I still like Yoshino but after recently discovering that they no longer offer the chicken katsu curry at lunch (at all?) it's hard for me to rate their lunch with five stars. I adored that curry and Yoshino just isn't the same without it. read more

I've been to Yoshino a few times now but the last time was 2 years ago. I know... quite a long hibernation. Last night I tried the Tsuki set meal with my friend Takeshi and we were both treated with palatable and exciting creations. I really enjoyed the lot especially the tuna carpaccio. The flavour did not overpower the natural taste of thin tuna sashimi topped with herbs that were perfect garnish. Another part of the set is the prawn tempura. The sauce gave a good compliment to three battered prawns. The miso soup was added with a prawn's head and the awesome taste reminded me of a particular soup meal that my mum used to make for me back home. The work-of-art award belongs to the carefully and thin cut jumbo California roll. How they managed to put the ingredients together to amazing effect deserves recognition for a set meal that only cost £20 (excluding drinks and service). I paired my entire meal with a good dry Spanish white wine. I'm already thinking about when I can revisit Yoshino Restaurant. I'm sure it will be sooner this time. read more

Yoshino - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

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What an amazing place! The food was delicious (to the second power); the service super-friendly and the atmosphere buzzing but yet calm... When we entered Yoshino during a typical London lunch hour, the only seats available were those at the bar; but in the end this was what made this dining experience ever so memorable to me, as we could watch the sushi chefs doing their magic right in front of us. Once we had made ourselves comfortable, I perused the menu for a while and I could definitely feel my saliva glands working overtime...everything sounded so delicious. In the end, I went for a lunch deal (Yoshino Zen "Yuki"), which turned out to be just perfect; in fact, for a mere £9.80 I was pleasantly has how generous and diverse the portion was. But more importantly, the quality and the taste of my food was amazing: The chicken katsu was crisp and the accompanying curry sauce complemented it very well. The honyed potatoes tasted great, as did the green beans...not to mention the tuna, the rolls, the miso soup, and the pickles... In short: Yoshino made me very happy!!! read more

Exquisitely presented, scrumptious Japanese food in a discreet location just off Piccadilly. We sat downstairs which didn't have quite as much atmosphere, and was cooler, than upstairs. But, I loved the food. We came here for my mum's birthday and all had the 3-course set meal, comprising 9 little starters, a main and dessert for £39.50. Standout starters for me were the crab tempura and the tuna. Tenderloin beef was on a par with Argentinian steak in the melt-in-the mouth factor, and was a generous portion. The only slight fault, apart from being a little chilly, was the dessert. Neither the truffle or sorbet were anything special. If I come back, I'll be sticking firmly to the beautiful sushi and the succulent meat/fish options. read more

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I like Japanese food, ok i love japanese food, but im just not all that fussed about raw fish. I was recommended a fried chicken bento box. It was yummy, but a bit too much raw tuna in one compartment. But the staff were lovely and said next time i should say that i want it grilled (i tried to hide my left overs underneath some salad, but they spotted it). I think i like the dark and cosy japanese restaurants more, but its still smart little place. read more

Yoshino - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

Tucked away down a quiet side street, yet a minute from Piccadilly Circus, is this small, authentic Japanese restaurant. They specialise in sushi and sashimi, and at lunchtime do a good range of Bento (fixed-menu lunch boxes). Vegetarian sushi is available (but not in a bento version). Lunch about £10-£15, dinner about £30-£40 with wine. Wines start at a very reasonable £12.80 for a French Merlot, and £13.50 for Sauvignon Blanc. As you might expect, the decor is minimalist and restrained, and the service is very fast. Most of the clientele at lunch time seem to be Japanese - always a good sign. The only criticism is that the kitchen is very inflexible about making changes to the menu (even though, in my case, they had said on the telephone that they could). A good point is that the menus can be visited on-line in full - prices included. read more

Very conveniently located 2 streets away from the circus of Picadilly lies this gem of a Japanese restaurant, tucked away in a hidden corner. The service is class, and so is the ingredients/quality of food. I stayed away from the Westernized Japanese food (fried stuff and anything that could mask the real taste of raw fresh fish) and dived right into the real deal. The waitress told me the chirashi is the signature dish. Bingo. Always can judge a Japanese restaurant at how good their chirashi dish is. Anyone who knows me well knows I love doing this. Challenge accepted! The sashimi and rice set - absolute beauty and freshness. A must have. I begged them not to waste food and give me half the portion of rice; which not only they followed but even half a portion was still very generous! It was laid out in such a beautiful and tasteful/tasty fashion. Look at the photo to see it for yourself! The fish was of top quality and so was the shrimp. Class and quality all the way. The sushi rice was the PERFECT temperature (lukewarm); and the sushi was served on top of ice - so that the fish would not be half scored from the lukewarm rice. Nicely laid out. A plus for this. The sushi rice was laced with perfectly cut tiny portion of greens sprinkled with roe. Delish! The "1st picking" green tea is of exceptional quality and brewed with plentiful tea leaves. The desert menu is simple but do try the green tea tiramisu if it's there. Lastly but not least the ambiance upstairs is contemporary, calm yet simple. Not a lot of seating so do reserve if it's nice sunny weekend. read more

Yoshino - Sashimi and rice set - absolute beauty and freshness. A must have. - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

We went here for a late lunch. Had a little trouble finding it. It was a little nicer than we expected. We sat at a table upstairs. I overheard someone mention that they just changed their menu. Not a lot of sushi options but the food was delicious. And our server was great. Bathrooms upstairs. read more

Domo Arigato Mr. Delicious. I'm not concerned with anything at the moment because I am in such a shiny, happy, tummy-taping love coma from the amazing Japanese food I just devoured. Katsu curry, sticky rice, honey potatoes, sesame green beans, miso soup, edamame and some of the most melt-in-my-mouth salmon sashimi I've indulged in outside of Japan were beautifully presented in front of me. What commenced can only be described as dirty - an every yelper for him/herself mentality of chop-sticking, slurping, scraping, stuffing and chomping our ways through three amazingly different, yet equally fantastic authentic Japanese cuisine. You know the feeling when you just don't want a meal to end? Or you just want your stomach to be a bottomless abyss that never fills simply so that you can keep tasting all of the glory that you're putting into it? Then head immediately to Yoshino. You'll find that lovin' feeling here. read more

I was invited by a friend to this Japanese restaurant and I was in for a treat. The ambiance is quite romantic actually, so would be a nice spot for a date. Anyways, we weren't here on one , we were here for the food! . I had the bento box that came with shrimp tempura, seaweed tuna salad, miso soup and sushi rolls. All for 25£. A bit on the more expensive side but totally worth it. My friend had a bottle of sake, and many different appetizers that just seemed like a lot of food. Our bill was on the high end so be ready to spend some cash. Service is top notch. read more

Disclaimer: this refers only to the take out counter; I have not been to the restaurant. I used to take out from here when I first moved to London; I was working near their counter/restaurant just off Piccadilly and we made company trips out of it - buying the bulk packs across different flavours in order to have a varied meal. And that worked out well; you certainly got a lot of fish for your money. About 2 years later however and the portions started to be scaled back, but not the price. The morsels of fish you do get started to taste a little strange at times; certainly not the freshest cuts and also rather fatty compared to elsewhere. One of the interesting things with Yoshino is there slightly different take on some sushi pieces - for example their "Super Fried Chicken" and Spicy Chicken is essentially katsu chicken pieces with mayo/something in a roll. Which is actually quite nice, despite how it sounds. However it's sad that I need to rely on an a gimmick (or indeed, chicken) for a sushi restaurant to supply something worthwhile at their takeaway counter. read more

Solid spot overall. Just squeaks into 4-star land. The food is quite good. We had the seaweed salad, the 15-piece meat sushi sampler, beef tenderloin and green tea tiramisu. Everything was well made and extremely tasty. The value was decent. The service was very courteous and efficient. Although, the place was almost empty (just my partner and me plus two other groups of two people) so the servers certainly weren't strained. They also have a nice range of sake and a handful of lagers. A good place to get a sushi fix. read more

Another week, another Japanese restaurant. It seems like that is all I have been reviewing recently but when a friend proposed a new sushi joint I couldn't say no. Yoshino is hidden just off Swallow St. in a small side alley. I was quite amused that as we walked past Gaucho's the huddled demi-celebs eyed us suspiciously trying to figure if we were somebody famous. Once seated in the plush surroundings we were presented with the restaurants sophisticated menu. There seemed to be a slight language barrier as we ordered from our Japanese waitress but she made up for it by being very courteous throughout. Whilst drinking some hot sake and green tea we set off sampling a variety of dishes available. Though we debated ordering the tomato miso soup out of sheer curiosty we eventually settled on the more conventional regular miso although this was particularly fresh, a sign of things to come. The Chirashi Sushi was served in flamboyant and original fashion with a selection of incredibly fresh sashimi pieces presented in oyster shells with fancy rice receiving an equally fancy presentation in a matching side dish. We also ordered the tuna carpaccio which proved to be delicious literally melting in your mouth. Perhaps the dish could have done with a little bit more dressing but considering how fresh the fish was that might have been a disservice. It was interesting to note that nigiri pieces were presented in single portions as opposed to the 2 per plate that I have become accustomed to but my single piece of eel was certainly worth it. We also ordered a few side dishes like edamame and tempura which continued the high standard the restaurant had set with the other dishes and were again incredibly fresh. For desert I decided to experiment with the green tea tiramisu which was essentially tiramisu with a green tea powder mixed in. Despite the contrasting tastes this dish actually worked quite well. Ultimately Yoshino provided a fine dining experience in plush surroundings and as such can be considered on the pricey side of things. I had not seen my friend in a long time so we decided not to hold back and perhaps under different circumstances I would have been more parsimonious with my order. Having said that, unlike in other establishments like Nobu, we didn't have to take out a mortgage to pay for our meal and if you are being realistic the food Yoshino has to offer is neck and neck in both freshness and presentation with the Berkeley square institution. read more

I tried Yoshino for the first time a couple of months ago. I was using the yelp mobile application and initially it routed me to an airline office on Piccadilly and was utterly confused! I'm glad that the map is updated now. I walked in around dinner time and it was strangely quiet. I almost fell like I was disturbing the peace. I didn't have reservations so they seated us on the ground floor. We ordered a variety of dishes like the combination rolls, the fried chicken, yakitori and tempura. Every dish was remarkably delicious... but definitely served Japanese style portions. I don't mind such small portions but you're left leaving a little hungry and thinking of hitting up Marks and Spencers for a sandwich. I'm definitely not rushed to come back here for dinner but I think I'd definitely give it another try for lunch. read more

Came here for a business lunch today, at the recommendation of one my sales guys. The sushi was of excellent quality... went for the tiger prawn tempura and nigiri sushi combo, chased down with salmon sashimi and unagi. All very tasty. The green tea is a bit weird... super powdery and thick... almost soup like in consistency... like the beginning of a starbuck's green tea latte, if you know what i'm sayin'. The miso soup was excellent. All in all, a great experience, tucked away from the hustle and bustle of Picadilly Circus, a quiet haven of sushi heaven. I recommend. read more

Very average food. The feeling is like the sushi is not very fresh and was prepared in advance. Miso soup very different. Gyoza felt was warmed befire serving. read more

I'm not sure if the fact that I'm not a fan of sushi gives this review more weighting or not. I've tried to get used to the whole raw fish thing, but I just can't - Sashimi is pretty wasted on my and it still creeps me out, but Maki and California rolls are yum yum yum! This sushi place is the first I've been to in London. It's also the first time I've really really enjoyed sushi. The restaurant is lovely, we sat in front of the kitchen and really enjoyed the cute little boxes that everything came in. And when i say everything I mean a lot of food! For £10 I got tempura chicken, sticky rice, tuna shashimi (is sashimi always tuna? I don't know), rolls and pickly and veg and lots of other little bits. That's a lot of food for a tenner and depiste my misgivings about the Japanese grub, this place might sway me. I'm not convinced I'll ever be swayed by raw fish but this place is pretty great for sushi cravings. read more

Always an amazing experience! I was introduced to this place by a Japanese friend who really knows her sushi, and have been back many times since. The restaurant itself is a really lovely, calm dining environment and does not have the slightly 'rushed' feeling of some sushi bars, partly due to its location. The food is always outstanding, and has a great choice of dishes even for me as a vegetarian (I gather it's even more amazing for those who eat fish). Not the cheapest in town, but ideal for a treat. I'm not sure if the restaurant's satellite take-away bars are still open, but there used to be a small branch in Piccadilly that served the most mouth-watering sushi at lunchtime. It was all freshly made and yet cheaper than the plastic-tasting stuff you'd buy in supermarkets. Also highly recommended. read more

No shiso. No freshly ground wasabi. And please don't put sashimi on ice -- it's too cold, and damp. Takeaway sushi seems like good value. Don't bother sitting down. read more

For value for money you cannot beat Yoshino. The sashimi and sushi are expertly prepared with the best fish you can find in London. I would recommend trying to book a seat at the fish counter so that you can watch the meals being prepared. I would highly recommend going for Omakase (chef's choice) as the selection I have had has been remarkable. If you go in the evening the chef is usually a delightful older Japanese man who I would like to adopt as my grandfather. He can cut fish very well and I could watch him inspect the raw fish at the counter for hours. I think the best thing though is the new take away option that they have for lunch. It is definitely the best take away sushi in London both in terms of quality and value for money. Try the tempura spicy sweet potato maki. Yum. Book ahead if you want to eat here, it is starting to get busy. Oh, the green tea ice cream is the best I have had in London. Creamier than most. read more

For pics see Greedy Diva @ http://greedydiva.blogspot.com/2010/08/yoshino-sohomayfair.html A quick shout out for Yoshino, secretively tucked away off the Piccadilly main drag. The menu changes monthly. We tried the Yoshini Zen Yuki set meal for £9.80 grilled crispy skinned mackerel (just watch out for the bones), 3 fresh tuna rolls, sashimi salad in wasabi miso dressing, crunchy green bean and sesame salad, sunomono (a thinly sliced salad of radishes marinated in rice vinegar), potato salad, pickles and home made miso soup. All were presented in 3 shiny, lacquer boxes lined up across the table. For £9.80, this was an absolute bargain. Alternatively, fried chicken or fried tuna are offered in place of the mackerel. Colourful sushi and sashimi platters range from around £16 - £30 and we also witnessed some fantastic looking tempura dishes (ranging from £3.80 - £11.80). If you work nearby, this would be a great option for the super cheap lunch time deals starting at around £5.80. Or they do take away. The interior is a bit sterile upstairs, but full of happy customers, even on a Monday night. I prefer the ground floor sushi bar which has more character. Service is friendly and unobtrusive, and the ambience is unpretentious and casual. Yoshino also has a store, Delicatessen Yoshino, which sells fresh sushi at 59 Shaftesbury Avenue (near Chinatown). read more

Lovely little spot hidden just a few short blocks of the chaos of Piccadilly Circus. Stopped in with my sushi loving 11 year old son and had some sushi and maki a la carte. I found the rice to be oddly slightly salty. That said, the fish was high quality and melt in your mouth tender. The service was prompt and friendly. We were even served an amuse bouche on the house. Would definitely go back and would be interested in trying one of the set course options. read more

I have no idea why this restaurant has such great reviews. A cup of green tea costs £7 and the food was well below average, definitely not worth the high price. We ordered a sushi platter for £20 ( 12 tiny rolls) and the fish was dry and over cooked! We spent nearly £70 on 3 dishes and came out of the place still very hungry. Please do not be fooled by the good reviews, there are much better sushi places around Picadilly Circus. read more

After having my haircut at Yoshi Inamura (shoutout) yesterday, I went to Yoshino. Hey, it was only appropriate. Yoshino is tucked away in Piccadilly Place, just off the North side of Piccadilly (between Piccadilly Circus and Swallow Street), thus it's easy to miss, even if it does have a neon sign proclaiming "SUSHI" hung outside. Finding good sushi in London is usually a) difficult, and b) expensive, and unfortunately, it's one of those foods for which my standards have been massively inflated after a marvelous experience with my cool aunt in Singapore (made all the more marvelous as there was a Ferrari involved). However, after two visits, I've found that Yoshino holds its ground and is possibly my favourite sushi place in London. So, the food. First off, I love the miso soup, which comes with a prawn head floating in it. In a country where some places somehow (I'm looking at you, Pret) ruin miso, Yoshino does spot on - as just miso soup, it'd be damn tasty, but the prawn head just gives it that extra oomph. Apologies to all you veggies. We had a plate of otoro (medium fatty tuna belly) which was quite decent, although admittedly I did detect that it wasn't fresh fresh fresh and still gently...doing whatever it is fish do. Still, it was better than most of the sushi I've had in town. We also got a sushi roll platter which was nice, the small dollops of sauce on top contrasting nicely with the filling (they're also pretty big - you can't quite bite into them, but it'd be problematic if you have a small mouth. Not that having a small mouth is a bad thing or anything. Ok, someone take my shovel off of me.) Yoshino also offer yakitori on their dinner menu which you order by the skewer - we tried the quails eggs and pork rolls (they're wrapped in pork fat), which were good but I couldn't help but think that it needed an extra dimension of flavour, and miso aubergine, one of my favourite Japanese dishes (talking of which, my friend pronounces this OR-ber-jeen, which I find hilarious.) I've also tried the tempura here when I went with my mum, and I remember that being very good. On top of this the service was friendly, albeit a bit difficult to communicate with (I think she was Italian, not quite sure). At £25 a head, it's not horrendous price-wise; sure, it's pricier than Kulu Kulu and suchlike, but it's still better than some of the swankier places I've been to. Plus that prawny miso soup makes everything better. Trust me. read more

Not the cheapest Japanese I've ever had. Actually, I had the 15-piece sashimi platter which was prepared beautifully. The fish was fresh and well-cut, the wasabi nice and pungent. Had to get some rice on the side. Also had the homemade pickle which wasn't too special - should have had the miso soup. Decor - bright, clean and well furnished. Service - attentive and very pleasant (and we were there with a group of 9). Definitely a place to return to, but maybe when I'm not so hungry and more in the mood for a bento box... read more

I ate here while on a business trip. It had all the ambience of a high end sushi spot, but the sushi I was served was pre-made and basically tasted like something you might get at the grocery store. I had also ordered a hand roll - something that is very common at sushi restaurants, although not listed on the menu here. It tasted fresher than the cut rolls I had ordered, but on my bill there appeared a £6.8 "open kitchen" charge, apparently to compensate for the fact that it was made when I ordered it! What a concept! There is a benihana about a block away. I bet those guys would never dare to serve you sushi from a saran-wrapped tray from the fridge.... read more

YOSHINO IS AWESOME! I had the sushi with tempura set and I must admit it was 80% close to the sushi I had in Japan's famous port tsukichi. Although the price was triple of Japan's sushi, it was well worth it for London. Next time, I will come during lunch to try their cheaper lunch sets but I would say have a go if your a massive sushi fan. yum yum I want more! read more

Very disappointed, I read yelp reviews before I went, so I was prepared for a nice meal. It was horrifying, sushi was cold and broke as soon as it touched soy sauce. I don't understand why anyone would go a second time read more

The restaurant is even better than the take-away place. The food is so good and fairly cheap. Go!

I have just been back and upgraded Yoshino to 5 stars. I agree with all the other fans below. This place has been a well kept secret The first time I tried Yoshino (with a friend who works very close and for whom this is almost a cantine!), I simply found it outstanding. Apparently the place has been redone recently, expanding the 1st floor with a bunch of tables for 2 and a long bright yellow banquette (in a kind of fake leather but the result is better than it sounds). I arrived with the restaurant mostly empty apart from a few Japanese people and I kind of felt in a little restaurant in Tokyo. The staff is absolutely lovely, very helpful, smiling and (amazingly in London) seeming to really care to provide the best service they could. The food was excellent, I went for the Yoshino zen set menu, which includes grilled fish, tuna sashimi, hot rice and miso soup. All very fresh, tasty and nicely presented. But the best piece of news is that this excellent food, service and overall experience came at £9.50 for this set menu! Add in a green tea and service and you can have a great hot lunch in central London in a nice and comfortable place for £13. I will definitely come back (as their menu says they are credit-crunch friendly!). Yoshino, which is very close to Piccadilly Circus, is always full of Japanese people, which is always a good sign. They have also just started a take-away service that must be good too. read more

I almost don't want to write this review, because I'd love Yoshino to remain a secret! The sushi is absolutely top notch - freshest in London - and the prices are stupidly cheap for a Japanese restaurant. Yet for some reason, it remains really quiet and relaxing; you would have thought it would have been over run! I love the Yoshino zen set menu, which includes grilled fish, tuna sashimi, hot rice and miso soup. I heard they also run a fish market stall, and that's why the sushi is so fresh. The waiters are incredibly polite and lovely. Yoshino is always full of Japanese people, which is always a good sign. read more

I agree with others who have rated this place highly. It was excellent and the service was great! Highly recommend - tuna roll was fresh and delish. Shrimp tempura and miso soup were amazing. read more

The best sushi I have found in London so far. Extremely fresh and really good service. The waitress recommended us a sake that was incredible. Can't wait to go back! read more

Went here for lunch today, it is tucked away from Piccadilly, had walked by many times without noticing it, mainly because of their slightly tacky lit up sign saying 'sushi'! Inside I was pleasantly surprised; the interior is as expected in most Japanese restaurants; minimalist, light and airy and it looked amazingly clean! It isn't cheap; my friend and I ordered a combination bento box with sushi and sashimi, comes with miso soup (number 622), this set costs £19.80!! For sushi lovers there is a good set lunch with 4 rolls of sushi including a glass of wine for £9.80 or a large set with 6 rolls of sushi for £19.80. Sushi was amazingly fresh and soft, just watch it if you don't like wasabi (like my friend); they add wasabi to every roll of sushi, so you need to ask in advance if you don't want it!! http://www.yoshino.net/restaurant/index.shtml read more

Yoshino is almost like little Kyoto hidden in a small lane. Food is authentic, and set dinner quite nice, though it does not surprise you with anything new or innovative, it is quiet, serene, good for a business lunch or dinner if you need to talk, and it has the old Japan kind of sophisticated, gentle pace. But this does not suggest that service is slow, staff are courteous and efficient. read more

Whoops. I trusted the the mostly six-month old reviews that Yoshino would be good. It wasn't. Worst sushi I've had in 12 months. The plastic chopsticks and paper napkins were part of a table setting more appropriate to one-£ McDonald's than a £££-restaurant. Guess I should have had something fried as did the other reviewers. The avocado in my roll was so far from ripe it tasted more like a green banana than a creamy delight. Skip the spicy sushi, it's slathered in sweet-n-sour sauce. Fortunately the staff was attentive, pleasant and efficient. My wife, a sushi freak, said Yoshino is quite average compared to NYC/Boston. read more

Moved to a takeaway place on Shaftsbury. Still the best and most reasonable sushi takeaway around. Try the carrot inari. If they only had a loyalty scheme this place would be perfect. read more

Never write reviews but this place is gorgeous - food is delicious, staff are so kind, spot on. Get the tiger prawn bbq thing ! delish.

Highly recommended! Food is pretty good and the environment is silent and nice.most important thing is the price is truly worthy for a city that everything is overvalued. read more

Lovely place, beautifully presented dishes, superb service.