I went with my partner who loves oden. This place is more focused on oden rather than being a typical izakaya. The restaurant is always full of regular customers and the interior is quite small. It has a cozy atmosphere with a red lantern, reminiscent of eating oden at a food stall. In addition to oden, they also have other dishes available, making it a place worth visiting even outside of winter.

I told my friend that I wanted to eat oden, and they recommended going to Moritsugu. We went there together and I regret not going there sooner. It's a great restaurant located at the entrance of the drinking district in Shijo Omiya. We had delicious oden including Vienna sausage, spring cabbage, seaweed, beef tendon, konjac noodles, and ginger tempura. Everything was so tasty. The atmosphere at Moritsugu was also wonderful. I definitely want to go back!

We left the commoner place and decided to have a few more drinks, so we wandered around with three people and came across a lively drinking street in Shijo-Omiya. It's quite an interesting place. One of the bars there had a very charming exterior. "Let's go here!" we said and went inside. It was a tiny little place. Maybe about 8 seats at the counter? There was a TV and the red counter gave off a snackbar-like vibe (laughs). I was a bit worried about the atmosphere, but surprisingly, we were able to relax and chill out there. We ordered some dishes: appetizers (omelette, mixed vegetables, yam strips), grilled intestines for 400 yen, bamboo shoots for 380 yen, ginkgo nuts for 380 yen, daikon (probably around 200 yen), hirousu (probably around 200 yen), and lemon chu-hai for 400 yen. The oden had a sweet broth that was delicious, but my favorite was definitely the grilled intestines. The crunchy intestines with plenty of meat were so tasty. The saltiness was just right. The bamboo shoots were also delicious. It had a rich and deep flavor. The appetizers were great too. Since there were three of us, they served three different kinds and we were happy to share and try them all. It was a tiny little place and the other customers seemed like regulars, but everyone was quietly enjoying their drinks and we felt comfortable too. The owner was also a quiet man. Shijo-Omiya seems to have many nice drinking spots! I'd love to go back again. Thank you for the meal.

It has been over 15 years since I last visited this place... I went back because I was craving oden! It seems like the owner has taken over from their mother's generation. The atmosphere of the restaurant has not changed since over 15 years ago, it still has that old-fashioned pub feel with a small counter. The oden, with its large pieces of potatoes and daikon, is very satisfying. As others have mentioned, the taste is a bit on the sweet side, but it's gentle and comforting. They also had rare cuts of yakitori like soft bone. The negima skewers had generous portions of meat and were very filling. It's a really nice atmosphere at this restaurant. Check out more detailed reviews here! There are also plenty of other Kyoto pub crawl reviews!

The prices are high, but the yudofu here is so delicious!! I want to go back and eat it again!

There is a row of single-story eateries located about 4-5 minutes from Shijo-Omiya. At the entrance of the area where questionable establishments like karaoke snack bars and small izakayas are lined up, there is a small izakaya called "Mori Tsukasa." I had been curious about this place the most while strolling around here during the daytime. The red lantern reads "oden and yakitori," and I was drawn in by the white noren curtain. Upon opening the sliding door, I entered a narrow interior with a counter that can seat about 7 people. The counter area is also small, maybe only about 2 tatami mats in size. Inside the counter, there is a male master who appears to be neither young nor old, engaging in light conversations with the customers. The clientele is a mix of regulars, ranging from middle-aged men to young women. The atmosphere is calming, and the interior layout feels more like a snack bar than an izakaya. The main dish seems to be oden, and the skin-on potatoes are delicious. They hold their shape well, and having the skin on adds a nice touch. The daikon radish is also neatly peeled. The cooking is done well here.

The other day, I went to a restaurant. Omiya Station, which is the closest station to my new house, has a small drinking district on the north side, with small narrow alleys where single-story bars line up. I think places like this are becoming rare nowadays, but they still exist in Kyoto. After walking around, I decided to try this particular restaurant that caught my eye first when coming from the station. The counter-only restaurant can accommodate 7-8 people, and the young-looking owner, around 40 years old, runs the place by himself. He inherited the business from his mother, who now runs a karaoke snack bar next door. I found the karaoke snack bar intriguing and would like to visit it next time. The appetizers were simmered taro and squid, both delicately flavored. The oden was also lightly seasoned. It really felt like Kyoto. I also ordered yakitori, which was nothing special but made with care, giving me a sense of relief. The customers, mostly in their 50s, seemed like locals. When I mentioned that I had moved from Hiroshima, they eagerly engaged in Hiroshima-related conversations, especially when one of them mentioned transferring to Hiroshima next month. It was nice to have such a warm conversation on my first night in Kyoto, which initially felt a bit lonely. The restaurant serves Kamotsuru sake from a barrel, and Kamotsuru is the most popular choice. In Kyoto, besides local sake like Gekkeikan and Ozeki, many places also serve Nada's Kikumasamune and Tsuruhashi, as well as Hiroshima's Kamotsuru. The bill for a beer and two servings of hot sake came to 2,800 yen. It was more than enough.

The name of the restaurant is probably the name of the owner. When you open the door, you come face to face with the backs of the customers. The small interior has only about seven counter seats. Walk through the door behind the backs of the customers and take a seat at the back of the counter. Let's start with a toast. "bb" refers to bottled beer. They have three brands available. In this hot season, the frozen glass service is especially appreciated. The appetizers are ginger-simmered sardines and a dish that is not spring rolls, but finely chopped radish and cucumber. A healthy menu with a crunchy texture. Do they know that my LDL is high? (laughs) The back of the drink menu is filled with oden ingredients. Oden seems to be their specialty. I'll have the daikon, beef tendon, and hirousu. They are really delicious. The slightly sweet broth is really tasty. The octopus arrives a little late. It has a satisfying firmness. Then, I add another recommended yakitori dish. Only this chalkboard menu has prices listed. "Yakitori," "Sanzuri," and "Sankaku" come with two skewers, while "Seseri" and "Yagen" are served on one plate. Seseri (¥400) has the perfect doneness. It is slightly rare. I finish with one more beer and then it's time to leave. The total bill is ¥3,160. The owner is very friendly, and it was a really comfortable and pleasant place to dine.

I found this small shop while wandering aimlessly around Shijo Omiya. It's a cozy little counter-only izakaya run by the owner. The atmosphere is nice and relaxing. The dashi for the oden has a good balance of saltiness, and the yakitori goes well with beer. However, the cost performance is a bit poor. I think they might be charging for the otoshi (appetizer), but I wish the prices were a bit cheaper for each dish like the oden. Despite that, the place seems to have a steady flow of customers and is well-loved.