I was very disappointed by my nosy recent experience here. The food was absolutely delicious again, no problem there, but the service was not good at all. We were put in the basement which smells like toilets and we asked to get a table upstairs instead. We waited an extra half hour so we could sit upstairs. When we finally were sat down, the server took our order and gave us half of what we asked for. We waited 45 mins for enough sushi for 3 people and there were 4 of us. We left having enjoyed the sushi but still feeling hungry because it was too late to order more. I don't think the bad service was intentional, but I think something was lost in translation. I would still return here because the quality of the sushi really is delicious but I'm less enthusiastic than before. read more

Asakusa - Sake taster set - 'mirror of truth' on the left was my favourite. Yum! - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

Julia D and I were lucky to get a couple of seats when we rocked up on 6:30 on a Friday night, I would recommend booking ahead when coming on Friday or Saturday as other attempts to come here haven't been too successful. Asakusa is a very popular spot! I ordered chicken katsu and miso soup. Julia D went for a range of different sushi which she was very please with. The staff were super helpful and kept filling up our water which is rare for London. The whole bill came to around £25 which was very reasonable considering the amount of food we had. read more

I've been waiting to try Asakusa for so long - having had several failed attempts in the past. This time, my fiancee booked well in advance, and we found ourselves with a table there on a Saturday night! Inside, it definitely looks like you could have stepped in a local Japanese noodlehouse. There's menus in Japanese on the walls, and the place is humbly furnished. The food is definitely the highlight. Its not fine dining, nor is it extremely cheap, but the quality and authenticity of the food makes it so that its probably one of the best without having to pay fine dining prices. For £40, the two of us managed to get an extremely filling meal! Definitely recommended is the sashimi, which is extremely fresh and well prepared. The quail's egg and the gyozas were pretty good too, although the takoyaki balls were a bit disappointing. A highlight was the Asakusa Udon, which had a surprising mochi rice cake in it!!! Reviewed by The London Insider http://www.london-insider.co.uk/2011/05/review-asakusa-japanese-restaurant/ read more

This izakaya-style restaurant has been a regular haunt of mine since 2001. Their pork belly is to die for, and while the sushi combinations take a while to bring out, they're delicious. The mama-san who runs this place is always brilliant. I hope she's still there! read more

I was very impressed by what I had last night. I have been dying to try Asa Kusa for a while now especially as many a sushi snob I know have always spoken about this place in hushed tones. I've heard everything from "this is a secret place near camden" to "It has the best sushi in London but I'm not teling you where". Needless to say these are people I no longer consider to be friends. That aside I can see why they wanted to guard the place slightly. OK visually its very basic and the decor isn't super plush but that is something I liked about the place. I like it when a place is all about the food and last night it was definitely having a good night in terms of food. I had a sushi set and a beer. Very simple dinner but everything was lovely. The fish was of excellent quality and was cut so well it melted on the tongue. The Wasabi was especially firey too which was great for clearing my nose! My denim doppleganger had the same as me and we were both very happy. The sushi set came with types of nigiri and 2 maki rolls and a serving of miso soup. Was nice and light and just the right amount of food given that I am on a diet at the moment. I found the prices there very reasonable and I definitely want to go back to explore the menu further. read more

Within the worn facade of this unimposing row near Mornington Crescent lies a real treat for fans of Japanese food. The prices are fantastic, our party of four paid around £65 overall, including service, and ate and drank to our hearts content. The variety of food on offer is excellent, from full blown sashimi sets to individual yakitori portions. Even the sole vegetarian in our party was well catered for, with delicious roast aubergine and vegetable tempura, as well as her share in the free-for-all endamame beans. The remaining carnivores were treated to an array of ox-tongue, chicken wings, tuna, mackerel and scallop sashimi, and delicious skewers of chicken yakitori. The sashimi was exceptionally fresh, the tuna succulent and flavoursome, the best I've had in London. All this was washed down with Sapporo Ichiban lager, as well as green tea. The service was brilliant, despite a packed house of mainly japanese diners. The atmosphere too was great, the regulars obviously have worked up a rapport with the staff and good-natured banter added to the feeling that Asakusa is special. One caveat is that the place, as I've said, is popular. So it's well worth booking in advance, preferably a day or so before. Saying this, if you don't mind eating late, after 9pm, then there's a good chance you can just walk in. read more

Asakusa is a small traditional Japanese restaurant just by Mornington Crescent tube station. I've tried coming here before only to be told that they are fully booked for the whole evening. This time I made a reservation and saw others being turned away. Remember to book a table, it's absolutely necessary. First off I should probably say that if you're into sushi (made by a proper chef, not the high street chain kind) then you definitely need to go here. This could very well be one of the best places for sushi in London, especially considering the price. The fish is really fresh and just melts in your mouth, served with just enough wasabi on still warm sushi rice. Would be a shame if it ended there but actually the hot dishes are just as good as the sushi. The takoyaki and Wafu beef were highlights (couldn't try all dishes even though I wanted to, I'm sure there are a lot more highlights on the menu). The squid with Ginger sauce was good as well, nice to have good quality and well cooked squid for once an not the chewing gum consistency kind, but was overshadowed by the other dishes. Desserts were good as well, I tried the black sesame and green tea ice creams, both of which were nice. I find it a bit hard though being excited about the dessert compared to the starters, main and sushi. Will have to go back soon to try the oter dishes. read more

Having eaten here several times now, I hate to say it but the quality (at least when I've visited) has been really variable. The cooked dishes are delicious and highly recommended (especially the squid), the staff are friendly and helpful and the prices very reasonable. I'd recommend asking to sit at the sushi bar if there's space available as well. It's always tricky getting in without booking unless you visit after about 9.30/10pm, but that says a lot about how popular this place is. The first time I visited I absolutely loved it. Since then, however, my one (big) criticism has been the sushi - the last time I visited I ordered maki rolls and ended up with stale rice and nori that failed to keep the sushi together and led to it falling apart when picked up. The cucumber in my cucumber maki tasted off as well. Maybe it's just that I've visited fairly late once or twice and the chef is using up the last of the day's ingredients, but I'm of the opinion that if your rice, nori and main ingredients are off then it's better to inform the customer that you can't meet the order than it is to provide them with something verging on being inedible. read more

There is a reason it is so hard to get a table here. Recently when I was in London however I managed to get sorted. My Girlfriend loves Sushi, and we just discovered she was pregnant. So before she had to embark on a massive 8 months without Sushi we booked our spot and had the best Sushi EVER!!!!! Amazing read more

Traditional Japanese bistro that is always full after 6.30pm despite only opening at 6pm. I have always had to book a day in advance and it gets very busy with a range of locals, expat Japanese and couples. There are a wide range of dishes and you can go for a set meal or buy lots of different dishes with beer if you are loking for a tapas-style taster menu with friends. Great selection of beer and sake is listed all over the walls and the food is consistently good. This is traditional Japanese cuisine - good value for money and good portion sizes raher than focus onn presentation like in some more expensive restaurants. The only negatives are that it is always very cramped and the decor is very dated. However, the enthusiastic staff who speak in Japanese more than make up for this and if anything it adds to the bistor atmosphere. This is a great place that is a little different but well worth the time of searching out if you would like to try traditional Japanese food. So far it is the only bistro style Japanese restaurant I have been able to find in London. Make sure to finish your meal with the green tea or chesnut ice cream! read more

This place really is an extraordinary find. I've never tasted Japanese cuisine outside of Kyoto that tastes quite like this. The sashimi is so freshand the suchi so light yet everything is well priced. They even take bookings although you have to do it quite far in advance these days. Personal favourites include the asparagus tempura which I dont think can be beat in any London restaurant. I cant stop eating it every time I go. I strongly recommend you try this place out if you can. read more

Went for my fathers birthday as he is a big Japanese cuisine. I was sceptical because people wrote that this was the 'best japanese in london', but it was very good. The staff are friendly and helpful. It has an almost family run feeling, unpretentious and very nice atmosphere. The food is good, the sushi particularly so (the tuna really stood out, just melts in the mouth). The sake taster set is definetely worth a try. This place is busy, even on a week night it was pretty packed. So if you dont want to be dissapointed book ahead. All in all I thoroughly reccomend going. read more

I make my boyfriend take me here every time I visit London. We've been to a few different Japanese restaurants and this is definitely our favourite. The food is absolutely amazing and really well priced. There is only one sushi chef so there's quite a wait but it's worth every minute. Everything tastes really fresh and authentic and you can tell that a lot of effort has been put into every piece. For a meal for two (excluding drinks) we always pay around £30-35 which is amazing in London. Decor is simple and not flash. It gets super busy here so you have to book on the day unfortunately. It's quite hard to get a reservation. On Friday we tried to book half an hour after lines had opened but the all the tables were booked until 10pm! A testament to how delicious the food is I guess ha. read more

Without doubt the best Japanese restaurant in London. If you want to eat 'pretty' half-plate dishes go to Nobu. If you want conveyor belt sushi go to Yo Sushi. If you want fresh reasonably priced sushi, fantastic sashimi, beautifully soft and tender buta no kakuni (if you don't know what it is just ask for it. You won't regret it!) and a traditional wooden box of sake then Asakusa is the only place to go in London. Possibly the only downside to Asakusa is that it's so popular you have to book in advance, it's not always open on a Saturday (not uncommon with Japanese restaurants) and it's not as 'pretty' as Nobu or Matsuri. That said though, it's very authentic. read more

What can I say? I am a huge Japanese food lover, and when I can make it down to London I always make sure to try and stop by this lovely little restaunt. The staff are so warm and friendly, willing to help you if you are not sure what to order or want something specific. The food is authentic and tastes great, and what makes me even happy is that it is cheap on the wallet! My only complaint is the decor and location, the first time i saw it I did not think much of it. It looks very old and worn down from afar, and the inside is cramped and musty. However, the great atmosphere and mix of customers really bring this place alive! Great quality overall. I would reccomend to everyone. read more

Unassuming - uninviting, even - from the outside, Asa Kusa charms immediately once foot is set across its doorway. Robust, assertive welcome from an almost-pushy, matriarchal waitress, decaying decor and lots of Japanese clientele give the place a proper olde worlde feel. The waiting staff are terribly friendly and quite delightful. The place serves Asahi Black - quite a rare find, it's lovely. The sushi is fresh and authentic; the tempura crisp and light; superb soba with beancurd and really good sashimi. I've been here many times and it never disappoints. Booking in advance is essential, especially at weekends as it gets very busy. read more

always on the lookout for japanese food, my friend and i came here before seeing my morning jacket at the roundhouse. i had been wanting to try this place, but i don't come out to camden that much. like everyone says, make a booking, b/c the place is tiny. on a monday night, it wasn't as difficult, and i was able to get a table by calling w/in a couple hours of showing up. food here is authentic and great. there are lots of izakaya-type dishes, and the nasu dengaku, grilled sardines, and sauteed mushrooms were great. then we got the sashimi platter and a chirashi to share. both were delicious and the fish was really fresh, but the assortment wasn't that exotic. we asked the server if we were able to get the chef's choice of sashimi, but she said we couldn't, so we got the standard tuna, salmon, sea bream, mackerel. still good tho. we finished off w/ some tea, and when our check came, so did 2 cadbury eclairs. yum! i would give it 5 stars if only they did an omakase for fish! read more

If you read my reviews, a lot of them are about using the Yelp app on the go without planning and dropping by one of the recommendations. I warn you that its not a good method cause it backfires sometimes :) Thats a problem when you're with a hangry wife!! Hangry = Hungry + Angry. BUT when it works and you end up at a cool hole in the wall, authentic, Japanese restaurant its a lot of fun. And its exactly why i love Yelp! We loved everything, I say everything because I have to admit Japanese is not my strongest cuisine! I usually ask my wife to order and so far that has worked for me :) Because its a review I should try at least to find the things we ordered on the menu for you. OK I tried and failed! but here's what I remember :) We ordered an assortment of sushi which I know contained eel which I loved. We also had the vegetables dumplings, and the tampora mix. read more

Really horrendous service. We had a reservation and were seated at the table, but no one ever came by to take our order, not even drinks. After waiting 30 minutes we finally flagged someone down just to find that it would be an additional hour wait for sushi. No thank you. read more

I'd ideally like to give it a 3.5 star rating - but take into account I'm a bit picky about Japanese food and giving ratings (it's still above average!). I'm Japanese, and I can vouch for the authenticity of the food, and it's good, real Japanese food. This place gets filled really fast which proves it's good food- but I felt the wait staff was not very friendly and the service was below my expectations, which is why I decked one star. The other 0.5 star is because I felt it was a bit overpriced for the stuff that's on the menu. I know London has high standards of living - but for knowing that I could make almost everything that was on the home-cooked traditional food on the menu- it felt a bit ridiculous to be shelling pound after pound for something that simple. That said , their traditional home food was really good - and I would recommend it to anyone. I'm sure their sushi is good too- but I heard Asakusa is good for their home traditional food, which is why I ate mostly that. read more

After having been to Asakusa once more the food was delicious again and the service was speedy so I needed to update Asakusa to the 5 stars it deserves!! read more

I need to temper my 4/5 stars rating with an echo of something somebody else mentioned here. There is a 1 hour wait for fish (sushi, sashimi, etc.). But here's my experience: We arrived just around opening and there wasn't anybody else there. Just the 3 of us. We ordered a sashimi set, a sushi set, some tempura and some various maki. The miso soup for the sets came out first, quickly followed by the maki. We devoured the soup, but our companion who had ordered the maki rolls decided to wait until we received the rest of the food. Which arrived...50 minutes later. We acknowledged that there was only one chef on duty at the time but given that we arrived without any body else in the house...it seems odd. However, after we had ordered other people had started to come in. They pretty much all got served before us. There's also a 12.5% gratuity automatically added to the bill. We asked to talk to the hostess who graciously came over and discussed the situation with us. Apparently, our server should have told us that it would be an hour wait for the fish (she didn't). She also suggested that part of the problem was the sous-chef was dedicated to making wasabi (how that makes a difference if you're the first through the door, I don't know). She accepted our concern that by the time we got our main course we were extremely hungry and waived the gratuity. All said, though, very pleasant service, nice atmosphere and *amazing* food at a reasonable price. I hope to go back and not get kicked out. read more

I had the weirdest experience here. Took my boyfriend here after work bc all the reviews were so glowing. We had a 9:30 reservation, and got there at 9:25. we were seated immediately, but when we started to order sushi the waitress sort of laughed and said something along the lines of, "it's going to be an hour for sushi are you sure you don't want to order something different. Tempura maybe?" Well we had gone there for the sushi so we decided to drink sake and snack on edamame while we waited for the food. An hour and a half later we got our food... it was good but definitely weird how long we had to wait. would not go back for that reason. read more

Some of the best mouth-watering sushi I've had in London. Real Japanese ambience, especially upstairs. All Japanese staff.

Well, it's pretty much all been said but from now on anyone who visits me in London is definitely coming to Asakusa for Japanese food, whether they like it or not! How could they not though - the food's fantastic and super-fresh, the service is great and the decor and atmosphere is nice and down-to-earth. I'll be back soon! c* read more

At this price level, in London, this is an outstanding Japanese restaurant. They are clearly not specialising in sushi, but even this was quite decent. I am incredibly picky about Japanese restaurants, but Asakusa will definitely be a place I will return to. read more

OH Asa Kusa. How glad I am to have met you. And so easilyjust at Mornington Crescent tube! I can get past the fact that you aren't ritzy/trendy/uber-cool in interior. I can also ignore the fact that if you seat me downstairs, you keep me away from the magic of the sushi bar and give me a somewhat musty toilet smell to compete with. And why don't these things matter? Because you serve me the best Japanese food in London, for the least amount of money, and the least pretention, yet with the most authenticity! Thinking of my meal there last week, I can't help but crave you again. DIVINE aubergine with miso paste for starter, along with miso and crab soup; a crunchy golden tempura kit with succulent prawns, mixed veg and plenty of dipping sauce (could be stronger in flavour) with sticky rice; eel in a very, very 'special sauce'; followed by a huge salmon and avocado tamaki and teeny tiny tuna rolls. OH, and the wasabi and pickles - you give me more than I need. After all of this, and washed down with two (yes, two) bottles of Sake, two of us pay a total of 55 quid with service. sigh read more

Good authentic japanese food at a great price but be warned about service. The waitress forgot we asked for the bill and it took 20 minutes. We were also told that sushi and sashimi orders would take an hour due to a backlog of 10 orders they had! I overheard the waitress telling the next table to call ahead next time which is the first time I've heard that. Despite this, the katsu and tempura were excellent. We also had the yakitori and fried tofu which were also very good. read more

It was a couple of weeks ago and I remember it was quite good but I will have to go again to refresh my memory. I ordered a chirashi bowl and it was pretty well done. read more

Typical izakaya with nice udon and sushi. The salmon sushi looks crystal and extremely fresh.

Literally my favourite restaurant ever!

at asakusa they are more concerned with the quality of the fish and the preparation of the rice which adds up to excellent sushi in a more traditional sense (i.e. not for the crazy roll lovers) i find the prices to be really reasonable for london. it is very busy but you can usually get in between 9 and 10pm if you're in need. sit upstairs! read more

"Asakusa" is basically the closest place to a real Japanese tradional restaurant you could find in London. Period. I know what I'm saying because I spent a month in Japan and visited dozens of bars and restaurants. Forget the elegant and fashionable western-style Japanese restaurant: here you'll find the authentic japanese food, place and feeling. The menu is written both in Japanese and English (unfortunately it seems like most of the courses are only written in Japanese, though) and you will find almost every dish your mouth could taste in Tokyo or Kyoto. They have a large selection of sushi and sashimi but in my opinion the great value of Asakusa is that it shows that Japanese cuisine is not only raw fish and rice. On the contrary, everyone who spent some time in the land of the rising sun will tell you that sushi and sashimi rarely find their place on the everyday meal. You can then choose between udon, soba, yakitori, tempura and a lot of other delicacies you'll hardly find at this price. Obviously you can also choose between a large range of Japanese beers, traditional sake and shochu (Japanese wine) as well. There's also a set menu that will help them who are not very familiar with the Japanese cuisine. By choosing one of the sets (bento) you will discover the deliciousness and richness of Japanese food and spend a ridicolously small amount of money, sometimes even less than 10£! For the vegetarian customers who think Japanese food is only about fish: come here and discover how many wonderful dishes without meat or fish you can find. There's also a "yasai bento" (veggie menu) which is very cheap and will not leave you hungry. The only downside: it's always full booked, and for a reason. Call and book your table as soon as you can and, believe me, you won't be disappointed. read more

After reading the positive feedbacks we decided to visit this restaurant only to be placed in to a small unpleasant room. Since the food was what the over hype was about we decided to taste the overall quality of the ingredients that they were using and so we ordered several sashimi's and sushi's, the food was good and the quality of the ingredients did excel however I did feel that I've tasted far better for half the price at numerous Japanese restaurants throughout London area. The number reason to why I decided to write this review was due to their sheer rudeness in service, the staff seemed really fake and did not treat us like customers and so at the end of the meal we asked for the service charge to be removed only to be asked if they done anything wrong. We were then given a disapproved look as we walked out of the building. To sum it up, there are far better restaurants in London and especially with most of the reviews of the restaurant being from several years you have to question yourself to trust a review that has aged as much as this restaurant. I wont be visiting again. read more

Real Japanese and great food!

I'm a great fan of this place. Sushi is fresh and I think, the best in London. I'm a food photographer so for me, the look of the place and the food is really important. When you're sitting down at Asakusa, you feel like you could be in a Tokyo back-street place, it is so authentic. Make sure you book a table well in advance and it has to be upstairs - do not sit downstairs. Downstairs has little atmosphere and the toilets are down there too. The upstairs bar is also ok if there are one or two of you, but essentially, it is best to get a table upstairs for maximum enjoyment. This isnt a 'posh sushi' place, if that's what you're after, it is more relaxed which makes it much better. Prices are good and staff are really friendly and remember you. Excellent! read more

For affordable, honest Japanese food with an izakaya atmosphere this is the best you're gonna get in London. 1 star taken off because the flavours weren't quite there for me. read more

First impression - terrible! We booked a table in advance but when we arrived were told we'd have to wait for a few minutes... THIRTY-FIVE minutes later, after standing awkwardly in the entrance under a rope curtain, starving hungry and watching everybody else get seated... we finally got shown to a table! However after that everything looked up a lot. The food was reasonably priced and delicious, the service was fairly slow (and difficult to attract attention of the waitresses as we were tucked in a little room to one side) but not as slow as the other reviews here had led us to believe, and the staff were very friendly and helpful. Sashimi was excellent and fresh, and the aubergine starters were delicious. The interior was a bit faded, but the atmosphere was overall really nice with everybody enjoying their Friday nights. I would certainly recommend this place for the food, but I think their organisation on the busier nights of the week could do with some work. Still, I'd go back! read more

Best Japanese in London. Unless you are lucky, you may have to reserve few days in advance (even weeks). It is properly Japanese, you might need some help to read the menu :) but the quality is really high. You can also guess it by the amount of Japanese people dining at the place. read more

You must make a reservation. While the service was nice, the food took forever to come out. Make sure you order everything at once, otherwise you will be there over one and a half hours. The food was delicious, particularly the pork belly, eggplant, and the sashimi, but did not fill us up at all. We were still hungry at the end of the meal, and that's with us purchasing 6-7 small dishes costing around 70 pounds. Bottom line: While it was a nice dinner, we don't see ourselves really going again. read more