Came here based on a recommendation from someone and have no regrets! The sushi was very fresh. I ordered an assortment of nigiri and everything tasted great. What really sealed the 5-stars was the mochi finish. I ordered the green tea mochi and the chocolate ganache. First I ate the green tea one which I thought was the best mochi I've ever tasted. Then I ate the chocolate ganache. It was so good I don't think I can ever eat mochi anywhere else again!! read more

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We really enjoyed the experience here. Fresh fish, nice service, we'll be back. DO NOT confuse this place with the eat tokyo place around the corner. Cafe Japan is yummy! read more

The definition of a hidden gem all the way up in zone three of the northern line. I had been here several times before last night. Every time, I was always impressed with the chirashi and especially the toro roll. Actually, the simple rolls despite their humble prices are excellent, Natto, ikura and oba leaf, and the toro would be the star trio. However last night we decided to be a bit fancy, grand and gourmande and did the omakase experience. It didn't make us bankrupt but it definitely took us on the stairway to food heaven. Every bite was bliss and the meal was a beautiful symphony. I normally try to pick out my favorites but I simply loved all the different fishes and rolls. At the end the kind chef gave us delicious tamago for dessert. I can't say I'm a sushi connoisseur but I'd be brave enough and say that sushi lovers that like the more traditional sushi should trek up to Golders green at least once for this! read more

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If you love good quality sushi with good value, avoid Central London by all means - just visit Cafe Japan in Golders Green. Located just 5min walk from tube station, this restaurant has amazing sushi chefs who used to work at those posh & well-known Central London restaurants such as Sake No Hana etc etc. Quality of sushi is just amazing here. To check how good these sushi chefs are, just order from "Omakase" - chef's recommendation. You barely need soy sauce or wasabi, as most of them are marinated or some special Japanese or even European herbs & spices added to enhance its flavour. Hugely recommended. read more

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I have not been to this restaurant for about 4 years. This afternoon I went for lunch. I was surprised that it was not as busy as it used to be. My lunch was a sashimi & tempura set that came with a miso soup £13.50 and green tea £1.50. The same set would cost £20.50 for dinner! The salmon, mackerel and tuna sashimis were fresh. The prawn and vege tempuras were crisps and golden yellow in colour. The miso was ok with visible tofu pieces and spring onions. The set also came with rice, seaweed appetiser and salad. The only complaint I have was that the wasabi was not strong enough. There were no ginger served. I had to ask for ginger. The guy sitting next to me was having his miso soup with a spoon. I, on the other hand was slurping my miso soup. What is your eating style??? read more

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I thought London would have Ok sushi (like Paris), but, WOW, the best Chirashi, ever. Sorry Seattle. Sorry Bay Area. Sorry Hawai'i. And, actually, sorry to Japan because they let some of the best get away to Golders Green. Fish so fresh it could rock Sean John suits. Excellent service. So, go to there. read more

Quite an experience--excellent fish, bountiful options, but zero customer service, though I did appreciate that our Japanese waitress was trying to emulate a Barbie doll when in fact we did manage to flag her down. Miso is nice, start w/ their big salad w/ seaweed--it's massive and delicious--skip the marinated fish--it's weird (wrong textures for me). Pickles are yum, and nice crunch in btwn rolls. Being w/ the boys, I was banned from ordering my usual vegetarian rolls, though they had quite a few selections, all of which looked lovely as I lustily eyed them on our neighbor's table. Salmon/avo roll--fresh fish, ripe avo, delight. Spicy Tuna--don't use mayo, some other spicy subtance, a welcome change Something w/ crispy tuna in it...yum, but too greasy for regular sush for me Salmon, sea bass, mackerel, snapper nigiri--all very fresh, clean. Heaps more I'm forgetting...all more than palatable. Not too overpriced, for 3 of us, it was abt $100, and since I've done triple that damage with the same amnt of people, I kind of always feel like I'm getting a deal. Just a hop from the tube stop, worth a trip if you want a mini adventure. read more

Always fresh and delicious sushi! It's one of the gems in London where you get Nobu quality sushi for prices maybe 10X cheaper than Nobu. They renovated their dining room which now looks cleaner and leaner than before. It's also very good for take-away. One of my fav places in London! read more

"WHAT! You haven't been to Cafe Japan?", exclaimed my friends. We have to fix that. So I find myself trekking to Golders Green when the tube guardians decide to keep the train service running on a particular weekend instead of the regular engineering works. Even arriving for what is considered early for lunch, the place is busy and there is already a queue. So queued we did. It gave me an opportunity to look around. Cafe Japan isn't big with maybe no more than 15 tables, tight and cosy sitting is what I will call it. We didn't have long to wait before we got ourselves a table. Sashimi The sashimi here is of the same quality as what I get from the Sydney Fish Market. With the right silky texture, it was a pleasure to eat it. We also tried a variety of sushi rolls, tempura and udon which were all good and very much enjoyed. Unagi don I love my unagi and you won't regret ordering this here. The sauce plays a huge part and this has to be the best I've had in London so far. The unagi was cooked properly as it should be and not tough or dry. Unagi made properly have an almost melt in your mouth texture. read more

This is one of the most delicious purveyors of sushi in London - well worth a trip all the up to Golders Green (and I'm from Sarf London!) They used to do an all you can eat deal and my sister and I memorably ate so much once we almost felt sick. It's so wonderful - not as cheap as it used to be but still well worth it. I love the platters - best value in my opinion. Black miso cod is mouthwatering and scrumptious. read more

I can only wholeheartedly agree with all the previous reviews - this is a fantastic Sushi place! Too bad they don't do the all you can eat any more - at least I haven't come across it and as an almost local I do frequent the Café Japan quite a bit ;-) And never once was food or service disappointing. Be prepared to queue or better make a reservation, this place is always quite busy. My favourite spot is at the "bar" where you can have a glance at the Sushi chefs preparing your food masterly. My favourites are the spicy tuna roll and the wild burdock rolls. Absolutely yummy! Even something as standard as the salmon rolls are so well-prepared they simply taste delicious and beat any kind of chain sushi rolls by far. Also their selection of grill fish is deliciously prepared and the teriyaki mackerel I tried last time was a very decent size of fish. Last but not least the staff are extremely friendly, attentive and make sure every customer is happily greeted and bid goodbye. read more

The food here is really good. There's an excellent selection of sushi - which again, as I try to tell all my British friends, does not necessarily means raw fish - but also of other Japanese dishes. The various noodle soups are great, so is the Japanese curry. Definitely more innovative than what you'll find in Japanese chain restaurants. The pricing was reasonable and the portions (depending on what you order) fairly substantial. Definitely recommended! read more

Mixed experiences Last visit ate in & had 3 days of food poisoning after eating sashemi, sushi & prawn tampura. My wife ate different foods and was fine. Previously haven't had any probs Sometimes hard to get table as small capacity. Very polite staff & friendly sushi chefs. Opening hours are but sketchy. Prices are mid range read more

I haven't had sushi since I moved to London so I was super excited to have some when I ran into Cafe Japan. I must say that I'm thoroughly impressed. It destroyed the myth of "Don't go to a sushi bar if you don't see a Japanese sushi chef." Firstly, the fish and seafood are fresh (and you can most certainly tell from the salmon and ginger). We sat at the bar so we can see everything prepared. The chef was excellent and natural that it was almost hypnotic to watch him prepare every meal. The customer service is also great and I saw them let a couple in even though it was past their last order hours. All in all, great experience! Will definitely be a loyal customer from now on! read more

Surprisingly good sushi from a restaurant that otherwise looks pretty awful from the outside. A very close walk from the Golders Green tube station, you'll have little problems finding it among the Korean BBQ and dodgy banks on the corner. The fish quality is great though and the place is pretty authentic - lots of actual Japanese customers since there seems to be quite a bit of them in the neighborhood. Certainly a better choice for quick sushi than the lousy selection at "yo" or "hi" sushi. read more

My favourite local sushi place, much more authentic than the chain that occupies the spot next door. Friendly service, can be a bit cramped some times, but I always enjoy the food and the service! Recommend this place highly! read more

Saw great reviews for Cafe Japan, so decided to take a detour on our trip to London. I was very reassured when I saw most of the patrons were Japanese. Eating here made me long to be back in Japan. The sushi was wonderful, especially the toro. The grilled salmon teriyaki was quite tasty. Hard to find sushi this good outside of Japan. We will definitely be back! read more

This place is FANTASTIC! I don't want to say 'pricey', but I ended up spending more money then I had anticipated. But it was worth it and the food was delicious. Expertly prepared, fresh ingredients, polite service, and authentic. Highly Recommended! read more

Pics @ Chopstix2Steaknives http://chopstix2steaknives.blogspot.com/2011/10/cafe-japan-hi-sushi-izakaya-koya-part.html WHAT! You haven't been to Cafe Japan?, exclaimed my friends. We have to fix that. So I find myself trekking to Golders Green when the tube guardians decide to keep the train service running on a particular weekend instead of the regular engineering works. Even arriving for what is considered early for lunch, the place is busy and there is already a queue. So queued we did. It gave me an opportunity to look around. Cafe Japan isn't big with maybe no more than 15 tables, tight and cosy sitting is what I will call it. We didn't have long to wait before we got ourselves a table. Sashimi The sashimi here is of the same quality as what I get from the Sydney Fish Market. With the right silky texture, it was a pleasure to eat it. We also tried a variety of sushi rolls, tempura and udon which were all good and very much enjoyed. Unagi don I love my unagi and you won't regret ordering this here. The sauce plays a huge part and this has to be the best I've had in London so far. The unagi was cooked properly as it should be and not tough or dry. Unagi made properly have an almost melt in your mouth texture. read more

The best sushi I have ever had. I used to live near here in London and it's the one thing I miss about the city. The staff are super friendly and you get multiple greetings as soon as you enter. I'd recommend you book ahead as it gets very busy, but you can also sit in and wait for a table to become available and it's well worth the wait. As well as the most fresh, well prepared and delicious sushi ever, they do all sorts of hot dishes; the miso black cod is incredible. They have a la carte so you can choose pieces of a certain sushi you especially want and they have good value deals, like a platter for £14.00 I go there often even now as nowhere has ever come close to being as good as they are. read more

Cafe Japan - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

This is the best sushi place i have in London so far.... no other can beat the taste of it yet. Even thought, this place is a bit far from where i lived but seriously it worth going there. read more

Nice cosy cafe that offered delicious food. I'm amazed how good it is. Unfortunately place isn't very big and sometimes is hard to find table and you need to wait even to give your order. But food is so good that you'll forget about the time you waste in waiting once you try it. read more

I used to be a loyal customer as this is the only store that serves proper sushi (Eat Tokyo's sushi was terrible in a way of slicing fish). But I've got food poisoning from Cafe Japan and suffered 48 hours in toilet. I called them to report but they only said that no one else claimed so they won't do anything to my case. Sad. I am no longer loyal customer, never going again. I agree their sushi is proper and I was just unlucky. It's your own judgement to go. read more

As a Japanese citizen, I found the food tonight was not as good as a bad road side cafe in Japan. Edamame was wonderful, fish in sushi was ok but sushi rice was soggy. Tempra batter was sick and greasy like eating BAD fish and chips. The meal was over priced for the quality. If you want authentic japanese food, try Eat Tokyo around the corner. read more

I ate here some weeks ago and found the fish not that fresh. The sushi and sashimi were not as well prepared as other Japanees restaurants I have been to. The staff were not very friendly when I made a comment on the standard and was not given a very satisfactory reply Also I would question the clenliness of this restaurant read more

Expensive compared to the likes of Wasabi but definitely worth it!! The sashimi was to die for, literally melted in my mouth. The service was good, staff were friendly and quick to refill our cups of tea. The only thing I was not a huge fan of was their edaname, cold and squishy. Definitely will be back! read more

As a Japanese citizen, I found the food tonight was not as good as a bad road side cafe in Japan. Edamame was wonderful, fish in sushi was ok but sushi rice was soggy. Tempra batter was sick and greasy like eating BAD fish and chips. The meal was over priced for the quality. If you want authentic japanese food, try Eat Tokyo around the corner. read more

Amazing local sushi with an incredible staff that makes big accommodations (in service and food) for our children.

A little pricey but the sushi here i superb. The staff are very friendly and the service is great also.

The sushi lunch is the best value in London - essentially the same set at dinner costs twice as much. The fish is of a decent quality and usually fresh as they have a high turnover rate of customers so the fish never sits around for long. They get their fish from Atari-ya like a lot of the sushi places in London. Service is OK, but let down by the head-waitress with the dyed blond hair who clearly recognises my wife and I, as we go often, but is just totally devoid of any friendly gesture - a hello or smile would be nice. read more

the best sushi in north london! just got back from another amazing meal, reasonably priced and fresh. packed house, as usual. but i spent the whole meal in tears, as i heard the news that the lovely blonde lady who has been serving us for 15 years passed away suddenly 2 weeks ago!! huge loss for the restaurant and the golders green community as a whole. rest in peace - you were so lovely, and the restaurant is still wonderful - as befits your memory. read more