Akira in Kensington and Chelsea

Extremely expensive for what they offer, again a mix and not an all-Japanese restaurant. They told us we could get half portions for kids and then not. Poorly decorated

I had the katsu chicken curry and it was fantastic! Also the food came quickly. Reasonable prices, I was very impressed.

Presentation is nice enough but the quality of the food was disappointing—dry chicken breast, miso soup without a hint of dashi (but apparently a dash of caramel, presumably for color), sashimi that tasted fishy. Sencha cost £5 a cup/glass when standard practice in Japan would be to include it for free—at £45 for a bento and given a cost of goods of perhaps 10 pence for the tea, that should be doable. I would not return.

I found the restaurant overpriced . We got there and it was empty but they said they were full. It wasn’t until we told them that open table said they had tables available, that they gave us one. The food was good but nothing extraordinary.

Overpriced. All of us thought that the food was just mediocre- direct not justify the price tag. There is an effort to impress with the gigantic style of bento boxes, but the taste is nothing special

Veramente molto buono ho apprezzato il ramen black particolarmente tutto molto veloce buono e caldo cotto bene solo alcune cose un po’ grasse

We had the Wagyu Omenkase set lunch an extremely pleasurable experience with great service and a good vibe in the room coming from people eating great food

Food is very nice, however prices are very steep. We had the appetiser (extremely small bite), then the 80GBP per person sushi and taster meal with deep fried salmon and miso soup. All very tasty and good to get an idea of how Japanese food tastes. As a very special one-off that was great but I won't come back as I feel that this is too pricey. Staff is very friendly.

It wasn't our first visit but most certainly the last one. The service is questionable and spoils the great taste of chef’s creations! We visited again as a family and ordered plenty to share from already familiarised menu from the previous visits. The service started somewhat slow, the we bar waiter didn’t seem to be familiar with the drinks he brought to the table saying that he is not sure what is what ?! At the start the dishes came out in an orderly manner but then few got skipped and we were served our mains. When we questioned what happened to the other dishes, one magically appeared a minute later and the other one we were told that we ate already and according to three waiters (who never even served our table) who insisted that they “saw” the dish being served to us although we never even saw it!!! It was quite strange experience trying to prove to our waiter otherwise as it seemed he tried to say it’s ok if we don’t remember eating it. To what was supposed to be a special family outing somewhat left a bad aftertaste which is a shame because the chef’s at Akira are truly great.

We had the omekase Robata grill set lunch with no drinks, just tap water, for a cost of £130 plus 13.5% service charge. The appetiser was interesting and beautifully presented in a divided wooden box. Some original dishes, beautiful sashimi, and an unwanted piece of eel. The main course robata was a huge disappointment. The tempura of vegetables was in miniature and one was an inedible spring onion stalk that was so fibrous i had to take it out! The chicken on a skewer was dry and the lamb…..masses of rendered fat with two tiny inedible pieces. Very chewy. The 3 pieces of sushi were unexciting. Desert was not included and they did not have one of the four on offer. For £150, no drinks at all & no desert and the main course robata pretty inedible, I felt ripped off. Never again.

They pretend as if they represent Japan or Japanese food because they always involve Japanese Embassy at the Japan House but our experience with them was the very worst of all 'Japanese' food that we have eaten on this planet. In short, they were not worthy of our time and money with such poor quality cooking skills and poor service. Who on earth awarded them a Michelin?? Do they know what good dining experience means?? If anybody has thought that they are great, then they should not be confident about your taste buds. Sashimi: warm, boring selection of fish Sushi: rice hard and cold. Wasabi no flavour Tempura: cold and soggy All others: not even memorable as none tasted right. Hot food was cold, cold food was warm. Utterly disgusting. I can cook better than them. We had to go to other Japanese food place afterwards to cleanse our mouths as we felt out taste buds were damaged by their food. If you want to spend your money and time wisely, go to other restaurants or save money and go to Japan. I can 100% guarantee you that local street food vendors of any part of Japan can do much better than Akira chefs for a fraction of their prices.

Sushi di qualità, ottimo il menù degustazione da 3 portate ed il gelato per concludere. Servizio buono e personale gentile.

It feels authentic. The quality is good and I am happy to take family and friends there as I am confident it will not disappoint. My preference is the bento box.

Restaurant in the Japan Centre on Kensington High Street. The food is a mixture of traditional dishes and contemporary ones. The sushi and sashimi were beautifully presented with unusual accompaniments, not for those who like dead classic sushi. A good alternative to the classic top end places in Central London or the Japanese for Japanese places in Ealing. I had no issue with the staff, in fact seemed quite helpful.

Qualità al pari di ristoranti similari. considerando anche la media prezzi a Londra. Dovendoci tornare non prenderei i menu degustazione (noi ne abbiamo ordinato sia da 5 che da 3 portate) ma opterei su a là carte. Noi avendo prenotato in Line abbiamo dovuto subire l’assurda richiesta (comunque comune a Londra) di un minimo di spesa a testa di 80£. Speriamo che questa pratica scorretta non arrivi anche da noi in Italia. Anche perché con quanto speso avremmo mandato in uno stellato. Nota di demerito a parte per il vino. Non si può pagare un pinot grigio sloveno di bassissima qualità 57£, vi prego….

Dentro de un enclave muy agradable. Buena comida y muy original servicio atento y muy detallista. Cena inolvidable en familia.

If you’re looking for surly waitresses with attitudes that let out a sigh when you ask what the omakase menus contain, and like waiters that leave drinks out of your eyeline and only discover that there is a drink for you when your partner exclaims ‘isn’t that your drink over there?’ Then this is the place for you. After searching for the best sushi restaurant in London, a lot of the ‘best of’ lists had Akira at the top. The food was beautiful to look at, but lacked in taste, and I could not put my finger on why, but it lacked something. Maybe it was a warm welcome, and happy staff. It was my partners birthday and both desserts ordered came on one dish with ‘happy birthday’ written on it, and with a ‘who’s birthday is it ?’ (A question asked at the time of booking) the one plate was plonked in front of my partner. Now we were a little confused, was this a birthday dessert just for my partner, or to be shared, or what. In the end we decided that it should be shared because the desserts looked approximately like those we ordered, and so we shared a plate. Crap staff attitude, ok food. £300.

Situated on the first floor of Japan House, this is s wonderful restaurant for lunch or dinner. There’s s choice of regular tables or counter seating, it’s advisable to book in advance if you have a preference. I had a fantastic Sushi Bento Box for lunch; beautifully presented and full of lovely flavours. The table service was polite and unobtrusive. The tables are quite close together however, so conversations are easily overheard. Not too confident about gluten free dining. A great dining experience. Highly recommended.

As someone familiar with Japanese culture and food. I came to this restaurant with good internet reviews with high expectations. The lunch was fully booked and only afternoon tea was available. We ordered at 2:30pm, and we waited for 45 minutes to be served, having had to chivvy the waitresses several times I understand the delicacy of Japanese food, but the servings of tea and desserts in front of me were surprisingly small, and what was even more disappointing was that the taste of these foods was not at all special. Finally, on the online menu, it was not mentioned that the sparkling Sake was charged extra It was such a bad experience. I have never experienced such a Japanese restaurant that "treats consumers as fools". Advice: do not waste time and money at Akira London- Such poor service and quality of food damage Japan House’s reputation.

I had very high hopes of Akira and went there with my wife for a late Christmas celebration. Lunch was fully booked so we reserved Japanese tea for 2 at 2.30. The service was almost non-existent (apart from one competent waitress); we waited twenty minutes or so for any service and 45 mins for the food to arrive. When the tea came, it could best be described as "minimal": a few bites' worth of sushi and moochi, quite good quality but not worth anything like the £26 per head charged (with an extra £7 for a glass of sake, not mentioned on the website). This was all a great shame given that Japan House in general is an excellent advertisement for Japan and its culture.

This is my absolute favourite restaurant in London. It is of the highest quality, the staff is incredibly professional, and the restaurant is beautifully designed. Thank you!

This used to be one of favourite haunts for exceptional food. I’ve been a regular customer since it opened, and unfortunately it saddens me to say, the service was chaotic at best; and the food once exceptional fell well below the mark. They CANNOT charge what they do, and to remove any avoidance of doubt it’s expensive, whilst providing an below experience. Simply Sloppy. I will not go back again as you can get a far better experience at a fraction on the cost.

For the birthday of my wife we had a reservation. As a family of four we had no problem to get a big table near the bar so the kids could watch the cooking process. The service was really good and courteous. The food was excellent and even our 13 year old son enjoyed the Robata Omakase menu. Good price value! As a special advice try the matcha cake for desert. The whole experience in the Japan House is very good and authentic.

I love Japanese food, regularly go out to eat it or cook it, have been to Japan, and know my sake - too bad! This is a restaurant that Westernise their food, which is also not the freshest unfortunately. Some dishes are great (wagyu croquette, potato salad, yakimono), some very much less great (fishy tasting sashimi - not fresh!, served with pungent cucumber which nukes the taste). The presentation and freshness tell you immediately that this restaurant is not serious about food quality or authenticity. See delicate sashimi served at the same time than charcoal-grilled meat, fishy tasting and stuck to cucumber… We also found hidden ingredients that will be problematic for people with intolerances - yakimono come with a thick layer of cheese which is not on the menu! Odd. Service is sparse at best, with waitresses roughly pushing new plates on your table with zero explanation about what’s in the dish (and nearly knocking others dishes over in the process), leaving empty plates clogging the table for a long time and looking visibly annoyed when asked for help. Sorry! The worst was related to drinks. Our waitress tried her best and apologised profusely, credit to her, but - ordering a specific sake and *twice* being given the wrong bottle (receiving instead a much, much cheaper table sake - too bad I can actually read the Japanese label)? And expected to pay full premium price? None of the staff able to tell the sake apart but happily selling £80+ bottles at random? (worth ~£20-30 in shops) Please. Difficult to say where carelessness stops and scamming begins. Never again. Beware what you order if you visit, and for authentic food please try elsewhere.

We had an excellent lunch at Akita. Beautifully presented. Delicious. The staff were friendly and helpful. All in all a good experience in nice surroundings.

We booked a table a couple of weeks before our visit and were really looking forward to it. The restaurant is set up well and looks good. We ordered two bento boxes and two mixed dishes that included small bento and a hot meal in...

My partner & I visited Japan House and its restaurant - 'Akira' - for the first time on Friday 24.06.2022 and we were very impressed by both. The items in the store (ground level) showed off Japanese craftsmanship at a very high level, were superbly...

It was my first time eating solo I was seating next to the counter so I could see the chefs working hard. I ordered the akira bento and it was divine. So many little dishes with different flavours. I hope to go back soon

Dreadful food. Good service & nice setting but dreadful food. Even at half price I would not go again. Deep fried and rubbery chicken in Bento Box. Nothing particularly great. Left an unpleasant taste in our mouths. Waste of money in a nice setting.

Akira is without doubt our absolutely favourite Japanese restaurant in London. Are used to go there a lot from when they first opened but had not been back since Covid and we are thrilled that the place has not changed at all! It is still...

The whole of Japan House is worth a visit and is home to traditional Japanese culture presented through different mediums such as the exhibitions downstairs, the items shown in a museum style, things for sale, tea, books etc on the ground floor and obviously the...

Akira is not the kind of restaurant we would normally travel from Crouch End to visit, given its exclusive High Street Kensington location. But it has in the past couple of months attracted the attention of the Japanese community in London with its half-price lunchtime...

I am not sure what is the fuss about this place. We went for lunch which has 50% off. And yes all the little traditional Japanese dishes are visually impressive. However the contents themselves are nothing much. I ordered the Akira Bento which suppose to...

We were there last night after a long workout in the gym, try to relax and enjoy the Japanese food, we asked waiter( maybe he is a manager because he wears suit) to recommend a sweet, not too dry sake to go with sushi and...

Went for a birthday afternoon tea. Well presented however the felt food served was mainly ‘matcha’d’. We tried all options available. Definitely disappointed by taste, value and the service for a supposedly high end restaurant. No acknowledgement to us for the celebration whilst all others...

It is just ok if you can have a lunch bento box at their promotional price. Their food does not worth more than that. Not authentic at all, sushi smells of fish not in a nice way. Please, fix a problem you alredy know of....

There is no doubt that the food is a feast for the eyes. Ceramics and sushi are wonderful. The interior decor is very simple.. Chefs can be seen behind a glass screen. When we asked what was in the 8 selection sushi, the chap was...

Five Star presentation and taste. All of the staff here were very good at their jobs, Particularly the Hostess. All of the Food was presented in Beautiful ways. All of the Food was outstanding. I was not disappointed with any of the courses, The Shasimi...

What an absolute treat to visit this authentic corner of Japan on Kensington High Street. From the traditionally shouted welcoming greetings to sushi selections served in what looked like jewellery boxes, or dainty chicken thigh skewers sizzling on volcanic rocks, every course served here is...

So here we are in a lovely place quite warm. A waitress is going to lead you to your table. It is sober with the kitchen surrounded by windows which is awesome. To have a look on the menu, here is the time on my...

I am Japanese so I know what Japanese restaurant service is. Since Akira is quite an expensive restaurant, I was expecting a certain quality of customer service and tasty cuisine. Unfortunately, the price and quality did not match at all. The female manager, who was...

I’ve been fortunate to visit many fine-dining restaurants but in my opinion, I’ve not felt they were worth reviewing. I often question the price you pay for what you receive. Akira blew my mind. The price paid vs the quality received, I felt as if...

For such an established Japanese restaurant, we expected both quality Japanese food and stellar service. Our table ordered a number of omakase sets and some extra a la carte items. The service was chaotic - one of the members of staff didn't know what "udon"...

We ate 5 different skewers, all good. The best one was Chicken thigh skewer. Next time I will try more of the skewers. We also have Sea Urchin sushi and Fried Prawn sushi, both were very nice. Normally I hate brown rice, but both of...

Be careful when booking for the discount: We found the 20% offer online for bookings from 6-630pm which said to book via the "Book a table" button which we did. We also checked with the waitress before ordering that we were eligible for the 20%...

Came here 3 years ago with my friends and since then I've been wanting to take my bf here for a meal as I really enjoyed the food. The food did not disappoint this time too and we both were so happy with the meal....

My fiancé took me here after a very long wait to enter restaurants after lockdown. We were meant to go for my 30th back in January. The restaurant itself is situated in Japan House; a lovely store/museum filled with delights from Japan. Up the stairs...

Definitely not inexpensive. Service can be warmer and friendlier. However, the quality of food is quite high. The sushi omakase is quite the deal; refreshing and healthy. The ceramic and glass plates (used to serve meals) inspire a contemplation of art and beauty too.

Nice to combine with a visit to Japan House and shopping in and around Kensington High Street. Cocktails start at around £9.50. We ordered 4 of the hot stone dishes (easy to find veggie dishes) and shared one main. We enjoyed the flavours. Would go...

We had the full afternoon tea which included sushi. Quality was very good. Quantity not so much - a bit miserly with the sushi. Tea’s are good but some you get a pot, others only a cup, so ask. Restaurant was comfortable but a bit...

This was SO overpriced. We paid 63 pounds for afternoon tea for two people and got around 4 pieces of sushi each and then the rest was basically sugar. That’s not the concept of afternoon tea that we’re used to. It would be nicer if...

Nice Japanese food in an informal atmosphere. More family relaxed compared to peers such as Zuma or Nobu. I went with my family and we enjoyed the Sushi Moriawase. Sea Urchin sushi and sashimi were excellent as was the grilled shitake mushrooms and miso aubergine....

Very good Japanese food Had a bento box here. Flawless and very tasty. Thoroughly enjoyed. Service was very good too. Prices? Perhaps slightly on the high side. The restaurant itself, felt very authentic, though did have a slight department store feel to it.... overall very...

In the beautiful Japan house Cultural centre, try out this restaurant: I chose to celebrate my Japanese friend's birthday there as a treat. The presentation is amazing, impeccable, artistic and the starters on the set menu delicious. See first photo. The second course of the...

What an excellent restaurant. From the moment we walked the staff where attentive and helpful allowing us to change seating to seat at the cook station. The place looked very busy and had to wait for the food more than we expected but the manager...

We felt gratitude in getting a walk-in table. That was the highlight of our experience. With hindsight, I wish there hadn’t been a table free. We were seen by 3 or 4 staff but found it difficult to get explanations for the 3 or 4...

first time at Akira, great food, sushi was lovely and served beautifully ! waiter had some great suggestions for desserts and we went along with his ideas. Presentation for all dishes is unlike any other japanese place in London...highly recommended !

It was our first visit to this restaurant and we are not real aficionados of Japanese food so the very relaxed style of service may be the norm but it seemed rather slow, but little communication or smiles from the teams. I am not sure...

We went for dinner. The food is good enough, but nothing remarkable. The service is very slow and not very professional. We were left for ages, nobody came to ask whether we wanted dessert and had to ask for dessert menu. And the waiter just...

We go there every month: you find some Japanese recipes you don’t eat everywhere that are just amazing palate experiences and service is also at consistent high standard.

We went to Akira for lunch for my wife's birthday. Overall - truly excellent Japanese food for £60 each. A real treat - we are not surprised that William Sitwell said this is his favourite restaurant in the entire planet Pluses - - Stylish decor...

The most enjoyable meal I’ve had in London in a very long time - not just sushi wise but overall experience. The restaurant is cozy and beautiful, the staff treat you like royalty and yet the atmosphere is so relaxed. The omakase set menu is...

I decided to write this review since I’m regular in the Akira Restaurant. I totally disagree with previous online review. The service is fabulous , everyone is super friendly and managers are outstanding !!! Nowadays, customers believe that judging servers is pretty normal, which is...

I visit Akira many times. It can’t be any better ! The food is good and service is excellent ! The waiters will do their best to make you happy ! Exceptional skills from very tall gentleman with blonde hair. Must visit !

Ramen at the front counter of AKIRA, at the Japan House, very tasty and ideal to have lunch on a budget for only £5! The chef prepares it in front of you with freshly boiled noodles, totally recommend it.Also you can enjoy the current exhibition...

Akira is the best Japanese restaurant I've ever been to. I recommend choosing sashimi dishes rather than barbecue dishes.

Akira is easy to locate in Kensington. Love the Japan Foundation layout with arts and cultural of Japan on the ground floor and the restaurant Akira located just above with lift access inside Japan Foundation. Do not have high expectation of bar/drinks. Food is very...

This was a nice experience for us after a trip to Japan. It felt pretty authentic, the food presentation is great and everything was very tasty. Will be back.

Food was excellent. Presentation beautiful. Service was good. This place is to be recommended. Try the Japanese Caesar salad. Yum

Excellent quality food couple with great service made it a fantastic experience. Food was very tasty and wine was good as well. Really enjoyed everything we had, which included sushi, mushrooms, asparagus, chicken meatballs, Chicken. My very slight complain is if you are going to...

Food looks great in photos but that’s it. So if you don’t have alcohol, don’t go there as 90% of the menu has it! We sat down and by the time we started ordering we were told about the alcohol fact so we stuck to...

Myself and my partner had a lovely meal at Akria last night. Couldn't fault anything, food, service, atmosphere... Japan is on our wishlist, and this felt like a taster of what's to come! It's in the Japan House, a beautiful building which also had a...

We decided to book at the sushi bar, not at a table, and we had quite a few dishes and they were all good and tasty. Waiter was kind. If i have to criticise something, they served everything together and in half an hour we...

I can’t comment on the food but I surely can in the service. I sat a table for 20mn. All waiters looked at me. The maître d’hôtel either but no one, no one came and asked if I even wanted a glass of water. I...

DO NOT EAT AT THIS RESTAURANT IF YOU HAVE AN ALLERGY! Despite declaring a nut and egg allergy, I received dishes with both and was extremely unwell. The management response which I had to wait 2 weeks and chase twice for was eventually appalling; late-night,...

Saw a great review. TA seemed to have good things to say. Unfortunately a very poor experience. Ambience is ok. Had a nice feel as you go in. Usual but enthusiastic Irasshaimase as you go in, but then it’s downhill. Menu is ok if lacking...

Having visited the country on three occasions, I have a profound fondness for Japan's food, culture, and unique aesthetics. Upon being invited to Akira with a group of friends, I was thoroughly looking forward to visiting Japan House and checking out Akira. Needless to say,...

Its very disappointing to see how poor quality food ingredients are being used in this restaurant. Food has nothing to do with Japanese cuisine. It’s extremely sad to see how poor food menu choice is. I really like service, cocktails and very kind, attentive staff....

Went for birthday lunch with pals and really enjoyed the lunch. You’re greeted downstairs by a restaurant ambassador who registers you in before you arrive on the first floor. It’s nice to be greeted by the chefs in the open kitchen. They do this every...

Found that restaurant by pure coincidence while walking in high street Kensington. You'd find Japan house. A very big exhibition of their culture and on the first floor you'd discover Akira. I was happy they had omakase and was happier they found us a table...

We took the £60 menu which was a big surprise The starter served in a rock was exquisite and tasty The sushi was good - the white wine could have been better. The email told us we had to dress smart casual - we should...

Our booking was for a counter which is not my first preference but don't mind watching chefs at work. This particular counter seating had big bento boxes piled in front of you so you had wall on one side and bento boxes in front. Asked...

We went to the Japan House opening last summer and where excited to eat at the restaurant. We finally got a chance tonight. Sadly we where very disappointed. The room is large and bland, we where seated immediately. Staff where friendly but not particularly available....

I came here for lunch almost by accident and hesitated a bit because of the charge, but wow! it was worth every bit. The middle course is a huge box of delights with various sashimi, other morsels and sauces, too big for an 'appetiser', but...

I had a wonderful lunch at Akira with two charming diplomats. The private tatami room was an exquisite setting, shutting out the mundane world and enclosing us in a cocoon of soft light and warmth. The service was elegant and unobtrusive, and the food was...

All in all good experience but for price would expect better for example crab croquette was not as good as a simple restaurant in japan but good for Japanese food in UK. Still cheaper to eat here then fly to Japan!!

Nice selection of food unless you are gluten free. Then it becomes complicated with poor advice from waiting staff. The main problem is that the restaurant still uses gluten containing soy sauce when an easy switch to tamari sauce (same taste but doesn't contain wheat)....

We had great experience at Akira restaurant. We really enjoyed dellicious cocktails. The food was not as fresh as expected, which was pitfall of our evening. Our server was helpfull, very professional and helped with selection of wine. We felt he looked after us, but...

Very good choice of sake and great recommendation by waiter who helped us choose good one which we liked. They also make good cocktails. Atmosphere was very good. Food could be probably better but as I get bit drunk before first plate landed on our...

My partner and I discovered this lovely Japanese Restaurant by coincidence when visiting Japan House London. It should be advertised a bit more as we live locally and did not know about it. After warm welcome we were served great food and the ambience was...

We sat at sushi counter. We really enjoyed ambience, cocktails and food. The service was superb and staff very experienced. We treated like royalty. Do come to visit. It's outstanding!!

We are booked the table for lunch on Sunday..we ordered Bento set,sushi Bento set and wagu rice. It was really disappointed as the food not as good as it cost , so blend . The cocktail was over create They is no teast what so...

The service was a joke. While pleasant enough, our waitress was clueless. It’s a very big and slightly complicated menu, with a mix of starters and mains, but also a very large selection of choose yourself options (sushi, yakatori etc). She was unable to give...

Four of us visited for birthday dinner, the food is lovely but .... My lord it’s too expensive, 80g wagu beef for £55 - really? 80g ?! £55! Our waitress was CLUELESS in every way. How can you look to run a TOP quality restaurant...

An excellent Japanese dinner with very attentive service. Recommended and not unreasonably priced. I will no question visit again.

We went to Akira on the spur of the moment for a light lunch. The food is stunning. I went for a fried chicken don which was plentiful and beautifully done. Superb service as you would expect from a Japanese restaurant. We liked it so...

Arriving at the restaurant for our 8pm reservation to be told the table wasn’t ready - fine, we were shown to the bar where we had a drink. 20 minutes later shown to our table - again, fine... 30 minutes later, we still haven’t been...

Had an absolutely delicious dinner! Top quality ingredients, all very fresh and nicely presented. We went for the 5 courses sushi menu, which had the right amount of food to fill you up without feeling too full... an absolute delight: sushi of all kinds (toro...

Me and my boyfriend went to Akira this week and were overwhelmed by our amazing experience. The warm welcome we received upon entering made us feel very relaxed, and we soon wished we had sat at the bar to better view the chefs at work....

We were welcomed by loud irrashaimasse meaning welcome in Japanese, only it was shouted randomly by a bunch of non japanese.. why pretend? they made it clear they were having a good time yelling random stuff.. an insult to the refined and extremely respectful japanese...