Amazing place in London. I love the food. can’t wait to come back here again. Congratulations to the staff.
A nice selection of Japanese dishes which go far beyond the standard sushi and gives you a taste of real Japanese cuisine. Friendly service. You should definitely try out their Sashimi varieties. Recommended!
Two words should be enough to sum up the experience, Simply Superb. The atmosphere, the eager staff to take you through the journey of a nine course meal and food presented in a fashion that is pure art. Pricey but you get way more than you pay for.
For me travel is all about creating memories and then subsequently evoking those memories in any way big or small. Whether that’s looking at photos and videos again, admiring souvenirs or remembering a special meal. For Mr S’s birthday I decided to bring our trip to Japan back to life with a special Kyoto-style dinner at two-Michelin starred UMU restaurant in Mayfair.
Birthdays are wonderful things, and if you’re one of those people (like me) who like to milk things for all you can, you basically celebrate for an entire month (or longer). One of the final things I did while celebrating my birthday (which included a boozy brunch at Hot Box, a sausage making course at B&H Kitchens, amazing wine from Lucky Chip Burgers and Wine, Unlimited Dim Sum at Fu Manchu, more burgers from Dip and Flip, tacos from Mole Taco Bar and who can remember what else?) was go for Japanese food at Umu. It’s been on my list since they achieved a second Michelin star, especially since they do Japanese (which is one of my favorite cuisines…although really, I’m not at all picky foodwise). I booked it months in advance, so I just had to sit back and wait until the day we got to go.
Many apologies for the lack of posts. The last couple of weeks has been a complete whirlwind with my wedding and subsequent honeymoon. During this time, there has still been plenty of dining out and I will be writing about some of the more exciting (and less exciting) dining experiences of our trip in due course. However, for now, there are some back dated posts to get through in quick succession.
I am always seeking for great Japanese restaurants in London, and recently I was chatting about Ikeda with someone at the gym and she was telling me that their fish is the freshest of any restaurants in London as it comes from the Cornish coast. I have been keeping that in my mental archives, and when someone invited me to lunch this week, I immediately suggested UMU. She was right, the fish is extremely fresh and served in a beautiful setting and with impeccable service. it is pricey but at lunch they have some very good deals inducing their nigiri or sashimi bento boxes.
I had the full Kaisaki menu with my boyfriend. It was a bad choice for a Wednesday evening. We had a 4.5-hour dinner. There are many small courses, and there was a long wait between the courses. We started the Kaisaki menu one course earlier than the couple sitting next to us. I think the kitchen was trying to cook for both tables together, so we had half an hour delay for one of the course. I asked the waitress but she didn't explain to me why it was that late. The food was delicious, but not amazing. I would recommend to go for the Kaisaki menu for brunch or weekend dinner.
2 years ago I had an incredible experience there with friends, the food was incredible good with a nice selection of sushi and after a wagyu beef cooked in front of us on a really hot rock and fresh truffle on the side. All combined with the Sake of the year 2013!!
One of the best restaurants in London. Great food and service.
Umu is one of the best Japanese restaurant in London. The quality of the fish is unmatched anywhere in the city. We opted to not do the tasting menu and order off the menu and everything was amazing. The service here could be improved. I found the service to be a bit brusque.
Went for lunch as couldn’t afford dinner so this is the lunch menu review at this fabulous Michelin-star restaurant.
FOOD
So we got two bento boxes and a sushi platter of 10 assorted sushis for the three of us and it was plenty of food. Each bento box comes with a salad, a miso soup and a dessert in addition to the box which justifies its price of £45 for the vegetarian box, £65 for the regular box. I wouldn’t be able to tell you what was what but everything tasted super fresh and delicious; which is what you are paying for. They had some very special miso soups id never tried before also. The sushis were super tasty, each bite a different fish and frankly all tasted great.
We received some extra desserts on the house at the end and I must say their desserts are outstanding. The Japanese tiramisu with sake is crazy, I thought I was eating a plant!
Overall very glad to have tried this place. Not sure ill come back often as its still insanely expensive but if you can afford its fantastic.
STAFF/SERVICE
I felt it was a bit slow for a Michelin-star restaurant and none of the waiters explained to us what our dishes were which would have been useful. One of the waitresses didn’t speak great English which made it harder for us to communicate. We were not offered more water. Small things you would simply expect from such a high end restaurant which commands such high prices, even if it’s only a cheaper lunch menu.
Umu offers a rare gem: authentic Kyoto-style kaiseki. The elegant ambiance, flawless ingredients, and Michelin-star status elevated my dining journey to new heights. Umu is a true testament to the artistry of kaiseki, a culinary treasure that is hard to find outside of Japan. Umu created an enchanting atmosphere, leaving an indelible memory of an extraordinary gastronomic experience.
An outstanding Japanese food experience in London. We ate mostly the chef's sushi selection as a lunch set. The sushi was meticulously made to be perfect. The supporting dishes of a salad, soup, and the dessert were very esthetic and delicious as well. The bathrooms reminded me of Japan, they are very clean and located far enough from the dining area to be completely separate. The service was very precise.
Very well done Japanese food. They have sushi and regular mains, but the tasting menu is where the action is.
Expect to spend at least 3 hours here. £300-400/person.
Cocktails are amazing.
What a magnificent experience. It is more than food, it is freshness, artistic expression of food and passion on precision! Strongly recommend to Sushi fans in London
Cosy yet modern, Umu is the pinnacle of Japanese dining in London. Service is understated, friendly and efficient and the breadth of the menu is as impressive as the attention to detail in the food. Particularly surprisingly for a Michelin starred restaurant in the west end, there are excellent vegetarian options. The lunchtime bento boxes are excellent value, coming with four substantial dishes, salad, rice, pickles, miso soup and a choice of desserts for £45-65. My colleague's chicken option came with a more generous serving of sashimi than you'd get as a main in many places and my veggie box included grilled veg, exquisite tempura and agadashi tofu. Highly recommended.
Actually, I was surprised with the quality of Kaiseki dinner. More authentic than expected as well as excellent taste and quality. Sake menus is also amazing. Sort of expensive, but strongly recommended.
We had a superb lunch at Umu, probably the best food we have eaten for a long while. Eating at Umu is a whole lot more than a meal it is an amazing experience. The service like the food was impeccable. We spent two and a half hours being so well looked after. Thank you.
Still one of the best one Michelin star Japanese Kaiseki restaurants in the World. Umu is a Kyoto influenced restaurant in Mayfair, London. Umu has for many years been known for the finest ingredients and we can vouch that Umu is still amazing. Highly recommended still and in our opinion still worthy of the 2nd Michelin star that they lost in 2021. Don’t discount the team who will fight back for their accolade in the coming months. Highly recommended.
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