Umi in Richmond upon Thames

My favourite Japanese restaurant. Correction: my favourite restaurant, full stop. If you think Japanese food is just raw fish (sashimi) and sushi, then think again. This place has it all: yes, all the sashimi and sushi you can dream of (of course), but also tempuras, ramen and udon noodles, teriyakis, donburis, bento boxes and so much more. Try new things - you will be absolutely delighted. Everything here is just perfectly prepared and utterly delicious. If you haven't had the grilled eel, for instance, that melts in your mouth, then try it (either as a teriyaki or donburi), savour its special sauce, enjoy it and thank me later. And don't forget to have a dessert at the end. The black sesame ice-cream is exquisite - proper ice-cream for adults! And while you obviously know all about Sake, if you have a sweet tooth I highly recommend its more prestigious cousin: plum wine. The flavour will dance on your taste buds and fill your mouth with joy. This is a restaurant that I keep coming back to, and not just for the wonderful food. The service is always so friendly and welcoming, it somehow manages to make me feel both special and also at home. Amazing. I would strongly recommend booking before coming, as while you probably would get a table as a walk-in, it does get full at times. You can either come here by bus (33, 490, R68 and R70) or drive. If you come in the evening you should find free parking both on-street and in the nearby car parks.

We can't quite describe how much this restaurant means to my partner and I. It's the only place we feel the urge to return, not only for its food but also for the staff, their service, the vibe, and the overall experience. We found it when I was living in the area and now that we moved further away, we still want to return. The food is simply delicious, we never miss on the tuna tataki or the gyozas, and the teriyaki beef is so flavoursome! I never appreciated sushi before, and I am not ashamed to say that it was a game changer when I tried it here! The staff is super attentive and personable, making you feel very special, and to whom we want to give our heathful thanks. The atmosphere is very cosy, and it's also the restaurant where my partner and I started having our first dates, so for us it's definitely beyond special. Thank you Umi, and we can't wait to see you again very soon. :) Serena

Tasty sushi and very kind staff, perfect spot for lunch!

Went for dinner here for the first time tonight, it was amazing! The food was all beautiful (our favorites were the aubergine starter and ramen mains), but the best part was the service. Everyone who served us was friendly and helpful, we will definitely be back.

I had a very enjoyable meal with my friends at UMI today! The food was very delicious especially the prawn tempura which was served exceptionally crispy. The volcano sushi was very good too. As an avid fan of Japanese cuisine, I would say that the food here is really great Japanese food. The staff is friendly and the place is clean and tidy. Would highly recommend!

I had a very enjoyable meal with my friends at UMI today! The food was very delicious especially the prawn tempura which was served exceptionally crispy. The volcano sushi was very good too. As an avid fan of Japanese cuisine, I would say that the food here is really great Japanese food. The staff is friendly and the place is clean and tidy. Would highly recommend!

It’s really a good place to have Japanese food here in Twickenham. I came with my friends today and they were the first time to UMI. The foods were absolutely fresh and tasty as usual, well presented and the services were warm and friendly too. We all felt very satisfied with the lunch today and absolutely will come back again!

Been here quite a few times, either during lunch hour or dinner time, and the food is pretty good with decent price (as in London). I really like the bento boxes with plenty of side dishes; the tempura is piping hot and crispy; got a few different futo maki at different times, and those were so nice (the presentation as well); had some sashimi and they are fresh, personally love scallop the most. Service-wise, the staff were so friendly and welcoming. I noticed they chat with customers sometimes, which makes the atmosphere feel really warm. I think Umi is one of the best in the area. Yes, it might not be the "most truly authentic" Japanese food you would ever have, but it's a nice place with delicious food for you to catch up with friends and family, or when you miss Japanese food. Would be back in the future :))

Excellent food, really friendly and attentive service. Lovely :)

This place is terrible. Let me explain why. My wife is Japanese and I have lived in Japan for many years. We just moved bak to the UK, Twickenham and saw the reviews of this place and thought it must be ok. However, the reviews are wrong and it is awful. I had the Gyu Don (beef bowl), which is meant to be a dish of braised, very thinly sliced beef with onions in a sweet sauce, over rice. What I got was a bowl of Chinesse stir fried rice, totally wrong with the wrong sauce and thick pieces for fried beef with thick slices of half cooked onion. There was nothing delicate or aromatic about it. Horrible, truly horrible. My wife had Ocean Don (Kaisen Don in Japanese). The sashimi was just average and not like it should be in Japan. The rice was overwhelming, far too much. We intended to stay for a while and have a few beers but left immediately after eating. The shop is small, crammed with tables where you have to keep ducking to let the staff get past. The toilet was a mess. Not clean at all. We tried to speak to the staff in Japanese and they didn't have a clue. They are not Japanese and neither is the food. £66 for this is an absolute liberty. In Japan I would be aghast to pay £20 and my wife could make much better for £10. If you don't know what you are cooking, leave it alone and cook your own food. This meal should have cost about £15 and nothing more. I had friends who wanted to go there tonight and I told them to avoid at all costs.

The best food and incredible service! We had ramen, katsu and the best sushi! Highly recommend and will definitely be back.

Amazing food. Amazing service. Truly lovely people. Thanks so much. Me and the misses really enjoyed ourselves.

This place is always busy. Food is delicious and beautiful Each dish is a work of art. My photos do not do the justice. So I am not posting them. This restaurant definitely deserves a visit.

Umi is one of our favourite places as the food and the service are equal levels of excellent. My husband and I came here for our first dinner date and try to come back every month

Came here to try their lunch special and it didn’t disappoint. I ordered the tonkatsu and it was truly delicious! For £13 (10% service fee included) it’s really good value too. Staff were friendly and I didn’t even wait 10 minutes for my food. Will definitely come back to try some of their other options.

Fabulous lunch in Twickenham 👍🏻 Very delicious Japanese cuisine with reasonable prices. Great service from friendly staffs. Highly recommend to anyone who loves Japanese food. Absolutely will come again and again👍🏻

I had a great lunch with several families here and all of us enjoyed the fresh Sushi and Sashimi, large portion of Tempura with seafood and vegetables, Futo Maki rolls like Volcano, Dragon and Aburi Salmon, Soft shell crab temaki, Wasabi prawns, Seafood Ramen, some Bento sets and some more. The service was also great and very friendly. The restaurant was full of customers and luckily we booked in advanced😁 Highly recommend to those who would like to enjoy fantastic and delicious Japanese cuisines with family and friends. Definitely will come again and again to try other dishes😁Yummy Yummy food👍🏻

Excellent restaurant, food is superb. Not too pricey and very friendly staff. Beware if you pop in between 12 and 2pm I would advise to booking a table.

Nice food and good service! Ideal place for gathering or enjoying selfie meal.

Another delicious lunch with a friend at Umi. I have eaten here often enough, it’s always high standard, tasty and fresh. The service is very attentive and friendly, Bobby and his team know how to look after their customers well and always with a smile. The prices are also very reasonable and portions generous. I highly recommend this restaurant, and I will keep returning.

We are so lucky to have a place like this in our town. I’ve had sushi around the world and would rate this little gem as one of the best. From food, to hospitality, to atmosphere, Umi sushi is tatetastic!!! I can’t tell enough people about how deliciously spot on this place is. The staff is as gorgeously amazing as the little pieces of heaven on the dishes they serve. I’m always looking forward to returning. Thank you Umi sushi for doing Japanese cuisine delightfully right!

Delicious food and very friendly service. So lucky to have Umi in Twickenham

Such friendly service and really delicious food. The lunch menu is such good value for money. We always enjoy our meals here.

Delicious food, fresh and tasty produce, excellent service! What a wonderful surprise. Will be back!

Amazing Food! Very fresh products and excellent service. We try gyozas and ebi rolls, definitely will come back!

The restaurant is very cute and I love the hospitality. The workers are really sweet. I would come again. A little comment on the food: the sushi rice I got was a big dry and the miso black cod was just a few minuets over cooked. But overall, the flavors were just delicious!

Lovely evening had here with a friend. Small restaurant so make sure you book, especially towards the end of the week. Place was packed when I was there. Does mean that the place feels buzzing which helps with the atmosphere. We ordered a mix of started, sushi and sashimi platter, and some individual sushi hand rolls. Everything was fresh and delicious. Drink selection was enough to suit most requirements. Add in the fact that the service is friendly and efficient, the place strikes a good balance between formal and informal, and pricing is relatively good value compared to some in Central with an uptick in quality over most… and I recommend this place if you’re in the area.

Lovely evening had here with a friend. Small restaurant so make sure you book, especially towards the end of the week. Place was packed when I was there. Does mean that the place feels buzzing which helps with the atmosphere. We ordered a mix of started, sushi and sashimi platter, and some individual sushi hand rolls. Everything was fresh and delicious. Drink selection was enough to suit most requirements. Add in the fact that the service is friendly and efficient, the place strikes a good balance between formal and informal, and pricing is relatively good value compared to some in Central with an uptick in quality over most… and I recommend this place if you’re in the area.

Amazing food and the staff are always super nice and welcoming. Great value for money also - would certainly recommend to anyone!

Our 4th visit and we are yet to be disappointed, this is now our go-to for Japanese food in the area. We stick to sashimi, sushi, rolls, tempura and miso soup. All are tasty, fresh and good sized portions. The wine list is concise and good value and the service is friendly and efficient, even when busy.

I've been here before and I keep going back because it is just so, so good. The service is efficient and friendly, and the food is exquisite. This is a Japanese restaurant, so of course there is a wide selection of different sushis. But there is also so much more. There are noodle dishes, donburis (rice-based dishes), salads, fried food, etc. The food is so tasty, it is just delicious. I particularly love the eel, which you can't find anywhere else. And do try the matcha ice-cream as dessert! To drink, I recommend the sake and especially the plum wine. Exquisite!

Really authentic Japanese food. Friendly atmosphere. Good value and attentive service. Highly recommended

Came back here after almost 2 years and was as pleased as always. The owner welcomed us as if we were regulars (we used to be, then life happened...). The food was great and the service is spot on, as always. Absolute favourite in the area.

Best sushi in the area. Super friendly and welcoming staff.

Great food, excellent service, we had a very pleasant dinner at Umi. The sushi and sashimi were well presented and were delicious. The tempura dish was as it should be - delicately battered with the prawns (in this case) crunchy and flavoursome. Finally, we had the spider roll, full of crab and taste. A decent bottle of South African sauvignon was appropriately priced, perhaps a NZ sauvignon as an option in the future (I'm a Kiwi 😉).

My favourite Japanese restaurant in South West London!! I come here all the time with my family and we all love it. The salmon teriyaki, tempura don and agedashi tofu are our favourite things to order here.

Tasty, especially the eel! Ribs not so good.

mmm, crunchy. But seriously, the tempura are great and anything that are crunchy are crunchy. Service was great too. Although the place look quite dark from outside, the food are great and I didn't expect that. This place is underrated, I would definitely recommend you to come here to try them out!

I don't really write Google reviews but I feel like I have to after coming across Umi and having a meal here. The assorted sashimi is wonderful - very fresh and delicious! The dragon roll is beautifully presented, with prawn and avocado. Tempura is also great, the batter was just right, crispy and not too thick. The servings are of generous portions. Service was friendly and the food came quickly. The manager even kindly explained to us what all the different kinds of sashimi were! I love Japanese food and I feel like Umi is one of the best Japanese restaurants in London I've ever had. Will definitely be returning if I'm in the area again!

Had a wonderful meal here with my family. The assorted sashimi is absolutely amazing - very fresh and delicious! The dragon roll is beautifully presented, with prawn and avocado. The tempura is another highlight - the batter was just right, crispy and not too thick. The servings are of generous portions. Service is friendly and the food came quickly. The manager even kindly explained to us what all the different kinds of sashimi were! I love Japanese food and I feel like Umi is one of the best Japanese restaurants in London I've ever had. Will definitely be returning if I'm in the area again!

Such a great experience. The gentlemen serving us was so incredibly polite, friendly and helpful. The food was delicious, we had a range of contemporary sashimi, nigiri and inside out rolls. They even gave us 2 whole dishes on the house. Everything was delicious - great quality sushi and at great value. I will be revisiting regularly!

Always a great spot for dinner, impeccable service and I've never had a dish that disappointed me.

Amazing food and very warm and friendly service. All the dishes were wonderful, large variety on the menu. We will return soon.

The menu is extensive, family atmosphere and very good rolls - great service , so drop by and enjoy

Best Japanese Food ever! Family run, good food, fantastic service especially from the owner Ben. I have been going here for years now and it has never disappointed. Ben is particularly attentive and kind. Thank you Umi team!

My wife and I came in for another wonderful sushi-dinner at the weekend and, having been enjoying this place for years (first in its former Richmond location and more recently in Twickenham), felt it was about time to leave the 5-star review Umi deserves. Menu: excellent wide selection. Sushi quality: outstanding. Ambience: intimate, comfortable and pleasant. Service: friendly, helpful, welcoming. An especial 'thank you' must go to Manager Bobby whose warmth, kindness and attention to detail have kept us coming back for the last decade!

Great tasting food, good selection, decent prices, fantastic & attentive & fast service, will definitely be returning!

We always come up for Hampton Court flower show, but in truth I think the highlight of the trip is our annual visit to Umi the night before the show. The food is so fresh, light and vibrant, the staff are delightful and we were very lucky to get a table (Phew! We will remember to book on our next visit). Plate after plate of the most sublime food arrived and the aubergine dish, viewed with suspicion by one of our party, had all of us in raptures. Part of me doesn’t want to tell the world how fabulous Umi is, because we want to keep it for ourselves, but the lovely owner deserves all the plaudits and custom that such great food deserves. Eat here and you’ll never want to go anywhere else!

Good food. Been a while since I lasted visited but food and hospitality is fantastic as always. Brought some guests along too for the first time and they were impressed as well.

Go to destination for fabulous food. Just go there.

Excellent food and service. Have ordered takeout numerous times, always with excellent results. , and introduced several friends.

Absolutely amazing food is phenomenal service phenomenal best Japanese food I've had outside of Japan

Arigatou gozaimasu Umi for the fabulous Japanese food . The Tuna tataki is a must try perfectly cooked in a light dressing , the miso eggplant i simply outstanding , salmon carpaccio in ponzu sauce is so fresh which my 10 year old quickly polished it , the sea food raman is loaded with scallops , crab meat , prawns , calamari and seabass and the broth is delicious , prawn temura was amazingly cripsy and light , the crispy duck salad is delicious , char sui Fried rice was the best i've ever had , sashimi platter was absolutely fresh and the wasabi they serve is amazing . The beef teriyake was perfectly cooked . Enjoyed this amazing japanese meal with hot sake which complimented the food perfectly . The service is very good , food comes out fast and fresh . Kobe who served us explains every dish on the table and is so polite and patient with little children . At the end of the meal they give all their little customers mini packs of haribo gummies , so thoughtful . Definetly the best japanese in Twickenham and One of the best japanese restuarents in London .

Umi experience in the past was great especially when the restaurant was packed and the owner was caring. We dined there a few times but unfortunately their service level declines each time and I don’t think I want to go back anymore. Too business oriented and quality seems secondary.

Great independent Japanese foor with great service. Everything is fresh and tasty. It is easy to get to in Twickenham center. If you fancy Japanese in Twickenham this is the place.

What a gem in Twickenham. Food is always first class, service and cleanliness exceptional. If you haven’t been, would highly recommend.

Great food, really high quality, looking forward to my next visit

Really great place for sushi and sashimi in London. I’ve been there a few times already. Worth traveling there even if you are a few miles away.

Sushi and sashimi in England. How good could it be, really? Well, as it turns out... most excellent. Run by a lovely Chinese family, Umi is a small, dark spot but so delicious that when we were in Twickenham for my child's doctor's appointment, we ate there the night before the appointment and then again the next day (lunch) after the appointment had finished. So fresh it melted in our mouths! Pleasant service, fair prices. Be sure to make a reservation because the place seems to always be busy.

Always a favourite to come to, nice friendly service, great dishes.

Very fresh and delicious!! 😋 good to have an authentic Japanese restaurant locally!

Lovely place and welcoming, friendly service :) The owners were super sweet and provided us with complimentary fried gyoza ❣️ Thank you very much for the wonderful experience!

I've been here before but I just can't stop going back again ... and again! It is that good. The service is attentive and friendly, and the food is delicious. I've never had anything other than a wonderful meal. Of course, being a Japanese restaurant, there is every type of sushi: nigiri, sashimi, maki, futomaki, inside out and temaki. But if you think that's all there is to Japanese food you are much mistaken! There is also a very wide selection of other (hot) dishes, such as ramen, udon, donburi, yakisoba, etc. There is a wide selection of vegetarian dishes and salads, and seafood is also a speciality. Do try the eel dishes (my favourites!), and don't miss out on the desserts. Try new things - you'll not be disappointed! Have you ever had black sesame ice cream? If you haven't then you don't know what you're missing out on - especially if you have a sweet tooth. If you prefer something a little less sweet, then try the matcha ice cream, with its delicate creamy flavour. And make sure you have a sweet plum wine too! Treat yourself - you won't regret it. Being so good this is a (deservedly) popular restaurant, but it is also quite small, so my advice is to make a booking so that you don't have to wait for a table to become free. Nick

My favourite lunch spot for me alone, as a couple and with family. There is something for everyone. Throughout the year I endeavour to sample the entire fabulous lunch menu choices. The sashimi bento box is exquisite. I often do repeat this one - my rule is - when the sun is shining I will have this one!

Came down with the family for a break in Richmond after previously coming here with some boys after the rugby. It was again a delight. Bobby is a fantastic host and made sure that we were well looked after. The ambience on a Wednesday evening was lovely. Food was quite simply superb. Highlights included Chicken teriyaki sushi, Chilli ramen, Beef teriyaki and Chicken Yakisoba. Everyone loved the meal but particularly the warm welcome and service throughout. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone. We will be back again with hopefully a better drive down.Outstanding.

Fabulous Japanese food! The beef teriyaki was sensational, as were the raw fish starters. Would definitely dine here again.

This is by far the best Japanese restaurant I've had in Europe. The service is very fast and the food the best possible. I've found my new favourite place.

Was our lunch stop westwards to Legoland and it's a gem. We came in as a family (2 adults 4 children) and ordered an assortment from the lunch menu and main menu. The food came out very quickly with miso soup and we basically finished all the food, which was unheard of. Very nice food, very friendly staff. Will come again if we're ever in the area again

Amazing sushi, must try scallop sushi which is fresh and so very sweet. And very good environment with the service which is on ppint👌

Food is unremarkable, can't justify this extremely high rating and price. The nigiri and some of the sushi on the sushi set was okay but then we ordered a dragon and a rainbow roll and the tempura shrimp inside the dragon roll was cold, for the high prices and rating this place has I expected far better than this.

5 stars service, very warm welcoming Nice looking bento

Proper Japanese food with plenty of options(boxes, sushi, etc...), very friendly and attentive staff. Would recommend 100%.

Friendly staff and delicious Japanese food

Thanks for a brilliant birthday dinner! Would highly recommend you book for a Friday or Saturday night. Sorry about my photos. I think I couldn't help myself and started eating then remembered to take pictures. 😂

Excellent restaurant japonais, prix très correct et personnel très sympa !

Delicious food and excellent service. Highly recommended.

Splendid Japanese restaurant. Very tasty food with excellent service. Small and busy restaurant so book early. Always coming back here. Love the eel.

Best Japanese in the area, no doubt.

Managed to get into here at last! - well worth it, lovely bento box and noodle bowl with superb service. Next time the sushi!

Love this place. Amazing service and delicious food - the best sushi I’ve eaten at a restaurant. Bobby’s service in particular is incredible. Love it and so happy it’s so local to me!

Very good food and service from all staff at Umi. My first time visiting here and will be back. Recommended.

The food was great! Loved the atmosphere and the service was amazing. Overall would highly recommend.

Best ramen in years. Tonight, me and my girlfriend had a bowl of Ramen each, and for me at least, it was the best ramen I've had in years. Every part of the dish was great, but the noodles themselves had the most sumptuous texture of any noodles I've ever had. The man waiting our table was lovely too, and made the whole experience more memorable and enjoyable. I don't live in the area so might not be back in a while but I'd recommend anyone in the area to *absolutely* check it out. Hoping they do delivery!

Went with family- a super great experience! Great food and a very friendly atmosphere, highly recommend

Nice place, always welcoming. We discovered this place in one rainy evening walking on Twickenham High street. Since the first time we are been amazed from the freshness of the food, especially the sushi, and the unique flavour of the dishes. Personally i love the special flavour of Tuna Tataki, marinated Tofu, Nasu Dengaku Eggplants, fried Rice with Pork, and Kurogoma ice cream( Black Sesame ice-cream) absolutely amazing taste! The Plums wine is the best, and every time we come back for a dinner, we never stop at 2 chalices only… :-D Very tidy place, always, with a very relaxing and intimate atmosphere. The personell at the service is always kind, smiling and welcoming. We continue to come back happily. Clean and tidy toilets. Prices in the average. Thank you Umi, you always give us lovely time to share.

Great birthday lunch, all my favourite dishes, and now a new favourite, the spicy prawn tempura. Will definitely be back.

We had a pretty-okay last lunch in London here. The service was splendid. We ordered eel roll, inari, curry katsu bento, and spicy chicken ramen. The sushi was alright, but as a hopeless ramentic, I was a tad bit disappointed with their ramen as nothing in the ramen bowl tasted Japanese and some bits of the noodles came clumped together. What surprised me (not in a good way) was the bell peppers and bean sprouts. I know some parts of Japan do use bean sprouts in ramen to provide a different texture but I haven’t seen Japanese ramen with bell peppers in my entire life. In addition, the chicken still carried some sort of stinky taste when I chewed it, which meant the chicken meat didn’t soak up the broth properly. The meat should have been marinated ahead of time to mask up the smell (if it’s kept frozen in advance). That said, I think their food is value for the money, especially their lunch set menu, since each lunch set comes with gyoza and miso soup. Perhaps other dishes taste better. I just had a bad luck with the ramen. Curious to hear what Japanese diners here think about the ramen though! Other than that, I liked their toilet - it’s sparkling clean!

Brilliant service, wonderful food, the sake was awesome….. I didn’t want to leave. I will be back for sure please go visit you won’t be disappointed

The whole dinner was amazing. It was definitely not a di ner, we had an experience. All dishes were full of flavor and quality. Thank you the lovely staff for all the recommendations as well. We will come back!

Went with a friend, the staff were accommodating to us. I ordered the beef teriyaki bento box and it was so delicious! Great place for an affordable night out, would definitely recommend :)

Very friendly environment, the boss man is very welcoming person, great place to dine out with your family, quality of the food is amazing with plenty of choices to choose from. Avoid disappointment by call them and book the table instead just turning up.

We love this restaurant. It has an extensive menu and the food is absolutely delicious. Very efficient and friendly service and always a good buzzy atmosphere. Thoroughly recommended.

Amazing place to dine in no matter lunch or dinner, the service always tip top, 5 stars quality of the food, super friendly service. Our favourite spot for many years!

Easily the best Japanese food I have ever had the pleasure of eating.

Great Japanese restaurant just off Twickenham high street, I went for a teriyaki tuna bento box. Really tasty, fresh flavours was packed full of gyoza, rice, salads and more. Nice lunchtime option, and staff were really friendly. The optional service charge wasn’t optional, cheeky.

twice as good as any other Japanese restaurant in the area and for half the price. very friendly staff as well

Love love love! It’s hard to find quality asian restaurant around here. Have been coming back ever since i discovered this gem.

I’ve been to Umi a few times now, and the food has been outstanding every single time. The service is fantastic and the staff very warm and efficient. Highly recommend it!

Delicious food. It’s our second time here today and we have always loved it.

usually really love umi great service and food. we got takeaway recently and paid around £17 for a fancier than usual 8 pc sushi expecting the same quality for price. it was very small and squished and didn’t look worth £17. nicer to eat in