Rantaku

One diner singled out the chicken hot pot as delicious, while another spoke warmly of the sashimi, chicken nanban and the snacks served at the start of the meal. Rantaku’s menu includes young chicken hot pot, tofu and vegetable hot pot, and nabeyaki udon, as well as hot pots for one. There are options for a filling supper or for building a meal around a pot. Nabeyaki udon can also be ordered with extra udon.

For dishes to share over drinks, the choices include sashimi such as tuna, salmon and sea bream or grunt, alongside seared beef, fried tofu with natto and vegetables simmered in a light broth after frying. Diners have mentioned the sashimi and chicken nanban, as well as the simple snacks served at the start, suggesting a meal that could happily unfold over several small plates. Chicken nanban appears in one diner’s account, and the menu also lists fried young chicken and fried young chicken flavoured with cheese and basil.

You might centre the meal on fried dishes and snacks, or make it dinner with a hot pot or rice bowl. Alongside izakaya favourites, the menu ranges from spaghetti and Japanese-style omelettes to seafood rice bowls, leaving plenty to choose from according to the group and the mood of the evening. The restaurant lists individual hot pots; diners have also described it as a small, cosy space with table and counter seating, suitable for a small group.

This izakaya is in Yamazaki-cho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto City, and is open daily from 18:00 until 2:00 the following day. The listed payment method is cash only, so it is worth bearing in mind before you go.