Iida (飯田) Kyoto

Awards

OAD

Japanese Restaurants 2026, 59

All OAD Japanese in Kyoto All OAD Japanese in Japan

Tabelog

2026 Gold

All Tabelog in Kyoto All Tabelog in Japan All Tabelog Gold in Kyoto All Tabelog Gold in Japan

La Liste

La Liste, #251

All La Liste in Kyoto All La Liste in Japan

Restaurant Ranking

Restaurant Ranking 2024, #350, PRO #18.50, USER #18.00

All Restaurant Ranking in Kyoto All Restaurant Ranking in Japan

Ratings from the web

Tabelog

4.56

Chef

Shinichi Iida

Cuisine

Japanese Cuisine

• 2026
• 2025
• 2024
• 2023
• 2022
• 2021
• 2020
• 2019
• 2018

Dinner at 飯田

on 05 Aug 2026

by Taka Taka

Iida, Kyoto. Early January 2026. One of the top Kaiseki in Kyoto. Awesome.
飯田さん、1月。素晴らしく美味しいです。

8 / 10

Dinner at Iida (飯田)

on 01 Jun 2026

by わー お博士

This is one of the most difficult restaurants to reserve in Kyoto.I couldn't take photos of the dishes, but the tableware was just as impressive, if not more so, than the food itself.Dining in such a beautiful space with exquisite tableware while enjoying seasonal dishes truly elevates one's spirits.On this day, the hamo (pike eel) and ume (plum) soup was exceptional. I feel that the quality of a Japanese restaurant can be best judged by its clear soup.Many places tend to have a strong sourness or... More

This is one of the most difficult restaurants to reserve in Kyoto.I couldn't take photos of the dishes, but the tableware was just as impressive, if not more so, than the food itself.Dining in such a beautiful space with exquisite tableware while enjoying seasonal dishes truly elevates one's spirits.On this day, the hamo (pike eel) and ume (plum) soup was exceptional. I feel that the quality of a Japanese restaurant can be best judged by its clear soup.Many places tend to have a strong sourness or saltiness with ume, but here it was mild, allowing the flavor of the dashi to shine through.The balance of flavors was perfect—truly "umebai" (the right balance of salt and flavor).It was delicious. Thank you for the wonderful meal! Less

10 / 10

Dinner at 飯田 - Iida

on 16 May 2026

by サンシ ョウマン

I was eagerly looking forward to May at Iida! This is the only month when I can enjoy the eel Yawata-maki from the May menu!With excitement, I headed to the restaurant, imagining the delicious eel Yawata-maki from Iida.I’m grateful to my regulars who always invite me!Upon entering the restaurant and taking off my shoes, I was greeted by the beautiful hanging scrolls, as always.Then, I took my seat at the counter!The owner welcomed me warmly and served me some plum kombu tea.*Location: Kyoto, Nakagyo... More

I was eagerly looking forward to May at Iida! This is the only month when I can enjoy the eel Yawata-maki from the May menu!With excitement, I headed to the restaurant, imagining the delicious eel Yawata-maki from Iida.I’m grateful to my regulars who always invite me!Upon entering the restaurant and taking off my shoes, I was greeted by the beautiful hanging scrolls, as always.Then, I took my seat at the counter!The owner welcomed me warmly and served me some plum kombu tea.*Location: Kyoto, Nakagyo Ward, Anekoji, Tomikoji Nishiiru, South Side *Access: 10-minute walk from Karasuma Station on the Hankyu Kyoto Line.■ The Tabelog Award 2026 Gold Winner ■ Selected as one of the Top 100 Japanese Restaurants in the WEST by Tabelog 2025 ■ Tabelog rating at the time of visit: 4.54Today's dishes:* Shiso-infused green tea * Iris sake ● Thinly sliced soybean kudzu tofu with abalone A jelly made from the broth of boiled soybean pods ● Fried carp served in a bowl with yomogi noodles, green onions, and ginger ● Grilled skin of the flatfish with watercress ● Seared bonito with garlic chives and myoga, served with mustard ● Sea bream wrapped in bamboo leaves, with sweet peas ● Grilled young sweetfish with kinome vinegar ● Eel Yawata-maki ● Sea urchin with surprising jelly ● Beef hot pot with flower pepper and bracken ● Clay pot rice ● Soup base for the hot pot ● Pickled eggplant with mustard ● Wasanbon ice cream Cherry with summer citrus jelly ● Grilled kashiwa mochi Here are my thoughts after finishing the meal:My first visit to Iida in May was indeed delicious! The eel Yawata-maki I had been looking forward to was unbelievably good! I wanted to eat more (laughs).Every time, the beautiful dishes and food are amazing! I hope to visit again, even if it’s just relying on others! Thank you!☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★ Thank you for visiting and reading until the end! I appreciate it!If you liked it, please give a "like," "follow," "save the restaurant," or "comment." Your support will motivate me to write more reviews, so I would greatly appreciate it! ☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★ Less

10 / 10

Dinner at 飯田 - Iida

on 01 May 2026

by koba log_

I absolutely love Iida. Once again, I had a truly wonderful time tonight. I visited for the first time in May, and it was incredible! The experience was on a whole different level, it made me laugh. This is truly what a dream experience feels like. ^^I was deeply impressed by every dish. It's a shame I can't give more than 5 stars. Thank you, as always!

9 / 10

Dinner at Iida (飯田)

on 15 Apr 2026

by Gerhard Huber

10 / 10

Dinner at IIda

on 08 Oct 2025

by Gerhard Huber

10 / 10

Dinner at Iida (飯田)

on 12 Sep 2024

by Gerhard Huber

Wonderful meal with friends. Kaiseki at its best.

10 / 10

Dinner at Iida

Top list

on 28 Mar 2024

by Peter Chang

Lucky to have been invited by Herr Huber for a dinner here, which was worth my detour from Seoul.

Amazing ingredients here, some of which were the best example of those ingredients I had ever tasted. Flavors were very pure.

Thankfully this was during spring so pricing was kept reasonable. I can only imagine when crab and matsutake are on the menu...

Photos are allowed (at least in the private room) but for private consumption only. So I'm not posting any pics of dishes.

Full account... More

Lucky to have been invited by Herr Huber for a dinner here, which was worth my detour from Seoul.

Amazing ingredients here, some of which were the best example of those ingredients I had ever tasted. Flavors were very pure.

Thankfully this was during spring so pricing was kept reasonable. I can only imagine when crab and matsutake are on the menu...

Photos are allowed (at least in the private room) but for private consumption only. So I'm not posting any pics of dishes.

Full account of dinner is on my blog here: https://www.diarygrowingboy.com/2024/03/50-best-and-then-some-day-8-no-pictures.html Less

9 / 10

Dinner at Iida (飯田)

on 28 Mar 2024

by Gerhard Huber

9 / 10

Dinner at Iida

on 05 May 2023

by Gerhard Huber

Even in an in-between season, Iida san creates wonderful layered dishes with imagination and precision.

10 / 10

Dinner at Iida (飯田)

on 05 Apr 2022

by Gerhard Huber

Spring menu at Iida. As always precise, thoughtful and delicious. Exclusive ingredients cooked gently to perfection. A phenomenal layering of flavors releasing plenty of umami.

This place is impossible to book, it is small and very, very good. A few years ago they got 3 stars in the Guide Michelin. Then the telephone avalanche started. People trying to bully their way to a reservation. In the end Mrs. Iida asked the GM not only to remove the stars but to remove their restaurant from the Guide... More

Spring menu at Iida. As always precise, thoughtful and delicious. Exclusive ingredients cooked gently to perfection. A phenomenal layering of flavors releasing plenty of umami.

This place is impossible to book, it is small and very, very good. A few years ago they got 3 stars in the Guide Michelin. Then the telephone avalanche started. People trying to bully their way to a reservation. In the end Mrs. Iida asked the GM not only to remove the stars but to remove their restaurant from the Guide at all. Since then, she says, peace has returned and they can go about their business as they used to. They don’t really need to worry about filling the place up, normally you have to submit your wishes in August of each year, not for the next year but for the year after. Of course there is no credit card or deposit needed, only an entry with a pencil into their diary even though the reservation might be more than 2 years in the future.
Only in Japan….

ps: The pictures show only the first part of the meal as one is only allowed photos if on is the only guest in the restaurant. Once the other guest arrived I had to stop making pictures. Less

Dinner at Iida (飯田)

on 29 Mar 2021

by Gerhard Huber

Dinner at Iida (飯田)

on 21 Oct 2020

by Gerhard Huber

10 / 10

Dinner at Iida (飯田)

on 04 Nov 2019

by Gerhard Huber

Most likely one of the best Kaiseki restaurants in Kyoto.

9 / 10

Dinner at Iida (飯田)

Top list

on 29 Jul 2018

by Gerhard Huber

The latest 3 star in Kyoto. Modern Kaiseki, he follows the rules but introduces gently some innovation.
One dish in particular was interesting. Shirako wrapped in grilled butterfish and then deep fried to comply with the mandatory tempura dish. However it was served in a sauce which was not clear but rather thick like a tomato sauce. Very powerful flavour and extraordinary texture in the mouth.
Booked again in November 2019(!), the first possible booking without relying on cancellations.