Oh akari!! You are my new fav J restaurant in London. We had some delish dishes - must get the carpaccio, chicken nan ban (has this yummy sauce on it - kiddo loved it!), hamachi with salt, and soft shell crab roll fried to perfection. We had a reservation at 7pm and they told us before that we needed to be out by 9. No prob, but jeez they bring the dishes out too fast. It was food overload! Probably only thing I would say to do - slow down and let us savor the food! Kid friendly with high chairs, plastic bowl and utensils. Sweet! read more

Akari - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

My boyfriend and I have come here twice to celebrate and it's definitely not the last time we eat at Akari. Good and reasonably priced sushi is hard to find in London, but this restaurant is perfect for fresh fish and Japanese traditional dishes. Besides the delicious sushi and sashimi they have, they have amazing rolls and meat dishes, making the menu very well-rounded. It's hard not to order everything! The second best thing is the unique fact that the joint used to be an English pub. You get to see London buses constantly whizzing by while you eat with wooden chopsticks... it's a really unique experience that every resident/tourist should try. read more

Akari - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

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It was a cold windy night and i wanted some Japanese comfort food to make everything better. I was impressed. I tried some extremely tasty dishes here that were new to me and made me go mmmm. The decor was interesting, not what i was expecting but heck i didnt mind. The staff were friendly and the food was good. My favourites included: Butashabu salad (Pork belly) Tori nanban (fried chicken with tartar sauce) Nasu dengaku (fried aubergine) Buta kimchi It was a bit out of the way, but i would go out of my way for this. read more

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BEST Japanese I've had in London. Honestly, I've been in this fair city a year and have had nothing but rubbish ramen and crappy chain sushi. When I list the things I miss about home (Auckland), it't it a bit odd to say I miss all the fantastic Japanese joints the most? LDN is meant to be on top of its game when it comes to food, but so far no dice. Until last night, when the boy and I decided to wrap up and head to that funny looking pub with a Japanese sign just up the road from our place. Hello Akari! It was busy, but we booked half an hour before (thanks Yelpers for the tip!) and were whisked straight to our seats. Right next to some presumably famous football player - because people kept walking up to this chap and thanking him for being a living legend. Um okay. I totally digress... But we were very happy because the ex-pub is beautiful! And tastefully decorated! The kitchen is smack in the middle, where the bar would have been, so you can have a nosey and watch the head chef rattle off orders. I had: nasu dengaku - or sweet miso covered aubergine - which was so so good. In fact I LIED about how amazing it was so I could scoff it all without sharing. The kitsune soba was yummy and felt very healthy. I also had read amazing things about the sushi so partook in a cucumber and avocado roll which was totally banging. Can I say that about sushi? Yes, yes I can. (By the way, these were all vegetarian options if you, like myself are that way inclined). Boy had: miso pork katsu, sui gyoza (pork dumplings in soup) and some tasty pickled vegetables. He reported that all were excellent. We didn't stick around for dessert but we were pretty full! Total for 2, plus 3 pint of Asahi, including service was just under 50 pounds. Well worth it - save up your lunch money (eschewing Yo Sushi et al) and go! read more

Akari - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

Solid sushi place in the neighborhood. The freshness is generally good. I would stay away from the uni and the hotate or order one price to try it out and then order more. For the more common high turnover fish such as tuna, salmon and yellowtail is fine and I would confidently order. The variety is on part with most places in this price point and there is a load of cooked dish options. read more

Akari must literally translate to: "Cause why wouldn't you want to have fabulous sushi in a traditional English pub?" Tip of the evening: Stick with the sushi. The hot food was all wrong. But this is where you can take sushi-newbies for a safe, comfortable, laid back and delicious experience. There's an open kitchen is behind the bar for crying out loud! Apparently, pubs have been closing at the rate of 27 a week. Too bad they're all not turning into fabulous sushi joints like this little gem! read more

Under da sea, under da sea, nothing is better, down where it's wetter... under the seaaaa..... Well actually Disney yes there is, and that will be eating the sea. Eating fresh fat chunks of fish, dressed in delicately seasoned Japanese flavours, served with fluffy rice, perfectly cooked. And all of this is done in the comfort of a good old English pub! Nope this place isn't a pub anymore but it is a Japanese restaurant that has fantastic traditional pub surroundings. It's quite an experience and actually this was some tasty inner city sushi. Laura N is right about the hot food, slightly baffling how they just can't get that right but hey, we can't all be perfect. Now finally, let me give you a warning, if you get squished onto a table with some obnoxious tourists (quite rare for this area too!) them make sure you don't bad-mouth them as you walk out the pub, they'll most likely be there having a fag. Shame... shame on me! read more

This review is for the food only as I ordered for take-away. The restaurant, however, was buzzing and looks more like an English pub than a traditional Japanese sushi bar. Will need to dine-in next time. The sushi was great. Really enjoyed my salmon skin and tuna roll. Fish was fresh and well prepared. My pan fried beef (in a miso-like sauce) was also great, and cooked to perfection. The gyoza disappointed a bit---they were completely deep-fried. I would prefer them to have been steamed/pan-fred as they are in most other sushi restaurants. Location is off the beaten track, probably about a 5-8 minute walk up Essex road away from islington Green, and a 15 minute walk from Angel Station. read more

I love this place. I stumbled in here on a rainy autumn night and instantly fell in love. The decor is a cross between Japanese and pub/bar (the original use of the space - interesting tiling and mirrors on the wall; nice high ceilings). The service is efficient and friendly. With beer, entries, main course and desert for two people at about 30 Pounds excellent value. I disagree with LauraN who doesn't recommend the warm options: I love the miso aubergine, and Kitsune Soba noodles are perfect on cold evenings. One warning: the bar lighting is pretty harsh; the table seating much better. As this place gets busy it's worth booking ahead of time to avoid disappointment. Many vegetarian/vegan options (the plum maki is excellent; the natto an acquired taste). There are even a few vegan desserts. read more

I'd heard that the sushi here was great . I am a stickler for quality when it comes to raw fish, so I've passed on a few establishments in London, after taking a look at the fish, or after reading lackluster reviews. But we gave this restaurant (in a converted pub) a try, and I was very pleasantly surprised. The sushi was top notch, some of the tastiest, freshest fish I've had in London. I was quite hungry that night, so I decided to ensure I'd get enough to eat by ordering a tempura vegetable starter. When our orders arrived, the fried food (including my vegetable tempura, which inexplicably included shrimp), had *way* too much batter on it. I even took the batter off one of the pieces of sweet potato, and examined just how thick the coating was. Let's just say it wasn't the lightest of tempura coating I've had. To let you know how overbattered it was, I almost got full from that starter, so I stopped eating it. Back to the sushi. It was all very good, very fresh, and the sashimi was outstanding - I had a hamachi (yellowtail) carpaccio, which was sublime. So one star deduction for the fried food, but still highly recommended. read more

We went there without booking a little bit past 6:30p.m on Saturday. I was quite surprised to know we had the last one table left. The decor inside was not Japanese but European pub style and all stuff were not Japanese.We were desperate for raw fishes so ordered Sashimi first.( I was too desperate to think about taking the picture before eating!!!!) Apart from Sashimi, every dishes were amazing. I felt like being in Tokyo!!! I recommend Hamachi Kama if you've never eaten, I am sure You would like it!!! They served it with a sauce like ponzu and lemon. I recommend you eat it with them : ) read more

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I like the concept of a Japanese restaurant in a pub. Casual vibe of a pub with good Japanese food. The place is always packed so probably best to book. The yellow tail ceviche was very good, a tad better than the sushi platter which was OK but not stellar and pricey for what it was. Gyoza was serviceable but the crunchy deep fried approach here did not add any plus points. The two plates of tempura which we had to order afterwards due to everyone still being hungry was also pretty standard. 3.5 stars for the overall food and experience but while it was good you end up ordering more dishes than you intended as the portions are quite small so it's neither a cheap and cheerful Japanese nor a high end gastronomic experience. read more

Yay! A Japanese restaurant that looks like a pub, and tastes like a Japanese restaurant, it doesn't get much better than this. If you have ever been to an Izakaya, and it is quite likely that you have not, this is the English version. Simple decor and well priced, tasty food is a winning combination, not 100% authentic, but not too far off. The waiting staff seemed very impressed by my Japanese, though this is hardly surprising, given that they probably don't hear it too much in Islington. They made all of the right noises, and I felt like I had been transported back to my year abroad. The only bad thing about this place is the distance from the tube, this was made more annoying by the torrent of rain that decided to pour down on us just as we left the station, but by the time we arrived, we had certainly worked up an appetite. Definitely one to try out. read more

Went here last night in a group of five. Had an overall very positive experience. As others have noted, Akari is located in a former pub, which gives it a homey, down-to-earth vibe, nothing like the more sterile Japanese places I often see. For appetizers we shared some tofu and edamame; both were great. For the main entree I got salmon teriaki, which was delicious. Moist, tender, perfectly glazed - delicious. My companions got stuff like sushi and what have you. I tried some of their food and it was good as well. Akari has a good drinks menu, with a few standard Asian pale lagers, several sake varieties, hard alcohol and wine. I had some of the house sake, Oni Koroshi, which is a fairly mild though still flavorful; I would recommend it to anyone who wants to try a sake for the first time. People say the prices here are good and these people seem to be pretty right. I'm no expert on sushi pricing (the stuff my friends got) but the salmon was a good deal at £8.90, I thought. As was the house sake, at £3.90 for 300ml or so. The total bill for five people came to about £140, which included a roughly £10 service charge. In all we got five pints of pale lager, three servings of sake, two appetizers seven or eight main dishes. The service throughout our visit was efficient and friendly. No complaints on this place, really. Tempted to give it five stars. But if I need an excuse to give it four, then fine, here goes: they could have a better Japanese beer selection. I know there are great Japanese beers to be had (Ise Kadoya, Hitachino, Baird...) and this place should have them. Overall, though, this restaurant is a keeper. read more

This place is great. Great fresh sushi and sashimi for a reasonable price, udon noodles, traditional Japanese chicken & beef dishes. We've been 3 times and mostly just binge on sushi and sashimi platters, but definitely try some other dishes as well. They serve Ashai on draft (so much better and colder than on bottle) and have a few sakes as well. In my experience, the service is nothing to complain about and always has been great. Another great thing about this place is the venue. Hosted in an old pub, they barely changed the setting and so it's something different compared to most Asian restaurants. If you crave sushi and don't want to spend a fortune in London; this is definitely the place to go! read more

No doubt this place is more than 5 stars!! I only walked past it the other day and decided to try this place as it looked quite good. However, when I went I was really positively surprised. The food is incredible!! Had sushi and a tofu salad and loved it even though I usually don't particularly like tofu. The staff in there were really friendly and genuine and the atmosphere was great! Definitely recommend this place!! read more

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When you first enter, Akari appears to be a traditional English pub rather than a japenese restaurant. I ordered the gyoza (dumplings) for starter, which I absolutely loved. Very tasty, lovely and crisp on the bottom, and deliciously soft on the top. I then had the chicken katsu for a main dish - the deep fried chicken was beautifully succulent inside, with a lovely crisp coating. The sauce and tanginess of the mustard were great. The food here was very good, and also reasonably priced. I didn't try any of the suchi, but my boyfriend did and seemed impressed. I would definitely recommend Akari. read more

I really dug this place...Japanese food but not formal ( a bit of a Western twist) in a great pub setting. There is a lot to like. The sushi was excellent--really liked the hand rolls and a friend of mine ordered some seared tuna dish that was off the charts. Seaweed salad which had a bit of an east-meets-west spin was also quite good. Book ahead--this place gets packed and you can only have the table for 2 hours. read more

I decided to come to dinner here with my husband after looking at their menu. I just couldn't really believe that prices would be that good for a London sushi restaurant. When we entered, they asked if we had reservations, which we didn't, so we had to sit at the bar. It was fine for us... and it's understandable why. When we walked through the restaurant all the tables had "Reserved" signs on them! It was like walking through one of London's best kept sushi secrets! I was in desperate need for my sushi fix... so I ordered the charashi AND the sashimi, with a side of aigamo rosu (roasted duck). When our plates arrived, they were more than generous with the portions. They were a lot bigger than I thought they would be considering the prices! In our charashi there was more fish than rice! And plenty of sashimi to share between my husband and I. Though the duck wasn't impressive, it was still super tasty. Gotta love duck! To me it's the red meat of poultry. Does that even make sense? I'm giving Akari time to win me over, so I'll definitely keep them in mind whenever I start feeling a little sushi deprived. read more

Akari is another London Unicorn- you are not sure it's really that great or that it even exists, but people. Getchoselvesready, this place is real. It may get pricey, and sometimes crowded, but the food is really great - and I am a sushi fanatic, also known as an obnoxious snob from hell. Try the crab roll or the fried oyster - white tuna sashimi really good too, nasu dengaku, and the Chirashi... my fave! read more

Must say the sushi rolls are outstanding - very fresh and very tasty!! Service was apalling! 3 servers - empty restaurant - 0- attention. What a shame bc the chefs behind the counter are busting their butts getting food to table. Rolls - delish and reasonable Service - well do not expect... Shame it's so disappointing. read more

Great sushi. Reasonable prices. Have popped in here a few times when I was working in the area. Shout out to the salmon avocado roll & chicken katsu. Annoying that they aren't open for weekday lunch though and don't do delivery. read more

I was craving sushi, so I picked up one of those meal deals with a sushi assortment from Roots. It was not bad... but also not good. I told my boyfriend that I had sushi from Roots, and he said that we were going to a Japanese restaurant for dinner for REAL sushi. We ordered the sashimi assortment, the beef tataki, and a bowl of udon. The sashimi assortment was surprisingly fresh and tasty, aside from the shrimp. The beef tataki was just okay, and the udon was just what I needed when I was sick. I would definitely come back here when I am craving Japanese food. read more

Terrible service, I mean, really bad, but food is yummy and cheap! I went there for a 5:30 dinner before a show at Alexandra Palace, and there was not a single person in the room, other than some waitresses slurping down their soup. All okay there, it's far too early for dinner anyway, however, every single table was reserved, each one -- luckily we had a reservation for 4 people, but too bad it turned out to be 9 of us. Anyway, it seem like a huuuuge pain for them to accommodate our request as they were reserved, but, helllooo, no one is here, and I'm sure it won't be packed when we leave by 7pm! Anyhow, the dragon rolls were great, as they always were, and the seawead salad was to die for. The Tuna carpaccio was also very good and the portions are generous. They gave us 3 tuna handrolls instead of one (not sure what the confusion was) and gave us a 300ml bottle of sake when we clearly ordered a 750ml bottle - annoying, mainly because when we noted the small size they said that was all they had. The Sochu tea things were not my, well, cup o tea. BUT, the miso glazed cod was TO DIE FOR and it was a huge portion. The dish would cost £30 at Nobu, seriously, I think it does, and it's smaller. So, this place is a hit or miss -- but I will most likely be back. read more

We walked into Akari on Friday night hoping to grab a table for two and was delighted Akari could accommodate us (we were starrrving)! The tables are all really big and you will have lots of space between you and the other customers if you dine here. I got sushi which was fresh and tasty and my boyfriend got gingered beef which was also really good. We had goyza to share (would have preferred if this wasn't deep fried but still nice), glass of wine and a sake. The waiters left us alone except to fill up our water and bring extras ginger which we really liked as we didn't feel rushed. Overall an enjoyable meal, I'm not raving about it but I'll definitely be back! Solid performance Akari!! read more

In the mood for Japanese, and refusing to eat at one of the chains on Upper Street, we ended up walking literally a mile, through torrential London downpour, on nothing but a vague recollection of a Japanese restaurant on Essex Road and a Google Maps beacon to lead us. That place turned out to be Akari and altogether a very pleasant experience. Thoroughly justifying to ourselves that we had deserved it for the trek, we set about ordering vast amounts of food - sushi and hot food - paired with Kirin to guzzle down. The hamachi nigiri was one of the best I had in London and my companion was just as happy with his eel nigiri. The rest of our nigiri set was just as delicious and so were the pork gyozas we had accompanying them. For our mains we both went for tonkatsu with boiled rice and were really impressed with how tender and flavoursome the pork was. I really enjoyed the fact it didn't feel like a Japanese restaurant, after all, it is a converted pub. But it only adds to the atmosphere of the place. The bill came to £65 for two of us. A little on the pricy side but as I said that was for starters, sushi, mains and alcohol so your mileage may vary. A great find I'll definitely be returning to. read more

You have to order the sushi in here it is so fresh it's unreal, in fact all the dishes we ordered where just incredible. You would never think that this place of such quality would exist on essex road, but very happy it does. read more

Akari - The restaurant - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

Good japanese place in a converted english pub setting. I only had sushi and a soup both was very good. Service was good, too. Prices are average for London. I´ll be back when I crave Japanese. read more

Akari - Delicious maki - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

Akari is a well run, authentic Japanese restaurant all my Japanese friends say it's Cool, and I have to agree, it's my fav place east of the Ginnan at Roseberry Avenue read more

Akari - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

We hit up Akari for dinner on a Sunday night. It's usually pretty busy but we were able to walk in a grab a table. It's a great space with a good vibe and the food's of a really high standard. The yellowtail carpaccio, teriyaki salmon and the gyoza were all great. As noted the gyoza are deep fried rather than the traditional steamed/fried method. No harm done though as they were still on point. The only thing that was a let down was the pork katsu - the coating lacked the crunch that makes it a great dish. The surprise biggest win of the night was the tanuki udon. The broth was pretty much perfect and stands up to a lot versions I've had in Japan. Price-wise it's not too bad but not really cheap enough to become a go-to regular. If the drinks were a little cheaper this place would be unbeatable. The vegetarian options are a bit limited, so keep that in mind if that's an issue. Overall though, Akari is putting out some good renditions of Japanese standards. read more

The food is interesting and even though it is not going to become my favourite food I am happy I have tried. Service was very good and the place is nice and clean. It was full of people. read more

when i tell people i live on essex road they ask if i've been to akari, and sadly i had to say no until last night. it's was a chilly, balmy evening and a gal pal and i headed in for some comforting eats. we were there early around 7ish and almost all the tables were reserved excpet for the back. lucky for us indeed. we started with the yellowtail carpaccio (special for the night). we both went with noodle soups. i had the kitsune soba and my friend had the chashu men. the broth on mine was sweet and savory. i was impressed as the menu states no msg. i must say msg makes things tastier. i don't usually finish my broth but i did with this bowl. guess things can be delicious without msg. i had a smapling of my friend's and the noodles nicely cooked with a bti of bite to them. no mushy overcooked noodles here. my friend got dessert - the chocolate tofu mouse. i was expecting it to be light and fluffy, but it was quite dense. it was nice all the same, but a little too rich for my taste. i'll be back for more good japanese. read more

Not even worthy of one star. The food was pretty poor, the noodles were fine, the broth, no taste. The fried chicken, if you can call it chicken, looked horrible and it was horrible. greasy batter, where the chicken was, i have no idea. The main concern at this "restaurant" was the poor level of hygiene - when you see a member of staff put their hand down their pants to scratch their ass and then go to pick up a plate, it is disgusting. When you see another guy scratching his hair and again touching the plates. Most disgustingly, carrying over the bowl of noodles, fingers below the bowl, thumb on the inside edge and the soup shift to cover his fingernail, which really was dirty, is disgusting. Never again.... read more

I live right above this place and I wish it were slightly better. It is REALLY convenient for me, but I'd still rather walk the 6-7 minutes to Tenshi on Upper Street. When I'm feeling REALLY REALLY lazy I will call downstairs for some take out.I have eaten in only once, but it was an average experience. I do like the look of the place, pub/sushi joint, but I feel like it smells too fishy. A good sushi place doesn't smell funky when you walk in. Do I think it's dirty? Probably not, but I don't know. In a pinch yes, but not tops of my places to eat list. read more

All my friends were raving about this place so I wanted to check it out. I've only ever had a takeaway here. Got some salmon sushi, tofu salad, salmon teriyaki and gyoza. Was very disappointed with it all! Tasted like airport Japanese food. The sushi rice was super cold, the salmon teriyaki was such a small portion and very "meh" flavour. Gyoza totally forgettable. Will try again and eat in as so many people have said how good it is. read more

Here with some friends on a Friday night, place was bustling (we had reservations), good atmosphere. Food - really yum, especially: Nasu dengaku (fried aubergine) -- so good we ordered a second helping Assorted nigiri sashimi - fresh Yellow Tail Carpaccio - fresh & light Chicken Nanban - chicken was super juicy/tender, flavorful Also good: Tuna Tataki Gyu Tataki (beef dish) Udon soup - tasty, but pretty salty Skip - the dessert. Cheesecake was weird (I'm used to cheesecake from the U.S.); pudding was plain gross. read more

This place fills up quite quickly so I suggest making a reservation! The menu is quite extensive which some might find a bit overwhelming. They have a large selection of sake and the decor of the restaurant is really cozy. The staff is a little slow though. I'm a big fan of sushi and whenever the opportunity arises I always order the soft shell crab roll. This place however was a disappointment as it was very bland. I suggest asking the staff what they recommend rather than just choosing a bunch of different plates! I'll be honest that I have never returned but if you are craving sushi at fairly low prices and a nice atmosphere it's a nice place for it! read more

Yummy rolls and pan fried kongxincai, their daily specials are great as well - we had thin slicked steak, soooo good.

I thought this was a great value for Japanese food. The hot dishes we had were spot on and the sushi was fresh. I'd say the hot dishes are much better value (GBP 9 for a Miso Cod). It's very, very casual and a little on the grungy side, but if you look past all of that you can't argue with the food read more

Stopped by here instead of Tenshi for a change, ordered the eel and avocado inside out maki rolls, got the cucumber ones instead. The kaki fry was a bit tough and overcooked but my girlfriend enjoyed her udon well enough. All the tables were reserved on the Saturday at about 7pm when we went, but the waiter said we'd be fine to be seated at one as long as we were finished by 8:30pm which was nice. We'll definitely try again but I think Tenshi on Upper Street is just a fraction better so far. read more