[2025 Kyoto Restaurant] Travel Guide for Yamamoto Menzou (Updated Jun)

First, here’s the guide: Reservations start at 9am, and are accepted by both phone and on-site queuing. Only “same-day” reservations are accepted. I arrived at the restaurant at 8:45 that day, got the ticket for 10:20, and finally got a seat at 10:35 (considered the second round). It was actually very convenient. After getting the ticket, you can walk to nearby attractions such as #Nanzenji, #Heianjingu, #Okazakijinja (Rabbit Shrine🐰), and eat after shopping👌🏻 The must-try cold udon is the thicker handmade noodles. The whole portion is long and doesn't seem to be cut. I believe this is to retain its toughness (so you have to cut it yourself with a noodle clip~). The noodles are indeed springy and flexible, with a perfect chewiness. Dip them in the fragrant bonito soup, and the wheat flavor becomes richer and richer as you chew them. It's so touching! In fact, there are many varieties of hot soup udon, which makes me itchy and I really want to try it! There are plenty of tempura items. I ordered fried chicken breast and fried mochi. The former is crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside. It is completely different from the texture of chicken breast and has no greasy feeling. It goes perfectly with udon! But mochi absorbs too much oil, and if you don’t eat it while hot it will be very greasy, so it’s better to share a portion with others. #foodie ##Kyoto

Bib Gourmand is one of the Michelin ratings. It is defined as a restaurant where you can enjoy high-quality food at an affordable price. In Japan, it is set at less than 5,000 yen. Yamamoto Menzo is a popular restaurant that has been selected for Bib Gourmand Kyoto for many years. It is difficult to make a reservation and you will have to queue! Reservations can only be made by phone from 9:00 on the day, so please try it when you go. 💪 (It was full even at 14:00 on a weekday. 😲) First of all, all the staff were very friendly, and they provided umbrellas for those waiting, and the person who seemed to be the representative of the restaurant greeted all the customers. I was convinced that this was a Bib Gourmand because the attention to detail was so perfect. 🤔 Of course, the udon was also excellent! ! ! It is no exaggeration to say that it is the No. 1 udon in my life. It has an exquisite texture that I have never eaten before, and the strongest noodles that you can feel the sweetness even without adding anything. 🤭 It is a dish that you should make a reservation to eat. The burdock tempura that many people order is also great. The burdock flavor fills your mouth, and adding curry powder doubles the flavor! Yamamoto Menzo is one of the restaurants I'm really glad I went to 😉 I'd love to eat it again if I go to Kyoto. Burdock tempura zaru udon 1,050 yen Business hours: Weekdays 10:20-16:00, weekends 10:00-17:00 (Closed Wednesdays and Thursdays) #Domestic travel #Kyoto Prefecture #Kyoto #Kyoto sightseeing #Kyoto city #Gourmet #Kyoto gourmet #Udon #Yamamoto Menzo #Bib Gourmand #Burdock tempura #Burdock tempura udon

📍Yamamoto Menzo There's always a long line and it's hard to get a reservation, but takeout is also available. There are many days when it's closed, so I often take it out! 【INFORMATION】 Yamamoto Menzo 📮34 Okazaki Minamigosho-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture 🕐10:00-16:00 #KyotoTrip #0YenTrip

If you eat too much ramen, try udon instead! After visiting #Eikando, on the way to #KYOTOKYOCERAARTMUSEUM, there is a well-known old udon shop #山元麺蔵, which has a great background. It is the number one udon in Kyoto voted by the Japanese food website tabelog! However, you can only call to make a reservation on the day, or line up for a seat in the standing area on site. Popular restaurants always have a lot of rules. Since I was already here and it was still early at 10 o'clock, I might as well wait in line. As a result, I had such damn good luck that when I was waiting in front of the door of an inconspicuous old store, the clerk called me over and asked if I was alone? Then we were given the menu, ordered, and were taken directly to the venue. The whole process took about 5 minutes! It’s better to eat while sitting down, not standing up! The space inside the store is not large, but the wooden bar counter is very large, and each seat is separated by a curtain. The atmosphere of an old store, the work scene of cooking noodles and frying food, and the traditional dining environment with a sense of presence. I ordered the #1 most popular basic #牛咡天TEMPURA乌龙面. The burdock is freshly shaved, coated with flour and fried. The batter is crispy and the burdock has a great texture. It is crispy and not greasy when eaten hot. It is delicious with some sansho paste or shichimi powder. The presentation of udon noodles is very plain and simple, and usually requires a lot of confidence to be so. Sure enough, the soup is clear, salty and sweet, and very flavorful; the udon noodles are super chewy, and the handmade udon noodles are just different. The noodles are very long and need to be chewed well, so I eat slowly. The boss would ask me from time to time if I am used to it. That’s quite thoughtful. I finished my meal only after he asked me three times. Then he gave me a small jar of almond cheese. I don’t remember there was any dessert. Was he treating me? Thank you so much! Great and delicious udon experience. If possible, please make a reservation in advance, otherwise you will be sunburned when there are many people queuing! Otherwise, it's take-out. #Yamamoto Menzo Opening hours: 10:00-16:00 Address: 34, Sakyo Ward, Okazaki Minamigoshocho, Kyoto, Japan 606-8334 #JapaneseStoreExplore #KyotoFood #Udon

It's a udon restaurant that's difficult to make a reservation at. They open at 10am. Reservations can be made from 9am, but it's hard to get through on the phone... So I decided to take a chance and make a reservation in front of the restaurant. I happened to be able to make a reservation when I arrived around 9:15am. (The phone was constantly being answered during that time...) At the restaurant, I ordered burdock tempura udon with grated shaved ice. The udon was so delicious I was speechless. The noodles were very long, but cut into small pieces, making them easy to eat. And they had a firmness I've never eaten before, so it was very satisfying to eat. I was smiling all over. The tempura was topped with curry powder? It added a nice kick to the dish. After the meal, the manager gave us some homemade almond tofu, which was also delicious. It must be hard work at a hugely popular restaurant, but all the staff were kind and cheerful, and we felt great eating there. If I have the chance, I'd definitely like to go again. #Yamamoto Menzo #Kyoto #Kyoto Gourmet

A local udon restaurant near Heian Shrine! There are cold udon (dipping style like soba), warm udon, and fried food menus. The cold udon noodles are the best version of chewiness... You have to cut the noodles into bite-size pieces with tongs, dip them in the sauce, and chew them thoroughly. ^^ Personally, I vote for warm udon. The savory and slightly bitter taste of thinly sliced ​​burdock, the meaty flavor, and the heaviness of bonito flakes are in harmony. They say it's hard to make a reservation, but there's a takeout-only(?) store in the building right next door, so you can probably taste it even if you wait a little except from 11AM to 2PM. #UdonRestaurant #Kyoto #Tempura

I recommend the top-notch udon in Kyoto, Yamamoto Menzura. The hand-made udon is very chewy and has a strong wheat flavor. The soup base is beef bone soup base, which is very sweet. The store is located near the Heian Shrine in Kyoto. I recommend friends who come to Kyoto to try it.