Yamamoto Mambo

Beloved by locals, Yamamoto Mambo is a family-run okonomiyaki joint that’s a good bet for a hearty meal. Their flavourful, iron-griddled dishes are fantastic washed down with drinks.

Yamamoto Mambo – image © Chris Rowthorn

Who could fail to feel the stirrings of cheer when you enter a place with a name like “Yamamoto Mambo?” Thankfully, this okonomiyaki restaurant more than lives up to the promise of its name. Having dinner here means a lively, fun evening of good food and drink.

Once you’re inside, you’ll be perched on counter seats bordering a large teppan (iron grill). Watch a large okonomiyaki or sizzling heap of fried noodles take shape before your eyes. Having all the cooking action unfold in front of you is the best way to enjoy dinner.

There’s plenty to choose from on the menu. Okonomiyaki is a no-brainer, but there are several different kinds – customise with your choice of noodle (soba or udon), sauce (sweet, sweet-salty, or salty), and the doneness of your egg (well-cooked, half-cooked, or raw). Have more or less pork and seafood.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, just order the Mambo-yaki special, which is another way of saying “one with the works.” Their signature style of okonomiyaki resembles a cross between Kansai and Hiroshima-style pancakes, with more noodles than Kansai-style, but less cabbage than you’d find in a Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki. Drinks are optional but highly recommended.

Besides the okonomiyaki, there are a few other side dishes to pick at. These are mostly iron griddled seafood, innards, and noodles. But, if you’re feeling adventurous, you might want to order their signature “horumon nigokori.”

There’s very little way to make “horumon nigokori” sound appealing in English, but it essentially translates as “gelatinised innards stew.” Think of it as a kind of umami-rich savoury jelly, the sort that forms when you leave a bowl of chicken gravy or rich broth overnight in the fridge. They serve this cold to room temperature, which is perfect if you appreciate texture like Japanese people do!

For more Kyoto okonomiyaki choices, see our Best Okonomiyaki in Kyoto page.

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Destination

Check-in date

Fri 24 Nov 2023

Check-out date

Sat 25 Nov 2023

Name in English:
Yamamoto Mambo

Name in Japanese:
山本まんぼ

English address:
56-22 Shimono-cho, Shimogyo-ku

Japanese address:
下京区下之町56-22

Opening hours:
10am-10pm
Closed Wednesday

Price:

Non-smoking area: No

Nearest Transport:
6min walk from JR Kyoto station Karasuma central gate

Reservations:
Possible

Telephone: 341-8050

Website: none

Kyoto District Map

• Arashiyama
• Central Kyoto
• Northwest Kyoto
• Nishijin
• Northern Higashiyama
• Southern Higashiyama
• Downtown Kyoto
• Kyoto Station Area
• South East Kyoto