Hyōto Shijō Karasuma

If you’re in the area, this restaurant is worth a visit! Delicious high quality food, great service, and friendly waiters and waitresses that speak English. We especially liked the waitress Nao who spoke to us about her trip to Taiwan! The first dish “Seasonal Vegetable Aspic” was really good. I’m not sure what the tofu was made of, but we all loved it. The egg custard was just as good with the creamy tofu skin on top. The meat was high quality. Both the pork and beef. I would have ordered more, but I was already so full from eating everything else! Curry powder is a must when you eat the udon noodles.

The shabu-shabu here was amazing! The broth itself is just simple kelp and water, which really lets the ingredients shine. The meat quality was excellent! It tender, flavorful, and perfectly suited for hot pot. Paired with their rich dashi and tangy ponzu dipping sauces, every bite was so satisfying. On top of that, the staff were incredibly friendly and welcoming. Overall, 10/10 would recommend!

Reserved dinner to celebrate my husband's birthday. Very comfy atmosphere in chic Japanese style. The food and ingredients were very fresh and every servers in the restaurant provided the best service in introducing the food and how to enjoy the shabu shabu. I ordered dessert plate as surprise for my husband, they have written greeting and name on the plate which looked very beautiful and the desserts were also very yummy for sure. We had a really pleasant time here and definitely will recommend our friends ans family to come!

If you wish to truly immerse yourself in the art of traditional Kyoto cuisine, I wholeheartedly recommend securing a reservation at this exquisite establishment. Advance booking is essential, and one is kindly invited to select their meal preferences when reserving online. Clear and gracious instructions are provided both in spoken English and in writing, ensuring a seamless experience. The warmth and attentiveness of the staff are as exceptional as the delicate and masterfully crafted dishes. This was precisely the authentic and memorable experience we had hoped to find.

Really lovely meal out here. We got the set menu which had some great dishes, I liked the variety and the chance to try lots of different things. The staff were lovely and so friendly and helpful. The only part I felt didn't live up to the price as much was the hotpot which lacked a bit of flavour, but the other dishes were great so I would definitely recommend it.

We didn’t plan to eat shabu-shabu this day, but luckily we tried it exactly here. The food was amazing. We took 2 sets with pork and wagyu beef. Appetizers and shabu-shabu were all great. And matcha pudding was perfect. The atmosphere is very calm, quiet and relaxing. Service is very good. We highly recommend this place if you’re looking for shabu-shabu in Kyoto.

Hyoto Shijo Karasuma gave us a memorable hot pot experience in Japan! The staff were incredibly polite, helpful, and genuinely sociable from welcome to farewell—they walked us through the process with a smile and made sure we had everything we needed without ever being intrusive. The flavors were fantastic—rich, balanced, and deeply satisfying. Every ingredient was fresh and high-quality elevating the whole hot pot experience. The ambiance was modern and fun, making it a great place to relax and enjoy a long, flavorful meal. If you’re in Kyoto and craving hot pot with top-tier service and atmosphere, this place is a must. Reservations were easy to make through Tabelog.

Exceptional family dining experience! Our group of 6 adults and 3 kids received outstanding service. The staff was incredibly accommodating with the children, providing delicious and generous kids’ meals and received a gift at the end. The atmosphere was welcoming, the food was excellent, and the genuine family-friendly approach made our evening perfect. Highly recommend!

The place was so clean and ambiance was very calming and nicely suited the aesthetic of the restaurant. The food itself was very high quality and fresh, definitely worth the money. Service was fast and the staff was foreigner friendly trying their best to help us understand how to eat the food. Even the trainees were very good at being fast and helpful.

We made a last-minute reservation at this famous shabu-shabu place on our first day of visit in Kyoto, and had to admit that it was certainly not an easy one. The restaurant was completely full during our entire dinner time; and service very slow, at least according to my friend, who used to visit here. We opted for the full shabu-shabu set, including assorted sashimi, sushi, soba, dessert, and of course, the shabu plate. Really impressed by the thinness of the pork meat, as thin as a piece of paper! The meat can be ready simply by dipping it into the hot soup for ten seconds, amazing! Their sushi plate was a bit disappointing though...a bit fishy. Dessert served as a perfect ending of our meal with the refreshing pudding. Only if everything can be faster...by the time we left there, the entire restaurant was almost empty. But good quality and service were impeccable.

The place itself is very nice and the staff is good, from there it goes downhill, we paid $70 per person at night. We got some very good quality food, but I am not sure is worth the price. Then, why 2 stars? I would not go back and I would not recommend the place to anyone in Kyoto.