Teppan Tavern Tenamonya

If I could only ever eat at one restaurant again, it would be this one – without a doubt. From the moment we walked in, we were welcomed with such genuine warmth that it felt more like visiting close friends than dining out. Hideki & Naoko pour their hearts into everything they do, and you can feel it in every detail. Each dish was a masterpiece – beautifully presented, perfectly balanced, and absolutely delicious. They even offer gluten-free options and happily adapt to individual requests, which made the experience even more special for me. I tried things I would normally avoid, and every single bite blew me away. An unforgettable experience — amazing food, wonderful people, and a place I can’t wait to return to.

I made reservations a week in advance for this meal, and it was absolutely worth it. From the moment we arrived, every detail was thoughtfully curated and elevated the experience to something truly unforgettable. We chose the set menu, and the star of the show was the A5 Japanese Wagyu steak—hands down the most tender, flavorful, and perfectly cooked steak I’ve ever had. Before the main course, we were treated to an array of incredible appetizers: grilled prawns, scallops, and dumplings that I can confidently say were the best I’ve ever tasted. For dessert, they served fresh pineapple paired with a rich and nutty black sesame seed ice cream—a unique and refreshing finish. What really made the experience stand out was the hospitality and attention to detail. Each course was explained with care, highlighting ingredients and preparation techniques. They provided personalized cookies with our names on them, took photos of us during the meal, and emailed them to us afterward. We even received a custom handout summarizing our dining experience. It felt incredibly personal, thoughtful, and above all—phenomenal. If you're ever looking for a dining experience that goes far beyond just great food, this is it. Truly a once-in-a-lifetime meal.

Wow! I am not sure what we appreciated the most...the outstanding food..or..the outstanding joyful hospitality. The nicest, most welcoming owners you will meet. Made us feel at home, and the food was just about the best we have had in Japan. Comfortable, happy, cozy and casual.. and delicious! You must get a ressie! Absolutely worth it!

The absolute best food experience on our Japan trip. The absolute greatest service by the sweet couple owning the restaurant. Also the food was very good. Just make sure to make a reservation a week in advance, since it is very busy and not possible to walk in without a reservation

This Taverna is simply a once in a lifetime experience. Booked a week in advance, we were looking forward to this dinner and it didn’t disappoint! The set menus give you the chance to try a lot of different kinds of local and Japanese food, and you can also order extra from the à la carte menu. Food was - no joke - amazing, best we’ve had in our whole first week in Japan: set menu B, with Squid Yakisoba which were technically not between of the choices to choose from (thanks Naoko-san for breaking the rules from us), the best Gyoza and a super tasty Soft-shell crab. And the wagyu meat… oh lord, how good that was, straight up melted in our mouths: definitely regret not getting a bigger slice. Fantastic atmosphere too, the small but cozy restaurant felt homely and Naoko-san made us extremely comfortable for the evening… Hideki-san even educated us on all things-wasabi. Price was 100% acceptable for the amount and quality of food we had. 10/10 experience, definitely recommend to anyone who would like to try authentic Japanese food. Also the restaurant is a 1min walk from the Yasaka shrine, which is just fabulous in the dark. Thank to the owners for the best dinner we could ask for

Reservation is required and totally worth it. We went with 5 people having the best diner you can imagine. Take a look at those pictures and you can see Teppanyaki-chef is among the best! Thanks for having us. It was absolutely amazing!

Thank you so much for this incredible experience!!! sawWe were in the area and craving some teppenyaki, we stumbled across this restaurant on our maps and saw all the beautiful reviews, it would be an understatement to say it was our favourite dining experience in japan so far. greeted by a lovely couple who you can tell put a lot of love into your food. the food was incredible we ordered the first set style for 2 and was plenty of food for only $30-$40AUD each. make sure to make your reservation a few hours before the time you want to eat so you get a confirmation email time (ours came within the hour) thank you so much and we hope to see you soon!!!

We were so glad we managed to get a reservation. We had a wonderful experience! Hidaki-San and Naoko-San 's hospitality and love were really shown through the delicious food. The Wagyu beef and scallops are a must!! We are already missing the "magic" moments from both of them :) OHKINI and MATANE to both Hideki-San and Naoko-San!

A one of a kind experience Husband and wife teppanyaki shop. Despite the simple menu, food here is amazing. The execution and presentation of the food is top notch. The Wagyu with freshly grated wasabi and soft shell crap were my favorites. Paired perfectly with their house made plum wine. Husband is a master chef and entertainer

You must make a reservation far in advance, but I assume you, the food is worth it. We had the multi course meal and each selection was delicious. Hideki and Naoko, the owners, are so friendly and sweet. We want to return to Kyoto just to go back to their restaurant!

Excellent!!!! We love this place! Great food, great service, speaks English, and the place feels like home.

Super cool place. Small but efficient. They really know how to make it work. Follow the instructions on the website for a reservation. The food is amazing and pricing is a great value. Wagu steak was perfection. Enjoy.

This place should have a Michelin star, or at least a bib gourmand. This was my favorite spot in all of Japan, and we visited 2-3 Michelin spots. Unassuming and small, this mom-and-pop run spot is so warm and inviting. We ordered the set B with Wagyu, fried noodles, shrimp, fried crab, gyoza and pineapple dessert. The wagyu melted in our mouths and exceeded our expectations. Probably the best gyoza we've ever had. The owners are so friendly, take photos with every customer to send, and really make you feel welcomed. Only minor gripe is we'd have preferred the wagyu and noodles to come out together, but we got the wagyu and then the last course besides dessert was noodles, so it was odd eating that on its own . But still, 11/10.

My favorite meal so far in Japan. Every part of it was wonderful: the food, the service, the ambiance, the experience. I hope to come back someday!

Awesome husband and wife owner team that have been working together for 25 years and hope to work for another 20. They are super friendly, helpful with suggestions, and kind. The food is above average too. A5 is the highlight, and it's bargain priced compared to other restaurants. Quality is not at the level of as the high end shops, but it's close! Scallops was the next best. Fried chicken was average to slightly above. Fried Salmon I do not recommend.

This was the best place we've eaten in the two weeks we've been in Japan. We went to Steakhouse EN in Kobe and that was pretty impressive but this one was on a whole different level. The food was amazing...the saki was outstanding the service was phenomenal. Make sure you make your reservation as soon as possible. This was the downside...getting a reservation but that's a good sign IMO

Hands down the best Gluten-Free restaurant we went to in Japan. We tried GF restaurants in Tokyo Kyoto Osaka Hiroshima Nara Hakone and TEPPAN Tavern was the best. The husband and wife owners are charming and engaging. Make reservations.

Out of our 8 nights in Japan, this was the one place I knew we had to go. Based off fantastic reviews and incredibly affordable pricing, I made a reservation for 3 people on our first night in Kyoto. We each ordered the A5 wagyu. It was the star, so much so that we ordered another to share between the three of us. Two other items we ordered included the soft shell crab, really yummy and perfectly fried, and the pork okonomiyaki. We also ordered a regular okonomiyake but shouldn't have ordered two (it was just too much food). This hidden gem, on most nights, requires a reservation. They were turning people away while we were there at 6pm.

This place was amazing! the best food we had in Japan. The atmosphere was quirky and comfortable. the owners were delightful and entertaining to chat with. they are the best!

Amazing! I would definitely recommend making a reservation and eating at Teppan Izakaya Giom Tenamonya. It's run by a lovely husband and wife couple who have been running the shop more than 20 years. The restaurant ended up being more tourist oriented after they prohibited smoking in the restaurant. That said, it doesn't feel touristy in a bad way. In fact, the memorabilia from all around the world amazes you at the breadth and depth of lives that are touched by good food and conversation. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu but I'd definitely recommend the scallops. Just make sure you have a reservation and they confirm it too. Itadakimasu!!

Came upon this place a bit by accident and am so happy we did! Excellent food throughout the meal but the A5 wagyu was definitely the highlight. Incredibly nice and attentive service; catered to us and explained the meal in English. Really a great experience!

I found this place on TripAdvisor, where it's highly ranked. This is a nice restaurant, operated by husband and wife. They were very nice, and the food was delicious, served fast, and very well priced. If you know what the outside looks like, it's very easy to spot (the name is outside as well), but otherwise it may be easy to miss since you have to walk down a few steps, but it's right at the corner. The menu is very large here, and they have specials each day as well, so plenty of options for everyone in your group. We really enjoyed watching everything being made right in front of us. We had crab croquettes, wagyu sirloin, rice, and stir-fry veggies with pork; all were very good. There is a long bar area and then a few 4-seat tables. This is a casual spot, as most of Kyoto is. We really enjoyed that they give you a fortune (including English) before you leave (this was a first at a restaurant, and when you find these elsewhere you need to pay for them). Highly recommend for a nice meal at a great price.

Came here after making a reservation and seeing that they make vegetarian food. What a delight! Husband and wife who own the rest truly run this place like their home. Ambiance is relaxing and they treat you like house guests. Thy make recommendations and only have 14 seats so a reservation is a must. First off, they have a vegetarian only menu which is fantastic and hard to find in Japan. They want you to order a drink first then then your food. They cook the food in front of you and have warm plates in front to keep the food warm. If you don't like seeing meat cooked in front of you this may not be the best place for you. I didn't mind it and it was part of the experience! We got the okonomiyaki (cabbage pancake) with vegetables. They cover it with a teriyaki barbecue sauce which I didn't love so I just took it off. But it was presented in a small cast iron pan. Then I got the yakitori Yakisoba noodles with green onions and added a little chili oil to it. It was so good I nearly finished it all on my own! My husband got the soft shell crab tempura and the wagu beef and I have never seen him so happy! He said it was the softest meat that he had eve eaten and really enjoyed it. We also got warm sake and warm lemon yuzu with hot water (definitely recommend this! So refreshing!) We ended the meal by getting a fortune and having them explain the meaning to us. We had a great experience here. It was worth the taxi trip out there. The hospitality, quality of the food both produce and meat, and the love that they put into their cooking clearly is felt I. The dining experience. Would recommend anyone who visits Kyoto to make reservations and get dinner here. You won't be disappointed!

I cannot recommend this place enough! Amazing restaurant in Kyoto with friendly staff. You must make a reservation in advance, they are small and very popular. Everything on the menu is delicious. We loved the A5 wagyu and scallops. The owners are so friendly. We had such a wonderful time we kept order food and drinks and hung out for the night! At the end of the night, the buses had stopped running so the owner called us a cab and make sure he knew how to get to our hotel. They service is amazing!

Most amazing wagyu beef at an amazing price. Their special is A5 wagyu for 1800 yen. It's very tender and it melts in your mouth. The store is a mom and pop shop who are so kind and informative. They speak english well and explained the menu to us. The service and food are wonderful. Afterwards they gave us a fortune which completed a great experience. You need a reservation to get in between 5pm and 9pm but after 9:30pm you can still get seated. We spent 5200 yen for two orders of the special, okinomyaki, hot pot of tea, and black sesame ice cream. Would recommend them all.

Ohmygosh!!! I wish I could have eaten here every day I was in Kyoto. I arrived on my first night just as they were opening for the evening. They seemed a bit hesitant because I think they figured I was with a group of people and they showed me their reservation book. It was completely PACKED! I indicated that I was alone and was about to leave out of consideration but they said, "Please sit" and indicated that I could stay for about 45 minutes until everyone started showing up. I enjoyed wagyu beef, cooked vegetables and a few glasses of umeshu. The chef taught me that "okini" means "thank you" in Kyoto, which I appreciated. Next time I visit Kyoto, I will be sure to make a reservation. Okini!!

This is the best experience I have had in a restaurant. It was my daughters birthday and we thought about a high end teppanaki place but thankfully picked this place. Now it is relatively easy to find there are lots of signs but the place is modest maybe seats 12 people total but the people make this place. The owners (husband and wife?) are super friendly and nice. The menu is built for tourist with recommendations. We started with the a5 waging beef, mixed vegetables, soft shell crab chicken and noodles. The beef was fantastic, ideal cut a5 beef. Melts in your mouth and wonderful taste. The veggies were done well. The crab had unique flavors and wonderful taste. The food alone results in the 5 Stars. Then add the people, for the birthday the owner played the guitar and his helper played the harmonica. They were wonderful. This is the best experience I have had in Japan. If in Kyoto you should definitely go.

Authentic home cooked Wagyu and other delicious Teppan dishes prepared especially by a sweet husband & wife owner/chef team. There is no flashy show like the Benihana style Teppanyaki, but if you are craving downright good delicious home cooked Teppan style, this is the place! We ended up sharing the meal for a family of 4 for the three of us which was more than enough. Everything from vegetables, croquettes, okonomiyaki to Wagyu beef was heavenly. Couldn't help but get 4 additional orders of Wagyu and scallops at the end. A perfect meal in Kyoto! Overall it was one of the best meal we had in Japan.

Fantastic Teppan Izakaya! The space is quite small. There are two tables and several counter seats. We ordered a set course (for two person) including Grilled vegetables, A5 wagyu beef, okonomiyaki a kind of cabbage pancake(unsweetened), fried scallops. We also added fried sole fish, oysters and soft crab. We are absolutely seafood lovers! My favorite werbeef and soft crab, both tasted

Very nice meat and super great service!!! The wagyu a5 beef had amazing taste. Highly recommended for foreign visitors. The owners are apparently highly skilled at make guests feel like home

Best meal in Kyoto. Definitely something for everyone. Get the tempura set, sesame noodles with pork, and gyōza. Oh and make a reservation! They have limited seating and the place fills up fast.

Best dinner ever. Japan at its finest. Such a cool experience to be in an intimate venue and have true teppanyaki. Every flavour was unique and rich and exciting. Wonderful accommodating hosts. Please visit! You will be missing out if you don't.

I was leery at first about this restaurant because it was almost like too many foreigners and tourists liked it? Does that make sense? I was worried I was walking into a tourist trap basically. But we went and we were not disappointed. The place is small, and you'd be wise to make a reservation. It's in Gion so it's best if you plan your Gion sightseeing before coming so you wont have to backtrack. We didn't get any kind of super personal service (a lot of other reviews seem to have left there having made lifelong friends) but we ultimately had great food and a relaxing dinner after a day of sightseeing. I am starting to accept that I might not be a fan of okinyomaki (it's a texture thing) but if you like it you will probably be happy. We also had soft shell crab tempura (my friend said it was one of the best she ever ate) and we ordered one A5 Wagyu steak..... and then another because it was so damn good. My friend and I disagree on this point but I think the steaks here were better tasting than ones we had the next day at Steak Otsuka (where the steak was 3x the price!), but I know this is going to be an unpopular opinion.

We had good vegetarian dish and also a good beef and green onion pancake. Owners are super friendly and speak English. I highly recommend this place for teppenyaki.