Kintan in Camden

Great experience, thoroughly enjoyed.

Welcoming staff and a great meal. One of my favourite restaurants in London.

Quick, delicious and affordable with many options to choose from. My favourite restaurant in London.

One of the most fun restaurants I’ve been to in London! My friend and I thought that we had overordered but managed to eat everything. Highly recommend the garlic noodles and the garlic butter steak - but all of the food was unbelievable!! I’ll definitely be back for their happy hour and/or all you can eat options.

Had a nice time here, the service was really good although the food was unremarkable. The marinade on all the meats were the same and super sweet. Reasonably priced but nothing to write home about.

Second time we visit Kintan when in London. Did not disappoint. Food is great, waiter spoke japanese which is a plus. I'd give it a 5/5 if not for the kimchi. Might sound petty but it was ridiculously bad 😅

I’ve been with some friends for a friend’s birthday. We have informed that I’m allergic to shellfish and asked to switch the shellfish options to meat to what they agreed. However, they did bring shellfish options that was impossible to identify (like a fried ball with octopus inside) and they did not inform. The waiter said that he informed his colleague about the allergy and he thought the colleague told us and also added that that was octopus ball, not shellfish… when octopus is a shellfish. The food is really good and the service overall is good too, but the situation was very frustrated and dangerous.

Food was excellent!! It was a bit hot though and the grill in front of you didn’t help My friend has shell fish allergy. We told them when we ordered but they forgot to warn us certain food contains shell fish when they brought them to the table. She had some by mistake! Luckily she was OK! And they were very apologetic as well

The entrance is small, but the interior is spacious and spacious. The inside of the store is full of international flair! Local Japanese people also came to the store for lunch. I had the lunch set, and the rice was freshly cooked with a sweet sauce! Miso soup is also comforting. The portions are large for one person, so please be careful when ordering. Considering the price, the cost performance was good and I was full.

Need to reserve the table at 21:00 in order to qualify for the happy hour

Been in the cards for a while and did not disappoint. Amazing selection of food you can cook at the table and a very lovely range of drinks. Staff are super friendly and after 9 Happy Hour kicks in automatically… Amazing!!! They even surprised us with Birthday songs and cake! Great place to have a fun, engaging and warm night out with a group.

Llevo años viniendo. Vine hoy por el cumpleaños de mi novia y pagamos una mesa para 8. 30 pm. El gerente filipino nos acusó de ser patines baratos porque los precios de la hora feliz a partir de las 9 pm. Nunca volveré a poner un pie en este restaurante ni gastaré mi dinero aquí. Los servicios son terribles.

Good Japanese barbecue, good value for money on Mondays for their Happy Hour all day offer.

New Filipino manager accused us of booking an 8.30pm table (which we paid for) to take advantage of happy hour prices. We booked for a birthday. Accused us of being cheapskates. Have been coming for years. Never again.

The food excellent. Except rice and soup. I recommend only meats. Very friendly staff. But it really strikes me that they don't have water bottles and they give you unfiltered tap water.

Great food and not too pricey, they have loads of menus option to make you save money. The staff is very friendly and service is quick.

Yummy food, friendly service. Great value for happy hour. We had lovely cocktails and loads of food. Highly recommend for a nice interactive experience.

The food is amazing but the portions are soo small for the price they charge. What makes it even worse is the customer service.

Having done a few Japanese BBQ places before, this one certainly did not disappoint! We went for the Ninja set menu and honestly there was so much food for two people at a very reasonable price. I’d recommend the set menus to try as many different dishes as possible. Great atmosphere and friendly staff! Being a Japanese bbq place you cook the meat yourself (thought I was going to get hired on the spot with my grill expertise) which is a super fun experience if you haven’t done it before. We will defo come back :)

Okay in my opinion and the pictures let you think the portions are larger than what they actually are. For that price point it’s a bit disappointing.

Food was great but they rushed us out of there. Brought bills to the table when we didn’t ask and when asked how long people are supposed to be seated for, they said 2hrs. Well then buddy, it’s been 1hr so what’s the problem? I was celebrating my mum’s birthday and ordered quite a lot. And the table was booked so yes, didn’t appreciate the poor service.

What a wonderful moment, thank you to the team.

Aceptando que llegamos a las 21: 35 que es tarde (ish) , buenas críticas en línea y el hecho de que todavía nos mostraron a una mesa - un buen comienzo. La comida era sabrosa. Me encantó la experiencia de barbacoa - pero es ahí donde esta crítica va colina abajo. . . Todo el personal simplemente no estaba interesado y quería terminar por la noche. Pedimos tanto comida como bebida en menos de 2 minutos de haber recibido el menú que nos presentaron. Pero la comida se arrojó literalmente sobre la mesa, sin modales, sin controles de cortesía, sin profesionalismo - y tan pronto como se terminó un plato, se sacó de la mesa lo más rápido posible. En un momento dado preguntamos si era posible un poco más de arroz - y nos reímos con la respuesta; "no, la cocina quiere cerrar". La barbacoa incluso se apagó antes de haber cocinado toda nuestra comida. Y luego nos dieron una factura a las 22: 40 diciendo: "Estamos cerrados ahora...". Servicio absolutamente inaceptable. Una comida de negocios que podría haberse convertido en muchas más oportunidades futuras. Pero no, simplemente; comida sabrosa, completamente arruinada por un servicio impactante e impaciente, no digno de una estrella en este distrito y elección. Y me interesaría mucho ver la respuesta aquí, ya que estábamos absolutamente sorprendidos por la experiencia que recibimos.

Great Japanese restaurant. The food is excellent and cooking the food at the table creates a great atmosphere.

The food was spot on. I didn't like how they sneak the 12.5 percent tip on the bill and then after you notice it.....tell you...oh sir it's in the small print.... They would have got a bigger tip if there wasn't one there already.

A veces las primeras impresiones son importantes - llegamos para ser recibidos por un cartel que nos pide esperar a ser sentado por una recepcionista. Esperábamos... y esperábamos con el camarero junto al bar adyacente ignorándonos hasta que pedí que me sentaran. A regañadientes trajo a alguien más para sentarnos y mi hijo pidió un poco de agua antes de que él ordenara ya que tenía sed. No llegó agua pero luego llegaron los menús y volvimos a preguntar. Kintan ofrece comidas fijas para 2 o 4 personas, pero no pueden atender a 3 proporcionalmente, así que pedimos una comida para dos y algunos platos adicionales. El camarero entonces encendió la parrilla de mesa, la comida llegó y la pusimos en la parrilla, pero poco pasó, ya que estaba muy poco moderadamente caliente. Cuestionamos esto, el camarero abrió un ventilador y se fue - mientras tanto nuestros entrantes calientes llegaron, pero la barbacoa no se estaba cocinando. En ningún momento nadie mostró interés o preocupación y finalmente mi hijo pidió pasar a otra mesa. En ese momento salí dejando a mi hijo y a mi hija que tienen más paciencia para terminar su comida. Regresé después de 40 minutos para encontrarlos ni siquiera a la mitad de una masa de comida y para entonces no tenía apetito. Pedí ver a la gerente (Mariana) y solicité que me descontaran la cuenta en un tercio ya que no había comido. Ella se negó, pero se ofreció a renunciar al cargo por servicio que es opcional. Amenacé con salir y ella dijo que mis hijos pagarían. Mi hija tiene 12 años y aunque mi hijo es adulto, fue mi regalo de cumpleaños. Incluso hizo el comentario de juicio de que como nuestras maletas mostraban, habíamos estado en el Comicon en el Excel que él podía pagar. Finalmente nos ofrecieron un descuento insatisfactorio del 10% que acepté pagando más de £ 100 fir una buena comida para dos, pero grosería y pereza de un grupo de personal mal administrado. He vivido en Tokio, comido en Kintan tanto en Japón como en Londres y nunca he conocido semejante abuso.

Absolutely amazing food. Cooked by yourselves on the potplate in the middlevof the table.

Food was decent but the terrible service (or pretty much lack of any service at all) made for an overall irritating experience. We were told we would have to wait 30-45 minutes since we didn’t have a reservation... Lo and behold I pulled out my phone, made a reservation for 15 minutes later, and the hostess begrudgingly sat us about 5 minutes after I showed her the newly made ressie. Upon being seated, no water. No explanation on how to cook anything, nothing. Just different people dropping off plates at different times. We had to flag someone down to ask for someone to explain optimal cooking times (“however long you want”), flag someone down to ask for water, flag someone down to ask for menus, flag someone down to ask for a burnt grill pan change... you get the gist. And it was a bit later on a Sunday night. Honestly, the waiting around and constantly trying to make eye contact with a worker to ask for things ruined the meal. Not to mention pesky fruit flies hovering around the tables.... Im not usually deterred by mediocre service if the food is good enough for a return visit, but this was bad enough that I wouldn’t go back.

Very nice Japanese Yakiniku 🥩 BBQ restaurant. Bit expensive but, some special occasions are worth it to go!!

The food was good but a bit pricey, but the egg drop soup was amazing! Now, the cocktails were good, but a bit watered down and with not a lot of alcohol. Still, quite good and tasty. If the music was not that loud, I would have considered to come back.

Me and my partner has been coming here for years. Service is great, food is amazing and overall experience is worth it !! We come here all the time for our date night when we can !!! And we love it !

The food was good. Loved the service and was very generous with their servings.

Thank you. Staff really made it a great occasion and worth a review.

Amazing staff, excellent service, food to die for will definitely return

Had a wonderful time with my wife we loved the Japanese cuisine experience, the ambience and customer service were great the set menu meat 🍖 lovers was off charts.

The barbecue was very good, although it lacked a bit of flavor even though it was not charcoal fire. Cocktails are also good. It's a little more expensive for 2 people, but it's most affordable for 3-4 people.

Great food and atmosphere. The staff are fantastic and attentive, went for a birthday treat, and even got surprised with a little cake and a 'happy birthday' song 😊

Found this place accidentally and it was so good that we returned the next day for more. Great selection of meats, sides and excellent service.

Fantastic! Barbecue is absolutely delicious and such variety of flavors. Highly recommend🔥✨

Fantastic food, amazing quality, staff excellent! attentive, friendly, obliging, perfect.

Fantástico lugar para venir por algo un poco diferente. Muy limpio y el personal extremadamente eficiente , amable y acogedor. Nunca he estado antes. El exterior no le hace justicia. Dentro... hay muchas mesas llenas de japoneses disfrutando de la comida. La hora feliz es todo el día lunes, y 11. 30 a 4 pm Martes a domingo. Sentí que el valor de la comida / bebidas era excepcional. Mariana era un gran camarero. Tip . . tener el bibimbap con su comida . . es increíble.

Food was OK, grill I found far too small for 4 people.

Exceptionally good value for great food. Really well priced sets to choose from. Come here hungry! Servers are friendly and very helpful. No BBQ smell on your clothes when you leave either.

Very good! They have a lunch menu for about £13-14. I ordered the salmon teriyaki and it was banging.

Kintan Japanese BBQ offers an authentic and delicious grilling experience with high-quality meats and a vibrant atmosphere. Perfect for a casual yet satisfying meal.

Came for lunch this time and ordered the two-course set with extra Korean beef rice. The price was very reasonable and their beer was also on happy hour price. Leave with a happy and full stomach.

Kintan is my favourite Japanese BBQ spot from University era. I just realised it is Korean fusion but this mix Korean and Japanese goodness so perfectly. For example, marinated meat Japanese style but have Kimchi and lettuce. Our host today, Angelo, is very friendly and chatty. Would come back ! 💯💯

The lunch deal is an amazing value for money, lots of food for not much

I love this place, and I take friends here all the time. There's a great atmosphere, service is excellent, and the food is good for the price point. Recommend. Do book if you can as it gets busy. Also, they do a decent happy hour - check the website for timings. The Oxford Circus one isn't as good, so go to this one if you're not sure which to choose.

Nice little place for Japanese style BBQ in Holborn. The self cooked eatery was particularly great value at lunch especially when there’s a promotion. Four of us (small eaters) share three sets & found we had enough.

Loved it here! Took a client out for lunch, lovely warm greeting from all staff. Great value and a great experience. Thank you!

Me encanta Kintan en general, esta ubicación es mucho mejor y menos empresarial que la de Oxford Street. Gran relación calidad-precio y una buena experiencia.

Not sure worth the costs .. there are far better Japanese nd Korean restaurants serving much better food

TL;DR: Kintan JBBQ Holborn offers exceptional dishes like the sweet soy kalbi, but inconsistent food quality and poor reservation management detract from the overall experience. Worth trying for the BBQ highlights, especially during Happy Hour, but be prepared for potential time constraints. Quick Ratings: Food: 4/5 - Highs of excellence, some disappointing lows Atmosphere: 3.5/5 - Lively but marred by end-of-meal rush Service: 3.5/5 - Polite staff, severely hampered by poor reservation system Overall: 3.7/5 - Great potential, but significant room for improvement Full Review: The Matsuri Course at Kintan JBBQ Holborn offers a diverse range of options, with some true standouts and a few disappointments. The meal began with comforting Miso Soups, setting the stage for the feast to come. The undisputed star of the show was the Kalbi Short Rib in sweet soy sauce. This dish was a revelation - incredibly juicy, packed with flavor, and so satisfying that it alone elevated the entire dining experience. The moment we tasted it, we could barely contain our excitement at something so tasty and juicy. Other beef options, like the Premium Skirt Steak and Miso Premium Rib Eye with ponzu sauce, were also enjoyable, offering rich umami notes. The Ebi Furai was another highlight, offering a satisfying crunch and paired with an innovative gochujang and mustard sauce that balanced sweetness, warmth, and tang beautifully. However, several dishes fell short. The Spicy Addicting Cabbage was overly oily and not refreshing. The Beef Sukiyaki Bibimbap was particularly disappointing, lacking both the characteristic crispy crust and flavor, even with added gochujang sauce. There was also a menu discrepancy with the chicken - we received bland Chicken Garlic instead of the promised Chicken Teriyaki. The meal ended on a high note with the Green Tea Tiramisu, a delightful fusion dessert that proved to be a refreshing change of pace. This light and fresh creation beautifully showcased the sweet, grassy taste and aroma that matcha is known for. The vanilla ice cream, speckled with real vanilla, complemented the matcha perfectly and added to the overall lightness of the dish. While the Graham cracker provided an interesting textural contrast, it didn't feel entirely necessary to the dessert's success. The restaurant offers a lively ambiance, with the exciting sizzle of meat on grills and enticing aromas. The cooking apparatus at each table adds to the interactive dining experience, though it's worth noting that the grill is most effective when food is placed directly in the middle of the grates, with less consistent results around the edges. Diners with long legs should be aware that the steel basin of water underneath the table can be uncomfortably warm and may cause some discomfort if bumped into. The staff, particularly our server, demonstrated admirable politeness and did their best to manage a difficult situation. However, the restaurant's flawed reservation system significantly impacted the dining experience. We were informed about 30 minutes before the end of our meal that they needed the table, creating a sense of being rushed. This approach to managing bookings – accepting reservations without a clear system for tracking table availability – is problematic and detracts from the overall experience. Kintan JBBQ Holborn offers a dining experience with notable highs and lows. The sweet soy kalbi stands out as a dish of exceptional quality that alone might justify a visit for BBQ enthusiasts. Some other BBQ items and the creative Ebi Furai also shine. However, the experience is marred by disappointing dishes and inconsistent quality across the menu. One significant highlight worth mentioning is the restaurant's Happy Hour offering. We visited during Happy Hour, which reduced the price by about £10 for two people. Notably, even though our meal extended beyond the official Happy Hour time, the restaurant honored the discounted price - a gesture that speaks well of their customer service.

Slightly pricey but the food is worth the price. The staff are friendly and restaurant has a nice atmosphere.

Would not say it’s Japanese bbq at all. Everything salty, not worth the price, even the salad and ice-cream tasted bad.

Kintan Japanese BBQ offers a unique and enjoyable dining experience with its interactive grill-your-own-meat concept. The quality of the ingredients is excellent, and the flavors are authentic and delicious. The staff are friendly and attentive, adding to the overall great atmosphere. Perfect for a fun night out with friends or family. Highly recommend!

One of the best BBQ places I've been to. Their fillet mignon is just amazing 😊

The service is really bad, you need to shout every time for anything you need, and the waitor is rude. I just stayed there for less than 1 hour (I booked the table one day before) and they are kickijf me out, the meet is also not fresh, definately not come again.

Excellent foods and service. Plus reasonble price.

Food is unreal, my favourite japanese bbq place. all the flavours of meat is so nice. the atmosphere is quite busy but looks so pretty and aesthetic (great to take some cute pics) overall the food is the best part of this place!!

Great food. We got nice surprise from staff for sisters birthday. Thanks to amazing staff, made it special ✨

Very friendly staff, tasty food, amazing service!

The quality of the ingredients used here are top notch, but the service leaves a lot to be desired. We ordered a round of drinks, a variety of meats and veggies, and some rice. We told the server we were likely to order more. Everything came out quickly, but then we never saw our server again. Somebody came by and saw the empty plates, left them, and turned our grill off. We eventually got fed up with waiting, flagged down a random server and asked for the check.

Food is good but unfortunately service and cleanness is an issue which impacted the restaurant.

We arrived a few minutes early but were seated at our table quite quickly. We walked through the restaurant where there seemed to be a great atmosphere and taken to the downstairs seating. We were the only customers down here but just assumed they were so busy upstairs and other customers would join. Someone needs to be the first I suppose. We were handed multiple menus which were a little confusing but in the end chose to get a set meal type option. The food came pretty quickly but we weren't given much of an explanation as to what they are and what to do, apart from how long to cook them for. We had never had this type of food/been to a restaurant like this before. The server wasn't rude but just seemed miffed he had to be downstairs with the only table. Not long after he actually left with his coat and bag, so I guess he was at the end of his shift. We carried on with our meal but noted that there still wasn't anyone downstairs. The toilets were downstairs so that's the only time people came down. I didn't actually like the food. My partner said it was okay, not the best he'd had but he didn't want to waste it as it was pretty expensive for us. When our new server came to clear the table, I made a point of telling him how awkward we felt being the only customers downstairs in over the hour we had been there and we hadn't enjoyed our time there or the meal. He was very polite and could do nothing but apologise (we did tell him it wasn't his fault but we wanted to voice our upset at the whole thing). He explained there had been many cancellations. Whilst I understand this, maybe more planning into spreading guests around the whole restaurant would have been better, than sticking just us downstairs, in a very dark space. As part of the swr menu, we were still to get a dessert but by this point we just wanted to leave. We asked for the 12.5% gratuity to be taken off, as paying what we did without it was still a lot for what we got. A big disappointment!

I like the salmon volcanoes most. They were full of salmon paste and there's some crispy deep fried soya bean sheet (I guess) and rice inside. Happy hour price for certain drinks and food on Sunday is a great tactic. I had 1/2 pint of Asahi although I rarely drink alcohol. 😂 I'll go and try the tuna volcanoes and more other kind of BBQ meat next time.

My daughter found this place last time in London and couldn't wait to take us there again. Food was delicious x

Great vibe and quality meat with reasonable price - it’s kinda hard to find a Japanese BBQ in London to meet those three criteria at the same time. We chose this restaurant to celebrate our friend’s birthday and asked for an extra candle to be put on top of the green-tea tiramisu (which is a must try) - but the staff went the extra mile and brought out a birthday cupcake, and sang the song as a group haha. Will definitely come back to revive the lovely memory.😊

had an excellent birthday, thank you for all the staff - got a birthday song and a free cake, it was stale but I appreciated the gesture netherheless - thank you

Great social dining experience where you grill your own food (precooked options are available too). The meat is good quality and tasty, if a little pricey for the amounts provided. Lots of different options, and the set meals give a nice variety. The biggest downside is that the tables are often too small for all the dishes, so things can feel pretty cramped!

Great bbq experience. Beef is delicious. Price is reasonable for the Kintan Course set menu

BBQ grill your own food, rib eye was very good, pork belly was good as were other assorted cuts of beef. The matcha tiramisu and vanilla ice cream rounded it off nicely.

Wish the service was good for money

Super fast service, reasonable prices and tasty food.

Would definitely recommend to anyone to come here. Great food, great vibes and very authentic. Unbelievable. 10/10

What a unique experience. Choose some drink (Prosecco and Sake), Choose from a large selection of meats and sides. Drink a little and then as the food arrives cook it at your leisure on the grill in the middle of the table. Knowledgeable, attentive and friendly staff was our experience, didn't need to wait too long for anything and whilst one of the more expensive places we'd eaten during our trip I didn't feel it to be overpriced at all.

A super atmosphere to eat and share, delicious options, an incredible experience

Long established (mostly) Japanese bbq establishment with some other pan-Asian flavours (think bulgogi, bibimbap). Has asahi lager beer on tap, usually has a happy hour or similar deal going, which is useful. The numerous set bbq packages are good value in terms of the bbq experience and quantity of food/meat. I think I had the “Ninja” set which included edamame, garlic rice, courgette/onion, miso soup, several cuts of steak, prawns and fried chicken. The griddle surfaces are regularly replaced by staff, meaning burnt bits are minimised. There was also a dessert included in the package (s’mores, which although not strictly Asian at all, are quite fun).

First time I went I couldn’t stop talking about Kintan, now however, quite disappointed. Meat tasted too sweet. Even if it had no miso/ sweet soy Service was great. Very cold inside.

Lunch menu is ok. Normal menu is a little bit too expensive.

Great value for money yakiniku in London, get busy so can be a bit of a wait. Only downside to the restaurant itself is that it is quite dark, felt clean but a little tired. Food however was amazing the beef was cut so thin and with the sauces and glazes it was so moreish!

Good experience, very expensive but the meat is pretty good, lack of vegetables

Really good food. The bbq experience is great - the food was great. Would highly recommend the garlic rice.

I have been to kintan many times and I always ordered virgin pina colada as I’m allergic to alcohol and they sent me the pina colada with alcohol in it- it was the second time this happened. I felt really unwell after the drink contains alcohol. Very disappointed. Be careful when you order the drinks.

We had to wait for service/food for ages. Had to remind them of our order several times.

We had 3 meats to bbq each and everything was good. Would recommend the harami and spicy pork. The karaage was juicy and the sauces/dips on the table were good. First time I was charged for chilli powder (1£) in a Japanese grill anywhere in the world though. The matcha ice cream was rich and tasty.

Me and my boyfriend was pre celebrating my birthday at 6 pm April 20th in the holborn restaurant. And the waiter knocked the food over on me and the oil spilled over my clothes. Though it ruined my big day, I thought I probably can clean them so I didn’t say anything. They still charged my dinner though wipe the service fee. But when I got home, the whole outfit can’t be cleaned at all. They are new and expensive. Please contact me through email as you see it.

Family barbecue. Very hearty and very fresh. Nice variety.

Great food and service, highly recommended

Excellent, first time for a bbq and I love the concept, I recommend 🤌

I had a really lovely experience here. It was my first time having Japanese bbq. The food was delicious and superb. I did not think i would ever enjoy barbecueing my own meal, but it was so fun. They did not scrimp on the portions neither. The drinks were good. The staff were friendly, attentive, and helpful. The atmosphere was great. I went on a Monday, which was happy hour. It was well worth it. I've told people about it and will defo be revisiting 😊.

Very nice food & great customer service. Will definitely be back in the future.

This is our second Japanese “do it yourself” experience and really enjoyed it. The food and drinks came out very quickly and would definitely return.

Fantastic Food, Clean, and lovely and helpful staff - what more could you want.

Very cheap and delicious for Yakiniku eaten overseas! The taste of the beef tongue was the same as in Japan and it was very delicious🫶 I made a reservation for 12 o'clock on a Saturday and it was empty for a while, but after an hour it was very busy🍖 If I miss Japanese food, I'll go again~

Absolutely loved this place. The food was good, although it's a bit hard to judge how long to cook some items like fish. There were a few beef items that were amazing though. Staff were friendly and attentive.

The food was tasty! I had no idea you had to cook it yourself which is quite a different experience. Came here with my sister and it was so fun, and fairly cheap as we came during happy hour. It was £30 something pounds for us both and the photo attached it what we got.

OK ambiance and comfort. Nice service. Poor meat quality and fairly pricey. Odd fixed type menus. eg menu for 2 with one small bowl of miso soup?? There are better table BBQ experiences in London - with Korean and Japanese.

I always visit this restaurant when I'm in London. The staff are always friendly and the food is always great. I definitely recommend going drung happy hour as the prices are lower.