Kyoto, Japan｜京都 下町のお好み焼き昌・べた焼きの専門店 Okonomiyaki in Kyoto style

We arrived before opening and waited with another group until the owner let us inside a bit early (about 6:50pm). He said he usually limits customers to groups of two max as the interior cannot seat many people (there were 6 customers including us when we went in, and a few other subsequent groups were turned away after our seats were filled). The owner also requested that each customer buys a drink. We stayed there for almost three hours. As many other reviews say, it is only the one man working, making all the dishes, cleaning, serving, drinks, everything! So expect to be there for at least over an hour as he cooks everything in front of your eyes. He speaks a bit of English but the menu is in Japanese only, so use Google Lens or whatever translation app you have. We ate two okonomiyaki: beef+squid and pork, three side dishes: kimchi & pork and two servings of his teppanyaki potato salad, plus five drinks between us. All for just over Y5000!! Insanely cheap for the labour, service and deliciousness of everything we ate. Can absolutely recommend all the above. It was my friend's first ever experience of okonomiyaki and I don't think it can ever be topped now. As we were beginning to wind up, the owner let us know the reservation he had at 9pm hadn't shown up (he had turned away multiple people due to this reservation!) Very rude of whoever group that was... Hopefully the people who couldn't eat when they were turned away yesterday will come back to try again while they are in Kyoto, it is completely worth it. The only thing I can think to request is some soap in the small bathroom inside, however there is hand sanitiser nearby to use.

The owner is amazingly kind and welcoming if you are lucky enough to get a spot. We got there before it opened and lucky he made a spot for the 2 of us. We had the pork and squid okonomiyaki and they were fantastic. We also had the potato salad and the kimchi and pork sides which were excellent as well. Highly recommend and we don’t speak any meaningful Japanese and had a great experience. Is cash only but our meal with 3 beers was less than 5000¥

Using the guidance of Google Maps, we successfully located our destination. Our quest was to savor an authentic culinary experience, and our journey led us to this charming izakaya. The anticipation for the okonomiyakis was surpassed only by the delight they brought to our palates; their taste was truly worth every moment of waiting. Yet, it wasn't just the food that made this venture memorable. The ambiance of the izakaya and the genuine warmth given by the owner bettered the entire evening. The owner's kindness was evident in every gesture, especially the attention he paid to every detail of the dining experience. What truly amazed us was his effort to communicate in both Portuguese and French, a surprising touch that bridged cultures and made us feel even more welcome. As our evening came to a close, I wanted to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude to the owner. ensuring a wonderful experience for us did not go unnoticed, and I am truly grateful for that. どうもありがとうございました.