Teppan Tavern Tenamonya

I was able to make a reservation last Saturday and I had such an enjoyable evening here. While the food is good, especially the wagyu steak & the salad, what truly made it enjoyable for me was how attentive, friendly & kind the owners were. I definitely recommend making a reservation here if you had a chance to. And I'd love to visit here again the next time I travel to Kyoto.

Everything about this place is amazing. The owners, Hideki-san and Naoko-san, are incredibly kind and talented. I am celiac, and during their first hour of service they offer a gluten free only hour for people that need it. They put on a whole show for us, showing us how wasabi was grated and teaching us some japanese. They've had this shop for 27 years and it shows. The food was amazing, and I never would have guessed its all celiac-friendly. My partner and I ordered the set meal with dumplings, grilled prawns, tempura soft shell crab, A5 wagyu steak, and okonomiyaki with tako-san, a little octopus made of sausage. And finally for dessert we had some tasty pineapple. I highly recommend this tavern to anyone, but especially those with dietary needs. They also offered vegan options, I believe. You have to make reservations in advance though, and it is a bit competitive. But definitely worth the effort!

MUST GO NOW. this is hands down one of the best meals I have had. From the service to the quality to the taste, naoko-san and hideki-san know what the people want!! They are hospitable, warm and give you a FULL dining experience for a phenomenal price. We spent around $70 USD for a lot of food. We got the set menu #1 (photo above) and everything was made fresh and was DELICIOUS. I would eat anything Hideki-san served me! This is a must do when you are in Kyoto!!!

10/10! We were lucky enough to make a booking online and get some seats. The booking process is easy if you just follow the information online, and very much worth the effort! This place is very cosy, very authentic and has amazing food served by two fantastic people. One of our highlights during our trip in Japan. We chose for the set menu and had some very tasty dishes. The wagyu beef was the star of the show, perfectly cooked and seasoned; couldn't get enough! Will come again, should we even come back. Thank you, Hideki-San and Naoko-San!

This is where we had our best meal during the Kyoto trip. The tavern is run by a lovely couple, Hideki-san and Naoko-san who prepared the meal with love and smile! We had the recommended set meal and all the dishes were great. Love the environment and the friendliness of the owners! Highly recommended to visit their official webpage for reservation details.

One of the best meals we had while in Kyoto. From the moment we arrived we felt so welcome. Naoko-san and Hideki-san are absolutely lovely! Warm welcome aside the food, oh my gosh, the food is fantastic! We had a set menu of gyoza, prawns, tempura softshell crab, A5 Wagyu grilled to perfection, okonomiyaki and fresh pineapple. Every bite was delicious. In addition to the delicious meal we had several tasty cocktails, and an impromptu lesson on "how to dine in Japan" complete with a cheat sheet of common words and phrases helpful for eating out in Japan. We ended up using that guide very often for the rest of our trip. Naoko-san was so kind and she gave us the confidence to sumimasen and gochisosama deshita our way through the next 10 days. The reservation process was easy. I emailed at midnight local time (11 am the day before my time) two weeks before we wanted to dine, received an email with our time, then replied back to the email to confirm. We arrived a few minutes before our reservation time and the door was opened for us right at 7:30. After our meal we even received a thank you email complete with pictures from our evening. I cannot recommend Teppan Tavern highly enough. 10/10 will return to Japan one day to dine here again!

Stop thinking and make that reservation already! Ask yourself! When’s the next time you’ll be in Kyoto? Just book it! I promise you, you will not regret it! Hideki-San and Naoko-San is a husband and wife dynamic duo that runs the entire restaurant and business together. They create such an incredible warm and welcoming environment from start to finish! Please read through all the instructions to properly book your reservation for the BEST EXPERIENCE in Kyoto! I highly recommend getting the set menu (I got the set menu B) and getting the full experience. Each dish is cooked with love and each bite having so much flavor! The A5 Wagyu beef is MUST HAVE and something I’ll be dreaming about for years to come. Each bite was juicy and bursting with flavors! Once I got to my last piece of Wagyu beef, I made sure I was savoring each bite! Don’t get me started on the homemade gyozas because my friends and I had to order a second order of it! Food is truly made with hard work, time and love! Please be patient with them since they are the only ones running the entire restaurant and things can get busy. My first time visiting this restaurant was back in 2018 and I was counting down the days to come back! I finally made my return 6 years later in 2024 and I was so happy to be back and so grateful I got reservations. I’m already thinking about when my next trip to Kyoto will be! I can’t wait to visit Teppan Tavern Tenamonya and see Hideki-San and Naoko-San once again! They are truly the best of the best! I love them both so much and wish them the best!

Teppan Tavern is a fun and cozy restaurant managed by husband and wife duo Hideki and Naoko. The atmosphere is friendly and familiar, very much like a stereotypical tavern. Naoko was so sweet, she explained the menu and the measures they take to ensure zero gluten contamination. We chose set B and loved everything we were served! The gyozas were so delicious, the gluten free dough was the thinnest we have ever tried (it was almost impossible to tell the difference between the regular and the gluten free version). The soft shell crab tempura is also great, and the Wagyu beef is to cry for- perfectly grilled, served with gluten free soy sauce on the side and fresh wasabi. We got to see the real root being grated right in front of us! They also have homemade Umeshu (Japanese plum liquor) and really cute Sake testing menus. I highly recommend both! It was a perfect dinner, served by the loveliest hosts. Those looking to dine here must make a reservation and should know the following: - reservation is done by submitting a form on their website at 12:00 AM a week before your chosen dining date. - you must reply to their confirmation email, which may appear in your junk folder. This is SUPER important as they will cancel your booking if you do not reply. Many complain that the process is bothersome, but it is truly worth it especially if you have a celiac amongst your group. Thank you Naoko and Hideki!

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.