Tabelog ratingUna Kiku Nara honten (うな菊 奈良本店) offers a singular experience: top-tier, Edo-style unagi served within the historic Kikusuiro, a registered tangible cultural property from the Meiji era. Guests approach via a mossy stone path to find a restaurant dedicated to the craft of preparing eel by steaming it until fluffy and then grilling it over charcoal. The result is a delicate, refined texture that consistently wins praise.
Diners particularly love the balance of the tare sauce, which is flavourful without being overly sweet. A popular choice is the 'ainose' style, which presents a half-and-half portion of unagi with sauce (kabayaki) and plain-grilled (shirayaki), allowing guests to appreciate both preparations. Reviewers frequently mention the high quality of the entire meal, from well-executed side dishes like chawanmushi (savoury egg custard) and eel liver preparations to a distinctive fig yokan dessert. The attentive service, including staff who speak English and Chinese, is often highlighted as a major plus for international visitors.
Minor criticisms are infrequent but worth noting. Some diners have found occasional small bones in the eel or detected a faint 'earthy' taste. A few felt the service, while professional, could be somewhat perfunctory, and the presence of tour groups or families with children can sometimes lead to a noisier environment.
Reviewers find the restaurant offers good value for the quality and unique setting. Lunch typically costs between ¥3,000 and ¥3,999, with dinner ranging from ¥6,000 to ¥7,999. Recent guests reported paying around ¥4,900 for an 'ainose-ju' (half-and-half eel on rice) and ¥5,800 for a 'Kikuzen' set meal. Note that some extras, like wasabi, may incur a small charge (reviewers cited ¥300).
- Getting There: The restaurant is about a 10-minute walk from Kintetsu Nara Station or a 15-minute walk from JR Nara Station.
- Reservations: Booking is highly recommended and can be done online. Seating is for a 90-minute slot from your reservation time.
- Payment: Credit cards (Visa, Master, JCB, AMEX, Diners, UnionPay), electronic money (including transportation IC cards), and QR code payments (PayPay, Alipay) are all accepted.
- Children: Children of all ages are welcome, and a kids' menu is available.
- Seating: The restaurant has 58 seats. While there are no fully private rooms for booking, there are partitioned tatami-style areas.
- Languages: English-speaking staff and English menus are available.
- Smoking: The restaurant is non-smoking inside, with a designated smoking area available outdoors on the premises.
- Parking: 15 free parking spaces are available but cannot be reserved in advance.
- Practical Notes: Be aware of low ceilings and beams in the historic building. The stone path to the entrance is uneven.
