01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
Slide open the door, and Honwaka greets you with an unpretentious, comfortable atmosphere. The menu at this izakaya spans broadly, taking in seafood dishes, homestyle small plates, and substantial beef courses. A natural place to begin is by checking the day's fresh fish lineup. The daily sashimi board might feature Pacific bluefin tuna, amberjack, young bluefin tuna, or daggertooth pike conger. There are also dried-overnight selections ready for grilling, including Hokkaido fatty mackerel, butterflied Okhotsk atka mackerel, and wild yellowtail. Plump, aromatic fish off the grill and pristine, chilled sashimi make for an easy, satisfying start alongside your first drink.
Glancing over the chalkboard and counter offerings reveals an extensive variety of obanzai—Kyoto-style homestyle small dishes. Choices include simmered thick fried tofu, savory Omi konjac, spinach with sesame dressing, and chicken meatballs braised in tomato sauce. Ordering an assortment allows you to sample several bites at once, each prepared by hand to highlight the natural flavor of the ingredients. The fried selection is just as varied: alongside platters of assorted kushi-katsu skewers and deep-fried whole chicken thigh, the kitchen offers playful bites like pike conger chikuwa wrapped in nori and fried, or Camembert cheese tempura.
For diners looking for a hearty main dish, the grilled wagyu options are particularly reassuring. The kitchen cuts Japanese Black beef into steaks such as top blade (misuji), chuck flap (haneshita), and tenderloin. Those staying for a full dinner rather than just a drink can round out the meal with comforting carb dishes, from curry stew served with sliced baguette to Japanese curry rice and beef tendon fried yakisoba noodles.
The drink menu pairs well with the food, stocking standard draft beer, Kakubin whisky highballs, and sour cocktails alongside an attentive selection of regional sake. Bottles from across Japan—such as Meikyo Shisui, a junmai ginjo brewed specifically to blossom when warmed, as well as Suminoe, Kuzuryu, and Tengumai—are listed with concise tasting notes to guide your choice. Located just a short stroll from the western footbridge of Hankyu Katsura Station, Honwaka suits a quiet drink alone at the counter just as well as a lively dinner shared over plates around a table.
