Umi Japanese Bar & Restaurant in Middlesbrough

Went on Saint Dwynwen’s day, 25th January (the Welsh equivalent of Saint Valentine’s Day). They went the extra mile to make the event extra special for my partner and me. *shout out to our server 🏆 Not a cheap eatery but you definitely get the quality that you pay for. 5/5 ⭐️

Been coming here for years now and the food and service only continues to get better!

Literally best food in Middlesbrough

Came across here by chance and really enjoyed it! The food is great and there are more vegan options that staff will talk you through. Coming back for my birthday lunch

I ordered again. Very delicious once again. The pork belly tonkosu raman though, wow. I can only describe the taste as deliciously wholesome. For a few moments, everything is right in the world. Only negative is the price unfortunately; along with just eat fees, it soon adds up.

I think I was one of the first to order here but the quality and taste of the food was amazing. It tasted like I wasn't in Middlesbrough at all! I will order again!

The food and service were both absolutely phenomenal and i've never seen nicer staff at any other restaurant, i would highly recommend

Excellent service, well packed and hot and ready on time. Will be ordering again

Amazing as always but was disappointed by the limited menu, theres so much more actually in the restaurant to choose from. It was all really well packaged too so you don’t get leaks :)

Great restaurant lovely staff very helpful would highly recommend it. they went above and beyond for my daughter's birthday will definitely be returning

Me and my boyfriend visit here once a week now, becoming regulars. Honestly one of the nicest sushi places and the cocktails are beautiful and very creative. The best part about this place is the staff, they make our time every visit and always make good recommendations. Thanks to August and Alex for making our date nights special!

We had an amazing experience visiting for lunch on my partners birthday, the aesthetic and presentation of both the location and all of the food was wonderful, all of the food was amazing and the level of service meant you never felt like you were waiting too long but had enough room to chat between courses. Highly recommend this location.

This is just THE most amazing place. Lovely restaurant, wonderful food and superb friendly and informative staff. Nothing was too much trouble and they wre unbelievably helpful in talking through the menu (for those of us not familiar with Japanese food) My friends and I now planning on making this restaurant visit a monthly event. A huge thank you for all concerned for making our Xmas get together so very memorable. We WILL return.....be warned!! Well done x

The ramen was amazing, staff were lovely especially August and Brandon! Can absolutely recommend for great food, delicious

Service staff was very friendly and attentive. We were served by August. The food was absolutely delish, and the Christmas themed cocktails were also lovely. Our thanks from a returning and a first timer customer!

Wonderful food. Excellent service and immaculately clean place.

Rare quality in this area!! The staff are also very friendly!

Amazing food packed full of flavor cooked to perfection. Absolute Gem in Teesside.

The best Japanese restaurant in the area by far!! We have been several times, and never once has it disappointed. The staff are so friendly and welcoming, fantastic cocktails and the food is unbelievable! It is fairly expensive but it's worth it for the quality of the food and presentation of the drinks. Highly recommend this place.

Food was on point, will be ordering again

Great food at a slightly higher price point that other local alternatives. If you want a treat or appreciate good food then you can't go wrong with Umi.

Ramen was really good as were the dumplings.

Just wow. I cannot fault the food at all - it was amazing.

one of the BEST ramen i’ve had, really appreciate keeping the broth separate so the noodles weren’t super soggy when it arrived, absolutely delicious, going to be a new regular!

This is a very serene environment, family friendly. The food is delicious, I didn’t quite enjoy my Sushi but the other meals I ate was tasty. I will definitely go back

Excellent food and service. Ordered a few different dishes to share - each one was delicious. Very welcoming and helpful staff. Will definitely be returning and sampling more of the menu.

Starters were good but the quality of the sushi was very poor. The rice didn’t appear to be sushi rice. Disappointing in general and the service was unfriendly. I wouldn’t look to return.

Delivery was on time but was stone cold and was in no way anything like what I ordered…my dogs enjoyed it though

This is our second visit and we absolutely love it. The food is incredible especially the prawn lollipops and Alex is an absolute asset to the restaurant. What a top bloke! We will be back.

Really good quality food tad on the expensive side.

Absolutely amazing beautiful food. Definitely coming back. Alex and all staff very professional and welcoming

Called in early on Saturday afternoon with my mother for lunch, we both ordered from the ser menu which works out as very good value. I had the miso soup for the appetiser, it was good but completely overshadowed by the subsequent 2 courses. For the starter I had the yakitori skewers, they were delicious, both the texture and flavour were excellent, especially with the dish of ground chilli flakes we had to dip in. Might be the best yakitori I've had. I also tried one of my mother's salmon maki and can report they're also very good. As it should be the real star of the meal was the main, I had the katsu chicken futomaki, it was beautifully presented and the taste incredible. It's not easy to recall when I've enjoyed sushi so much. In addition the chicken teriyaki donburi looked excellent and was reported to also be delicious. In summary highly recommended, especially if you're able to make it at lunchtime to take advantage of the set menu. We'll definitely be back at some point in the near future.

Incredible, authentic Japanese cuisine. I had the Squid Karaage, Beef Shin Udon and Matcha cheesecake, all exceptional. My fiancée had the cheeseburger bao, Pork belly ramen and double chocolate brownie, all lovely too. The chocolate brownie was not very subtle though and sickeningly rich for me, fortunately I didn't order it 🤫 Tried a popcorn whiskey too and boy are they to die for, an absolute must try. Server August was fantastic, lovely rapport and incredibly polite and outgoing. Umi > Wagamamas if you're curious. Only marked down slightly on atmosphere as I like dim and somewhat claustrophobic places that feel very cosy and we did end up going early afternoon, the restaurant was quiet and a huge open floorplan on display. Nice decorations and lovely vibe though.

Made to feel welcome by our waitress August. Food was amazing, definitely coming back when we get the chance.

Great food, great service- Alex is an excellent host and member of staff. Everything was very fresh, good portion sizes, and excellent drinks options. We had one issue but it was rectified immediately, and because of that we would definitely return.

So so good. Definitely recommend

Ramen should come already in broth, so noodle arent stuck together n hard to enjoy, other than meh rqmen everyrhing was good, but will stick to going to restaurant instead as was like a choir prepping my own ramen like a store bought one

Had the gyoza and skewer starters with a teriyaki don main and a tokyo sunrise cocktail. The best food I have had in a long time. The staff were also incredibly friendly and offered me cutlery since i couldn't get used to the chopsticks 😅

From the quick, friendly service to the amazing food, Umi’s has never disappointed. It’s definitely the best independent Japanese restaurant in Middlesbrough, a hidden gem. It’s reasonably priced and there’s always good portion sizes. They have a wide range of cocktails on the menu, and Asahi beer is usually on draught, although this is on the expensive side for Middlesbrough. There is a set menu for dinner and à la carte for tea. We’ve never had any issues here, we usually just have starters and mains, although the desserts also look delicious.

Beautiful shitake mushroom ramen. The broth was super rich, creamy with a massive umami punch...possibly the best vegan ramen I've had. The noodles themselves were the perfect texture, soft but retained a good chew and bounce, and plentiful flavoursome toppings that really complemented the dish. A tad on the greasy side would be my only hangup, but it didn't take away from the overall experience.

Really nice place located centrally in Middlesbrough. Steak dish looked small at first but was very filling and delicious. Staff very friendly

The most perfect birthday meal with my family! The staff knew it was my birthday from the booking and they really went over and above to make it special for us. I came in to see the staff had left a little necklace as a gift and birthday message on the table which was so unexpected and so thoughtful. They looked after us so well. The server helped to recommend things from the menu and made sure we always had water and drinks. The food was amazing as usual, and we cant wait to come back. My parents had never tried Japanese food and they were really impressed with the food they ordered. Thank you so much to all of the staff at Umi, you are lovely people :)

Food came just as you eat it in the restaurant. Wish the starter was 2 bao buns I didn’t expect just 1, nevertheless a lovely meal,well packaged, so flavoursome and HOT! ⭐️

Excellent sushi, I love eating here!

We went there for dinner, amazing menu and great service. The cocktails are superb. Sushi is freshly made. highly recommended.

Visited here last night and was straight away struck by how caring the people were that were serving me. I explained I was vegan and they immediately explained what was available to me with recommendations. I went for the tofu rice pockets and seaweed sushi for starters. Both were extremely good and were decent portions for a starter. I then went for the mushroom miso ramen which was amazing and the broth salty and creamy with a little kick of chilli. Again, the staff were very accommodating and asked on more than one occasion if I needed anything else. August being one and a gentleman behind the bar that I didn't get his name. Keep up the good work guys, you are winning!

Visited here last night and was straight away struck by how caring the people were that were serving me. I explained I was vegan and they immediately explained what was available to me with recommendations. I went for the tofu rice pockets and seaweed sushi for starters. Both were extremely good and were decent portions for a starter. I then went for the mushroom miso ramen which was amazing and the broth salty and creamy with a little kick of chilli. Again, the staff were very accommodating and asked on more than one occasion if I needed anything else. August being one and a gentleman behind the bar that I didn't get his name. Keep up the good work guys, you are winning!

I’ve never been to a restaurant with such gorgeous food and equally attentive and helpful staff!

Tasty and arrived really quickly, but quite price and I wish they had a bit more variety on the delivery menu.

Wonderful staff and food, always incredible quality provided by both. Would recommend wholeheartedly to anyone interested in a excellent Japanese food and drinks. I especially rate the pork Ramen and Udon noodles, along with their wonderful selection of cocktails! I tried the Year of the Dragon this trip, and will be returning to have it again 100%

Delicious bowl of seafood noodles (udon). The broth was very flavourful and there were generous amount of seafood within. Friendly and chatty waiters too

Beautiful food, amazing waitress, but a bit expensive

We've visited multiple times with family and friends. The food is always excellent and the staff are really friendly and helpful. Definitely worth a visit!

It was a Monday night and few places were open. Fell upon this place and it was magical. Highly recommended. The wine was good too!

A night out with the girls. Well what a fabulous night! The staff were excellent and the food absolutely marvellous. Although the restaurant was quite don't be fooled. The quality of the food was exceptional it was fresh and flavourful. Will definitely be visiting again.

Absolutely wonderful Japanese cuisine. I'd just got a review from a friend earlier in the day who posted pics of a delicious bowl of seafood ramen (my usual goto Japanese restaurant choice) so I went along with high expectations. The Duty Manager was very efficient, listened and agreed when I said that perhaps a big bowl of ramen might be too much after a hot summery evening (I had a gig to do later) so he recommended the fillet steak tataki roll. (Beef tataki takes filet beef, marinates it, sears the outside and then when the meat is only lightly seared, slices it thinly similar to sashimi ) It was absolutely delicious. And a very reasonable price. We stayed overnight after the gig and I was contemplating going there again for a bowl of lunchtime ramen but I've got to head off. Next time in Boro I'll be heading back. Excellent restaurant. There a couple of 1 star reviews on here about the place (overwhelmingly countered by 5* ones and it makes you think "What planet are some people on?"). Great food, great staff, great value. Thanks again. See you next year.

Food is tasty, but why is the delivery menu so restrictive? Such a small selection compared to the eat-in menu and the delivery menu is very safe and boring. I might order more often if there were more options. At this price point, I expect to be able to try something different.

I was very surprised by the exceptionally good quality of both cocktails and food

Delicious! Authentic and perfect. This meals was everything I expected and more. 100% would recommend to everyone I know!

No flavour. Food was cold. Bau bun had nothing in it. Not authentic Japanese. Won’t be ordering again.

the food was lack lustre for the price , the meat wasn't nice and was basically just fat, overall just over priced for what u get

Amazing food! delivered warm and on time

Food was lovely staff were brilliant

We've been to Umi a few times and never had a bad experience, the staff are always really friendly and quick to serve. I tend to try most of the meals on the menu and the most recent time (yesterday) I tried the Steak Teriyaki Don and I just had to leave a review because it's the best meal I've had there. The steak was cooked perfectly with amazing flavour.

Umi has been amazing since before they moved but they've really stepped it up a notch with the makeover and larger premises. A noticeable focus on customer service throughout the meal and from every member of staff. The food also seems to have gotten even better and without a massive spike in price and they even run smoothly at peak times! Definitely one of my favourite restaurants in the whole of teesside. And they're extra nice if you go for your birthday :)

honestly such exceptional food. I ordered from Stockton so unfortunately came on the warm side but that can't be helped, it's still amazing regardless but its so much better actually in the restaurant. I work up and down the country so I've tried many different Japanese places but for me umi is tied No.1 with another. blessed to have such banging Asian food a stones throw away.

This place was on my to vodit list. Dropped in at the last minute for lunch whilst passing through boro. Nothing was a problem for (Alex) server. Genuine advice/ suggestions and guidance given. Me specifically requesting a runny egg in ramen if possible. Chef poached one especially. Which they totally didn't have to do. Very few customers at the time as we arrived around midday, but still cool and relatively relaxing environment. We where a couple of people. One of us never having never had Japanese food before. Both chose from the set menu. ALL food was excellent tbf. Love ramen and wasn't disappointed. Order the toasted sesame seeds to top it off, which would have been nice if offered with, but none the less very good quality fare. Gyoza's were yum af. Both left full and happy. Would return 100%.

Wow! Wonderful food and 5 star service. Top quality cocktails and Japanese lager on draught! The two members of staff that served us had plenty of knowledge to help us order.

Tonkotsu ramen is not a pork bone soup but a cream soup. It's a fundamentally different taste. I took one bite and felt sick. I don't know where they get their noodles from, but they are soft and fluffy, and Lao's instant noodles are definitely chewier. I feel cheated and will never go again.

Always a great experience! Fast service and great food, I try to come here once a month or so. Loved the cauliflower bao, great veggie option. Favourite sushi place + great value. Couldn’t fault the staff or atmosphere.

Amazing service, went above and beyond. Will be returning in the near future! Servers recommendation for a cocktail was beautiful, I’d recommend getting Tokyo sunrise too :)

Lovely place, lovely service, went for my husband’s birthday with the grandchildren. Thank you, I love sushi now. Didn’t think I could change my mind

Gorgeous food and the service is top quality.

Absolutely delightful, love this restaurant and I've been here so many times, always worth it. The staff are lovely and very attentive!

Best restaurant ever. Amazing food and kind hearted staff who gave me a free origami. When you drop chopsticks they instantly give you new ones. (Olivia age 9)

Had a wonderful time here for a birthday celebration . Staff could not do enough for us . Food was cooked well and staff was attentive .

Lovely atmosphere, polite and informed service, fantastic food! Particularly impressed with the willingness to explain and recommend food.

Been meaning to try this restaurant for a while and boy, I’m glad we did, we didn’t really know what to order , so asked Alex the waiter what he would recommend and he delivered in spades! The food was excellent, the scallops were quite possibly some of the best that I’ve tried. If you’ve fancied dipping your toe into Japanese cuisine, don’t hesitate to give it a try. We will definitely be back.

We have eaten Japenese food before but we were really impressed by the standard of cooking and the variety. Every dish was ful of taste and beautifully presented. The standard of cleanliness in the restaurant is amazing with every table thoroughly cleaned down after each diner. However the standout for us was our waiter that night who advised us on our choices. Made no effort yo oversell but endured that every dish was a taste sensation. I would reccomend this restaurant to those familiar with Japanese food and those new to the taste and textures.

Loved the food here. Waiters are great at recommending dishes so don't be afraid to ask!

Had a really good experience ordering from here. Had the three course set menu and everything was delicious and wonderfully presented, the restaurant gave me a call to let me know when the driver had collected my order.

Every since time we go here, it’s for a special event, our most recent one was for our 3 year anniversary :> the staff are always so lovely and accommodating to customers comforts and wants and always place us in the seats we like to be seated in. Always a good sign when I see the same regular staff that remember our faces too, it comforts me to know the environment is not only friendly for the customers but the staff too. The food itself is so spot on, not one problem ever. It’s so authentic and rich and every time there’s little to no delay with getting our orders to us. The menu has a lovely variety and is also vegetarian and vegan friendly (limited options but still a variety) and overall it’s an amazing and relaxing place to enjoy authentic Japanese cuisines, and will always be mine and my boyfriends special place for special occasions. I recommend this place with my entire stomach

most scrumptious, had a full belly and happy face after scranning a bowl of noodles 🫡

One of the most underrated things about Umi are their incredible cocktails - nowhere else lives up to what they do! So lovely :) Really great to see vegan options too - can’t recommend enough.

Good soup Loved the sushi and the staff were very attentive and polite, came in a busy time but food and drinks arrived quickly, and the prices are great for the quality of the food. Definitely a a new go to dinner when I visit again :)

Nice place, friendly, attentive staff, menu on restaurant week looked good , we were offered the a lacarte as well.we decided to eat off the special menu for £19/2 courses. My friend had the salmon and avocado sushi, she only ate the middle of the sushi roll- rest was sticky & unpleasant, I tried it but am not a sushi convert, no good asking me to pronounce on these. I had the chicken gyoza- ok, properly cooked but I felt the filling could have been anything. The dips provided for the sushi & gyoza were appropriate & tasty. Main courses, my friend had the chicken katsu curry which she said was very good indeed. I had the bbq pork belly noodle soup- for which a £2 supplement applied. There was about a tablespoon of pork - possibly mince?? and some nori seaweed as well as the noodles, all sat in a creamy broth. It was ok. Frankly there’s only so much broth & noodles you can eat. I was asked if I enjoyed the food- I did, however there really wasn’t enough of the pork to pass judgement on. All in all it was adequate- poor value. I must say the staff were very good. We ordered a bottle of wine, a choice of two on the wine list - neither suited so we ended up with an unremarkable Chardonnay. Everyone around us seemed to be on cocktails- there were some interesting ones around. Word to the wise, if you’re going here for an intimate meal, (luckily we weren’t) be advised the tables for two are very close to each other. We had conversations with our near neighbours on both sides! All in all an interesting experience but overpriced in my opinion. Staff & service excellent.

I love this place after first time ordering I'll be back so quickly since the quality,amount and price of food here is very good ! Food was perfect in my order thank you ,the little heart and note on the box with the company sticker is adorable 🥰 10/10 reccomend

So tasty :) im so happy you guys deliver

Some of the most delicious food I have had in a long time. The pork belly bao buns and ramen were exquisite. The wait times were quite long but the food was most definitely worth it. The staff were most friendly and charmingly helpful offering beneficial advice.

August is a great server! Delicious food and great service 10/10 😁 Asahi is a great beer choice fitting for this restaurant

Amazing restaurant! Delicious food, fantastic service. Waiter was more than happy to take the time and describe different dishes and flavours, his recommendations were top notch! Visited while in the area on a training course. Wish it was closer to home, I’d be in there all the time!

A little pricey but the food was amazing, would recommend

Delicious, never tried takoyaki before today and thought it was amazing, prefer the noodles when eaten in the actual restaurant but was still tasty

Food is divine and the service is impeccable

First time visiting and it was great, food was fresh, staff were great and a nice calming atmosphere.

Food was good however came lukewarm & for £51 it was very underwhelming. Have dined at Umi many times however in my opinion adding delivery as an option has lowered the quality! Will definitely eat at Umi but will not be ordering online

Food was good (got to keep the hair pin from the pink cocktail). Staff was kind but be mindful that the food takes quite long to prepare, don’t recommend going in super hungry.

Portions very small for the money charged?skewers absolute joke !

A little expensive but super tasty! Would definitely get again. Also would highly recommend the vegetable gyozas.

Always come back here! Lovely staff and service, so accommodating and polite. Food is always nicely presented and fresh and the place is always spotless!! Great addition to the area. Would recommend !!