Tabelog ratingIn the heart of Kyoto's Gion district, Kon (今) offers an intimate kappo experience, where guests seated at the counter can watch the chef's precise work up close. The restaurant is celebrated for its mastery of both sea and land, serving pristine seasonal seafood alongside high-end grilled meats.
Guests consistently praise the quality of the ingredients and the skillful execution. Highlights often include exquisite sashimi of tuna and squid, seasonal delicacies like matsutake mushrooms and various preparations of hamo (pike conger), and rich bowls of suppon (soft-shell turtle) ramen. The lunch service is particularly known for its charcoal-grilled Hamana-ko style unagi (eel) served over rice. Unusually for a seafood-focused counter, many dinners conclude with a perfectly cooked fillet steak from prized regions like Kagoshima or Miyazaki, which draws frequent acclaim. Criticisms are rare, limited to isolated comments about a dashimaki tamago (rolled omelette) being slightly oily or the cost-performance of one lunch.
Dinner courses typically cost between ¥20,000 and ¥29,999, while lunch is around ¥6,000 to ¥7,999. Reviewers find the prices justified by the superb quality of the ingredients and the consistent excellence of the cooking, making it a strong choice for a special occasion.
- Booking: This is critical. Dinner service is strictly introduction-only (ichigensan okotowari), meaning new guests cannot book without a referral from an existing patron. Lunch, however, is open to the public but by reservation only and seats are limited, so booking well in advance is essential.
- Getting There: Kon is a 5-minute walk from Gion-Shijo Station on the Keihan Railway line.
- Seating: The restaurant has around 26 seats, including an intimate counter and private tatami rooms for parties of two or four.
- Payment: Major credit cards (VISA, Master, JCB, AMEX, Diners) are accepted. Electronic money and QR code payments are not.
- Smoking: A designated smoking area is available.
- Parking: There is no dedicated parking.
