My husband and I went here recently on a wednesday night and when we walked into the restaurant it was packed! From the singing we learned that there were two huge birthday party groups there for the teppenyaki dinner and they were all having a blast! For sushi we were offered a table near the sushi bar which was available but that area was also soon packed as well. Right away we were brought miso soup and edamame which was nice. Our waitress was super sweet and upon noticing us struggling on what to order she asked if this was our first time here. When we told her it was she was so excited to tell us what is popular and even pointed out another list of sushi rolls located on the side of the table against the wall. We ordered a roll called the Mary from that list, and also got the Spicy Johnny and Marilyn Monroe. They were all very delicious even though in their presentation they all looked somewhat similar. The Spicy Johnny lives up to its name, the Mary had a nice tuna and salmon flavor with a bite of saltiness and the Marilyn Monroe was light and refreshing. We also shared a large Japanese beer and in the end it all only came to $35 before tip and we felt we definitely got our money's worth! The staff are super friendly! I like to observe staff and patron interaction and there was a ton of it here. The teppanyaki patrons consisted of all ages together having fun and just watching them trying to catch their food in their mouth provided us with plenty of dinnertime entertainment. You can tell there are a lot of "regulars" here by the way the staff interact with them and I was really surprised at how busy it was for the middle of the week! There was a really sweet somewhat older asian lady who talked with several patrons and when one man and his son were leaving she called out "bye" to them and said to the little boy "Bye handsome!" I thought it was cute. Not long after that she walked by our table, stopped and turned to my husband, and poured the remainder of his beer in his glass for him. Too cute! I have NEVER seen that done before. If I had to have a complaint it would only be that the water glasses have a lot of mineral deposits on them from hard water and that can sometimes be a turnoff. The sushi ginger was not very strong and also the decor could use some refreshing. Kyoto seems like a wonderful family owned establishment that has been around for years and years. I only regret not going before now. We will be back and will definitely be having the teppanyaki!
(4)
Mary N.
I'm a big fan of Sushi and have had my share of Sushi in California. When I moved to Idaho last year, I was very hesitant to try the Sushi here. I believe my husband and I were going out for a date and he raved so much about Kyoto that I gave in and decided to try it. From the outside it reminded me of Sushi places back home. The inside was a bit small for my liking but I've been in smaller. We were seated at a small table but the workers there really made me feel like I was sitting at home having dinner. They really make you feel like family when you walk in. The Sushi was great and my overall experience was not bad. I would definitely go back here again.
(4)
Loralee P.
I really wish that I would've had a better experience. We never, ever should have gone on New Years Day. I feel generous giving 2 stars. I have been to a lot of teppanyaki grills on the east coast so I had expectations. The first problem: We came in and asked for service for 2 and she told us 15-20 minutes. It was over 45 minutes to be seated. We should have left after 20 minutes. Second problem: We were given seats at a table that had the worst draft ever from the door. Every single time someone entered, a very cold wind swept over us. We should have left when we were given those seats. I kept my big winter jacket on and hat and I was still cold throughout the dinner. I asked for the "yum yum" sauce and he said to me "you're not on the east coast anymore". Who would've thought yum-yum sauce was a region thing? Bummer. The cook's tricks were average. The food was below average. The chicken was dry, and there wasn't even any of the noodles that I love at teppanyaki grills. I had to go find a waitress to get water. Awful service. Didn't try the Sushi, so I can't speak for that.
(2)
Kevin B.
Love the food and the staff. Great family owned place that takes good care of it's patrons. My daughter always wants to have her birthdays there.
(5)
Jennifer W.
This is one of Boise's best kept sushi secrets. I have been going to Kyoto for 20 years for special dinners with family and friends. It is so fun to have the chefs cook at your table. The chefs are almost always funny and entertaining and very talented. Both adults and kids love this about Kyoto. It's a fun, comfortable atmosphere. Not formal...just your typical Japanese style decor. No need to dress fancy for this place. I have always gotten chicken or shrimp, which comes with fried rice, vegies, and miso soup. Delicious! More recently, at a company Christmas party, I got the Salmon, which was SO delicious. But, I digress. I noticed about 8-10 yrs ago that Kyoto started serving sushi. I am an avid sushi connoisseur and quickly determined that Kyoto was not the place to get sushi. I have held the same belief since then until recently when, at my company party, my boss ordered a sushi roll as an appetizer. I was SO impressed with the freshness of the roll that I convinced my husband to go with me last night specifically to eat sushi. We got the Marilyn Monroe roll and the H.P. roll. We also got the Yellowtail Hamachi. Everything was so fresh and delicious. My husband and I can detect fish that isn't fresh a mile away and this clearly wasn't the case here. Also, the staff was so friendly and you could tell they were having fun working together. They have a small sushi bar where you can watch the sushi chefs make your rolls, etc. and they were so friendly and were having a good time as well. So, if you love sushi or just a fun, clean, comfortable atmosphere with great non-sushi, then GO THERE!
(5)
Natalie F.
Been frequenting this place for years and the owners always remember me and my family when we come in. We typically dine in for the sushi and it is so so delicious! We leave happy every time. Awesome place to go and feel welcome.
(5)
Darien S.
Overall just an okay experience at this place. The food was decent, but the show was not all that impressive. The chef focused more on cooking the food and preparing to leave the hibachi grill. He had messed up several times during his performance and did not say much during the entire event. If you are hungry and want food fast, then this is the place to be. Otherwise, if you want the full hibachi experience, I would try out some other place.
(3)
Christina M.
I used to take my kids there when I first moved from CA to Boise back in 92 so they been around a while, best for lunch I think otherwise pretty average to good food. Decor needs revamping and they still serve lame out of the bag type american salad coming from europe and after dinning in major cities I guess I am a little more critical and Boise has improved believe me! I am not into the whole show by my grill thing I just want great food otherwise why pay to eat out?
(3)
Rachel Z.
Very friendly staff! Husband and I split the filet mignon and chicken dish! Plenty of food for 2! We were seated very fast! Watching our food be prepared in front of us was fun and memorable, sweet fire and other effects! We wanted to order the pineapple boat desset which is just a half of pineapple but they were out.. Our waitress was super sweet and apologetic. The soup and salad is gross. But the main dish is AmAzInG!! Fresh hot tasty! Also BEST FRIED RICE I HAVE EVER HAD! And the chef was awesome!
(4)
John W.
Sushi is awesome and so is the terriyaki,Friendly staff and really fun for parties. My family and i really enjoy this place. My favorite roll is the sugar daddy. I would recoomend this place to anyone.Can be a bit spendy but overall a great place.
(4)
Kelly M.
Pretty good. The waitstaff were very attentive which was great. The food was ok. Although I don't eat sushi, I here it is great here. Could not here the cook over all of the noise. He also seemed sick as he was coughing while cooking. Kind of a turn off. Overall not a bad experience, not the best either.
(3)
Paul M.
Great sushi and fun dinner experience!
(5)
Chryssa R.
The entertainment aspect was fun and the waitstaff was fantastic, but the food was not very good. The noodle dish I ordered was very oily with little flavor, and the shrimp were way overcooked and tough. The atmosphere was noisy and hot with a heavy layer of grease hanging in the air.
(2)
Jon G.
I believe it is Boise's best kept secret. My wife I have been going here since we move to Boise in 2004. It is family owned and run and the always treat everyone with great respect, humor, stories and the most incredible sushi rolls I have had anywhere. I grew up in Las Vegas with some incredible sushi restaurants and this matches them all. The decor is casual, it's old and there is nothing pretencious about the place, the plum wine as yummie, Earnie runs the sushi bar and everything is alway fresh, and prepared to perfection. They have a small sushi eating area and then a large Tepanyaki room. The habachi seating is a must for parties, and the chefs are well trained and food is excellent. As you are reading this beware that the link to there website doesn't work it takes you to some restaurant in TX it's not this restaurant. I am going to have to let them know! @Tim, this isn't a rating service. I have been to and enjoy many 5 star restautants, I give it 5 stars because it's a personal top for me not because of a rating system. I would rather go where I feel like a five star rather than what some snob rates as a five star!!! Just my 2 cents worth. Try it once I don't believe you will be unhappy!
(5)
Shelby K.
Best sushi in Boise!! Actually, I've rarely had better sushi anywhere and all my out-of-town guests have agreed. The staff is extremely friendly. The sushi area is small so you may have to wait but it's worth it. You can also bring your own wine and drink it without a corkage fee.
(5)
Tao L.
Good lunch place. Servers are nice.
(4)
Jenn c.
Our visit to Kyoto was just ok. The food wasn't bad, the rice, soup and veggies were great, the shrimp was also good. We got a few pieces of Nigiri, which were just ok, but definitely not bad. The hibachi halibut steak was overcooked and tasted a little fishy, granted we are fresh seafood eaters and are a little picky, but it was definitely overcooked. The server was also a little off, she seemed as if she was about to have a breakdown, she was nice, but still a little rushed and scattered. I Am surprised at the 5 stars given to this place, this was definitely not 5 star worthy. Hope Boise has better steakhouses, or we will be pretty sad!
(3)
Lindsay L.
This is the best Sushi I've had in Boise (so far). I've been spoiled by Mikuni's in Sacramento, so my bar is set really high. The service is good and the sushi is fresh and prepared well. The sushi dining area is very small, so waiting is probable. The large teppanyaki section is great for larger groups though (especially if you have a mixed group of raw vs. non-raw eaters). The food is definitely yummy enough to recommend but not so amazing that I've stopped looking for the local sushi place that will make my taste buds sing.
(4)
James K.
Took the wife and family for her birthday, we had a great time at the hibachi grill, the cook was very personable and funny. The wait staff were on top of everything. Our party just raved over the food and I had some decent pieces of sushi too. Definitely go for the hibachi experience, I wouldn't recommend going strictly for the sushi because it's ok at best and is not what they are known for. Also don't pass on the fried rice it's really good.
(3)
Daria K.
In the pursuit of the best sushi place in town, my friends and I have been to most of the sushi restaurants in the area of Boise, and some were very good but pricey, others were recommended but had fish that tasted old. Kyoto remains my favorite sushi restaurant in Boise despite being mostly designed as a steakhouse. The fish is fresh, the special rolls and higher priced regular rolls have generous amounts of sauces on them, the service is fast, edamame and Miso soup are free with the sushi order, prices are very reasonable, and to Tim- the tea is free, just ask for it. The only few problems you might have- limited amount of seating in the sushi area, sushi selection might get a little tiring if you go there enough, but I have asked for rolls that were not listed on the menu and the itamae made them for me (see, Japanese burrito). The best rolls at Kyoto in my opinion- #9, Spicy Johnny, Happy Roll, Susan Roll, and Mary Roll.
(4)
Bree B.
love the salads and the show. Im getting better at catching shrimp every time.
(3)
Joseph H.
I gave a 2 stars for the entertainment....this was the best part of the whole experience. The services was slow until out section was full and then it was all show, the food, mediocre at best. For the kids, good place to take them!!!
(2)
Tim M.
Ok, let's set something straight right now, a 5-star restaurant is something like The Top of the Mark in San Francisco or something like that. This is NOT a 5-star despite what "Ronnie" wants you to believe. Maybe "Ronnie" is an Idaho native and one thing's for sure, their standards are *very* low. OK about the restaurant: This place is VERY popular with the local crowd, probably because of the hibachi show (Think Benihana). I believe the joint used to be a Shakey's as can be seen carved into the original concrete. The interior, if you look closely, is all worn and beat up with massive water stains in the ceiling tiles especially over the sushi bar. (a *tiny* sushi bar) The main tepanyaki (flat grill and show) prepared food is decent and well priced during lunch. (rice and meats) The side dishes fall well below the mark. Salad is western style w/croutons, small and not very tasty. They also serve a blah onion soup, probably catering to western tastes, but not very Japanese. Prices go up by around 50% at dinner so be prepared to get socked. The sushi side of things was a huge disappointment. The owner was not there, instead his wife was doing the slicing and dicing. Here they give you low quality miso soup. Our sushi was the biggest let-down. We got very tiny, paper thin (or shoji-thin!) pieces, the kind you'd expect at the $1.00 sushi boat place. Except these cost $4.00! That could only be categorized as a rip-off in my book. The fish was OK, and they did have a tasty No. 9 Kyoto roll, (shrimp, avocado, tobiko) but that didn't make up for their stingy portions. Also, they didn't serve any tea, guess you gotta ask for it or pay for it. If you want the grill tepanyaki show, a better place to go might be Ichiban. The best sushi place in town still remains Shige's.
(2)
Ronnie M.
Excelent food. Great show. Fantastic place to go for a special occasion.
(5)
Michelle S.
This is hands down my favorite sushi spot in Boise. I always get the spicy johnny role and a california roll. They are very consistent in their preparation, they are super speedy and super friendly as well. I can only review their sushi as I have yet to try their tepanyaki... I mean, why would you deviate from something you enjoy so much! Definitely go here if you want fresh, delicious and AFFORDABLE sushi... some places get crazy with their prices and frankly, homie don't play that.
(5)
Erek K.
Great, unassuming spot in Boise off Fairview Ave. Caught my eye and I strolled in. It front it looked empty but once inside It was packed as parking is in the back. TEPPAN Stations throughout and a sushi bar in the corner it's nice and packed and pretty traditional looking. Sat down at the sushi bar and ordered straight from the owner. Yellow tail, California rolls and at his suggestion the Johnny roll which is spicy tuna, fried yellow tail, avocado with eel, eel sauce, spicy mayo and sriracha on top. It was ALL amazing and easy on the pocket book as far as sushi goes.
(4)
Kelly S.
We love Kyoto and our favorite grill chef is Ben. He has a great sense of humor, we always ask for his grill. The food is always great and I always ask for extra hibachi veggies. 2 of my favorites are the hibachi salmon or the filet. Both are very good. We took my granddaughters for the first time last year, ages 6 & 3, they loved the entertainment. Was so fun to see their reactions to the fire and the slice and dice action. Definitely recommend for lunch or dinner. You will not be disappointed.
(4)
Austin K.
Don't let size fool you lol!!! Very good food sushi and habachi also very nice and pilot waitress definitely comparable to shoguns or Benihana's
(5)
Scott N.
I've driven pas this place 100 times (more, actually) and never really took note of it. My wife loves Benihana and this was very much like that format. Although they have a few individual tables (probably for overflow where people didn't make reservations) you sit at a "U" shaped table for 10 with a flat top where the chef does his magic, flips a shrimp in your mouth, makes an onion volcano, and cooks your meal. It's foodertainment. I made a reservation well in advance of Valentine's Day and had no problem getting in at the established time. There was probably 20 minutes or so between the appointed reservation and the time the chef arrived at the table. Between seating & waiting for the chef, we received drinks, ordered, and received a small salad. Then the foodertainment. The food is somewhat secondary to the show. It was good. They have shrimp, steak, and lobster as their three main dishes in various combinations. They also had some combinations with scallops, but not in the combination I desired so I asked the waiter if they could combination I wanted & he accommodated my order. I thought I'd probably have to pay more for that change, but when I received our bill, it was affordable & I didn't notice any change in the core $19.99 price (the price for steak & lobster is much more). With beers & meals, I think our bill was $80-something, so with tip, we got out of there around $100. I consider that a win. I'd take my lovely bride here again, no doubt.
(4)
Mercedes C.
Went there for my wedding anniversary had the Royal dinner for two included shrimp chicken steak soup veggies salad and a dessert all for about $42 then add drinks and 1 sake and tip drop about $70 well worth it food cooked at your table by an entertaining chef can't wait to go again going to take the kiddo
(5)
Kim R.
I had been here a few times, years ago, and was pleased to try it again for a recent UYE arranged by Ophelia. The dozen or so of us sat at one of the several Teppanyaki stations and, although most ordered sushi, chef Ben interacted with all of us nicely. I ordered the Tako salad, Rainbow roll, and Hokkigai nigiri. I really enjoyed all three. The Tako salad, however, was a VERY mall portion for the price. I would not recommend getting it here. The Rainbow roll was absolutely delicious and was very reasonable. Hokkigai is my favorite, and I was so pleased to see it on the menu! At the end of the meal, the waitress brought our checks. Mine was very wrong due to a misunderstanding on the waitress' part. Because I was with a group, I decided not to make a big deal out of it. I did mention it to her once, and she didn't see fit to apologize or make any adjustment. Driving home, I decided that I really did need to speak with the manager to give him or her the opportunity to make things right. After an unnecessarily lengthy discussion, the manager asked me if I wanted to have it taken out of the waitress' tips. I said no, but that the restaurant needed to assure that the mistake was corrected. She offered a small adjustment, then offered to "split it" with me. (Seriously?!) So now, after my complaint and two objections, she finally made a better (although not complete) adjustment. Sushi was great, our service was very good for a group of this size. I will, however, be exceedingly clear when ordering next time and hope another mistake doesn't happen.
(4)
Ophelia M.
I arranged a Sushi-Outing UYE here on a Tuesday night. Kyoto was lovely to work with. They happily took our reservations, even though, at first, I didn't have a fixed number for them. I had initially made reservations for 6 but warned it could grow to 12. I called back the day before to say it looked like we'd be closer to 12 than 6. And, good thing I did because we ended up with 12 (possibly 13?) attendees. Kyoto was friendly and helpful throughout the reservation process and not the least bit impatient with the changing numbers. I arrived early to make sure everything was set. Kyoto had a plan in place and were completely prepared for our arrival. Having planned several group outings in the past, I can say restaurants are not always so on the ball. Kyoto really deserves recognition for having been so thoughtfully prepared for our arrival. Now, part of my motivation for planning the UYE (other than obviously the desire to meet all the fabulous yelpers!) was to get a little more sushi-proficient. My main dining companion doesn't care for sushi and so it has just never really made it on my dining out rotation. Boise yelpers to the rescue! All that attended were very generous with their wealth of sushi knowledge. So, having said that, I am certainly not a sushi expert. I did try some of the Co-op's offerings leading up to our visit here, as well as Trader Joe's, and a couple bites at Mai Thai. I will say this: Of all the sushi I've tried, Kyoto's was the best. We began with Miso soup, which was scrumptious. Boise Yelper Kim R., then shared her octopus salad with us. I have never tried octopus salad before and was completely surprised at it's deliciousness. I guess I was expecting it to be kind of chewy--but it was not in the least. Fellow yelper, Shelle M and I, each ordered a roll and then shared with each other so that we could both try more than one roll. I ordered the Austin roll and she the Ernie (I think?). Both were out of this world. They were both ample and seriously delish. I also tried a bite of hokkigai nigiri which was amazing (another one I was a little tentative about but needn't have been!). And, some sort of egg that was the star of the show for me--sweet, light, and lovely. The service was a little spotty as we did have a snafu with on one of the checks (WAY overcharged). The server didn't budge on the amount while we were there. But, I was happy to learn that management DID make it right and refund her the amount she was overcharged. Some in our party ordered hot food and Ben, our chef, was entertaining on the grill. He put on quite a show and was funny to boot. Overall, great sushi, and a great time with fellow yelpers! I will definitely be back! I may even get my main dining companion to give sushi another try at Kyoto! They may just convert him to a sushi enthusiast! Fingers crossed! Get to it!
(4)
Katie M.
My hubby and I enjoyed our visit to Kyoto. We sat at the Tepenyaki (sp) grill. We ordered the spicy tuna & 911 rolls. Very good!! my husband ordered the teriyaki chicken and enjoyed it. We loved our chef....especially the shrimp tosses! It was a nice touch to give everyone samples of shrimp!
(5)
S R.
I've been eating at Kyoto for 24 years as of 2015. I've been to many other Japanese Hibachi style restaurants over the years in Boise and abroad and this place is my favorite, hands down. Great service, great food, great atmosphere!
(5)
Kristin M.
Kyoto is one of my favorite restaurants in Boise. The sushi is amazing (Marilyn roll and spicy Johnny are my personal favorites.) Relaxed atmosphere and friendly staff. A good place to go if you're craving sushi and you're with friends who won't eat it. The teriyaki steak is good too. Something for everyone. Family friendly as well.
(5)
Alisha L.
The hibachi dinners are fun and delicious. The cooks are very nice and entertaining. The prices are very reasonable for this type of dinner and portions are large. The sushi sucks, so don't go for that. The fried rice and pretty much anything hibachi is great. This place gets pretty busy so try to get their early when they open at 4pm.
(4)
Charles B.
A grill similar to Benihana with performing chefs, etc.. Visiting such a place is an interesting life experience, but not an everyday lunch.
(4)
Justin H.
We've never done the Benihana, hibachi style dinner here. Just sushi. It stank and was fishy. Don't eat sushi here. Why in the world do so many yelpers rave about the sushi? Try Maru sushi! And I've heard Yoi Tomo is good, too. Or Sono Bana. Or That place on 8th in the building... Best Sushi. But Mari is our favorite.
(2)
Melissa K.
Attended my first UYE here this evening and brought along the hubby. Atmosphere was definitely more conducive to a Japanese steak house style restaurant, in which you are seated at grilling stations. Not sure that I actually saw a sushi station anywhere. In this particular case, this seating configuration worked out well. As I think all members of our group felt apart of conversation. Only two people ordered something that could be prepared on the grill, which was definitely very entertaining to watch. The chef was very engaging and humorous. I was also impressed that he still involved everyone in the group in the presentation. Server was friendly and moderately attentive. Considering the unique situation of serving 13 people, each as individual checks but seated as a party, must be a waitresses nightmare. Her assistant on the other hand seemed young and maybe a little new at customer service. My hubby and I shared 3 sushi rolls. The Rainbow Roll, The Spicy Johnny Roll and The Mary Roll. All three came out together on a nice presentation plate. Cuts of fish were well proportioned and good fish to rice ratio. I liked the sauces they used on the Spicy Johnny and The Mary. We also ordered a couple pieces of Unagi. I feel like this usually makes or breaks a sushi experience for me. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised on the cut of fish and the tender sweet flavor. So glad I saved this piece for last! We were also given a bowl of miso soup and edamame to start. The miso was delicious and very flavorful. The edamame was okay. I like mine to be salted and warm, neither of which I experienced here. Pricing per roll was average to other similar places in the area. All in all, I would give them a go again if someone wanted to eat here. But I don't know that I would necessarily make a special trip just to come to this specific restaurant for sushi.
(4)
Kendrick E.
Nope will never eat there again. Passed by there so much decided to have my birthday dinner there. Service was slow and if you're waiting long enough you will see everything that they're going to do at your table. Top it all off we paid the most money to see everyone get served the same thing. It all taste burned and bland. I will not play with my food and catch hot shrimp in my mouth. So over priced for the food u r getting.
(1)
Kristen W.
Went here for my birthday and had a blast. Food was good, service was good and I got a discreet birthday icecream bowl :)
(5)
Jo L.
This was my first time at one of these Japanese steak houses and it was a great experience. The staff was extremely nice and made us feel at home. The showmanship of our chef was entertaining. The food was not "off the charts" fabulous but I really liked my scallops. The steak was alright. It was prepared well but was a bit bland. However, there were some dipping sauces to pair with the steak which perked it up a bit. The sushi was pretty good. I don't have much experience with sushi so I can honestly say, it was some of the best sushi I've ever had!! I didn't pay for my meal, and could pretty much order whatever the hell I wanted, cost be damned so, the price was juuuust right! Sincerely, this was a very enjoyable dining experience and I would definitely hit Kyoto again if I find myself in Boise. From my one and only experience here, I would suggest making a reservation for BEFORE 7pm. We had a reservation for 6pm on a Friday evening and almost immediately after we arrived, there was a queue of 20 people waiting.
(4)
Rick F.
Great atmosphere for a fun and yummy night out with spouse. Not too fancy and not to dialed down either. The food is great as well as the pricing. It gets packed at times so call ahead.
(4)
Steven B.
The Ernie Roll and Austin Roll tasted pretty much exactly the same. They were pretty good though. Not a very wide flavor selection. Seemed like every roll had shrimp, and tuna in it.
(3)
Diane L.
I honestly can not believe there are any bad reviews for Kyoto...This is my family's favorite place to eat!! We can't ever decide what's the best part, there is so much to love about this place. As a rule, we always sit at one of the grills so we can enjoy hibachi food, sushi AND the entertainment! At the grills they start you off with a yummy onion soup and a side salad with a delicious sesame dressing. The menu has a large variety of food options to be prepared right in front of you, from Yakisoba noodles to a tasty veggie plate or from teriyaki chicken to Filet, lobster, and shrimp. My personal favorite is their Teriyaki Salmon, my son loves the imitation crab plate and my Husband like to get fancy with the Idaho Imperial meal ( Filet mignon, shrimp and lobster tail). We have definitely strayed from these favorites and tried other items and have enjoyed every meal we've had there. They also serve most plates with a side of grilled veggies, 2 sauces and your choice of white or friend rice (Trust me,the up-charge is worth it!). Along with the delicious food, the staff here are so great! All of our hosts/hostesses, and servers have been amazing! The sushi chefs are always so nice and helpful too. The grill chefs are so entertaining! They do the typical onion volcano, egg in the hat, and shrimp tossing, that you expect to see in these type of restaurants,but for some reason I find the chefs here more enjoyable than in any other place. It's one of the reasons we keep coming back. I simply can not end this super long review with out mentioning the Sushi. Hands down, it's the best in town, and trust me I have tried a lot of sushi places in town! I have never had a piece or roll that tasted fishy or old... Our favorite roll is the Spicy Johnny. I never go to this place with out having one, period. We also really enjoy the Marilyn, Ernie, Mary, and 911. Actually we've never had a roll we didn't like! Their nigiri is so great as well. It always taste fresh and delicious. This restaurant is moderately priced, definitely not the cheapest place in town, but with the amount and quality of food you get, it is well worth it. The exterior and interior are a little dated, but I think that's part of it's charm, though I can see where it would be off-putting to some. This is also a hot spot for birthdays, so if you plan on eating here Friday-Sunday evening, you might want to call ahead and make reservations, or you may have a bit of a wait. If you have not tried Kyoto, I suggest you make plans to now!
(5)
Curt P.
Our favorite Japanese place in The Treasure Valley. Always fun when sitting around the grill watching them whip up the food, good food, good service.
(5)
Sarah S.
One of my favourite restaurants in Boise! Hibachi is fun to watch,excellent to eat. Sushi is good,too. Have to say the service is average but decent. Friendly staff, good food. Not a place to bring a picky eater though.
(5)
Kevin K.
From the outside this place doesn't look like much and I'd say the same for the interior decor........somewhat forgettable. However when it comes to the food, it was pretty good. I had the sushi and was very happy with the three rolls (Mary roll, spicy johnny, rainbow roll) and unagi. The rolls were a good size and had lots of flavor, probably due to the well pared sauces on them. The unagi was a surprisingly large cut and well outweighed the rice. The service was average and I found them to be more entertaining than accomidating.
(4)
Josh H.
I am usually wary of Japanese steakhouse's as the environment of the restaurant as well as the people you dine with always play a large role in the experience. The teppanyaki chef was hands down one of the best I have ever had. Not only cooked the meal to perfection but provided some great entertainment as well.
(4)
Corey M.
Love the sushi! I have been here many, many times and in my opinion they have the best rolls in boise, however, I was very disappointed in the service we received last night. When ordering I said I wanted the Valerie and Bill and Tim rolls. My friend corrected me and said wait, didn't you want the vicki? I said oops yes I mean the Vicki and Bill and Tim. When our order came out she brought me all three rolls. I told her I had only wanted two so she initially took the Valerie back. A few minutes later she came back and said "I don't eat raw fish and if you don't pay for this I have to eat the cost so will you take it?" There were 5 of us at the restaurant. We all felt awkward and said sure. In my opinion that is unexceptable. All 4 of my friends clearly heard me correct my order. The waitress was not listening so instead of apologizing we ended up paying for her mistake. Unfortunately sushi doesn't keep well.
(2)
Jennifer H.
****Lunch Only Review**** I wanted to go somewhere special for my Adoption Day but I had work later that day so my mom and I decided to go here...I was longing for the days of Yamatos in Trazana,CA... We walked in and were seated right away...the service was great...the good was yummy...even though I would rather have had miso soup instead of the onion...the cook came...and was fun...i enjoyed my meal...
(3)
Husky D.
Friendly staff and yummy food! Great for family and work team building.
(5)
Melanie A.
This is my favorite sushi restaurant in Boise. Service is excellent, food is delicious. Weekly ritual. Only downside is sometimes there isn't enough seating.
(5)
TheStranger 2.
Very disappointing experience. Crowded and a long wait to be seated. Average food, slow service. Not impressed at all.
(2)
Jared P.
This is our family's special occasion restaurant. I was pleasantly surprised to see a brighter interior. The tables, chairs and much of the panelling has been replaced with a lighter wood brightening up the interior. I like the change. The chefs seem to be less enthusiastic than we have had in the past, however we can all have off days, but the "show" was nice as always, just not as enthusiastic as they have been in the past. All of the staff was cheerful and pleasant refilling drinks quickly and being generally very personable. We will be back and likely within a month as spring is busy with birthday celebrations.
I've driven past this place for about 10 years, never giving it a second thought. Last weekend we went here for a birthday party and I'm sad that I've been missing out on it all these years! The place is somewhat small but completely packed on a Saturday night. We sat around the hibachi grill which was great entertainment. Everyone that ordered sushi thought it was delicious, those that ate from the grill also enjoyed their food. This is a great place to go for gluten free! They will substitute gluten free soy sauce if you ask during ordering. They are very careful to keep glutened-food separate on the grill so there is essentially no risk of cross contamination. This place would be even better with a full bar but there are plenty of beer and wine selections.
(4)
Maggie R.
One of Boise's best unexpected gems. Not fancy outside or in, but a fantastic dining experience that is fun for the whole family, and great food, too. Everything is always great here.
(5)
Sheila S.
Tapenyaki was fun, and delicious! 911 ROLL is hot, but perfect on the taste buds. We also had the seared white ahi tuna, which is to die for! Definitely will be returning for hot sake and food again soon!
(4)
Shelly T.
We decided to try tepanyaki since we usually just eat at sushi bars. The service was awesome. Our waiter was always checking on us, making sure we liked the food and were okay on our beverages. Although the chef didn't put on too much of a show, the food was delicious. We also ordered sushi. One of the best around Boise we've tried. Definitely a must go. We went around lunch time. I've heard dinner is a lot more crowded.
(5)
Farrah S.
Awesome experience! Wonderful wait staff and chef. Food was fabulous, especially the filet. Can't wait to try their sushi.
(5)
Cassandra Michele P.
I cannot say how much I love this place! My fiance & I come here as often as we can. We usually sit at the grill & get their Royal Dinner for Two and it never ceases to satisfy. This is the only place I will eat sushi from. Like the food on the grill, you can watch them make it, and its not fishy at all. Our favorites are the Spicy Tuna & the Ernie Roll. The flavors blend so well. The staff is always so nice, they know what we order and they know how we like it. We recommend this place to all of our friends looking for outstanding sushi. This place is better than Tepanyaki and just as good as Ichiban (which used to be on Broadway.) Family friendly and very welcoming as well. We have never had a bad experience here.
(5)
Caroline T.
Love the food! Service was friendly and food was tasty. Only complaint was that the interior was kind of dingy and dark, similar to a bar atmosphere almost.
(4)
Etha C.
The sushi is always excellent. This time we had sushi and the steak. The tepenyaki style food was fair. I would go again and just order sushi.
(3)
Shelby M.
I have been to Kyoto a couple different times and have been impressed both times! The hibachi is great, their sushi is amazing! Only thing I would recommend is possibly getting more tables for people who are just there to eat sushi. I was at Kyoto ok Valentine's with my best friend and all we were wanting was sushi but we got sat with people who were there for hibachi and they all got there food while we were still waiting on our sushi. Just a thought! I will be visiting here many more times in the future!
(4)
April B.
Amazing! Loved being able to watch the food prepared right in front of me! Will go back again soon!
(5)
Thea J.
This place is amazing! The food is great and the service is right on que. Very afforadable, my husband and I always split an entree and order a roll of sushi its more than enough for the both of us. My 4 year old loves the food show and it is a nice place to switch up your typical dinner out... hands down love it here!
(5)
D T.
Fantastic food, but only one problem: it's always busy, and once we reserved a reservation and it took over 30 minutes for us to sit down at one of those tables. But very good place to eat for a special occasion.
(4)
Gabe U.
Food is great! Period. This place must be family orientated because the customer service is excellent! There is no better Japanese place to eat in Boise. Yes, I have eaten at all the other places but this is it... It does compare to the places in Seattle, San Francisco, San Diego, and Yokota Air Base in Japan. I am thankful we have such a high quality place to eat great Japanese food... Gabe
(5)
Ruben O.
I really enjoyed the friendly atmosphere here. I visited Kyoto's while on a business trip. The owners made me feel welcome and at home. Some Japanese resto's can be a little reserved but not here. This only complimented the delicious sushi. On this nite I had the salmon, tuna, and yellow tail. All were fresh and tasty. The salmon was especially tasty. It was so tasty I decided to take an order of spicy tuna roll and gyoza to go. Good Eats!!!
(4)
Barb D.
I LOVE this place! My family, friends, and I have gone here for over a decade. The food ALWAYS tastes amazing, the service is ALWAYS great! We love the chefs, they are so entertaining and nice. We try to go 1-2 times a year as a special treat. It's not cheap, but definitely worth every penny! No one can beat the taste of their fried rice! If you need a great place to be at for 2 hours on a weekend, get your friends and family and bring them here! We always get the special where they cook you rice, mushroom soup, chicken, beef, and sushi (which they throw into the air and you can try and catch with your mouth) and then finish the night off with ice cream (and of course a fortune cookie!!!). 5 Stars hands down!
(5)
Elaine S.
I love this place, I wasn't sure about it, but my husband wanted to surprise ourselves. So we walked in, it was busy, but the hostess got us a seat within less than 5 minutes. The service fast and friendly, I like this place and it's very cheerful place (I think because it's hibachi place). I ordered beef yakisoba (noodle), 2 sushi (eel and tobiko), and my husband ordered teriyaki chicken. Beef yakisoba is OUTSTANDING! I could eat this everday, something about their yakisoba is amazing. I am asian and I should say their yakisoba is the best so far I could find in Idaho. It's authentic and so tasty. Oh try their fried rice too, it's really good! I ordered sushi for tobiko and eel which I know these ingredients are hard to find fresh ones. They are okay, the portion is generous for tobiko and price is great though. I would like try other sushi next time. Again, it's not sushi place, so maybe 3.5 stars for sushi. Teriyaki chicken is really good! My hubby is super picky about food and he loves this place. He gobbled it down very fast.. This place is generous with amount of food, and sauce too. No wonder their food taste amazing. Our chef was new, I could see he still learning how to crack all eggs but hey he really cooked great tasting food! I went to other hibachi restaurant weeks before, they are newer and bigger and more expensive. I don''t need to say which restaurant, but Kyoto is way better food than them.... :) We went to Kyoto last night and I want to go back there again tonight lol!
(5)
Joncee M.
awesome food and amazing staff. The sushi is to die for and the in house salad dressing is delish. I love how friendly and welcoming the owners are. they make my family feel important.
(5)
Ophelia M.
I arranged a Sushi-Outing UYE here on a Tuesday night. Kyoto was lovely to work with. They happily took our reservations, even though, at first, I didn't have a fixed number for them. I had initially made reservations for 6 but warned it could grow to 12. I called back the day before to say it looked like we'd be closer to 12 than 6. And, good thing I did because we ended up with 12 (possibly 13?) attendees. Kyoto was friendly and helpful throughout the reservation process and not the least bit impatient with the changing numbers. I arrived early to make sure everything was set. Kyoto had a plan in place and were completely prepared for our arrival. Having planned several group outings in the past, I can say restaurants are not always so on the ball. Kyoto really deserves recognition for having been so thoughtfully prepared for our arrival. Now, part of my motivation for planning the UYE (other than obviously the desire to meet all the fabulous yelpers!) was to get a little more sushi-proficient. My main dining companion doesn't care for sushi and so it has just never really made it on my dining out rotation. Boise yelpers to the rescue! All that attended were very generous with their wealth of sushi knowledge. So, having said that, I am certainly not a sushi expert. I did try some of the Co-op's offerings leading up to our visit here, as well as Trader Joe's, and a couple bites at Mai Thai. I will say this: Of all the sushi I've tried, Kyoto's was the best. We began with Miso soup, which was scrumptious. Boise Yelper Kim R., then shared her octopus salad with us. I have never tried octopus salad before and was completely surprised at it's deliciousness. I guess I was expecting it to be kind of chewy--but it was not in the least. Fellow yelper, Shelle M and I, each ordered a roll and then shared with each other so that we could both try more than one roll. I ordered the Austin roll and she the Ernie (I think?). Both were out of this world. They were both ample and seriously delish. I also tried a bite of hokkigai nigiri which was amazing (another one I was a little tentative about but needn't have been!). And, some sort of egg that was the star of the show for me--sweet, light, and lovely. The service was a little spotty as we did have a snafu with on one of the checks (WAY overcharged). The server didn't budge on the amount while we were there. But, I was happy to learn that management DID make it right and refund her the amount she was overcharged. Some in our party ordered hot food and Ben, our chef, was entertaining on the grill. He put on quite a show and was funny to boot. Overall, great sushi, and a great time with fellow yelpers! I will definitely be back! I may even get my main dining companion to give sushi another try at Kyoto! They may just convert him to a sushi enthusiast! Fingers crossed! Get to it!
(4)
Etha C.
The sushi is always excellent. This time we had sushi and the steak. The tepenyaki style food was fair. I would go again and just order sushi.
(3)
Shelby M.
I have been to Kyoto a couple different times and have been impressed both times! The hibachi is great, their sushi is amazing! Only thing I would recommend is possibly getting more tables for people who are just there to eat sushi. I was at Kyoto ok Valentine's with my best friend and all we were wanting was sushi but we got sat with people who were there for hibachi and they all got there food while we were still waiting on our sushi. Just a thought! I will be visiting here many more times in the future!
(4)
ILove Foo D.
My husband and I went here recently on a wednesday night and when we walked into the restaurant it was packed! From the singing we learned that there were two huge birthday party groups there for the teppenyaki dinner and they were all having a blast! For sushi we were offered a table near the sushi bar which was available but that area was also soon packed as well. Right away we were brought miso soup and edamame which was nice. Our waitress was super sweet and upon noticing us struggling on what to order she asked if this was our first time here. When we told her it was she was so excited to tell us what is popular and even pointed out another list of sushi rolls located on the side of the table against the wall. We ordered a roll called the Mary from that list, and also got the Spicy Johnny and Marilyn Monroe. They were all very delicious even though in their presentation they all looked somewhat similar. The Spicy Johnny lives up to its name, the Mary had a nice tuna and salmon flavor with a bite of saltiness and the Marilyn Monroe was light and refreshing. We also shared a large Japanese beer and in the end it all only came to $35 before tip and we felt we definitely got our money's worth! The staff are super friendly! I like to observe staff and patron interaction and there was a ton of it here. The teppanyaki patrons consisted of all ages together having fun and just watching them trying to catch their food in their mouth provided us with plenty of dinnertime entertainment. You can tell there are a lot of "regulars" here by the way the staff interact with them and I was really surprised at how busy it was for the middle of the week! There was a really sweet somewhat older asian lady who talked with several patrons and when one man and his son were leaving she called out "bye" to them and said to the little boy "Bye handsome!" I thought it was cute. Not long after that she walked by our table, stopped and turned to my husband, and poured the remainder of his beer in his glass for him. Too cute! I have NEVER seen that done before. If I had to have a complaint it would only be that the water glasses have a lot of mineral deposits on them from hard water and that can sometimes be a turnoff. The sushi ginger was not very strong and also the decor could use some refreshing. Kyoto seems like a wonderful family owned establishment that has been around for years and years. I only regret not going before now. We will be back and will definitely be having the teppanyaki!
(4)
Mary N.
I'm a big fan of Sushi and have had my share of Sushi in California. When I moved to Idaho last year, I was very hesitant to try the Sushi here. I believe my husband and I were going out for a date and he raved so much about Kyoto that I gave in and decided to try it. From the outside it reminded me of Sushi places back home. The inside was a bit small for my liking but I've been in smaller. We were seated at a small table but the workers there really made me feel like I was sitting at home having dinner. They really make you feel like family when you walk in. The Sushi was great and my overall experience was not bad. I would definitely go back here again.
(4)
Daria K.
In the pursuit of the best sushi place in town, my friends and I have been to most of the sushi restaurants in the area of Boise, and some were very good but pricey, others were recommended but had fish that tasted old. Kyoto remains my favorite sushi restaurant in Boise despite being mostly designed as a steakhouse. The fish is fresh, the special rolls and higher priced regular rolls have generous amounts of sauces on them, the service is fast, edamame and Miso soup are free with the sushi order, prices are very reasonable, and to Tim- the tea is free, just ask for it. The only few problems you might have- limited amount of seating in the sushi area, sushi selection might get a little tiring if you go there enough, but I have asked for rolls that were not listed on the menu and the itamae made them for me (see, Japanese burrito). The best rolls at Kyoto in my opinion- #9, Spicy Johnny, Happy Roll, Susan Roll, and Mary Roll.
(4)
Bree B.
love the salads and the show. Im getting better at catching shrimp every time.
(3)
Joseph H.
I gave a 2 stars for the entertainment....this was the best part of the whole experience. The services was slow until out section was full and then it was all show, the food, mediocre at best. For the kids, good place to take them!!!
(2)
Tim M.
Ok, let's set something straight right now, a 5-star restaurant is something like The Top of the Mark in San Francisco or something like that. This is NOT a 5-star despite what "Ronnie" wants you to believe. Maybe "Ronnie" is an Idaho native and one thing's for sure, their standards are *very* low. OK about the restaurant: This place is VERY popular with the local crowd, probably because of the hibachi show (Think Benihana). I believe the joint used to be a Shakey's as can be seen carved into the original concrete. The interior, if you look closely, is all worn and beat up with massive water stains in the ceiling tiles especially over the sushi bar. (a *tiny* sushi bar) The main tepanyaki (flat grill and show) prepared food is decent and well priced during lunch. (rice and meats) The side dishes fall well below the mark. Salad is western style w/croutons, small and not very tasty. They also serve a blah onion soup, probably catering to western tastes, but not very Japanese. Prices go up by around 50% at dinner so be prepared to get socked. The sushi side of things was a huge disappointment. The owner was not there, instead his wife was doing the slicing and dicing. Here they give you low quality miso soup. Our sushi was the biggest let-down. We got very tiny, paper thin (or shoji-thin!) pieces, the kind you'd expect at the $1.00 sushi boat place. Except these cost $4.00! That could only be categorized as a rip-off in my book. The fish was OK, and they did have a tasty No. 9 Kyoto roll, (shrimp, avocado, tobiko) but that didn't make up for their stingy portions. Also, they didn't serve any tea, guess you gotta ask for it or pay for it. If you want the grill tepanyaki show, a better place to go might be Ichiban. The best sushi place in town still remains Shige's.
(2)
Ronnie M.
Excelent food. Great show. Fantastic place to go for a special occasion.
(5)
Ruben O.
I really enjoyed the friendly atmosphere here. I visited Kyoto's while on a business trip. The owners made me feel welcome and at home. Some Japanese resto's can be a little reserved but not here. This only complimented the delicious sushi. On this nite I had the salmon, tuna, and yellow tail. All were fresh and tasty. The salmon was especially tasty. It was so tasty I decided to take an order of spicy tuna roll and gyoza to go. Good Eats!!!
(4)
Barb D.
I LOVE this place! My family, friends, and I have gone here for over a decade. The food ALWAYS tastes amazing, the service is ALWAYS great! We love the chefs, they are so entertaining and nice. We try to go 1-2 times a year as a special treat. It's not cheap, but definitely worth every penny! No one can beat the taste of their fried rice! If you need a great place to be at for 2 hours on a weekend, get your friends and family and bring them here! We always get the special where they cook you rice, mushroom soup, chicken, beef, and sushi (which they throw into the air and you can try and catch with your mouth) and then finish the night off with ice cream (and of course a fortune cookie!!!). 5 Stars hands down!
(5)
Elaine S.
I love this place, I wasn't sure about it, but my husband wanted to surprise ourselves. So we walked in, it was busy, but the hostess got us a seat within less than 5 minutes. The service fast and friendly, I like this place and it's very cheerful place (I think because it's hibachi place). I ordered beef yakisoba (noodle), 2 sushi (eel and tobiko), and my husband ordered teriyaki chicken. Beef yakisoba is OUTSTANDING! I could eat this everday, something about their yakisoba is amazing. I am asian and I should say their yakisoba is the best so far I could find in Idaho. It's authentic and so tasty. Oh try their fried rice too, it's really good! I ordered sushi for tobiko and eel which I know these ingredients are hard to find fresh ones. They are okay, the portion is generous for tobiko and price is great though. I would like try other sushi next time. Again, it's not sushi place, so maybe 3.5 stars for sushi. Teriyaki chicken is really good! My hubby is super picky about food and he loves this place. He gobbled it down very fast.. This place is generous with amount of food, and sauce too. No wonder their food taste amazing. Our chef was new, I could see he still learning how to crack all eggs but hey he really cooked great tasting food! I went to other hibachi restaurant weeks before, they are newer and bigger and more expensive. I don''t need to say which restaurant, but Kyoto is way better food than them.... :) We went to Kyoto last night and I want to go back there again tonight lol!
(5)
Joncee M.
awesome food and amazing staff. The sushi is to die for and the in house salad dressing is delish. I love how friendly and welcoming the owners are. they make my family feel important.
(5)
Loralee P.
I really wish that I would've had a better experience. We never, ever should have gone on New Years Day. I feel generous giving 2 stars. I have been to a lot of teppanyaki grills on the east coast so I had expectations. The first problem: We came in and asked for service for 2 and she told us 15-20 minutes. It was over 45 minutes to be seated. We should have left after 20 minutes. Second problem: We were given seats at a table that had the worst draft ever from the door. Every single time someone entered, a very cold wind swept over us. We should have left when we were given those seats. I kept my big winter jacket on and hat and I was still cold throughout the dinner. I asked for the "yum yum" sauce and he said to me "you're not on the east coast anymore". Who would've thought yum-yum sauce was a region thing? Bummer. The cook's tricks were average. The food was below average. The chicken was dry, and there wasn't even any of the noodles that I love at teppanyaki grills. I had to go find a waitress to get water. Awful service. Didn't try the Sushi, so I can't speak for that.
(2)
Kevin B.
Love the food and the staff. Great family owned place that takes good care of it's patrons. My daughter always wants to have her birthdays there.
(5)
Jennifer W.
This is one of Boise's best kept sushi secrets. I have been going to Kyoto for 20 years for special dinners with family and friends. It is so fun to have the chefs cook at your table. The chefs are almost always funny and entertaining and very talented. Both adults and kids love this about Kyoto. It's a fun, comfortable atmosphere. Not formal...just your typical Japanese style decor. No need to dress fancy for this place. I have always gotten chicken or shrimp, which comes with fried rice, vegies, and miso soup. Delicious! More recently, at a company Christmas party, I got the Salmon, which was SO delicious. But, I digress. I noticed about 8-10 yrs ago that Kyoto started serving sushi. I am an avid sushi connoisseur and quickly determined that Kyoto was not the place to get sushi. I have held the same belief since then until recently when, at my company party, my boss ordered a sushi roll as an appetizer. I was SO impressed with the freshness of the roll that I convinced my husband to go with me last night specifically to eat sushi. We got the Marilyn Monroe roll and the H.P. roll. We also got the Yellowtail Hamachi. Everything was so fresh and delicious. My husband and I can detect fish that isn't fresh a mile away and this clearly wasn't the case here. Also, the staff was so friendly and you could tell they were having fun working together. They have a small sushi bar where you can watch the sushi chefs make your rolls, etc. and they were so friendly and were having a good time as well. So, if you love sushi or just a fun, clean, comfortable atmosphere with great non-sushi, then GO THERE!
(5)
Natalie F.
Been frequenting this place for years and the owners always remember me and my family when we come in. We typically dine in for the sushi and it is so so delicious! We leave happy every time. Awesome place to go and feel welcome.
(5)
Rachel Z.
Very friendly staff! Husband and I split the filet mignon and chicken dish! Plenty of food for 2! We were seated very fast! Watching our food be prepared in front of us was fun and memorable, sweet fire and other effects! We wanted to order the pineapple boat desset which is just a half of pineapple but they were out.. Our waitress was super sweet and apologetic. The soup and salad is gross. But the main dish is AmAzInG!! Fresh hot tasty! Also BEST FRIED RICE I HAVE EVER HAD! And the chef was awesome!
(4)
John W.
Sushi is awesome and so is the terriyaki,Friendly staff and really fun for parties. My family and i really enjoy this place. My favorite roll is the sugar daddy. I would recoomend this place to anyone.Can be a bit spendy but overall a great place.
(4)
Kelly M.
Pretty good. The waitstaff were very attentive which was great. The food was ok. Although I don't eat sushi, I here it is great here. Could not here the cook over all of the noise. He also seemed sick as he was coughing while cooking. Kind of a turn off. Overall not a bad experience, not the best either.
(3)
Paul M.
Great sushi and fun dinner experience!
(5)
Chryssa R.
The entertainment aspect was fun and the waitstaff was fantastic, but the food was not very good. The noodle dish I ordered was very oily with little flavor, and the shrimp were way overcooked and tough. The atmosphere was noisy and hot with a heavy layer of grease hanging in the air.
(2)
Jon G.
I believe it is Boise's best kept secret. My wife I have been going here since we move to Boise in 2004. It is family owned and run and the always treat everyone with great respect, humor, stories and the most incredible sushi rolls I have had anywhere. I grew up in Las Vegas with some incredible sushi restaurants and this matches them all. The decor is casual, it's old and there is nothing pretencious about the place, the plum wine as yummie, Earnie runs the sushi bar and everything is alway fresh, and prepared to perfection. They have a small sushi eating area and then a large Tepanyaki room. The habachi seating is a must for parties, and the chefs are well trained and food is excellent. As you are reading this beware that the link to there website doesn't work it takes you to some restaurant in TX it's not this restaurant. I am going to have to let them know! @Tim, this isn't a rating service. I have been to and enjoy many 5 star restautants, I give it 5 stars because it's a personal top for me not because of a rating system. I would rather go where I feel like a five star rather than what some snob rates as a five star!!! Just my 2 cents worth. Try it once I don't believe you will be unhappy!
(5)
Shelby K.
Best sushi in Boise!! Actually, I've rarely had better sushi anywhere and all my out-of-town guests have agreed. The staff is extremely friendly. The sushi area is small so you may have to wait but it's worth it. You can also bring your own wine and drink it without a corkage fee.
(5)
Tao L.
Good lunch place. Servers are nice.
(4)
Jenn c.
Our visit to Kyoto was just ok. The food wasn't bad, the rice, soup and veggies were great, the shrimp was also good. We got a few pieces of Nigiri, which were just ok, but definitely not bad. The hibachi halibut steak was overcooked and tasted a little fishy, granted we are fresh seafood eaters and are a little picky, but it was definitely overcooked. The server was also a little off, she seemed as if she was about to have a breakdown, she was nice, but still a little rushed and scattered. I Am surprised at the 5 stars given to this place, this was definitely not 5 star worthy. Hope Boise has better steakhouses, or we will be pretty sad!
(3)
Lindsay L.
This is the best Sushi I've had in Boise (so far). I've been spoiled by Mikuni's in Sacramento, so my bar is set really high. The service is good and the sushi is fresh and prepared well. The sushi dining area is very small, so waiting is probable. The large teppanyaki section is great for larger groups though (especially if you have a mixed group of raw vs. non-raw eaters). The food is definitely yummy enough to recommend but not so amazing that I've stopped looking for the local sushi place that will make my taste buds sing.
(4)
James K.
Took the wife and family for her birthday, we had a great time at the hibachi grill, the cook was very personable and funny. The wait staff were on top of everything. Our party just raved over the food and I had some decent pieces of sushi too. Definitely go for the hibachi experience, I wouldn't recommend going strictly for the sushi because it's ok at best and is not what they are known for. Also don't pass on the fried rice it's really good.
(3)
Darien S.
Overall just an okay experience at this place. The food was decent, but the show was not all that impressive. The chef focused more on cooking the food and preparing to leave the hibachi grill. He had messed up several times during his performance and did not say much during the entire event. If you are hungry and want food fast, then this is the place to be. Otherwise, if you want the full hibachi experience, I would try out some other place.
(3)
Christina M.
I used to take my kids there when I first moved from CA to Boise back in 92 so they been around a while, best for lunch I think otherwise pretty average to good food. Decor needs revamping and they still serve lame out of the bag type american salad coming from europe and after dinning in major cities I guess I am a little more critical and Boise has improved believe me! I am not into the whole show by my grill thing I just want great food otherwise why pay to eat out?
(3)
Michelle S.
This is hands down my favorite sushi spot in Boise. I always get the spicy johnny role and a california roll. They are very consistent in their preparation, they are super speedy and super friendly as well. I can only review their sushi as I have yet to try their tepanyaki... I mean, why would you deviate from something you enjoy so much! Definitely go here if you want fresh, delicious and AFFORDABLE sushi... some places get crazy with their prices and frankly, homie don't play that.
(5)
Erek K.
Great, unassuming spot in Boise off Fairview Ave. Caught my eye and I strolled in. It front it looked empty but once inside It was packed as parking is in the back. TEPPAN Stations throughout and a sushi bar in the corner it's nice and packed and pretty traditional looking. Sat down at the sushi bar and ordered straight from the owner. Yellow tail, California rolls and at his suggestion the Johnny roll which is spicy tuna, fried yellow tail, avocado with eel, eel sauce, spicy mayo and sriracha on top. It was ALL amazing and easy on the pocket book as far as sushi goes.
(4)
Kelly S.
We love Kyoto and our favorite grill chef is Ben. He has a great sense of humor, we always ask for his grill. The food is always great and I always ask for extra hibachi veggies. 2 of my favorites are the hibachi salmon or the filet. Both are very good. We took my granddaughters for the first time last year, ages 6 & 3, they loved the entertainment. Was so fun to see their reactions to the fire and the slice and dice action. Definitely recommend for lunch or dinner. You will not be disappointed.
(4)
Austin K.
Don't let size fool you lol!!! Very good food sushi and habachi also very nice and pilot waitress definitely comparable to shoguns or Benihana's
(5)
Scott N.
I've driven pas this place 100 times (more, actually) and never really took note of it. My wife loves Benihana and this was very much like that format. Although they have a few individual tables (probably for overflow where people didn't make reservations) you sit at a "U" shaped table for 10 with a flat top where the chef does his magic, flips a shrimp in your mouth, makes an onion volcano, and cooks your meal. It's foodertainment. I made a reservation well in advance of Valentine's Day and had no problem getting in at the established time. There was probably 20 minutes or so between the appointed reservation and the time the chef arrived at the table. Between seating & waiting for the chef, we received drinks, ordered, and received a small salad. Then the foodertainment. The food is somewhat secondary to the show. It was good. They have shrimp, steak, and lobster as their three main dishes in various combinations. They also had some combinations with scallops, but not in the combination I desired so I asked the waiter if they could combination I wanted & he accommodated my order. I thought I'd probably have to pay more for that change, but when I received our bill, it was affordable & I didn't notice any change in the core $19.99 price (the price for steak & lobster is much more). With beers & meals, I think our bill was $80-something, so with tip, we got out of there around $100. I consider that a win. I'd take my lovely bride here again, no doubt.
(4)
Mercedes C.
Went there for my wedding anniversary had the Royal dinner for two included shrimp chicken steak soup veggies salad and a dessert all for about $42 then add drinks and 1 sake and tip drop about $70 well worth it food cooked at your table by an entertaining chef can't wait to go again going to take the kiddo
(5)
Justin H.
We've never done the Benihana, hibachi style dinner here. Just sushi. It stank and was fishy. Don't eat sushi here. Why in the world do so many yelpers rave about the sushi? Try Maru sushi! And I've heard Yoi Tomo is good, too. Or Sono Bana. Or That place on 8th in the building... Best Sushi. But Mari is our favorite.
(2)
Kim R.
I had been here a few times, years ago, and was pleased to try it again for a recent UYE arranged by Ophelia. The dozen or so of us sat at one of the several Teppanyaki stations and, although most ordered sushi, chef Ben interacted with all of us nicely. I ordered the Tako salad, Rainbow roll, and Hokkigai nigiri. I really enjoyed all three. The Tako salad, however, was a VERY mall portion for the price. I would not recommend getting it here. The Rainbow roll was absolutely delicious and was very reasonable. Hokkigai is my favorite, and I was so pleased to see it on the menu! At the end of the meal, the waitress brought our checks. Mine was very wrong due to a misunderstanding on the waitress' part. Because I was with a group, I decided not to make a big deal out of it. I did mention it to her once, and she didn't see fit to apologize or make any adjustment. Driving home, I decided that I really did need to speak with the manager to give him or her the opportunity to make things right. After an unnecessarily lengthy discussion, the manager asked me if I wanted to have it taken out of the waitress' tips. I said no, but that the restaurant needed to assure that the mistake was corrected. She offered a small adjustment, then offered to "split it" with me. (Seriously?!) So now, after my complaint and two objections, she finally made a better (although not complete) adjustment. Sushi was great, our service was very good for a group of this size. I will, however, be exceedingly clear when ordering next time and hope another mistake doesn't happen.
(4)
Katie M.
My hubby and I enjoyed our visit to Kyoto. We sat at the Tepenyaki (sp) grill. We ordered the spicy tuna & 911 rolls. Very good!! my husband ordered the teriyaki chicken and enjoyed it. We loved our chef....especially the shrimp tosses! It was a nice touch to give everyone samples of shrimp!
(5)
S R.
I've been eating at Kyoto for 24 years as of 2015. I've been to many other Japanese Hibachi style restaurants over the years in Boise and abroad and this place is my favorite, hands down. Great service, great food, great atmosphere!
(5)
Kristin M.
Kyoto is one of my favorite restaurants in Boise. The sushi is amazing (Marilyn roll and spicy Johnny are my personal favorites.) Relaxed atmosphere and friendly staff. A good place to go if you're craving sushi and you're with friends who won't eat it. The teriyaki steak is good too. Something for everyone. Family friendly as well.
(5)
Alisha L.
The hibachi dinners are fun and delicious. The cooks are very nice and entertaining. The prices are very reasonable for this type of dinner and portions are large. The sushi sucks, so don't go for that. The fried rice and pretty much anything hibachi is great. This place gets pretty busy so try to get their early when they open at 4pm.
(4)
Charles B.
A grill similar to Benihana with performing chefs, etc.. Visiting such a place is an interesting life experience, but not an everyday lunch.
(4)
Melissa K.
Attended my first UYE here this evening and brought along the hubby. Atmosphere was definitely more conducive to a Japanese steak house style restaurant, in which you are seated at grilling stations. Not sure that I actually saw a sushi station anywhere. In this particular case, this seating configuration worked out well. As I think all members of our group felt apart of conversation. Only two people ordered something that could be prepared on the grill, which was definitely very entertaining to watch. The chef was very engaging and humorous. I was also impressed that he still involved everyone in the group in the presentation. Server was friendly and moderately attentive. Considering the unique situation of serving 13 people, each as individual checks but seated as a party, must be a waitresses nightmare. Her assistant on the other hand seemed young and maybe a little new at customer service. My hubby and I shared 3 sushi rolls. The Rainbow Roll, The Spicy Johnny Roll and The Mary Roll. All three came out together on a nice presentation plate. Cuts of fish were well proportioned and good fish to rice ratio. I liked the sauces they used on the Spicy Johnny and The Mary. We also ordered a couple pieces of Unagi. I feel like this usually makes or breaks a sushi experience for me. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised on the cut of fish and the tender sweet flavor. So glad I saved this piece for last! We were also given a bowl of miso soup and edamame to start. The miso was delicious and very flavorful. The edamame was okay. I like mine to be salted and warm, neither of which I experienced here. Pricing per roll was average to other similar places in the area. All in all, I would give them a go again if someone wanted to eat here. But I don't know that I would necessarily make a special trip just to come to this specific restaurant for sushi.
(4)
Kendrick E.
Nope will never eat there again. Passed by there so much decided to have my birthday dinner there. Service was slow and if you're waiting long enough you will see everything that they're going to do at your table. Top it all off we paid the most money to see everyone get served the same thing. It all taste burned and bland. I will not play with my food and catch hot shrimp in my mouth. So over priced for the food u r getting.
(1)
Kristen W.
Went here for my birthday and had a blast. Food was good, service was good and I got a discreet birthday icecream bowl :)
(5)
Cassandra Michele P.
I cannot say how much I love this place! My fiance & I come here as often as we can. We usually sit at the grill & get their Royal Dinner for Two and it never ceases to satisfy. This is the only place I will eat sushi from. Like the food on the grill, you can watch them make it, and its not fishy at all. Our favorites are the Spicy Tuna & the Ernie Roll. The flavors blend so well. The staff is always so nice, they know what we order and they know how we like it. We recommend this place to all of our friends looking for outstanding sushi. This place is better than Tepanyaki and just as good as Ichiban (which used to be on Broadway.) Family friendly and very welcoming as well. We have never had a bad experience here.
(5)
Caroline T.
Love the food! Service was friendly and food was tasty. Only complaint was that the interior was kind of dingy and dark, similar to a bar atmosphere almost.
(4)
April B.
Amazing! Loved being able to watch the food prepared right in front of me! Will go back again soon!
(5)
Thea J.
This place is amazing! The food is great and the service is right on que. Very afforadable, my husband and I always split an entree and order a roll of sushi its more than enough for the both of us. My 4 year old loves the food show and it is a nice place to switch up your typical dinner out... hands down love it here!
(5)
D T.
Fantastic food, but only one problem: it's always busy, and once we reserved a reservation and it took over 30 minutes for us to sit down at one of those tables. But very good place to eat for a special occasion.
(4)
Diane L.
I honestly can not believe there are any bad reviews for Kyoto...This is my family's favorite place to eat!! We can't ever decide what's the best part, there is so much to love about this place. As a rule, we always sit at one of the grills so we can enjoy hibachi food, sushi AND the entertainment! At the grills they start you off with a yummy onion soup and a side salad with a delicious sesame dressing. The menu has a large variety of food options to be prepared right in front of you, from Yakisoba noodles to a tasty veggie plate or from teriyaki chicken to Filet, lobster, and shrimp. My personal favorite is their Teriyaki Salmon, my son loves the imitation crab plate and my Husband like to get fancy with the Idaho Imperial meal ( Filet mignon, shrimp and lobster tail). We have definitely strayed from these favorites and tried other items and have enjoyed every meal we've had there. They also serve most plates with a side of grilled veggies, 2 sauces and your choice of white or friend rice (Trust me,the up-charge is worth it!). Along with the delicious food, the staff here are so great! All of our hosts/hostesses, and servers have been amazing! The sushi chefs are always so nice and helpful too. The grill chefs are so entertaining! They do the typical onion volcano, egg in the hat, and shrimp tossing, that you expect to see in these type of restaurants,but for some reason I find the chefs here more enjoyable than in any other place. It's one of the reasons we keep coming back. I simply can not end this super long review with out mentioning the Sushi. Hands down, it's the best in town, and trust me I have tried a lot of sushi places in town! I have never had a piece or roll that tasted fishy or old... Our favorite roll is the Spicy Johnny. I never go to this place with out having one, period. We also really enjoy the Marilyn, Ernie, Mary, and 911. Actually we've never had a roll we didn't like! Their nigiri is so great as well. It always taste fresh and delicious. This restaurant is moderately priced, definitely not the cheapest place in town, but with the amount and quality of food you get, it is well worth it. The exterior and interior are a little dated, but I think that's part of it's charm, though I can see where it would be off-putting to some. This is also a hot spot for birthdays, so if you plan on eating here Friday-Sunday evening, you might want to call ahead and make reservations, or you may have a bit of a wait. If you have not tried Kyoto, I suggest you make plans to now!
(5)
Curt P.
Our favorite Japanese place in The Treasure Valley. Always fun when sitting around the grill watching them whip up the food, good food, good service.
(5)
Sarah S.
One of my favourite restaurants in Boise! Hibachi is fun to watch,excellent to eat. Sushi is good,too. Have to say the service is average but decent. Friendly staff, good food. Not a place to bring a picky eater though.
(5)
Kevin K.
From the outside this place doesn't look like much and I'd say the same for the interior decor........somewhat forgettable. However when it comes to the food, it was pretty good. I had the sushi and was very happy with the three rolls (Mary roll, spicy johnny, rainbow roll) and unagi. The rolls were a good size and had lots of flavor, probably due to the well pared sauces on them. The unagi was a surprisingly large cut and well outweighed the rice. The service was average and I found them to be more entertaining than accomidating.
(4)
Jo L.
This was my first time at one of these Japanese steak houses and it was a great experience. The staff was extremely nice and made us feel at home. The showmanship of our chef was entertaining. The food was not "off the charts" fabulous but I really liked my scallops. The steak was alright. It was prepared well but was a bit bland. However, there were some dipping sauces to pair with the steak which perked it up a bit. The sushi was pretty good. I don't have much experience with sushi so I can honestly say, it was some of the best sushi I've ever had!! I didn't pay for my meal, and could pretty much order whatever the hell I wanted, cost be damned so, the price was juuuust right! Sincerely, this was a very enjoyable dining experience and I would definitely hit Kyoto again if I find myself in Boise. From my one and only experience here, I would suggest making a reservation for BEFORE 7pm. We had a reservation for 6pm on a Friday evening and almost immediately after we arrived, there was a queue of 20 people waiting.
(4)
Rick F.
Great atmosphere for a fun and yummy night out with spouse. Not too fancy and not to dialed down either. The food is great as well as the pricing. It gets packed at times so call ahead.
(4)
Steven B.
The Ernie Roll and Austin Roll tasted pretty much exactly the same. They were pretty good though. Not a very wide flavor selection. Seemed like every roll had shrimp, and tuna in it.
(3)
Gabe U.
Food is great! Period. This place must be family orientated because the customer service is excellent! There is no better Japanese place to eat in Boise. Yes, I have eaten at all the other places but this is it... It does compare to the places in Seattle, San Francisco, San Diego, and Yokota Air Base in Japan. I am thankful we have such a high quality place to eat great Japanese food... Gabe
(5)
Josh H.
I am usually wary of Japanese steakhouse's as the environment of the restaurant as well as the people you dine with always play a large role in the experience. The teppanyaki chef was hands down one of the best I have ever had. Not only cooked the meal to perfection but provided some great entertainment as well.
(4)
Corey M.
Love the sushi! I have been here many, many times and in my opinion they have the best rolls in boise, however, I was very disappointed in the service we received last night. When ordering I said I wanted the Valerie and Bill and Tim rolls. My friend corrected me and said wait, didn't you want the vicki? I said oops yes I mean the Vicki and Bill and Tim. When our order came out she brought me all three rolls. I told her I had only wanted two so she initially took the Valerie back. A few minutes later she came back and said "I don't eat raw fish and if you don't pay for this I have to eat the cost so will you take it?" There were 5 of us at the restaurant. We all felt awkward and said sure. In my opinion that is unexceptable. All 4 of my friends clearly heard me correct my order. The waitress was not listening so instead of apologizing we ended up paying for her mistake. Unfortunately sushi doesn't keep well.
(2)
Jennifer H.
****Lunch Only Review**** I wanted to go somewhere special for my Adoption Day but I had work later that day so my mom and I decided to go here...I was longing for the days of Yamatos in Trazana,CA... We walked in and were seated right away...the service was great...the good was yummy...even though I would rather have had miso soup instead of the onion...the cook came...and was fun...i enjoyed my meal...
(3)
Husky D.
Friendly staff and yummy food! Great for family and work team building.
I've driven past this place for about 10 years, never giving it a second thought. Last weekend we went here for a birthday party and I'm sad that I've been missing out on it all these years! The place is somewhat small but completely packed on a Saturday night. We sat around the hibachi grill which was great entertainment. Everyone that ordered sushi thought it was delicious, those that ate from the grill also enjoyed their food. This is a great place to go for gluten free! They will substitute gluten free soy sauce if you ask during ordering. They are very careful to keep glutened-food separate on the grill so there is essentially no risk of cross contamination. This place would be even better with a full bar but there are plenty of beer and wine selections.
(4)
Maggie R.
One of Boise's best unexpected gems. Not fancy outside or in, but a fantastic dining experience that is fun for the whole family, and great food, too. Everything is always great here.
(5)
Sheila S.
Tapenyaki was fun, and delicious! 911 ROLL is hot, but perfect on the taste buds. We also had the seared white ahi tuna, which is to die for! Definitely will be returning for hot sake and food again soon!
(4)
Shelly T.
We decided to try tepanyaki since we usually just eat at sushi bars. The service was awesome. Our waiter was always checking on us, making sure we liked the food and were okay on our beverages. Although the chef didn't put on too much of a show, the food was delicious. We also ordered sushi. One of the best around Boise we've tried. Definitely a must go. We went around lunch time. I've heard dinner is a lot more crowded.
(5)
Farrah S.
Awesome experience! Wonderful wait staff and chef. Food was fabulous, especially the filet. Can't wait to try their sushi.
(5)
Melanie A.
This is my favorite sushi restaurant in Boise. Service is excellent, food is delicious. Weekly ritual. Only downside is sometimes there isn't enough seating.
(5)
TheStranger 2.
Very disappointing experience. Crowded and a long wait to be seated. Average food, slow service. Not impressed at all.
(2)
Jared P.
This is our family's special occasion restaurant. I was pleasantly surprised to see a brighter interior. The tables, chairs and much of the panelling has been replaced with a lighter wood brightening up the interior. I like the change. The chefs seem to be less enthusiastic than we have had in the past, however we can all have off days, but the "show" was nice as always, just not as enthusiastic as they have been in the past. All of the staff was cheerful and pleasant refilling drinks quickly and being generally very personable. We will be back and likely within a month as spring is busy with birthday celebrations.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Loud Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
ILove Foo D.
My husband and I went here recently on a wednesday night and when we walked into the restaurant it was packed! From the singing we learned that there were two huge birthday party groups there for the teppenyaki dinner and they were all having a blast! For sushi we were offered a table near the sushi bar which was available but that area was also soon packed as well. Right away we were brought miso soup and edamame which was nice. Our waitress was super sweet and upon noticing us struggling on what to order she asked if this was our first time here. When we told her it was she was so excited to tell us what is popular and even pointed out another list of sushi rolls located on the side of the table against the wall. We ordered a roll called the Mary from that list, and also got the Spicy Johnny and Marilyn Monroe. They were all very delicious even though in their presentation they all looked somewhat similar. The Spicy Johnny lives up to its name, the Mary had a nice tuna and salmon flavor with a bite of saltiness and the Marilyn Monroe was light and refreshing. We also shared a large Japanese beer and in the end it all only came to $35 before tip and we felt we definitely got our money's worth! The staff are super friendly! I like to observe staff and patron interaction and there was a ton of it here. The teppanyaki patrons consisted of all ages together having fun and just watching them trying to catch their food in their mouth provided us with plenty of dinnertime entertainment. You can tell there are a lot of "regulars" here by the way the staff interact with them and I was really surprised at how busy it was for the middle of the week! There was a really sweet somewhat older asian lady who talked with several patrons and when one man and his son were leaving she called out "bye" to them and said to the little boy "Bye handsome!" I thought it was cute. Not long after that she walked by our table, stopped and turned to my husband, and poured the remainder of his beer in his glass for him. Too cute! I have NEVER seen that done before. If I had to have a complaint it would only be that the water glasses have a lot of mineral deposits on them from hard water and that can sometimes be a turnoff. The sushi ginger was not very strong and also the decor could use some refreshing. Kyoto seems like a wonderful family owned establishment that has been around for years and years. I only regret not going before now. We will be back and will definitely be having the teppanyaki!
(4)Mary N.
I'm a big fan of Sushi and have had my share of Sushi in California. When I moved to Idaho last year, I was very hesitant to try the Sushi here. I believe my husband and I were going out for a date and he raved so much about Kyoto that I gave in and decided to try it. From the outside it reminded me of Sushi places back home. The inside was a bit small for my liking but I've been in smaller. We were seated at a small table but the workers there really made me feel like I was sitting at home having dinner. They really make you feel like family when you walk in. The Sushi was great and my overall experience was not bad. I would definitely go back here again.
(4)Loralee P.
I really wish that I would've had a better experience. We never, ever should have gone on New Years Day. I feel generous giving 2 stars. I have been to a lot of teppanyaki grills on the east coast so I had expectations. The first problem: We came in and asked for service for 2 and she told us 15-20 minutes. It was over 45 minutes to be seated. We should have left after 20 minutes. Second problem: We were given seats at a table that had the worst draft ever from the door. Every single time someone entered, a very cold wind swept over us. We should have left when we were given those seats. I kept my big winter jacket on and hat and I was still cold throughout the dinner. I asked for the "yum yum" sauce and he said to me "you're not on the east coast anymore". Who would've thought yum-yum sauce was a region thing? Bummer. The cook's tricks were average. The food was below average. The chicken was dry, and there wasn't even any of the noodles that I love at teppanyaki grills. I had to go find a waitress to get water. Awful service. Didn't try the Sushi, so I can't speak for that.
(2)Kevin B.
Love the food and the staff. Great family owned place that takes good care of it's patrons. My daughter always wants to have her birthdays there.
(5)Jennifer W.
This is one of Boise's best kept sushi secrets. I have been going to Kyoto for 20 years for special dinners with family and friends. It is so fun to have the chefs cook at your table. The chefs are almost always funny and entertaining and very talented. Both adults and kids love this about Kyoto. It's a fun, comfortable atmosphere. Not formal...just your typical Japanese style decor. No need to dress fancy for this place. I have always gotten chicken or shrimp, which comes with fried rice, vegies, and miso soup. Delicious! More recently, at a company Christmas party, I got the Salmon, which was SO delicious. But, I digress. I noticed about 8-10 yrs ago that Kyoto started serving sushi. I am an avid sushi connoisseur and quickly determined that Kyoto was not the place to get sushi. I have held the same belief since then until recently when, at my company party, my boss ordered a sushi roll as an appetizer. I was SO impressed with the freshness of the roll that I convinced my husband to go with me last night specifically to eat sushi. We got the Marilyn Monroe roll and the H.P. roll. We also got the Yellowtail Hamachi. Everything was so fresh and delicious. My husband and I can detect fish that isn't fresh a mile away and this clearly wasn't the case here. Also, the staff was so friendly and you could tell they were having fun working together. They have a small sushi bar where you can watch the sushi chefs make your rolls, etc. and they were so friendly and were having a good time as well. So, if you love sushi or just a fun, clean, comfortable atmosphere with great non-sushi, then GO THERE!
(5)Natalie F.
Been frequenting this place for years and the owners always remember me and my family when we come in. We typically dine in for the sushi and it is so so delicious! We leave happy every time. Awesome place to go and feel welcome.
(5)Darien S.
Overall just an okay experience at this place. The food was decent, but the show was not all that impressive. The chef focused more on cooking the food and preparing to leave the hibachi grill. He had messed up several times during his performance and did not say much during the entire event. If you are hungry and want food fast, then this is the place to be. Otherwise, if you want the full hibachi experience, I would try out some other place.
(3)Christina M.
I used to take my kids there when I first moved from CA to Boise back in 92 so they been around a while, best for lunch I think otherwise pretty average to good food. Decor needs revamping and they still serve lame out of the bag type american salad coming from europe and after dinning in major cities I guess I am a little more critical and Boise has improved believe me! I am not into the whole show by my grill thing I just want great food otherwise why pay to eat out?
(3)Rachel Z.
Very friendly staff! Husband and I split the filet mignon and chicken dish! Plenty of food for 2! We were seated very fast! Watching our food be prepared in front of us was fun and memorable, sweet fire and other effects! We wanted to order the pineapple boat desset which is just a half of pineapple but they were out.. Our waitress was super sweet and apologetic. The soup and salad is gross. But the main dish is AmAzInG!! Fresh hot tasty! Also BEST FRIED RICE I HAVE EVER HAD! And the chef was awesome!
(4)John W.
Sushi is awesome and so is the terriyaki,Friendly staff and really fun for parties. My family and i really enjoy this place. My favorite roll is the sugar daddy. I would recoomend this place to anyone.Can be a bit spendy but overall a great place.
(4)Kelly M.
Pretty good. The waitstaff were very attentive which was great. The food was ok. Although I don't eat sushi, I here it is great here. Could not here the cook over all of the noise. He also seemed sick as he was coughing while cooking. Kind of a turn off. Overall not a bad experience, not the best either.
(3)Paul M.
Great sushi and fun dinner experience!
(5)Chryssa R.
The entertainment aspect was fun and the waitstaff was fantastic, but the food was not very good. The noodle dish I ordered was very oily with little flavor, and the shrimp were way overcooked and tough. The atmosphere was noisy and hot with a heavy layer of grease hanging in the air.
(2)Jon G.
I believe it is Boise's best kept secret. My wife I have been going here since we move to Boise in 2004. It is family owned and run and the always treat everyone with great respect, humor, stories and the most incredible sushi rolls I have had anywhere. I grew up in Las Vegas with some incredible sushi restaurants and this matches them all. The decor is casual, it's old and there is nothing pretencious about the place, the plum wine as yummie, Earnie runs the sushi bar and everything is alway fresh, and prepared to perfection. They have a small sushi eating area and then a large Tepanyaki room. The habachi seating is a must for parties, and the chefs are well trained and food is excellent. As you are reading this beware that the link to there website doesn't work it takes you to some restaurant in TX it's not this restaurant. I am going to have to let them know! @Tim, this isn't a rating service. I have been to and enjoy many 5 star restautants, I give it 5 stars because it's a personal top for me not because of a rating system. I would rather go where I feel like a five star rather than what some snob rates as a five star!!! Just my 2 cents worth. Try it once I don't believe you will be unhappy!
(5)Shelby K.
Best sushi in Boise!! Actually, I've rarely had better sushi anywhere and all my out-of-town guests have agreed. The staff is extremely friendly. The sushi area is small so you may have to wait but it's worth it. You can also bring your own wine and drink it without a corkage fee.
(5)Tao L.
Good lunch place. Servers are nice.
(4)Jenn c.
Our visit to Kyoto was just ok. The food wasn't bad, the rice, soup and veggies were great, the shrimp was also good. We got a few pieces of Nigiri, which were just ok, but definitely not bad. The hibachi halibut steak was overcooked and tasted a little fishy, granted we are fresh seafood eaters and are a little picky, but it was definitely overcooked. The server was also a little off, she seemed as if she was about to have a breakdown, she was nice, but still a little rushed and scattered. I Am surprised at the 5 stars given to this place, this was definitely not 5 star worthy. Hope Boise has better steakhouses, or we will be pretty sad!
(3)Lindsay L.
This is the best Sushi I've had in Boise (so far). I've been spoiled by Mikuni's in Sacramento, so my bar is set really high. The service is good and the sushi is fresh and prepared well. The sushi dining area is very small, so waiting is probable. The large teppanyaki section is great for larger groups though (especially if you have a mixed group of raw vs. non-raw eaters). The food is definitely yummy enough to recommend but not so amazing that I've stopped looking for the local sushi place that will make my taste buds sing.
(4)James K.
Took the wife and family for her birthday, we had a great time at the hibachi grill, the cook was very personable and funny. The wait staff were on top of everything. Our party just raved over the food and I had some decent pieces of sushi too. Definitely go for the hibachi experience, I wouldn't recommend going strictly for the sushi because it's ok at best and is not what they are known for. Also don't pass on the fried rice it's really good.
(3)Daria K.
In the pursuit of the best sushi place in town, my friends and I have been to most of the sushi restaurants in the area of Boise, and some were very good but pricey, others were recommended but had fish that tasted old. Kyoto remains my favorite sushi restaurant in Boise despite being mostly designed as a steakhouse. The fish is fresh, the special rolls and higher priced regular rolls have generous amounts of sauces on them, the service is fast, edamame and Miso soup are free with the sushi order, prices are very reasonable, and to Tim- the tea is free, just ask for it. The only few problems you might have- limited amount of seating in the sushi area, sushi selection might get a little tiring if you go there enough, but I have asked for rolls that were not listed on the menu and the itamae made them for me (see, Japanese burrito). The best rolls at Kyoto in my opinion- #9, Spicy Johnny, Happy Roll, Susan Roll, and Mary Roll.
(4)Bree B.
love the salads and the show. Im getting better at catching shrimp every time.
(3)Joseph H.
I gave a 2 stars for the entertainment....this was the best part of the whole experience. The services was slow until out section was full and then it was all show, the food, mediocre at best. For the kids, good place to take them!!!
(2)Tim M.
Ok, let's set something straight right now, a 5-star restaurant is something like The Top of the Mark in San Francisco or something like that. This is NOT a 5-star despite what "Ronnie" wants you to believe. Maybe "Ronnie" is an Idaho native and one thing's for sure, their standards are *very* low. OK about the restaurant: This place is VERY popular with the local crowd, probably because of the hibachi show (Think Benihana). I believe the joint used to be a Shakey's as can be seen carved into the original concrete. The interior, if you look closely, is all worn and beat up with massive water stains in the ceiling tiles especially over the sushi bar. (a *tiny* sushi bar) The main tepanyaki (flat grill and show) prepared food is decent and well priced during lunch. (rice and meats) The side dishes fall well below the mark. Salad is western style w/croutons, small and not very tasty. They also serve a blah onion soup, probably catering to western tastes, but not very Japanese. Prices go up by around 50% at dinner so be prepared to get socked. The sushi side of things was a huge disappointment. The owner was not there, instead his wife was doing the slicing and dicing. Here they give you low quality miso soup. Our sushi was the biggest let-down. We got very tiny, paper thin (or shoji-thin!) pieces, the kind you'd expect at the $1.00 sushi boat place. Except these cost $4.00! That could only be categorized as a rip-off in my book. The fish was OK, and they did have a tasty No. 9 Kyoto roll, (shrimp, avocado, tobiko) but that didn't make up for their stingy portions. Also, they didn't serve any tea, guess you gotta ask for it or pay for it. If you want the grill tepanyaki show, a better place to go might be Ichiban. The best sushi place in town still remains Shige's.
(2)Ronnie M.
Excelent food. Great show. Fantastic place to go for a special occasion.
(5)Michelle S.
This is hands down my favorite sushi spot in Boise. I always get the spicy johnny role and a california roll. They are very consistent in their preparation, they are super speedy and super friendly as well. I can only review their sushi as I have yet to try their tepanyaki... I mean, why would you deviate from something you enjoy so much! Definitely go here if you want fresh, delicious and AFFORDABLE sushi... some places get crazy with their prices and frankly, homie don't play that.
(5)Erek K.
Great, unassuming spot in Boise off Fairview Ave. Caught my eye and I strolled in. It front it looked empty but once inside It was packed as parking is in the back. TEPPAN Stations throughout and a sushi bar in the corner it's nice and packed and pretty traditional looking. Sat down at the sushi bar and ordered straight from the owner. Yellow tail, California rolls and at his suggestion the Johnny roll which is spicy tuna, fried yellow tail, avocado with eel, eel sauce, spicy mayo and sriracha on top. It was ALL amazing and easy on the pocket book as far as sushi goes.
(4)Kelly S.
We love Kyoto and our favorite grill chef is Ben. He has a great sense of humor, we always ask for his grill. The food is always great and I always ask for extra hibachi veggies. 2 of my favorites are the hibachi salmon or the filet. Both are very good. We took my granddaughters for the first time last year, ages 6 & 3, they loved the entertainment. Was so fun to see their reactions to the fire and the slice and dice action. Definitely recommend for lunch or dinner. You will not be disappointed.
(4)Austin K.
Don't let size fool you lol!!! Very good food sushi and habachi also very nice and pilot waitress definitely comparable to shoguns or Benihana's
(5)Scott N.
I've driven pas this place 100 times (more, actually) and never really took note of it. My wife loves Benihana and this was very much like that format. Although they have a few individual tables (probably for overflow where people didn't make reservations) you sit at a "U" shaped table for 10 with a flat top where the chef does his magic, flips a shrimp in your mouth, makes an onion volcano, and cooks your meal. It's foodertainment. I made a reservation well in advance of Valentine's Day and had no problem getting in at the established time. There was probably 20 minutes or so between the appointed reservation and the time the chef arrived at the table. Between seating & waiting for the chef, we received drinks, ordered, and received a small salad. Then the foodertainment. The food is somewhat secondary to the show. It was good. They have shrimp, steak, and lobster as their three main dishes in various combinations. They also had some combinations with scallops, but not in the combination I desired so I asked the waiter if they could combination I wanted & he accommodated my order. I thought I'd probably have to pay more for that change, but when I received our bill, it was affordable & I didn't notice any change in the core $19.99 price (the price for steak & lobster is much more). With beers & meals, I think our bill was $80-something, so with tip, we got out of there around $100. I consider that a win. I'd take my lovely bride here again, no doubt.
(4)Mercedes C.
Went there for my wedding anniversary had the Royal dinner for two included shrimp chicken steak soup veggies salad and a dessert all for about $42 then add drinks and 1 sake and tip drop about $70 well worth it food cooked at your table by an entertaining chef can't wait to go again going to take the kiddo
(5)Kim R.
I had been here a few times, years ago, and was pleased to try it again for a recent UYE arranged by Ophelia. The dozen or so of us sat at one of the several Teppanyaki stations and, although most ordered sushi, chef Ben interacted with all of us nicely. I ordered the Tako salad, Rainbow roll, and Hokkigai nigiri. I really enjoyed all three. The Tako salad, however, was a VERY mall portion for the price. I would not recommend getting it here. The Rainbow roll was absolutely delicious and was very reasonable. Hokkigai is my favorite, and I was so pleased to see it on the menu! At the end of the meal, the waitress brought our checks. Mine was very wrong due to a misunderstanding on the waitress' part. Because I was with a group, I decided not to make a big deal out of it. I did mention it to her once, and she didn't see fit to apologize or make any adjustment. Driving home, I decided that I really did need to speak with the manager to give him or her the opportunity to make things right. After an unnecessarily lengthy discussion, the manager asked me if I wanted to have it taken out of the waitress' tips. I said no, but that the restaurant needed to assure that the mistake was corrected. She offered a small adjustment, then offered to "split it" with me. (Seriously?!) So now, after my complaint and two objections, she finally made a better (although not complete) adjustment. Sushi was great, our service was very good for a group of this size. I will, however, be exceedingly clear when ordering next time and hope another mistake doesn't happen.
(4)Ophelia M.
I arranged a Sushi-Outing UYE here on a Tuesday night. Kyoto was lovely to work with. They happily took our reservations, even though, at first, I didn't have a fixed number for them. I had initially made reservations for 6 but warned it could grow to 12. I called back the day before to say it looked like we'd be closer to 12 than 6. And, good thing I did because we ended up with 12 (possibly 13?) attendees. Kyoto was friendly and helpful throughout the reservation process and not the least bit impatient with the changing numbers. I arrived early to make sure everything was set. Kyoto had a plan in place and were completely prepared for our arrival. Having planned several group outings in the past, I can say restaurants are not always so on the ball. Kyoto really deserves recognition for having been so thoughtfully prepared for our arrival. Now, part of my motivation for planning the UYE (other than obviously the desire to meet all the fabulous yelpers!) was to get a little more sushi-proficient. My main dining companion doesn't care for sushi and so it has just never really made it on my dining out rotation. Boise yelpers to the rescue! All that attended were very generous with their wealth of sushi knowledge. So, having said that, I am certainly not a sushi expert. I did try some of the Co-op's offerings leading up to our visit here, as well as Trader Joe's, and a couple bites at Mai Thai. I will say this: Of all the sushi I've tried, Kyoto's was the best. We began with Miso soup, which was scrumptious. Boise Yelper Kim R., then shared her octopus salad with us. I have never tried octopus salad before and was completely surprised at it's deliciousness. I guess I was expecting it to be kind of chewy--but it was not in the least. Fellow yelper, Shelle M and I, each ordered a roll and then shared with each other so that we could both try more than one roll. I ordered the Austin roll and she the Ernie (I think?). Both were out of this world. They were both ample and seriously delish. I also tried a bite of hokkigai nigiri which was amazing (another one I was a little tentative about but needn't have been!). And, some sort of egg that was the star of the show for me--sweet, light, and lovely. The service was a little spotty as we did have a snafu with on one of the checks (WAY overcharged). The server didn't budge on the amount while we were there. But, I was happy to learn that management DID make it right and refund her the amount she was overcharged. Some in our party ordered hot food and Ben, our chef, was entertaining on the grill. He put on quite a show and was funny to boot. Overall, great sushi, and a great time with fellow yelpers! I will definitely be back! I may even get my main dining companion to give sushi another try at Kyoto! They may just convert him to a sushi enthusiast! Fingers crossed! Get to it!
(4)Katie M.
My hubby and I enjoyed our visit to Kyoto. We sat at the Tepenyaki (sp) grill. We ordered the spicy tuna & 911 rolls. Very good!! my husband ordered the teriyaki chicken and enjoyed it. We loved our chef....especially the shrimp tosses! It was a nice touch to give everyone samples of shrimp!
(5)S R.
I've been eating at Kyoto for 24 years as of 2015. I've been to many other Japanese Hibachi style restaurants over the years in Boise and abroad and this place is my favorite, hands down. Great service, great food, great atmosphere!
(5)Kristin M.
Kyoto is one of my favorite restaurants in Boise. The sushi is amazing (Marilyn roll and spicy Johnny are my personal favorites.) Relaxed atmosphere and friendly staff. A good place to go if you're craving sushi and you're with friends who won't eat it. The teriyaki steak is good too. Something for everyone. Family friendly as well.
(5)Alisha L.
The hibachi dinners are fun and delicious. The cooks are very nice and entertaining. The prices are very reasonable for this type of dinner and portions are large. The sushi sucks, so don't go for that. The fried rice and pretty much anything hibachi is great. This place gets pretty busy so try to get their early when they open at 4pm.
(4)Charles B.
A grill similar to Benihana with performing chefs, etc.. Visiting such a place is an interesting life experience, but not an everyday lunch.
(4)Justin H.
We've never done the Benihana, hibachi style dinner here. Just sushi. It stank and was fishy. Don't eat sushi here. Why in the world do so many yelpers rave about the sushi? Try Maru sushi! And I've heard Yoi Tomo is good, too. Or Sono Bana. Or That place on 8th in the building... Best Sushi. But Mari is our favorite.
(2)Melissa K.
Attended my first UYE here this evening and brought along the hubby. Atmosphere was definitely more conducive to a Japanese steak house style restaurant, in which you are seated at grilling stations. Not sure that I actually saw a sushi station anywhere. In this particular case, this seating configuration worked out well. As I think all members of our group felt apart of conversation. Only two people ordered something that could be prepared on the grill, which was definitely very entertaining to watch. The chef was very engaging and humorous. I was also impressed that he still involved everyone in the group in the presentation. Server was friendly and moderately attentive. Considering the unique situation of serving 13 people, each as individual checks but seated as a party, must be a waitresses nightmare. Her assistant on the other hand seemed young and maybe a little new at customer service. My hubby and I shared 3 sushi rolls. The Rainbow Roll, The Spicy Johnny Roll and The Mary Roll. All three came out together on a nice presentation plate. Cuts of fish were well proportioned and good fish to rice ratio. I liked the sauces they used on the Spicy Johnny and The Mary. We also ordered a couple pieces of Unagi. I feel like this usually makes or breaks a sushi experience for me. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised on the cut of fish and the tender sweet flavor. So glad I saved this piece for last! We were also given a bowl of miso soup and edamame to start. The miso was delicious and very flavorful. The edamame was okay. I like mine to be salted and warm, neither of which I experienced here. Pricing per roll was average to other similar places in the area. All in all, I would give them a go again if someone wanted to eat here. But I don't know that I would necessarily make a special trip just to come to this specific restaurant for sushi.
(4)Kendrick E.
Nope will never eat there again. Passed by there so much decided to have my birthday dinner there. Service was slow and if you're waiting long enough you will see everything that they're going to do at your table. Top it all off we paid the most money to see everyone get served the same thing. It all taste burned and bland. I will not play with my food and catch hot shrimp in my mouth. So over priced for the food u r getting.
(1)Kristen W.
Went here for my birthday and had a blast. Food was good, service was good and I got a discreet birthday icecream bowl :)
(5)Jo L.
This was my first time at one of these Japanese steak houses and it was a great experience. The staff was extremely nice and made us feel at home. The showmanship of our chef was entertaining. The food was not "off the charts" fabulous but I really liked my scallops. The steak was alright. It was prepared well but was a bit bland. However, there were some dipping sauces to pair with the steak which perked it up a bit. The sushi was pretty good. I don't have much experience with sushi so I can honestly say, it was some of the best sushi I've ever had!! I didn't pay for my meal, and could pretty much order whatever the hell I wanted, cost be damned so, the price was juuuust right! Sincerely, this was a very enjoyable dining experience and I would definitely hit Kyoto again if I find myself in Boise. From my one and only experience here, I would suggest making a reservation for BEFORE 7pm. We had a reservation for 6pm on a Friday evening and almost immediately after we arrived, there was a queue of 20 people waiting.
(4)Rick F.
Great atmosphere for a fun and yummy night out with spouse. Not too fancy and not to dialed down either. The food is great as well as the pricing. It gets packed at times so call ahead.
(4)Steven B.
The Ernie Roll and Austin Roll tasted pretty much exactly the same. They were pretty good though. Not a very wide flavor selection. Seemed like every roll had shrimp, and tuna in it.
(3)Diane L.
I honestly can not believe there are any bad reviews for Kyoto...This is my family's favorite place to eat!! We can't ever decide what's the best part, there is so much to love about this place. As a rule, we always sit at one of the grills so we can enjoy hibachi food, sushi AND the entertainment! At the grills they start you off with a yummy onion soup and a side salad with a delicious sesame dressing. The menu has a large variety of food options to be prepared right in front of you, from Yakisoba noodles to a tasty veggie plate or from teriyaki chicken to Filet, lobster, and shrimp. My personal favorite is their Teriyaki Salmon, my son loves the imitation crab plate and my Husband like to get fancy with the Idaho Imperial meal ( Filet mignon, shrimp and lobster tail). We have definitely strayed from these favorites and tried other items and have enjoyed every meal we've had there. They also serve most plates with a side of grilled veggies, 2 sauces and your choice of white or friend rice (Trust me,the up-charge is worth it!). Along with the delicious food, the staff here are so great! All of our hosts/hostesses, and servers have been amazing! The sushi chefs are always so nice and helpful too. The grill chefs are so entertaining! They do the typical onion volcano, egg in the hat, and shrimp tossing, that you expect to see in these type of restaurants,but for some reason I find the chefs here more enjoyable than in any other place. It's one of the reasons we keep coming back. I simply can not end this super long review with out mentioning the Sushi. Hands down, it's the best in town, and trust me I have tried a lot of sushi places in town! I have never had a piece or roll that tasted fishy or old... Our favorite roll is the Spicy Johnny. I never go to this place with out having one, period. We also really enjoy the Marilyn, Ernie, Mary, and 911. Actually we've never had a roll we didn't like! Their nigiri is so great as well. It always taste fresh and delicious. This restaurant is moderately priced, definitely not the cheapest place in town, but with the amount and quality of food you get, it is well worth it. The exterior and interior are a little dated, but I think that's part of it's charm, though I can see where it would be off-putting to some. This is also a hot spot for birthdays, so if you plan on eating here Friday-Sunday evening, you might want to call ahead and make reservations, or you may have a bit of a wait. If you have not tried Kyoto, I suggest you make plans to now!
(5)Curt P.
Our favorite Japanese place in The Treasure Valley. Always fun when sitting around the grill watching them whip up the food, good food, good service.
(5)Sarah S.
One of my favourite restaurants in Boise! Hibachi is fun to watch,excellent to eat. Sushi is good,too. Have to say the service is average but decent. Friendly staff, good food. Not a place to bring a picky eater though.
(5)Kevin K.
From the outside this place doesn't look like much and I'd say the same for the interior decor........somewhat forgettable. However when it comes to the food, it was pretty good. I had the sushi and was very happy with the three rolls (Mary roll, spicy johnny, rainbow roll) and unagi. The rolls were a good size and had lots of flavor, probably due to the well pared sauces on them. The unagi was a surprisingly large cut and well outweighed the rice. The service was average and I found them to be more entertaining than accomidating.
(4)Josh H.
I am usually wary of Japanese steakhouse's as the environment of the restaurant as well as the people you dine with always play a large role in the experience. The teppanyaki chef was hands down one of the best I have ever had. Not only cooked the meal to perfection but provided some great entertainment as well.
(4)Corey M.
Love the sushi! I have been here many, many times and in my opinion they have the best rolls in boise, however, I was very disappointed in the service we received last night. When ordering I said I wanted the Valerie and Bill and Tim rolls. My friend corrected me and said wait, didn't you want the vicki? I said oops yes I mean the Vicki and Bill and Tim. When our order came out she brought me all three rolls. I told her I had only wanted two so she initially took the Valerie back. A few minutes later she came back and said "I don't eat raw fish and if you don't pay for this I have to eat the cost so will you take it?" There were 5 of us at the restaurant. We all felt awkward and said sure. In my opinion that is unexceptable. All 4 of my friends clearly heard me correct my order. The waitress was not listening so instead of apologizing we ended up paying for her mistake. Unfortunately sushi doesn't keep well.
(2)Jennifer H.
****Lunch Only Review**** I wanted to go somewhere special for my Adoption Day but I had work later that day so my mom and I decided to go here...I was longing for the days of Yamatos in Trazana,CA... We walked in and were seated right away...the service was great...the good was yummy...even though I would rather have had miso soup instead of the onion...the cook came...and was fun...i enjoyed my meal...
(3)Husky D.
Friendly staff and yummy food! Great for family and work team building.
(5)Melanie A.
This is my favorite sushi restaurant in Boise. Service is excellent, food is delicious. Weekly ritual. Only downside is sometimes there isn't enough seating.
(5)TheStranger 2.
Very disappointing experience. Crowded and a long wait to be seated. Average food, slow service. Not impressed at all.
(2)Jared P.
This is our family's special occasion restaurant. I was pleasantly surprised to see a brighter interior. The tables, chairs and much of the panelling has been replaced with a lighter wood brightening up the interior. I like the change. The chefs seem to be less enthusiastic than we have had in the past, however we can all have off days, but the "show" was nice as always, just not as enthusiastic as they have been in the past. All of the staff was cheerful and pleasant refilling drinks quickly and being generally very personable. We will be back and likely within a month as spring is busy with birthday celebrations.
(4)David L.
I went here on a daddy-daughter date for UYE on a Tuesday night with 11+ friends. Was not crowded from 6 PM - 8 PM. Great time. Nice curb appeal. Ample parking in the rear. Comfortable seating around the grill. Clean bathrooms. Service was very good. Friendly people, and fun atmosphere. At dinner, had the miso soup, which was a solid 5. We also had sushi - the Austin(?) roll, I believe. Very good - solid 5. The octopus salad wasn't a fave. Also had chicken teriyaki cooked on the grill in front of us. Was a great show - a 4.5 easy (Ben was awesome!). The fried rice was a 3, the chicken was very tender, but wasn't overly flavorful, so a 3.5, and the veggies were the same. Compare Kyoto to benihana's, but more for the middle class crowd (cliché, I know). There were a few other parties of 4-8 people who came and went while we were there. Casual attire is fine. This place is a solid 4 in my opinion. The rolls were the best I've found in Treasure Valley - well done. The service was good. I'll try the steak or shrimp next time instead of the chicken on the grill. We didn't try any desserts. I haven't read the other reviews for this place yet - just posting 48 hours after I went there. I didn't wake up sick or anything - can't say the same for all sushi places in town - so that's a bonus LOL! Bottom line: I would go back again, and that's sayin' something :-)
(4)Nicole D.
I've driven past this place for about 10 years, never giving it a second thought. Last weekend we went here for a birthday party and I'm sad that I've been missing out on it all these years! The place is somewhat small but completely packed on a Saturday night. We sat around the hibachi grill which was great entertainment. Everyone that ordered sushi thought it was delicious, those that ate from the grill also enjoyed their food. This is a great place to go for gluten free! They will substitute gluten free soy sauce if you ask during ordering. They are very careful to keep glutened-food separate on the grill so there is essentially no risk of cross contamination. This place would be even better with a full bar but there are plenty of beer and wine selections.
(4)Maggie R.
One of Boise's best unexpected gems. Not fancy outside or in, but a fantastic dining experience that is fun for the whole family, and great food, too. Everything is always great here.
(5)Sheila S.
Tapenyaki was fun, and delicious! 911 ROLL is hot, but perfect on the taste buds. We also had the seared white ahi tuna, which is to die for! Definitely will be returning for hot sake and food again soon!
(4)Shelly T.
We decided to try tepanyaki since we usually just eat at sushi bars. The service was awesome. Our waiter was always checking on us, making sure we liked the food and were okay on our beverages. Although the chef didn't put on too much of a show, the food was delicious. We also ordered sushi. One of the best around Boise we've tried. Definitely a must go. We went around lunch time. I've heard dinner is a lot more crowded.
(5)Farrah S.
Awesome experience! Wonderful wait staff and chef. Food was fabulous, especially the filet. Can't wait to try their sushi.
(5)Cassandra Michele P.
I cannot say how much I love this place! My fiance & I come here as often as we can. We usually sit at the grill & get their Royal Dinner for Two and it never ceases to satisfy. This is the only place I will eat sushi from. Like the food on the grill, you can watch them make it, and its not fishy at all. Our favorites are the Spicy Tuna & the Ernie Roll. The flavors blend so well. The staff is always so nice, they know what we order and they know how we like it. We recommend this place to all of our friends looking for outstanding sushi. This place is better than Tepanyaki and just as good as Ichiban (which used to be on Broadway.) Family friendly and very welcoming as well. We have never had a bad experience here.
(5)Caroline T.
Love the food! Service was friendly and food was tasty. Only complaint was that the interior was kind of dingy and dark, similar to a bar atmosphere almost.
(4)Etha C.
The sushi is always excellent. This time we had sushi and the steak. The tepenyaki style food was fair. I would go again and just order sushi.
(3)Shelby M.
I have been to Kyoto a couple different times and have been impressed both times! The hibachi is great, their sushi is amazing! Only thing I would recommend is possibly getting more tables for people who are just there to eat sushi. I was at Kyoto ok Valentine's with my best friend and all we were wanting was sushi but we got sat with people who were there for hibachi and they all got there food while we were still waiting on our sushi. Just a thought! I will be visiting here many more times in the future!
(4)April B.
Amazing! Loved being able to watch the food prepared right in front of me! Will go back again soon!
(5)Thea J.
This place is amazing! The food is great and the service is right on que. Very afforadable, my husband and I always split an entree and order a roll of sushi its more than enough for the both of us. My 4 year old loves the food show and it is a nice place to switch up your typical dinner out... hands down love it here!
(5)D T.
Fantastic food, but only one problem: it's always busy, and once we reserved a reservation and it took over 30 minutes for us to sit down at one of those tables. But very good place to eat for a special occasion.
(4)Gabe U.
Food is great! Period. This place must be family orientated because the customer service is excellent! There is no better Japanese place to eat in Boise. Yes, I have eaten at all the other places but this is it... It does compare to the places in Seattle, San Francisco, San Diego, and Yokota Air Base in Japan. I am thankful we have such a high quality place to eat great Japanese food... Gabe
(5)Ruben O.
I really enjoyed the friendly atmosphere here. I visited Kyoto's while on a business trip. The owners made me feel welcome and at home. Some Japanese resto's can be a little reserved but not here. This only complimented the delicious sushi. On this nite I had the salmon, tuna, and yellow tail. All were fresh and tasty. The salmon was especially tasty. It was so tasty I decided to take an order of spicy tuna roll and gyoza to go. Good Eats!!!
(4)Barb D.
I LOVE this place! My family, friends, and I have gone here for over a decade. The food ALWAYS tastes amazing, the service is ALWAYS great! We love the chefs, they are so entertaining and nice. We try to go 1-2 times a year as a special treat. It's not cheap, but definitely worth every penny! No one can beat the taste of their fried rice! If you need a great place to be at for 2 hours on a weekend, get your friends and family and bring them here! We always get the special where they cook you rice, mushroom soup, chicken, beef, and sushi (which they throw into the air and you can try and catch with your mouth) and then finish the night off with ice cream (and of course a fortune cookie!!!). 5 Stars hands down!
(5)Elaine S.
I love this place, I wasn't sure about it, but my husband wanted to surprise ourselves. So we walked in, it was busy, but the hostess got us a seat within less than 5 minutes. The service fast and friendly, I like this place and it's very cheerful place (I think because it's hibachi place). I ordered beef yakisoba (noodle), 2 sushi (eel and tobiko), and my husband ordered teriyaki chicken. Beef yakisoba is OUTSTANDING! I could eat this everday, something about their yakisoba is amazing. I am asian and I should say their yakisoba is the best so far I could find in Idaho. It's authentic and so tasty. Oh try their fried rice too, it's really good! I ordered sushi for tobiko and eel which I know these ingredients are hard to find fresh ones. They are okay, the portion is generous for tobiko and price is great though. I would like try other sushi next time. Again, it's not sushi place, so maybe 3.5 stars for sushi. Teriyaki chicken is really good! My hubby is super picky about food and he loves this place. He gobbled it down very fast.. This place is generous with amount of food, and sauce too. No wonder their food taste amazing. Our chef was new, I could see he still learning how to crack all eggs but hey he really cooked great tasting food! I went to other hibachi restaurant weeks before, they are newer and bigger and more expensive. I don''t need to say which restaurant, but Kyoto is way better food than them.... :) We went to Kyoto last night and I want to go back there again tonight lol!
(5)Joncee M.
awesome food and amazing staff. The sushi is to die for and the in house salad dressing is delish. I love how friendly and welcoming the owners are. they make my family feel important.
(5)Ophelia M.
I arranged a Sushi-Outing UYE here on a Tuesday night. Kyoto was lovely to work with. They happily took our reservations, even though, at first, I didn't have a fixed number for them. I had initially made reservations for 6 but warned it could grow to 12. I called back the day before to say it looked like we'd be closer to 12 than 6. And, good thing I did because we ended up with 12 (possibly 13?) attendees. Kyoto was friendly and helpful throughout the reservation process and not the least bit impatient with the changing numbers. I arrived early to make sure everything was set. Kyoto had a plan in place and were completely prepared for our arrival. Having planned several group outings in the past, I can say restaurants are not always so on the ball. Kyoto really deserves recognition for having been so thoughtfully prepared for our arrival. Now, part of my motivation for planning the UYE (other than obviously the desire to meet all the fabulous yelpers!) was to get a little more sushi-proficient. My main dining companion doesn't care for sushi and so it has just never really made it on my dining out rotation. Boise yelpers to the rescue! All that attended were very generous with their wealth of sushi knowledge. So, having said that, I am certainly not a sushi expert. I did try some of the Co-op's offerings leading up to our visit here, as well as Trader Joe's, and a couple bites at Mai Thai. I will say this: Of all the sushi I've tried, Kyoto's was the best. We began with Miso soup, which was scrumptious. Boise Yelper Kim R., then shared her octopus salad with us. I have never tried octopus salad before and was completely surprised at it's deliciousness. I guess I was expecting it to be kind of chewy--but it was not in the least. Fellow yelper, Shelle M and I, each ordered a roll and then shared with each other so that we could both try more than one roll. I ordered the Austin roll and she the Ernie (I think?). Both were out of this world. They were both ample and seriously delish. I also tried a bite of hokkigai nigiri which was amazing (another one I was a little tentative about but needn't have been!). And, some sort of egg that was the star of the show for me--sweet, light, and lovely. The service was a little spotty as we did have a snafu with on one of the checks (WAY overcharged). The server didn't budge on the amount while we were there. But, I was happy to learn that management DID make it right and refund her the amount she was overcharged. Some in our party ordered hot food and Ben, our chef, was entertaining on the grill. He put on quite a show and was funny to boot. Overall, great sushi, and a great time with fellow yelpers! I will definitely be back! I may even get my main dining companion to give sushi another try at Kyoto! They may just convert him to a sushi enthusiast! Fingers crossed! Get to it!
(4)Etha C.
The sushi is always excellent. This time we had sushi and the steak. The tepenyaki style food was fair. I would go again and just order sushi.
(3)Shelby M.
I have been to Kyoto a couple different times and have been impressed both times! The hibachi is great, their sushi is amazing! Only thing I would recommend is possibly getting more tables for people who are just there to eat sushi. I was at Kyoto ok Valentine's with my best friend and all we were wanting was sushi but we got sat with people who were there for hibachi and they all got there food while we were still waiting on our sushi. Just a thought! I will be visiting here many more times in the future!
(4)ILove Foo D.
My husband and I went here recently on a wednesday night and when we walked into the restaurant it was packed! From the singing we learned that there were two huge birthday party groups there for the teppenyaki dinner and they were all having a blast! For sushi we were offered a table near the sushi bar which was available but that area was also soon packed as well. Right away we were brought miso soup and edamame which was nice. Our waitress was super sweet and upon noticing us struggling on what to order she asked if this was our first time here. When we told her it was she was so excited to tell us what is popular and even pointed out another list of sushi rolls located on the side of the table against the wall. We ordered a roll called the Mary from that list, and also got the Spicy Johnny and Marilyn Monroe. They were all very delicious even though in their presentation they all looked somewhat similar. The Spicy Johnny lives up to its name, the Mary had a nice tuna and salmon flavor with a bite of saltiness and the Marilyn Monroe was light and refreshing. We also shared a large Japanese beer and in the end it all only came to $35 before tip and we felt we definitely got our money's worth! The staff are super friendly! I like to observe staff and patron interaction and there was a ton of it here. The teppanyaki patrons consisted of all ages together having fun and just watching them trying to catch their food in their mouth provided us with plenty of dinnertime entertainment. You can tell there are a lot of "regulars" here by the way the staff interact with them and I was really surprised at how busy it was for the middle of the week! There was a really sweet somewhat older asian lady who talked with several patrons and when one man and his son were leaving she called out "bye" to them and said to the little boy "Bye handsome!" I thought it was cute. Not long after that she walked by our table, stopped and turned to my husband, and poured the remainder of his beer in his glass for him. Too cute! I have NEVER seen that done before. If I had to have a complaint it would only be that the water glasses have a lot of mineral deposits on them from hard water and that can sometimes be a turnoff. The sushi ginger was not very strong and also the decor could use some refreshing. Kyoto seems like a wonderful family owned establishment that has been around for years and years. I only regret not going before now. We will be back and will definitely be having the teppanyaki!
(4)Mary N.
I'm a big fan of Sushi and have had my share of Sushi in California. When I moved to Idaho last year, I was very hesitant to try the Sushi here. I believe my husband and I were going out for a date and he raved so much about Kyoto that I gave in and decided to try it. From the outside it reminded me of Sushi places back home. The inside was a bit small for my liking but I've been in smaller. We were seated at a small table but the workers there really made me feel like I was sitting at home having dinner. They really make you feel like family when you walk in. The Sushi was great and my overall experience was not bad. I would definitely go back here again.
(4)Daria K.
In the pursuit of the best sushi place in town, my friends and I have been to most of the sushi restaurants in the area of Boise, and some were very good but pricey, others were recommended but had fish that tasted old. Kyoto remains my favorite sushi restaurant in Boise despite being mostly designed as a steakhouse. The fish is fresh, the special rolls and higher priced regular rolls have generous amounts of sauces on them, the service is fast, edamame and Miso soup are free with the sushi order, prices are very reasonable, and to Tim- the tea is free, just ask for it. The only few problems you might have- limited amount of seating in the sushi area, sushi selection might get a little tiring if you go there enough, but I have asked for rolls that were not listed on the menu and the itamae made them for me (see, Japanese burrito). The best rolls at Kyoto in my opinion- #9, Spicy Johnny, Happy Roll, Susan Roll, and Mary Roll.
(4)Bree B.
love the salads and the show. Im getting better at catching shrimp every time.
(3)Joseph H.
I gave a 2 stars for the entertainment....this was the best part of the whole experience. The services was slow until out section was full and then it was all show, the food, mediocre at best. For the kids, good place to take them!!!
(2)Tim M.
Ok, let's set something straight right now, a 5-star restaurant is something like The Top of the Mark in San Francisco or something like that. This is NOT a 5-star despite what "Ronnie" wants you to believe. Maybe "Ronnie" is an Idaho native and one thing's for sure, their standards are *very* low. OK about the restaurant: This place is VERY popular with the local crowd, probably because of the hibachi show (Think Benihana). I believe the joint used to be a Shakey's as can be seen carved into the original concrete. The interior, if you look closely, is all worn and beat up with massive water stains in the ceiling tiles especially over the sushi bar. (a *tiny* sushi bar) The main tepanyaki (flat grill and show) prepared food is decent and well priced during lunch. (rice and meats) The side dishes fall well below the mark. Salad is western style w/croutons, small and not very tasty. They also serve a blah onion soup, probably catering to western tastes, but not very Japanese. Prices go up by around 50% at dinner so be prepared to get socked. The sushi side of things was a huge disappointment. The owner was not there, instead his wife was doing the slicing and dicing. Here they give you low quality miso soup. Our sushi was the biggest let-down. We got very tiny, paper thin (or shoji-thin!) pieces, the kind you'd expect at the $1.00 sushi boat place. Except these cost $4.00! That could only be categorized as a rip-off in my book. The fish was OK, and they did have a tasty No. 9 Kyoto roll, (shrimp, avocado, tobiko) but that didn't make up for their stingy portions. Also, they didn't serve any tea, guess you gotta ask for it or pay for it. If you want the grill tepanyaki show, a better place to go might be Ichiban. The best sushi place in town still remains Shige's.
(2)Ronnie M.
Excelent food. Great show. Fantastic place to go for a special occasion.
(5)Ruben O.
I really enjoyed the friendly atmosphere here. I visited Kyoto's while on a business trip. The owners made me feel welcome and at home. Some Japanese resto's can be a little reserved but not here. This only complimented the delicious sushi. On this nite I had the salmon, tuna, and yellow tail. All were fresh and tasty. The salmon was especially tasty. It was so tasty I decided to take an order of spicy tuna roll and gyoza to go. Good Eats!!!
(4)Barb D.
I LOVE this place! My family, friends, and I have gone here for over a decade. The food ALWAYS tastes amazing, the service is ALWAYS great! We love the chefs, they are so entertaining and nice. We try to go 1-2 times a year as a special treat. It's not cheap, but definitely worth every penny! No one can beat the taste of their fried rice! If you need a great place to be at for 2 hours on a weekend, get your friends and family and bring them here! We always get the special where they cook you rice, mushroom soup, chicken, beef, and sushi (which they throw into the air and you can try and catch with your mouth) and then finish the night off with ice cream (and of course a fortune cookie!!!). 5 Stars hands down!
(5)Elaine S.
I love this place, I wasn't sure about it, but my husband wanted to surprise ourselves. So we walked in, it was busy, but the hostess got us a seat within less than 5 minutes. The service fast and friendly, I like this place and it's very cheerful place (I think because it's hibachi place). I ordered beef yakisoba (noodle), 2 sushi (eel and tobiko), and my husband ordered teriyaki chicken. Beef yakisoba is OUTSTANDING! I could eat this everday, something about their yakisoba is amazing. I am asian and I should say their yakisoba is the best so far I could find in Idaho. It's authentic and so tasty. Oh try their fried rice too, it's really good! I ordered sushi for tobiko and eel which I know these ingredients are hard to find fresh ones. They are okay, the portion is generous for tobiko and price is great though. I would like try other sushi next time. Again, it's not sushi place, so maybe 3.5 stars for sushi. Teriyaki chicken is really good! My hubby is super picky about food and he loves this place. He gobbled it down very fast.. This place is generous with amount of food, and sauce too. No wonder their food taste amazing. Our chef was new, I could see he still learning how to crack all eggs but hey he really cooked great tasting food! I went to other hibachi restaurant weeks before, they are newer and bigger and more expensive. I don''t need to say which restaurant, but Kyoto is way better food than them.... :) We went to Kyoto last night and I want to go back there again tonight lol!
(5)Joncee M.
awesome food and amazing staff. The sushi is to die for and the in house salad dressing is delish. I love how friendly and welcoming the owners are. they make my family feel important.
(5)Loralee P.
I really wish that I would've had a better experience. We never, ever should have gone on New Years Day. I feel generous giving 2 stars. I have been to a lot of teppanyaki grills on the east coast so I had expectations. The first problem: We came in and asked for service for 2 and she told us 15-20 minutes. It was over 45 minutes to be seated. We should have left after 20 minutes. Second problem: We were given seats at a table that had the worst draft ever from the door. Every single time someone entered, a very cold wind swept over us. We should have left when we were given those seats. I kept my big winter jacket on and hat and I was still cold throughout the dinner. I asked for the "yum yum" sauce and he said to me "you're not on the east coast anymore". Who would've thought yum-yum sauce was a region thing? Bummer. The cook's tricks were average. The food was below average. The chicken was dry, and there wasn't even any of the noodles that I love at teppanyaki grills. I had to go find a waitress to get water. Awful service. Didn't try the Sushi, so I can't speak for that.
(2)Kevin B.
Love the food and the staff. Great family owned place that takes good care of it's patrons. My daughter always wants to have her birthdays there.
(5)Jennifer W.
This is one of Boise's best kept sushi secrets. I have been going to Kyoto for 20 years for special dinners with family and friends. It is so fun to have the chefs cook at your table. The chefs are almost always funny and entertaining and very talented. Both adults and kids love this about Kyoto. It's a fun, comfortable atmosphere. Not formal...just your typical Japanese style decor. No need to dress fancy for this place. I have always gotten chicken or shrimp, which comes with fried rice, vegies, and miso soup. Delicious! More recently, at a company Christmas party, I got the Salmon, which was SO delicious. But, I digress. I noticed about 8-10 yrs ago that Kyoto started serving sushi. I am an avid sushi connoisseur and quickly determined that Kyoto was not the place to get sushi. I have held the same belief since then until recently when, at my company party, my boss ordered a sushi roll as an appetizer. I was SO impressed with the freshness of the roll that I convinced my husband to go with me last night specifically to eat sushi. We got the Marilyn Monroe roll and the H.P. roll. We also got the Yellowtail Hamachi. Everything was so fresh and delicious. My husband and I can detect fish that isn't fresh a mile away and this clearly wasn't the case here. Also, the staff was so friendly and you could tell they were having fun working together. They have a small sushi bar where you can watch the sushi chefs make your rolls, etc. and they were so friendly and were having a good time as well. So, if you love sushi or just a fun, clean, comfortable atmosphere with great non-sushi, then GO THERE!
(5)Natalie F.
Been frequenting this place for years and the owners always remember me and my family when we come in. We typically dine in for the sushi and it is so so delicious! We leave happy every time. Awesome place to go and feel welcome.
(5)Rachel Z.
Very friendly staff! Husband and I split the filet mignon and chicken dish! Plenty of food for 2! We were seated very fast! Watching our food be prepared in front of us was fun and memorable, sweet fire and other effects! We wanted to order the pineapple boat desset which is just a half of pineapple but they were out.. Our waitress was super sweet and apologetic. The soup and salad is gross. But the main dish is AmAzInG!! Fresh hot tasty! Also BEST FRIED RICE I HAVE EVER HAD! And the chef was awesome!
(4)John W.
Sushi is awesome and so is the terriyaki,Friendly staff and really fun for parties. My family and i really enjoy this place. My favorite roll is the sugar daddy. I would recoomend this place to anyone.Can be a bit spendy but overall a great place.
(4)Kelly M.
Pretty good. The waitstaff were very attentive which was great. The food was ok. Although I don't eat sushi, I here it is great here. Could not here the cook over all of the noise. He also seemed sick as he was coughing while cooking. Kind of a turn off. Overall not a bad experience, not the best either.
(3)Paul M.
Great sushi and fun dinner experience!
(5)Chryssa R.
The entertainment aspect was fun and the waitstaff was fantastic, but the food was not very good. The noodle dish I ordered was very oily with little flavor, and the shrimp were way overcooked and tough. The atmosphere was noisy and hot with a heavy layer of grease hanging in the air.
(2)Jon G.
I believe it is Boise's best kept secret. My wife I have been going here since we move to Boise in 2004. It is family owned and run and the always treat everyone with great respect, humor, stories and the most incredible sushi rolls I have had anywhere. I grew up in Las Vegas with some incredible sushi restaurants and this matches them all. The decor is casual, it's old and there is nothing pretencious about the place, the plum wine as yummie, Earnie runs the sushi bar and everything is alway fresh, and prepared to perfection. They have a small sushi eating area and then a large Tepanyaki room. The habachi seating is a must for parties, and the chefs are well trained and food is excellent. As you are reading this beware that the link to there website doesn't work it takes you to some restaurant in TX it's not this restaurant. I am going to have to let them know! @Tim, this isn't a rating service. I have been to and enjoy many 5 star restautants, I give it 5 stars because it's a personal top for me not because of a rating system. I would rather go where I feel like a five star rather than what some snob rates as a five star!!! Just my 2 cents worth. Try it once I don't believe you will be unhappy!
(5)Shelby K.
Best sushi in Boise!! Actually, I've rarely had better sushi anywhere and all my out-of-town guests have agreed. The staff is extremely friendly. The sushi area is small so you may have to wait but it's worth it. You can also bring your own wine and drink it without a corkage fee.
(5)Tao L.
Good lunch place. Servers are nice.
(4)Jenn c.
Our visit to Kyoto was just ok. The food wasn't bad, the rice, soup and veggies were great, the shrimp was also good. We got a few pieces of Nigiri, which were just ok, but definitely not bad. The hibachi halibut steak was overcooked and tasted a little fishy, granted we are fresh seafood eaters and are a little picky, but it was definitely overcooked. The server was also a little off, she seemed as if she was about to have a breakdown, she was nice, but still a little rushed and scattered. I Am surprised at the 5 stars given to this place, this was definitely not 5 star worthy. Hope Boise has better steakhouses, or we will be pretty sad!
(3)Lindsay L.
This is the best Sushi I've had in Boise (so far). I've been spoiled by Mikuni's in Sacramento, so my bar is set really high. The service is good and the sushi is fresh and prepared well. The sushi dining area is very small, so waiting is probable. The large teppanyaki section is great for larger groups though (especially if you have a mixed group of raw vs. non-raw eaters). The food is definitely yummy enough to recommend but not so amazing that I've stopped looking for the local sushi place that will make my taste buds sing.
(4)James K.
Took the wife and family for her birthday, we had a great time at the hibachi grill, the cook was very personable and funny. The wait staff were on top of everything. Our party just raved over the food and I had some decent pieces of sushi too. Definitely go for the hibachi experience, I wouldn't recommend going strictly for the sushi because it's ok at best and is not what they are known for. Also don't pass on the fried rice it's really good.
(3)Darien S.
Overall just an okay experience at this place. The food was decent, but the show was not all that impressive. The chef focused more on cooking the food and preparing to leave the hibachi grill. He had messed up several times during his performance and did not say much during the entire event. If you are hungry and want food fast, then this is the place to be. Otherwise, if you want the full hibachi experience, I would try out some other place.
(3)Christina M.
I used to take my kids there when I first moved from CA to Boise back in 92 so they been around a while, best for lunch I think otherwise pretty average to good food. Decor needs revamping and they still serve lame out of the bag type american salad coming from europe and after dinning in major cities I guess I am a little more critical and Boise has improved believe me! I am not into the whole show by my grill thing I just want great food otherwise why pay to eat out?
(3)Michelle S.
This is hands down my favorite sushi spot in Boise. I always get the spicy johnny role and a california roll. They are very consistent in their preparation, they are super speedy and super friendly as well. I can only review their sushi as I have yet to try their tepanyaki... I mean, why would you deviate from something you enjoy so much! Definitely go here if you want fresh, delicious and AFFORDABLE sushi... some places get crazy with their prices and frankly, homie don't play that.
(5)Erek K.
Great, unassuming spot in Boise off Fairview Ave. Caught my eye and I strolled in. It front it looked empty but once inside It was packed as parking is in the back. TEPPAN Stations throughout and a sushi bar in the corner it's nice and packed and pretty traditional looking. Sat down at the sushi bar and ordered straight from the owner. Yellow tail, California rolls and at his suggestion the Johnny roll which is spicy tuna, fried yellow tail, avocado with eel, eel sauce, spicy mayo and sriracha on top. It was ALL amazing and easy on the pocket book as far as sushi goes.
(4)Kelly S.
We love Kyoto and our favorite grill chef is Ben. He has a great sense of humor, we always ask for his grill. The food is always great and I always ask for extra hibachi veggies. 2 of my favorites are the hibachi salmon or the filet. Both are very good. We took my granddaughters for the first time last year, ages 6 & 3, they loved the entertainment. Was so fun to see their reactions to the fire and the slice and dice action. Definitely recommend for lunch or dinner. You will not be disappointed.
(4)Austin K.
Don't let size fool you lol!!! Very good food sushi and habachi also very nice and pilot waitress definitely comparable to shoguns or Benihana's
(5)Scott N.
I've driven pas this place 100 times (more, actually) and never really took note of it. My wife loves Benihana and this was very much like that format. Although they have a few individual tables (probably for overflow where people didn't make reservations) you sit at a "U" shaped table for 10 with a flat top where the chef does his magic, flips a shrimp in your mouth, makes an onion volcano, and cooks your meal. It's foodertainment. I made a reservation well in advance of Valentine's Day and had no problem getting in at the established time. There was probably 20 minutes or so between the appointed reservation and the time the chef arrived at the table. Between seating & waiting for the chef, we received drinks, ordered, and received a small salad. Then the foodertainment. The food is somewhat secondary to the show. It was good. They have shrimp, steak, and lobster as their three main dishes in various combinations. They also had some combinations with scallops, but not in the combination I desired so I asked the waiter if they could combination I wanted & he accommodated my order. I thought I'd probably have to pay more for that change, but when I received our bill, it was affordable & I didn't notice any change in the core $19.99 price (the price for steak & lobster is much more). With beers & meals, I think our bill was $80-something, so with tip, we got out of there around $100. I consider that a win. I'd take my lovely bride here again, no doubt.
(4)Mercedes C.
Went there for my wedding anniversary had the Royal dinner for two included shrimp chicken steak soup veggies salad and a dessert all for about $42 then add drinks and 1 sake and tip drop about $70 well worth it food cooked at your table by an entertaining chef can't wait to go again going to take the kiddo
(5)Justin H.
We've never done the Benihana, hibachi style dinner here. Just sushi. It stank and was fishy. Don't eat sushi here. Why in the world do so many yelpers rave about the sushi? Try Maru sushi! And I've heard Yoi Tomo is good, too. Or Sono Bana. Or That place on 8th in the building... Best Sushi. But Mari is our favorite.
(2)Kim R.
I had been here a few times, years ago, and was pleased to try it again for a recent UYE arranged by Ophelia. The dozen or so of us sat at one of the several Teppanyaki stations and, although most ordered sushi, chef Ben interacted with all of us nicely. I ordered the Tako salad, Rainbow roll, and Hokkigai nigiri. I really enjoyed all three. The Tako salad, however, was a VERY mall portion for the price. I would not recommend getting it here. The Rainbow roll was absolutely delicious and was very reasonable. Hokkigai is my favorite, and I was so pleased to see it on the menu! At the end of the meal, the waitress brought our checks. Mine was very wrong due to a misunderstanding on the waitress' part. Because I was with a group, I decided not to make a big deal out of it. I did mention it to her once, and she didn't see fit to apologize or make any adjustment. Driving home, I decided that I really did need to speak with the manager to give him or her the opportunity to make things right. After an unnecessarily lengthy discussion, the manager asked me if I wanted to have it taken out of the waitress' tips. I said no, but that the restaurant needed to assure that the mistake was corrected. She offered a small adjustment, then offered to "split it" with me. (Seriously?!) So now, after my complaint and two objections, she finally made a better (although not complete) adjustment. Sushi was great, our service was very good for a group of this size. I will, however, be exceedingly clear when ordering next time and hope another mistake doesn't happen.
(4)Katie M.
My hubby and I enjoyed our visit to Kyoto. We sat at the Tepenyaki (sp) grill. We ordered the spicy tuna & 911 rolls. Very good!! my husband ordered the teriyaki chicken and enjoyed it. We loved our chef....especially the shrimp tosses! It was a nice touch to give everyone samples of shrimp!
(5)S R.
I've been eating at Kyoto for 24 years as of 2015. I've been to many other Japanese Hibachi style restaurants over the years in Boise and abroad and this place is my favorite, hands down. Great service, great food, great atmosphere!
(5)Kristin M.
Kyoto is one of my favorite restaurants in Boise. The sushi is amazing (Marilyn roll and spicy Johnny are my personal favorites.) Relaxed atmosphere and friendly staff. A good place to go if you're craving sushi and you're with friends who won't eat it. The teriyaki steak is good too. Something for everyone. Family friendly as well.
(5)Alisha L.
The hibachi dinners are fun and delicious. The cooks are very nice and entertaining. The prices are very reasonable for this type of dinner and portions are large. The sushi sucks, so don't go for that. The fried rice and pretty much anything hibachi is great. This place gets pretty busy so try to get their early when they open at 4pm.
(4)Charles B.
A grill similar to Benihana with performing chefs, etc.. Visiting such a place is an interesting life experience, but not an everyday lunch.
(4)Melissa K.
Attended my first UYE here this evening and brought along the hubby. Atmosphere was definitely more conducive to a Japanese steak house style restaurant, in which you are seated at grilling stations. Not sure that I actually saw a sushi station anywhere. In this particular case, this seating configuration worked out well. As I think all members of our group felt apart of conversation. Only two people ordered something that could be prepared on the grill, which was definitely very entertaining to watch. The chef was very engaging and humorous. I was also impressed that he still involved everyone in the group in the presentation. Server was friendly and moderately attentive. Considering the unique situation of serving 13 people, each as individual checks but seated as a party, must be a waitresses nightmare. Her assistant on the other hand seemed young and maybe a little new at customer service. My hubby and I shared 3 sushi rolls. The Rainbow Roll, The Spicy Johnny Roll and The Mary Roll. All three came out together on a nice presentation plate. Cuts of fish were well proportioned and good fish to rice ratio. I liked the sauces they used on the Spicy Johnny and The Mary. We also ordered a couple pieces of Unagi. I feel like this usually makes or breaks a sushi experience for me. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised on the cut of fish and the tender sweet flavor. So glad I saved this piece for last! We were also given a bowl of miso soup and edamame to start. The miso was delicious and very flavorful. The edamame was okay. I like mine to be salted and warm, neither of which I experienced here. Pricing per roll was average to other similar places in the area. All in all, I would give them a go again if someone wanted to eat here. But I don't know that I would necessarily make a special trip just to come to this specific restaurant for sushi.
(4)Kendrick E.
Nope will never eat there again. Passed by there so much decided to have my birthday dinner there. Service was slow and if you're waiting long enough you will see everything that they're going to do at your table. Top it all off we paid the most money to see everyone get served the same thing. It all taste burned and bland. I will not play with my food and catch hot shrimp in my mouth. So over priced for the food u r getting.
(1)Kristen W.
Went here for my birthday and had a blast. Food was good, service was good and I got a discreet birthday icecream bowl :)
(5)Cassandra Michele P.
I cannot say how much I love this place! My fiance & I come here as often as we can. We usually sit at the grill & get their Royal Dinner for Two and it never ceases to satisfy. This is the only place I will eat sushi from. Like the food on the grill, you can watch them make it, and its not fishy at all. Our favorites are the Spicy Tuna & the Ernie Roll. The flavors blend so well. The staff is always so nice, they know what we order and they know how we like it. We recommend this place to all of our friends looking for outstanding sushi. This place is better than Tepanyaki and just as good as Ichiban (which used to be on Broadway.) Family friendly and very welcoming as well. We have never had a bad experience here.
(5)Caroline T.
Love the food! Service was friendly and food was tasty. Only complaint was that the interior was kind of dingy and dark, similar to a bar atmosphere almost.
(4)April B.
Amazing! Loved being able to watch the food prepared right in front of me! Will go back again soon!
(5)Thea J.
This place is amazing! The food is great and the service is right on que. Very afforadable, my husband and I always split an entree and order a roll of sushi its more than enough for the both of us. My 4 year old loves the food show and it is a nice place to switch up your typical dinner out... hands down love it here!
(5)D T.
Fantastic food, but only one problem: it's always busy, and once we reserved a reservation and it took over 30 minutes for us to sit down at one of those tables. But very good place to eat for a special occasion.
(4)Diane L.
I honestly can not believe there are any bad reviews for Kyoto...This is my family's favorite place to eat!! We can't ever decide what's the best part, there is so much to love about this place. As a rule, we always sit at one of the grills so we can enjoy hibachi food, sushi AND the entertainment! At the grills they start you off with a yummy onion soup and a side salad with a delicious sesame dressing. The menu has a large variety of food options to be prepared right in front of you, from Yakisoba noodles to a tasty veggie plate or from teriyaki chicken to Filet, lobster, and shrimp. My personal favorite is their Teriyaki Salmon, my son loves the imitation crab plate and my Husband like to get fancy with the Idaho Imperial meal ( Filet mignon, shrimp and lobster tail). We have definitely strayed from these favorites and tried other items and have enjoyed every meal we've had there. They also serve most plates with a side of grilled veggies, 2 sauces and your choice of white or friend rice (Trust me,the up-charge is worth it!). Along with the delicious food, the staff here are so great! All of our hosts/hostesses, and servers have been amazing! The sushi chefs are always so nice and helpful too. The grill chefs are so entertaining! They do the typical onion volcano, egg in the hat, and shrimp tossing, that you expect to see in these type of restaurants,but for some reason I find the chefs here more enjoyable than in any other place. It's one of the reasons we keep coming back. I simply can not end this super long review with out mentioning the Sushi. Hands down, it's the best in town, and trust me I have tried a lot of sushi places in town! I have never had a piece or roll that tasted fishy or old... Our favorite roll is the Spicy Johnny. I never go to this place with out having one, period. We also really enjoy the Marilyn, Ernie, Mary, and 911. Actually we've never had a roll we didn't like! Their nigiri is so great as well. It always taste fresh and delicious. This restaurant is moderately priced, definitely not the cheapest place in town, but with the amount and quality of food you get, it is well worth it. The exterior and interior are a little dated, but I think that's part of it's charm, though I can see where it would be off-putting to some. This is also a hot spot for birthdays, so if you plan on eating here Friday-Sunday evening, you might want to call ahead and make reservations, or you may have a bit of a wait. If you have not tried Kyoto, I suggest you make plans to now!
(5)Curt P.
Our favorite Japanese place in The Treasure Valley. Always fun when sitting around the grill watching them whip up the food, good food, good service.
(5)Sarah S.
One of my favourite restaurants in Boise! Hibachi is fun to watch,excellent to eat. Sushi is good,too. Have to say the service is average but decent. Friendly staff, good food. Not a place to bring a picky eater though.
(5)Kevin K.
From the outside this place doesn't look like much and I'd say the same for the interior decor........somewhat forgettable. However when it comes to the food, it was pretty good. I had the sushi and was very happy with the three rolls (Mary roll, spicy johnny, rainbow roll) and unagi. The rolls were a good size and had lots of flavor, probably due to the well pared sauces on them. The unagi was a surprisingly large cut and well outweighed the rice. The service was average and I found them to be more entertaining than accomidating.
(4)Jo L.
This was my first time at one of these Japanese steak houses and it was a great experience. The staff was extremely nice and made us feel at home. The showmanship of our chef was entertaining. The food was not "off the charts" fabulous but I really liked my scallops. The steak was alright. It was prepared well but was a bit bland. However, there were some dipping sauces to pair with the steak which perked it up a bit. The sushi was pretty good. I don't have much experience with sushi so I can honestly say, it was some of the best sushi I've ever had!! I didn't pay for my meal, and could pretty much order whatever the hell I wanted, cost be damned so, the price was juuuust right! Sincerely, this was a very enjoyable dining experience and I would definitely hit Kyoto again if I find myself in Boise. From my one and only experience here, I would suggest making a reservation for BEFORE 7pm. We had a reservation for 6pm on a Friday evening and almost immediately after we arrived, there was a queue of 20 people waiting.
(4)Rick F.
Great atmosphere for a fun and yummy night out with spouse. Not too fancy and not to dialed down either. The food is great as well as the pricing. It gets packed at times so call ahead.
(4)Steven B.
The Ernie Roll and Austin Roll tasted pretty much exactly the same. They were pretty good though. Not a very wide flavor selection. Seemed like every roll had shrimp, and tuna in it.
(3)Gabe U.
Food is great! Period. This place must be family orientated because the customer service is excellent! There is no better Japanese place to eat in Boise. Yes, I have eaten at all the other places but this is it... It does compare to the places in Seattle, San Francisco, San Diego, and Yokota Air Base in Japan. I am thankful we have such a high quality place to eat great Japanese food... Gabe
(5)Josh H.
I am usually wary of Japanese steakhouse's as the environment of the restaurant as well as the people you dine with always play a large role in the experience. The teppanyaki chef was hands down one of the best I have ever had. Not only cooked the meal to perfection but provided some great entertainment as well.
(4)Corey M.
Love the sushi! I have been here many, many times and in my opinion they have the best rolls in boise, however, I was very disappointed in the service we received last night. When ordering I said I wanted the Valerie and Bill and Tim rolls. My friend corrected me and said wait, didn't you want the vicki? I said oops yes I mean the Vicki and Bill and Tim. When our order came out she brought me all three rolls. I told her I had only wanted two so she initially took the Valerie back. A few minutes later she came back and said "I don't eat raw fish and if you don't pay for this I have to eat the cost so will you take it?" There were 5 of us at the restaurant. We all felt awkward and said sure. In my opinion that is unexceptable. All 4 of my friends clearly heard me correct my order. The waitress was not listening so instead of apologizing we ended up paying for her mistake. Unfortunately sushi doesn't keep well.
(2)Jennifer H.
****Lunch Only Review**** I wanted to go somewhere special for my Adoption Day but I had work later that day so my mom and I decided to go here...I was longing for the days of Yamatos in Trazana,CA... We walked in and were seated right away...the service was great...the good was yummy...even though I would rather have had miso soup instead of the onion...the cook came...and was fun...i enjoyed my meal...
(3)Husky D.
Friendly staff and yummy food! Great for family and work team building.
(5)David L.
I went here on a daddy-daughter date for UYE on a Tuesday night with 11+ friends. Was not crowded from 6 PM - 8 PM. Great time. Nice curb appeal. Ample parking in the rear. Comfortable seating around the grill. Clean bathrooms. Service was very good. Friendly people, and fun atmosphere. At dinner, had the miso soup, which was a solid 5. We also had sushi - the Austin(?) roll, I believe. Very good - solid 5. The octopus salad wasn't a fave. Also had chicken teriyaki cooked on the grill in front of us. Was a great show - a 4.5 easy (Ben was awesome!). The fried rice was a 3, the chicken was very tender, but wasn't overly flavorful, so a 3.5, and the veggies were the same. Compare Kyoto to benihana's, but more for the middle class crowd (cliché, I know). There were a few other parties of 4-8 people who came and went while we were there. Casual attire is fine. This place is a solid 4 in my opinion. The rolls were the best I've found in Treasure Valley - well done. The service was good. I'll try the steak or shrimp next time instead of the chicken on the grill. We didn't try any desserts. I haven't read the other reviews for this place yet - just posting 48 hours after I went there. I didn't wake up sick or anything - can't say the same for all sushi places in town - so that's a bonus LOL! Bottom line: I would go back again, and that's sayin' something :-)
(4)Nicole D.
I've driven past this place for about 10 years, never giving it a second thought. Last weekend we went here for a birthday party and I'm sad that I've been missing out on it all these years! The place is somewhat small but completely packed on a Saturday night. We sat around the hibachi grill which was great entertainment. Everyone that ordered sushi thought it was delicious, those that ate from the grill also enjoyed their food. This is a great place to go for gluten free! They will substitute gluten free soy sauce if you ask during ordering. They are very careful to keep glutened-food separate on the grill so there is essentially no risk of cross contamination. This place would be even better with a full bar but there are plenty of beer and wine selections.
(4)Maggie R.
One of Boise's best unexpected gems. Not fancy outside or in, but a fantastic dining experience that is fun for the whole family, and great food, too. Everything is always great here.
(5)Sheila S.
Tapenyaki was fun, and delicious! 911 ROLL is hot, but perfect on the taste buds. We also had the seared white ahi tuna, which is to die for! Definitely will be returning for hot sake and food again soon!
(4)Shelly T.
We decided to try tepanyaki since we usually just eat at sushi bars. The service was awesome. Our waiter was always checking on us, making sure we liked the food and were okay on our beverages. Although the chef didn't put on too much of a show, the food was delicious. We also ordered sushi. One of the best around Boise we've tried. Definitely a must go. We went around lunch time. I've heard dinner is a lot more crowded.
(5)Farrah S.
Awesome experience! Wonderful wait staff and chef. Food was fabulous, especially the filet. Can't wait to try their sushi.
(5)Melanie A.
This is my favorite sushi restaurant in Boise. Service is excellent, food is delicious. Weekly ritual. Only downside is sometimes there isn't enough seating.
(5)TheStranger 2.
Very disappointing experience. Crowded and a long wait to be seated. Average food, slow service. Not impressed at all.
(2)Jared P.
This is our family's special occasion restaurant. I was pleasantly surprised to see a brighter interior. The tables, chairs and much of the panelling has been replaced with a lighter wood brightening up the interior. I like the change. The chefs seem to be less enthusiastic than we have had in the past, however we can all have off days, but the "show" was nice as always, just not as enthusiastic as they have been in the past. All of the staff was cheerful and pleasant refilling drinks quickly and being generally very personable. We will be back and likely within a month as spring is busy with birthday celebrations.
(4)