Harden's says
Open after a long wait, the UK's third branch of Sushisamba at the second ever W hotel, is part of the vast St James's Quarter redevelopment; the restaurant will be on the rooftop of the distinctive, 'ribboned' building.
Harden's survey result
Summary
“Fun but fully priced” would be a fair overview of this funky fusion duo – outposts of a glossy US-based chain that started in NYC. The original is found at the top of one of West Europe’s fastest lifts, whisking you to the glamorous 38th floor of the Heron Tower (adjacent to Duck & Waffle, see also), complete with a stylish cocktail lounge and outside terrace. Its newer sibling opened in 2018: “it’s above the market in Covent Garden which is a great location/space (regardless of what currently occupies it!)”. In both spots, all reports agree its luxurious Latino-meets-Japanese bites are super-moreish and “consistently good”. Prices though are OTT, especially as “you can feel like you are in a machine, and they churn out huge numbers of covers so service feels rushed. And it’s big, it’s loud, feels like a bun fight!!” (“Sushi Samba was my 18-year-old daughter’s choice and was not as bad as I feared, but not particularly stand-out either”.)
Summary
With two cousins in London – not to mention others in Vegas, Singapore and throughout the Gulf states – this long-trailed newcomer finally debuted on the 10th floor of the W Hotel after years of waiting. It offers a similarly glossy combination of striking metropolitan decor (bars, oudoor terraces, indoor trees) and luxurious Latino/Japanese bites (tacos, tempura, sushi), and although it has yet to inspire any feedback in our annual diners’ poll it inspired a thumbs-up from The Scotsman’s Rosalind Erskine in her December 2023 review: “undoubtedly a stylish place to be seen but unlike some venues like this, the food actually stands up to scrutiny”.
Summary
Promising ‘dynamic interiors’ plus an ‘outdoor terrace with sweeping views of Edinburgh’s skyline’ from the 10th floor of W Edinburgh in the St James Quarter – this heavily trailed third branch of the super-glossy US chain at long last is set to open in November 2023. The London Sushisambas blazed a trail on opening, and the heady blend of Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian cuisine has the potential to be a major addition to the Scottish capital (if, likely, not an especially affordable one).
Summary
As of October 2022, the UK’s third branch of this luxurious and expensive wagyu-to-sushi brand is still ‘Coming Soon’ on the website of the vast St James Quarter development, whose rooftop it is to inhabit… as it has been for ages now.
For 34 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at Sushisamba?
Restaurant details
Opening hours
| Monday | 12:30 pm‑10 pm |
| Tuesday | 12:30 pm‑10 pm |
| Wednesday | 12:30 pm‑10 pm |
| Thursday | 12:30 pm‑11 pm |
| Friday | 12:30 pm‑11 pm |
| Saturday | 12:30 pm‑11 pm |
| Sunday | 12:30 pm‑10 pm |
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