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Kyoto Japanese Cuisine
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 11 am - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 11 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
21 reviews for Kyoto Japanese Cuisine
Review Highlights
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"I recommend any of their fabulous bento boxes." In 7 reviews -
"...if you're staying in, great ambience in their private rooms." In 3 reviews -
"...more reasonable and all lunches come with miso soup." In 4 reviews
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21 reviews in English
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Review from Ryan C.
Edmonton, AB
3/26/2012 5 Check-ins Here
Considering I'm the "Duke" here, I should probably write a review!
I enjoy sushi, but have not had much variety so I am probably not the best judge of quality! However, I love this place. I have sampled about 70% of the things on the menu and enjoyed every bit of it!
The location is very convenient for me, only a few blocks away from work!
Prices are fair, as I previously mentioned.. I don't have an abundance of sushi experience so I think it is pretty fair.
I recommend this to any new sushi lovers! -
Review from Mystery D.
Edmonton, AB
I had a dream.... a dream of a Saturday filled with a dinner of deliciously delectable delicacies. Delivered to me on demand to devour devilishly. Instead... I got a disastrous day of despair.
This is part One of Two of that story: Kyoto
The plan was a simple one, Kyoto for an appetizer of Toro then off to Tres Carnales for tacos. I was flying solo today since the gf had to work - she actually has the gal to believe saving lives is more important then dinner with me!!!!!! So I called up my cousin and off we went.
I must note that I love Kyoto - the old Kyoto. I am a regular diner here and every I come recently I ask myself why im so loyal. It breaks my heart to have to write this review, but I wont allow my feelings to interfere with the true experience of the day.
We arrived around 340, and as usual, the place is packed. So after a bit of a wait (and two servers walking right by us standing at the door) someone finally asks:
"have you been helped?"
"no actually, table for two please"
We were seated and eventually someone noticed we were ready for a drink order. We also ordered our Toro then as well since we knew thats what we wanted; we also ordered a roll and a few other little things.
One of the nice things about coming at this time is that they give you a bean sprout salad along with your miso soup. Both great.
After about 10 mins our server comes back and lets us know the news:
"Sorry we are out of Toro."
Time for an aside: I live in the north end, I drive here because I have come to expect a level of quality and service. The previous TWO times I have come here they have been "out of Toro." I've only ever encountered this problem once before ANYWHERE else (and I eat ALOT of sushi); and even then it was late on a weeknight... not Early on a Saturday afternoon.
"what do you mean your out of toro, do you guys not sell it anymore?"
"hold on let me go check"
----- waits-----
"nope we sell it we are just out"
"ok, thank you please just bring the other stuff"
The food came and i didnt see our server again.... here is the short version: The rolls were falling apart when you picked them up. The other sushi we ordered was cut way more thin then is acceptable and generally the free soup was the highlight.
Since our server decided not to return to our table I got up and asked for our bill... Surprise they charged us for all that toro that doesn't exist. Which would be fine if the lady at the till would believe that they were out and we didnt receive it... Lucky that was easy enough to prove.
"Dont worry cousin Tres Carnales will be much better
at this time you may notice that we didnt make it to Tres.... instead we found ourselves at "Louisiana Purchase." Read the next exciting installment of Mystery Diners reviews to find out why!.
---
Short review:
Atmosphere: 4/5- It a nice place; clean, modern, with a nice "vibe"
Service: 2/5 - Had to wait to be seated, then was forgotten about, and to top it off our bill was wrong.
Food: 3/5 - Not what it use to be. Acceptable but no longer worth the drive to get here.
Dinning experience: 2/5 - Not having tuna is not acceptable once, let alone three times in a row.
Price: 3/5 - Cost 36$ for two of us,that price was changed due to the non existent toro.
Overall: 2.8 - Will i be back? Yes, but not because I should but for the same reason abused partners keep going back... im a sucker. -
Review from Sara M.
1/25/2012
For all you vegans/vegetarians out there....... this is not the place for you to enjoy sushi!
I found the veggie options on the menu to be minimal, over priced, and unimaginative. Perhaps I am spoiled by the vast array of sushi joints in my neighbourhood.... but I really was disappointed by the lack of veggieness at Kyoto.
The gomae, cucumber maki and avocado maki were adequate. The server taking our take out order was friendly enough. -
Review from S J.
Edmonton, AB
11/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
I really like this place, not just for the sushi but for all the other great izakaya-like appetizers. My favourites are: the squid kara-age (battered + fried squid) which is light and not chewy; oysters ponzu (three deep fried oysters in ponzu sauce) are wonderfully favourful and a good deal at around $8; and tofu kara-age (medium firm tofu fried and topped with fish flake) is is done to perfection.
I prefer to go at lunch as the prices are considerably more reasonable and all lunches come with miso soup. -
Review from Brittany K.
Edmonton, AB
10/9/2011
I really like Kyoto as a not-very-adventurous sushian.
I didn't grow up eating fish, but there are plenty of non-fish rolls (like avocado or cucumber) which are quite tasty, plus some delicious bento boxes that definitely fill you up for lunch.
It's right at the centre of downtown (or, at least, what I consider to be the centre of downtown) so it's an easy location to get to, and you can swing by any of the surrounding businesses to make it a lunch+coffee date, or maybe you need to catch some rays at the tanning salon nearby afterward.
Prices are decent and the food is decent, plus the location is great. Definitely a cute little spot, if nothing too exotic. -
Review from Superknoppix N.
Edmonton, AB
1/30/2012
The steak is awesome, unique serving style on sizzling plate. Tempura is perfect. Food is all fresh and tastes awesome.
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Review from Adam R.
5/10/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Kyoto's great -- fast, convenient and delicious. I love their maki and their bento boxes. It's remarkable how much food you get in an order of just about anything.
High-quality ingredients and a prompt, friendly staff make this a good sushi restaurant, and with two locations on either side of the river, convenience reigns.
I probably order take out from Kyoto once a week, and it's always the same thing: spicy tuna maki and mexican maki. They know me by name now!
Really friendly place, and if you're staying in, great ambience in their private rooms. Definitely recommend you try them out if you haven't already. -
Review from H C.
12/29/2011
This place is good. I love the multi special roll and the bento boxes for lunch are a fantastic deal. Bento box D is my favorite.
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Review from Cherie K.
6/4/2011
This is our favorite sushi restaurant in the city. Always really fresh, good sized chunks of sushi and their rainbow rolls are to die for! Staff is always very friendly, and service is fast.
Listed in: Favourite cafes & restaurants
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Review from Lauren N.
10/10/2008 1 photo
I relented to eating here when my friend suggested it. But if anyone knows me well, they know my top and only choice for sushi would be Furusato on Whyte. Still, Kyoto isn't too bad in terms of generic sushi; they were actually a lot better than I had expected.
This location is fairly big, with small tables and private low-floor rooms. It's usually pretty busy, and my friend had to make reservations when we went for our group of four. I always like it when Japanese restaurants have the low-floor rooms; it makes it seem more authentic somehow. Although I'm always paranoid someone will steal my shoes!
I wasn't really hungry that day, so I only ordered a few pieces of sushi. I think I ordered the hokkigai (surf clam) and tamago (egg) sushi, along with a california roll. Pretty basic, in terms of sushi. The food was fresh though, which is what you always want, especially for sushi.
The service was also pretty good, considering they were super-busy that day we went. We had to flag down our waitress a few times, but we got what we needed. In terms of cost, it's about average; it's not ridiculously overpriced that I would refuse to come back, if my friends suggest it again. -
Review from Jack G.
Edmonton, AB
11/13/2009
This is my favorite sushi spot in Edmonton.
The restaurant itself is pretty big and nicely decorated, like most Japanese places. The best part though, is the sushi of course. It's fresh, filled with flavor and surprisingly cheap. Only 3 of us went to eat and we ordered a bunch of rolls and the bill came to about $20. I had to look it over a few times because I could not believe that they charged so little compared to places like Mikado, which isn't nearly as good as Kyoto, and double the price. -
Review from Jason L.
Edmonton, AB
5/20/2010 2 Check-ins Here
I'm a real fan of Kyoto for lunch. There is something about the decor that makes me think that this is a lunch spot and not really a place I'd come to for dinner. It's not that the decor is bad, but I'd probably look for a place a little more intimate or cosy for dinner.
For lunch, the bento boxes are a real value. Though, I personally favour the Chirashi (sashimi on a bowl of sushi rice). The fish is fine and the sushi and sashimi is well portioned. On a really picky level, the fish they use does not have the fine texture of really fine sushi/sashimi; having said that, there is nothing wrong with it. If I'm really hungry, I have a half order of red tuna sashimi with my Chirashi. Regardless of what you order, your meal starts with a Miso soup and a small bean sprout salad. Again, this is a great deal for lunch.
The rest of the menu is typical Japanese: the usual nigiri and maki including the Cali-sushi that's so popular plus the usual Donburi. Service is friendly and pretty efficient, though it can slow down more than it should if it's really busy. -
Review from Jeanette B.
Edmonton, AB
10/3/2008 1 photo
My trip to Kyoto was basically the first time I had ever had sushi. I did chicken out, and I stuck with vegan sushi, so I guess technically I am still a sushi virgin.
When I went here, I was basically on a first date, and I am not sure why, but I think Kyoto, or maybe just sushi in general, makes a good first date. If you have nothing to talk about, the food is more than an interesting topic in itself. Maybe I am kind of lame though.
I ended up having avocado sushi and another kind of non-seafood sushi. I didn't actually like the latter; however, I loved the avocado sushi--it was absolutely delicious. The only problem is that sushi looks a whole lot like wasabi. At one point, instead of picking up my avocado sushi, I picked up the chunk of wasabi and put the whole thing in my mouth. Luckily, I noticed before I chomped on it too much, but it was still an unpleasant experience to say the least. Also, it was a great first date moment.
We also had ordered some tempura, which was delicious, of course. I think the idea of healthy goes straight out the window once you deep fry vegetables though.
I'd probably give this place a higher rating if I liked sushi more, but I'll consider going back just to lose my sushi virginity. -
Review from Caroline K.
Edmonton, AB
10/16/2011
Love this place. It's close to my office and I go often. Sometimes I take away in the evening. The staff is very nice even when it gets very busy at lunch time. The sushis and sadhu is are delicious and their bento box great for lunch.
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Review from Paula K.
5/16/2009
I am a vegetarian sushi lover, and there are enough varieties here at Kyoto to keep me happy. I had the avocado maki roll and fresh avocado sushi, and bother were excellent - perfect texture, with avocado that was fresh and not overly ripe. I had to laugh when reading Jeanette's review, because the very first time I had sushi, I did exactly the same thing - thinking the wasabi was avocado, I popped it into my mouth, Fortunately, I was not with anyone to witness the act.
The place is very spacious, the service good, and the selection in line with other sushi restaurants. I also had an order of vegetable tempura, which was also excellent - hot and crisp.
Kyoto also has chicken, beef, and pork items on the menu. I would definitely head here again for my veggie sushi fix, or to try something else. -
Review from Lauren S.
Edmonton, AB
10/21/2010
I live a couple of blocks from Kyoto, so I frequent it a lot.
It's really a great little place for sushi. The prices are decent, and their sushi is good (much better that Mikado). Obviously this is no Japan-grade sushi. But it's Edmonton people! Nowhere in the prairies is like that, and I've been to my fair share of sushi restaurants in Alberta, and across Japan.
If you're a big eater, the bento boxes are for you. You get your choice of fillings, and sometimes they can substitute for you as well.
My fiance always gets the Assorted Sushi platter, and has never been disappointed. I usually get a half-order of salmon or toro sashimi and some maki. It always tastes fresh, and the portions are excellent.
The staff is amazing here. Probably some of the best service in Edmonton, hard to come by, even when they are busy. -
Review from Francesca K.
Edmonton, AB
4/30/2010
This is a fabulous place to go for a noon weekday lunch. I love having my own space to eat - they have little private rooms where there is a drop down table for you to curl up at. Check your shoes at the door please!
The food here is also awesome. I recommend any of their fabulous bento boxes. That is the only thing I ever get from here. They are perfectly "packed" lunches.
This place can get pretty packed during the noon hour so a reservation should definitely be made! -
Review from chow d.
Edmonton, AB
9/23/2010
The food here is really inconsistent. Somedays the fish is quite fresh and the sushi well prepared.
Other times the fish has been sitting in the cooler WAY too long. I've had pieces were the fish was basically inedible. This is especially apparent on their scallops and salmon nigiri.
Service is usually pretty good, even tho the waitresses tend to disappear after your meal is served.
For the money I'm spending, I'd be happier going elsewhere. -
Review from Jessica L.
Edmonton, AB
9/16/2009
Last one from our 3 block challenge...also from May 2009!
We cheated.
Sort of.
We said to each other that we would try to focus on NEW places, places we have only driven by or some we haven't even heard of. Well, its only review #3 and we have cheated. We went to an old favorite. In our defence though, it fits EVERY other criteria: its within a 3 block radius and its not a big chain (there are two restaurants in Edmonton).
Kyoto is a place that we enjoyed often during our dating days when Heath would come to the city on the weekend hungry for something different and unavailable in Lloydminster. We would often wander into the Japanese restaurant for sushi and warm miso soup as well as delicious bento boxes full of goodies. It occured to us as we walked in today that we hadn't been there in a couple of years due to finding a place on Whyte Ave that we loved for a while, and then an unfortunate sushi "accident" that landed me (Jess) in the emergency room before a final exam. I have been slow to warm up to the idea of raw tuna since, but today I was feeling a bit impulsive, so decided to give it another go.
We wandered into the restaurant around 3 in the afternoon, thinking it would be pretty dead on a long weekend Sunday. We. Were. Wrong. Apparently Lupper is a new thing in Edmonton and we are the last to catch on! The place was packed! We were able to get a cozy booth on the far side of the restaurant though and were quickly seated amongst the new decor.
The server took a while to come over to our table, but in her defence she was the only server in the restaurant and must have had at least 15 tables. When she did come over, she took our order quickly for food and drinks and miraculously returned in lightning speed with two diet cokes. I honestly don't know how she managed to put the order in and pick them up and deliver them in that short of time! Soon afterwards, she was back with a smile on her face and a couple of bowls of soup and bean sprout salad that come complementary with every meal. The miso soup was the same as I remembered, warm but not scalding, and with a lighter form of miso that lended a savory and slighly salty taste. The bean sprout salad was doused in what tasted like miso and ponzu sauce and was deliciously peppery. We devoured both in minutes and were greeted by our mains just in time for the last bite.
Heath ordered a beef rice bowl that consisted of cooked beef, silver noodles, rice, onions, zuccini, and more onions. He added some soy sauce and dug in with some chopstix and thankfully let me have a taste before it was all gone. The beef was simple but delicious and perfect with a bit of green onion in ever bite. I in turn shared my Rainbow Roll and offered him one of my two pieces of Toro (Tuna Belly) sushi, but he declined and told me to "enjoy it" as he knows it used to be my favorite sushi dish before "the incident", and he is a smart man who also knows that if I love it again we will probably be going for a lot more sushi! The Rainbow Roll was huge with 8 pieces of tempura wrapped in salmon, tuna, avocado and mackerel. I enjoy a fair amount of wasabi in my soy sauce and gingerly dipped whole pieces in before not-so-gingerly stuffing them in my mouth. I was only able to eat 4 pieces before starting to get full, so I decided I should probably move on to the Toro. It was just as I remembered it. Beautiful. The meat was so tender it fell apart and the little bit of wasabi rubbed underneath the meat as well as the green onion on top put it over the edge. The "incident" was soon forgotten (it didn't happen at this restaurant anyway) and I professed my love for all things Japanese again.
Heath polished off the last of the rainbow rolls and we both sat back stuffed. Our server brought us our bill with a big smile and we paid and left the warm restaurant into the pouring rain to continue our afternoon. Total bill with tip: 34.76. -
Review from Maria F.
10/14/2009
My husband and I, being big Japanese food lovers, go to Kyoto about once a month. This tradition started five years ago, and as long as Kyoto is open and we live in Edmonton, we will keep coming back.
This Japanese restaurant is reasonably priced, and the food is always fresh and delicious. Everything from miso soup, tempura and chicken teriyaki to baked scallop, sashimi and ginormous sushi boat are to die for. Be warned that it may take a while for you to receive your order because firstly, the place is always busy, and secondly, the chefs take their time to prepare everything to perfection. But the wait is worth it. I am a fan of sashimi and I strongly believe that Kyoto's sashimi is one of the best in town. The fish is fresh and melts in your mouth. The green tea ice cream is out of this world!
As with most Japanese restaurants, you can choose to sit at the table or in the private room if you make reservations in advance. The interior is beautiful but the atmosphere is never intimate because the place is packed most of the time.
The only complaint I have is that if you come in during the busiest hours and are seated at the small table ( there are big tables by the window and small tables in the middle of the restaurant), there is absolutely no elbow room, you have to maneuver around all the plates, wasabi/ginger dishes and cups with green tea, and be very careful not to elbow push anything off the table. Bigger tables would be nice. -
Review from Natalie M.
Edmonton, AB
12/10/2009 1 photo
My friends love going out for Japanese food and gobbling up all the sushi they can stomach; me on the other hand, not so much. That's what I love about Kyoto, located on Jasper Ave and 109st. We call get what we love. My friends order their raw sushi dishes and I get to order my cooked meat dishes. I've tried some of their rolls and they are really good. I've had rolls at other restaurants but they were not as good as Kyoto's rolls. I love a combination on my plate; I get a little board when I just have two different items in front of me. I love the bento boxes that you can order at Kyoto. You can pick from a list of want you want in you box and the servings are really filling for the price you pay (lunch is a little cheaper than dinner). I really like getting the beef and, yes, the chicken, oh and the tempura is really, really good. We all love coming together and sitting in one of Kyoto's private rooms (where you take off your shoes... very traditional), drink some green tea and sit and talk for hours. We end up sitting there for a good two to three hours; we eat, talk, and order great ice cream. My friends love the green tea ice cream but I like the mango flavor better.
The atmosphere is really relaxing, another reason why we stay so long. If you want a really classy feel then you could check out the other location (9852 63 Ave, NW, Edmonton). The food is great and the price is nice. Go and check it out!
