Sushi No Mai in Watford

This was our first time trying this eatery in the Watford market. The staff are keen to help and provide quick service, both in taking your orders and preparing the food. I was rather disappointed by the seafood curry. For £7.30 I was expecting a little more food. It was rather bland with just a little bit of rice as well and both were not as hot as I'd have liked them to be. The Vegetable Ramen was oily and lacked flavour and also for £7.50 this was not worth the price. Tried it once but won't be going back.

This hidden gem is the real deal. At first view from the outside, this small restaurant in Watford Market appears a bit unglamorous. But if you're into genuine Japanese cuisine this is not to be missed. Authentic Japanese flavours freshly prepared with the finest ingredients. The staff are friendly and helpful. Sushi No Mai gets a bit busy at lunchtime, but it's worth the wait.

Probably the most authentic Japanese diner I've been to with all Japanese staff, the specials are all very well presented. Highly recommend.

We went to the restaurant and asked to eat outside. We watched people who came after us give orders, eats and leave. We received our order (only two dishes and a bottle of water) 40 minutes later after asking for an update as we were quite hungry. The food was okay but the portions were quite small. The lady who took the order from us asked us to pay before eating which I found a bit odd given we hadn’t even received the order yet. Quite disappointed and felt a bit awkward/uncomfortable. Not sure if it was because we were the only dark skinned there but when I told the lady after eating that it wasn’t okay how we were treated and she didn’t do anything about it. Really sad…

come to try the ramen but it is not very surprising The taste is fair, but the service is nice maybe their sushi is better looks fresh

I love this place but I'm a bit gutted as they don't seem to have sushi take away anymore. I totally understand that this was down to the sad passing of one of the owners. I will continue to check back and hope they start again soon. The quality of food is always amazing and service is great. The owner always greets you when you arrive and after my recent visit she remembers me even from the days when they were in the old market. Definitely worth giving it a go.

Very nice and typical Japanese small shop. unassuming but very professional. Looks like family run.

Probably the best Japanese hideaway in the UK. I’m nervous to write this review because Sushi No Mai is already way too packed for my liking. I lived for a while in Rapongi, Tokyo’s restaurant district, and this little hidden Japanese restaurant in Watford immediately transports me back there. Do yourself a favour and find their website, and then read their “Concept “. It will put a smile on your face. And maybe your children will hum.

We ordered chicken katsu curry the chicken came out cold the rice and sauce hot we sent it back and came back exactly the same. I has prawn curry and only got 2 prawns. Looks nice the prawns were nice shame about cold chicken twice.

really special lunch at this lovely, authentic Japanese restaurant. Friendly team, and really great value.

This place is nestled away in the Watford market and very small and cramped, but highly worth it. The head chef is very well trained in his profession and the servings are huge for relatively cheap prices. Not the largest range in menu but I got the chicken katsu curry which was massive as you can see in my photo! My mum got a ramen and my dad got a sushi bento set. They also sell their own sushi sets that you can buy to take home which they prepare fresh everyday!

Excellent Japanese food and good value highly recommended!!

大将が2022年11月にお亡くなりになったとのことで、寿司が食べられないと事前にご説明いただきました。お悔やみ申し上げます。 マグロのお刺身とエビフライカレーをオーダーしました。マグロのお刺身は味を感じられなくて残念でした。カレーは確かに日本のカレーでしたが、具が無かったです。今後寿司職人の再来を思い、星4個としました。

Visited with my families as being recommended and no sushi available. Found quality is just average but price looks cheap with no service charge only. Attached photos cost £8- for sashimi and £9- with rice, actually not cheap at all with this quality. Rice is pearl rice but not from Japan, The dishes and bowls used are just plain white and food hall quality and don’t understand why have such a long queue. It does not worth to specially go there for Japanese food!

Very disorganised, went there at 10:40 and the kitchen was not ready. Was told it would open at 11 for hot food, returned at 12 amd after waiting for 20 minutes was finally told the kitchen wasn't ready again. Had the take away sushi and was quite dissapoibted with the quality.

Authentic Japanese foods, which you just can't fault. The price has gone up (e.g. Sashimi special went up to £15 from £10), but it's still much better than other Japanese eateries in the area. The service can be slow, which is the only negative for this place.

Amazing food and so popular. Great value authentic Japanese food. The sushi is amazing! The restaurant is upstairs but there is a lift for people with mobility issues. Staff are friendly and the restaurant is clean and welcoming with takeaway available. Highly recommend.

I love the food. Owner makes sure that the seafood's are always fresh. A friendly budget meal. 100 over 100! Must try! :)

Got to the restaurant before closing time and were met with a queue, by the time we got to the front of the queue - we were told they weren’t taking any more customers, which was frustrating. We picked up a takeaway platter, which was well priced (£25) and quality of the sushi was really good for the price. Would definitely revisit to try the full menu!

Excellent food, good price. No need to go to the big sushi franchises this place is far better. I only which they delivered and do dinner, maybe a second location?

Super Excellent 5 star foods and service and price!! Custermers understand how busy eat nice foods then quick pay look after waiting queue other Custermers. I love ❤ this restaurant so warm like a Home. Best japanese restaurant in UK.

Great sushi and a lovely seat where we could watch it being prepared. So nice to see the open kitchen. Grandpa certainly knows his stuff. We love it there!

Watford's hidden gem. Authentic Japanese food (strongly recommend the Sashimi Set or the special of the chef (photo), reasonably priced with high quality ingredients and outstanding service (love the staff!). A must go when in Watford.

Watford's hidden gem. Authentic Japanese food (strongly recommend the Sashimi Set or the special of the chef (photo), reasonably priced with high quality ingredients and outstanding service (love the staff!). A must go when in Watford.

This is brilliant food and a price that’s can’t be beaten! I had the Sashimi set for £15. My wife had the Katsu salmon - “the best katsu I’ve ever had”.

I'm very happy day！Because ate beautiful vegetables curry & seafood ramen taste ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐and beautiful Japanese chef and Taiwanese staff are so nice！and so kind price!!😳I'm almost😥 Thank you so much for my beautiful day！😍

Went there for solo lunch. Had the dine-in experience. It was probably one of the best Japanese food that I’ve ever had in the area. The service was great, staff were friendly and happy to assist. It was during lunch time rush hour and they were preparing lots of takeaway orders, yet they were very attentive with me. Had some sashimi platter and the katsu curry. Portion was above average for the price. The fish tasted fresh and good amount. The curry tasted just like home-cooking, its their family recipe. Don’t expect your bog standard golden curry ready made curry mix type of affair. Highly recommend, would definitely come again.

Unforgettable, street food Japanise restaurant.

Superb lunchtime treat for friends and family. As tasty as ever. Not busy and easily got seated. The takeaway menu was better than ever and not only did we have a nice eat in meal, but I was able to take one home for my husband to enjoy too.

If you're looking for authentic Japanese food look no further, this restaurant never fails to disappoint me and always has me leaving with a big satisfied smile on my face! I have always recommended this restaurant as the quality of the food is to die for and you can't complain about how good value it is. The seafood ramen and sushi selection is exquisite!

Took my 10 year old son here for lunch. Very basic setting but food is excellent. Staff are also very friendly and knowledgeable. I will recommend and visit again very soon.

Lovely as always. Fast, fresh & friendly. Very covid aware with screens everywhere. No germs here, I felt safe and confident while enjoying lunch

I've been going here with my family for years and nothing can beat their food and service. Highly recommended to eat here. The staff are polite and are amazing, they make every visit worth every penny. Thank you to the staff for working hard for...

Excellent food and friendly staff. My favourite place in Watford.

Best of the best food tempura don and delicious sushi really sad they dont have delivery and short time open .

Some of the best food I've eaten anywhere. Tempura Don is legendary.

Great food. Long wait due to staff absences. The waiting staff work very hard. The owner can get stressed and allows his frustrations to show to customers on occasions, which is a shame. The food, however, is exceptional and you’ll need to go a long...

Great atmosphere, lovely staff, and authentic Japanese food. Highly recommended. Make sure you have cash on you

Fabulous as ever. Great quality, fresh, the best in town! Only downside is if you have to wait outside when the restaurant is busy. It can be cold in the winter and the council didn’t seem to think issues like this through when redesigning the...

A great place to go for lunch with friends. Always clean and freshly prepared. They offer a small menu of great quality food at reasonable prices. There is also a takeaway option should you wish to take some food home for later, something my husband...

Authentic, artisan and agreeable Pork scallop with a Katsu sauce Tempting tempura. Order anything on the menu.... It’s marvelous Basic decoration but the aesthetics of the food is enough to pander to the eyes. Service quick and unflappably professional. Stunning value for money, my Third...

Amazing asian food place, always fresh food and reasonable prices. Please make up longer working hours :)))

Have been eating at this restaurant ever since it was located in the old Watford market. Consistently top quality fresh fish ingredients beautifully presented. Yes, the decor and tables are basic but it's all about the food. Great value for money. There is a hustle...

This place is so bad . I wait for at least 3 hours and it still hasn’t served my food. TERRIBLE I DO NOT RECOMMEND

I have been buying takeaway platters from this restaurant for a couple of years now and always enjoyed the high quality of those products but recently I have begun going to enjoy a Saturday lunch in the restaurant. ACCESS - I use a wheelchair and...

Comfortably my favourite restaurant in Watford. I normally go for the tempura and one of the sushi platters. I’ve not found anywhere that serves Japanese food this good and at such reasonable prices. Service was quick even though it was busy and it has a...

Saw the review and decided to give it a try. There was a little bit of a wait to get a table, which is always a good sign. Turn around is pretty quick as people tend to eat and go. Saying that there was a...

If you want to taste a real Japanese Sushi in Watford this is the case. Located in Market Street. Quality and price in a good balance.

Visited on a recommendation with my two daughters rather than the usual chain we would go to for Sushi. So glad we did! The food was fresher, the staff friendlier and overall much better value than our usual place. It’s not plush or ritzy but...

Popped in finally for a quick lunch. Love the open kitchen. Amazing sushi, so fresh and tasty. The salmon was fabulous. Katsu curry was knockout! Amazing service and so quick! The price is crazy and the quality outstanding compared to the takeaway chains. Can recommend...

I was thoroughly impressed by this sushi restaurant. We ordered a sashimi set and an nigiri set as well as some other bits and bobs. It was delicious, fresh, and delivered with a smile. Absolutely worth the visit.

Very good quality sushi and Japanese food. It does get very busy and can sometimes have a queue. The fish is fresh and service is super friendly.

Piccolo locale nel mercato di watford. Una scoperta! Qualità eccezionale a prezzi a dir poco onesti. Da non perdere. Prepararsi alla coda per entrare.

Just a trip into Watford Town with my 13 year old boy.

All the sushi is amazing value, I had prawn katsu roll and two portions of the tuna roll as it was only 2.50 for 6 pieces, there is a nice amount of tuna in each roll and it’s so fresh! Recommend this 100%

Amazingly nice and cheap. Me and my wife love this place. Really enjoyed the Sashima set today and the Tempura was excellent as always!

Tucked away in the New Market, it feels like a secret destination. It's such a shame so many people know about it as it can get quite busy. If you can't get a table it's worth the wait, or opt to take-away.

Was taken here for a business lunch, from the outside it doesn't look all that...., but there was a queue of Japanese people waiting for their lunch...which must be a good sign...

Amazing food and amazing prize. The only problem I would say is the opening times... You need to go early if you want to find it open! I wish it would be opened all day.

Went there in the off chance and discovered this gem at Watford New Market. I’m so glad I did because the food was amazing including the tempura for starters and Japanese curry. Service was excellent and price was affordable. Yes I would go back again and again and try everything from the menu!

The freshest, most beautiful salmon I’ve ever had in my entire life. Tender and fresh to the point it was falling apart as you picked it up. Recommend the fatty salmon nigiri!

Been a good few of times for a lunchtime takeaway . Makes you realize that sushi from the big chains is not a patch on somewhere that makes it fresh while you wait. The tempura from here is amazing.

I am a big fan of Japanese food and I am not into nicely packaged factory made sushi.

This has got to be the best kept secret in London/Greater London! Amazing authentic sushi and not very expensive too! The sushi is better than any that you find in the refined sushi restaurants in the WestEnd! It's no surprise that the chef is the previous Harrods Sushi chef! However, don't be expecting a five star ambient. This is tiny establishment, cafe style above a bridge by Watford Market. However, the sushi more than makes up for it! It's exquisite! I'll rather have it this way than a smart restaurant with crap food!

Whenever I'm craving for a good sushi but don't have enough time to travel to London, I just go to this place and enjoy their excellent sushi. The way how they prepare the sushi rice is just prefect. It reminds me of the sushi back home in Japan. This place gets super busy during lunch time but the staff are very helpful.

This place is amazing sushi and such good value for money.

Had the chicken ramen, pork ramen and sashimi set for lunch. Came in at around 11.30am on a Saturday and had a seat straightaway. Could see the place was getting busier. The ramens were ok, the pork was a bit tough and not too much flavour with the soy soup based. The sashimi set however was really good in terms of taste and freshness and it's also very good value for £10 with a variety of items. When we were paying, we saw the takeaway sushis at the counter, they were also very good value. Will definitely return again to try their curry, tempura dishes and sushi.

Very rude staff especially the owner and his wife! says very little for Japanese good manners and courtesy... Here non existent..

I love eating here. Fantastic food, authentic tasting and very reasonably priced. Although be sure to arrive early for lunch as later on they often sell out

Always excellent, I have to go every week

We visited this sushi place last Wednesday for lunch. The sushi was so fresh. I will definitely recommend this place if you would like amazing sushi and sashimi.

Mi novia ha estado alabando a este lugar que desde que conoció y finalmente conseguimos ir.

Absolutely great. Friendly service, fresh and tasty food. Loved everything that we ordered. Surprisingly good value for money, we will definitely be back again!

This is my go to place in Watford. The prices, service, and food are always perfect. I usually order takeaway and get my food in less than 5 minutes. The staff is very friendly and helpful when it comes to recommendations.

Had a great lunch here! Everything was perfect. Will definitely be coming back very soon. Perfect place to have sushi

Assolutamente d'accordo con la maggior parte delle recensioni, pesce fresco e buonissimo, il piatto che mi aspettavo. Soddisfatta la voglia di sushi al 100%.

The food is great; fresh and authentic Japanese sushi tempura etc, as is the service. The only complaints I can find is that it's difficult to get in. It is small and has limited opening opening hours.

I was amazed by the price! Cheap! Sushi rice was nicely made and slightly warm. It's just right fluffiness in mouth. Assorted sushi platter at under £10 then it's very hardly to find the rice and quality fish at all Japanese restaurants in the city.

Really good firm fresh fish prepared and served by experts. Have only eaten the sushi here as it's too good not to have every time.

It seems that is a tiny Sushi Bar when we see it from outside, but instantly we realised it is a comfortable size when we came in. The restaurant can take about 30 people total, but at least another 20 people can be seated outside the restaurant if in the summer. We ordered a Sashimi Set and Tempura, plus Ramen with Seafood in miso soup, soy sauce and Ramen with Chicken separately. All dishes are delicious in particularly the Sashimi, so fress, except the soy sauce, which is too salty.

visited accidentally this small causal Lunch as we are fond of Japanese foods, was great surprise, the food are amazing, I may say best Japanese foods ever found in London, freshly prepared delicious sushi and sashimi and tembora, Prwons and vegetarians could not be more perfect as we had it in Tokyo,could not believe it when we the bill, amazing value for money,

Amazing sushi for lunch on Saturday - this little restaurant is not imposing, basic table and chairs, but the food is totally amazing and freshly made to order. Went here for lunch with my husband and was overwhelmed with the choice available on the menu. All the food was presented really nice on the plate, we had two different sushi dishes plus mixed tempura along with hot Japanese Green Tea. Very light, filling and fresh with wonderful fast service. Recommend anyone to try this place, a real little gem, one we will be going to again.

Had lunch here today and haven't been here for a long time and was not disappointed. Had a assortment of sushi and it tasted divine. Fresh and flavoursome and so tasty the best I've had for a long time. Beautifully presented and also had a side dish of mixed tempura vegetables which were exquisite and very very tasty and nice and crispy. To drink had green tea and all in all was a lovely lunch will be back again soon maybe next week. Thanks guys you come highly recommended again and again

Have been meaning to find Sushi No Mai for a while, and the trek into Watford at lunchtime rewarded us. Upstairs in the temporary home of the market is a café canteen serving a good selection of Japanese food. Despite it being busy we were seated within a minute or so, and our orders arrived within a few of minutes of placing our order. We had a set plate of Sushi, a Beef curry and a pork Ramen Soup. It was all freshly prepared and beautifully presented. The Ramen noodles were possibly a little salty for my friends palette but we had ordered the soup with Soy, so that might have been our mistake.Having been to Japan were were impressed with the quality of food - possibly not as good as what you would get served back in street food cafe /canteen in Japan, but comparable to anything you can get in London at a sensible price point. For an establishment outside of a major city this probably is as good as it gets, and deserves its excellent rating for quality and service. I took some pictures of the menu and have added them to the photos of the establishment on TripAdvisor.

The new Watford market is hidden away towards the end of the High Street.... but well worth the walk to sample this wonderful restaurant.It is small, so be prepared to queue. Once in, you will be amazed by authentic Japanese food of the very highest quality - at very affordable prices.The Today's sashimi platter at £10 is stunning! Salmon, Tuna, fatty salmon, scallop, shrimp, mackerel, sea bass, octopus and more. The tempura are superb, as is the katsu. Be careful with the wasabi: a light swipe will delight; too much and you will a full frontal lobe hammer-blow!We would eat there every day.

I've not eaten in here, but have had takeaway sushi and sashimi on multiple occasions. The food is excellent-super fresh, great portion sizes and fab value for money. I've been lucky enough to visit Japan and whilst not quite as good as some of the food we had there, it's certainly the best sashimi I've had in the UK. The tables are quite close together as you would expect (it's a cafe inside a market) and it's always busy, but this adds to its charm. I can see why buggies are not allowed inside. That's why with two preschoolers I've found it easier to get takeaway! That's not to say kids would be unwelcome, the staff have always been helpful and friendly to me.

The food here isnt bad dont get me wrong, definately not great but it will do if you needed a snack. However the service is appauling. First off you cant take childrens buggies inside, what are people supposed to do, leave there babies putside whilst they eat? Utterly stupid. The lady on the counter was exceptionately rude not helpful and didnt care and they dont take cards to top it off, what a backward place. Would i recommend here? No. Would i go here again, No...

Make 3 lunchtime visits each month. Due to it's popularity there is sometimes a wait for a table but worth the wait as the fish is always so fresh and well presented. The tempura deep fried prawns are to die for.Waiting staff are very friendly and helpful.Excellent value for money. Highly recommended.

Delicious and fresh food. A wide range of Japanese dishes. Delicious curry's! Always fully booked (that means something) and is not expensive at all! Recommended

We've been lucky enough to eat Sushi in Japan and this place is the real deal and ..... situated in Watford!Always freshly prepared and delicious. We have been known to invent a reason to shop in the area just so as we can eat there.The venue is very basic, hence only 4 stars, and you may have to share a table as it's always busy. But that doesn't matter at all because the food is SO good. Definitely can also recommend the ramen dishes as filling, tasty and excellent value. The couple who run it and their staff are all quietly unassuming but very hardworking in what looks like quite cramped conditions.We're usually tempted to buy items to take away because of the display located at the till point.

For £10 you can get a box of sushi rolls and salmon sashimi that will fill you up. I had the Watford Seafood Ramen Bowl for £6 and it was so fresh! Mussels, squid and king prawns were cooked perfectly. There is always a queue to eat here, however you can see the staff work so hard to seat everyone, but a bonus is you can sit outside and eat as well however I prefer to sit inside.The sushi and sashimi tastes amazing and fresh and you can even watch the chef at work which I love. This is one of the best sushi restaurant I've ever been too, it's now became a regular Saturday lunch time spot. Would advise going before 2pm as this is when it gets busy. Also they don't have a closing time as they shut when they sell our so better to go earlier than later so you don't miss the chance to eat!

Had a nice quick lunch at sushi no mai and ordered a set lunch...mom joined me later ordered the same set but we have different sashimi?! Overall good value and taste.

Loved everything about my time in Sushi No Mai, the food, atmosphere and being able to watch a skilled Sushi chef do his thing was fantastic.

an informal place, clean and cheap but very tasty! recommended to everyone! the best sushi I ever had!un posto informale, pulito ed economico ma buonissimo! consigliato a tutti! il miglior sushi che abbia mai provato!

Not enough Japanese places in Watford so this brings a refreshing change. Service could be better but overall an OK meal to go for instead of the usual curry

Moved away from Watford quite a while ago, but still keep coming back for our favourite meal, a Sushi lunch at No Mai. Not only very fresh and tasty, but also extremely good value. Sashimi special for £10, where else would you find that. No alcohol is served on the premises, cards are not accepted, but hat never was an issue for us at all.

How can a humble market stall produce Japanese food so good you cannot get this quality at any other establishment? The exception being a hand full of central London establishments that serve the elite. Don't take my word for it, go and see. You will love it.

Thought I'd give this place a try as Watford has so little Sushi places. It's quite a weird set up and definitely just a quick lunchtime place as its not really a proper restaurant as such. The Sushi was ok and reasonable but certainly not as good or as fresh as I normally eat. Went for lunch but won't be back in a hurry I'm afraid

A really authentic experience of Japanese cuisine in Watford. Had lunch with my young daughter who loves the fresh sushi

I am a regular visitor to Sushi No Mai and have never been disappointed. The food is all cooked fresh and very tasty at excellent prices. Staff are friendly and efficient. The Sushi is by far the best in and around Hertfordshire. The hot food is also great value and very tasty. A must visit for Lunch.