We went there for lunch. After some waiting we we sat at the ground flour. We started with some tempura hwich was good. Then we both had the Nabe Yaki Udon which was delicious. It was a nice experience.

There is always a line of locals and visitors waiting to get in once the restaurant opens at 11:00 a.m. ( hours: 11 am to 6 pm only ) and it is worth the wait: their soba ( buckwheat noodle) is well-known excellent. I got...there around 1:30 and waited for app. 5 min. I ordered the house specialty, Hourai Soba, which consists of five small stacks of soba with separate toppings of shrimp tempura, shiitake mushroom, thin slices of omelette, shredded dried seaweeds, and sesame seeds. The atmosphere is peaceful, with traditional Japanese decor.More

Went for lunch. Starter portion too small. Mail course portion average. Cold beer. Nice House Sake. Tempura good, but less portion size. Recommended. But not a must to visit. Bhagwan

The last time I was in Kyoto I saw a sign for a business with 500+years experience making soba. I definitely wanted to try it this time around. My daughter researched so we ended up here. We arrived, in the evening, just before the cutoff...for ordering. There was no line, and only about 3 other small groups. My party ordered hot soba, cold soba with tempura, and "stacks" (Hourai Soba) of soba. It was nice that there was an English menu as well as instructions for eating the Hourai Soba. The service was quick, and efficient. The food was quite tasty. The tempura was crisp, and hot. The soba dipping sauce was flavorful. The soba was the right consistency. My daughter loved the Hourai Soba which didn't really have that many noodles. It's just a way to try them different ways. The hot soba had tasty broth, and was a hit. I am recommending this to all my friends and family.... wonderful experienceMore

Based upon a Travel guide recommendation, we chose to stand in the hot sun for about 20 minutes as it was quite busy at lunchtime. It was well worth the wait! So delicious and beautifully presented. It was helpful to have instructions in English too.

Great soba in a beautiful historical setting. The classic hourai soba comes with quite a few "plates" of soba stacked on each other, and there are toppings of shiitake mushrooms, omelet, shrimp tempura, nori, wasabi, grated daikon, sesame seeds and leeks. It's a bit pricey,...but very tasty.More

I'm told the history of this place goes back to the 1400's. The soba was quite good here. I'm not sure I can tell 'great' soba from 'good' soba from 'average' soba but the broth was flavorful and we enjoyed our food. There are a...couple of very distinctive spice bottles on the table - a Sansho and a Shichimi. Both were unique and very flavorful - careful with these as a little goes a long way. Prices are a bit high for noodles but they're typically lined up so they can charge what the market will pay. Service was good and friendly and menu was available in English The most common dish is the cold soba with 8 toppings. A bit pricey at over $22US but again - people pay so they can charge.More

Very traditional place to enjoy a bowl of udon, no pretentious, no luxurious, just plain udon. I had a seat upstair and quiet.

Soba noodles are many and varied. Some have more buckwheat that makes the noodle harder texture-wise, darker-colored and buckwheat tasting. The soba noodles at Honke Owariya are soft textured, light-colored and light tasting. I chose hot soba with vegetable tempura on the side. One reason...I chose hot noodles over cold was to test the dashi (soup), a hallmark of any noodle restaurant. The dashi also was lightly flavored but well balanced and did not overpower the taste of the soba. Kyoto cuisine is noted for its lighter, succinct flavors compared to other regions of Japan. It is a Kyoto experience to cherish to dine in a 125 year-old house with its warm colors and patina of a bygone era.More

The restaurant opens at 11am and we got there around 1120am. Managed to avoid queuing (it was a Friday). Service was prompt and the food was excellent! Really enjoyed the soba - it was light, crisp and very refreshing. My husband had the hot udon...and the broth was light and easy to drink. You have to try the warabi mochi for dessert - I thought it was the best I tasted in this trip to Japan! The mochi was so soft and it literally just melts in your mouth. Communication was easy - they do have an English menu, so no issues for tourists.More

I came there after visiting Nijo Castle in Kyoto (15min away by walk). This is a must-do for soba noodle lovers! Everything was great and you can also buy some sweet red bean pastries after your meal.

We ate lunch here, and waited 15min to get in. We ordered soba noodles (texture didn't seem right) and using noodles. Both seemed rather bland. Might be that we were unlucky with our choices, based on other good reviews this place is getting.