KIBOU Japanese Kitchen & Bar in Cheltenham

A fantastic Japanese restaurant a favorite of mine when celebrating a milestone or event..the sushi and ramen are divine. Can recommend.

The food and drinks are lovely at Kibou, but let down by the cold greeting we received when celebrating my birthday. We'd requested a table in the bar area but got a table in the back room by the open kitchen (there are really pretty parts of Kibou, but the open kitchen is cluttered and messy with takeaway boxes etc.). We asked if there were any other tables and were told not, which is fine, but the chap wasn't nice about it and it was more his attitude and the general greeting that set a poor tone. The two ladies waiting on tables in the back were lovely, but front of house sets the tone of the evening. At no stage did anyone say happy birthday, let alone bring out the birthday cake other reviewers mention. Versus the service at other restaurants in Cheltenham (Beefy Boys, The Ivy, Cote, Muse), Kibou falls short.

Fantastic food... Really great staff...

I had a family meal here recently and it was such a great experience! The staff welcomed us warmly and were super helpful, especially with the kids. The food was fresh and delicious, plus they had an excellent vegan menu. Everything was served quickly, and the atmosphere was spot on. Definitely a place I'd recommend!

A lively atmosphere, with top quality Japanese cuisine... And helpful staff to direct you through the menu if needed.

It was amazing! I would recommend the special in sushi, they may take long, but it is completely worth it. My daughter loved their kid’s menu chicken Katsu curry. Apparently it was the nicest meal she had ever had in her entire life! She has said that a lot of times but this time she actually meant it. One man who was serving was so kind. We had been waiting for our sushi for a long time, and he had noticed that. So, he got rid of our service charge to say sorry. He was so nice. It was the best restaurant I had ever been too.

I often visit this delightful restaurant when I'm in Cheltenham I'd always leave feeling happy and full. The staff are really accommodating with my needs and chatty and friendly. Chicken karaage is my FAAAAAAVE! The atmosphere is buzzing (but not too loud). Big love Kibou, Ax

I just had an incredible meal out with my family! The food was absolutely brilliant, and the staff were really attentive and knowledgeable. They catered perfectly to our allergies, which made the experience even better. Everything from the atmosphere to the cleanliness was spot on. Can't recommend this place enough—definitely worth a visit!

Outstanding meal tonight. Japanese cuisine at its best. 10/10!

My go to restaurant in Cheltenham. Have been there countless times and I just adore the food.

Food freshly prepared to order. Tasty and good selection to choose from Staff friendly and enthusiastic

I was taken here by one of my sons and initially I was a little bit unsure as I wasn’t sure how much I would enjoy the food. ………I was blown away by the incredible service and the amazing food. This is a restaurant staffed by courteous and professional individuals. The food was very varied very tasty and beautifully presented. The portions were substantial and we will definitely be back!!

amazing food, definitely recommend

This was our first fisit to Kibou,and were a little concerned as we we unfamiliar with the menu. We had a voucher, so needed to use it by March 2025. On arrival we explained we were Japanese food novices but Michelle was amazing, talking is through what our tastes were and what we liked. She suggested items for us.... and was spot on. We loved the food and MIchelle came back to us a few times to make sure we were happy....... thank you. We heard her doing the same with other tables, all with the same emthusiasm...... MIchelle is an asset, thank you.

Kibou is always fantastic food, you'll never have a bad meal here. But you do pay for it. Portions aren't massive here, and are expensive. But the quality is absolutely fantastic. Had the afternoon tea here this week and whilst it was absolutely beautiful (the apple gyoza star of the show), I left hungry and ended up getting a sandwich later because the quantity wasn't there. Again, the food is sublime. Just be prepared to pay. It'll be worth it.

First visit, very satisfied with food, good choice on menu

Wonderful restaurant for a celebration. I took my daughter for her Birthday. The staff were great, service was lovely and food was excellent. We tried various sushi and sashimi offerings and the both had a main meal. Overall an amazing place to eat xxx

Absolutely loved the fresh sashimi, perfectly warmed sake, and exceptional service delivered with a warm smile

Always so good, food is always amazing, the staff are wonderful and the ambience and music really makes this such a special place! Booking advised, but always worth rocking up, and see if you can get a high bar table if restaurant may be booked up, so chill at the bar, get a cocktail and I’m sure it will happen for you!

We visited Kibou to celebrate my birthday, and had a fantastic visit. The food is delicious, and the staff very friendly, courteous and professional. The decor is so colourful and beautiful with amazing murals on the walls, cherry blossom on the ceiling and comfortable chairs. The atmosphere is relaxed and charming. For your birthday they give you a complimentary piece of cake, with a sparkle and take a polaroid of you for you to keep, such a special touch. We will definitely return for another visit, and would highly recommend this restaurant.

Great vegan menu with lots of choice. Really lovely vibe and friendly service. Amazing food with perfect presentation and flavours

Amazing place, easily my new favorite over Sticks N Sushi

Excellent! For some reason I was expecting portion size of Larger meals to be smaller, but I was pleasantly surprised!

Unique atmosphere, really nice place to enjoy good food and being served like a King.

Sunday late afternoon walk in and seated straight away. The ambiance is very pleasant and, as first time visitors, rather intriguing decor staying just the right side of kitch. Absolutely loved the animated artwork behind the bar! Very efficient service with the right level of attentiveness. Almost too much choice on the menu but we went for half a dozen small plates to share between the two of us which was absolutely plenty. Every one of them was excellent with authentic Japanese flavors (I say this confidently as we have Japanese family). I really didn't need dessert but, having read the menu, couldn't resist and again it was excellent. Not the cheapest dinner out at £90 for two including one G&T and coffees afterwards, but absolutely no complaints given the quantity and quality. Highly recommend if you want Japanese food.

Fantastic!! All team members were friendly and competent. Especially Louis who made my son’s 13th birthday completely memorable. Thankyou to the whole team who made perfect recommendations and made the whole family feel welcome and relaxed. The food was amazing, the white wine cold and the negronis to die for. Such a great experience. Thank you xx

Great place to go and especially for an anniversary

Love the food and the staff are so friendly. Mood lighting and comfy seats/tables.

One of my favourite restaurants. It's always clean, has incredible vegan options and great service. I love the pumpkin croquettes and volcano rolls - highly recommend!

First experience! We live sushi and KIBOU did not disappoint

Have come here a couple of times with my family - Food tastes delicious and their non-alcoholic cocktails are amazing. We always get some sushi rolls for starter, and then move onto the Chicken Katsu Curry for mains. Both are very flavorful. We've been advised that the chicken is halal for those that have that requirement.

Have eaten here many times and never disappointed

Beautiful atmosphere and delicious sushi

Top tier, a must for anyone passionate about food.

Excellent food and good gluten free choices for Coeliacs. Superb service. Been twice already, and now always looking forward to going back!

Love all the food here, sushi, ramens, teriyaki, tempuras. Everything is so delicious and wonderful staff. Always enjoy our meal here.

I love the food, the staff, the whole experience. So many yummy options and the staff is happy to cater to any needs (and picky eaters). I'd go here every week if it was closer 😅 I highly recommend the vegan yasai ramen (lots of other great vegan sushi and noodle and starter options too though)

I’ve been to Kibou quite a few times over the past couple of years and it’s always fantastic. The service is brilliant and the staff are all really friendly. The restaurant itself is lovely, with Japanese style decoration throughout. Food is spectacular; there’s a large and varied amount of choice so even if you are someone who doesn’t like fish, or even meat, you’ll still find something amazing to eat. Highly recommend trying it!

Food and portions were good and was a lovely atmosphere. Our waitress Arlene, had great customer service and was so lovely towards us and helpful. Very welcoming.

A perfect evening had by all. Exactly what one wants from a Japanese restaurant.... daughter's 21st will not be forgotten!

I buy volcano sushi every fortnight and I've never regretted it.

My husband and I celebrated our wedding anniversary at KIBOU yesterday and it was amazing. The service was warm and friendly, and the food was incredible—fresh sushi, flavorful ramen, and tasty cocktails. The cozy atmosphere made it the perfect spot for a special night out. Highly recommend for anyone looking for great Japanese cuisine and a memorable dining experience!

Great food and atmosphere, nice cocktails! The staff are lovely :)

Visited after a trip to the cinema. The décor is well thought out and gives a lovely feel. The service was quick and friendly. The sushi was excellent and the puddings Miso ice cream, sesame tiramisu and apple gyoza were very different but a good one. Will definitely visit again.

Outstanding food and excellent service. Instead of ordering mains, we ordered lots of smaller plates and it was great! Loved the decor!

Wonderful location, great food, lovely people!

Wow. Before you've even eaten the decor is gorgeous. I would have liked the staff in matching tunics or something Japanese themed to match. But it's about the food and that there is no fault. Absolutely delicious. We had a lot of dishes between six of us and I recommend anything as it was all very tasty

Really enjoyed the food here and the cocktails. Treated ourselves to a 3 course meal the teriyaki steak was delicious. Have deducted stats as when we got seated no mention of a time limit. We had just finished our mains when we where told they needed the table back. On top of this added a 10% service charge i only noted after feeling rushed. Perfect cocktails, delicious food but maybe warn people about time limits as other have commented. This was Saturday at 5pm ish we ended up leaving just after 1 hour so not unreasonably slow eating.

Great food, great service and great atmosphere. I ordered the chashu ramen and a few other things and I must say the food was excellent and service was on point. Getting served very quickly and in a very friendly way.

This was perfect. Beats Waga’s by a mile.

Food is amazing proven by regular visits. Service could be improved, not in terms of their conduct, but their lack of availability when ordering, etc. Drinks are nice and well worth exploring their cocktails.

Very high quality sushi prepared properly. No fridge cold fish here. Friendly service too.

Booked a table for 7:15 on 19th October 2024; The restaurant is gorgeous, cherry blossom vines on the ceiling, even the ladies toilets were pretty. Service was spot on, workers all very polite and attentive. Food was lovely, had a chicken katsu curry and some prawn toast Drink of choice was a cucumber saleswoman and I really liked it Would recommend this restaurant 😊

Wow, what a lovely experience. We went to a matinee at the Everyman Theatre and stopped here for a bottle of wine and some sharing dishes. The staff were fantastic, it was a joy listening to the chefs laugh and totally enjoy their job. The food was outstanding and reasonably priced. There were only a few seated so the food came out quickly, but we didn’t mind as had to catch a train. If you want to slow it down you can. First time here but won’t be the last!

Decoration: beautiful traditional Japanese style, blossom trees indoors and wonderful relaxing lighting Server: Angelo, very polite, attentive, showed a very high attention to detail throughout our order and made the effort to repeat it back to us, made sure our drinks were always refilled and could not do enough to ensure us and other guests wanted for nothing during our visit, he is a credit to Kibou. Complementary wasabi peas. Variety of food: excellent, lots of sushi, bao buns and also offer seared Wagyu steak. good choice of drinks, they serve cocktails too. Chicken karaga- nice presentation, comes with a chipotle mayo, crispy succulent tender chicken with a mild heat, comes with a side of lemon to enhance the flavour. Pork gyoza- delicious little parcels full of flavour, comes with a side of sesame and soy for dipping purposes. Chicken and duck bao buns: beautiful flavour and perfectly fluffy bao buns, the filling of each was very generous and both were wonderful. Ribeye nigiri: this dish is raw, I had never tried this before but it did not disappoint! Seared Wagyu: my absolute favourite dish, lightly seared, and tastes wonderful! Extremely tender, it melts in your mouth, I would happily just eat this for the rest of my life. Chicken teriyaki bowl: flavoursome, filling, and fantastic, it is quite a large dish but it’s presentation and taste is exquisite. Wasabi: many restaurants use horseradish and green food colouring but kibou use authentic wasabi.

We had a lovely evening for my wife's birthday meal before the theatre. The the front of house manager greeted us pleasantly, wishing her a happy birthday before the barman made her a lovely cocktail. The food waiter was very attentive and helpful. We went for the premium sharing sushi dish with some bao buns and everything was very tasty. The suprise of the night was the little dessert she got with a sparkler. Overall couldn't fault the experience, a special evening.

We decided to order a variety of dishes to take away. It was a quiet weekday night so it didn’t take them too long to prepare. The food is excellent and we really enjoyed it. Taken a star off for the unfriendly service we received when the food was brought to us and they just seemed to be disinterested. I assume that takeaway is probably not a preferred option so will try eating in the restaurant in future.

Great food and service, can’t fault this place at all! 10/10

Great food and excellent service

Visited last Saturday with my mum and sister as a late birthday celebration for my mum. Everything about the experience was perfect. The food, the staff, the atmosphere, the decor. Absolutely amazing. It was also my first evening out after having my baby 7 months ago so thank you for giving us a wonderful evening!

The baobun was delicious and the apple gyoza. We tried the sushi as well and it was very good. More than 5 stars!

The location is good, the decor is beautiful, there are many tables and comfortable seats. The service is great and fast, as is the way the food and meals are prepared. However, the prices are somewhat expensive.

Lovely food but save up it's pricey

Wide range of amazing quality food, very friendly staff and great service.

Never had a bad experience here, the staff are so friendly and the food is delicious!

Expensive but worth every mouthful.

Great to see the place improve. KIBOU has been around chelt for a while. Once upon a time it was in the basement of a building not far from where it is now. It then moved to their current location admittedly it had a bit of a shakey start but now they've seemed to have found their feet again, serving great quality Japanese food will be happy if they can maintain their current standards. Favourites of mine are the dynamite roll and tuna poke bowl.

Well worth the trip. Absolutely amazing.

Amazing restaurant. Came here for my birthday. Good food. Sushi, ramen and everything in between

Best sushi in Gloucestershire. But service not always that fast)

Friendly and knowledgeable waiter looked after us very well. Delicious food. We will be going back again!

The food was decent, atmosphere is lively and service was prompt.

Rushed off of table while my pregnant wife was in the toilet. No mention at the time of walk in that the table had a time limit and was made to feel incredibly awkward and not appreciated for my custom. We were considering ordering more but being forced off of the table upset both of us. Ordered the Okonomiyaki special which was nothing like traditional okonomiyaki. The base was almost like a pizza crust. Overall our worst experience here. We liked coming here regularly but this left a really bad impression and will likely not come back.

The nigiri and sashimi were very fresh and the drinks were tasty.

We’ve been coming here on and off over the years and it is reliably good. Sushi is exceptional. A must try if you are in the area.

Lovely place to go for something to eat or a cocktail. Food was delicious

First time visiting and it was amazing. Service was fantastic from the get go and the food was impeccable. All dietary requirements were taken seriously and staff were very considerate. Can’t wait to eat here again 😋

I have been to Kibou many times, starting when it was the small restaurant in the basement! It has grown a lot since then, and I still love going to the restaurant. The inside is beautifully decorated, especially in the street food section with the Japanese booths. The staff are always very friendly and helpful. The food is DELICIOUS! Our favourite is always volcano roll, though the prices now make this very expensive! Though we also love the hosomaki and uramaki - so so fresh and tasty. The tempura prawns are wonderful (though we really miss the dynamite prawns that have gone from the menu) and the lovely cucumber salad. We always come here for special occasions!

Good atmosphere and prompt service, sushi not too pricey, and delish ramen, miso etc for those not so keen on sushi . Would Def go again.

Great food, best Japanese Restaurant ever.

Kibou is probably the best sushi in Cheltenham and one of the best dining experiences. The restaurant is well decorated and it has lovely staff. Food is absolutely fantastic, lots of options for all dietary requirements and even some dishes suitable for fussy eaters too. Food does come out as it's made so don't expect it all to come at once.

Lovely anniversary meal; staff were great!

Magnificent restaurant with superb decor. Served with friendly grace by Paolo! A great time in Cheltenham!

Overall the place is lovely to go and eat however, when we went we asked to sit outside because it was a lovely day but it seemed to be a problem to the lady who served us as she didn’t want other people asking to sit outside when they saw that we were? Her attitude was as if she couldn’t be asked to walk a couple extra feet just to serve us. Also When we were eating our food we saw the bartender get his tobacco out and started rolling a cigarette with a filter in his mouth while working behind the bar, thought this was really out of order. So overall food is very nice but service isn’t brilliant.

We visit Kibou often. Over the years its the only restaurant which consistently delivers high quality food.

I cannot thank Kibou Cheltenham enough for how amazing they made our night! I booked their private dining space for my Husbands 30th birthday but when we arrived it turned out I hadn't completed the booking and it hadn't gone through. The team there were so accommodating and sorted our party of ten out so efficiently and stress free. And thankfully the private dining space was still available that night, so we got to have what I originally planned for him. The service was efficient, speedy and entertaining. And the food, my god the food. Collectively we all ordered lots and it all came out in good time and together. Thank you so much for making the start of my Husband's 30th celebrations so great!

Servers here are fantastic- warm and very attentive- had an error with our order and they were very apologetic. Brought over children’s chopsticks for our baby too! Food was delicious- the volcano roll was fresh and great to share and the agedashi tofu was very well balanced in flavour. Have struggled to find good Japanese food in the UK and would be back if staying in Cheltenham longer.

Very good food, especially the pork ramen and prawn sandwich.

We popped in to have lunch. Ended up having drinks only and left as the service was terribly slow. We are people who appreciate food and resturants but this just didn't represent good value as a result of the service. We didnt get to try the food!

Booooooom. Super tasty Japanese food both traditional and fusion. A must visit in Cheltenham. I used to come here every time my wife used to have a scan before my daughter was born. Although my marriage hasn't aged well, like my daughter KIBOU is perfect.

Lovely food and charming, attentive service.

Amazing place with fantastic staff, fast service, reasonably priced and gorgeous food. We end up coming here so often, and crave it when we go somewhere else. Great options for veggies too and the location is lovely. Would highly recommend.

Awesome place to eat and relax!

Incredible traditional food and beer. The service was amazing and quick but with plenty of time between courses. Cant recommend Kibou enough.

Love this place. The food is amazing.

Me and my sisters went there and can only have halal food. Michelle, one of the employees was absolutely amazing. She found out every item off the menu that we could have and helped us through the way making sure certain items don’t have alcohol. Couldn’t have been more pleased with the service!

I've been to other Kibou and I love the consistency throughout each location. Food was delicious and well presented. The decor and atmosphere is great.

The staff are extremely pleasant and helpful. There is even a Japanese staff who speaks native Japanese with us. Food is amazing. My niece and I both love this restaurant. Will visit again.

Amazing food and experience for all my family. Staff is lovely 🌹

Pricey, but great! The food was great for sure ! The interior is amazing! Took a while, though, for the lady to come and take the payment.