Yoshoku Ogata
Table of Contents
A Wonderful Journey into Classic Japanese Yoshoku at Yoshoku Ogata
Stepping into the restaurant known as Yoshoku Ogata, one is first drawn in by its elegant and cozy decor. This is the stage for the renowned chef Hiroyuki Ogata, whose culinary skills are exceptional, particularly his mastery of meat dishes. Today, this restaurant has become a must-visit destination for Kyoto gourmets and often requires reservations in advance. It has been selected multiple times for the Tabelog Western-style cuisine Top One Hundred Restaurants list, including the WEST Top One Hundred Restaurants. With a stable rating of around 4.0 and nearly six hundred reviews, it is one of the few places in the Kyoto Yoshoku scene that has maintained long-term discussion and keeps people willing to return again and again.
Chef Ogata’s background gives the flavors of this restaurant a clear origin. He trained for about ten years at the five-star Hotel Europe in Nagasaki, after which he served as the head chef at Bistro Sept in Kyoto, a place famous for its meat dishes. This experience provided him with a profound grasp of meat preparation and sauce making. After opening his own restaurant, he integrated French techniques into traditional Yoshoku, creating dishes that possess a sense of nostalgia without being merely nostalgic. The restaurant has many regular customers, many of whom have followed him since his time at Bistro Sept.
The signature dish is the Yoshoku Ogata Special Hamburg Steak. The hamburg steak is made using high-quality beef from sources such as the Sakaeya butcher shop (typically using Kumamoto Aso Akaushi beef), mixed with pasture-raised pork. The texture is firm, and each bite is packed with juices and umami. This is not the loose, crumbly type, but rather a ‘meat-forward’ style, perfect for those who enjoy savoring the layers of the meat itself. The French-style demi-glace sauce poured on top is perfectly balanced, possessing depth and a subtle acidity; sometimes elements like red miso are added so the sauce is not overly sweet, but rather serves to highlight the aroma of the meat. It is usually served with mashed potatoes, which are simple yet complete. Lunch is often presented as a set meal, accompanied by salad, vegetable soup, rice or bread, and coffee or tea.
In addition to the hamburg steak, fried shrimp is a common accompaniment; the shrimp is plump and served with homemade tartar sauce. The beef cutlet usually uses aged beef or Ozaki beef, with a crispy exterior and a juicy interior, and the sauce brings out the deep flavor of the beef. Other options include ginger pork, omurice, mini sea urchin rice bowls, and daily changing fish dishes, such as splendid alfonsino or Spanish mackerel, which are sometimes lightly fried or served as thin slices, showcasing the chef’s exquisite skill with seafood. The salads and soups mostly use vegetables from farms near Kyoto, which are refreshing and do not overpower the dish, allowing the aroma of the main meat course to stand out. However, Yoshoku Ogata is not limited to traditional Yoshoku; it also adjusts the menu according to the season, such as fish carpaccio or sea urchin rice bowls, making every dish a delightful surprise.
Speaking of fish dishes, the ‘fish fry’ (fried fish) here is not to be missed. The center of the horse mackerel is kept in a semi-raw state; this unique preparation allows the flavor of the horse mackerel to burst in the mouth, and as time passes, the color and taste gradually change, bringing endless surprises to the diner.
It is worth mentioning that all the vegetables in the restaurant come from high-quality local farms in Kyoto, such as the pesticide-free traditional and Western vegetables provided by Yamada Farm. These vegetables are not only fresh but are also prepared in a variety of ways, including roasting, boiling, smoking, and pickling, with each method showcasing the unique flavor of the vegetable.
Chef Ogata’s culinary philosophy is reflected not only in his choice of ingredients but also in his insistence on detail and innovation. For example, he makes full use of the whole bone-in beef he purchases; both the bones and the beef tendons are transformed into delicious sauces, and even the beef fat can become a secret weapon for cooking other dishes.
The interior space is not large and features counter seating. The atmosphere has the steady, composed feel of an old-school Yoshoku restaurant, yet it is not overly formal. Many describe this place as having the true feel of a ‘Yoshoku restaurant’—you can watch the cooking process, yet the dishes retain the warmth of traditional Yoshoku. Overall, the restaurant does not pursue flashy plating, but instead focuses on selecting the right ingredients, using the right techniques, and perfecting the sauces, allowing a plate of hamburg steak or fried cutlet to provide a deeply satisfying meal.
If you are looking for a Yoshoku restaurant in Kyoto with a distinct character that has stood the test of time, the special hamburg steak and beef cutlet at Yoshoku Ogata are definitely worth setting aside a meal to taste. The umami of the meat is well-locked in, and the sauce has depth without overpowering the ingredients; this balance is exactly why this restaurant has been able to enter the Top One Hundred Restaurants list multiple times.
Yoshoku Ogata Video Introduction
Practical Japanese for Restaurants
Click the Japanese text to hear the audio 🔊
We create free audio menus in collaboration with stores. If you are interested, please contact us! goodxssss@gmail.com
Excuse me
Menu, please!
Order, please
This one, please
Thank you for the meal
Water, please
How do I eat this?
A small plate, please
May I take a photo?
Excuse me, please change the grill net.
Check, please
Where do I pay?
How much is it?
Can I use a credit card?
I will pay in cash
May I have the receipt, please?
Food photo source:Yoshoku Ogata official websiteMenu and prices updated on 2026-10-17; offerings are adjusted based on the ingredients of the day.
A quick reminder: clicking on the Japanese text will play the Japanese audio!
Special Hamburg Steak
特製ハンバーグ
Minchi Cutlet
ミンチカツ
Pork Cutlet
ポークカツレツ
Pork Ginger
ポークジンジャー
Beef Cutlet
ビーフカツ
Yoshoku Ogata signature hamburg steak
洋食おがた特製ハンバーグ
Pork Ginger
ポークジンジャー
Salad
サラダ
Soup
スープ
White rice or bread
ライス（白米）又はパン
Coffee or black tea
コーヒー又は紅茶
Petit Course
プチコース
Two appetizers
前菜２品
Soup
スープ
Main dish
メイン
White rice or bread
ライス（白米）又はパン
Dessert
デザート
Coffee or black tea
コーヒー又は紅茶
Hamburg Steak
ハンバーグ
Pork Cutlet
ポークカツレツ
Pork Tonteki
ポークトンテキ
Pork Ginger
ポークジンジャー
Chicken Steak
チキンステーキ
Chicken Cutlet
チキンカツ
Minchi Cutlet
ミンチカツ
Fried Shrimp
エビフライ
Today's fish piccata
本日の魚ピカタ
Today's fried fish
本日の魚フライ
Beef Loin Cutlet
牛ロースビーフカツ
Beef Steak
牛ステーキ
White rice
ライス（白米）
Bread
パン
Coffee
コーヒー
Black tea
紅茶
Yoshoku Ogata chef's choice course
洋食おがた おまかせコース
You can take your time and savor a series of seasonal delicacies
Potato and macaroni salad
ポテト マカロニサラダ
Watercress and house-made loin ham salad
クレソンと自家製ロースハムのサラダ
Assorted fresh Kumamoto horse sashimi with sweet soy sauce
熊本より生馬刺し盛合せ 熊本の甘い醤油と
Rare-fried fresh bonito fritter
活カツオレアに揚げてフリット
Rare-fried fresh horse mackerel cutlet
活アジフライ レアに揚げて
Sakaeya aged beef cutlet from Shiga
滋賀 サカエヤ熟成牛 ビーフカツ
Yoshoku Ogata signature hamburg steak
洋食おがた特製ハンバーグ
Fukudome Small Farm Saddleback pork thin-cut cutlet from Kagoshima
鹿児島 福留小牧場 サドルバック豚 薄切りカツレツ
Fukudome Small Farm Saddleback ginger pork from Kagoshima
鹿児島 福留小牧場 サドルバック豚 ポークジンジャー
Sakaeya aged beef steak from Shiga
滋賀 サカエヤ熟成牛 ステーキ
Minchi Cutlet
ミンチカツ
Macaroni gratin (shrimp or chicken)
マカロニグラタン（海老又はチキン）
Napolitan spaghetti
ナポリタン
Beef fried rice with garlic chips
ビーフ焼き飯 ガーリックチップ添え
Omelette Rice
オムライス
Kumamoto Akaushi beef clay pot curry
熊本 あか牛 土鍋ビーフカレー
Crème Brûlée
クレームブリュレ
Pudding
プリン
Akishika Brewery, Osaka Prefecture
大阪府 秋鹿酒造
Japanese Sake
日本酒
Kikuka Winery, Kumamoto Prefecture
熊本県 菊鹿ワイナリー
Wine
ワイン
Yoshoku Ogata Map
Yoshoku Ogata Restaurant Information
- Lunch budget: 3,000–3,999 yen; Hamburg steak set 3,570 yen, ginger pork set 3,420 yen, mini course 5,520 yen.
- Dinner budget: 15,000–19,999 yen. Chef’s recommendation course 13,200 yen; additional dishes and drinks are charged separately.
- Phone：075-223-2230
- Reservations: Reservations accepted by phone only, available from 09:00–11:00, 13:30–15:00, and 21:00–22:00.
- Business hours: 11:30–14:30 (last order 13:30); 17:30–22:00 (last order 21:00).
- Closed: Tuesdays, plus two irregular days per month; please check the restaurant’s announcements before visiting.
- Address：京都府京都市中京区柳馬場押小路上ル等持寺町32-1。
- Access: Near Karasuma Oike Station; Tabelog indicates it is approximately 441 meters from the station.
- Seats: 23 seats (11 counter seats, 12 table seats), no private rooms, private bookings available.
- Payment: Credit cards accepted (JCB, AMEX, Diners); electronic money and QR code payments are not accepted.
- No Smoking: Entire restaurant is non-smoking.
- Parking: No dedicated parking available.
- Menu: Set prices include tax and service charge; dishes are adjusted based on daily ingredients; please inform us in advance of any allergies or ingredients you do not eat.
