I visited a Chinese restaurant in a corner of Gion, known for its many famous shops, for some drinks. I enjoyed the specialty salami and spring onion, spicy cucumber, and lettuce wraps with Shaoxing wine. It's not a big or new place, but it's a nice spot frequented by regulars familiar with Gion, with good flavors and atmosphere.

In Gion, there is a long-established Chinese restaurant called "Matlika Jasmine" where you can enjoy authentic Chinese cuisine in a casual and cozy atmosphere. You can order a la carte, and each dish comes in small portions, so you can try a variety of dishes. It is recommended to order 7-10 dishes for 2-3 people. The fried rice and soup are delicious, and the seafood and dim sum are also recommended. Some popular dishes include stir-fried water spinach, shrimp dumplings, sweet and sour pork, shrimp in chili sauce, beef lettuce wraps, mapo tofu, shark fin and egg soup, and fried rice.

All of them are delicious.

Reasonably priced and simply delicious.

You can enjoy homely Taiwanese cuisine in Gion. The taste seems to have dropped a bit since my last visit about a year ago. The Taiwanese salami is still incredibly delicious. The preserved egg has a strong flavor, the best I've had so far. The stir-fried greens were also tasty. However, the mapo tofu was a bit bland, and the shredded pork with green peppers was too mushy for my liking. The xiaolongbao had too little soup, which was disappointing. In terms of cost, I think it's good value for money. The service is average, not too busy, so they come quickly when called. The speed of service is just right. They have a good selection of alcohol.

I learned about this restaurant from a review of Pino Noir by Milevi during my first visit in July 2016. There is a famous curry udon restaurant called "Okaru" on the first floor of the same building. I took the elevator to the fifth floor. The interior of the restaurant was more like a homey atmosphere rather than a casual one. The staff were friendly and welcoming. It felt like visiting a friend's house. On this day, my purpose was to have a meal without alcohol. As I glanced at the menu, I noticed many reasonably priced options under 1000 yen. There were also some high-priced items listed as "special dishes." I decided to go with the "Jasmine Set" as it seemed like a great deal. Here is what I had: Jasmine Set (2160 yen) - Main dish: Choose one from A to E A: Sweet and sour pork, B: Shrimp chili, C: Beef and vegetables, D: Assorted tempura, E: Crab omelette In addition, it came with shrimp dumplings, salad, potstickers, fried rice (small), mini ramen, and dessert. It seemed like they ran out of shrimp dumplings, so they substituted with a different dim sum. The fried rice was delicious with fluffy rice and plenty of ingredients. The ramen had a generous amount of char siu pork, showing attention to detail. The crab omelette was generously topped with sauce and the egg was soft and tasty. For all this at 2000 yen, it was a good value and satisfying. This restaurant seems to cater to a wide range of needs, from individuals to groups. It's a casual Chinese restaurant in Gion where you can enjoy a meal without breaking the bank.

I had been curious about Makkika for a while! A friend recommended it as affordable and delicious, so I visited for the first time in September. It's a bit hard to find inside a building. When I visited, the automatic door to the restaurant was open, so I wasn't sure if I was in the right place. Inside, there were counter seats right away, and tables in the back. I chose the counter seats this time. I ordered the apple shochu highball for 550 yen, which was surprisingly dark in color but really delicious and easy to drink. My friend ordered the grapefruit shochu highball for 550 yen, which was also very tasty and easy to drink. The dishes we had, including spicy jellyfish for 850 yen, pickled vegetables for 400 yen, and pork neck stew for 950 yen, were all delicious. Second visit in October, with different friends, and they also loved the shochu highballs. I look forward to going back again soon!

Located right in the middle of Gion, on the 5th floor accessible by elevator, this place may be a bit hard to find. Once you enter, you'll find it crowded, so making a reservation is recommended. You'll need to take off your shoes and the seating area is small with only four tables. The menu looks like a typical Chinese restaurant, but the flavors are different and delicious. I highly recommend the shumai, which is steamed with ingredients on top of the filling, unlike the usual shumai. The portion sizes for other dishes are just right, allowing you to try a variety of items. The fried rice is well-seasoned, and the abalone porridge comes with plenty of small abalones, fried onions, green onions, and pickled mustard greens. The stir-fried Chinese vegetables are lightly seasoned. This old restaurant in Gion, Kyoto, is definitely worth a visit.

When I was still in my teens, my parents brought me here over 20 years ago... I couldn't find the old Jasmine-san in its previous location, but when I saw the sign and realized they had moved, I was really happy! The cozy interior brought back memories of the past. It might be a bit intimidating for first-timers, but don't worry! My friend and I sat at the counter, quickly scanned the menu, and found what we were looking for... Ah, there it is! The delicious Daikon Mochi that I had been craving for years! And the Beef Lettuce Wraps. These two dishes were always a hit back in the day. We toasted with draft beer and eagerly waited for our food. The appetizers and our orders arrived promptly. The taste was, of course, 100% satisfying, just the flavors I love. The Daikon Mochi was packed with ingredients and had a delicious aroma. The texture was perfect. The Beef Lettuce Wraps were also amazing! I could easily finish them all in no time... The crispy lettuce, mustard greens, and meat were a festival in my mouth. Even thinking about it now makes me want to eat it again! The Chinese Jellyfish appetizer was so tasty, with a crunchy texture that made me wonder, "Was this the jellyfish I used to eat?" The delicious Chinese cuisine at Jasmine didn't disappoint at all, and I was truly grateful and happy. The owner even entertained us with old stories, making it a nostalgic and enjoyable dinner. Thank you so much! I'll definitely be back soon!

On the second floor of the Ryoukaku Building located just west of Hanami Koji Street, the atmosphere is upscale but not overly formal. The interior is welcoming and not overly modern. There were regular elderly couples and what seemed to be business clients dining. The food was overall lightly seasoned, lacking in bold flavors. The highlight was the deep flavors of the traditional dishes. I brought a California Chardonnay, Schaefer Red Shoulder Ranch 2007, to pair with the Chinese cuisine. The restaurant allowed me to bring my own wine, which was a pleasant surprise. I ordered a la carte dishes including an appetizer platter, shrimp with mayonnaise sauce, xiaolongbao, sweet and sour pork, crab omelette, and sea cucumber. The dried abalone and sea cucumber stew was a bit pricey but worth it for the unique texture. The owner was warm and welcoming, although not a fan of the media. Overall, it's a great place to enjoy a leisurely meal and reconnect with a loved one.

If you want to enjoy various dim sum dishes little by little, this is the place to go. Located on the top floor, take the elevator to the 4th floor. If you're looking to try a variety of Chinese dishes in small portions, this is the perfect place. This restaurant mainly serves Taiwanese and Cantonese cuisine with some unique dishes. They offer a wide selection of dishes such as shark fin dumplings, steamed shrimp dumplings, crab siu mai, radish cake, shrimp paste fried bread, and foie gras buns, all of which are delicious. The shrimp paste fried bread in particular is a nostalgic and must-try dish. They also serve a delicious Chinese-style carpaccio with sea bream which is quite unique. Their crab meat fried rice and spring rolls are also excellent. The warm and friendly service from the grandma-like staff adds to the cozy atmosphere. However, the portion sizes are small and prices are slightly on the higher side, so it may not be ideal for those looking for a hearty meal. It's a great place to visit as long as you keep that in mind. They also offer takeout, so you can enjoy their food at home as well. They are open until late, making it convenient to visit at any time.

At the intersection of Shijo Hanami, on the second floor of the building owned by Ryoukaku Hara, known for its black shichimi spice, is a restaurant called Jasmine. I ordered the Chinese set lunch, which included mini ramen, mini fried rice, 4 water dumplings, 2 shumai, fresh vegetables, cabbage, small tempura pieces, and a bite-sized almond jelly, all for 1200 yen. The flavors were overall quite spicy, especially the fried rice. The ramen's chashu was deliciously tender, and surprisingly, the restaurant's shumai was the best I've had. I plan to visit again for dinner next time.