Buffets. All-you-can-eat. These types of establishments are so common in the Western world that it might be surprising to hear that they can be a bit harder to locate in Japan. There are still plenty of great restaurants where you can eat as much as your stomach can handle, but they may not take on the same form you’re used to. Here, buffets or “tabehoudai” (literally: “eat as much as you’d like”) are the perfect place to try many different varieties of food from all over Japan. This nation, and Kyoto especially, is renowned for its specialized cuisine, and you’ll find plenty of restaurants that only serve one dish. These places are great, high-quality ways for you to try their specialty, but what if you want to try as much as possible during your stay? Look no further. Take a nice, casual break from all of Kyoto’s famous kaiseki and course menus and teishoku (set meals) and eat to your heart’s content at these brilliant buffets.
Daimanzoku, a great buffet shabu shabu restaurant – Photo Credit: shabushabu-hide
TON SHABU HIDE
It’s common sense in Japan that winter time is shabu-shabu time – so get your wallets ready for a hearty meal that will leave you warm and fuzzy from the inside. Ton Shabu Hide has various courses, but their best is the 3980 yen All-You-Can-Eat 2-Hour Course. The ingredients used are fresh and the price is reasonable for the sheer amount of meat and veggies you can heap into your pot. Furthermore, Ton Shabu is conveniently located right near Nishiki market, the literal food haven of Kyoto. If you’re ever feeling peckish for dessert or snacks afterward, check out the recommendations in Kyoto: 100+ Years of Food History article on our blog!
Address: Maeda Bldg. 2F, 226 Takazaimoku-cho, Shijo-sagaru, Takakura-dori, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto 600-8082
Hours: Open year-round, 11:00~14:00 17:00~23:00
Phone: 075-708-8366
Website: https://shabushabu-hide.com/
Fresh, local corn dish found at Miyako Yasai Kamo – Photo Credit: miyakoyasaikamo_
MIYAKO YASAI KAMO
This is for those who want to indulge themselves without feeling a little too guilty. Miyako Yasai Kamo is an all-you-can-eat-style buffet that serves fresh veggies and salads alongside delicious Kyoto-styled home-cooked meals. There are even vegan-friendly options if you reserve beforehand. What’s even better, there’s no time limit. Here are the different meal plans and prices:
Breakfast: 700 yen
Brunch: 980 yen
Lunch: 1150 yen
Dinner: 1600 yen
You just select which meal plan you want to order under, grab a ticket from the vending machine and choose your soft drink, pick up a tray and fill your stomach.
Address: 276 Ogisakayacho Higashinotoindori Ayanokoji Sagaru, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
Hours: 10:00~16:00, 17:30~22:00
Phone: 075-351-2732
Website: https://nasakumo.net
Kyogoku Stand traditional shop front – Photo Credit: shinkyogoku-stand
KYOGOKU STAND
In addition to ‘tabehoudai,’ you may have guessed, but it also has a counterpart: the infamous ‘nomihoudai.’ Literally meaning ‘All-you-can-drink,’ this option is available at many izakayas (Japanese-style bars) and includes access to the full menu of food and drinks for up to 90 minutes for 2500~3000 yen. These functions are popular amongst local university students and many a night you can see groups of them streaming in and feasting on the vast array of snacks and sake. Kyogoku Stand is a great place to try out your first ‘nomihoudai’ or ‘tabehoudai’ (all-you-can-eat). Open since 1927, Kyogoku Stands sports a huge menu of over 100 items of Japanese, Chinese, and Korean cuisine conveniently located 3 minutes walk from Nishiki Market.
Address: 546, Shinkyogoku, Shijo Noboru, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto, 604-8042
Hours: Closed Tuesday, Open 12:00~21:00
Phone: 075-221-4156
Website: https://shinkyogoku-stand.jp
Sweets Paradise’s Autumn Seasonal Selection – Photo Credit: Sweets Paradise
SWEETS PARADISE
If you have a sweet tooth like me, you’ll love Sweets Paradise. It’s essentially a buffet with cakes, Haagen Daaz ice cream, and incredibly good spaghetti and curry. Even better – you can get all of this for only 1500 yen for 80 minutes. Of course, it’s a little too good to be true. Some of the cakes offered aren’t the best, but most of them are quite delicious and worth the bargain. Sweets Paradise also has seasonal-themed buffets that range around 2200~yen for a whole 2 hours, so if you’re looking for a place for a Christmas date, this is it!
Address: Level 6, Kotocross Hankyu Kawaramachi.
Hours: 7 days a week, 10:30~21:00
Phone: 075-212-2234
Website: https://www.sweets-paradise.jp/shop/shijokawaramachi/
Photo Credit: All Day Dining Raquo
ALL DAY DINING “RAQOU”
Up next, the Westine Miyako Hotel has a fantastic Kyoto-specialized buffet. All Day Dining “RAQUO”‘s items are like Ryotei (a type of traditional restaurant that was famously invite-only) menus using local ingredients. This restaurant has raving reviews for a reason: they have fantastic presentation, delicious flavors, and pay incredible attention to detail. It’s the ideal place to try all the best food that Kyoto has to offer…with a phenomenal view of the Higashiyama district!
Address: 1 Awadaguchi Kachocho, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, 605-0052
Hours: Weekdays Open 6:30-21:00; Weekends Open 6:30-22:00
Phone: 075-771-7111
Website: https://global.miyakohotels.ne.jp/westinkyoto/dining/all-day-dining-raqou/
Whether you’re in the mood for Western Food, Hotpot, or even desserts, there’s a delicious, affordable buffet in Kyoto that will have you covered. These are a few of my favorites, and I hope they can become your favorites as well. If you’ve got an appetite that can’t be satisfied with your average portion, be sure to seek out a “tabehoudai” and enjoy the buffets that Japan has to offer. There’s a whole wide world of all-you-can-eat spots out there ready to be explored.
Feature photo credit: superwineiei
Heading to Kyoto to try any of these buffets? Spend a few hours with our local experts on a Culinary Tour of the city!
