Kikyo Sushi in Kyoto

This place is a gem. Sushi, sashimi, & sake are all outstanding. And it's an endearing setting. Being ostensibly family owned and run, it has that warmth. See locals and tourists here alike. That said, if you are wondering, the waiter/chef here (forget the gentleman's name), who is extremely kind and is seemingly more than glad to help, speaks English well.Such a great find. We went here twice (or thrice?) even though we were only visiting for the week. And I hope to back sooner than later.

Very good place, managed by a cute family. The son has lived in the us, Canada and australia and can speak very good english. It's pretty crowded but also very easy to make a reservation sending a message on Facebook. The sushi was also very good, and probably the best (or one of the best) Eel (Unagi) that I had in japan so far. Price is also very decent for the quality.

A great little family place, very welcoming of foreigners, one of the chefs travelled the world learning about other cultures sushi and it really shows here. The cuts of Toro are melt in your mouth good. Highly recommended local spot.

not in the centre of the crowd but the food is incredibly good, fresh and not pretentious at all. but do not expect so much in the menu except a typical sushi bar. good materials alive abalone is among others. also with their good sake collection. The son is amazing!

Amazing sushi! Be sure to make a reservation unless you show up when they open. Also they take credit cards.

Most delicious sushi ever at this authentic Japanese restaurant run by a local family since three decades. Go there and enjoy!

Great sushi place near our hotel. Fish was fresh and tasty. The uni was quite good. The restaurant is family run. They have an English menu and the son spoke English. We had a nice conversation with him over dinner. We got there when it first opened so it wasn't busy but I could hear people coming in to make reservations so it seems pretty popular!

Amaaaazing sushi! Loveliest staff, so worth it!!!

Favorite sushi experience in Japan. Mitsuru and his family serve pristine sushi. Reservations a must and easy to make. I cannot recommend this restaurant highly enough- we returned two nights later to eat there again.

Very friendly staff, English menu and the son (3rd generation) speaks some English. He actually studied a year each in the US, Canada, and Australia.The food was great, especially the fish. The cuts we're "very" generous. The tempura was equally good and not as greasy as you usually find.And if you can, do the sake tasting, it was 900 Yen for four shot glass-sized samples and a bit of background on each. They were all amazing 😋

This was hands down the best sushi my husband and I have ever had. Oishi. You may want to place a reservation, as this place fills up quick. It has been family owned for many years, and reconstructed what my husband and I thought sushi could be. The temperature of the sushi was perfect, almost melt in your mouth, delectable. We also had a sake tasting, that was well worth it!

English speaking son made things easy, along with an English menu. I have to say though, this definitely wasn't one of my best meals like so many people below me have said. It was decent sushi at decent prices - 2 of us spent 3940jpy after taxes for a very filling lunch meal.

Very good sushi and prices. Toro and bluefin were exceptional. Nice family running the small restaurant. Would definitely go back. It was Mostly western tourists there but it doesn’t detract from the quality of the sushi.

If you stay in Kyoto you should go to this restaurant. Excellent quality of Sushi. For 4 people we ordered: 3 big sushi dishes, 2 miso soup, 1 grilled salmon (very good) and 2 beers (water is not included in the bill). Everything amounted ¥6300. When we arrived (around 11:45am), there were only Japanese people having lunch. By 12:45-1pm few tourists entered the restaurant. Everything was nice, familiar and clean. Family’s son speaks English and they have an English menu with pictures to make it easier to order.

First impression was not that good: tourists only and the place looked old and even a bit dirty. Owners were very friendly and we had good sushi and overall a nice dinner. Is it the best of Kyoto as many proclaim? I don’t think so. It felt a bit like a Google tourist trap.

Amazing food, taste, presentation, and hospitality. This place may appear under rated, but I would say it's pretty damn good.I must say wonderful Japanese experience.

Amazing food .. full stop. Gotta go here if you're in Kyoto

The place was nice and cosy. The food was delicious and the family running the place were very hospitable.

There are several delicious foods and the owners are kind and helpful

Very good. Ended up here because we were in the area. Small place. Feels very local and very authentic. Pretty good prices.

Delicious and fresh Nigiri! Forenier friendly without being a tourist only venue. The staff are so friendly and nice and even warned us about the incoming typhoon (in case we didn't have access to the news). The food was prepared fresh and was so tasty and made with care.Will definitely be returning it was a wonderful experience.

Great family restaurant, the owner's son speaks perfect English and they take credit card.

Lovely place amazing sushi

Very high quality sushi, pleasant atmosphere. The unagi was exceptional.

All i can say is WOW, the people (its a third generation run restaurant!!!) and the food is second to none. Do yourself a favour and order the Tempura prawns, you will never have better. The rest of our meal was just as fresh and authentic. Just because the owners son speaks perefect english doesn't make this place a tourist trap. They owners son was so helpful and genuine, he even joined us for a drink after dinner, what a champion.

Such friendly staff. Pretty much all English-speaking patrons here. Really well-done English menu. Prices are super reasonable, fish and seafood is amazing, and sake selection is plentiful. Do it!

An amazing experience. The sushi is some of the best I've ever had, if not the best. And the service (family owned and run) is second to none. Wonderful people serving wonderful food.

The food was amazing, the people were nice and very welcoming and the place was the perfect Japanese experience sushi. Thanks so much for an unforgettable dinner.

Real traditional sushi restaurant with many gluten free options, they even have gluten free soy sauce in the menu.

Great experience, great offerings, excellent service. Very accommodating to English language speakers. Highly recommended all around. I suggest that you try the unagi (eel).

Two things to know: 1. try and get a reservation (you can probably get one the day before or even make one at lunchtime for dinner). 2. it smells like old fish when you walk in. After you know those two things it’s all good. The food is very delicious for the price. You MUST try the toro it’s possibly the best and most buttery/melty I have ever tasted.

We absolutely loved this place! Great food and great price! The family that owned the place were very friendly and kind.

the sushi stuff here is excellent. the seafood is very fresh especially the fatty tuna and the salmons. furthermore if you love quaint, family-owned business places; this is also a plus point. however good food comes with more premium price. but since if you are in japan why not spend for great sushi. i blew nearly 4k yen but i can quite say i happily parted ways with my money for good quality sushi and good service.

Among the best sushi I ever eat. Welcoming to foreigners. Very nice staffs. My last dinner in japan, unforgettable moment.

Loved this little mom and pop sushi spot so much we went back for a second night! Great pricing and great quality. Family run - dad is the chef, cute little mom is the waitress and the son does it all. Son speaks very good English and they have an English menu - don’t be put off by all the tourists eating there, they get plenty of locals as well. Highly recommend!

High quality sushi for a very reasonable price. Around 3000 yens for a drink and enough sushi to be full

The best sushi I‘ve ever had.The atmosphere is special. Family owned restaurant, the son speaks perfect English, what makes life easier for foreigners.They accept credit card.Amazing fishes, service very special.Not cheap, but for the quality it is not expensive at all.

One of the best sushi restaurants in the world. Family who runs the restaurant is super kind and very English friendly.

I am so happy we found this place!!! Everything was delicious and people there was friendly and welcoming, we had the tempura combo, the bonito dish and sushi and everything was perfect!

Wow. Just wow. My wife and I ate the best sushis in our entire life at this small, family-owned restaurant. Awesome sakes, too. The son lived in USA, Canada and Australia thus speaks English very well. I couldn't recommend enough and definitely will go back everytime I'm in Kyoto.

Dec 2019 update: Kikyo Sushi absorbed the consumption tax on their popular set meal, making it excellent value-for-money. Very friendly owners, with the third generation chef comfortable in English and personable to visitors. Sushi is good quality and there is a good balance of fish and rice in each piece. Lunch sets with a good selection of sushi types are available, in addition to a la carte sushi/ sashimi.

It was a spiritual experience. I'll never be the same again. The server speaks English and there's also an English menu, that's a plus. LOVED. IT. I highly recommend it ❤️

A wonderful sushi experience This was one of my favourite meals in Japan. Family owned and run, they are so pleasant and take great pride and care in what they do and your experience. It was absolutely delicious and I would go there every night if I could. A must do!! And so reasonably priced!

Very nice little sushi on Wed by a family.

The best sushi I've ever had. So fresh and prepared right in front of you. The owners are very friendly. Definitely a kid friendly place as well. Brought my 5 month old in with no issues.

I really liked it! It's a family business and the place is not very big but it has a warm and cozy atmosphere. The son speaks English and was kind enough to recommend a shop where to buy sake.

Amazing sushi, sashimi and tempura for a great price served with a wide smile.

A small sushi restaurant we tried after visiting the Noji-jo castle (just 8 minutes walk away). It's a family run restaurant. Very friendly and hospitable hosts.The sushi set was very nice. I especially like the pickled octopus and mackerel. The tempura set was also very delicious. It's a very reasonable meal. Absolutely worth a try when you're in Kyoto.

Awesome service. One person spoke English well, good to bring group or just yourself. They were friendly as I ordered too much and they told me. I cut down order and still ordered too much. I would come back

Good sushi place. The food is fresh and the staff is professional. I recommend the salmon which feels like butter in your mouth. Very tasty !