Koya Bar is worth trying if you're craving udon but don't have a flight ticket to Japan. The restaurant is small with only bar seating facing the open kitchen. If you don't mind waiting at least 30 minutes on a weekend night, then you'll find yourself deciding among a ton of udon options to try. The menu features a ton of options for your udon, whether you prefer it hot or cold, with broth or sauce, and different toppings. The food came pretty quickly after we ordered. My friend and I both got the cold udon with sesame sauce for dipping. This was delicious. The sesame sauce is thick and flavorful and the udon is firm and chewy. No matter what udon you choose, you also have to get the prawn and vegetable tempura. The tempura is crunchy and the prawns are huge and delicious! Each serving comes with two prawns so this is great for sharing too! The menu also featured some small plates. We tried the agedashi tofu, which was good but it uses hard tofu and I prefer soft tofu. Overall, I really enjoyed the udon and tempura here. Can't wait to return when I crave udon! read more

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I was feeling a bit under the weather so I was very excited to get a soupy meal from this cute little noodle bar. I really enjoyed that the udon was cooked perfectly and had the perfect amount of chewiness. Food was delicious, but the only confusing part was that the broth of my beef udon tasted fishy... fish broth + beef is not the best combo. read more

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Whenever I'm in London, I make sure to stop at Koya. Best udon this side of the Atlantic!

Really enjoyed this place. I haven't had udon in a while and this was better than I remembered. I got a classic - cold udon noodles with miso and pork broth - really tasty broth with chunks of pork mince and a faint taste of sherry? Some sort of booze but it tastes divine. While I was waiting I also had a miso soup (was very hungover and needed all of the liquids). When you sit down at the bar you get a 1/2 litre bottle of water which is always a nice touch. Besides the broth, which was really excellent, I was surprised with the tofu in my miso, I always think MEH when I think tofu and this was very good. As for queues and timing, I went at 6.30 and there were 4 people ahead of me in the queue. By the time I left there were at least 20, so I guess it pays off to come early or at a weird dining time. Enjoy! read more

Koya Soho - Cold udon with pork and miso broth - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

Sometimes, I think my stomach is leading me! I was in the mood for udon after an evening out with a friend at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. I arrived on Frith street to find the usual long queue waiting to get into Koya My tummy rumbled sadly. I looked up, thinking of alternative noodley places when I saw a group of happy people slurpling noodles from a bowl through the window of the shop next door. Huh, what's this place, I thought to myself. Koya Bar!! My favourite place to sit in Koya is at the kichen counter to watch the chefs at work. Now, they've created a restaurant where there is only kitchen counter seating The menu is virtually identical to Koya next door. I had my usual atsu atsu (hot udon noodles with hot broth) with tempura prawn. I also had one of their specials on the board - squid, watercress with sansho miso - nicely sauteed squid with slightly peppery watercress and sweet glaze The bonus of Koya Bar is that there was no wait while there was long queue for Koya. Bonus! read more

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This was the only restaurant I repeated during my last trip to London, and it was absolutely worth it. My boyfriend and I started with the kakuni, which was mouthwateringly tender, juicy, and fatty (just the right amount!). I've daydreamed about this dish so much. I chose the udon special that night, which had fried garlic ramps and onsen tamago--delicious! The broth was well-balanced and not overly salty, and the noodles were perfectly cooked. I'll definitely be coming back on my next trip. Service was also prompt and friendly! The second time I came, their credit card machine wasn't working because of network issues, but they were very patient and accommodating. Luckily, I brought cash! read more

Koya Soho - Udon special with fried garlic ramps and onsen tamago. - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

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Hidden away at the heart of Soho is a little piece of Japan. With its simple design, it's not much of a looker and you might have passed it hundreds of times without even realising. But behind Koya's traditional curtain is one of London's most authentic Japanese restaurants. No sushi here though; Koya focuses on home-style food, especially udon noodles, of which they offer dozens of variations. All made in-house and absolutely delicious! The atmosphere is unlike anything I'd ever experienced in any other London restaurant before. It's just so quiet and pieceful. No doubt you'll leave very full and extremely relaxed! read more

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Food is good. Friendly staff :) cheers we ordered prawn udon and pork udon. Superb ...

Koya Bar, Frith Street - Koya Bar is a proper Japanese noodle bar. In the night of Soho lights, it sits humbly among the other eateries with their attractive and catchy signs. A black shop front with large glass window and a one door entrance, it would have been easier to keep an eye out for their logo. Did it attract any less customers? No, in fact, queues can build up easily as seating are limited. Koya Bar does not take reservations and you will only be seated when all of your companions have arrived. fish and chips £9.10 - served as a starter, small plate, sharing style it is the Koya's take on English fish and chips. Brilliant! I suspect that the chips were from a sweet vegetable like plantain or sweet potato. It was feather light like the batter on the fish. No vinegar or tomato sauce but served with their dipping sauce of radish and spring onions, it was so delicious that we didn't stop eating until the plate was empty. kamonabe (duck and vegetable hot pot) £14.30 - from a spectator's view, I thought that they were a little mean on the duck and vegetable. My dining companion confirmed that it had the proper proportion of udon to filling to broth. It was good but the broth was a little on the oily side. hiya-hiya zaru udon tenzaru (cold udon with cold sauce to dip with prawn and vegetable tempura) £13.90 - after the fish and chips, I was glad that I chose the tempura to go with my noodles. It was delightfully crispy and each bite into the batter was so satisfying. The kind of batter that possibly every OCD foodie/chef is trying to create at home. I give up, and will just dine here from now on. The assortment of vegetables were all but one slightly undercooked. With Koya Bar, it was more than just the food. The place exudes the Japanese culture of eating and looking around the place for a moment, I could be fooled that we were in Japan. Koya Bar was full and most had their heads down totally engrossed in their bowls of udon, I was quite amazed that a steaming hot broth noodles was favoured equally well in the West as in Asia. I thought it was only the kind of dish only understood by the Asians. Seating by the bar might not be suitable on certain occasions - like if you have a crowd of friends or have sharing dishes - but on second thoughts, sitting opposite someone who slurps their noodles is not particularly inviting. I still have to work my way through the menu - udon noodles being the main which comes with different toppings, rice in donburi style and various small plates to choose from. Not to mention that there are specials from time to time. What seemed like a small portion of noodles turned out to be quite filling and with a small plate to share between the two of us, I was full. A good place for simple yet flavoursome food. No desserts served and I did find myself wanting one. Koya Bar exudes a casualness with personality and integrity. It is not the kind of glamorous place with awkward formalities, numerous cutlery, hostile service and an expensive menu that makes you think twice but if I were taken on a date here, I am glad to walk away with the date that knows and has good taste! Will I be back for more? You can certainly count on it! read more

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Looking for some delicious udon but want to avoid the long lines at Koya? Koya Bar is the answer!! We were waiting in line for Koya when the hostess said we could try Koya Bar next door with no wait ....so of course we did! They told us the menus are slightly different and also the seating is all bar seating. Rotations are fast so even if all of the seats are taken you should be able to get a seat fairly quickly. We started with the pork belly which was super tender and full of flavor. The udon was wonderful and the broth was light. I ordered a soft boiled egg which came in shell. I made a slight mess getting it into my bowl. Tip: Normally when I order a soft boiled egg for noodles, it comes in the soup already. Here they provide a cold pre-boiled soft egg in shell. Make a small crack and let the egg pour out for the broth to cook it. read more

One of my favorite places in London! I never fail to visit this nice little restaurant. There's normally a bit of a queue, but the udon is worth the wait. The queue moves pretty quickly anyway. Friendly staff and delicious, comforting food at decent prices. Can be a bit noisy, but in my opinion it just adds to the atmosphere of the place. The open kitchen is really nice as you can see your food being prepared. The onsen tamago is silky and delicious and makes the udon even better. read more

Koya Soho - Atsu-atsu niku with added tamago - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

Arrived around 7:45pm on a Tuesday, and about 5 groups ahead of us. Line moved slow, contrary to what other reviews noted. It's a small place, seating consists of just a long bar around the kitchen space. We ordered the prawn and vegetable tempura to start, which was perfect. The batter was light and crispy. The prawns were ginormous and meaty, definitely the largest prawns I've ever seen in a tempura platter. We ordered the ktisune udon and the pork miso udon (both hot), perfect for a cold winter evening. The broths were simple, light, and very tasty. The noodles were cooked perfectly and slurped down quite quickly. While the food was tasty, I had to minus one star for the service. The wait staff was extremely friendly, but so slow. It took us a good 15 minutes after being seated for someone to take our order. Granted there were only 2 waiters for the small place, and just two cooks. read more

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Koya Bar is a small Japanese restaurant which doesn't have tables, instead it has a long bar. The food is good and the interior is good too, you get to see the chefs cooking whilst you're waiting for your bowl of yummy soup or rice. I went for a Donburi dish, which was good! The taste was good and it was filling enough. You can see from my photo that the dish looks tasty, and it was! My friend had a bowl of udon which he thought was very good. To conclude.. This restaurant isn't just good for Udon, it's good for Donburi too! I'm just giving 3/5 because I wasn't mind-blown, and the restaurant's music playing was simply Radio 1, which was too loud and lost the authentic Japanese experience. I will go back to eat more! read more

Koya Soho - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

Onsen Tamago!!! Yuuuuuhmmnm! Crazily a new colleague and I happened to get talking about where she a group of friends could go for dinner, I thought well B.I.N.G.O, you're talking to the right girl. I gave her a few of my favourites to think about and she in return, mentioned Koya, "Oh yeah they do this amazing poached egg". Eggs, d.d..d...did you say poached egg? I had to explain about my sheer devotion to this food group, my favourite thing, poached eggs. I usually pass the Koya Restaurant's round the block queues, yearning for the day I may be able to get a coveted table, at this, no bookings eatery. However at noon, I breezed straight in to the Koya Bar and was warmly welcomed and talked through the menu, chatted to the chefs prepping and had a lovely time. It was a great atmosphere to get some work done before a meeting, very calming, zen you might say. The poached egg was unusually cold, but still runny in a tasty miso broth. I chose a seaweed salad and barely battered, battered artichoke heart, in a crispy veil of tempura, served with an intriguing pinch of smokey aromatic grits. Really precise subtle clean flavours. I could appreciate every amount of effort in every morsel. There was a contented hush among the early smattering of diners all very much contemplating the flavours. A little pricey but worth it. read more

Koya Soho - Onsen tamago - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

Second time at Koya bar to try another japanese breakfast. This place does savoury things only and if the thought of eating fish for breakfast doesn't set you off, well this is worth a try. They have 3 types of breakfasts: udon noodles; rice porridge (all with different toppings) or a japanese menu with grilled fish, pickles, rice and miso soup. First time we tried the menu and unfortunatly the fish (mackerel) was very very dry so we were a bit disappointed. If you want to give it a try, ask what the fish of the day is (second time they had haddock and it didn't look dry). We also tried the udon (egg and soya sauce for me) and the rice porridge (spring onions, haddock and egg for him) and that was delicious. Quite pricey but good idea for a special occasion breakfast (£24 for 2 meals and 2 teas). Service is a bit slow - but they do cook everything in front of you so it helps pass the time. read more

Koya Soho - Tama Kama (Udon noodles with egg and soya sauce) - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

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I think I have tried udon noodles in every city or town I've ever lived in, so to say that I'm a fan of udon is very much an understatement. Having now qualified myself as an udon expert, I think Koya Bar serves some of the best noodles I've had! Thick, chewy, freshly made noodles in tastefully made broths, with some nice surprise small plates that change often (keeps visits fun, right?). As a pescetarian, my options are more limited due to not being able to have the dishes made with pork broth. I usually order the curry or the mixed seaweed and both are delicious every time. The ingredients (veg and seaweed) actually change according to the season and what they have in the kitchen, so I'm actually never bored. In the curry, sometimes I'll get pumpkin, or squash, or aubergines, and the seaweed selection is never quite the same. Other people seem to really like their walnut miso and mushroom dish, so any lover of mushroom (which I am not) might like to try that one since it does come recommended. The cold noodles are also wonderful if you're craving a particularly chewy texture. Refreshing and just right for a warm day. My husband loves a variety of their meat options, by the way. I think there are a few people who complain that the flavour can be very bland and the portions too small. I've never had a problem with a less salty dish, to be honest. I've always loved the more subtle and cleaner tasting broth. I've had many udon soups in Japan itself and found those to be way too salty. I guess it's just a matter of preference! As for the portion, they're not huge and quite pricey, which is why my rating is a 4 rather than a 5, but I always thought the servings were just about right. That might just be me, though! You can also fill up on the smaller plates, some which have been yummy, others that have been misses. It's when you get the 'misses' that hurt because of the hefty price, but I've never had one that was downright terrible. In general, I like the former Koya restaurant better because the options for the small plates were always very good, but since that's closed now, this is now my go-to place when my udon craving kicks in. And I'm still pretty happy about that. read more

Koya Soho - Curry udon goodness - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

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I know these days ramen is all the hype. I don't care. I am an udon girl through and through! Having just come back from Japan, based on a direct comparison, Koya Bar's specialized udon really holds its own against indigenous udon from the Land of the Rising Sun. I'll state Koya's single downside first. The wait can be long because they don't take reservations, and this joint is RIDICULOUSLY popular. However, if you're coming with a small party (under 3 people), you will be seated MUCH more quickly. In any case, they manage the line very well, making sure nobody cuts and everyone is accommodated in a fair order, so no complaints really. Now, THE FOOD. They have a diverse selection of different broths, each complex and unique in its flavor. Gingery, meaty, bright, Koya's broths are excellent. The texture of the udon too was amazing. Each noodle strand was formulated and cooked to perfection. If you had tempura, it was crispy and hot, but started getting that delicious melty texture when immersed in the broth. I recommend always getting some of the fresh specials on their seasonal menu. Everything is carefully curated, and there's something at Koya for everyone! Carnivores, vegans (but why.), locals, foreigners, etc. I can't write anymore because I'll start drooling, but if you're visiting and don't know what to eat, this is a fantastic option. If you're a London local, shame on you if you haven't visited here yet. I HAVE SPOKEN. read more

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This time I came food was probably more like a 4.25 but I'm gonna round up to a 5 for old times sake. Just gotta love koya! Always trusty, it never disappoints. Udon is always great. I like kitsune Atsu atsu just because it's classic and you can always count on it being delicious. My boyfriend had the miso pork hiya atsu and that was realllly great too. Prawn Tempura was on point. Came with a good smattering of extra tempura crunch I could just scatter all over my udon. You can tell I was very pleased! I did wish they had a better selection of small plates/ daily specials though, but probably just bad luck on the day I went. Last time I was here they had amazing chicken karaage, so get that if you see it on the specials! read more

Koya Soho - Yum! - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

Koya bar is a beautiful little eatery containing an open kitchen and walled off by a bar with high stools for seating on the other side so customers can watch food being prepared. It is a good representation of what one is usually like in Japan with it's wooden decor and small seating space. As well as serving udon they are only a few places in London that serves traditional Japanese breakfast every day of the week opening as early as 8:30am to accommodate that. They also have a special menu that changes regularly including grilled fish of the day and serve a variety of traditional dishes for lunch and dinner as well The problem is that not all of the staff are friendly. Some can be quite stern, short and abrupt, giving service without a smile. Kedgeree This was a creative fusion of the original dish and using short grain rice and a lot of water content to create it instead. It was more like Chinese congee texture. Sadly flavours didn't realyl deliver, lacking depth and umami. The chunks of cured haddock were quite a nice addition adding saltiness although quite dense in texture, losing too much of it's moisture from the curing process. Curry flavour was mild but a nice touch of bonito flakes on the side for a burst of flavour. A poached egg to add that creaminess in replacement of butter and cream like the original kedgeree recipe. It was a creative dish but the broth base needs to be stronger, to add depth and flavour Curry udon This was very satisfying. Probably not a breakfast dish itself but I love it. The udon were thick, bouncy and a nice long length which made it great for slurping. The curry itself was fragrant, rich and thick, attaching itself to every strand of udon. It was mild in spice which allowed big warm soothing mouthfuls to capture all the lovely flavour. The few broccoli florets it came with was nicely grilled and soft, giving a nice sweet smokiness to the curry udon. Japanese breakfast Is was very like how they serve it traditionally in Japan although a more formal breakfast nowadays. A bit disappointed with the pickles being the generic pickled beetroot rather than daikon or turnips. As much as I love beetroot I do hope to experience more traditional vegetables that you would receive in Japan. The grilled fish of the day that came with the set was brill which was cured nicely, flakey and meaty. Went well with a simple bowl of rice and a lovely freshly made miso soup with deep fried silken tofu and carrot for a nice subtle sweetness. I did very much enjoy my experience at Koya bar although I felt many improvements could have been made as well. Staff need to be more hospitable as it was the reason why my partner rated this place a two. Kedgeree needed more depth and the cured fish inside could have been more softer. The menu is full of creativity but then it leads me to question why they use ready made pickled beetroot rather than pickling their own. Still, going to Koya bar evolved some nostalgic memories of days in Japan, wanting a quick and easy bowl of udon. read more

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Koya is a small, authentic Japanese noodle bar specialising in all sorts of udon. Seating is around a long bar table facing the cooking area which can give you a nice glimpse of the chef preparing your dish. My friend and I both got the buta miso (his favourite) which is hot udon with pork and miso as well as a couple of sharing plates. The udon noodles itself is thick and with a lovely texture, and the hot broth held a lot of flavour. The pork is sweet which was surprising but worked well overall with the dish. Bear in mind, an udon dish is quite simple! It's quite literally thick, flat noodles plopped into a bowl of broth and a spoon of topping dumped over it but the magic is in the depth of flavour that contains. The only turn off was the price. The udon itself is alright - a bowl costs around £10 - but the small plates tend to be quite pricey. A plate of a few pieces of vegetable tempura and 2 pieces of prawn cost a whopping £12. Definitely not good value. Not entirely sure if I will revisit. There are other more affordable Japanese joints in this city which might take precedence. read more

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A fine bowl of udon, but not amazing. My recent trip to London saw a rare snowstorm and freezing temperatures, so a large bowl of soup was in the cards. Found this place on Yelp, and my friend and I made our way here at around 9PM on a Saturday night. We had to wait about 20 minutes for a table (5th in line), but the queue quickly grew and was out the door shortly after we were seated. We ordered the pork belly appetizer, niku udon, and duck hotpot udon. The pork belly was tasty, but extremely fatty (50%+ of each piece was pure fat); there wasn't anything really remarkable about it otherwise. The niku udon was much better than the duck, in my opinion, as the rather large chunks of duck meat quickly became chewy as they cooked in the broth, while the thinly sliced beef in the niku was more suited to maintain a tender texture through the meal. The broth of the soups were clean and fresh, not at all too salty or heavy. The noodles however, were a disappointment as they became very soggy/overcooked and started breaking apart in the hot broth. Perhaps the cold dipping noodles are a good way to go to avoid this, but my favorite udon spots in NYC don't have this problem. Bar-only seating, which is cool as you can watch the chefs work. read more

We stayed across the street at the historic little hotel, discovered this place by accident. It's cozy, quick seating and the food is mad fresh at the bar in front of you. I miss this place so much, wish we had one in California. It made me fall in love with udon! If the tempura cabbage is on the menu, order it!! Wow. I recommend all the udon bowls, but especially buta miso and the shrimp tempura. read more

I totally ordered wrong but I am not going to let that get in the way of appreciating what Koya Bar is. I've eaten at the location next door and quality here is also top notch. I stumbled in right before lunch and they were still serving breakfast. I should have stuck with some of the other tasty looking, more traditionally Japanese fare on offer but thought I'd try their English Breakfast udon. It's a bowl of their lovely broth and toothsome noodles topped with an egg (runny yolk!!), two pieces of streaky bacon and three small shitake mushrooms. Everything was perfectly prepared. I'm just not sure they all should have been in the same bowl! Nonetheless, I finished it all. When I come back, I'll definitely try some of their more traditional fare instead. As others have said, not a locale for group dining. Best as a couple or alone. read more

Koya Soho - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

Really good Udon bar! The food is simple and tasty. Im more a ramen person but Udob here is gooood and comes in all types. I went for the pork and miso hot udon and hot broth with and a extra of poached egg. It was a bit sweet but I loved that the poached egg came in shell and I had to crack it in the bowl is quircky and fun. Would defo come back to try other dishes! read more

Koya Soho - Pork and miso udon with poached egg - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

Small Japanese place with mostly udon menu and some on the rice or other small dishes. My friend had the udon but the portion didn't seem as big compared to other common noodle places you'd see. I had the gyudon and again, smaller portions than other restaurants, but it was still great! read more

Koya Soho - Gyudon - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

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This was a fairly good restaurant that seems like it's popular with locals. Seating is limited so waiting may be expected during your visit here. That is, if you can find the restaurant since there wasn't a big sign or anything noting where the restaurant is located. We ordered 1 pork and miso ramen and 1 vegetable tempura donburi. This wasn't our first pick since we were wanting beef but they ran out of beef at 6:15 PM when we were seated. Bill was around £27. The food was pretty good except the pork and miso ramen didn't have much pork in it and little veggies. Next time I come, I would maybe order something else. Overall, pretty popular restaurant and would recommend if in the area wanting some Asian food but they ran out of chicken AND beef by the time we left at 7:00. read more

Koya Soho - Vegetable Donburi with Miso Soup - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

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Intro: I just landed into London, dropped off my bags at my hotel and headed out for lunch solo. My friend told me about Koya and since I love udon I had to try it. It was later in the afternoon so I was lucky to get a seat right away. Food: I ordered the Buta Udon which was simple, had amazing flavor and was perfect. I also ordered a ride of wings which were ok. Next time I'm going to try the pork belly. Drinks: I ordered the homemade lemonade which was delicious. Very mild, not tart at all with a hint of honey. Price: £24.05 Service: Very friendly Ambiance: Its very cozy with just a long bar with the chefs cooking. Probably seats about 20 people. Would I go back? Yes! I love noodles and I want to try all of the udons on the menu! read more

The udon noodles were fine, but we got there so early that we could only order from the limited breakfast menu. As a lover of udon, I was disappointed by the English breakfast udon. It was also severely overpriced. read more

Koya Soho - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

There is a beautiful thing about a bowl of soup noodles, and Koya is in the pursuit of perfecting it. Upon entering, the minimalistic yet elegant bar is lined with stools, where one can view into the kitchen and noodle-preparing process. At noon on a Tuesday, there were a few customers, but it was kind of serenely quiet. I ordered the plain udon (kake) for £6.90. The broth was the best I had ever had: light, flavorful, a heady fragrance, simple yet complex without being overly-salty. It was beautiful; I could have just had a bowl of broth and been satisfied. The bowl came with a generous helping of udon and a sprinkle of spring onions. I prefer chewier udon, so I think my noodles were cooked for a bit too long. Overall, though, a great experience. read more

Koya Soho - Plain udon (kake) £6.90 - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

Udon here is top notch! I'd advise getting the tamago (poached egg) to add to your noodles. It definitely elevates the dish. I was here for business for about 2 weeks and came back here twice in that time! It's perfect for those cold London days. read more

Koya Soho - Look at the size of that fresh shrimp! Added tamago - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

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Stopped in here for dinner one night. The interior is authentic Japanese, dark, cozy, and minimalist with a few tables and open kitchen bar seating. I had the saba/mackerel udon with poached egg added - outstanding! My wife ordered the curry udon and loved it. It was super thick with pudding-like consistency more like a real curry itself and not just curry-spiced normal udon broth. They make the udon noodles in-house, and you can tell. The flavor and texture was better than Shin, the top-rated Udon place in Tokyo. We did some tempura as well, which was outrageously good. This was easily the best shrimp tempura I've ever had even having traveled recently to Japan. We had quick, friendly service throughout the evening. Overall, this was the best meal we had in the UK and made my list of favorite restaurants ever visited from around the world. read more

Came here for lunch with some friends. Ordered a variety of dishes. Firstly it must be said that the udon here is very good, even better than at Koya next door, perhaps because many of the original staff there have moved across to Koya Bar. I had the Niku Udon which is a hot udon in hot broth with thinly sliced beef, atsu atsu style! I enjoyed it very much and will definitely come back on a cold day. The noodles are freshly made in front of you and very springy and a bit chewy. I also had the Ten Mori which is a tempura assortment. This was delicious, the batter light and crispy, and the prawn and vegetables fresh. My only niggle is that it is just a bit oily, and perhaps they could pat it down a bit before serving. I tried my friends side of the Fish and Chips. Unfortunately this was disappointing. Firstly they forgot we ordered it, small mistake. But for the dish itself, the fish was average and a small portion. The chips were a type of tempura yam. It tasted nice but was incredibly greasy. We had two bites of the chips and left the rest. The menu at Koya Bar has a good range of items and is reasonably priced. I will be back should I want some hot udon! read more

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We rolled in on a Tuesday evening at 6:30 to a line outside the restaurant. It moved through quickly and menus were read as we waited (clearly they're on a mission to feed the masses!) We were ushered to the bar and squeezed in on low stools - it was a bit cramped but it's all part of the charm. Tonnes of vegetarian options on the menu and it's fun to watch the flurry of activity in the kitchen. The udon noodles were heavenly and the vegetable tempura was right there in the clouds too. Would strongly recommend! Go in feeling patient and willing to squeeze at small tables for amazing food. read more

Terrific Udon noodle place in Soho. Reminded me of walk up Udon counters in Tokyo. I got the hot pot Udon which included chicken and vegetables. The broth was on point and the noodles were terrific. Some of the best Udon I've had in years. Great for a cold weather day. Service was quick and efficient. They have a small sake list which is solid. read more

Koya Soho - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

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~ Waited about 20m at 8pm on a Wednesday + Kakuni was fantastic, melt-in-your-mouth pork + Udon was very simple, but very good. Broth had good flavor, noodles had perfect texture ~ I'd come back to try the rotating specials read more

I am spoiled for Asian food because I live in Vancouver. Koya definitely hit the spot for authentic Japanese udon while on holidays. I had the kitsune udon in soup. The broth is clean tasting. The udon had the perfect bounce. The only thing is what should be the sweet soy tofu skin was more like a sweet soy marinated tofu so it wasn't truly authentic. Alas, quite pricey for what it is but I am still happy to pay up for some delicious udon. read more

As many people do, the husband and I heavily rely on reviews. We decided to wing it this morning. We decided that after a long month and a half we needed some Asian food. We walked past and decided to give a Japanese Breakfast a try. The food isn't horrible, but the food is not worth the price. I understand that it is Soho, but then I expect something with flavors that wow. I was not quite sure whether to be pleased or to be disappointed about the time that we needed to wait for the food to be prepared. There were three other people in the restaurant. We ordered the Curry Udon and the Japanese Breakfast. I had different expectations for $34 breakfast without alcohol. For example to actually feel comfortably full or to get bouncy/chewy udon noodle. The curry was not bad but the udon noodles were a bit overdone. Maybe the lunch and evening menu are a better bang for your buck/pound. read more

My fav udon place in London. Authentic, delicious, healthy, clean and super tasty. I always tend to go for the Niku (hot noodles bowl with beef) dish which is delicious. I love the cute spices pot that they have and I never hesitate to use it. Nothing like a spicy, hot udon pot with some cold sake. The only downside is the seating as there are no tables and you have to sit around the bar. Perfect for two but three are a crowd. It is very popular, there is always a queue but if you go around 9pm it is less busy. read more

Koya Soho - Niku - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

Stopped in for quick lunch before heading to the Harry Potter play. Unfortunately breakfast was over and they only had a lunch menu available. I had the mushroom/miso/walnut cold udon in hot broth and my husband got the pork hot udon. The soup was clean, simple, uncomplicated and delicious. I don't understand the whole hot udon/hot broth vs. cold udon/hot broth since I ultimately dumped all my cold udon into the hot broth, but overall two thumbs up. It's a very small space so plan to come early or wait. read more

Amazing restaurants service. Beautifull place and nice location. their service so good . staff are very friendly