Owatari

Kaiseki restaurant · Kyoto-shi

Owatari

Kaiseki restaurant · Kyoto-shi

1

570-264 Gionmachi Minamigawa, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, 605-0074, Japan

Photos

Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null
Owatari by null

Highlights

Kyoto-style okonomiyaki pancake, wagyu beef steak, vegan/GF  

Featured on Michelin
Placeholder

570-264 Gionmachi Minamigawa, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, 605-0074, Japan Get directions

instagram.com
@gionowatari

¥10,000+

Reserve

Information

Static Map

570-264 Gionmachi Minamigawa, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, 605-0074, Japan Get directions

+81 75 551 5252
instagram.com
@gionowatari

¥10,000+

Reserve

Features

payment credit card
reservations
reservations required

Last updated

Aug 18, 2025

Powered By

You might also like

Terms of Use • Privacy Policy • Cookie Policy
 © 2025 Postcard Technologies, Inc.
@michelinguide

Gion Owatari

"Mahito Owatari’s ready smile and bold demeanour make a lasting impression. He weaves ingredients into a harmonious whole: for example, white asparagus is paired with eggs infused with the aroma of truffles. If it’s a French dish, asparagus is combined with hollandaise sauce; if Italian, Bismarck. Smoked firefly squid is complemented with young pepper leaf jelly for a Japanese treatment. Accenting with the salty tang of caviar imparts a touch of luxury." - Michelin Inspector

https://guide.michelin.com/en/kyoto-region/kyoto/restaurant/gion-owatari
View Postcard for Owatari

Nathan Lyman

Google
Wow! This experience was unparalleled. Every dish was so soulful, unique, and downright delicious. We went to a lot of ‘this was the best meal of my trip’ restaurants while spending 2.5 weeks in Japan this May. This ended up being one of the top two meals of our trip, exceeding our lofty expectations. It’s next to impossible to get a seat as a new customer, but I highly implore you to try (for whatever time was available). The other clientele here were all returning Japanese customers (from all over the country). Many had been 3-4 times in the past year. They were a little skeptical of us westerners at first, but we quickly bonded over the international language of Foodie and the whole restaurant was having a merry time and finished the evening with whiskey shots and a shared love of baseball! The culinary team is so genuinely kind, fun, quirky, and most honorably, patient with our curious questions in English. They speak a little bit but Google translate helps a lot! Once you go once, you are able to rebook with them directly (the wait is still super long) - we will definitely be returning at some point in the future.

JK Ames

Google
Just excellent cha-kaiseki in an ageless house. I was expecting a crab menu in January but instead was treated to fugu and kujira! The cooking and hospitality is top level.

Thibaut Fraisse

Google
Really small and intimate place. Chef is really fun and skilled. It was our Kyoto experience highlight to try Kaiseki.

Joycedong1220

Google
The best Omakase in Japan. It’s my 4th year in Japan and I’ve tried at least 20 famous Omakase here but trust me this one the THE best! Especially for those who love sweet tastes, the crab and 穴子 is mind- blowing! In stead of ordinary rice, the course ends with雑炊, a kind of congee that’s mixed with soup and eggs, loving it! A bit pricey but definitely worth it.

VL Kong

Google
Good cooking and fresh seasonal produce. Chef Owatari, a cheerful character adds to a fun and cosy ambience. A thoughtful person too. We were at his late seating and he noticed we stayed in Osaka. He explained he would pace the serving so we still could catch the last train back :-) Do bring cash.

Nicole Tien

Google
We were at a loss for words with all 15 courses (alcohol included) presented by Chef Owatari. Chef was able to explain his meals in English for us and made this an unforgettable experience while leaving us way more full than we thought we would be. I’m still drooling over his wagyu dish. Make the reservation ASAP! Also a previous review said to bring cash- they take credit card so don’t worry.

AKI

Google
All I can say is that most people cannot book this small, fantastic Japanese restaurant because there are tons of enthusiastic fans already.

Eoghan B

Google
2 Michelin stars. Wonderful dining experience (especially in winter, when crab is in season!) Very difficult to reserve as only 10 seats.
google avatar

Rick L.

Yelp
Everything about our experience at Oagari in the Gion area of Kyoto was fantastic. This was our first meal in the city...One of the uniquely Japanes style course restaurants where they keep bringing you food, small course after small course. They are very vegetarian and gluten free friendly. Quick note, they're on the second floor of the building and there's another restaurant on the first floor, so make sure you head up the stairs to get to the good stuff. It's small inside but you have your choice between tables, or counter seats where you can watch the chef prepare your food. They're also very English friendly...and well, just friendly in general. They were happy to see us, serve us, and sit down and talk with us. There was sweet, traditional Japanese music playing which added to the lovely atmosphere. We started with the Kyoto sake sampler (specifically serving us 3 different sakes brewed within the Kyoto area.) You can choose a broader geographic region for your sake as well. Then the food started coming. A salad with silken tofu and baby corn, followed by corn mousse with plum wine marinated tomatoes, then daikon radish with mushroom miso sauce, followed by two long peppers and a potato called dengaku which had a rubbery, fish like texture, and finally a soft tofu soft served in Japanese broth which super, super tasty They brought as a palate cleanser of 2 flavors of shaved ice (citrus and lime). The lime was bolder then we would have liked, but orange was good. (These were served in tiny little bowls which delighted my wife.) The main course was a Kyoto style "okanomiyaki" which is a Pancake with different layers of all kinds of things on top of it including a conglomerate of cabbage, onions, ginger, topped with a beautiful egg. This was our first time having anything like this and it was delicious. The fried egg was perfect, and the whole thing was especially good with French "Petit Point" sauce they served it with. Okonomiyaki is uniquely Japanese and different regions have their own style as we learned later on a visit to Hiroshima where they served "Hiroshima Style" Okonomiyaki. We loved everything about our experience here. We felt well catered to as vegetarians. Their menu, and staff were super friendly and we had a fantastic conversation with one of the owners who sat with us and genuinely seemed interested in who we were and our experience so far in Japan. 5 stars all around.
google avatar

Melissa S.

Yelp
WOW. I loved everything about this place. The second floor spiral staircase, the decor, the whiskey flights, the staff, everything. The food was absolutely incredible. This was the first place in my Japan trip that I had Japanese beef, and it did not disappoint. I am talkin' melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness. We did the recommended set option, and each item was super tasty. I am usually hesitant to eat chicken because it is usually so dry, but this place was SO GOOD. It was juicy, tender and had tons of flavor. If I am ever back in Kyoto, I will definitely eat here again. Arigatōgozaimasu!
google avatar

Ika I.

Yelp
Wonderful teppan and most innovative dishes! We were looking for a good place for dinner after a long day sightseeing in Kyoto and were very glad to have found this teppan restaurant who was steps from our ryokan. This restaurant is not easy to spot on the street. We found its street sign and had to go to third floor to find it. In addition, the restaurant sitting area is small and I would highly recommend making reservations in advance. The menu of the restaurant is centered around wagyu beef or chicken teppan. They offer multi course meal for 2 people at around $25 to $30 per person. I highly recommend checking in at Yelp for additional discount. Since I don't eat beef or pork, i ordered the al la carte tofu, grilled shrimp and noodle dishes. My boyfriend and another friend who ordered the wagyu beef said it was one of the best they have ever tasted. For me, I love the plum wine marinated tomatoes and it was among the most innovative dishes I have ever had. The total cost for 3 people was around $90 and it was one of the most memorable meal experiences I have ever had. The staff spoke excellent English and the restaurant ambiance felt intimate and casual. Highly recommend this wonderful teppan gem!
google avatar

Derek L.

Yelp
They take reservations, but if you come for lunch you probably don't need one.. came at 12pm during weekday and we were the only diners. Enjoyed this place thoroughly. It's traditional tepanyaki where they cook everything on a flattop stove. Everything was piping hot and delicious. They had two menus, one was around 40k yen and the other around 50k yen for 2 people. The biggest difference was the 40k menu included the omlette only and no pancake. We opted for the 50k menu and definitely chose right! Service was amazing. Friendly, helpful and explained each dish. Would probably recommend coming at night to have lots of sake and good as it will be much more lively. If you're looking for Japanese omlette and pancake, come here!
google avatar

Sam Z.

Yelp
I've been in Japan for a week. Exploring Tokyo, Osaka, and now Kyoto. From a pure food standpoint, this is one of the best meals I've had yet. I went here with one other person, we ordered a salad with duck, tofu in broth, fried noodles, and of course the Wagyu beef. The salad was excellent. Extremely flavorful duck and delicious dressing. Then came the fried noodles, equally tasty. Very flavorful and a solid portion too. The tofu was okay, a little over spiced but the broth was good. Then came the Wagyu beef: our first 5 pieces were truly magnificent. It melted in your mouth and was the perfect meat-to-fat ratio. But the rest was just nubs of fat. So I'm a little conflicted if it was really worth the 50$ price tag. But if you are going here for a quick dinner, it's very good. My only complaint was the service. There was a significant language barrier, which is to be expected in Japan, but she misinterpreted our order on two separate occasions, bringing us dishes we didn't order. I ordered a coke that was also 90% Ice, which was a little frustrating. I noticed that the staff messed up other customers orders as well. We sat upstairs which was a little warm, but nothing terribly uncomfortable. All in all, it was a positive experience where we ate tasty food, in a truly Japanese environment.

Philippe A.

Yelp
Very enjoyable experience. Restaurant located on the second floor 2F and a little hard to find. Warm interior, small dinning room and exquisite food. I recommend taking the sample menu. Very nice staff and chef which I think was the owner. Worth the visit!
google avatar

Jackie K.

Yelp
From the looks of a small second-floor walk-up, we weren't expecting a gourmet prix fixe meal, but that's exactly what we got. They do have an a la carte menu, but I strongly recommend the prix fixe menu, which is priced for 2. First course was a salad with smoked duck, followed by tomatoes marinated in plum wine. Next was a daikon radish with shiitake mushroom sauce, and then a fried tofu dish. Then the protein dish, which was melt-in-your-mouth wagyu beef and the most tender chicken I've ever tasted. I thought this was the main course, but this was followed by the true main, which was a Japanese pancake stuffed with shrimp, ham, and veggies and smothered in a delicious sauce. Overall an incredible meal at a very reasonable price. Highly recommend!
google avatar

K G.

Yelp
I called this place before going and they said no reservation needed at this, please just walk in. When I tried to walk in and asked for a table for 2+ baby, hostess asked if I had a reservation. I explained that I just called minutes ago and was told reservation not needed. Mind you, restaurant has ample space, but hostess said those tables were reserved for reservations only. She refused to take my name down and asked me to just check back later. I don't understand this one at all. Would not recommend at all!
google avatar

Austin F.

Yelp
One of the best meals I've ever had. Had the set menu with my wife and every course was a 10/10. The pancake to finish was very special.
google avatar

Monique C.

Yelp
This place has very wonderful service they accommodated that I do not eat any pork, shrimp, or octopus but my husband does so they did half what I can eat and gave him what he wanted to eat. Everything tasted great and fresh.

Barb S.

Yelp
The food was good and the presentation very nice. The chef appeared to enjoy himself and interacted with guests. Staff included the chef and 1 waitress. Restaurant was busy. The portion for the set menu deluxe/supreme at 8,800 yen was too small to share with two people.

Ayano Y.

Yelp
We went there as their sign caught our attention. We had Oagari style and Japanese MIX gion-yaki. Both were fabulous. The atmosphere was really cozy and sophisticated. The staffs speak English so we got nice trip advices. Highly recommended!