Japanese Don Dining KOUNOSUKE in Wijk 06 Binnenstad

Amazing food and service, very authentic as well

Nice little restaurant with a nice Japanese atmosphere.

I go there often, it's very delicious.

Friendly helpful waitresses, good food and delicious matcha ice cream

Quite a nice place outside of the Utrecht City Center. It is a small place and it is recommended to make a reservation. The service is really good. The food was not that good though. The prices doesn't make it better sadly. The sashimi was quite nice, but let's be honest, messing that up would be AND very hard AND just the mood setter of a very bad dining service afterwards. The Don thereafter was the Beef one. The beef was really chewy. In my opinion, that is just bad. The price would make me think I would get a good don or a very good don. It was neither. So overall the bill was quite expensive, but I didn't have a positive tasting experience. Maybe it was just that day. Who knows. For the same price I will either try other places or visit the ones I trust more.

I had a wonderful experience at this place. The staff were incredibly supportive and kind. The food was absolutely delicious. The atmosphere was very chill and cozy. Highly recommend for anyone looking to enjoy Japanese cuisine in a warm and friendly setting!

Amazing place. I came here the first time with my parents in 2022 and just went back a couple weeks ago for a graduation celebration. The food is of supreme quality, simple yet super flavorful and fresh. It is an authentic restaurant with perfect price/quality ratio. Still haven’t found a place this worth it in Amsterdam. I would recommend going here to EVERYONE. Truly a great place. We had gyoza, sake sashimi, takoyaki as starters. I then had a don with a selection of raw fish. As a dessert we had sesame mochi ice cream. 100% recommend please go if you are in Utrecht and have the chance.

Excellent food! You always need a reservation. Sometimes the efficiency of how they manage the turnover feels a little like you are on a conveyor belt, but I appreciate that they do what they can to fit as many customers as possible when their restaurant is so in demand. I find the tray of different toppings from which you can pick three a little gimmicky, and I think it ends up causing a "paradox of choice" (the idea that more options tend to leave people less happy with their choice). Highly recommend tare yakitori don and agedashi tofu. (The itawasa was not my taste.)

Japanese restaurant in Utrecht, very good! We went with friends and all the dishes we tasted were really good. The dons are truly amazing, I would have eaten another portion after finishing mine just for gluttony! Friendly and professional staff, nice place, more could be done to really resemble the authentic ones in Japan. Good value for money.

From surprisingly relaxed to bulk cooking. Pulling the most out of the tables (blocking off hours) leads to dry bites, large pieces and a lack of Japanese finesse. In other words, avoid.

One of my favorite restaurants in Utrecht. The service is very friendly and the food is very good. My favorites are: the squid balls as a starter and the Kaisen Don (with raw tuna) and the silken tofu Don. Recommended: drink one of the many sakes with it.

As always a wonderful experience: clean, pure, unspoiled and delicious food in a friendly and serene environment. Service with a smile – top, top, top!

It was a great experience. The staff guides you through the meal, how it's structured, the additions you can add, and how to eat it. The quality of the ingredients was great, and it all tastes great. The atmosphere was cosy, it didn't feel noisy or crowded.

What a great unforgettable experience! We really loved en enjoyed the ambience and the food. After diner we called our friends to recommend this place and set a new date.

Great restaurant, authentic experience and tasty food. Highly recommended.

Fantastic authentic Japanese eatery. Service was top notch and the food was delicious. Recommended if you want to try something new!

Great place to eat some clean, fresh and delicious Japanese food. Also the tea’s are very nice to complement the food.

Went to japan in Januari and this place gives me the same feeling. Great food, very authentic, fresh and not very expensive. Great service and nice atmosphere. Felt like, for an hour, I was back on holiday!

I really recommend this restaurant! The restaurant setting is very intimate and cozy but very refined. The food was served in very nice different plates/bowls as shown in the pictures. Quality of fish is excellent and the service is very professional and useful to guide clients through the don dining experience! We took as starters: edamame, vegetarian dumplings (no picture unfortunately, we ate them immediately - they were superb!) and the salmon sashimi (amazing!!). As main dish: a Kaisen don and a salmon sashimi don (which is not in the menu but you can ask for it - my boyfriend doesn’t like scallops). To finish we took matcha ice cream and vanilla mochis - the ice cream really surprised me for the intense taste which is perfect with the Oreos on the side; the vanilla mochis were really perfect!

Great, good business with nice service. Real authentic experience.

Exceptional atmosphere and food! I ordered a Kaisen Don and I love how it can be eaten in three different ways, it's like ordering three dishes in one. Wonderful! The appetizers are delicious too, especially the agedashi (fried tofu with broth).

Delicious food and very guest-oriented service. Recommended!

Great food! It only has Japanese food on the menu and only don as main course, which I think is really great.

We know food tastes are always subjective, but the good reviews to KOUNOSUKE confuses us because it's possibly one of the worst places we've eaten in all of The Netherlands. Following some recommendations, we ordered: - Agedashi tofu (Fried tofu in Japanese broth) The tofu was wrapped in a skin of something chewy, it didn't seem like they coated it with regular potato starch? Instead it tasted more as if someone took the easy route out and wrapped it in Vietnamese rice paper - if this helps you imagine the texture. - Dashimaki tamago (Japanese omelet) If you were expecting a soft, velvety, tasty omelet...then be prepared to be disappointed with KOUNOSUKE's definitely overcooked Japanese omelet. Top was rubbery and maybe the only saving grace was the touch of dashi. - Tonkatsu (Pork cutlet) Probably the only edible thing of the night. - Kaisen don (Seafood on a bed of rice) Now onto the biggest disappointment of our evening: KOUNOSUKE's donburi. The rice wasn't warm, didn't have even a drop of rice vinegar mixed in, and overall tasteless and bland. Seafood was alright, but we never got the scallops we were promised from the menu. Unlike most restaurants, you don't get any condiments (not even wasabi!) by default. Instead, the servers come to you with the tiniest portions of "toppings" and you can only pick 3 at a go. It's also not going to be enough for you to finish your plain rice bowl with, so they offer you a vegetable broth to drench your meal. Bad choice by the way, please don't pour the broth into your rice. For a restaurant that claims to specialize in donburi, this shocked us and we'd never left an establishment feeling sadder. We have no idea how they're so highly rated with a bunch of 5 star reviews, cause this would have never worked anywhere in Japan.

Very authentic and personal. Delicious appetizers and before you get your don you can choose from different toppings, very cute! I always recommend this place when people ask me where to eat in Utrecht.

My rate: 5/5 This restaurant is one of my favourite restaurants in Utrecht. I came back after long time but it didn't disappoint me. Sashimi salmon was a must try: thick fresh cut but melted in your mouth. Takoyaki was delicious and you could actually taste octopus. Tonkatsu and Karaage were nice as well. Last time their Dons didn't convince me but this time they were good. The rice was not so wet like last time. It's a small but cozy restaurant so you should book a table in advance. Highly recommended!

Super tasty food! I would go again in a heartbeat. Service is good and the atmosphere is very nice :)

Love the very personalized experience when picking meals. Also, matcha ice cream, heavenly.

Everything was so good. Highly recommend it.

Cozy Japanese restaurant which specializes on rice bowl dishes. The service is traditional and staff are nice. The ingredients are fresh and carefully prepared. The Karage (fried chicken) was crispy yet juicy inside. The Iberian pork Katsu was delicious and went well with the sides like the pickled ginger and yuzu. Needless to mention that their rice is of high quality and very delicious. They also have a Sake list which are served traditionally. The homemade matcha ice cream was to die for. All being said, the prices are a bit high, making this nice place a spot that you visit once a while for special occasion. Reservation in advance is needed.

Nice little restaurant with very tasty food.

Went here with a friend after a day of strolling around Utrecht. First of all, make sure to make a reservation, as it gets busy quiet fast. We orderered the: - Sencha tea (drink) - Salmon Sashimi (appetizer) - Gyushigure Don (main) - Yakinuki Don (main) The tea was served first it was delicious on this winter night😅 The salmon sashimi was really good, you can taste the freshness, easily 5/5⭐️ If I will ever come back again I might try the Salmon/Avocado mix. Then the mains. For the mains we were able to choose 3 'toppings'. So we went with pickled ginger, togarashi (I think), something with Yuzu that was quite spicy and some others(see pictures). The dons were good, tasted a lot better with the toppings and dashi that was served with it. The yakinuki meat is well seasoned, tender and ginger is evident in the taste. The gyushigure don was less intense but still very well-seasoned and I love the juices of meat mixed with the rice. Will gladly give it 4.5/5⭐️. The service was great, it was our first time and everything was well explained. All in all a good place, especially if you like Japanese food. I might be back for the kaisen don haha. ありがとう ございます!

Don Dining in Utrecht is located in a beautiful spot on the Oostkade, easily accessible by train or bike. The restaurant itself is small and cozy, with tables that are close together. This can create a cozy atmosphere, but sometimes feels a bit cramped. The service is excellent; the staff takes the time to explain the dishes well, which is certainly appreciated. The food is of high quality and tastes delicious, but the portions are on the small side. For a starter and main course you quickly pay between €40 and €45 per person, and then you are still not really full. In short, Don Dining is a nice place to try, especially if you are looking for a cozy evening and good quality food. But keep in mind the price and the somewhat smaller portions.

Nice restaurant interior, servants explain the options. But the food was quite bland. Small portions and overpriced. We had some first courses and this Japanese don. Which is basically a small hand of rice with 70 gram of beef filet or chicken. you’ll leave hungry….

Kounosuke Don Dining is an interesting experience - it combines an environment which feels authentically Japanese with food that is distinctly not. The interior is tastefully decorated, akin to a izakaya. For dinner we ordered three items, the Kaizen sashimi don, Iberico miso don and the karaage. While the karaage was extremely hot, it was missing the light crispy texture, with the batter soft and chewy. The iberico miso don has a nice miso flavor, but the katsu was extremely tough and not tenderized. The kaizen sashimi don interestingly did not have vinegar added to the rice. For the price of the food, we definitely had a different expectation for what we would have gotten. If you go without the expectation of having authentic Japanese food, you’ll have a good time.

Super delicious food 😍😍 nice service, everything was great.

Nice Japanese (?) flavors. Really tasty. Good explanation. Very friendly service. Price to quantity ratio is a bit skewed. Hence no five stars, even though the dishes themselves met expectations in terms of taste. We'll be back.

It was an amazing dining experience! Both the food and the service was so nice. I enjoyed it a lot especially the fish don!

Small restaurant where everything is well done, from start to finish. Dishes are explained, ingredients feel authentic. Expect to spend 50 euros for a full meal. Yes, it is 20% more expensive than two years ago.

The food is too expensive and not worth it. Service is good.

With high-quality food, kind staff, and an amazing atmosphere, this restaurant is perfect for an intimate dinner. There are also interesting traditional "rituals" of eating you can undergo, both for the Don rice bowls and the Sake. That being said, the prices are too high for me to eat here again, and most of the food itself—while interesting—could be eaten elsewhere, for cheaper.

Pleasantly surprised by this authentic Japanese restaurant in Utrecht. Although it is decorated like a restaurant, I think it is more of a luxury eatery. The 2 hour time slot ensures that you cannot dine for very long. We had a number of hot starters, don and desserts and were a bit short on time. Even though we really had to leave after 2 hours, this was done in a friendly manner. The service was fast and friendly. The dishes were truly Japanese and there was not one dish that was less tasty. We were also very surprised by the delicious mochis and macha ice cream. The price is also very reasonable for the quality.

Amazing place to eat. Great atmosphere with very friendly staff. They explain the dishes and Japanese customs around them, so even people unfamiliar with the concept still get the full Don experience. Oh and the food was delicious! One appetizer and a bowl each was more than enough for us. Make sure to reserve ahead as the place fills up quickly in the weekends. We will definitely be visiting again!

Delicious food, fantastic service and a very pleasant atmosphere. Highly recommended

Top! Authentic food, friendly service and pleasant atmosphere. Definitely recommended

It has been a wonderful surprise. The food is delicious and the service is impeccable. The girls are incredibly friendly and super sweet. We went for my boyfriend's birthday and as a surprise they gave us a dessert with a handmade paper crane 🥹❤️‍🩹 it was a very nice detail and of course we are going to return, both the two of us and with friends and family. A 20/10 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Made a reservation well in advance, but received an email from the restaurant the day before the visit asking if we would come, including a penalty clause of 25 euros per person in the event of a no-show. Not relaxed. We sat at the bar and watched wine glasses being refilled on a scale. Not relaxed. Finally, we were told to wrap up, because of time slots. Not relaxed. Everything else OK and dishes above average. Atmosphere is difficult to rate highly, as it is a bare-bones tent and atmosphere for the owner - in my opinion - is not a variable.

We booked at 16.30. There were only 2 tables taken when we arrived (the rest of the restaurant was free). The lady gave us the table closer to the door. Since it was cold and we wanted to sit more intimately, without having people standing behind us at the entrance, we asked to be moved to any of the other 10 free tables for 2. The waitress said that it was not possible and refused to explain further. We sit. Behind us, another couple and a single person were given the two tables located after our. Basically, a single person had a better table and dinner experience than us. This person could have been given our table and sat on the side far from the door, still having a good experience. Regarding the food, the beef was quite hard to chew. 23 euro for a bowl of rice, some broth and 5 slices of very hard beef is quite expensive, but I can understand that the Netherlands has very little to offer when it comes to good food, therefore there are still people willing to pay these prices. The karage and the takoiaki were good.

A lovely place near the train station with simple decor. The focus is on the food and service, which are both great. A good selection of Japanese staples, with some vegan additions. There are plenty of options for all courses.

Had a delicious meal here with my friend! Delicious dishes with lovely staff. We thought the sparkling sake was delicious!

Exceptional in every way. One of the best meals I’ve ever had. This place is Michelin Star worthy.

For a high-quality Japanese meal, friendly and fast (you get a time slot of 1.5 or 2 hours, so it is not possible to catch up extensively, but ideal if you have something else afterwards, such as a film at the Louis Hartlooper complex) . It's always full, so be sure to make a reservation!

Food are above average however quantity is a little less given the price charged are high. Service is friendly and nice.

Authentic Japanese. Great service and handling.

Very traditional Japanese restaurant focused on donburi bowls and an authentic Japanese dining experience. They have instructions on the tables how to drink sake and how to eat the donburi bowls in the Japanese way. It’s pretty expensive though and a shame that the starters and sides are so tiny in portion. Also the restaurant is very small and crowded so it can feel a little claustrophobic. But the food was really nice, 8/10 would bring a friend to experience it again.

Super good experience. The food is delicious. Is not a cheep place but the quality is totally worth it.

I loved it! Good prices, excellent service and the food amazing! Very authentic! 100% recommended

Don Kounosuke is definitely my favorite restaurant in Utrecht. The food is super tasty, the service is very friendly and good and it is quite an experience. I can definitely recommend Agedashi Tofu and Nasumiso Don!

New favorite restaurant in Utrecht :) Really great food and a nice cozy place!

This restaurant was sooo good! The staff was very helpful, the food was delicious and the atmosphere was just right!

Great Japanese restaurant, also for those who are not familiar with the food. Service was excellent

I don't have photos because I was enjoying the food 🙈 Everything very rich 🤤

great restaurant with delicious food and friendly staff! the only downside was that your table is available for 1.5 hours so we felt a little bit rushed but would definitely recommend!

Delicious, leaves you wanting more!

Very beautiful restaurant in a pleasant and easy to achieve location. Great service, helpful and attentive. Food was excellent, great spiciness and choices of toppings. It is quite on budget for fine dining. Dinner for two with drinks (2 rounds), starters and main dishes was like below 100 Definitely worst it!

What a lovely place. The food is delicious, the staff is really nice. Definitely one of my favourite places in Utrecht.

Formality is made very well: from the decoration to the dress of the staff and to the menu. The owner apparently tried to make the restaurant at least look like a high-end Japanese. However, as someone who has lived in Tokyo for several months and travels to Japan at least once a year, the food here is disappointing. The ingredients used were neither fresh or professionally prepared. Most of them do not possess flavors that come from its freshness, but in fact tasteless. Some has texture that simply indicates low quality. It is not really about the chef, it is the attitude on the ingredient. A summary: definitely over-rated. Most locals who had not tasted real good Japans might rate it high, but it will not survive if it were in Japan.

Very tasty food in this restaurant. The staff is also very friendly, but I didn't like the condition of the furniture.👌

It is recommended from my nice, „when you visit Utrecht“. It is a nice small restaurant with a really nice atmosphere. The service is amazing. But the food quality is the highlight. I love all what I had this evening. Taste is excellent and fresh 😋. I am so glad to eat here, just make my weekend in Holland a good memory. Thank you 🙏

High-end restaurant, perfect cuisine!

Great service, very kind and helpful, was our first time here and we got an explanation about the menu. It seemed like a healthy option for dining and very basic but nice

Japanese Don Dining KOUNOSUKE Westerkade 27, 3511 HC Utrecht I had a wonderful dining experience at Kounosuke. When making the reservation, I mentioned that I have a gluten allergy (celiac disease) and that I would call them once they opened to ask about gluten-free options. Instead, they emailed me the gluten-free options in advance. Upon arrival, I reiterated my allergy, and they promptly provided a gluten-free menu and gluten-free soy sauce. The staff was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable about which dishes contained gluten or traces of it. For example, they served a gluten-free broth and gluten-free mochi for dessert, knowing that the other mochi contained traces of gluten. The food was delicious, and I had no issues with my allergy – I got to enjoy the full experience. Fantastic! For those interested, here is the email they sent me with the gluten-free options at this restaurant: ‘Dear Jamie, Attached is a menu for gluten-free options. Appetizers: 1. 枝豆 / Edamame (Boiled soybeans) 2. 冷奴 / Hiyayakko (Chilled tofu with bonito flakes) 3. 板わさ / Itawasa (Fish cake with chopped wasabi) - need to order without Kizami Wasabi 4. サーモン刺身 / Salmon sashimi (Raw salmon sashimi) Main courses: 1. 海鮮丼 / Kaisen Don (Raw salmon, tuna, scallop with shiso leaf) 2. 塩焼き鳥丼 / Shio yakitori Don (Grilled chicken with salt and leek sauce) 3. ネギ塩豚丼 / Negishio Ibericobuta Don (Sliced grilled Iberico pork with salt and leek sauce) We wash the pans every time after cooking, but there is a chance that traces of gluten may be present in all dishes. We apologize for the inconvenience. I hope everything is clear. Best regards, Japanese Don Dining Kounosuke’ Highly recommended!!

Had a wonderful time! Great food and great people :)

I love this place!! There is good food, nice staff and good atmosphere. I love the variety of traditional drinks and I super recommend the sparkling sake. Octopus and sashimi appetizers are amazing

Delicious Japanese food, lots of choice in starters and down. Good sake. A great atmosphere and great service.

Very good food (repeated by Gault Milliau). The spices and wasabi pastes that are served with the main courses are exceptional. The matcha ice cream at the end was also outstanding. However, the shop has quite a few seats and you sit very tightly.

Very friendly staff, nice rounds and good atmosphere (although not very special). I will come back for sure. Highly recommended!

Its the best Japanese restaurant I had in the netherlands - much recommended for authentic kaisendon. loved the broth soup added in step 3 to end the kaisendon. I ordered chilled tofu and tonkatsu as appetizer with yuzu sake. It was all amazing. Final touch of dessert; matcha ice cream was also perfect.

Classic Japanese cuisine in the sense of treating a handful of ingredients with an insane level of perfectionism. A rare and unique treat!

Phenomenal dinner. Really lives up to the hype. I have a lot of allergies and they were able to account for them all!

Cute little Japanese restaurant with good authentic Japanese dishes, good smooth service and delicious sake.

Wonderful tasting. Small dishes, but all so pure and tasty. Also a lot of choice of different sakes. 2 minutes walk from the train and metro station

Everything is right about this restaurant. Food like you've never tasted before, truly authentic. Friendly service, everything was on the table quickly and provided by very nice people. Recommended for everyone.

We had made a reservation (definitely necessary) to eat here on a Saturday evening. Not too big restaurant with very friendly and good service. Everything neatly explained. Had a nice sake beforehand, and then selected some dishes and a main course. All very tasty, but I personally thought there was too much rice at the Don... But that's personal... Lots of delicious flavors. Personally, the toppings you can choose with your Don may be a bit too sparse... Especially if you want to make a stock later. But all in all a very good experience... I give it a 4.5, but unfortunately they don't have it on Google... Not quite 5 stars.... But maybe that's because. We will definitely eat again at the counterpart on the Mayor Reigerstraat...

We wouldn't recommend it if you want to dine here quietly. It took twenty minutes before we were greeted and given a menu. Every time the girl came to the table she emphasized that they closed at 10. This created unnecessary time pressure. Unfortunately, this has happened before when we went to eat during the first shift, so we made a reservation this time at half past eight. Nice food but not worth it in terms of atmosphere. Another small point for improvement: if your menu mainly consists of Sake, make sure there are enough glasses. The restaurant wasn't even full and unfortunately they were already gone. A wide choice of tasty Sake.

The best Japanese restaurant in the Netherlands! Such good food With a warm and kind service. I really recommend!!!!❤️

I found the rice in my donbowl to be very wet and mushy, I'm not sure if the overcooked texture was intentional but it was almost like thick congee. I ordered the chicken which was tender and flavourful but they didn't give much compared to the amount of plain rice. They provide a selection of seasonings and side dishes but you can only choose 3 which I thought was odd. We also ordered the sashimi salad but the raw fish texture was weirdly gummy and stuck to my teeth. Overall not a great food experience and the service was quite slow especially in bringing our bill.

Delicious food and great service, very friendly atmosphere!

What a great experience! From the food to the overall service, everything was amazing! Great selection of Sake. Definitely worth a visit!

Nice Japanese atmosphere. The starters were 10/10. We recommend the pork with Japanese BBQ sauce! We liked the main courses a little less: a lot of rice, with little and not super tender meat. Maybe a little more staff would be nice, as we just managed to eat all courses within the time given for the reservation. It took 30 minutes for the order to be taken (including drinks). We had also run out of raw fish, which we were really looking forward to, and the teapots were all in use, so it took longer before I got a drink. But overall we really liked it and would recommend it. Next time we'll try the sister restaurant!

Great service, great food. This place is perfect for a dinner date. The owners are serious about what they're doing. We went in and tried multiple dishes and without a hitch every dish was a joy to eat. It's a wee bit more expensive than a regular dining experience. They are asking the right amount of money for the service and food they provide. Also bear in mind this place focuses on Don dishes a.k.a. rice bowls. No noodles or ramen. Definitely order the fried chicken! It was phenomenal. Also the sake made with water from snow. Delicious.

Absolutely delicious food! Will come back here for sure! Staff is also so friendly and welcoming! Thank you!!!

Cozy restaurant with friendly service. Clear menu with good price/quality range of dishes. Before serving the main course you can choose 3 toppings, a nice twist in the concept. All in all tasteful and definitely a place to come back. Addition that I would appreciate: an extra vegetarian dish (both with the starters and main courses).

Very welcoming and kind staff with a cozy atmosphere. The food is delicious, fresh, rich in flavours and attractive to the eye. I love this place and would definitely come again and again to try everything on the menu 🤤❤️

Super cute Japanese restaurant with very tasty food and friendly staff. I can especially recommend the 'Japanese fried Chicken'.

edit: 5 to 3 stars edit: It was my sixth time there and felt rushed by servers the whole time. They kept reminding us of the time restraint, hurried us to order the entire meal, and check out already when we were getting to close to finishing. Ridiculous. As someone well experienced with Japanese food, I have been to the place many times and not a single time was I disappointed by food quality and service. Ingredient selections are high quality with a touch of simplicity. Recommend if money isn’t the biggest factor and if into authentic Japanese food.

Hi team kounosuke I happened to be in Utrecht and wanted to eat Japanese food. After a short search I saw you passing by so I called you to see if there was room. The lady said at 7 p.m. we have room for you. It was a bit of a shame because I had to wait 40 minutes, but there was no room so I waited with all my heart. Then I walk around the corner to the restaurant at 6:52 PM and they call me that things didn't go well with reservations and that I am no longer welcome at 7:00 PM but after 8:30 PM. This is really beyond brutal and a really bad image you create because someone made the reservations and was not in the right mind. I also read the other reviews because I was curious that this is normal for Don Konosuke, but I read that more strange things happen. I also work in the catering industry and am still amazed at how bad it can sometimes be. Didn't eat, didn't drink, didn't see anything but will advise against the restaurant! You are my first review

What a brilliant find in a beautiful part of Utretch. Everything about this experience was fantastic from the service to the food

Friendly staff, it's a bit tight but cozy. The food is very tasty but a bit expensive and especially the drinks are expensive (€6 for tea, no matter how good the tea is, I think that is a bit extreme)

The food was really delicious. Well DON!