I had the opportunity to travel to Kyoto and wanted to try duck hot pot, so I did some research and found "Sakyo-ku Rubin" in Pontocho. I had never been to Pontocho before, but it seems similar to Kagurazaka in Tokyo. The alley leading to the restaurant has a charming atmosphere. Once seated in the tatami room, we were promptly given hot towels. The staff at "Sakyo-ku Rubin" were incredibly polite and attentive. After a slightly disappointing experience at another restaurant the day before, I was pleased with the careful service at "Sakyo-ku Rubin". We started with a toast, with me having shochu and my wife having cloudy sake. The duck hot pot course we reserved began. [Appetizer] A beautiful assortment of five seasonal cold dishes was presented (sazae, yuba and Camembert cheese, whitebait and seaweed, dried firefly squid, white fish sushi). Each dish was meticulously prepared and paired perfectly with the drinks. [Sashimi] Tuna, octopus, and sea bream sashimi were served. I especially enjoyed the octopus, which had a perfect balance of firmness and tenderness, with a rich umami flavor. [Hot Pot] The duck hot pot was filled with plenty of vegetables, making it quite substantial. The vegetables in Kyoto are truly delicious. The duck meat was tender, and when sprinkled with sansho pepper, it was exquisite. [Finale] Since udon was recommended as a finishing touch to the duck hot pot, we ordered udon. The udon, with a rich duck broth, was deliciously satisfying. [Dessert] The seasonal homemade dessert was a matcha pudding, with a refined sweetness that was delightful. We enjoyed the cloudy sake "Zuikan" we ordered at the beginning, so we ended up ordering a bottle during the meal. The bottle was reasonably priced at 4,000 yen. We had a wonderful time enjoying delicious Kyoto cuisine while overlooking the Kamo River. Thank you for the meal. We look forward to visiting again.

Fulfilling my long-awaited wish, I had a Kyoto cuisine dinner at a cool summer terrace by the Kamogawa River. I ordered the Morning Glory Course (7,700 yen) which included: - Appetizer: Assorted seasonal cold dishes - Soup: Edamame and grilled conger eel with green yuzu - Sashimi: Red snapper, bonito, Biwamasu, and more - Grilled dishes: Grilled ayu fish with assorted garnishes - Cold dish: Two-color fish somen noodles, steamed abalone, and junsai - Simmered dish: Oyama Jidori chicken, meatballs, salted Sansho pepper hot pot - Rice: Seasonal rice, red miso soup, pickles - Dessert: Assorted homemade seasonal desserts Every dish exceeded my expectations with its elegant Kyoto cuisine. The highlights were the Edamame and grilled conger eel in the soup, and the Oyama Jidori chicken simmered in salted Sansho pepper hot pot. The light salty flavor with a good broth and the spicy kick of the Sansho pepper, paired perfectly with the tenderly simmered chicken. The drinks, including the dry ginger ale (500 yen) and yuzu roasted green tea (720 yen), were refreshing and had a great throat feel.

My friend's birthday is always celebrated at this restaurant where the staff are very friendly and make you feel welcomed. The drinks are so good that you can't help but keep ordering more. We opted for the course menu and every dish was delicious, we couldn't finish it all! I would love to come back for a hot pot meal once the weather gets cooler.

My first experience at a riverside dining area. I went at the end of August when the lingering summer heat was intense, but fortunately the night was not too hot and the breeze made it very pleasant. The place cost around 3,000 yen, and with the course (including all-you-can-drink) it came to about 6,500 yen, totaling just under 10,000 yen. I found it more reasonable compared to other riverside dining options. The food portion was sufficient, visually appealing with the beauty of Japanese cuisine, and the taste was decent. It was a good time overall, experiencing the atmosphere of the riverside. They had a variety of cocktails, and the fruit cocktail with pulp was very delicious. I would like to take foreign visitors here. Thank you for the meal.

I went to Kyo no Owari at the end of summer. It was my first time visiting, and at first I couldn't find the restaurant... Even though the map said it was near Gyu no Hone-san. I wandered around the front of the shop, and eventually found it down a narrow, dark alley leading towards the Kamo River. It would have been even harder to find at night... When I arrived at the restaurant, all the staff were kind and provided excellent service. We chose the most affordable course, but every dish was delicious and well-prepared. It was enjoyed by everyone, from a middle school boy to an 80-year-old mother. Although my mother was too full for the final rice dish. The end of September at Kyo no Owari was cool and breezy, making me feel the arrival of autumn and creating a slightly nostalgic and sentimental atmosphere. I was able to enjoy the end of summer in Kyoto.

This is my second visit to this restaurant. The first time was last New Year's when I visited instead of having osechi. We had a window seat, and I remember commenting that "the floor comes out in the summer from here." So, on the day of the Gozan Okuribi fire festival, I visited in the early evening. Just like last time, the food was delicious, the service was polite, and everything was very good. There were optional items like summer vegetable sashimi, and they were all very cheap and tasty. Although we arrived before the lights were turned on, we could still see the Gozan Okuribi from this restaurant. Among the restaurants along the Kamo River, I think this one is really a great deal. Highly recommended!

I enjoyed a meal at Kamogawa Noryo Yuka. The atmosphere was fantastic. The appetizers were delicious, and the fish was fresh. The roasted wagyu beef was melt-in-your-mouth tender, and the vegetables were crisp. Everything was wonderful. I couldn't finish the nodoguro rice dish, so they kindly made it into onigiri for me. I was truly touched by their thoughtfulness.

Thank you for reading this article. Likes and comments are encouraging. I will continue to update a lot, so I would be grateful if you could save or follow. The food we had at the riverside was delicious, but the seating felt rushed and turnover was quick. Thank you for the meal.

I had a course meal of duck hot pot. Starting from the assorted appetizers to sashimi and the main duck hot pot, everything was delicious. It was my first time having duck hot pot, and the meat was tender and easy to eat. There were plenty of vegetables, and I ended up feeling very full. The food was delicious, but unfortunately, there were a lot of flies around, and they kept coming down from the lighting. It was quite noticeable because the flooring was white. I thought maybe it couldn't be helped due to the location, but it was a bit of a nuisance.

Rubin in Ponto-cho♡ Kyoto❤️‬ Sanjo♡ my pick! ・ Assorted sashimi ・ Yuba and herb vegetable salad ・ Donabe rice with duck and ginger, served with Kujo negi ♡ A Kyoto cuisine restaurant located in the back alleys of Ponto-cho໒꒱· ﾟ The interior, renovated by connecting two 150-year-old tea houses, has a mysterious maze-like atmosphere⋆⸜♡⸝‍⋆ We enjoyed seasonal dishes such as fresh sashimi and duck and Kujo negi donabe rice, all made with carefully selected ingredients(⋆ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈)” Every dish was delicious and satisfying( ˃ ᵕ ˂ ) We even took the leftover donabe rice as a souvenir and made onigiri out of it\( ˙▿˙ )/♡ From May to September, you can enjoy the cool riverbed terrace, which I would love to try out(˶'ᵕ'˶ )‪︎♡ Restaurant Name: Rubin in Ponto-cho Reservation: Available Access: 5 minutes walk from Keihan Main Line Sanjo Station 5 minutes walk from Hankyu Kyoto Line Kawaramachi Station 201m from Sanjo Station Operating Hours: [Mon-Fri/Sun/Holidays] 17:00-21:45 (Food L.O 21:00 / Drink L.O 21:30) [Sat] 16:30-22:00 (Food L.O 21:00 / Drink L.O 21:30) Cool Riverbed Terrace: [Daytime] (Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays in May and September) 11:30-14:45 [Nighttime] [Weekdays] 17:00-21:45 [Sat/Sun/Holidays] First Session: 16:30-18:45 Second Session: 19:00-21:15 Closed: Irregular holidays (May 15, May 24, June 14, June 21, July 5, July 12, August 2, August 9, September 6, September 13) Hashtags: #RubinInPontocho

When I made a reservation at this restaurant, the first thing that surprised me was receiving a confirmation email. They even confirmed the seating request I made in the reservation notes, which was such a polite gesture. I was excited even before visiting the restaurant. On New Year's Day, upon arriving for lunch, I immediately needed to use the restroom. The first floor was occupied, so a staff member guided me to the second floor. The staff members communicated well, and one even escorted me to the restroom, closed the door behind me, and guided me back to my seat. The seat was by the Kamo River, with a retro table on tatami mats, providing a lovely view. The restaurant was quite full when I arrived, but they soon offered to move me to a spacious table. The service was impeccable. I was served sweet sake in a charming lacquered cup, which had a rich herbal aroma. The staff mentioned that it's quite common nowadays, but I found it fascinating. I ordered a sweet potato shochu and chose "Kyo-ya Kiyoyasu," a high-quality Miyazaki-produced shochu with a rich flavor. The ice was perfectly round, indicating attention to detail. Next, a plate of 5 appetizers arrived, including black beans with gold flakes, boiled whitebait with seaweed, and Kyoto-style sushi. Each dish was delicious. The soup had a delicate white miso flavor with my favorite, monkfish liver. The sashimi platter featured tuna, sea bream, mackerel, and squid, all beautifully presented. The grilled dish was salted and marinated in koji with a delightful aroma. The side dishes were unique and colorful. The rice was wrapped in bamboo leaves, making a cute onigiri. The miso soup had a hint of sansho pepper, adding an elegant touch. The dessert platter included hojicha ice cream, zenzai, strawberry jelly, and almond chocolate, all with intense flavors and textures. The young staff members were well-trained and provided excellent service. Overall, it was a fantastic kaiseki dining experience at a reasonable price. Thank you for a wonderful time.

I made a reservation for the New Year course. The dishes were all of a higher level than I expected, and the presentation of the food was wonderful! It's hard to choose just one, but I was most impressed by the white miso dish. It may be recommended for both young people and elderly people. However, be aware that you have to climb steep stairs to get to the second floor. I tried a few bites of the children's lunch, and it was so delicious that it seemed like a waste for children. I would like to bring customers and repeat this experience!

I ordered grilled fugu shirako, but it was not that great. Even though it wasn't all-you-can-drink, there seemed to be a 2-hour time limit, so we couldn't stay long. The manager? (a man who clearly didn't seem like a part-timer) and the staff were not very friendly, which was disappointing. The other dishes were just okay in terms of taste.

One of the best restaurants in my life. The sea bream rice and amberjack shabu-shabu were exquisite. It was so delicious that I almost burst my stomach. The prices are reasonable, but I still want to revisit this restaurant when I go to Kyoto. I couldn't finish all the food, so they made onigiri for me, which I enjoyed deliciously the next morning.

I visited Hatsukawa Dokoro for lunch and reserved the course bento box with conger eel shabu-shabu. It was delightful to enjoy delicious food while overlooking the Kamo River. The staff was very attentive, and although it can be a bit inconvenient on windy days, the atmosphere of the riverside seating is truly amazing (laughs). Thank you for the wonderful meal!

My wife had never been to a cool summer terrace, so we visited one during our stay in Kyoto. Initially, this restaurant was not on our list because the terrace did not have chair seating. However, after a disappointing experience with a restaurant recommended by our credit card concierge, I quickly searched and found out that this restaurant had changed all terrace seating to chairs this year. I made a reservation in a hurry. I requested a table by the Kamogawa River for my wife's first terrace experience, and we were lucky to get the best riverside seat with a fantastic view. We ordered a kaiseki course with an additional duck hot pot, and the food was truly delicious, reflecting the essence of Kyoto cuisine. The standout was the service - all staff members were friendly and attentive. When my mother was served grilled ayu fish, I casually asked if it was wild or farmed, and although they couldn't answer on the spot, they later researched and provided a detailed response. As we were leaving, I asked about reservations for Golden Week next year, and they assured me that it was okay to book now. Excited for next year's Golden Week in Kyoto!

The price was a bit high, but I was completely satisfied with the atmosphere of the restaurant, the food, and the kindness of the staff. I had the leftover sea bream rice made into onigiri for takeout, and I enjoyed it as a late-night snack at the hotel. It was really delicious, so I definitely want to go back again. The meal included fresh raw oysters, three kinds of sashimi, grilled ayu fish with miso, tempura of corn, roasted duck, and sea bream rice.

The entrance is a bit hard to find, so be careful. This time, we ordered the conger eel shabu-shabu course. Before the main hot pot, we enjoyed various conger eel dishes like blanching and grilling, which were delicious. Dining on the terrace along the river as it gradually got dark was very stylish. The finishing porridge is prepared in the kitchen and brought to your table. It was cool in the evening, and we were able to comfortably dine outside. The restaurant seemed busy, likely due to the Gion Festival, but they smoothly served the dishes even while changing the course order. Most of the staff were young, but they seemed used to the busy season. Thank you for the meal.

The restaurant took into consideration that my elderly parents prefer softer foods and prepared thinly sliced meat and boneless fish for them. They were impressed by the delicious broth and were satisfied with the meal. It was a bit cold that day, but we warmed up with some Hiresake. The pace of serving the dishes was a bit fast, but it was just right for my impatient father.

This is a shop in Ponto-cho along the Kamo River. The main attraction is dining on the riverside terrace while enjoying the scenery, and we had a great time on this sunny day. We visited during the long weekend and it was a bit hot at 29℃, so I recommend going in May. We had the duck hot pot and bento lunch course, which was decent in taste. We also ordered some fresh oysters separately, which were unexpectedly delicious and had a nice texture. The bento with mixed rice was also good. It was my first time dining on a riverside terrace, and I really enjoyed that aspect of the experience.

The presentation was beautiful and the service was attentive. Despite making a last-minute reservation with limited time before closing, the staff provided excellent recommendations, were considerate of our time, and offered great service. The restaurant was warm and cozy, which was especially nice on a cold day. The menu also had dishes that looked visually appealing.

I think the prices are typical for a tourist spot, but the taste is quite average. The sashimi wasn't very fresh, so I feel like the cost performance is not great. I ordered shirako, but I'm sorry to say it wasn't tasty. However, the atmosphere is nice, so if you don't mind not having raw dishes, you can still enjoy it.