Zen Washoku in Islington

Three things: 1. The place itself is adorable. Tucked away inside an inconspicuous market. The place is tiny. Three tables. Open kitchen. It takes intimate to the next level! 2. I just returned from 3 weeks in Japan. And I think the food here holds its own. It rocks in my opinion. 3. BYOB. Besides being extremely affordable. You can bring drinks from outside! This makes it the perfect place for date night or relaxed evening with friends. I cannot recommend this place enough. 10/10. Fantastic.

Um, not sure why the other users are raving about this place. Either I caught the restaurant on a bad day or the reviewers haven't had much Japanese food before (I grew up on it). Sashimi wasn't fresh (cardinal sin) and noodles dish was bland with poor-quality meat. Not worth the money, I'm afraid. Oh yeh, and the owners are Chinese, not Japanese. Doesn't exactly scream authenticity...

Absolutely loved this place! Went there for the first time taken by a friend who visit frequently. It is inside a community market which would be hard to find if you don't know the place. The restaurant is very well decorated with Japanese culture, excellent sushi set, hand wrap and miso soup. We enjoyed it very much. The service is super friendly - it makes you feel at home.

We accidentally stumbled upon this little place, but we're so glad we did! The staff are lovely and attentive and extremely polite, perfect in every way. The food is fantastic, with amazing fresh fish for the sushi and delicious udon noodles. The portions were perfect and filling!! Authentic experience and overall amazing! Will absolutely come again! Thank you so so much, ありがとうございます

We have eaten here a number of times and can say with hand on heart their food is fantastic. My partner is a sucker for the chicken teriyaki, while I cannot get enough of their sushi. The service is slow but they prepare everything fresh so cut them some slack. The place is tiny however so we often order to go.

Within Nags Head market this Japanese restaurant is authentic for London and offers a range of dishes. Good for 1-4 people either lunch of dinner. The service is attentive and friendly and the menu caters for vegetarians. ​Try the OYAKO DON or the Agé-Dashi Tofu.

This place serves delicious food. I have been there few times, had different meals each time BUT service is the slowest ever. They have 4-5 tables inside and when it gets full they don’t cope , we never waited shorter that 30-40min! And there were always some items from menu missing. That’s outrageous. Would come more often but not bothered to wait so long. Once there was a “waitress” taking the orders. You don’t need a waitress there, you do need someone to help u making the food. They get a lot of Deliveroo’s so they are constantly busy especially evenings. Food good but speed of service failing a lot.

First you have to find it; tucked away in a unit in Nags Head Market off the Seven Sisters Road in Holloway. The sign outside says "Street food prices: restaurant quality!!!" Which is a pretty accurate description. We found it - with some difficulty - at about 9:00 pm on a cold Monday evening. There's only about 12 places in a very small location. We had Miso soup; the seafood Nigiri; chicken teriyaki bento; edamame beans; cold spinach; - all for £28.50 - and I went over the road to an off-license and got some Ashiri beer. Not bad! Quite a little gem - if you don't mind slumming it a little.

Great service! Love the menu and prices. There is a great selection of sushi and sets are simply impressive. Made from fresh ingredients. Also they do the odd dish that's not on the menu to try.

Without having read the positive tripadvisor reviews we wouldn't have come across this little place. It's very hidden in an odd market hall. Lucky we found it! It's a real gem, very tasty food and a very friendly owner/chef! Salmon don and chicken don were both of high quality!

This is a tiny cafe in the Nags head covered market. There's seating at the counter area plus a cosy little booth which was warm and toasty as it was cold outside. The cafe serves both sushi and hot food. I ordered a chicken donburi which was pure comfort food on a bitterly cold day. However the service needs a bit more polish as I had to wait awhile for my food although the server advised me first. But his manners were impeccable. I've never been to Japan but I've seen YouTube videos and I felt I had the Japanese experience here.

It's been a year now that we come here once a week to treat ourselves and the experience is every time amazing! The rolls are delicate, subtle in flavour and always fresh. The owner is an extremely kind and ready for a little chat. We recommend to anyone to pay a visit if you pass nearby.

I'm really glad this place has such good reviews, I only noticed it a couple of weeks ago when visiting the market (which is also brilliant). It's so small yet perfectly formed - the sushi is truly delicious and the staff are lovely. The tiny dining room is beautifully decorated and is a welcome relief from the noise of the market. Top marks, will most likley eat lunch there every weekend as the prices are so reasonable too!

My friends and I came to this restaurant upon recommendation of another friend. We had our doubts navigating through the deserted and half closed nag's head market. However, our journey was well worth it - the food was delicious, fresh at affordable prices and cooked from the heart. The owner took great care in the presentation of the food and ensured that we were happy with everything. We left bursting with Japanese delights and am already planning our next meal here. PS. Try the aubergine starter and black sesame pudding as dessert.

Great place, small eatery with a private dining area. Food is fresh and well priced. The owner and workers are Japanese and so welcoming. They give great customer service. Service can be a bit slow during dinner due to them taking phone orders too.

This place is in a bit of an odd location, but the food is delicious, creative, and incredibly good value. I don't think I've ever had such good sushi for such good prices. The chef is absolutely charming and really adds to the experience. Definitely...

The place is inside the Holloway Nags Head Market, small market hut. It has been running for almost a year and at least once a month we visit them. First of all the owner is so welcoming. When they are serving the food they also...

The restaurant is located within the market. It is a really wee cute place and the chef is really welcoming. The quality of the food is quite good and the fish is really fresh, the nigiri was very good. In addition they do not offer...

Happened across this treasure completely by chance on the way back from work. A lovely place to grab some food to eat on the go or at the bar. If you are looking for authentic Japanese food, made fresh to order, look no further.

I've been here frequently since I stumbled across it last year and have always left extremely satisfied. Not only is the quality extremely high, the master chef is always delightful to speak with and to watch working. The ingredients are extremely fresh, which clearly translates...

Amazing food for a good price. We had a salmon teriyaki bento box and a set of nigiries. Both dishes amazing!

What a way to begin 2016. This might just be my new favourite Japanese spot in the Holloway area. We sat in a quaint little sitting room off the side of the market and had a delicious lunch for two. The missus had some nigiri...

I love the loneliness in this place. The place seems lonely even the owner can be a little over friendly. Sometimes, you can just name some stuff you like, and he will just make it for you.

A nice small place to chill and enjoy authentic Japanese food. The quality of food is incomparable and so is the service. Personally recommend sashimi and udon! :))

I am a complete Japanophile. I spend a lot of time in Japan and have adored Japanese food all my life. I was incredibly delighted to find Zen Washoku in the Nag's Head Market. It is an incredibly welcome edition to one of London's most...

Traveling alone in London for weeks, trying to find some nice Japanese food, then I found this. Foods are incredibly delicious & cheap. The owners are friendly and speak fluent Mandarin, Japanese & English!