Disappointing experience, good food, terrible service, and zero respect for customers. We were given a 1h15m dining window, which we accepted. The ordering was slow, and despite writing our order out in the Notes to avoid any confusion, dishes still arrived wrong. It took a lengthy conversation with our server before she even understood what had been sent out incorrectly -- time we simply didn't have. We raised the issue and noticed them we wouldn't be able to finish in time given their mistakes. Their response? After 1h 15min, staff swooped in to clear plates -- while one of our friends was still eating. And they still charge a service fee for this? The food is the one saving grace, but the management is chaotic and the attitude toward customers is unacceptable. read more

A very authentic Japanese restaurant on the outskirts of London. I sat by the grill bar where I could watch the chef grill the meat before me. The hamachi kama was nicely charred and still very juicy on the inside. The skewers (yakitori and beer tongue in the picture) were also very tasty and the meat was very tender. They also had a decent drink menu with several sake options and mixed drinks like Japanese fruit sours. They are reservation only but their online system is simple to navigate. I look forward to visiting this restaurant again to try their other skewers! read more

Jin Kichi - Yakitori - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

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Very good Japanese spot in Hampstead. Simple but delicious. I only tested robota dishes as it seems what they're know for and it was great. Had the salmon jaw, duck, asparagus and lamb shoulder skewers Very well seasoned, good portion and super friendly staff. I would definitely comeback if in the area read more

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For a delicious, no frills Japanese meal, this is your place. The seating upstairs is nicer with full sushi bar but requires a reservation on the weekend. We got seated downstairs so it was dark but busy next to the kitchen. Large menu with sushi, udon, soba, curry, tempura, yakitori and lunch specials. I enjoyed the saba shio which arrived in separate dishes rather than a bento box. A generous size fish with a few pieces of lettuce, bowl of rice and miso soup. Could have done with a better side salad. My companion enjoyed the soba soup and agedashi tofu. The tofu was perfectly cooked, crisp outside and tender inside sitting on a bed of sauce and toppings. Oishi desu! Service was ok, pretty standard for London. They did not rush us out despite being very busy. read more

Wonderful dinner last evening. Best Asian food I've ever enjoyed. The chefs are brilliant and the atmosphere is lovely.

Call to make a reservation in advance!! The place is tiny and always packed until it is closed. The food is fresh and authentic. If I could only recommend one thing I would say get the yakitori!! We got set A and surprisingly I liked the mushroom the most. The chicken, shrimp, and other stuff were delicious as well and it is very entertaining to see them cook it at the bar. Dinner can get kind of pricy so try and go for their lunch menu if you want I save some monies. The restaurant is very cramped. The service can better because when we said we didn't make a reservation but we would like to wait, I didn't feel really welcomed. read more

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How I envy those who live in Hampstead! Not for their big houses or quaint village atmosphere or the good schools. But for Jin Kichi, which is one hell of an izakaya tucked away in Hampstead. Having eaten at Dinings the weekend before, Jin Kichi at first glance looks similar: small Japanese restaurant. But the styles are so diffferent. Dinings goes down the creative route, and charges an arm and a leg for it. Jin Kichi has a menu that probably came from a izakaya menu template, as the dishes are all the standard things you'd find across Japan. Yet the quality was good, the pricing reasonable, and the service fast and efficient. Do try the yakitori while there - second only to the ones you'll find at Bincho, the yakitori specialists. And then venture through their extensive menu - outside-in rolls were well made and full of fresh fish. Fatty tuna was melt in the mouth. Do make reservations though if you want to go - this place was packed on a Friday evening! read more

Jin Kichi - Tuna outside-in roll - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

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Jin Kichi is a authentic Japanese gem in the heart of Hampstead. The chef there uses his skill and expertise to make the most delicious and succulent yakitori (and you can watch him do it at the bar!). One bite of yakitori and I could almost be back in Japan. All the yakitori I tried was utterly delicious from the chicken to the mushroom and the asparagus. The sauce they flavour it with is delectable and the price is very reasonable for it. The salmon sashimi was certainly the silkiest I've tried in London and the inside out prawn tempura roll was good. I didn't really like the potato croquettes and could easily just live on the yakitori here instead. Jin Kichi is tiny and we had a little trouble finding it in the dark until we realised it would be the one with the Japanese noren curtains hanging outside. I will definitely be back to join the crowd here and enjoy the yakitori delights again. read more

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The best sushi you'll ever have, which is quite clearly made from the freshest ingredients. I never seen a more crimson cut of tuna, and I've never had fish that melts in my mouth! The restaurant itself is small and intimate (i highly recommend booking in advance) and the staff very attentive. I will be coming back here again. read more

Jin Kichi - The tuna roll, edamame, and the deep fried fish starter. Note: the fish starter comes cold. Still tasty, but unexpected. - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

Great service, small with a very authentic vibe, busy at 6:30pm on a Wednesday. Lovely sushi bar and grill options. A bit expensive but the quality of the sushi justifies the price. It is also located in a quiet yet interesting upscale community that is great for a stroll. I would highly recommend. Also, reservations would be a good idea. read more

Ate here with a group of work colleagues. We had all done a long project in Tokyo and therefore we are a tough bunch to please. Saying that...... we were pleased! The food is excellent, i would recommend sharing dishes. I would particularly recommend the mackerel. Delicious! The restaurant is very small so you need to book in advance. read more

I'm not usually one to write reviews like this, but I was so disappointed by my visit here. I had checked online for this place's hours and found that it closes at 2pm. However, I found it really early and a bit odd as 2pm doesn't seem too late to eat lunch. It was 2:05, so I called the restaurant and asked what time they were closing. The man replied that they were closing at 9 and that they were currently open. I then said I saw online that they closed at 2pm and if it was true. He said that no, they do not close at 2 and that they are still open for lunch. So, my friend and I go all the way up to Hampstead by bus and the bus doesn't even go all the way. We got dropped off in Hampstead Heath and then we walked all the way to the restaurant. When we get there, the lady working there tells us that they are closed. And when I try to say that I called about twenty minutes ago, she says "I'm explaining to you that we are closed." She doesn't care at all that someone in the restaurant told me otherwise. Doesn't look apologetic. Talks to me condescendingly, repeating over and over that she is "explaining" to me, like I'm stupid and that I don't understand English. It was absolutely disheartening because we wasted so much time and energy to get there. Also money on the tube ride! I would never go back to this place because the woman was so disrespectful. I recommend not going to this restaurant because you would be supporting a rude and mean lady! read more

Nice Japanese restaurant and really cute decor. Busy for a Monday so best to book. Grilled food was good, You can sit at the bar if you want to watch them prepare it, and order more food than you need in envy. There is also an upstairs and downstairs seating area too. The staff were nice and reasonably attentive but they lose a star when people came in off the street and they rushed us out to seat them. I was still finishing my drink, what should I do - take it with and swig it on the genteel streets of Hampstead? Hmph read more

Cute little place in baby blue. Cozy Japanese decor - tick. Japanese-owner - tick. Japanese chefs - tick. Menu with not just teriyakis - tick. Menu was extensive with little traditional home cooking dishes, udon, sushi and kushiyakis. We only had the stomach to try kushiyaki set A and sushi rolls - all very tasty and fresh. Sushi platter looked amazing. Made a note to try next time along with the soup rice, grills and shochus. Orders came quickly. A busy place so best to book. read more

One of the best Japanese restaurant I've ever been to. I highly recommend this restaurant if you're craving for good quality Japanese food. Their customer services was excellent. This restaurant was fully packed on Fathers day so we were lucky enough to be seated down during lunch time without a reservation by the chef's grilling area for the Yakitori. Although the restaurant was compact and cosey, you weren't invading into your neighbour's space. My partner had the "set A" Yakitori dish and I ordered the sashimi lunch box. The Yakitori were amazing. It wasn't just grilled on a griller but you could taste the charcoals which has been infused into the yakitori. Although there were only 7 skewers which doesn't fill you up, it was absolutely delicious. The sashimi was the freshest I've ever tasted in London. It is definitely more pricey than other Japanese restaurant I've been to in London but it was worth every penny. read more

This is a great little find. Good Japanese food that almost makes you feel like you're in Tokyo eating the real deal. Every little dish we tried was well executed and flavorful. The yakitori part of the restaurant is open to the eaters eyes, and it needs a good clean, or even better a complete upgrade. But when the food arrives this is all forgotten. The decor in general needs an upgrade, and due to its cramped style a little stuffy and claustrophobic. But..... I will go back more than a few times for the great taste and pricing. I was quite happy when the bill arrived and ringing in at £40.for two people with drinks and multiple course I would call that a definate win for a late night tasty bite. read more

What a great lunch we had. The lunch box had a nice assortment of items and the various sushi rolls we got were very tasty. I don't really care for miso soup but this one was very good. It is a very small place but worth it. read more

Found this tiny Japanese restaurant on a late Sunday evening. We were looking for a place to eat as all the restaurants in Hampstead were closed. The staff were really attentive and welcoming. The food were average but the Sushi were really fresh even at this late hour. The portions were small so make sure to order more than 2 dishes if you're hungry. read more

One of the best authentic Japanese places in London. It's in my favourite West Hamstead with all the boutique shops and corner crepe shop! The restaurant is tiny so you'd definitely need to book a table in advance. For dinner they so a izakaya style a la carte so it's perfect for sharing little nibbles. The sushi here is pretty fresh too so I'd recommend a platter of sashimi or sushi. My usual order includes nikujyaga which is stewed potato, carrots, beef and konyaku in a soy sauce based broth. The croquette is also a must with its crunch breadcrumbs. The staff there are mix of Japanese and English, very friendly and will recommend a few dishes to you too if you're not sure. It's a bit on a expensive side so it's definitely for a occasion! read more

Jin Kichi - Sushi and unagi platter - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

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This was an amazing restaurant with great service and very good food. I recently went on a honeymoon in Japan, and this food was on par with some of the best restaurants there. The atmosphere was lovely and intimate. We sat downstairs. I ordered the nigiri 9 piece sushi set and added an order of tamago. The fish was very fresh and the food was exquisite. My husband ordered some of the chicken skewers. They were very good and reminded me of some of the skewers I had in Japan. We also both had Shochu, I had a mixed drink lemonade Shochu and my husband had it the traditional way with hot water. Both drinks were very good. I would highly recommend this restaurant, but make a reservation it is busy. read more

Best Yakitori in town that's cooked on coals in front of you. The chicken wings are delicious, as is the pan fried scallops on hot plate. Don't focus on the sushi - even though its not bad here - it's the grilled skewers which really are tasty Bookings definitely required on the weekend. read more

Jin Kichi is a small Japanese restaurant in Hampstead, London. I've been going there more or less once a year for 18 years despite the fact I don't live in London any more. There are two floors. As you walk through the doorway you're on the upper floor where the counter is. There are just a handful of tables on this level if you don't want to sit at the counter. For a little more space you can go down to the floor below where, from memory, there are two tables that will take up to six people. Be warned, there's virtually no point just turning up. It's so small and popular it's unlikely you'll get a table if you haven't booked. The staff are very friendly and if you go often enough they get to know you and you may even get a free drink of shoyu thrown in. The prices aren't too bad for Japanese food. If you're not used to eating in a proper Japanese restaurant you may think it's expensive but believe me, the quality is worth it. If you can go by tube you should as Hampstead being Hampstead it's difficult to find a place to park in the area that's not for residents. Turn right out of the underground, walk round and up the hill, cross the road at the Zebra crossing and carry on up the hill a little. If you arrive early and they're not ready for you there are a couple of pubs across the road. read more

An intimate little restaurant with wonderful Japanese sushi/hibachi. The vegetarian selection is divine - overall anything you order here is unbelievably fresh, well prepared, and reasonably inexpensive (especially for Hampstead)! I have moved from Hampstead but still visit this place regularly, it's that good! Would recommend booking a table (there's very few) and the line can be slightly long on a weekend. read more

A very cosy and homey place. Serves the best sushi with the freshest tuna that I've ever had. Some of the skewers were not to my taste (the chicken meatball skewer for example) but the chicken yakitori and the onion skewer were delicious. The service was excellent and it was not too pricey. read more

Jin Kichi - Makis - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

I don't even know where to begin I have been to some of the most prestigious and borderline impoverished sushi restaurants in the world and around America. I am from New York City and Los Angeles two of the best places in the world known for sushi I have eaten in Matsuhisa, Kifune, and Nobu. I have also been to a place called Oya in New York City which is highly regarded as one of the best sushi restaurants in the world. (Look it up) My girl and I went to this place randomly on date night but I immediately regretted the decision as I felt we were treated like (non locals) not important enough to be here... They told us that the normal wait time for a table is two weeks with a reservation. (Ok fancy pants) The dining experience was completely rushed we were aware that we were only going to have a table for an hour but as soon as we were ordering the waiter was asking us if there was anything else we wanted in a hurry to get our bill to us and out of the restaurant..as if my hard earned money wasn't good enough here... also behind us there were open tables so I don't know where the stresses out rush vibe comes from and is so very apparent in this restaurant ...The whole time we were being rushed another family was also rushed out from there table...the energy in this restaurant is extremely panicky and has a sense of hurry up and eat so they can bank on their next bourgeois clients. I ordered a sashimi chef special.. The normal chef special is £20 pounds for sashimi... I asked him if we could get some better cuts of fish (make a chef plate for £40 or £50) but he did not disclose the fact that he would be charging me for each fish separately instead of the traditional chefs recommendation of the day sashimi plate which normally rounds out to even number (£40-£60) in other restaurants...and the guy charged me for each piece of sashimi separately instead of how they normally do it traditionally in a whole order so a £20 pound sashimi plate cost me over £70 pounds !!!! For a small portion and in my opinion I've had much better sashimi for much less stress and less money. The Uni tasted a bit funky so later that night my stomach was hurting and I had to spend 30 minutes on the toilet for a $200 meal... I know it comes with the risk of eating sushi but this is the first time that's ever happened to me... I don't live far from Little Tokyo in LA and I know how much these cuts of fish actually cost, I can get an entire piece of Top Choice cut Toro tuna for $9 dollars , I can get 8 pieces of FRESH Uni for $10 American enough to feed 3 to 4 people so for me paying £20 pounds GBP for four tiny slices of tuna I found this extremely Of poor value... I could have easily re-created this exact dinner with the exact fish at home In LA with fresher ingredients for at least less than half of the price $80-$100 ...I understand that this is a rich area and the people that eat here on the daily have a lot of money but it does not mean that they have a lot of class or good taste...if I am paying TOP dollar for sushi I expect the best and only the best because that's what I'm used to and I have no problem paying top dollar for the best. Maybe we are spoiled in California but we get the best sushi in the world next to Tokyo and New York ...But I'll tell you right now for $200 I could've fed a family of four in a zagat rated sushi restaurant back at home (USA) had much better cuts, and not dinner for two over priced with bad service. I am more irritated with the service. We will definitely not be going back here as I have experienced sushi restaurants of higher-quality without the rush vibe and better food for much better value... No Arrigato!!! PS if you want real wagyu beef I suggest you do not order from here this was very low grade in comparison to what I am used to, A5 Grade top of the range wagyu beef it's not what they serve here but they charge you A5 top dollar prices...for this price I expect A5 Grade... sorry England so far you lose this round! Two things you don't eat while in England , Mexican food or sushi! read more

As a Japanese person, I was thrilled to find Jin Kichi. It's owned and run by Japanese and it really is the most authentic Japanese cooking in London. It's super busy so best to make a reservation but it's totally worth it! I have been hard pressed to find a better Japanese restaurant in London that represents the taste, authenticity and hospitality of Japanese cooking. read more

Authentic and exquisite!! We had mixed sashimi and nigiri and salmon and tuna rolls. Everything was awesome! Large selection of sake, smooth and fine. We'll come back again read more

Small restaurant in Hampstead, this place serves solid Japanese food, nothing fancy or outrageous, just reliably good fares. When it is busy it can get a little cramped in there. read more

Best Japanese food I have ever eaten, truly authentic great service what an experience. you must book. GO! Good Veg choice, great Saki.

Pretty good japanese hibachi grill and sushi place. The service is a bit slow sometimes and forget about just walking in without booking first. The food is well cooked and tasty always though, so it's worth the effort. By far the best Japanese in NW3 and possibly the NW postcodes in general. read more

Very good find! Spicy Tuna!! Quickly made friends with the resident Sushi chef who obviously loved his art.

very popular sushi restaurant in hampstead, close to the station which is useful. the menu is reasonably priced, we spent about £25 per head and gorged ourselves on very fresh tune, salmon and yellowtail. the tofu was also very well cooked. service was ok, not great but not bad. and the space was a little cramped but still pleasant. the place was very busy, every table was replaced within 5 minutes with fresh diners. but the food kept coming at a decent rate. enjoyed it. read more

I had the seven skewer and seven piece nigiri. They ran out of shiitake mushroom so they substituted it with the pepper. The yakitori was outstanding and nigiri a nice complement (I was hungry). Topped with Sapporo the meal was delightful. I sat at the bar counter and it was filled that night so a bit tight at the elbows but added to the ambiance. read more

Jinkichi is probably the most authentic Japanese food that you can find in the local Hampstead/NW3 area. This tiny restaurant off of Heath Street is a hidden gem. It can get really busy, so recommend booking in advance. Also, the seating is probably a bit nicer upstairs. My wife and I shared the prawn tempura dish for a starter - it was amazing. I had a meat and vegetable kabob for my main and it was equally as tasty. The service was a bit slower than I'd hoped for, but again, this place stays very busy. The ambiance was very loud, but energetic and upbeat. If you are downstairs, you can also see them preparing some of the food (which can be a plus or minus)! Recommend for anyone in the area, but do give them a call and book a table. read more

Wow what an authentic gem of a place in Hampstead! We had been to the Affordable Art Fair earlier and wanted a nice place to eat near the station. We found this place on Yelp and even with no booking, the owner/manager managed to fit us in. We sat in front of the sushi bar and even though the place was small, we were all very comfortable. We ordered udon, sushi, sashimi, the classic options, and all were impeccable choices. Best sashimi I've had for a while. Great place for a date or to have an intimate catch up :) read more

This was a fun place to go I'm hampstead although this may have been due to the saki. The food was pretty good overall although if I am to be honest I wasn't majorly impressed by the time portion s of sashimi. The spicy tuna dish was a delight though and for some reason reminded me of Fiji and a marinated fish dish I relished out In the southern sun. read more

Best Japanese food I have ever eaten, truly authentic great service what an experience. you must book. GO! Good Vege choice, great Saki.

A seriously good sushi place. A bit of a hole-in-the-wall, and you'll almost certainly need to book as his place is packed with japanese from far and wide, but the food is an order of magnitude above any other sushi place for miles. Authentic and good quality. read more

Best sushi I've ever had - we didn't know fish could taste so fresh. Hole in the wall place so if you're looking for bells and whistles, this isn't your answer. We eat here about twice a month. It's a "real" Japanese sushi place so not just the Rainbow and Spider rolls you find in shopping center joints. They do have rolls but also a lot of other fare like kabobs on the grill. My only complaint would be that it's bit pricey for sushi but well worth it! read more

Crazy good Booking necessary in advance Hole in the wall restaurant Seriously excellent japanese place, comparable to the same place in Tokyo. LOVE IT ! read more