City, Japanese Restaurant Guide

“Love the original Koya, sitting at the long counter with a bowl of udon – even if you do have to queue”, say fans of this Soho noodle bar. Top Tip – the “definitive zen breakfast” is well liked, too, both here and also at the Bloomberg Arcade and Hackney spin-offs.

Zooming up to the 38th floor of the Heron Tower in one of Europe’s fastest lifts… looking out with a cocktail on an open terrace overlooking the scrapers of the City, it’s easy to get swept up by the glamour of the original, “buzzy” branch of this US-based chain. And its popular WC2 spin-off is also “always a pleasure to visit”: looking out onto the back of the Royal Opera House from the huge terrace on the top of Covent Garden Market. Fans say the luxe, Japanese/South American fusion cuisine in both locations – taquitos, sushi, steaks, samba rolls, black cod from the robata – is “delicious and remarkably inventive” too. But ratings for it have sunk post-Covid, and while pricing here has always been toppy, there is a growing gripe that “food which is average at best is accompanied by a bill that’s distinctly not average!”

“There are so few dining choices near the Barbican, it’s worth knowing that you can get decent sushi and other obvious Japanese options here at Pham”, a short walk away; which particularly benefits from “fast and attentive” service. Some critics, though, feel that “evening visits without an expense account cannot justify the prices here”. There’s also a caution that “you should skip the house specials and stick to the simpler choices” as “several of the fancier options seem excessively performative”.

“The ramen is excellent” at this West End-based group from the Japan Centre’s Tak Tokumine – although “the rest of the menu is not as good” and the venues tend to be “too cramped and/or noisy to be ideal”. A drive to expand via franchise operations has apparently stalled since the summer 2022 opening of a branch in Kensington High Street – a possible sign that “we may have passed peak noodle”.

“Tasty, good-value noodles” in a “relaxed environment” make this 12-year-old London chain (14 branches, plus Brighton and Brum) “worth a visit”. The “ramen is deep and fabulous” if “limited in range (no fish-based dishes except prawn)”, and is augmented by “quite acceptable katsu curry”. Aficionados should head to the Haggerston branch to watch the noodles being made.

These “functional Japanese canteen-style restaurants” serve “lovely udon noodles at cheap prices” – “possibly the most reasonable in London” – along with tempura, rice bowls and “fabulous chicken katsu curry”. The Kobe-based chain has more than 1,000 branches around the world, with a dozen across the capital since arriving in 2021.

“Still a top omakase experience in a very relaxed environment” – Toru Takahashi does not exactly need to go out of his way to attract customers to this tiny (7 seat) venue. You can only book online on Monday at 12:00pm onwards. There are no event bookings (max 4 in a party). There’s no concession to vegans or vegetarians. No kids under 12. No Insta (yay!!) – photography and video are not permitted. No scent is to be worn by diners. The full shebang costs £167 per person and takes 3-4 hours, although he also does a shorter 2 hour version early on Saturday evenings for £117 (June 2023 prices). Everyone loves it…

Despite its famous brand, this chic Shoreditch-fringe boutique hotel has struggled to make waves since its 2017 launch (no survey feedback this year), and in summer 2023 relaunched (re-relaunched?) its basement restaurant with adjoining sunken garden as a ‘destination bar’, complete with ‘world-renowned Nobu signature dishes, small plates and sushi’ and a regular DJ. As well as the wizard Nikkei bits, options include the ‘newly launched Monaka… a lightweight flat rice crispbread, branded with the Nobu logo and stuffed with fresh toppings’.

“The ramen is excellent” at this West End-based group from the Japan Centre’s Tak Tokumine – although “the rest of the menu is not as good” and the venues tend to be “too cramped and/or noisy to be ideal”. A drive to expand via franchise operations has apparently stalled since the summer 2022 opening of a branch in Kensington High Street – a possible sign that “we may have passed peak noodle”.

These funky (and noisy) ‘rock ’n’ roll ramen’ bars shook up the capital’s Japanese fast-food scene when the first outlet opened in Soho 11 years ago, spawning a small group now reaching as far as Richmond. Their “super ramen” is served with 20-hour pork bone broth cooked these days at a kitchen on Bermondsey’s ‘beer mile’. But the business has not been immune to the industry’s difficulties: a Putney spin-off only lasted a year before closing, and a long-touted outlet in the old Eurostar terminal at Waterloo has yet to eventuate.

“Tasty, good-value noodles” in a “relaxed environment” make this 12-year-old London chain (14 branches, plus Brighton and Brum) “worth a visit”. The “ramen is deep and fabulous” if “limited in range (no fish-based dishes except prawn)”, and is augmented by “quite acceptable katsu curry”. Aficionados should head to the Haggerston branch to watch the noodles being made.

“The pan-Asian food is yummy… the black cod is exceptional” and the “buzzy” atmosphere is “stunning”, say fans of Arjun Waney and Rainer Becker’s svelte Japanese-inspired venues, where “you can either sit at the counter watching the kitchen (great if you’re just two), or at a table”; and where “a typical meal is sushi or sashimi as a starter then a robata (charcoal grill) dish for a main”. Its ratings slid this year, though. Never cheap, prices are becoming “sky high”; the cooking is “not as reliably good as it once was”; and there was the odd incident of “shocking” service.

“Proper” Japanese food at a “very affordable price” (“the sushi is seemingly no more expensive than Yo! Sushi, but so much better quality”) ensures that these Tokyo-inspired pitstops are “always busy” and there are “often queues”. “The canteen atmosphere and sometimes inflexible service doesn’t make you want to linger” but no-one cares given the “extensive menu – made with fresh ingredients and served up super quick – that’s good overall value”. Top Tip – “the bento boxes are tasty and authentic”.

“Proper” Japanese food at a “very affordable price” (“the sushi is seemingly no more expensive than Yo! Sushi, but so much better quality”) ensures that these Tokyo-inspired pitstops are “always busy” and there are “often queues”. “The canteen atmosphere and sometimes inflexible service doesn’t make you want to linger” but no-one cares given the “extensive menu – made with fresh ingredients and served up super quick – that’s good overall value”. Top Tip – “the bento boxes are tasty and authentic”.

“Top-end sushi for a fair price” is the deal at this Bethnal Green izakaya from Claire Su, who delights her guests with “the freshest sushi and some great hot dishes too”. The weekday bento-box lunches are extremely good value, and the “unlimited brunch (starters, sashimi and maki rolls) on Saturdays is fantastic”. Top Menu Tip – “don’t get me started on the butter fish”.