When you think of Kyoto, many people may associate it with obanzai, and I recently visited an obanzai restaurant.

It was a place with a counter and private rooms, where cute waitresses in cooking aprons served delicious dishes and provided great service.

You can experience a uniquely Japanese atmosphere and a retro vibe that only Kyoto can offer.

For drinks, I chose:
Oolong tea and Akadama beer.

First, we had:
Marinated horse mackerel
The fish was plump, with just the right balance of sweetness and acidity, and it was delicious.

From today's recommendations:
Chicken tartare style
The fried chicken was crispy, soft, and paired perfectly with the sweet and spicy sauce and tartar sauce—absolutely delicious!

Dashi-maki tamago (rolled omelet)
We enjoyed it fresh off the grill.
It was fluffy and full of dashi flavor, delicious, and even better with grated daikon on the side.

Assorted oden (five types)
Daikon, konnyaku, egg, chikuwa, and shirataki.
It was hearty! There was also mustard and yuzu pepper on the side.
The broth was delicious, and every ingredient soaked up the flavor beautifully.

Fried taro
They were fried with the skin on, spiced nicely, and quite tasty.

Ankimo ponzu (monkfish liver)
Rich ankimo was soaked in ponzu and a spicy sauce, and it was delightful.

Mentaiko mayo cucumber
Generous mentaiko mayo was spread on the cucumber, making it a delicious treat.

Iburigakko potato salad
There were many large pieces of smoked daikon in it.
Both the flavor and texture of the iburigakko were excellent.

Ikura rice
A generous amount of ikura was laid on top of the rice, making it beautifully luxurious.
The burst of ikura was incredibly tasty!
It also came with stem wasabi, adding a nice spicy accent.

Paitan soup
The soup looked simple at first glance.
However, upon tasting, it was incredibly rich with various spices creating a delightful flavor.
There is also ramen made with this broth, and I was sure it would be delicious.

I sampled quite a few hearty dishes this time, but there are also many healthy options recommended for women.

This place is open until 5 AM, so many people come here after the last train.

It’s a rare restaurant where you can enjoy delicious food and drinks even if you miss the last train, and you can experience tasty obanzai dishes late into the night.

The cozy atmosphere makes you want to come here every day, and the warm dishes and space provide a relaxing experience almost like being at home.

I highly recommend this place not only for locals but also for tourists visiting the area!

Open in November 2024
Gion First Building B1F
A new establishment has opened in Gion Hannar Yokochō.

Upon entering, there are counter seats and young proprietresses in kimonos.
Are they part-time workers?

There was an oden pot, so it seems like oden and obanzai are the main offerings.

Oden starts at 200 yen, and obanzai starts at 400 yen,
so despite being right in the heart of Gion, the prices are quite reasonable.

The menu includes many healthy options using vegetables, and the seasonings are often gentle with a focus on dashi, making it easy to eat even late at night.

Mapo tofu is 600 yen, and ramen is 1000 yen, but the portions are quite small for the price.

Everything else was appropriately priced.

The restaurant is open until 5 AM, and there are very few obanzai shops open until morning, so I think it's a very valuable place.