Kyoto, Japan｜Hanaroku

We unfortunately had a party close to us who had a kid who was way too loud but that didn't take away from the amazing dining experience. To their credit, it seemed like they tried many times to hush the kid but sort of gave up. The service was amazing. The server was attentive and friendly. She spoke English and there was no problem communicating. We requested seats at the counter at the time of booking our reservation so we could see the teppanyaki in action but they called prior to our arrival that that accommodation wasn't available. I wondered if such seats were available in the first place as I didn't see any on the way in or out. The ambiance was very quiet (sans the kid's ramblings) and intimate. The food was amazing. The wagyu melted in the mouth and the portions were generous too. Other courses leading up to it were tasty as well. They had some cool details. The tea cup for the dessert course had dotted decorations that were thin enough that the light would shine through. Their plates for the condiments had varying artworks underneath the condiments. These details were the icing on the cake, adding to the already impressive meal.

We were served by Satoru (I hope I remembered correctly!), who made us feel so welcome even though we were so unused to a dining experience of this calibre. Thank you so much! All of the food was out of this world — the best we've ever had. It was all cooked to perfection and, although we had tried most ingredients before, they were clearly of greater quality here. Wagyū should be tried here, rather than at a stall; the chef cooks it better than you could imagine. They asked how we like it, but we asked for whatever the chef recommends, which – if you don't mind your meat being red – was perfect. The atmosphere is calming. We enjoyed the peace and quiet, but it was also nice to speak with our waiter. Everyone is welcoming here — you won't want to miss it.

Wonderful beef. We got both the prime and the sirloin. The sirloin was actually better. Service was so friendly. All the dishes were beautifully prepared. Atmosphere and design were tasteful. Our young server also gave us recommendations for places to visit that were very helpful. Really nice experience.