I'm sorry, I just wasn't feeling it. I wanted to like it. God, I wanted to have an awesome meal when I took friends out to thank them for helping me move, but it just didn't happen. I went with a couple of friends for whom Japanese food is not a specialty and so weren't sure what to order. I gave some advice, but their tastes (ie meat!) are different to mine so they asked the waitress. Very unhelpful. There was just no sense of 'oh try this' or 'if you like that then this is for you'. It was as if she hated being there and was nervous about anyone saying anything that resembled a question and didn't know what to do when it happened. We ordered edamame to get things started.... which was fine until one of the party found a live maggot crawling over them... ok, so you don't eat the skins, but... just..... no. not for me, thanks. After the earlier 'conversation' with the waitress, we felt at pains to point it out, and we were tired anyway so didn't want to kick up a fuss. The rest of the food was fine. Nothing spectacular but a good cheap option in a great location, just set back from Charing Cross Road, a minute from Leicester Square station. I'd like to go and try it again to see if I caught a new girl on a bad night, but I just don't want any more maggots on my food. read more

I popped here before a yelp event for a quick bite to eat and was really surprised by this place! There weren't too many vegan main options, but most side dishes were suitable and not too pricey so you could get a few. I had the hiya yakko which is a chilled tofu cube. A great big chunk!! It was plain, but lovely and fresh and i ate the whole thing up. I also had the veggie maki, which was six pieces of sushi with cucumber and six with Japanese radish. Yummy and veryyyyy filling. The prices here are quite random. Veggie dishes are generally cheap, but meat ranges from reasonable to pretty pricey. One of the many benefits of eating vegan =p This place is interesting as a business as they are focused on using sustainable produce and give lots of information about their principles on the menu, which I thought was really cool. Their website is also interesting as it has a live webcam of the restaurant, which they say they use to attract potential staff and chefs =] very different! read more

There's nothing really much to say about this place. Everything was pretty mediocre. The atmosphere, the service, and the food were all very average. Me and my friend were close to running out the door after having been served our drinks, but our morale enforced us to stay put! The only thing bringing my star rating up a notch is my passion for Japanese food, and well.. I suppose I did get to eat that (as unsatisfying as it was). Plus, I needn't pay for tip, which saved me change for a post pick-me-up. read more

A girl took me here on a date once. It was great. We had sushi and we also had a big tofu thing that looked disgusting but was delicious. Things didn't work out but I kept returning to the Tokyo diner. On dates. And the girls are always impressed by me. "Wow, what a find." When I say impressed by me, I mean by the sushi. They soon forget about me. And pretty soon I'm going to take some girl there and I'll bump into the other girls there and it'll all get a little awkward. Especially if the first girl is there, because she'll know that it wasn't my little find, it was hers. Anyway. The sushi's good. If you're pretty and like sushi, maybe I'll take you there sometime. read more

Average. The sushi menu was limited. I read a little anecdote on display about how the Japanese will travel across the country (of Japan) for freshly prepared soba noodles. But, um, the soba noodles I got were so obviously not fresh. Is this a dishonest or an ingenious marketing strategy? I can't decide. In any event, Okawari is just down Lisle Street, and it has a bigger sushi menu and lower prices. If you want a more stereotypically Japanese dining atmosphere, stick with Tokyo Diner. But you'll get more for your money at Okawari, and that's what counts, I think. read more

A simple no fuss Japanese restaurant. There is nothing I could fault about the food in this place. I couldn't give it 5 stars because it was just simple Japanese comfort food, nothing out of ex-ordinary and all the usual Japanese dishes I could get in any other Japanese restaurant. Tokyo Diner focuses really mainly on one plate dishes like donburi and also their famous big portion bento boxes. There are also sushi platters but it just does not have a large a la carte menu. It's a place for a quick fulfilling dinner if you don't fancy Chinese in China town. I do love it's concept of 'No Tipping'. With its free tea, Japanese crackers and no service charge it felt like a Japanese Wong Kei's with better service and better food. Portions were just as big though with free refills of rice for those extra hungry ones. Awesome. We started with starters of agedashi tofu, spinach goma, miso soup and pickles. The tofu was average, not the most silky I've had but still very satisfying in a very well made dashi sauce. Spinach goma stood out the most although I wish they let it warm up a bit rather than it come out straight out the fridge, Still I love the nutty sesame sauce that made this dish so moorish. It tasted just like peanut butter but sweetened and gave the dish a slight sticky texture. It no longer felt healthy but indulgent instead. Wasn't a fan of the plum pickle that was too sour but the rest was fine. My main of pork katsu was massive with a lovely marinated leaf salad on the side. It was one of the better ones I've had with next chunky soft carrots and potatoes in the curry which was perfectly seasoned and flavoured, not too sweet or salty. The katsu was perfectly fried, a nice crunchy batter into a thick succulent tender piece of pork. Rice was fluffy and cooked perfectly. A good choice. However weirdly enough I preferred my boyfriend's tamago don. Something so simple like on egg on rice was so good and comforting. Where my katsu curry cooled down very quickly my boyfriend's dish remained hot throughout due to the egg acting like a blanket. It was soft, mouthmetling and cooked in a dashi stock that wrapped it in a nice savoury flavour. Together with the al dente sticky rice it was just the perfect combination. We also shared a zaru soba which was faultless again. A nice portion, noodles cooked as they should and sauce flavoured well. The most disappointed part was our cold sake which tasted like they had watered it down. Still it did not effect our overall opinion of the place as we were very satisfied with meal. I do love this place and will probably return very soon. The automatic push button door was a nice touch as it made my boyfriend feel nostalgic about his holiday memories in Japan as apparently those doors were common over there. Also that and the light wooden tables, Japanese staff, a large map of Japan and the rest of the decor. With that in mind and the cheap generous prices do prepare to queue or get there a bit early. read more

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The food here is great and very authentic Japanese cuisine. So far, we tried the katsu curry with rice and the nigiri set. Both are extremely delicious. One great thing here is that you can get a bonus on rice if you ask for them with any donburi or curry rice. But there is something less to be desired about the owners' attitude toward their customers. I tried to be friendly and speak Japanese with them, but they were extremely protective and replied in English sternly. Service level could be improved to make this store a better experience to be honest. But at least people will not be disappointed with the food! This place can also get quite crowded during weekends due to being a relatively small place. read more

A great bet for a pleasant, non-greasy meal at a very convenient location. Remarkably tranquil inside, for such a busy area. As soon as you walk in, you're seated and served rice crackers and green tea by the attentive staff. The menu is not as expansive as other places, but everything they serve is reliable and less greasy. My comfort foods are the soba noodles and aubergine or tofu with dashi. Besides the food and service, it feels good to support a small business that has a strong ethos. One of my go-tos. read more

I love myself a bit of Tokyo Diner. Having not been here for about a decade, I needed a good post-cinema meal, and a lightbulb went off in my head reminding me that I hadnt been here in 10 years. Note: my stomach has just started rumbling thinking of what I had here :) Small, but perfectly formed, Tokyo Diner is kinda on the outside of Chinatown, but it reminded me of Asia: relatively understated in decor with all attention going to the food, with service very quick and no nonsense. The staff were very friendly, and I like how, if you're especially famished, you can ask for an Omari portion which is larger but free serving of rice. Mmmm. As it stands, I was particularly hungry and got myself Omari with a Katsu which was dreamy. Tokyo Diner's authentic no-tips policy took me back to the land of the rising sun, and I shall be defo coming back here, as soon as I can. The maps of Japan have also had a knock-on effect of making me wanting to travel again, so at least I have something else to daydream about for a few days :) Price wise, £10 for a meal which isn't bad for the centre of town. read more

In bubbling Soho and Chinatown it's difficult to make a choice for a restaurant. They all look similars and you wonder if the quality is everywhere good not to be disapointed and unfortunately it's not ! That's why I definitely recommand to go to this address. It has good prices, ethical concept (they don't use tuna because it's a specie in danger even it's cultural for Japanese to normally eat it) they don't take tip and ask instead to come back and bring friend ! Love the concept :-) Inside the decoration is classic, wood table and some Japanese flag as decoration. You have lunch menu or a la carte suggestion. You can go for hot meal such as soup or fried meat or fish but also some sushi and cold sashimi. I've been a couple of time and never been disapointed. The service is efficient, polite and friendly even quite shy as it's common in asian culture. Might be busy but worth make a try and even try a bit if the queue is not too long. If this one is full, then walk around and catch one with as much as stickers as possible from all the guides and travels books that have rated the place, the best way to find something else ! read more

After skirting by this place maybe 87 times in my life...I finally decided to go in. And I've repeated that decision. So that means it's 3 stars (somehow this review seems very unenthused). Great prices and tasty noodle and rice dishes (unagi mmm!) - I would skip the sushi though, seriously...just no. If you're looking for something that's open relatively late for this city, perhaps after a show (I had just watched Jude Law's modern portrayal of Hamlet, complete with skinny jeans), then this would be the spot to go to. Don't expect to be able to sit and wax lyrical over something or other for hours and hours; it's in the heart of Chinatown and next to a bar complete with colorful patrons spilling out looking for a bite. I do love people watchin here though !! read more

Summary: + A Japanese canteen, that's exactly what this place is Overall: This place is a Japanese canteen. A canteen in Japan. Canteen japonaise. I don't know what else I can add. The food is definitely authentic. Their food is kind of comfort food that would be served in a canteen. (For the third time. I won't say that again.) Their food is decent but not special. To use proper foodie terminologies, they are "hmm yummy" but not quite "OMFG! You gotta try this sXXX. This is f-ing AWESOME!". The restaurant is very small and it's right at the heart of China Town so it gets packed. I have never been impressed by their staff, though. Most of the time they are rather blunt. I thought all Japanese people were nice and polite. In one of my recent visits, I overheard two waitresses chatting quite loudly at the back (in Japanese) for quite a long time. Maybe it wasn't the busiest time of all but it doesn't feel right. But they can get away with it. They are at a prime location with high visibility. The food is decent. So there is enough influx of tourists (they are one-off transactions) and locals who need a quick and filling meal. I will still go back for the high cost performance. I only care about food. read more

I don't usually eat japanese food in chinatown, for reasons quite obviously stated in the first half of this sentence. I heard this place was pretty reasonably priced so we popped into here because I couldn't touch the dim sum places until after this stupid chinese notion of not eating prawns after surgery. And in chinatown - every dumpling you eat is like a lucky dip- you don't know what meats they have. I would usually head for proper ramen in either bone daddies or tenten but due to not being able to walk very far 4 days after surgery, and i NEEDED to get a haircut because damn, i need to feel pampered after having such a shit time with my medical problems, I decided to treat my cousin here. (he chaperoned me so I didn't get bashed about in london, our family is close knit like that!) It's basic- you get some set lunches, where you would get pickles, rice, what you ordered and soup and I love thats how simple it is, it's the epitome of japanese clean eating so you don't feel so msg-fied afterwards. I enjoyed my lunch! Reasonably priced? for the simplicity- I don't really want to pay over £20 and we weren't that full, so no, I think that I can definitely find better japanese deals elsewhere. read more

I'm a great, great, great fan of Ramen or any other noodle soup. I always wanted to go to this authentic Japanese diner, but it was normally too full to even step into it. Meeting up with some friends on a schedule that included a pub quiz later on in Walthamstow, we were early enough to get seats. The service is nice. The chairs are incredible uncomfortable. The menu is great. The food is great. the space is so small that whenever someone opens the door the draft will hit you wherever you chose to sit. The food is worth it!! read more

Amazing place and great food! You should definetly go there if you want real Japanese food. I had the Gyu Don and my mom the vegetable curry... both were incredibly good! When you arrive they give you tea, I also ordered the Miso soup that was lovely! Highly recommended! read more

Dined here with my family last night .... positive reviews on Yelp. We were tired after a long day of touring. This spot had such positive reviews on Yelp and it fell SO FAR SHORT of our expectations. Pros were quick service & good green tea. Cons were the food ... ordered the Chicken Katsu Bento ... fried, breaded chicken cutlet - dried out, no flavour. My sons had the Chicken Teriyaki... soaked in sauce. Husband had the Salmon Bento - better. Seafood salad was forlorn & limp. Chicken was dry and without flavour. Cold, cooked veggies accompanied the meal and had an odd taste to them. Beyond disappointing.... DON'T GO. A disappointing & a disastrous food experience. read more

I chose this place for a first dinner date, having read the previous reviews on here and got a verbal confirmation from a friend that it was good. We stepped through the nifty sliding door, and we greeted and sat almost immediately, menus in hand. We ordered sushi and edamame, and while we waited we had the free green tea (which was rather good and not horribly stewed). Menu wise it was very well labelled, I liked that they were clear on ingredients and common allergens. They also admitted there may be a language barrier with the server so in case of special requests to make sure the server understood. The food came quickly and it was clearly very fresh- the rice was perfect and the fish was flavoursome and of a decent thickness. I could have done with more ginger but I'm sure they would have provided if I'd asked. Despite it being reasonably busy they didn't rush us off our table after we finished the food but continued chatting, even pouring more tea for us. Polite, efficient, good value. I will be going back! read more

Excellent sushi! I got the nigiri set (some sushi, some nigiri) and the miso soup. Soup was quite good, not too salty, but no tofu in it. The sushi+nigiri were excellent! Rice was a bit sweet and delicious, and the fish was quality. Ambience was relaxed; not loud, not quiet. Easy to hear anyone you're there with. The venue is quite small, I wouldn't go there with a group of more than 4, but 1-4 is appropriate. Service was solid; they're friendly and attentive, and our food did not take long to arrive. Bit odd that the soup came at the same time as the nigiri set. read more

Good Japanese restaurant in Chinatown. I had a craving for pork Katsu curry on a rainy day and looked on yelp for recommendations. This place received quite a lot of good reviews. The place is no frills and simple service. You can let the server know whether you want more or less rice. I asked for less rice because I don't really eat much rice. The Katsu curry came with a side salad which is nice because I have to consciously order a side of veggies or a side salad when I'm traveling and living out of my suitcase. Portion size was still big, taste was good, and price was affordable. read more

Tokyo Diner - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

Well what people say about London is quite true, food ain't all that great. But this place won my heart over. While my 2 week stay in London, for the first couple of days kebabs and pizza held me over but it wasn't before long that I started craving for Japanese food. Lo and bohold, I came across this goldmine. What made me even more happier was that the servers spoke Japanese! Service was good, we weren't being ignored or rushed. I find it fascinating that they don't accept tips! Will be back in August, can't wait to go back there again! read more

The Tokyo Diner doesn't serve Tuna due to ecological concerns. They donate all their tips to charity, and they give you more rice if you ask for it. The people in the Tokyo Diner are nice people. It also helps that their food is also pretty good. It's not going to change the world, but it's well-prepared, honestly priced and arrives as soon as it's ready. This can cause some social complications if someone in a group orders a quickly prepared dish (something like the aubergine - something I strongly recommend - which is served cold), though. The lunch deals are all very good value and come with a selection of pickles, miso soup and a side dish that varies day to day. Everyone also gets free tea (and refills!) and some rice crackers to munch while they wait. The only slight downside is that there's no tempura on the menu, which struck me a bit strange for a place focused on bento-style meals, but it's not exactly the end of the world. On balance, it's one of the better 'authentic' Japanese places around here. read more

Went for lunch nach with a colleague. Staff is probably Japanese. They have a live stream of a camera on their website which makes it easy to check how busy they are. We went on a Thursday and is was rather quiet. Food was good. The portions are pretty good and you get extra free rice with some dishes if you are still hungry but is is not necessary. I would go again. read more

Pretty unimpressed. This place is right near my office, and my wife and I always notice the line outside, so we decided to check it out one Friday evening. I'd call everything "okay" and give it 3 stars if it weren't for the tuna. I generally avoid ordering tuna these days due to the general overfishing problem with bluefin, but my wife loves it, so we usually wind up with at least a couple pieces. The ones from Tokyo Diner were outright bad. Greyish (should have been our first clue), tough, and distinctly fishy-tasting. If I were running the place, I would have let people know that there was no tuna we were willing to serve that night rather than dishing out that mess. I would have respected that decision much more. It's also crowded, fairly noisy, and the service was so-so. Not my scene. read more

Tokyo Diner is a gem. For starters, the food is delicious--this seems like a good place to start. I've been here twice and have tried the udon noodles and their salmon teriyaki set lunch. The shop itself is small and cosy. The staff is courteous but no-nonsense. Table turnaround happens quickly here and they are unapologetic for it. That being said, the staff is extremely accommodating to diners and offers a great deal of information about their food and the customs associated with a Japanese meal (no tipping, free tea, free extra portions of rice) on their menu. Another thing I love about this place is their extensive lunch menu (so cheap) and the further discounts they offer--if you rock up between 3-6pm (their least busy hours) they offer a £1 discount off of their already affordable fare. When planning a meal in Chinatown it can be difficult to be decisive--as delicious food surrounds you from all angles--but the next time you're faced with a moment of indecision, I urge you to check this place out. read more

Distinctly OK. Overcooked fried tofu & katsu in general; it's a bit cheaper but about par for hte course in C-town. read more

Last Saturday we went to Tokyo Diner. It was a great choice. We were also very lucky because we got seated right away, but immediately after us (around 7.30) people started to line up. Tokyo Diner is all about one thing: great standard Japanese food. The setting of the restaurant is very basic and small (don't dress up for this). All staff is Japanese and very friendly & humble. They refuse any tips because "it's not part of the Japanese culture" (their words). They don't sell Tuna because they believe in only serving sustainable food. As much as I love tuna, I can only truly admire this choice and position they take. The food was really good. We didn't eat as much as we normally do at a Japanese place but had a fair amount of salmon sushi (really fresh), pork with curry (tasted like other ones I had before) and Udon noodles (almost the most recommendable dish of the menu! Only £8 for the noodles with chicken and better than any other trendy Udon place I've been to in Soho). Overall, all the prices are VERY reasonable (almost cheap) for such quality! It's about £2-3 for a beer for example. And the total bill (and in the end, we were full) was only £50 for several beers, glasses of wine, fresh sushi, pork, udon ... I definitely go back when I'm around in Chinatown! read more

I used to come here all the time with my friends when I studied abroad in London. The chicken karaage bento is wonderful, especially washed down with some plum wine. I'm not a huge fan of katsudon, but I had a friend who loves it, and the Diner's was some of the best we had. Everything seems very fresh and tasty and basic, but in a good way. Japanese home cooking, I suppose! Waits can get long in the evening, but they seem to move everyone in and out very fast. The waitresses are very nice--but no tipping! Despite the plethora of restaurants in Chinatown it's sort of a culinary wasteland, and Tokyo Diner is a respite and a delight. read more

The real deal! Reminiscent of a real Japanese izakaya or noodle shop near the station stop in Tokyo or Osaka. Simple but delicious food. Authentic atmosphere and great service! read more

The service was friendly and quick, and we were enchanted by the food! The zaru soba was fresh and tasty. The nigiri, however, really took the cake. Every piece had wasabi lovingly nestled between the sashimi and the rice, which made for a savory and authentic taste. Unlike some other Japanese restaurants in the area, the portion of rice was not overwhelming compared to the size of the sashimi, resulting in a far more balanced flavour. Another pleasant surprise was their eco-consciousness. All their fish is environmentally sourced, as is their electricity! Tip: they don't take tips. Which is why we're writing this review, because the least we could do is spread the word about their amazing food and warm service! read more

Katsudon! That's what you should get here :). They make a mean katsudon and it's very good values (large portions). You get hot tea and rice crackers while you wait for your food. It gets a little crowded in there, but I've never had to wait too long to get seated. read more

Tokyo Diner - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

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I'd really give this place a 3.5 stars if I could. I've passed by this place so many times and finally stopped here for lunch the other day. They have a pretty good variety of items on the menu - and I went with the katsu curry. I thought it was good but it didn't get me excited enough to give it 4*s. The age dashi tofu is really good. I'll have to go back and try some of the other things on the menu. read more

I never thought I'd judge a restaurant by its entrance door, but I did. Sign of a quality time ahead, I say. I've passed by the restaurant dozens of times but never stepped inside. It's deceptive on first impression as the space appears to be small, but the sign at the door that says "seating for 100 people" sums it up pretty well. We were taken to the seating downstairs, where we were joined fellow diners in a windowless basement. We promptly ordered the £8 Oyaka don (chicken pieces with scrambled egg and brothy rice), and a fried chicken bento box which was a bit of a letdown for £16 (you get several pieces of fried chicken, 3 pieces of salmon sashimi, some veggies). I'd recommend the rice bowls. Overall, it's decent. I'm a bit obsessed with Japanese food so I'm glad I found it. read more

My mum lives far enough out in the sticks to not have a good sushi place close by, so as soon as she gets into urban areas, she has one craving: SUSHI. So after a long morning of shopping in Covent Garden, I unleashed my Yelp App to pick the best place for sushi - and Tokyo Diner popped up. I've been past the place a few times and never considered it since I thought it looked a bit "gimmick-y", but if the Yelpers say it's good... ... And as usual, Yelp did not dissapoint. It was really good! The prices are what you would usually expect. And even though the place is a bit "cliche", it does feel very authentic. The food was nothing super special, it was plain, simple tasty Japanese food, and I thoroughly enjoyed it, and would also recommend it for if you have some similar cravings when in China Town :) (Man, I totally have cravings from writing this article already!) read more