Background music at Kushihachi Honten.
Kushihachi (串八) is a Kyoto-based, kushikatsu (串かつ: deep-fried skewers)-focused Japanese izakaya chain. Its main store “Kushihachi Honten (串八白梅町本店 / Kushihachi Kakubaicho Honten)” in Kitano Hakubaicho (北野白梅町) near UNESCO-listed Kinkaku-ji (金閣寺: Golden Pavilion) is considered one of the most popular restaurants in the neighborhood. I needed to wait in line when I visited on a weekday which sounds promising as a restaurant.
The storefront of Kushihachi Honten.
Inside Kushihachi Honten.
Inside Kushihachi Honten is a healthy-looking, down-to-earth izakaya (居酒屋: Japanese tavern) where seemingly Japanese local high school kids work harder than anywhere else (it reminded me of a roadside Kelly’s Roast Beef’s work environment in New England). Waiters at Kushihachi Honten looked to be functioning ever-so-accordingly. I needed to stop eating when my waiters delivered glasses of water otherwise they might apologetically freeze and the water would never be served. So be it and I decided to dine like a royal banquet.
Inside Kushihachi Honten’s menus.
Kushihachi Honten’s menus are the complete list of what it takes to be a Japanese izakaya made for Japanese people. Their signature kushikatsu (deep-fried skewers) dishes were flawless. Professionally executed sushi dishes were unbelievably fine for their reasonable price. Fun concoctions such as chicken wing-wrapped gyoza (Japanese dumpling) and takoyaki (ball pancakes with octopus)-looking deep-fried mashed potatoes were sheer fun.
An assortment of kushikatsu deep-fried skewers (串かつ お得10本セット). 780 yen / $6.
Fugu poisonous puffer fish kushikatsu (串かつ ふぐ). 120 yen / $0.90.
Chicken heart yakitori skewers (焼とり はつ). 200 yen / $1.50.
Tontoro (豚トロ: pork neck). 180 yen / $1.30.
Negitoro minced tuna sushi rolls with scallion (ねぎとろ). 380 yen / $2.90.
Korean gimbap-style wagyu sushi (韓国風和牛キンパ). 580 yen / $4.40.
Grilled onigiri rice balls with dashi (seafood broth) soy sauce (だし醤油の焼きおにぎり). 350 yen / $2.60.
Dashimaki rolled omelet with Kagoshima chickens’ eggs (鹿児島産薩摩鶏赤玉子のだしまき). 450 yen / $3.40.
“Ponkara” karaage fried chicken with ponzu sauce (ポン空). 480 yen / $3.60.
Takohachi ball with dashi sauce or “takoyaki (ball pancakes with octopus)-looking deep-fried mashed potatoes” (たこ八ボール). 450 yen / $3.40.
Chicken wing gyoza (焼手羽ギョーザ). 160 yen / $1.20.
The dishes I ate were all phenomenal. Kushihachi Honten made me think all the other izakaya chains I’ve eaten at were rip-offs. They were that good.
Customers are asked to fill in an evaluation of a dining experience here. A can of beer or tea would be given as a reward.
Kushihachi Honten (串八白梅町本店) | 33-1 Kitanokamihakubaicho, Kita Ward, Kyoto, 603-8325, Japan
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