coming out anytime soon. Chicken was rubbery and undercooked.

I had an unforgettable dining experience at Kyoto Scottsdale! The food was absolutely incredible — every dish was packed with flavor, cooked to perfection, and beautifully presented. From the appetizers to the main course, everything exceeded expectations. The highlight of the night was Chef **Riki Rice**! His skill, energy, and showmanship truly made the evening one to remember. The teppanyaki was hands down the *best* I’ve ever had, and Chef Riki’s performance was as impressive as his cooking. It’s clear he’s a true master of his craft! If you’re craving amazing Japanese cuisine and a fun, memorable dining experience, Kyoto Scottsdale is a must-visit. Highly recommend!

You definitely want to go to Kyoto for the teppanyaki. Our chef was talented, and the food was good. We both had the New York strip that was cooked perfectly and was tender and flavorful. Where Kyoto fails is the sushi. It came when we were almost done with our meal. We originally ordered it as an appetizer. I'm not sure what happened. The roll was flavorless and looked like sushi from.Wal Mart (if they served sushi). The staff was nice. However, the restaurant is very old and in need of a remodeling.

We enjoyed our meal here. Both rolls were great and appetizers were also delicious. Fish was fresh. Our server was very friendly! Absolutely enjoyed our time.

Fantastic sushi rolls. This one came with a perfectly cooked scallop on top. The mayo topping may have been a bit strong but overall good flavor. The miso soup was high quality with perfect taste and ample seaweed providing vital amino acids: a bowl of liquid health. The music was a bit loud.

Teppanyaki chef was great and food was great! BUT we almost didn't come after making the reservations, because the girl on the phone was so unfriendly. Pretty sure the same girl who took the reservation was also our server, because she was equally as unfriendly.

Reservation on Monday night at 6:30 for 12. Seated promptly. The server was attentive and waited patiently for our entire party to be present. Chef was very nice and friendly, easy to converse with. I enjoy the little tricks they do, throwing a fake egg on you, making a tower with the onions, etc! Very family friendly and good for kids (keep them seated or in your lap to prevent them from climbing too close to the fire) My dish was priced decent. $16 but then a 20% gratuity for parties of 5 or more and then an addition 3% for credit card payments. So it came to $21 before tip I believe. Meh. You're paying for an experience too so I don't really mind . Staff was EXCELLENT!!! I didn't get any of their names but they were SO HELPFUL! From the hostess who seated us (a younger gentleman, very friendly) to our server, and our chef! We were there for a birthday and they held our birthday cake in the fridge until we were ready! They even got us plates and extra silverware to use for our dessert. I wish we got their names !! Our lady server was particularly helpful during the birthday cake shenanigans, lighting the candles, blocking our friend from the view, etc. thank you staff!!!!! We love you!!!

What a cool place in old town Scottsdale.. we came here as a group of 18 people to celebrate a birthday party & it was perfect!! Our reservation was at 6:30 and we were early, so we enjoyed some happy hour drinks in the bar area. Great Happy Hour specials!! We were promptly sat at 6:30 and Luz was our chef .. the wait staff took our drink and food orders, everything was delivered to our tables really fast, we had excellent service!! The food presentation of course is always fun and tasty!! Everything was seasoned & nicely cooked, veggies still had a little crunch. I went with the NY Strip steak and it was delicious. They have their own parking lot which is amazing for this busy area!! Can't wait to come back for another round of shots and more teppanyaki!!

Kyoto is an established japanese restaurant in old town of Scottsdale. This was our first time - but definitely not the last time. Teppanyaki table was entertaining, and food was tasty. Both NY strip and shimp was enjoyable. Great service, and happy environment. We will come back soon here!

Kyoto is an Arizona staple. It's been around for over 30 years. They have a full sushi bar and teppanyaki available after 4pm. Lots of seating inside. We really enjoyed the pot stickers. If you like them crispy get them fried! The hamachi roll is great if you want something low carb. The crazy roll is the bomb! Very great flavor and spice. The show stopper is the salmon volcano roll that comes out on fire. Alex was our server he was very friendly and helpful.

Kyoto has a super fun and lively atmosphere with their teppanyaki and location in Old Town Scottsdale! The sushi was absolutely delicious. I had the Alaskan Roll and loved the freshness and zestiness of the lemon.

Spider roll, made by Ivan, was appetizing & a good sushi fix. Server Sean is a star as is his manager, Alejandra. Good service & pretty quiet ambiance, as I made it right at the start of happy hour.

Was around the area and was craving for some sushi so decided to go in for a light snack before dinner. The restaurant side was pretty empty but it was a bit busy on the bar side. Either way the server was super nice, and checked on me often! I got the dragon drop, toro, amaebi, sake, and hamachi nigiri! It was good, but not anything to really rave about. If you're looking for a quick bite in and out, this would be the place to be. I'll probably. One back and try the other menu items

Came for a bite to eat with a couple colleagues from work. Knew we wanted sushi but the host wasn't forthcoming with information just a basic sit at any table versus did we want the "show" of teppanyaki. Simple interior, nothing fancy which is okay. I ordered a sushi roll (tempura shrimp) it was very good and the Szechuan chicken udon which was just okay. Service was a little slow considering there were plenty of empty tables and they even forgot an appetizer. Over priced but would return for the sushi.

Absolutely exceptional experience at Kyoto restaurant, as always! I have been coming here for years and the value you get with the sushi and portions for the price is extraordinary! From the moment I walked in, the ambiance exudes warmth. I was welcomed by Alex, my server. I sat at the sushi bar where I received wonderful service by both Alex and sushi chef Iban while enjoying a blend of traditional Japanese aesthetics with a modern twist. The highlight of lunch was undoubtedly the service. Attentive, knowledgeable, and genuinely friendly, both Alex and Iban ensured that every aspect of my experience was flawless. Alex immediately informed me of the fabulous $10 lunch menu and had a "yes" attitude about looking into modifications! The sushi was fresh and artistically presented, the teriyaki bento lunch with Cali roll was flavorful, and the house salad with ginger dressing is always done to perfection! Alex's warmth truly elevated my meal. Kyoto restaurant is a must-visit!

The crispy rice was crunchy rock cracker and the "spicey tuna" on top was nearly tasteless. Ramen was bland except the bamboo shoots that smelled like rot and were flacid. Skip the "house" salad - in fact skip this whole tourist trap.

Entertaining. Good hibachi. NY steak order medium rare came out perfect. Chicken was good also. I personally wouldn't spend the extra $10 for the filet steak option, since the NY Strip was delicious. The edamame was on the soggy side. Pot stickers were superb. Lots of fresh veggies. $2 up charge for fried rice. Drinks are speciality! Cocktails were spot on and heavy poured. Lovely, quaint, cool vibe. Def my fav hibachi spot in town, compared to others. Price is good, atmosphere is good, friendly and attentive staff. Thank u for being a staple in old town Scottsdale!!!

Sooooo I completely forgot to take a picture of our chef. It was a chick. Her name is Luz. She was great. Great at cooking, great personality, witty and funny like a teppanyaki chef should be. Very engaging. I've been coming here since I was 10 or 11. I came for my 12th birthday and my 18th birthday. I recently read some... poor reviews from people who also have been coming for years and it made me slightly apprehensive to bring a friend for the first time but we took a chance and it's a shame these people had such bad experiences because we had just a good a time as ever. Can't wait to go back always .

The 3% charge for Credit Cards is ridiculous at a mid-higher end restaurant like this. I know they're transparent and disclose up front but just seems like an outdated practice. Just raise prices on the menu. I don't intend to return.

Food was amazing the pork ramen was soo good! The place was busy especially it being a Friday night but everything came out in a timely manner.

Our chef was luz and she was awesome. We had a large group for a friends bday and they were able to seat us without a reservation. However, they didn't giver her anything special for her birthday which was a little disappointing. The inside is pretty loud and lively. The portions are huge and the food was delicious. They also have a great happy hour as well.

We celebrate birthdays with tepanyaki every year. Usually go to kasai but decided to try Kyoto for a change... we will resume at kasai next year. Our chef was fine. A bit inexperienced and not a lot (or really any) flair. We got all the proteins - fish, scallops, steak and chicken. Fish was good, heard scallops were good, filet was perfectly cooked, strip was a little over, chicken was soo overcooked it was like rubber. Veggies and rice were good. But you had to pay extra for fried rice and no birthday dessert or anything. Kasai serves dole whip, and fried rice is standard. It was a good location and we walked for $50 ice cream at Jeni's after (‍), but it probably won't make it back in the rotation.

Food and show was excellent as you'd expect. Service was attentive tonight with our bachelor party of 13. Only flaw was that my seat was directly underneath the AC vent and my food got cold very quickly.

Went there for happy hour after working the wine festival, I started by having to use their restroom and they had a sign no public restrooms but they were super kind, after I asked to see a menu and their happy hour prices are a STEAL! In this economy??? I have Zion as my bartender and I had their crispy spicy tuna, spicy salmon roll, and pot stickers. I loved the crispy tuna and the spicy salmon the gyoza was pretty mid but Zion said if I get them fried it's better so I'll try that next time 7 bucks a dish so very good not a lot of noise for happy hour and plenty of space!

This review is for the happy hour only. Happy hour food menu was very well priced and delicious. Tried the potstickers and a mini Las Vegas roll. Zion, our bartender extraordinaire has the best personality and put the happy in happy hour making great drinks and got us started on a great Friday night. The service was outstanding. Ambiance was great at the bar and since the place was remodeled is light and bright. Will have to return and try the teppanaki next time!

We had a party of eight to celebrate a friend's birthday. The service started off a bit rocky with the waitress taking orders with some annoyance. Which made it difficult to want to place any sushi rolls and drink orders. The service made a huge turn once the cook came out. The cook was very friendly and made the show interesting. His name was James and he had some pretty funny jokes and cool tricks. I ordered the shrimp with fried rice which was cooked perfectly. My fiancé of ordered the New York strip medium rare but was cooked a little on the rare side. Overall the food was seasoned well. I would recommend if you are celebrating a special occasion.

This place is pretty good! I was hungry and craving sushi in the area and made it just in time for happy hour (4-6pm) but I found out they are running a summer special where all the sushi except sashimi was half off on Tuesday. It was not very busy for happy hour and the server was very kind and attentive. The ambiance is cute, but it's a little small and definitely a casual place. I got the Alaskan roll which is salmon on the inside and seared on top, it was okay but I've had better. It was a little dry, and not as flavorful. I also got the rainbow roll which was a little basic too, but tasted good. Lastly I got the shrimp tempura roll which you can't go wrong with, but none come with sauce so just make sure to ask for some on the side. Overall I think this was place is pretty good, the fish tasted fresh but I think it's a little basic. Loved the deals though!

Pros. Nice people. Service was good and our server was very sweet and attentive. Nothing over the top or exceptional. Teppanyaki cook was also very nice. Not as talented as some other teppanyaki restaurants I've visited in my 60 some odd years on this planet. But was nice and went through the motions. There was another cook on another table that was fully engaged. Funny too. Overall, place was clean. A+ health department rating. There was the typical Japanese restaurant fragrance about the restaurant. It's an older location. Plenty of parking. We went for dinner on a Thursday night. Started to get busy around 5 ish. Hostess was very accommodating. Sat is right away and made us feel welcomed. Even though we were 40 minutes early for our reservation. Good start to any dining experience. There's a bar. Full bar. Well priced. They have a reasonable happy hour menu which is also offered in the dining room and teppanyaki tables. I had the eel and avocado roll. It was good. Sauce was good. Portions were perfectly sized. Cons. Food was just ok. The seasoning was lacking any zest and the chicken was dry me over cooked. Same with my medium rare steak. Others had the cod and seemed to enjoy it. Same with the shrimp choice. Good portion. Well seasoned. Place seemed dated. Bar drinks were overly sweet and lacked any real depth. All agreed on this point. They offered 24 ounce Sapporo or draft were priced well and super cold and refreshing. I would return for the entertainment value alone and to see if our experience wasn't a one off. Overall, I'd give it a 6.5 out of 10.

This was my first Teppanyaki experience as an adult, which is important framing. We tried it as a family experience, particularly for our young (Pre-K) kids. It was really great. We caught the end of their everyday 3-6 happy hour and started with potstickers and a spicy sushi roll and drinks. Both solid. The Teppanyaki is really straight forward. You pick a protein and whether you want steamed rice brought to you or fried rice/chicken fried rice cooked in front of you. Proteins are largely in the $30-$39 range and also comes with miso soup and a small salad (both perfectly standard). The cooking/show is fun. Our chef clearly geared it to the kids, which was great. She lit plates on fire, made train sounds, and was generally calm compared to a chef cooking for a table of men in their 30s. Our kids really enjoyed it. I split the salmon and filet mignon with my wife and kids. Filet mignon was delightful. Kids really enjoyed it too. Salmon as well cooked, but short of perfection we've had a similarly priced restaurants. For 6 adults and 2 kids, we landed around $400, with tip (20% auto-grat + chef tip), so something in the $50-70 price range per person for a "standard" experience. I expect some of the lower ratings I see to be "too expensive for what it is", but this price feels appropriate for the uniqueness of Teppanyaki. I don't know that we'll be back soon, because it is more of a special treat and there is a lot of great food to try in Phoenix, but it delivered joy and experience we sought and our kids had a great time. Menu Link: https://qr.imenupro.com/p6h-a

Ambiance and service is 10/10 Husband and I stopped in during happy hour and grabbed a quick drink and appetizer, the drinks are beautiful & so tasty it's addictive!! The bartender, I forgot his name but he had pretty shoulder length hair and was very kind !!! We waited for a table and then was quickly seated, after we finished our appetizer. Appetizer was( potstickers) very fresh and flavorful and the sauce was amazing that came with them. We both ordered the chicken teriyaki (pricing is definitely fair for Scottsdale ) sub for fried rice only $2 extra (definitely reasonable price) and it was good, chicken was tasty. I didn't care too much for the fried rice, just prefer more flavorful fried rice. My husband did mention that we are use to fried rice on the flat top when they do the (teppanyaki )so it wasn't as fresh and flavorful for me than what I was use to. But overall experience was good definitely will be back for a show with family and happy hour with the girls !!

The Pro part of my night out alone finally was being in a sushi restaurant that had delicious food but the Con was I thought I would enjoy the being in the ambiance setting of the place but instead on this Thursday night I couldn't hear myself think and everyone was yelling behind the normal level so it made this place very un-joy able to the point where I won't be coming back I think just wasn't the calming and noise level I came to find.

I have to be honest this wasn't my first choice for a lunch spot but what a hidden gem. We had fast and friendly service. Got a veggie bento box that was very tasty. I'm always thankful for places that have veggie friendly meals!

I remember in the mid-2000 era, this was THE place! I'm not sure I've been back since. It was Valentines and my son has taken a liking to the place. He wanted to treat his mama to a nice meal. Only, I hadn't eaten all day and at the end of my workday I was starved. So, we headed in around 4:30 pm. I get that it was Valentines however, I don't recall seeing a happy hour menu or it being mentioned by our server, interesting. We didn't load up the way we easily could have. The Las Vegas roll has a tempura batter as usual, and it does tend to fill one up. I enjoyed the roll with the ponzu immensely, though I suppose I haven't partaken in seafood in ages and it was a bit ~flavorful in the seafood notes for me. Again, could simply be my absence of fish to any degree in the past several months (at least). I have become saddened at sushi joints that take the paper menu with them upon order, because, I often want to order more after starting with a roll or two. I do rely on the menu and am never able to just request another roll when they come around to refill drinks. I snagged a second menu from the host stand, the last roll took a long while to arrive, I was nearly convinced he may have forgotten to put it in. The server was friendly and attentive. Overall, it was a pleasant experience but I imagine it may be another era before I find myself in again.

Came here tonight for my mom and husbands birthday dinner. Absolutely amazing. Great food and service. The waitress was amazing. The show they give you while making the food right in front of you is always amazing. The dining room is nice and clean as well. Over all very very good and will definitely be coming back. Great job!

Neighborhood icon! Great happy hour, super cool and fun! Food is great! Love this place!

Been going here since 2003 old school Japanese sushi place! Other places are just hyped up, but if you want an old-school experience go here.

We had a great experience here! The service was excellent--friendly and attentive. They started cooking for us right when they opened, which we really appreciated. Everything was fresh, hot, and delicious. Definitely recommend!

Highly recommend Kyoto for a delicious teppanyaki experience! The food was so good. Our teppanyaki chef, Luz, was awesome. She did an amazing job. This place is significantly better than Benihana. The food, service, and entertainment (lots more fire) is all better. This also seems like a great neighborhood spot to get happy hour sushi. The restaurant is casual and small, nothing fancy, but it has a good no frills HH vibe.

Everything we ordered was delicious! We had the cucumber salad, garlic edamame, miso soup, and the spicy tuna crispies!

I give it a 3 because the sashimi, sushi and teppen are high quality. We tipped the Mexican Teppen Chef well. He did great however I like authentic looking Asian teppen chefs. When the 6 of us got our check There was a 15.00 surcharge. They gladly took it off but what the hell was that? Also they added the gratuity automatically. I hate that but in this economy We have to try and afford good meals now and then. The extra charges don't help. I have been coming here occasionally for 30 years. Its getting pricey

We did the teppanyaki. Overall fun experience. I had the filet mignon, medium rare, cooked perfect and tender. Only thing is my fried rice was a little hard for my taste. Service was great!

My nephew took me here for my birthday. We originally went for the hibachi but didn't realize that service for that didn't start until 4pm so we opted to enjoy their lunch options. Wish I got our server's name as she was great. She was the only one handling all the tables and she also was the bartender. I ordered the Dragon Drop which was delicious. If you like sweet drinks, this is the one for you. I ordered the shrimp teriyaki bento box and it was tasty. I think this was the best ginger salad I ever had. Some of the reviewers have complained about too much teriyaki sauce but it was just the right amount of sauce for me. I thoroughly enjoyed this place and have to make my way back for hibachi.

I came here with my mom & sister the service was okay didn't get that much attention while we were there & the calamari was very greasy I didn't like that at all & the beef was really good it had amazing flavor's for the Broth. The service was really not that good we came during happy hour but it was dead no one was there that crazy but I will not be coming back here

This place is small but mighty! If you're looking for a Tepan Grill that has great atmosphere, friendly service, and awesome food- THIS is where you go. Both our server and our chef were fantastic, and the food was amazing. I had the filet with fried rice and added shrimp. My companions had the New York, (also with fried rice and shrimp), and raved about it. I would say if you're wanting a larger amount of steak, go with the New York. Definitely recommend doing the beef soup over the miso- everyone does miso but the beef soup looked incredible, and according to my companion, it was. The bartender was friendly as well. They didn't carry my brand of whiskey, but he recommended the Elvis Presley- a mix of banana whiskey and peanut butter whiskey. Best drink I've had in a long time!! Would definitely recommend eating here if you're in the Scottsdale area.

Wow. This place USED to be so good! It was just horrible tonight. The banging on every metal piece they could find should have been a clue. Incredibly annoying. Our chef Arturo threw an eggshell at my niece and left it in front of her the entire dinner. Our order was completely wrong. He just put all the different meats on anyone's plate, Soup was cold, which Alexis our server, fixed. She seemed like she was rushing us big time. We got our apps, soup and salad at the same time. I ordered filet, got chicken and New York. Everything was just off. They add gratuity AND a service charge of $12.00 for using a credit card. I know for a fact that they pay around that a year for that service and usually don't charge the guest. Wrong prices, hidden fees, service pretty much sucked and the food was wrong. It's a shame to charge these prices for this BS. Never again.

We had an amazing experience with James as our chef. We all had steak, plus shrimp tempura appetizer, edamame, and cucumber roll. James put on a great show and the food tasted great. The fried rice is amazing - crispy and tailor cooked. The kids loved this place and want to come back tomorrow. Service was friendly, fast and attentive. The hibachi was fun to sit around and enjoy each other's company.

This place is aight. Was looking for authentic Japanese food and did not see many roll selections. Ended up paying $22 for beef and broccoli. Don't get me wrong, it tasted good, but definitely not what I expected.

The food was to die for! Amazing customer service and fast serving time The teppanyaki was funny as hell to watch especially the rubber chicken The cheesecake they make , almost made me bust a nut

Went there for a birthday. Riki Rice was incredible. Impressive knife work and comedy.

I used to come here quite a bit about 2-4 years ago and came back for the first time in about two years. I was extremely disappointed with the food quality, taste, and presentation. The food was small and had bland flavor unlike how it was in the past. The pork ramen was probably the most upsetting part. it had barely any flavor, cheap noodles, and thin uncooked carrots. the egg was extremely small and mushy, and overall made me feel as if i went to a below average restaurant with no knowledge in Japanese dishes. Another distasteful part about the food was the teriyaki chicken plate. The rice tasted like plastic and had unflavorful teriyaki sauce that was so watery it was dripping off the chicken and vegetables. The bento was also unsavory and so tiny and had little flavor. The plates were plastic and flimsy, and the water tasted like old unfiltered tap water with a bitter unpleasant taste. I'm just so upset by this huge change in food and presentation quality and will never be returning again. I am unsure if there was ownership or management change but something needs to be done because it is unacceptable for such a once extremely great and flavorful restaurant to no longer exist. Due to this unpleasant waste of money on poor quality food, I do not recommend Kyoto anymore.

Food was good and staff were friendly but the environment is very loud, dated and smokey.

Absolutely the best plans we could have made for a Saturday night with friends. Great food and a great atmosphere. We came for Teppanyaki and our Chef Luz was amazing. We will definitely be back and highly recommend for anyone local or those who are visiting Scottsdale!

Great food, great atmosphere. Definitely ask for Luz if you're doing teppanyaki she was the best!

LOVE going to Kyoto! Such a friendly staff with great Tepanyaki! Had a reservation for 12 people and although we were a little cramped, it was very fun. I would definitely make a reservation ahead of time as the fill up regularly. They also don't take more than 3 forms of payment so make sure to plan ahead if you are in a big group! It is in old town Scottsdale so understand that parking is a struggle and you might have to walk 5 min to your car. The food is worth it though!

Not worth the money! First of all please update your website. Pricing and menu Info is incorrect. Online it says they have kids meals but when we were there we were told they don't. Which is actually a big deal considering their entrees are $30+ dollars. My 4 year old would never enjoy or appreciate a meal like that so if I had known this I wouldn't have brought him. Second our waitress was rude! The most unfriendly I hate my job attitude. We were a group of two families and you could tell she hated us. How do I know? Because every other table of young people (guys mainly) she was over there laughing and smiling having a grand time. But our table was monotone with zero smiles. Our chef took an hour to get to our table. She was extremely low energy compared to the other chefs we saw at nearby tables. She also didn't bring any extra food to do any tricks. I expected way more of a show and it seems like others got it. Automatic gratuity is added which I have no problem with if it's well deserved but when we have a waitress making us feel uncomfortable and doesn't even refill our drinks it's quite annoying to have that enforced on me. You also have to tip the chef which again I'm unsure of what exactly we were tipping on since on since our show sucked. The only good thing is the food. The fried rice is really good. They ny steak is also really good. Get that over the filet. The filet is not in a sauce but the ny steak is which makes it more juicy and flavorful.