14 Late-Night Restaurants in Kyoto Discover Oishii Japan -SAVOR JAPAN -Japanese Restaurant Guide-

Update-date: Dec 11 2023

Author: SAVOR JAPAN

There is so much to see in Kyoto that by the time you're done with a day of sightseeing, you might have to get dinner late in the night. Still, normally you'd want to enjoy dinner without worrying about the closing time of the restaurant, right? This article tackles that problem by introducing 14 restaurants serving Japanese cuisine late into the night!

1. Kirakutei (Marutamachi / Izakaya)

Kirakutei is a restaurant where you can enjoy creative Japanese cuisine in a retro atmosphere reminiscent of a Japanese bathhouse. The recommended menu item is the [Toro Hakomori] (1,200 JPY). It is a luxurious assortment of fresh seafood caught each morning at Maizuru Port in Kyoto. The seasonal obanzai (Kyoto home-cooking), made with local vegetables from Oharano in Kyoto, and [Kyoji Chicken Tataki (850 JPY)] of fresh, local, free-range chicken served lightly seared, are also outstanding. The restaurant is dedicated to serving food made with local ingredients procured from known and reliable sources to ensure safety and peace of mind. It is open till 1:00 am, so you can relax and enjoy a few drinks and some food even if you arrive late.

Kirakutei

Open: 5:00 pm - 1:00 pm, (Food L.O. ; 11:30 pm, Drink L.O.; 12:30 am) Lunch from 11:30 am - 2:00 pm
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 3,000 JPY / [Lunch] 750 JPY
Access: A 1-minute walk from Marutamachi station on the Karasuma subway line
Address: Christer Plaza M1F , 215 Karasu Maru Takeya-cho Agaru Okura-cho, Chukyo-ku,Kyoto-shi, Kyoto (Map)
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2. Gion Sato (Gion-shijo / Sushi)

This is a well-established restaurant long beloved in the Gion area. It is popular for the luxurious "sushi kappo" style of dining, which consists of several Japanese-style dishes followed by sushi. It is open till 11:30 pm, with courses starting at 12,000 JPY, as well as a la carte dishes. The fatty and voluminous mackerel sushi and the meaty anago (conger eel) with a melt-in-your-mouth texture, procured directly from the fishing port of Akashi, are particularly popular. The roomy and comfortable restaurant is in a wonderful townhouse-style building that was built 150 years ago.

Gion Sato

Open: [Opening hours] 17:00 - 23:30
Closed: Monday
Average price: [Dinner] 15,000 JPY / [Lunch] 6,000 JPY
Access: About a 7-minute walk from Keihan Line, Gion-Shijo station.
Address: 570-118 Minamigawa Gionmachi , Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto (Map)
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3. Takano Mugishuten TAKANOYA (Karasuma Oike / Izakaya)

2. Takano Mugishuten TAKANOYA (Karasuma Oike / Izakaya)

This restaurant is housed in a renovated old Kyoto home and has a modern Japanese design. Here, you can enjoy craft beer from around the world with their Japanese cuisine made with carefully selected ingredients. The restaurant has 10 taps serving a wide selection of red, dark, and white beers. The food is based on Japanese cuisine, all of which is prepared with love and care to go well with the beers. In particular, the [Homemade Duck Breast], simmered and served rare, has a wonderfully soft texture. The restaurant is open till 2:00 am every day, except Sunday.

Takano Mugishuten TAKANOYA

Open: 5:00 pm - 1:00 am (L.O. 11:30 pm)
Closed: Irregular
Average price: [Dinner] 3,000 JPY
Access: 10 minutes walk from Karasuma-oike station on Karasuma municipal subway line. Located in front of Kyoto Shimbun.
Address: 255, Makieya-cho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto

4. Izakaya Itsuraku (Kawaramachi / Japanese Cuisine)

3. Izakaya Itsuraku (Kawaramachi / Japanese Cuisine)

This is a popular restaurant near the beautiful Takase River and fills up quickly thanks to its fun atmosphere that is always filled with laughter. It is a place where you can enjoy the best of Kyoto's flavors year-round, including local vegetables from the restaurant's farm and organic brown rice. [Obanzai] and the [Yuba Sashimi], made with yuba (tofu skin) from a famous tofu shop in Kyoto, are items not to be missed. The restaurant is open till 1:30 am, and it is the perfect place to experience Kyoto's appeal through its food after a long day of sightseeing.

Izakaya Itsuraku

Open: Normal Hours 5:30 pm - 2:00 am (last order 1:00 am)
Closed: Wednesdays
Average price: [Dinner] 4,000 JPY
Access: A one minute walk from Kawaramachi Station. Toward north of the Shio-Kiyamachi intersection, it will be on your right hand side.
Address: Yasaka Bldg. 1F, 217 Kiyamachi Shijo Agaru Nabeya-cho , Chukyo-ku,Kyoto-shi , Kyoto

5. Japanese Restaurant Tsugu (Shijo / Japanese Cuisine)

4. Japanese Restaurant Tsugu (Shijo / Japanese Cuisine)

This is a busy restaurant owned by a chef who trained at a long-established Japanese restaurant. The food is made with love and care, with dinner prepared from the morning, and has resulted in many regular customers. The chef cherishes the basics of Japanese cuisine, but at the same time, adopts new techniques such as the sous-vide method and low-temperature cooking. The [Low-Temperature Chicken Liver Simmered with Ginger] is an innovative item with a texture like foie gras. This is a place where you can enjoy dinner till 1:00 am while appreciating the architectural beauty of its traditional Naguri (hammered) flooring.

Japanese Restaurant Tsugu

Open: [Weekdays, Saturday, national holidays, days before national holidays] Normal hours 5:30 pm - 1:00 am (last order 12:00 am)
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 5,000 JPY
Access: A 5 minute walk after getting off at Karasuma Station on the Hankyu Kyoto Main Line A 5 minute walk after getting off at Shijo Station on the Kyoto Municipal Karasuma Subway Line
Address: 146 Muromachi Shinmachi no aida Nishiki koji Sagaru Kanondo-cho 468 oba, Chukyo-ku,Kyoto-shi , Kyoto (Map)
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6. Kushiage Shusai Momoya (Karasuma / Izakaya)

5. Kushiage Shusai Momoya (Karasuma / Izakaya)

This is a restaurant for wine, kushi (skewered food), and obanzai. It is open till 1:00 am and is located right by Nishiki Market, making it a convenient place to stop by after your day of sightseeing. The pride of this restaurant is the kushiage (deep-fried skewers) made with seasonal ingredients. The kushiage is distinguished by a light, crunchy texture achieved by using a proprietary blend of vegetable oils. The restaurant offers a large menu, so if you have difficulty deciding what to order, try the [Six Kushi Set] or [Kushi no Koshin] of 20 different skewers. There is also a wide variety of a la carte items that are perfect palate cleansers.

Kushiage Shusai Momoya

Open: [Weekdays] Hours 5:30 pm -1:00 am
[Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays, Days before holidays] 5:00 pm - 1:00 am
Closed: Irregular
Average price: [Dinner] 2,500 JPY
Access: Behind Shijo Karasuma Daimaru, beside Nishiki Market!
Address: Glamorous Food Bldg. 1F, 596 Nishi Uoya-cho, Takakura Nishi-iru, Nishikikojidori, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto

7. Kakuredokoro Shunsai Sengyo Sanji (Karasuma Oike / Izakaya)

6. Kakuredokoro Shunsai Sengyo Sanji (Karasuma Oike / Izakaya)

This is a restaurant serving super fresh seafood in a room that features a beautiful table made from one large piece of natural wood. There is a large menu of mouthwatering dishes, such as sashimi, nigirizushi (hand-formed sushi) priced from 150 JPY apiece, and the specialty [Premium Wild Sea Bream Shabu]. Slices of sea bream are dipped in carefully prepared dashi (broth) and first eaten with no additional seasoning to enjoy the umami (savory Japanese taste). It is an outstanding item that is made into a lovely zosui (rice gruel) at the end. The restaurant is open till midnight on weekdays and Saturdays. It is in a convenient location just 4 minutes on foot from Karasuma Oike Station.

Kakuredokoro Shunsai Sengyo Sanji

Open: [Tuesday - Sunday] Dinner: 5pm - 12 midnight (last order 11:30pm)
[Tuesday - Friday] Lunch: 11:30am - 1:30pm *Lunch service is not available on public holidays.
Closed: Sundays
Average price: [Dinner] 3,500 JPY / [Lunch] 800 JPY
Access: Four minute walk from Karasuma Oike Station. Head down Karasumadori street toward Marutamachi, turn right at Nijodori street, and it will be a little ways down on the left. The sign is a chinese paper lantern.
Address: Nijo Coop 1F, 40 Matsuya-cho, Nijodori, Takakura Nishi-iru , Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto

8. Gyukushibunzo Pontochoten (Sanjo / Izakaya)

7. Gyukushibunzo Pontochoten (Sanjo / Izakaya)

This is a restaurant to savor the wonderful flavors of Kyoto like seasonal Kyoto vegetables and Kuroge Wagyu (a type of high-quality beef) such as Kyoto beef and Omi beef. There is a variety of different ways to enjoy the flavors of the ingredients, such as by trying small portions of different vegetables and meats as kushiyaki (skewered and grilled) or getting a satisfying steak of high-quality meat. The restaurant has a chic atmosphere with wooden tones and red chairs and is so comfortable that you may end up staying until it closes at midnight! There is a wide selection of wines from around the world.

Gyukushibunzo Pontochoten

Open: [Monday, Wednesday - Sunday, Holidays, Day Before Holidays] Opening hours 5:00 pm - 12:00 am
[Saturday, Sunday, Holidays] Lunch 12:00 pm- 3:00 pm Special lunch is available on weekends only. We look forward to seeing you!
Closed: Tuesday
Average price: [Dinner] 4,000 JPY
Access: A 3-minute walk from Sanjo station. Cross the Kamogawa River and head south along Kiyamachi-dori and it is opposite the Pontocho Kaburenjo theater.
Address: 1F Daiko Building , 176-3 Zaimoku-cho, 3-chome Shijo-agaru, Higashikiyacho-dori, , Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto

9. Kyoshoku Fuji-ya (Karasuma Oike / Japanese Cuisine)

8. Kyoshoku Fuji-ya (Karasuma Oike / Japanese Cuisine)

This is a restaurant that serves creative Japanese cuisine in a stylish modern Japanese space created by renovating a traditional Kyoto townhouse. There are private rooms facing the courtyard, which are luxurious spaces where you can enjoy your meal while gazing out at the seasonal view. The restaurant offers a wide range of items that bring out the natural flavors of the ingredients, such as fresh seafood procured directly from Wakasa and the [Seasonal Takiawase] (food cooked in a soy sauce based soup) of seasonal vegetables. Be sure to note the delicate and beautiful plating along with the flavors. The restaurant is open till 11:00 pm, so you can enjoy a relatively late dinner.

Kyoshoku Fuji-ya

Open: Normal hours: 5:00 pm - 12:00 am (last order at 11:30 pm)
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 6,000 JPY
Access: Seven minutes on foot from Karasuma Oike Station. Located two blocks north of Kyoto Oike Junior High School.
Address: 656-1 Seimei-cho , Chukyo-ku,Kyoto-shi , Kyoto (Map)
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10. Japanese Restaurant Mai (Kyoto / Japanese Cuisine)

This is a restaurant to enjoy authentic Japanese cuisine prepared using seasonal seafood and vegetables from Kyoto. The signature dishes are sushi made with fresh ingredients procured directly from Oita in Kyushu, and crunchy tempura of seafood and vegetables fried in a blend of three different oils. The best way to enjoy both is the course, [Sushi Yuzen]. The restaurant also serves Seki saba (mackerel from Hoyo Strait) and Seki aji (horse mackerel from Hoyo Strait), which are known to be premium brands of fish. It is just 1 minute on foot from Kyoto Station, so you can enjoy your meal without worrying about getting back to the station.

Japanese Restaurant Mai

Open: Lunch; 11:30 am - 2:30 pm operating throughout the New Year's holidays Dinner; 5:00 pm - 11:30 pm (last order 10:30 pm) Last order for drinks 11:00 pm
Breakfast; 06:30 am - 10:00 am operating throughout the New Year's holidays
Cafe; 10:00 am to 11:30 pm operating throughout the New Year's holidays
Closed: Irregular
Average price: [Lunch] 1,000 JPY
Access: One minute walk from Hachijo East exit of Kyoto station, on every JR line, or on the Kyoto City Subway Karasuma line or Kintetsu Kyoto line.
Address: El Inn Kyoto 1F, 13 Higashi Kujo Higashi Sannou-cho , Minami-ku,Kyoto-shi , Kyoto

11. Gion HigashiyamaTsujihana (Gion-shijo / Kaiseki)

This is a restaurant near Yasaka Shrine, which is a famous spot in Kyoto. It is in a tea house built 90 years ago and is a beautiful place to enjoy a sense of Japanese hospitality through ikebana (Japanese flower arrangement) and hanging scrolls in private rooms. The dishes made with Kyoto vegetables and other seasonal ingredients are all outstanding creations that combine traditional techniques and the young chef's innovative sensibilities. The Koshihikari rice cooked in an earthenware pot is an outstanding example of the cooked rice, with good-quality shine, spring, and stickiness, which you should taste at least once. The [Sukiyaki of Kuroge Wagyu and Sea Urchin], which is an original arrangement on sukiyaki (hot pot stew), is also highly recommended.

Gion Higashiyama Tsujihana

Open: [Monday, Wednesday - Sunday, National Holidays, Day before National Holidays] Lunch 11:30 am - 2:00 pm (L.O. 2:00 pm) / Dinner 5:30 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:00 pm)
Closed: Tuesday
Average price: [Dinner] 10,000 JPY / [Lunch] 5,000 JPY
Access: 1 minute walk from [Higashiyama Yasui] Bus Stop / 663 meters from [Gion Shijo Station] on Keihan Main Line / 13 minutes walk from [Kawara-machi Station] on Hankyu Kyoto Main Line
Address: 430, Kamibenten-cho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto

12. Souan (Kyoto / Udon & Soba)

Souan, in the food court of Kyoto Tower, is a place to enjoy freshly cooked homemade soba (buckwheat noodles) made with 100% buckwheat that is stone ground on site. The recommended item for dinner is the [Tenseiro Soba]. Enjoy the freshly-fried tempura with sake (Japanese alcohol) first, then eat the soba under it to finish off the meal. It is open till 11:00 pm, so it is the perfect place to relax and enjoy dinner after taking in the night view from Kyoto Tower.

Souan

Open: 11:00 am - 11:00 pm
Closed: -
Average price: -
Access: 2 minutes walk from the central exit of JR Kyoto Station, in Kyoto Tower
Address: 721-1, Higashishio-Koji Cho, Karasuma Dori Shichijo Sagaru, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto

13. Katsukura (Kyoto / Japanese Cuisine)

This is a restaurant in the popular tourist spot, Kyoto Tower, where you can enjoy tonkatsu (fried pork cutlet) with a wonderfully crunchy batter. All items served here are made with local ingredients, such as Kyoto vegetables and rice from Fukui Prefecture, distinguished by its sweet flavor. Among them, the [Pork Loin Katsu with Kujo Scallions and Grated Daikon Set] is a particular recommendation. It is a popular and refreshing arrangement of tonkatsu that is enjoyed with Kujo scallions and Japanese mustard greens from Kyoto, which are well-known Kyoto vegetables, and ponzu (citrus-seasoned soy sauce) with grated daikon. There is also a wide selection of side dishes, such as [Simmered Beef Tendon]. There are bottomless servings of rice, miso soup, and cabbage.

Katsukura

Open: 11:00 am - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:00 pm)
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 1,500 JPY / [Lunch] 1,000 JPY
Access: In Kyoto Tower, 5 minutes walk from the central exit of JR Kyoto Station
Address: 721-1, Higashishio-Koji Cho, Karasuma Dori Shichijo Sagaru, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto

14. Shiki-no-aji Hamacho (Sanjo / Japanese Cuisine)

This is a restaurant to enjoy Japanese cuisine - made with seasonal, fresh fish that changes monthly - together with a wide selection of sake. There is a variety of popular menu items that are so good that they will get you hooked, such as the [Harihari Salad of Kyoto Pickles] of Japanese mustard greens and Kyoto pickles that people keep coming back for; [Binchotan Seared Fresh Anago], which is conger eel cooked by the customer on binchotan (high-grade charcoal); and homemade [Sesame Tofu] that's made with milk, fresh cream, and sesame seeds. Seats are all standard chairs, or at horigotatsu (sunken kotatsu tables), so you can relax and stretch out your legs after a day of sightseeing over dinner.

Shiki-no-aji Hamacho

Open: 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:30 pm)
Closed: Irregular
Average price: [Dinner] 5,000 JPY
Access: 2 minutes walk from Kyoto Shiyakusho-mae station No.1 exit on Tozai subway Line
Address: 448-2, Ebisu-cho, Sanjyo-agaru, Kawaramachi, Nakagyo-ku,
Kyoto-shi, Kyoto (Map)

15. Sumibi Yakiniku Tsunku

Sumibi Yakiniku Tsunku is a 6 minute walk from Kyoto Station. It is a Japanese BBQ restaurant where guests can enjoy carefully selected, charcoal cooked Japanese Black Wagyu beef. The Japanese Black Wagyu is purchased in lump sums, letting customers enjoy rare cuts. In particular, the Domestically Made Tongue is a must-eat masterpiece that is both filling and soft. Raw oysters and turban shells can also be enjoyed here depending on the season, making this restaurant great for more than just meat. The last order is at 11:30 PM, so this is a great place to use for dinner after sightseeing until late at night.

Sumibi Yakiniku Tsunku

Open: [Monday-Friday] Dinner 4:00 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:30 pm) / [Saturday, Sunday, National Holidays] 12:00 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:30 pm)
Closed: Irregular
Average price: [Dinner] 4,000 JPY / [Lunch] 4,000 JPY
Access: About 6-minute walk from the Nishinotoin Exit of JR Kyoto Station / About 10-minute walk from the Central Exit of Kyoto Station on the Kintetsu Kyoto Line
Address: 1F, Ebisu Square Bldg., 714, Ebisunocho, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto Map

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Choose the restaurant that piques your interest and suits your schedule, and end the day with a wonderful dinner!

Disclaimer: All information is accurate at time of publication.