Daigen

The sushi chef is full of life and fun. He and the staff were all very welcoming and friendly. The nigiri menu is available in English, but the rest of the menu can be accessed by using Google translator on it.

The owner/chef will also use a translator to converse with you and make recommendations for places to see in Kyoto. The sushi was absolutely delicious and had me over ordering even when I was full. This meal was definitely a highlight of my trip to Japan.

What a cute little little find in the streets of Kyoto, the owner is really sweet and has a sense of humor. The sushi was extremely fresh and the prices are very affordable, given the very fresh ingredients that they use. I highly recommend it as it’s not a tourist trap and make sure that you try the scallop and the toro.

Some experiences will stick with you forever and tonight was one of those for my family and I. The chef greets you as you walk in and is so incredibly funny, we could not stop smiling the entire night. The younger man and woman working were absolutely lovely as well. The food was also incredible, the eel and red snapper in particular was to the best I've ever had. Even though I was full, I couldn't stop eating. The best restaurant I have ever been to, I will never forget this place.

Had a fantastic dinner here. Small cozy restaurant, delicious food that is decently priced and the owner was a great host and absolutely hilarious. We only speak English but communicating wasn't a problem. Highly recommend checking it out!

The chef was warm and full of energy. I felt welcome as soon as we walked in the door. The food was superb, probably the best sushi i have ever had!

This place is absolutely amazing! fantastic chef who I assume is owner is so funny he will make you die laughing, Very good experience! Highly recommend and a must visit in area! 11/10!

Delicious sushi and very friendly owners.

Came here in February with some friends. The sushi was excellent and there is also a picture menu to help you to order the items you want. There were also some off-menu items or seasonal items that were written in Japanese that you can order from if you know them or have a friend to bring you there such as "The Bomb" and a really delicious grilled fish.

It is quite pricey but for its quality, it is pretty worth it.

This is a family run sushi place. When we first arrived we were greeted by a very loud and enthusiastic chef, who started slapping the fish?!? Once you embrace his enthusiasm it becomes the most magical evening. Trust his recommendations! Hands down the best sushi we have had in Japan!

This place is bloody amazing. You have to get your sushi from here. The chef is a floor show and makes you feel part of Japan. Just am amazing place.

The chef/owner is very lively! Even as someone who can’t speak Japanese he has a translator and will talk to you! The food was absolutely amazing too. 10/10 experience.

A truly entertaining experience. Not to be missed. The chef was engaging and fun to watch.

What a great place! We had just arrived in Japan, first dinner here and it was marvelous. Loved the host, full of character and zest for life. Him and his wife made our experience memorable and he has a great translation device that makes it easy to communicate. Food was also great, never had a better clam nigiri (and yes, it did get slapped 😅). No doubt a must-try place. Friendly, delicious, affordable and also FUN!

Best sushi I've ever had. Chef was hilarious and wonderfully chatty. Has a translator device to overcome language barriers for English, Korean and other languages to/from Japanese. I would eat here every day if I lived in Kyoto.

Amazing place! Not only is the food fabulous but also the atmosphere is great! If I’d live around the area I’d be a regular here 😊 thanks for having us!

Randomly walked in close to closing time. The owner recieved us gladly.
Sushi was superb. Every bit of it was so delicous.
The owner was so welcoming, fun, and very entertaining.
Definitely the best experience we had so far.
10/10 recommend this place.

I would give a 6 if I could. Of all restaurants I've ever been to since college until now, this was the best. The food was good. The beer was good. The owner who made the sushi was incredibly friendly. He made the night extremely memorable.

I haven't had a single person spontaneously use Google translate to communicate. He whipped out his iPhone, spoke into it, then showed me the translated text. I thought it was amazing. He didn't shy away from the difficulty in communicating. He asked how our trip was, asked tons of questions....I think he asked more questions than my family would.

It is owned by husband / wife pair.

Give it a chance. I STRONGLY suggest it.

Amazing quality sushi but even better service and hospitality. The other reviews do not lie- the chef here is truly the star of the show. He doesn’t look a day over 55 and somehow has the energy of an energizer bunny. Running around everywhere, producing sushi quickly and efficiently, keeping all the guests laughing and entertained and never missing a beat.

We ordered a ton of food and each piece hit the spot, particularly the fatty tuna of course and the eel but the tamago… wow. I think you can tell the quality of a sushi place by their tamago piece and this one was the best we’ve had in Japan.

Each piece is basically the size of two pieces anywhere else and this is the most fish you’ll probably be served at a sushi spot in Japan. Can’t say enough good things about our experience here- the chef and his wife were more than happy to communicate through google translate and we were able to easily converse the whole night. What a treat and an unforgettable experience.

Cannot wait to be back one day and catch up with our friend over some (many) glasses of sake and many pieces of sushi. Thank you so much to this amazing couple for a great last night in Kyoto!!

So I was just looking for a simple place to eat dinner after a long and arduous day walking around Kyoto. Little did I know this Sushi spot was right around the corner from my hotel and dang… these are the biggest pieces of fish I have ever had in one bite. This chef is a ray of light and the short time I had at this restaurant was well worth it.

The beat sushi experience I've ever had. Fantastic food, service and atmosphere. What a warm welcoming to Kyoto. Thank you!

Lovely, relaxing cafe. The cheese tart was served with garnishes of whipped cream, an adorable shortbread cookie, and a message of 'welcome' written in chocolate syrup. The latte was artfully prepared and delicious. Highly recommended!