Kushiyaki Chopin, Kyoto

If you're looking for a Kushiyaki restaurant in the Pontocho or Kiyamachi areas of Kyoto, Kushiyaki Chopin is a delicious option. Skewers of various meats and chicken are grilled to perfection in front of you.

After spending the best part of the early evening walking the alleys and streets of the Pontocho and Kiyamachi areas of Kyoto we stumbled upon Kushiyaki Chopin.

We were lusting after yakitori (grilled chicken skewers), but when we found this quaint little kushiyaki joint (various grilled skewers, not just chicken) I was more than happy.

Who wouldn't be happy with copious skewers of thinly sliced pork belly encasing various vegetables, yakitori, and enough sake to make my night a very merry one?

Sara xxx

(Our visit to Kushiyaki Chopin in Kyoto Japan was independently paid for)

What's in this post

• The look and feel
• The Service
• Kushiyaki Chopin menu
• Final Thoughts
• Kushiyaki Chopin Location & Bookings

The look and feel

A narrow elongated restaurant that sits around 10 people along the long counter wooden counter. There is a table for 4 around tucked around the corner near the toilet.

The restaurant has a modern vibe with wooden fixtures, white walls, chunky black stone plates, and a statement piece of art on the wall behind the counter.

Grabbing a seat at the counter ensures you don't miss the theatre of the one-person manned kitchen. We are the only foreigners in the place, the other diners are locals catching a bite and a beer after work.

The Service

Friendly and inviting service for this gaikokujin, and our presence seemed to bring amusement to the regulars. We can't have been the first foreigners as there is an English menu.

There are also seasonal specials in Japanese which the Manager/Chef does his best to explain. With my limited Japanese and a bit of interpretive dance, we worked it out. Plus there is always Google Translate to the rescue.

Kushiyaki Chopin menu

The menu offers an assortment of grilled skewers of various meats, chicken, and vegetables. There are also a selection of salads and, surprisingly, dandan noodles on the menu.

They have you covered with draft beer and a selection of sake. Plus softer options for those not drinking alcohol.

Fukuoka-style cabbage with vinegar dressing is automatically served once seated. The crunchy, slightly pickled, salty cabbage is a pork skewer's best friend. That's if you haven't eaten it all while they are grilling.

The specialty at Kushiyaki Chopin is the pork belly skewers. The pork is sourced locally from Kyoto, along with other seasonal produce.

Instead of diced cubes of pork belly the pork belly is thinly sliced and folded onto skewers then grilled. There are also vegetable skewers (yasai maki kushi) which are seasonal vegetables wrapped in a thin slice of pork belly.

A couple of unexpected items on the menu (worth ordering) are the pork sausage skewers and grilled cheese. The sausage is German-style served with mustard. The cheese is grilled camembert served on a piece of bread and drizzled with honey.

Even though pork rules the grill in this kitchen, they do chicken well too. My yakitori craving was sated with grilled chicken and leek skewers (torinegi) and Tsukune (grilled minced chicken).

Final Thoughts

Kushiyaki Chopin is the perfect spot to escape the evening madness of Pontocho District's main drag. The food won't disappoint and is the perfect spot to experience yasai maki kushi, which will become one of your favourite Japanese eats.

Kushiyaki Chopin Location & Bookings

Cuisine: Kushiyaki, grilled meat, chicken, and vegetable skewers
Go-to Dish: Yasai maki kushi, various vegetables wrapped in pork belly grilled.
Great for: Lone diners and couples, a quick bite, or dinner.
Cost: Yen 3,000 - 4,000