Taro in City of London, Westminster

A very busy spot—clearly a popular place! There are plenty of seats, but it does get quite noisy, so it’s not the most relaxed atmosphere. That said, it’s a great option if you’re looking for a quick, affordable lunch. The prices are reasonable, and the portions are generous. I ordered ramen and a sushi bento, which came with miso soup. The fish was fresh, and everything tasted solid for the price. Staff were friendly and efficient too. Overall, a good value sushi place—perfect for a casual, no-fuss meal.

Been coming here intermittently for a while. Been close to a decade since my last visit. Food is usually a bit better but I've never been there with it so busy. Still good eats but I've had it better. I was also a bit hangry when I arrived.

Good Chicken Teriyaki with vegetables - good portion of meat for the price. Note that there is a lot of Teriyaki sauce.

Excellent restaurant for eating Japanese cuisine. The Dons are highly recommended (see photo). Friendly staff, they even let me charge my phone.

Quite good bento, but all just a bit staid. I came here years ago and it was very good so was hoping for similar. Maybe I just ordered wrong... maybe ramen next time

Always had an amazing experience here. Our fav restaurant anytime we come to London. Good price/food quality.

popular with tourists, locals and workers, I find the Soho Taro is a good value spot for japanese style food. Great service today for a compact, popular spot. I rode home faster, today, for sure ;-)

El sushi es fantástico. Sabe increíble. Es un poco más caro en comparación con otros restaurantes de sushi. El servicio fue rápido a pesar de que fuimos durante un sábado ocupado hora de almuerzo. Yo recomendaría.

Nous avons dîné par hasard dans ce restaurant japonais et quelle belle découverte. Nous nous sommes régalés et notre fils de 2 ans aussi. Sourire du personnel nous avons passé un très bon moment

Good and fresh, however a little too much sauce for my taste. But great vegetarian options! It's nice!

One of my favourite affordable authentic japanese restaurant in London.

After eating at Taro, Soho, for over 20 years, I must say its standards are going down. The agadashi tofu, you can always judge the place by this dish, was poor. Bland and the sause was not tangy but very watery and lacked flavour and very little of it. The sushi rice was wet and lacked mirin and flavour. Seems staff were rushed, very crowded on this Saturday. Food was just OK. However the worse thing was the 10% surcharge which Taro started about 2 years ago. I see tables wanted to take this amount off. But we were not really looked after, simply food came out and plates went back. Not good for business or an image that reflects the Soho community. Update: went again April 2025, same.

Been coming here for years… Love the bento box

Always a great spot for great food at a very reasonable price considering it's in London. My favourite is the tonkatsu

Lovely ramen, very hot inside, lots of flies if you sit near the window.

Good authentic food in a cramped place

I usually go to a different branch so it was nice to come to the original/flagship taro is always a good choice!

Great Japanese restaurant just a stone's throw from Piccadilly Circus. Excellent food, room not very big so quickly very noisy

This used to be my favourite sushi and ramen spot when I lived in London, and would eat in at least twice a month. The place hasn't changed too much, but I felt on this occasion they fell well below the mark, the (Pork) ramen lacked the flavour it used to have and the pork it self was charred, as we left I peered at the other bowls of ramen others had been served and it appear the same , the lush colour was gone. The depth of flavour was so thin I felt ashamed I had brought my family to experience it. Whilst I had the Soho Bento box it was okay but it certainly didnt feel special. luckily I'm close to another Taro and can safely say that it might just be this branch as the other one is still really doing well.

Busy and buzzy Japanese restaurant that was packed at lunchtime even on a Monday. Service was a little slow but the food was great. My only issue with the Balham Rolls was that they were so large they were difficult to pick up!

Always packed Japanese restaurant in the heart of soho. Sometimes you’ll need to wait a little bit it’s always a good experience. The seating is crammed in so you’ll be sitting in (very) close proximity to other diners. The Taro Special bento box is probably my favourite thing on the menu. It’s an ‘in and out’ dinning experience, rather than sit down and take your time. I always enjoy coming here.

super fast service & really good quality food 🤩🤩🤩🤩

Busy, very busy - even at 18:00 on Thursday. Book a table! I had Duck bento (came with soup as well) - service was swift, price appropriate given this is central London, same for quality. Atmosphere - charged and busy, lots of energy. This is not a place for a relaxed and quiet date. Noisy... Hence 3 for atmosphere as the acoustics need some work - I struggled to maintain a flowing conversation.

I love TARO restaurants. This one is missing my favourite TANTAN ramen that you can find for example in Walthamstow in Taro Restaurant.

Good service, small but cozy place. Excellent food with taste and good flavor and good presentation. We loved it and very fast

Best chicken noodles I’ve ever had.

good food, very cramp though and you couldn't really relax being 50 cm away from 3 other tables. coming in and taking off your jacket you have to be careful not to hit other people or their food, the density meant servers couldn't see us so it was very difficult to get water as well (10m+ for just 1 glass!) - this could potential count as a human rights abuse

It wasn't very atmospheric. The food was meh and I did lose a lot of money

What's happened? High prices, smaller portions. We both had the seafood ramen. It was "spot the seafood". No prawns, about 3 tiny pieces of something that possibly resembled squid, bland broth, 2 carrot strips and soggy noodles. It was horrible. At £13.90, a huge rip off. The green tea was lovely, as usual and the vegetable Gyoza, pretty good, but a tiny portion. Taro was always my go to whilst in town, I'll be searching for something better, with better value for money. I rarely give bad reviews, and it pains me to do so.

One of their many branches and one of the original locations. Walthamstow is their latest opening from that last time checked. The service was quick, flexible on requests and food was fresh and lovely, as always. I will recommend to try their new Chicken & Avocado Dragon Roll, whilst it’s still warm. A crispy / crunchy texture. Their Chicken Kaarage, was nice but lack the notes of garlic, soy and other stand out ingredients. However, when paired with a Spicy Mayonnaise Sauce and squeeze of lemon. Then that will elevate the taste sensation. The weakest was their Chicken Teriyaki, when not BBQ with the charcoal, you can tell it’s generic somewhat. Their Taro Special cocktail is a creeper, it’s light and refreshing. Overall, a nice quick stop after a little shopping at Maharishi.

Standard and no fuss Japanese food. You get exactly what you get and the price is fine as the portions are absolutely monstrous. This and Eat Tokyo are my go-to places for 6 years now. The bento boxes are amazing value and definitely where you get the most. Any of the “don” rice bowls are also massive.

Absolutely amazing place. Excellent customer service. The food is so delicious, you just want to go back. Loved the sushi, bento box and miso soup. Really flavourful and tasty. Service is super quick. I will be back!

We went to 2 other places and left after realising the menus were misleading before finding Taro and we were so glad we did! The food was absolutely delicious and so reasonably priced. The bento boxes were fantastic value for money and the quality of all the food was 10/10. The best eel I've ever eaten. We will definitely be returning on our next trip to London.

The food was great, the service was fine but the room was very noisy.

Very good food. Large menu. Staff not very prepared for allergies and intolerances and not very helpful.

Prezzi buoni per una cena giapponese. Abbiamo provato i bento box, delle box mister dove poter assaporare diversi patti. Anche i ramen buoni, così come i gyoza. Prezzi non male per essere a Londra!

The food was fresh and delicious. We ordered sushi and our friends ordered bento, which seemed very nice and well served. It’s a small very small place and was full. We were in a table for 6 and it was difficult to access my seat (close to the wall) if I wanted to go to the restroom during dinner I would have to bother my friends. I would go back to try the bento

I had an incredible dining experience at this Taro restaurant. The sushi was phenomenal, and the steak with rice was unbelievably delicious. The staff were cheerful and attentive. Food and drink prices were very reasonable. Highly recommend for an authentic taste of Japan. Will happily return!!!

Casual dinner with a client, the food was excellent and rather similar to a real Japanese restaurant

Lovely and good food for the price

A very lively and pleasant restaurant. Staff take and issue orders at lightning speed. Salmon Teri Don was delicious.

one of my favourite food spots. it does get very busy, especially on a friday night. so get there early.

outstanding, been a favourite for years every time we visit London highly recommend chirashidon

We enjoyed ourselves and had a pleasant time.

I love Taro food. Their Balaham being my favourite . Food here was just as good but the cafe lacks soul. Needs a overhaul to give it some style.

Defo recommend this restaurant Food was absolutely delicious!! We had steak and rice and chicken noodle dish! Staff were amazing! Very accommodating! Very busy.

Food was absolutely amazing but the best part was definitely the service, they were super accommodating and served us super fast as we had to be in the theatre next door within 25 minutes, they were very patient and lovely, will definitely go back!

Portions extremely generous and well priced

Una de las mejores comidas japonesas en la ciudad y servis era la mejor cena impresionante. También la persona acogedora era muy amable y profesión

Visited for lunch earlier today for the first time in a long time. It was super busy but there was space next to the kitchen. Service was fast and the staff were helpful and friendly. Food was delicious as always and I had the vegetable curry with the Honey Yuzu tea.

Amazing food and vibes! Would recommend

Located in Mayfair so expensive and busy but the crispy chicken and rice was very nice and a decent portion. I will be going back as near work and will add to this review

Always love coming to the original Taros. Made a reservation and worth it as it gets very busy. When we left there was a queue and it was Tuesday evening. Taro bento box ands beef teriyaki bento box always great as you get a bit of everything. Noisy and busy and small seating but so worth it.

A great staple of Soho, however it is overcrowded nowadays and a little chaotic. We had a booking for a certain time and had to wait 15 mins even though our table was empty and clean, the team were spread too far thin, and still add the service charge on even for a very fast and forgettable experience. Worth remembering the great service of years been and reinstating that.

This is my favorite place to eat! I’ve tried Japanese food in many places and countries, but nothing can beat gorgeous fresh Salmon Taro has to offer. Unagi bento box is my absolute favorite

Lugar increíble. Servir rápido y porciones grandes. La comida salió súper rápido y es una buena relación calidad-precio, especialmente con los precios de Londres. Vendría de nuevo

It's always a treat, never disappoints... the food is excellent.

Absolutely terrible experience! Went there with my wife for our anniversary, sat at the bar/console seats at the back right next to the kitchen. When my beef teriyaki arrived it was leathery and tough, they clearly used poor cut of beef. When I asked it be sent back the chef tasted it in front of us and in earshot of us and other customers (he was 2 metres away) he said "IT'S FINE, NOTHING WRONG, PERFECTLY COOKED". Then he and his other cooks continued to talk about customers ordering beef sending it back not knowing how to order properly in a mocking manner. I was about to give him a piece of my mind and walk off but didn't want to spoil the day with my partner! Horrible service, this place has gone down hill, living off it's reputation only. The beef is tough and chewy like leather, staff and cooks can't deal with returns! Not recommended this restaurant, will not return! Avoid

Was really looking forward to my lunch here unfortunately it wasn’t great. Ordered beef teriyaki , beef was extremely tough and chewy, was not good cut of meat . So I send it back after try 2 pieces. Once food returned to kitchen staff was disrespectful, chatting loudly for couple of minutes “That’s nothing wrong with beef. Why people order beef if they send it back. Making jokes and laughing “ Honestly make me feel uncomfortable,I was sitting by the bar so I can hear everything! Definitely not planning on coming back here awful way to talk about customers.

Solid, not amazing, but good portions 👍

Homely no frills Japanese restaurant that serves fresh sushi in central London for such reasonable prices. My second time here and I love their chirashi bowl A. Their sashimi and nigiri is always really fresh as well. Service is amazing and prompt. Tends to get quite busy on weekends, so expect to queue for 20 minutes or more especially during dinner time. But it’s well worth the wait imo.

Small restaurant and lots of wind when you sat by the door food was okay it did come out quick

Delicious food, fresh and well cut sushi. I loved the eel bento and the special bento was very delicious, the fries were very well made and the food comes out quickly. Very friendly waiters. Good quality price.

The hot food was good, the sushi bit was mid.

The worst makis! Super hard algae! Tasteless makis. Very bad service. Very unfriendly server. Tables next to those of the neighbor. And finally, the bill without any details. The worst makis! Very hard seaweed! Bland maki. Very poor service. Very unpleasant waiter. Tables stuck together with those next door. And finally, a bill with no details.

Cozy Japanese noodle & sushi bar. I had a chicken ramen and 4 chicken gyoza. Everything was delicious. Service was also very friendly, quick and professional. Recommended if you are around soho.

The atmosphere was a bit overwhelming - very cramped. But the service was very fast paced and the food delicious ! decent prices for the portion sizes , reccomend the katsu don!

Delicious food in a friendly and welcoming atmosphere that leaves you feeling warm and fuzzy inside. 😊

Authentic place. Super ramen and duck with rice.

This was one of the worst dining experiences I've had in London, I was told by an employee at the checkout that the service charge was not removable, however I didn't see anything on the menu about a mandatory service charge. Other than that, after having diarrhea once in the evening after spicy tuna sushi, ramen noodles that were all pasty, and almost all of the dishes were pre-made, I will never come back to this restaurant again!

Delicious, fresh, underrated! Great portions. Lovely staff. Best sushi I have had in a long time. Used to be owned and operated by an older Japanese gentleman. Salmon sushi was just amazing.

The worst table service in Soho. That short guy with attitude is so rude to the point where he scares you.

We had Tonkotsu Ramen& Chicken teriyaki & some gyoza 🥟. Super fast, fresh, and delicious food. Very busy place.

Taro is my go-to quick and delicious Japanese place in Soho. The service is fast and efficient, the food is good quality and reasonably priced, the atmosphere is busy and social, but that's part of the charm.

hi friends , i go tarro today . staff 2 or 3 person very old man this tym he retire the home his talking way very bad bathroom is not clean . food is 10 percent quailty

Do not come here. if you do, do not order chicken teriyaki. foods old, chicken is stale, waiter is rushing orders, so he can turn around more people. will never come back and wouldn’t recommend.

The best tofu I ever had! Great service, delicious food. I'll come again, once back in London.

A really good bento and sushi place in soho, reasonably priced and fast friendly service!

Best Japanese restaurant in London. I hope it doesn't get ruined by tourists.

Delicious food, I was able to enter without a reservation, it was just a little late. Very fast attention and service, delicious food.

I had a beef ramen. Although the broth was quite tasty, I regret having chosen the beef which is ultimately boiled beef. In addition, there is a glaring lack of generosity in the meat. The pork ramen pasta was poorly cooked and some pasta remained in uncooked packets. I regret that I was not offered a version with an egg. The restaurant is quite basic but the toilets are borderline repulsive. Bad odor. Once you have paid your bill the staff no longer cares about you not even saying goodbye. I won't do it again.

Very attentive and quick service. The food was also very good and reasonably priced.

Japanese food lovers if you are in London this place is a Must. Great food at a reasonable price without losing quality. Love it and would love to have it everyday at my doorstep.

Real Japanese food! Take a box and don’t worry!

Everyone try this eel bento plzzzzz! It’s so so goooood and really worth the price. And the sushi, I literally can’t find a word to describe how delicious it issss.

Everything was very good. Thanks. And after 2 years I came back .. and it is very very good.

We had the Bento beef. The sushis were very fresh, but the beef was very chewy and couldnt eat. The tables were too small and uncomfortable.

Katsu curry was pretty good! Super cheap drinks and nice matcha cheesecake too

Amazing food, one of the best restaurants!!

Poss my fave restaurant in London

Taro forever! Always ready to deliver fresh Japanese food. Inexpensive, great value, it always feels home (12 years coming to Taro and counting).

best sushi i ever had! so good, the ambiente isnt for everyone (loud and noisy) but i personally really loved it. 10/10 :)

Chicken katsu was rubbery and didn’t taste great. Are 3 pieces of chicken and half the rice and then started feeling a bit sick. Complained and I was told I should have said straight away and they wouldn’t replace it nor take it off the bill. Manager was really rude. I’ve been coming to Taro for over a decade and won’t be going again.

The food was exceptional and arrived very quickly. Our booking was for 7pm, the restaurant was absolutely heaving at this point (which is a good sign that the restaurant is popular!) but I think they could have had 10 less people in the restaurant so it’s not too crammed and there’s still space to manoeuvre around, as I was tucked away into a corner I couldn’t get to the toilet easily, as well as so many people being in there it was hard to hear my groups conversation and that was quite annoying. My chicken ramen was delicious and my friends meals that included tofu dishes, vegetable curries and bento boxes looked very tasty. Would definitely come here for food again 😋🍜 but perhaps at a quieter time.

Small address in London far from the bustle of Picadilly. It's very good and well organized. Excellent value for money. Special mention for the service.

Cozy little place with delicious Japanese food. Highly recommend

Amazing food and service. Definitely coming back here for special occasions and a great bite to eat! Fantastic price as well.

Very big portions, excellent food. Was quite crowded but they got us in at the bar. Food came fast and was authentic.

Amazing Unaju and Salmon Sashimi! Ordered them every time!

Loyal supporter of the Kennington branch - however this branch feels like the Canteen. Alright food, alright service, but it’s VERY noisy all around just made me very uncomfortable. Super packed shop the tables have no space apart. I was sitting next to the bar tables, not even the waiter can fit behind the bar table to take orders without having any contact with me on the side. My other side was another couple and our tables were literally 1cm apart. Imagine the overlapping noise. Not that hygienic as well, lots of flies, very skeptical how it got a 5 star rating for food hygiene As a loyal Japanese restaurant fan - this branch is blacklisted.