Aburi Japanese in Colchester

An excellent meal, we ordered a real selection of dishes and all were equally good. It was very popular and service was very efficient. My advice would be to order courses as you want them as it can feel overwhelming if they arrive at the same time.

I ordered £42.35 worth of of sushi.. I rang just to ask for a sachet of extra ginger... They were trying to ask for extra money also trying to trade in a sachet of sauce unbelievable, the sushi was very good, but cold and hot sushi put in the same container and sent out is not good the California roll was warm 🥴 i wont be ordering again

Previously I have given Aburi an unfavourable review. However, since this review, I have visited and am pleased to say that they have made huge improvements, mainly on the staff service. The two men who waited on our table were attentive, welcoming and smiling. This has made my dining experience so much more enjoyable! The food was served quickly, tasted fresh and was delicious. Well done Aburi for listening to your customers and making a massive improvement on your customer service!

Great selection of dishes. Great food. Food came put piping hot quickly! The staff offer a friendly service. Great value for money!

First time here and what a great time we had , excellent food & the Plum wine was great. Enjoyed the whole experience and would Jinny recommend it.

Have been going to Aburi since moving to Colchester in 2017. This is easily the best Japanese cuisine place in town, even with several competitors having moved in. A menu with lots of choice and good value options, as well as the restaurant giving you a flavour of traditional decor. I have just got back from being in Japan for over 2 weeks, so hopefully that gives some weight to my review :) So glad the town has this characterful little place.

I visited Aburi with my daughters for a get together and thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of our meal…we enjoyed chicken teriyaki bento box, deep fried oysters, vegetable tempura, pork bibimbap and duck gyoza dumplings. All delicious and the service was impeccable. Thank you Aburi!

The food was amazing, the service was attentive and quick! My mum and I popped in today for an impromptu late lunch and had really enjoyable bento box . We also opted for some sides . All the food was delicious especially the Tonkatsu ! Our waitress was fantastic and really polite . The food came really quickly and she checked we were happy with the food . I will definitely be visiting again .

Visited based on TripAdvisor reviews. I was a little worried as we went with friends and a few reviews mentioned that the front of house was unfriendly/ rude. I'm pleased to say that we didn't experience this, the service was friendly, knowledgeable, taking time to explain dishes ensuring we didn't over order.

I have been visiting this restaurant regularly since it opened, sometimes on my own, many times with family to celebrate a special occasion. Usually the staff are friendly but I have noticed on the last 4 visits, the customer service level has dropped considerably. The staff lack genuine warmth and friendliness. The waiter is curt and comes across as rude when speaking to you and the waitress looked absolutely fed up. Not a nice atmosphere for the resataurant. I did not feel welcome on arriving or appreciated for my custom on leaving. This has left me frustrated as the food here is very good, but even that has disappointed me of late. The restaurant no longer takes pride in the presentation of the dishes! I sincerely hope the management take note of my complaint, as this restaurant used to be lovely. Despite not enjoying my dining experience previously, I reluctantly took my son at his request as its the only place close to me that offers sushi on the menu. I was hoping with each visit, the staff attitude would improve but Im sad to say this has not happened. This restaurant is no longer a pleasant experience for me.

I have been to Aburi twice in the last month and have to say the food is absolutely outstanding. However on both occasions I have left feeling quite upset and disheartened at the way the staff have treated me. On both occasions they were dismissive towards me and if I spoke to them they would completely ignore me. Last night, a waiter was walking past and I said politely “I think we are ready to order now please” and he completely ignored me and went and told one of his colleagues to take my family’s order instead. They were both laughing to themselves. It made me and my family feel very uncomfortable and confused. The last time I came to the restaurant with a group of friends we all received exactly the same treatment. Being blatantly ignored if we asked a question to a member of staff. For example, a friend of mine asked if they could have a glass of water and the same waiter completely ignored her. But then returned about 10 minutes later and thrusted a glass of water at her. So it wasn’t like he didn’t hear us. I really do love this restaurant and the food is amazing. It’s just such a shame certain front of house staff let it down :(

Booked a table here on a busy Friday night. Arrived a bit late due to traffic but they managed to still seat us thankfully! Food was delicious. Had some sushi to start and then some noodles and rice for main. All was delicious and would definitely return in future. Would recommend the tempura prawns!

Have been to Aburi multiple times and it can't be faulted. Great food each time and friendly, attentive staff. Would recommend for sushi lovers/ sushi first-timers!

Great Japanese food! The name menu is great and have never had anything I haven’t enjoyed. The miso aubergine is a moorish delight that must be tried. Service is friendly and it always busy so has a great atmosphere.

We visited for my partner's birthday and it did not disappoint. We love Japanese food and we recently moved to the area. The service was great, the staff were attentive and continually cleaning up once customers left, they took pride (which you do not see every day!). The food came pretty quickly, well presented and delicious. We are very happy this is on our doorstep and in an ideal and accessible place. We can't wait to visit again!

Visited with family for early supper. Buzzy and busy canteen - so be ok with waiting a bit for a table. Friendly staff. Food really really good - we had maki, yakatori, nigiri, edamame and gyoza. All tasty. Highly recommend- finally found a decent sushi in Colchester.

Aburi is a favorite of ours - it's definately authentic for a Japanese Cafe - well worth a visit, but this is a canteen, not fine dining. Good prices, good service. Worth visiting.

I have eaten at Aburi consistently over the last 2 years. It has always had incredibly friendly and welcoming staff, with delicious and somewhat authentic Japanese cooking. The menu has a good variety ranging from classic sushi and ramen to a selection of cutlet bowls...

We go there very often. The fish is good and fresh. We are served really quickly and the personal is friendly. And definitely, the best sushi I ever tasted. Special mention for the golden dragons.

We've been here twice since discovering it and it's become a new favourite. The food is delicious, there's a great selection (for vegetarians and vegans too) and the food is consistently good. The staff are really friendly and helpful and the service is quick. Definitely...

I have been a long term customer of Aburi mostly down to limited options for Japanese food. the food is generally very good but can bar very pricey, I have often paid about 60 for two people as takeaway and not the most plentiful amount...

We traveled over an hour to eat here for my partner’s birthday meal, as we are both big sushi fans and have not yet managed to find a good sushi restaurant in Essex yet. This place had good reviews, so we gave it a go....

Came early on a Saturday night and very busy - thankfully we had booked. Great food served quickly and very fresh. There’s a big selection so we will be back to try different things.

Popped in for a lunch at Aburi & would recommend anyone else to do so! Incredibly friendly staff, lovely atmosphere, and most importantly; interesting, delicious & well priced food! A hidden gem in Colchester!

Tucked away from the busy part town, a hidden gem. The food was absolutely delicious and really well priced, there are so many options vegans and vegetarians and the food arrived very quickly. Our favourites were the pumpkin croquettes, vegetable spring rolls, vegetable gyozas and...

Good service and lovely food I had the Aburi Bento box (since it gave me a good selection) as well as a few starters shared with friends. All tasted really fresh. Will go back again

Insanely good food, such good prices. Came with a group of friends who had never been and all said they’d definitely come back. Really recommend the bento boxes :)

First visit and the food was fantastic, service was brilliant. Great authentic Japanese food. We can’t wait to go again.

Visited here on a date and the value of the food they serve is affordable yet comes in big, delicious portions. Couldn’t have chosen a better place since the decoration and music bring a happy and comfortable environment. The service was very friendly and they...

this place is amazing, super authentic, everything was delicious if i could i would probably order the entire menu! the staff are always lovely, gave us miso soup free of charge and we’re just super welcoming and kind. my new go to sushi place will...

Fathers day treat and it was so good! We optided for the 2nd sushi platter and it was perfect for lunch with some additional sashimi and hand rolls which were so tasty! The salmon was nice and fatty and the slices really thick. You could...

Absolutely dreadful. Avocado sushi came soggy and all the sushi rolls were all open. Tofu again all soggy and cold. In the bento there was meant to be salad it consisted of three spinach leaves drenched in sauce the tempura wasn’t good at all. It...

This was our second visit to aburi and the food was absolutely amazing. Always fresh tasting and the soft shell crab was to die for! Service was attentive and friendly as well

Great food, lovely staff, speedy and polite. Best items for me are... Lion King Sushi (it's so good) Tori Kara is tasty Takoyaki is amazing - but octopus isn't for everyone. If you like katsu, then this is a traditional katsu. It's a darker thinner...

This is my favorite Japanese restaurant. Food was great! I was quite impressed with the service, it was extremely busy however the waiters were very attentive and service was extremely fast!

We came specifically to try takoyaki and mochi, having watched lots of youtube videos about Japan during lockdown! So glad to find somewhere that did both. We went on a Friday lunchtime so it was very quiet. The menu is extensive, the presentation of the...

We tried this place today! And we was not disappointed. The food was just amazing and the service was very good. The staff are very polite and welcoming.

Still my favourite restaurant by far. Visiting again post lockdown didn't disappoint. The food was as excellent as always and they have made measures to be COVID compliant. A table by the door provides hand sanitizer and wipes, the waitresses are wearing visor masks and...

Wanting to support local business after the lockdown, and having been to Aburi several times before (loved it every time), we decided this was the place for us to dine tonight. This was our first time visiting since the lockdown and we can honestly say...

Very happy to find sushi in Colchester - especially as it was unexpected! Everything that we ordered was good. It wasn’t The Best Ever sushi that I’ve had (some of the Nigiri fish was just a bit bland) but it was pretty tasty and we...

Visited here as we've never tried a proper Japanese restaurant. Really didn't disappoint. Staff were very friendly and helpful. I can't use chopsticks but that was no issue. The salmon teriyaki was so good. I highly recommend.

Have tried most of the menu and it’s all amazing, delivery is always perfect too. Great staff, and lovely restaurant. Would recommend for any occasion!

The restaurant decor is functional but that’s where the standard aspect ends. The service is friendly , attentive and engaging. The food is excellent. We really enjoyed our evening out with friends. We ate very well and enjoyed hot Sake and Kirin. The Dragon Roll,...

we ordered 2 meals, starters and drinks. Collecting was easy and the food was great, after looking at my dog the lady asked "is two chopsticks enough?" I said yes, we walked about 15mins away to a park to eat, upon opening the bag, we...

Small and quiet but such a lovely place. One of the best sushi in Essex. We were having a really warm, nice and tasty date with my husband there.

Do not offer discounts to local businesses then deny all knowledge of if be so rude as to discuss the issue in your own Language and then hang up the phone u can expect the 250 people a day that come to my business to...

Fast service and tasty food! Huge menu to choose from which makes it a great place to visit. Would highly recommend!

My husband and I have been to this small, unassuming restaurant many times now. Each time the service has been friendly and efficient. The food is the best Japanese meals we’ve had outside of London. The range of food is also very good. If you like real Japanese cuisine, give this place a go for sure.

Was in Bury on a freezing cold day and had time to kill hadn't planned to eat lunch time but needed to keep warm. So decided upon trying this restuarant. The establishment is very smart and clean and has a very good menu we opted for chicken dumplings and then teriyaki both were beautifully prepared and tasted divine.This is a very very good authentic Japanese restaurant and I will certainly be returning soon.

Heard a lot about this place, so decided to try for lunch. Big menu, generous portions and friendly service. The food was very fresh and nicely served.

Went here for a spontaneous mid-week dinner and was not disappointed. Fairly quiet in the restaurant, but a small area anyway. Had some a selection of sushi, octopus balls (can't remember their actual name sorry!) and some chocolate mochi and it was all very delicious. Definitely visit if you like sushi.

At the first taste I was back in Japan !!! So difficult to taste authentic foods in UK restaurants, that this was a beautiful surprise and wonderful!!!! We have been twice and introduced our friends to these unique tastes; educating them that Japan is so much more than Sushi which means vinegared rice and is on every street corner in Japan as a snack !!! Soba noodles and delicate succulent beef and chicken were a delight !! We will be taking our other friends next time as well !! We were a party of 7 and had 2 bottles of wine, several beers and soft drinks and 2/3 dishes per person and the bill was £140....£20 per head !!!! Brilliant value !! Service was superb and food was quickly served and really hot !!! What can I say ?? I half don't want to write this, as it is a wonderful gem and am afraid too many people will go there; selfish I know !!! Thank you Aburi staff; really truly a brilliant experience and flavours to savour !!! You are wonderful !!! Origato !!! xx

My partner and I love Japanese food and we heard about this place and decided to give it a try - we were not disappointed! The food is genuinely delicious and very well priced, it cost less than £50 for two of us with drinks and very generous portions. A much tastier and more authentic alternative to Wagamama.

Really great sushi - best in the area. Sushi is about great ingredients lovingly prepared. Aburi is exactly that. Simple surrounding and basic inside, but lovely staff and the sushi speaks for itself. Good value too. Have been with people who normally wouldn't try sushi and they loved it. Highly recommended.Bonus - also available on Just Eat/Deliveroo and tastes just as good delivered.

We have eaten here half a dozen times, there isn’t huge choice like a London restaurant but our sashimi has always been good other than often bones in the sea bass I have had that three times! It doesn’t detract for me as I love Japanese food and recommend this

We were fortunate enough to visit Japan earlier this year where we tried delicious and authentic dishes. Having the holiday blues we decided to try this restaurant with the hope that we could find a little bit of our holiday memories right in the heart of Colchester. We were not expecting the same flavour as nothing beats authentic Japanese food.

Zakochałam sie w tej restauracji, uzależniłam od tych wspaniałych potraw. Po każdej wizycie już myśle kiedy znowu tu przyjde. Nie dość, że smakuje wszystko doskonale to jeszcze wygląda każde danie perfekcyjnie. Bardzo ciekawy sposób serwowania. Wszystko jest godne polecenia.Startery palce lizać, beno boxy poezja smaku. A najbardziej wywarło na mnie wrażenie niepowtarzalnego smaku Red Tiger sushi z chrupiącymi krewetkami w środku. Polecam!!!

Had a lovely Saturday lunch with friends. Packed with a great atmosphere. We ordered a delicious vegan selection, the waiter was very helpful and service was great.

あまり期待せずに入りましたが、予想以上に美味しくいただきました。見た目も可愛いしお腹一杯になる十分な量のお弁当です。

My Mum and I tried this restaurant for lunch today and it completely blew us away. Service was amazing, sushi delicious and we even got to try a special dessert. This is our new favourite place in Colchester. Thank you 🙏

Aburi has been my favourite reataurant and go to place for the past few years.

As with many restaurants in Colchester, just off a main road. The decor inside is great, has a nice japanese feel. Plenty of orientals inside which is always a sign of a good restaurants. Portion were on the small side. Starters were great, but my main of eel did not taste fresh, and was overcooked. The waiters forgot our orders 3 times. Not impressed.

The best Japanese food I’ve had! The sushi was so fresh and tasty. As we were finishing out meal we were talking about returning the next day! I’ve eaten in posh Japanese restaurants and the food does not even come close. They are true masters here. Visit immediately.

I came here with my two daughters and we loved it- the sushi is outstanding. Everything clean and fresh Highly recommend Charming and helpful staff too.

We had a great lunch here with a few sushi dishes and a noodle dish; service was attentive and prompt and the restaurant clean and food very good indeed; we will definitely come back. Highly recommended.

This place amazing, I am a massive fan of high quality fresh food. This place is outstanding beautiful sushi made infront of us all staff explain any allergens. It was clean and one of the nicest restaurants I have visited

Although it is situated in undoubtedly the “other” half of Colchester town, this is a good place to come if you want good sushi for a reasonable price. The salmon is of good quality, albeit not as melt-in-the-mouth as we’ve experienced, and the rice was cooked well. The tuna, however, wasn’t as flavoursome and wasn’t as “fresh” as the salmon... but don’t let this put you off. Service was quick and friendly. It’s worth visiting.

Aburi Japanese was an unexpected discovery in a small lane in Colchester.

this has quickly become me and my boyfriends most regularly visited restaurant, we are always so pleased with everything. the food is always delicious and presented beautifully, the service is always welcoming and extremely friendly and the prices are unbeatable. Highly recommend the bbq honey ribs, they fall off the bone and are so full of flavour.

The food here was delicious! I absolutely loved the sushi and the menu was rather varied. It’s good for money and I kept wanting more, the crab sushi was just amazing! There is an interesting Japanese drink (soda) and it is delicious. The wine, not that good but I didn’t expect much from this restaurant. It’s rather hidden but if you have the time step in and enter Japan! Definitely recommend!

We ordered sushi from here to take away. There was lots to choose from on the menu and the staff were very polite and helpful. Great food, we would definitely recommend.

I love Aburi, it's literally my favourite restaurant. The Unagi Don is something I always enjoy and is never anything less than perfect. The staff are super friendly and efficient and it's nice to see the same faces in the kitchen and out the front as well.

Delicious sushi platters and great fried sides! Brilliant Japanese food and highly recommended, very friendly staff as well!

We had a lovely meal. Been meaning to try this restaurant for a while. Haven’t been to a Japanese restaurant before. Menu was clear and food was really tasty. We’ll definitely be back.

You’d have to google it to find it as its not on the main high street. Dont be fooled by the area. The restaurant itself is cleana nd bright. The staff are polite and attentive. And the maki’s were absolutely delicious. It is well priced and servings were adequate. Would go back if I visit Colchester again

The food here is so good you will not regret it !! I love the Bento Boxes but everything is so tasty you will not be disappointed. If you like Japanese food, it is worth giving it a try. This is a small family business and they are doing such an amazing job. The sushi there is really good as well and the Japanese tea is cheap and nice. Recommended.

This is my favourite restaurant in Colchester (not just my favourite out of Japanese/Asian, but ALL).

Visited here on may bank holiday .. very friendly staff .. great food ..definitely some of the best sushi I've ever had ... !! 5 star .. Will be back very soon !

Recently visited Aburi for the first time. Such a hidden gem. Would go back and definitely recommend if you like sushi. They also have a number of other options on the menu if you don’t - noodles and rice bowls.

Absolutely love sushi from this place, it's always expertly prepared and delicious. A tad pricey but totally worth it for the quality. They're really quick too

Loved sushi. A bit overpriced some dishes but great quality and good service. No much drinks to choose from but a good hangout place. Always full as well!

My wife and I visited the recently refurbished Aburi Japanese Restaurant in Colchester.

Amazing japanese food! Sushi all made fresh. If you don't feel like sushi there are bento boxes and noodle dishes etc too ... servers always sweet and friendly ... bit of a language barrier but nothing very inconvenient. really great place!!!

Found this online when looking for alternatives to our usual haunt, the Church street tavern. Ordered a selection of small and larger plates across the menu, and was quietly surprised. The food came out promptly (albeit in a quiet venue), the sashimi was spankingly fresh, the easy dengaku and teriyaki tasty and authentic. The fried menu items may not have been up to scratch, but the other dishes made up for these minor indiscrepencies.

Just a quick solo lunch trip. Passed a few times and seen some good reviews.

This is a genuine review. Please beware any reviewer who uses the all too common superlative, “fresh”, when talking about sushi. The simple fact is that no Sushi sold in the UK, or most of the world for that matter is truly, “fresh”, as it all has to be frozen to meet hygiene standards. When was the last time you heard of any Tuna swimming through the channel? Also, practically no Sushi, (Genuine), is sold without some form of Salting or Vinegar curing therefore meaning it’s not fresh.

Меню с картинками, что удобно, так как обслуживающий персонал не достаточно уверенно говорит на английском. Готовят быстро, но не всегда бывает вкусно.

Can highly recommend for a lunch - we went in as a family as children were looking to have some sushi/maki and were pleasantly surprised by the quick service and the quality of food. Will be back.

I've ordered from this place 3 times and each time I've been happy with the food, everything I've tried so far has been delicious.

We had a lovely Friday night meal at Aburi. Always great food at a reasonable price. The menu is great and the service is really quick, one of my favourite restaurants in Colchester

Aburi is without a doubt one of my favourite restaurants ever. I'm a big lover of Sushi and it doesn't get much better that what Aburi serves up, freshly made , quality sushi. It blows the big chain Sushi places out the water. The variety is excellent and the prices very reasonable. My personal favourite is the Unagi Nigiri, however the Aburi Bento is a great choice is you fancy a little bit of variety. The service is always outstanding and efficient.

I've been here many times, and I love sushi and sashimi. They're fresh and delicious, and at a reasonable price, they're a lot better than the sushi shops in London.

When it first opened there was a big Japanese guy Sushi chef behind the counter and everything -- especially the sushi-- was excellent to marvelous. He has gone, I think as we have been there in the past three months and he was nowhere to be seen. I gave it one more last try today but no, the menu's changed and now it's no better than a railway station Wasabi chain takeaway. Lunchtime Sunday and there was just one tired looking piece of whole salmon in the sushi chilled cabinet. You have to order sushi by the (expensive West End prices!) piece, as there is not mixed Nigiri on offer. In fact the whole menu is changed and really not good value.

Always a tasty meal at Aburi. Particularly love the bento boxes. Don’t be put off by the fact they specialise in sushi if that’s not your thing, they have such a selection of dishes outside of that, you are bound to find something you like!

They have removed menu options from the dine-in menu - you cannot get a single Bento box option without tofu, which I personally dislike intensely. Sadly the best Bento box they offered (teriyaki chicken, rice, salmon sashimi,tempura prawns and veg,miso soup, salad and pickle) is no longer available and when I asked why the staff were quite unhelpful.

I have been here twice now and i can’t believe I hadn’t been sooner. The food is so authentic, quick and fresh. Really is so tasty and has balanced flavours. The staff are polite. In regards to the price it is spot on, it is worth every penny. I can’t wait to go again! It’s a new favourite.

My boyfriend and I have been coming to Aburi twice a month for the past 4 years and it’s definitely become our number one place to eat in Colchester, however, recently it seems to be under new management and we were quite disappointed with the changes to the food and the atmosphere. Back in the day the food would be so full of flavour and each dish felt light and airy where as the food we ate on our most recent visit was made by a new pair of chef’s. Everything that involved a frying process was incredibly greasy. The teriyaki sauce was ok but nothing on the old recipe. Also serving sizes were smaller than before but the prices were the same. In terms of changes to the service our server was rudely cut off by her manager whilst she was part way through taking our order. It felt awkward watching a perfectly nice waitress be shooed away at our table. The manager then took our order but when it arrived there were items missing and no one came over to check we had everything. As well as this there was pop music being played whilst we ate, which to be fair isn’t that bad . It was much more relaxing back when there was Japanese music being played in the restaurant and relaxing videos on the tv screens, like a few years ago, which added to the atmosphere of the restaurant. Some people may think that this is us being picky but if you are a regular customer then you will definitely see the difference in the menu and the service. I hope next time we visit it’s a bit more like the old Aburi we love.

First visit, my family like sushi so this seemed ideal. The service was very good but found the food was not that tasty. So we were disappointed. A visit to the toilet did not go down too well needed abit if clean especially, the skirting boards and doors - grubby. I read the other reviews perhaps we went on a bad day, but still does not excuse the toilet.

It's the only place to get your sushi fix in Colchester. The bento boxes are a really great option as they have so many delicious things to choose from. I really like their Mackeral bento box. Their Unagi is okay. My son (3 years old) enjoyed their teriyaki chicken bento box and even enjoyed the leftovers for dinner. My only issue is with the tea serving sizes - although the tiny tea pots are cute, it isn't very practical - you only get two drinks out of it, which makes it very expensive. Most Japanese and Chinese restaurants have unlimited tea refills. It would make more sense to charge the customer for tea and present them with a decent sized cha cup and refill it as needed (per most japanese restaurants). Other than that, really nice restaurant, lovely people who run it.

I've got a serious love for sushi and generally Japanese food. This was one of the best mouth-watering salmon dishes I've had grace my taste buds in a long time. I want to steal the chef and keep them captive in my home. Easily earned their 5 stars!