We will be arriving in Kyoto next week around 6pm and staying at Century Kyoto. Reading from the other posters, it seems to me that practically everything is closed after 6pm. We would like to eat at small Japanese restuarants in old Kyoto. Any recommendation of things to do/see and places to eat?

Absolutely, definitely, go see the Miyako Odori in Gion. Contact your concierge now, or as soon as you arrive in Kyoto, to get tickets. Don't miss it. It is wonderful (that is if you think that you would enjoy watching a couple dozen geisha and apprentice geisha dance, sing, play instruments in a traditional performance while wearing gorgeous kimonos on a colorful set).

There is an optional tea ceremony event in a building next door before the Miyako Odori.

I suggest that you take a taxi to get there, and get there well in advance, traffic can be bad. Or, better, you might go to Gion on an evening before the peformance and find a place for dinner. Go to Gion and then follow a map to the theater where the show is so that you know how to get there. While you are doing that you will pass several shops and restaurants including several that are in the part of Gion with old style buildings.

I do not know the exact names or locations, but I have heard some of the traditional houses were converted into restaurants and bars. That may be interesting--though I may enjoy less if they only have tatami mats to sit on...

Thanks - will definitely go for Miyako Odori - learn so much from these posters. Also heard that there are some good jazz bars around sanjodori? Any recco.

We stayed on Nijo-Dori. There are several very nice restaurants. One is Antonios, which is about 2 blocks south of the north end of Nijo-Dori.
It's authentic spanish. We had tapas and some very nice spanish wine.
We also ate at an authentic French restaurnt at the north end of Nijo-Dori. The food was great.

Some other options to consider are:

Fushimi Inari is open 24/7. I really enjoyed spending about an hour walking through the torii-lined walkways there around sunset.

Gion Corner has evening hour-long performances of a variety of traditional Japanese arts. It is tourist-y, but also interesting. I especially enjoyed the short (20-25 minute) bunraku segment.

If you plan to do any shopping, the Kyoto Craft Center in/near Gion has a nice selection of hand-crafted items and is (or at least used to be) open until 7.

As for dinner, I had a fabulous (but expensive!) French kaiseki meal at Misogi-gawa.

Hope that helps!

The location of the Kaburenjo theater where the Miyako Odori is right next to Gion Corner. Maybe see the G.C. show one night and go back for the M.O.