Sakae Japanese Restaurant in Edinburgh, City of

Visited this place for lunch a few weeks ago and it was absolutely delicious. Staff were super friendly and service was quick. Only slight concern was the place was a bit cold!

We ordered a bowl of ramen and 10 pieces of sushi. Serving time is EXTREMELY terrible. Waited 60mins for the ramen, But the 10 pieces of sushi never came. We waited 90mins and asked the waitress , and she said its still in process, unbelievable. We have to cancel the order and leave. Although they waived the bill, But we will Never coming back again. Worst ever dining experience in Edinburgh

I ordered the chicken mazesoba. It has nothing to do with real mazesoba; it's a completely different thing. This dish is definitely not worth it. I am very disappointed.

The freshest and tastiest salmon nigiri i have ever had. The food was incredebly flavourful and delicious and the server made sure we had everything and food was brought out on time. We arrived before the tables filled up, so that might have helped. Will definitely be going back, loved it!!! This time we had the curry udon, tonkatsu ramen, chicken karaage, salmon and aburi nigiri. Next time im trying the okonomiyaki!

Excellent Sushi. Had a salmon nigiri, aburi nigiri, and teriyaki roll. All delicious but aburi nigiri was the best. Portion sizes were good, proportion of fish was good, rice was good. I had take away but the restaurant was a nice atmosphere. Service was friendly. Offered discount with cash payment when I was there in July-2024, love to see this. Wife wanted sushi after she delivered our first baby as she could not have it during the pregnancy, this did not disappoint, 10/10 would recommend.

The service and overall food quality were exceptional. Our waitress was incredibly helpful and friendly, making us feel welcome from the moment we arrived. The food was really good, with a variety of delicious options. I was pleasantly surprised to find Unadon on the menu, which hasn't been easy to find in the UK, and it was absolutely delicious. The sushi was also expertly prepared. I particularly appreciated that the sushi chef added wasabi to the sushi, enhancing the flavour perfectly. Overall, a fantastic restaurant with great service and high-quality food!

Pequeño restaurante de propiedad familiar. La comida es increíble y lo más auténtico que puedas conseguir. Mis mejores selecciones son sus unagi y okonomiyaki

Mejor en Edimburgo! El sushi es de primera calidad. ¡Son increíbles! Tan sabroso y auténtico. Nos encanta esta joyita. 5 estrellas y muchos más! Además, es perfecto para veganos!

Nothing interesting and long wait

We visit Sakae everytime we head into Edinburgh. To describe it in one word: phenomenal. Portion sizes are great, the food is fresh, served quickly and with a smile. The chef is an absolute sweetheart! We love Sakae!

The sushi was fantastic. Highly recommend the omakase!

Ate here on a trip last year and I still dream of this meal!!! The kindest chef and out of this world delicious okonomyiaki and house-made kimchi.

I got recommended this place by a colleague so I went with my family for a Friday dinner. The food, was amazing. For this priced Japanese restaurant, I didn’t expect the sushi to be made this quality and fresh. Udon soup is very very flavoury. The only thing I didn’t like was the beef in the udon, quite chewy, which shouldn’t be the way. With regards to the service, it was TOO long! We had to wait average 30 mins for a single dish and I thought that was more than abnormal. I think there is a bottleneck in the chef number or the kitchen was constrained in that day. Because the cashier said it was not like that usually. It’s Friday, I was quite chilled, so we didn’t make any complaint. But I think the turnover rate of the table can really break or make a restaurant therefore would suggest look into the reasons for delayed service!

Really good okonomiyaki and tonkotsu ramen. The staffs I believe are actual Japanese people, and I think they have put a real effort to make sure that their dishes are as authentic as possible, and it shows!

Delicious ramen and okonomiyaki. Nice grandfather who just operate the restaurant on his own. He is fast in serving food. Good ambiance of the the restaurant, will probably go eat here again if I will go back in Edinburgh.

Probably the best restaurant in Kigali. Certainly our favourite. Excellent food, good service. Quiet and pleasant atmosphere

New favourite Japanese spot in Edinburgh. The sushi is incredible. Rice is perfect.

Reasonable price with high quality fish

Great, everything is prepared on time and excellent! Best Japanese out of Japan tested to date!

I was pleasantly surprised that they offer okonomiyaki! Even a nearby Japanese restaurant called Osaka (named after the city famous for this pancake) doesn’t have that on their menu. And it was rather good. I can’t speak for the other foods but they look nice at least, from what I saw at the other tables. And the sushi chef is an actual Japanese who spoke Japanese to some guests. Criticisms: (Service 2.5/5) The service was a bit disappointing: the waiter managed to disappear often even such a small space. I waited long for someone I come take my order and had to hail the waiter myself in the end. He was very nice, at least. Atmosphere (2/5) The atmosphere could also be improved. For some reason, the space is decorated like a kindergarten. The cleanliness also leaves to be desired. Also, they don’t offer desserts. They sister café right next door does, however. So the waiter went out and grabbed a matcha cheesecake for me. The cake was amazing, but I thought it would be nice if they could have desserts right there (if the waiter didn’t have to go out to get it).

You can eat proper Japanese food!

We came across this restaurant by chance and decided to give it a go. We were blown away by how good the food was. Really fresh and tasty and beautifully presented. Service was excellent too. Worth noting that it is a ‘byo’ bottle restaurant but they do serve an array of teas and soft drinks.

Not too satisfied with their dishes. I ordered eel don, the portion wasn't right, way too much rice and not cooked well which made the whole dish worse. Other dishes were just average. The only thing worthy of praise was the boy waiter was very polite and patient.

Great small restaurant recommended by my Japanese friend. Lived up to expectations.

Sakae A Culinary Marvel in Unassuming Surroundings Tucked away in Edinburgh, Sakae’s unassuming ambiance belies its extraordinary culinary prowess. The iconic salmon sushi and remarkable pumpkin dish redefine simplicity, delivering an unforgettable Japanese dining experience. Sakae proves that true excellence transcends appearances, making it an essential destination for authentic, remarkable cuisine in Edinburgh.

Delicious! We had the tonkatsu ramen, miso ramen and okonomiyaki. All were very good. The chef clearly puts great care and effort into his dishes. Staff was friendly and service was prompt. Highly recommended.

On 8th February, my wife and I visited this restaurant for our lunch. Today was a first time. All staffs were very kind. Here was very comfortable restaurant. We ordered Sakae Special Okonomiyaki and Curry noodle with beef. All meals were very good. Especially, Okonomiyaki was very good. I felt this restaurant Okonomiyaki is No.1 in Edinburgh. We are very much looking forward visiting again soon. Thank you!

Close to University of Edinburgh, Sakae offers locals and students to Japanese cuisine with minimal styles of white wallpaper and wooden decors. It can be crowded at lunchtime (I came as the first customer that day) I tried the pork curry rice. The sauce is flavorful but personally mild for Thai foodies. The okonomiyaki is a popular dish. I tried seafood one. The portion is surprisingly big and it is again flavorful with sweetness, savory and the flavour of seafood. The texture is soft and crispy. My friend tried its famous omakase sushi set (8 pieces) every pieces is well made and the best one, based on my friend’s comment, is the ‘hokkigai’. The chef is Japanese and very friendly. Also you can observe how he prepare sushi from his sushi bar. If you have student card with cash it’s 10% discount which is quite good deal. The toilet, however, is not within the restaurant but shared with adjacent one. ‘It’s not easy to find good Japanese restaurant in Edinburgh ’ is what I normally say. Sakae is one of that exception.

Great vibes, omakase was amazing, okinomiyaki was fantastic!! The chef was super sweet as well

I've been to Sakae quite a few times- each time brilliant. Best sushi in Edinburgh (I'd recommend the teriyaki salmon sushi) and the okonomiyaki and ramen are also outstanding. Staff lovely and attentive. Definitely worth a visit if in Edinburgh.

Delicious home-cooked japanese food. The atmosphere is relaxed, the staff are extremey friendly and welcoming. The chef is particularly accomodating with gluten free variations, and the gluten free okonomiyaki is spectacular. Very good sashimi and sushi, too, try the sea clam (pictured). Cannot recommend highly enough. Two years later, this is still the best Japanese in Edinburgh!

Everything was so fresh and delicious! Your sushi chef is very good 👍🏻 We had sweet potato croquettes, Salmon teriyaki roll, okonomiyaki, tonkotsu ramen and Sakae omakase sushi set. Can recommend every dish!! ❤️👌🏻 ごちそうさまでした! 🙏🏻 料理がおいしくてつい食べ過ぎた。😁

Absolutely delicious Japanese food. The grilled eel was amazing, as was the Sakae Okonomiyaki. Definitely recommended for an authentic experience. (Just practice your chopstick skills!)

A small place with an impressive variety of dishes. I had a freshly prepared 🍣 and Ramen. The waiter recommended me the Ramen. It felt very special but not exactly to my taste. Keen to come back and try more things.

House Okonomiyaki was delicious, as was everything else. Super fresh.

First time I had ramen in my life. Believe me, it won't be the last time! Miso Ramen is simply divine :-)

Highly recommend this restaurant! The food is really out of this world with both non veg and veggy options! There is discount for students, which is marvellous! Thank you very much! Hope that there will be more of restaurant like this in Cambridge!😢

Stumbled upon this place while craving to eat at a homely japanese eatery! The Japanese chef and Korean lady taking care of of the house made my meal even more enjoyable, didn't expect to find such a place in Edinburgh! • Omakase set - torched prawn, octopus, salmon belly, tuna, salmon, sea bream, mackerel, arctic surf clam • Torched salmon aburi nigiri • Okonomiyaki with kewpie mayo, bulldog sauce, fried onions, spring onions, fish flakes • Agedashi tofu w/ soy broth, scallions, seaweed, chilli threads

Authentic Japanese chef and every dish is absolutely out of this world. Top marks!

Absolutely exceptional. The aburi salmon was so soft and pillowy... And the Tonkotsu ramen had such a rich flavour... We haven't had sushi this good since we were in Japan. The staff is authentic Japanese and it shows because the two nights we were here, this was the local spot for Japanese expats. Don't be fooled by the few reviews on TripAdvisor (100+ on Google), Sakae is a must-eat.

Outstanding sushi and ramen, along with a top-class home made tofu block that was pretty much perfect. This is *the* place to go for Japanese within a fairly wide radius, but this is well known locally - if you're considering going, you should probably call ahead and book to avoid disappointment as it seems to get booked out really quickly.

As Japanese, here is an nice authentic restaurant. From Ramen to Sushi, you can enjoy proper Japanese dishes. There are some original manues, which change daily/ weekly (forgot which ) Get discounts with cash payments.

Great quality sushi! Simple menu but everything we ordered tasted great!

초밥을 좋아해서 유럽에서 종종먹었는데 여기가 가장 맛있었어요!!

The restaurant was absolutely freezing, with one small heater visible. The miso soup was cold/tepid. The starter was a dreary pile of chicken nuggets and they had run out of dipping sauce (saturday night). The pancake was well cooked, but the katsu curry at £15 was a joke. I don't know where the wonderful reviews come from, but we were 2 dissatisfied customers. P&C Wright

Absolutely amazing food. Fresh, and perfectly balanced flavours. Best sushi I have had in the UK. Masterfully made rice. Will definitely visit again.

Beautiful food. Amazing flavours and freshness of ingredients.

Lovely peaceful place, fantastic chefs and staff, nice green tea and delicious food.

Food was spectacular, a rich inviting taste that very well served in appearance as well as quality. The staff was very warm, welcoming and friendly. Definitely would recommend this place, the best Ramen and sushi in Edinburgh.

The sushi here was excellent!! I especially enjoyed the company of Ian Kho the waiter. He gave us wonderful service and I am pleased. Will definitely recommend!!

Food was non-impressive. The traditional Japanese pancakes are good, but the grilled sushi were underwhelming. Rice was hard and cold and the fish didn’t taste fresh enough. It’s hard to pick them up with chopsticks (or hands) even as an Asian person growing up eating with chopsticks! Cuz the rice would break into pieces and fish would fall off. A bit overpriced in my opinion. Didn’t try the ramen.

Okonomiyaki is good. Highly recommend. Ramen is good too and authentic. This restaurant is one of the best Japanese restaurants in Edinburgh.

Absolutely bad hygiene. I got symptoms of food poisoning that night. Will never try again

Great place with some unique dishes. Very popular, book if you can. It was suggested to me by a colleague who has lived in Japan and it definitely didn’t disappoint! Looking forward to going back soon.

Great authentic Japanese food. Felt transported back there. Very good, nice, kind, helpful service -including answering to questions about ingredients regarding intolerances. All of it very reasonably priced. Will definitely repeat. Best Japanese place I’ve tried in a long time.

Really nice, i ordered maki and got nigiri, maybe i said it wrong or he understood me wrong, doesn't matter. I'm not a sushi connoisseur so i asked him if this was maki then, and when he realised that i didn't order nigiri i said that's no problem but he persisted on giving me the maki too for free, that was really kind. And has reasonable prices and a 10% student reduction even

We are very lucky to have such a nice little gem of a restaurant in the neighbourhood. Everything we've tried so far was absolutely fantastic and I'd be hard pressed to decide what was best among the sushi, ramen or okonomiyaki.

Best Japanese food in Edinburgh - great variety and fantastic quality!

It’s a cute little location. And if you like seafood and japanese savoury pancake, I, very much, recommend the seafood okonomiyaki 👌 A month ago or so, I went there with a friend in the evening and had my first seafood okonomiyaki and we both enjoyed it and it was very filling on top of that with some sushi 😂 (overload) And now, december, I told my other friend, when we were taking a brief stroll, I got a bit of a craving for okonomiyaki and she suggested we should go. And we did! :D And its nice with the genmaicha! (brown rice green tea) The stone teapot kept the tea warm for ages! The okonomayaki has mixtures of eggs, seafood and a few sauces which makes it interesting in its texture when you eat it as its fluffy, squishy, warm and filling! They have a vegetarian and vegan version! I can tell the staff here speak japanese which is unlike many other “japanese” restaurants in Edinburgh. I do feel that they have the authenticity and also being a small little cute corner restaurant which reminds me the little experiences when I visited Japan. 可愛い!! ^^

Absolutely amazing ramen, very authentic place and friendly staff. I’ll be back soon for sure!

I did not expect to find Okonomiyaki in Edinburgh. It is a Japanese savory pancake originated in Osaka, and has been popular among Eastern Asian countries. As we preferred a more traditional flavour, we ordered the single topping with pork and Japanese mayonnaise. The pancake tasted great and it was well fried. Since the batter was made of egg and flour, together with shredded cabbage and meat, it delivered a rich flavour. We like the rolls and udon in curry soup as well. The udon was in great texture, and this type of noddle has always been great when complimented by curry soup in my opinion. Sakae seems to be run by Japanese. Though not necessarily a guarantee of authenticity, the food they delivered was simply delicious and authentic.

非常好吃! the fried chicken was very juicy, crispy outside n soft inside. Chefs such set was also very good! I’m not an expert but it taste fresh!

Great Japanese with superb food. Not licensed but bring your own wine.

The food here really is first class with friendly service and a good value menu. Will definitely be back.

The creamy pork broth was superb. Homemade ramen was al dente. The chef had taken the presentation and every element in the dish with meticulous care. Rare authentic Japanese restaurant in Edinburgh.

Dynamite wee byo joint with delicious maki, nigiri, ramen, and okonomiyaki.

Very nice food 😋 love the black garlic oil ramen so so much and the grilled salmon

Restaurant authentique japonais. Les excellents plats sont réalisés devant les clients par un chef japonais. Prix raisonnables. Recommandé !

Ichiban ramanan . Definitely come back again

Lovely restaurant with japanese classics, really enjoyed the chef's sushi selection. Inviting minimalist design. Just a few tables so quiter atmosphere than in other establishments in neighborhood. Very friendly and attentive service.

Everything we ate was delicious (especially the Ramen). Make sure to reserve a table, as its very popular.

Amazing melt in your mouth salmon nigiri and eel nigiri, try the specials which was the soft shell crab and dragon roll. Small restaurant, with the toilet being next door in the Korean restaurant. Ordered a Korean lemonade, not sure what was Korean about it. Definitely make a reservation!

An excellent small restaurant near the Meadows with a peaceful atmosphere, good lighting and brilliant food. The staff managed to fit us in on Avery heavily booked evening during the Fringe, which nets them a few bonus points. (Heavily booked but not crowded - there's plenty of room between tables and you never feel like you're interfering with other diners.)

The best Osaka yaki in the Edinburgh！ 出来前のお好み焼きならここです！

One of the best places I’ve eaten in Edinburgh. Fresh, cooked with love and care. Karaage so good it made my pupils go different sizes

너무 맛있어요! 초밥을 바로 눈 앞에서 만들어주니깐 재료에 신뢰가 가고 좋았어요!

Up there with the best sushi I've had anywhere. Good sushi starts with good rice, and the chef's sushi rice is truly outstanding. I had been pining for authentic, good quality sushi following a couple of grim experiences here so we were thrilled to find Sakae. Everything we ate was delicious and made with care; okonomiyaki will be a winter staple later this year. Noticing the vegan/gluten-free okonomiyaki options; really lovely that they cater for these requirements. Totally recommend.

Best Sushi & Okonomiyaki in Edinburgh👍👍👍

The sushi here was so good. i had the dragon roll and the tuna nigiri. it was a little on the expensive side, but filled me right up! the way they do the billing system can be confusing and weird, but otherwise it was a really good time!

Best Japanese food in town. My mother is Japanese and each time I eat here I feel homesick. The main chef is a very seasoned professional that has worked in many Japanese restaurants and is also responsible for training many Japanese cuisine professionals. His food is just amaizing. The service is great, booking is advised as it fills very quickly.

Best Japanese restaurant in Edinburgh!! Fresh ingredients, fairly priced and the staffs were very friendly.

It was an unpleasant experience. I had an upset stomach after eating in this restaurant. While I am eating, I have noticed that the sushi chef handled the food and details badly also the food are dirty. I have also noticed that the tea price is overpriced for average Japanese restaurant in Edinburgh .

I had a very good dinner in Sakae. Courteous service, very good food, and reasonably priced. I will be back soon.

The chef is from Japan so the food is really authentic!

全ての料理が最高なお店！日本人の私でも大満足です。英国でこんなに美味しい日本食が味わえるなんて幸せでした(´∀｀)また食べに行きます！

Amazing food and friendly staff :)

Nous avons fortuitement decouvert ce restaurant japonais, une belle surprise, petite carte. Nous avons commandé une soupe miso, des makis et une "hell soup" : un délice ! Nous avons même eu un plat spécialement préparé pour notre bébé à base de beignets de citrouille, riz et tofu. Merci pour l'accueil !

This is the only japanese owned restaurant in edinburgh and it really shows through their menu. Great staff and Seiji-san made me feel like I was dining back home in Tokyo. I couldn’t get enough of the shime saba nigiri.

Don’t be fooled by the simple decoration of the restaurant and its lack of exotism when compared to so many other “japanese themed” restaurants. Here, you are in a true japanese restaurant. And its elegance is all in the food and in the people. The sushi in Sakae is better than most you’ll ever taste. And in particular, the best I’ve ever had outside Japan (and I’ve had many a piece). Good rice in small quantity, quality ingredients, well cut, adequately seasoned when needed. Aburi salmon melts, normal salmon just sings. Even shrimp was delicious (I usually avoid it). Seiji san knows what he is doing. Order the Sushi Omakase, you can not go wrong with this one. This place will become crowded when people learn of this gem. Cheers from Barcelona!

Ausgezeichnete japanische Küche. Würde man von aussen nicht so erkennen.

Excellent food and familiar atmosphere. Toilets are next door :)

A lovely restaurant with delicious food and really nice staffs, with very reasonable price. The chefs are Japanese, so you know that you'll get authentic Japanese food here :)

Delicious lunch I'll be definitely back

Excellent tofu lunch option really enjoyed the food

Blown away! The sushi was delicious, it’s obvious that the chef knows his craft. Highly recommend the omakasae, you can feel that the ingredients were fresh, and that the rice was quality. Only thing I would improve is the decoration/lighting, but otherwise the service and experience was impeccable 👌

Really brilliant Japanese Restaurant, the dishes are all delicious!

Perfect service and when they mis understand your words, they don't order for pay

My 7 year old daughter and I ate delicious vegetable gyoza; dragon roll and ramen. The staff were so lovely 🥰. Will defo be back!

The food is sooo delicious! And they served really fast. Although the space is a bit narrow, may not able to hold a big group of people.

Fantastic, flavorful food - friendly welcome. Highly recommended