Visited Unagi Sumito after seeing that Unagi Sumito had better reviews than other unagi places that were more well known. They had limited seating, a total of 6 counter seats and 2 tables. When we got there , both tables were already occupied and 2 of the counter seats were reserved. After we were seated, we were told that due to the reservations, we could only get the Unagi sets with 1 eel instead of the options for 1.5 or 2 eels and it was also recommended that we should get the steamed version. It is run by a family, the husband grilling the eels and the wife running the rest of the operations. We were served an appetizer of a slice of steamed pumpkin, which was carved so delicately and cooked to such perfection. Soft and smooth texture of the flesh, although not to the point of mushiness. When the unagi was served, I understood the reason the steamed version was recommended. Soft and fluffy flesh with a nice thin crust on the outside, topped with the perfect amount of sauce to not drown the eel or the rice, allowing you to taste the natural flavors of the eel. Wonderfully cooked to perfection. We also ordered a side of grilled eel liver, not knowing what to expect although it was the number 1 recommended item. It came out on a skewer served with some peppercorns. I can only say it was cooked perfectly, cooked through completely without having any bitter burnt bits. Slight bit of gaminess that is expected from innards, but sauce went well along with it.

+1

We were in the restaurant in the fall of 2024. Unforgettable! Delicious eel, the best I've ever tried—fresh, tender, and a well-balanced flavor. The chef prepares the food expertly after ordering. There's an explanation on how to eat eel properly (three steps). The interior was a joy to the eyes and soul—clean, beautiful, and stylish. There's a restroom, and everything in it is beautiful, too. We really enjoyed the food and the visit.

+3

The absolute yummiest! We ordered grilled and steamed unagi, and loved both equally. The couple running the restaurant are so kind and wonderful. HIGHLY recommend stopping by! I’ll be dreaming about this meal for a long while.

+2

Live unagi, their unajuu is done kanto style, hitsumabushi is kansai style. The crispiest is the shirayaki, it's really quite crispy Grilling technique and sauce good, unagi could be abit more fat. The dashi is weak. Unagi has flavour, since it's live, you can taste it's live For the price, it's what you expect, quite decent They're one of the best I've had already, I just have high standards Second visit: They change their unagi everyday, and today we called in advance to check the breed. It's mikawa (aichi) unagi, so it's top tier stuff And it shows. The meat is much thicker, so that you actl taste the meat even with the crispy skin, unlike the skinny unagi last time. Coupled w their perfect skills, this is superb Funny thing is despite the daily changes their price remains the same This bumps them to a 5 star. Make sure you check by calling or insta their daily unagi 3rd: They know me by now so they're very honest w me, they hardly use kyuushuu unagi anymore and mostly from aichi mikawa. Today's one is top tier stuff, but the season isn't the best anymore so it's not as good as it could be. Delicious nonetheless Their tare has been getting sweeter? Eating the sansho pepper first might make everything taste better, I felt that way even tho they said they didn't change anything from the previous time. Today not as crispy too I think The shark cartilage is interesting, strong crunch, it's tasteless on its own, so it's not particularly good, although not bad either

+3

We came across this restaurant by chance, and it turned out to be one of the best meal we had during our trip. The eel was so exceptional that we even returned the very next day. 🤩 We had previously visited two other well-known eel restaurants in Kyoto, but neither came close in terms of taste or quality. We even recommended this place to our friends, and they all agreed it was delicious.