Kikunoi Honten

I've been to several three star Michelin restaurants in France, US, Italy, etc. so I was really curious to see what a Japanese one would look like. It started with a big shock to the two of us when we were led to our own private room. It was a really interesting setup as the room was designed to mimic a Japanese boat, with a massive almost transparent glass window as well as a hidden hole underneath the table so that we could sit comfortably. I'm tall and not used to sitting on the floor and I was really happy at this setup. The staff and our waiter was excellent. He kept us entertained despite a bit of a language barrier and did his utmost at making sure we were well taken care of from beginning to end. The food was really interesting and really brings you across a bunch of different classic Japanese ingredients, while also incorporating some unique twists. Note that you can choose between different courses and feel free to choose whatever's in your budget. We chose the second most expensive option and were more than happy with our choice.

Having visited Kikunoi Honten with high expectations for its 3 star Michelin status and long-standing history, I left feeling quite underwhelmed. While the atmosphere and service were impeccable, the cuisine did not live up to the reputation. The flavors lacked the depth and precision I expected from the finest washoku restaurant. For the price and the accolades, the culinary execution felt surprisingly ordinary. It was a missed opportunity to experience the true essence of Kyoto’s finest.

With all due respect, this was one of the few kaiseki meals I couldn’t finish. Having done 20+ Michelin experiences globally, I don’t say that lightly. I hesitated to post this—fine dining can be hit or miss always—but for travelers with limited time, this is often a top recommendation by OpenAI/gemini as well. At ~$2,000 for a group of four (minimal alcohol), the expectation is at least quality and care. Instead, the whole group (each with very different taste palettes, including someone with over 10 local kaiseki experiences) as a group everyone struggled to dine. Most dishes lacked depth and execution; only 2 of 10 showed any creativity and lacked basic balance and technique in execution. Dining our own time at the private room, we even questioned if something was wrong with us—were we sick? it seemed impossible the food could be this off. After reading recent reviews, it seems this isn’t an isolated experience. I understand writing a review like this would have me banned. But I hope this offers constructive criticism for such a historical establishment recommended by those from nobu and beyond, and help others doing research to proceed with care.

My girlfriend and I had high expectation given the three-star rating on michelin and a very solid Tabelog bronze award. We ordered the cheapest set at ¥33,000 per person and the food was almost an insult to us. None of the ten dishes served to us was particularly impressive and mediocre at best. Most of the dishes were overloaded with yuzu which covered the flavour of the dishes. The dessert was bitter. The rice was okay. 香港人見到真係唔洗試，有伏。