Kitchen Rakuraku Kyoto

Unclaimed

We had a wonderful meal at this restaurant. The food is delicious, and beautiful to look at. Akira is fun to watch while he's working on the meal and friendly and interesting once he's finished. The place is small and it truly feels like your in his personal kitchen and he's cooking specifically for you. He's been doing this for 24 years and I can believe it when I taste his food. Truly, this is an experience not to miss if you're in Kyoto.

An incredibly unique and tasty experience! I messaged Akira on Facebook ahead of time and let him know the number of people who were coming and any dietary needs. When we got there, he said he spent 2 days thinking of what to make us which shows his care and enthusiasm for what he does! You can pay anywhere from like 2,500 yen + and he'll add in extra food depending on how much extra you pay. We paid 3000 yen and what entailed was a very homey and a singularly delightful hour of Akira whipping up 3 courses of food for us and a bit of conversation in English. (He added in some pieces of sashimi for our meal) the food was fresh, cozy, and very thoughtfully crafted. Highly recommend for a special experience after visiting Kinkaku-Ji.

Fantastic food, especially if you get the chefs choice. Akira is super fun to talk with. He will also adjust to menu dietary restrictions. Very fun intimate experience in an off beat neighborhood in Kyoto.

If there was an option to give a better score than 5 stars, then I would. This restaurant was by far the best I have been to throughout all of Japan. There is no real menu, it is all the chef’s choice but you can ask for things you would like or not like (if you’re vegetarian, do not want pork..). He then proceeds to serve a 3 course meal, each dish being just as delicious as the last. The restaurant itself is in his house which could turn off some people at first but it is worth looking past. It was so good the first time that we decided to go back and have a couple drinks with him. He let us stay later than closing time and showed us a couple songs he played on his TV. He even decided to play the guitar and sing for us! If you are looking for a TRUE Japanese dinner that is unique to no other with delicious food, a super reasonable price, and an amazing vibe, then this restaurant is for you.

The most authentic Japanese cuisine experience I’ve had, having been to many loval dining spot in Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto. Akira-san’s special chef’s choice is spectacular, and a treat to the heart and soul. My only regret is not discovering this gem 29 years ago, when he first opened his kitchen.