Food: tenzaru udon, kakuni, iced oolong tea. I guess my expectations were too high for this place, but to me it fell short. The breading on the tempura wasn't quite right and very oily. The udon was a little under al dente and the dipping sauce wasn't strong enough in taste. The best part of the meal was the refreshing oolong tea. Service: was ok. They didn't understand my request for ice water and had to ask a couple of times. We had three tempura orders and one came out later than the other two. Ambiance: small place with one long bar table. Bathroom: was happy they had two bathroom stalls and they were clean enough. read more

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I liked the broth and udon. I think that was very good but the tempura is ridiculous. The shrimp.tempura is coated with thickest breading and it was too much. As well as special maitake tempura was sweet. It's too bad cuz the udon soup is delicious read more

Koya Soho - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

Delicious udon with just the right amount of chew + drool-inducing broth flavor. What more is there to say? No frills counter seating. Service is quick/efficient. There's often a line out the door especially for weekend dinners--I'd say that if you can, try to come at an off-time. A friend and I dropped by for Friday lunch and the wait was probably 10 minutes max. It's a good spot worth trying! read more

Koya Soho - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

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Really solid udon here! Too bad there's always a line. I love that they give you noodle temperature options because my biggest pet peeve is hot noodles that become too soggy. Ebi tempura was fluffy and really delicious. Highly recommend! All the other tempura was quite average. The miso soup was also very very average. I also got the hot ginger drink which was delicious! My partner got a beer, and I'm not sure what's the norm, but we were a little confused it didn't come with a glass. All in all, some great, some average, would come again! Very nice and authentic feeling space inside. read more

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Came for Japanese breakfast. They have breakfast until 11 and then a different menu afterwards. read more

Koya Soho - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

Walked in at a random time maybe 3pm and there was no wait to sit down. 99% of the seats were filled though, but service was fast. The miso pork is to die for. Highly highly recommend. I remember sitting here thinking, if I could only eat one meat for the rest of my life, it would be pork. Because the way they cooked this pork was so damn delicious. I did not use the wasabi because I am weak. The niku udon surprised me. The meat came out looking rare like pho meat but it was actually pretty tough when I ate it. The udon and the noodles were good but I can't say I was a fan of the meat. I would come back to try another udon dish. The tempura one looked pretty popular in the store (many patrons had it). read more

Koya Soho - niku udon - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

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Read on Eater about this place and decided to give it a try. They weren't lying about the quality of the food. But there's so much more. Let's take a look. My wife and I are in London and we read about this place. We got here after a good day around town. We had to wait a bit and we got seated. We placed our order and shortly after the food came. First thing we had was the broth. Oh man!!! Talk about flavour! The bonito and kelp was so prominent and flavourful. The udon was so chewy. And the tempura wasn't salty at all. The appetizers were refreshing. Also we saw the team working well together even though busy. Highly recommend this place. read more

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fantastic ! had the japanese breakfast (make sure to add an egg!) beautiful experience and fabulous vibe. will be back! read more

Love the Japanese breakfast, which is a rare offering. They are more known for their varied udons, which are fantastic. I love the vibe--it feels a little like the Japanese eateries I visited. The service was efficient, and the food was well-executed. I hope to return next time I'm in London. read more

Koya Soho - Outside--small restaurant. No reservations - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

Had arrived this Morning in SoHo and needed a warm meal. It was a chilly drizzly day. We were greeted at the door and guided to a spot to set. Got the Udon Noodle English Breakfast and a hot Ginger Tea. The soup was good with two slices of Bacon a Fried Egg and shiitake Mushrooms. The Udon Noodles were how I like them still firm. Great read more

Was super excited about this udon place since it had such high review, but was pretty disappointed by their food. I got the Niku (beef) udon hot and it was not great. The soup/broth was pretty bland. The noodles were great themselves but overall the dish lacked flavor. My mom got the gyudon donburi and she also wasn't a fan. She said the beef and the rice were hard. I will say the service was quick and it was very nice, cozy in the inside. read more

We visited London for the week, and we saw this place pop up on so many people's recommended page. We were in the mood for some hot soupy udon since the weather called for it, and it was perfect night for it. We arrived at the restaurant around 5:45 pm, and the wait was not too long, we waited approximately 20 minutes for a seat. The inside of the restaurant is very small and it probably seats about 20 people or so. We ordered the: prawn tempura hot udon in soup, and the kamo (duck udon in hot soup). Both udon dishes were very flavorful, but light at the same time. The udon broth was deep, but very clear and clean. The udon noodles were bouncy and cooked just right. The tempura prawn was very crunchy, although, I would have liked more of the prawn meat itself, and not so much tempura flakes. This udon dish only came with one (1) tempura prawn. The duck udon had more flavor, as the soup had a deep flavor, with a little kick to it (but not considered spicy). There were quite a number of duck slices, and they were medium tender. Overall, the duck was not spectacular, but it was overall good (the soup really made it good). If you are in London, give this place a try! It's solid food, and you will definitely be satisfied. read more

Koya Soho - Kamo Duck Udon (Duck) - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

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We came right before rush hour. It seats about 20 or so comfortably inside. I quite like the counter experience and seeing the kitchen. Ordering was fast and the food was amazing! The tempura vegetables were nice and crunchy. My favorite part still has to be the kitchen view. Seeing the chef teach technique and the orders. It's a great experience. read more

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Came here for a weekday lunch and even then there was a queue, as the place is really small and it's only bar seating. Feels like you're in Japan right away at a noodle bar. The udon here is quite different from Marugame - it's extra thick and chewy, (perhaps even more than I'm used to). In addition they have many cold udon options (cold in hot broth, with dipping sauce, and with cold sauce). I got the Kitsune in cold sauce, but I tried my friend's saba in hot broth, and I liked it more. Overall good, but I wasn't wowed by my dish. read more

Koya Soho - Kitsune udon - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

One of our favorites in London. Stopped in for a quick lunch this visit and got the tenzaru and the chicken kara-age don, both of which were just perfect. The noodles here are really among the best I've eaten anywhere, and this is a near must on any London trip. read more

Koya Soho - Kara-age don - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

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Great Udon! We found this place in Soho because a different place near by was too busy to fit everyone in. A quick look on yelp brought us to this Udon place. Everyone was really glad we came here! They offer Udon in several different styles and also have Donburi (rice bowls) and other "small plates" The Udon styles are: Atsu-Atsu (hot noodle - hot broth) Hiya-Atsu (cold noodle - hot broth) Hiya-Hiya (cold noodle - cold sauce to dip) Hiyashi Udon (cold noodle with cold sauce to pour) I had the Atsu-Atsu with tempura the first time and thought it was good, but thought the Hiya-Atsu looked better. We came back a week later and that is what I ordered and i liked that Udon even more. I think you get more noodles by putting them in the soup yourself and I can eat the tempura separately so they don't get soggy in the soup. This location has no tables and is just bar style seating. Depending on the time you go, it can fill up pretty quickly and get a line outside. read more

Koya Soho - Tempura udon (hot/hot) they also have cold noodles and hot soup or cold noodles and cold soup. - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

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Excellent protein to accompany the udon! The kakuni small plate is a pretty big portion. My husband and I both got cold udon with soup you pour on. I got mine with mackerel that became delicious, soft, and flavorful once bathed in the broth. My husband got the version with cumin lamb, which was also delicious. read more

Koya Soho - Kakuni - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

We came at a time where there was almost no wait and was seated right away. This place is a sit down, eat and go. The broth here was amazing and udon was cooked al dente. One thing to note is that while the tempora is huge, it was very batter-y read more

Koya Soho - udon and tempora - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

We went for brunch because I saw that Koya Soho is one of the best places in the area for brunch! We arrived soon after they opened, which was good. Seating is extremely limited. People had long waits after us! Unfortunately, the restaurant wasn't quite ready when we were seated. The breakfast menu is already very short and an entire section - the rice section - was unavailable. It seems odd to me because employees arrive at restaurants a couple hours before opening for prep. Why wasn't the rice ready for opening? Considering how small the space is, service was really slow. They could have flipped our seats faster if they'd checked on us and taken our order. As it was, the delay between drinks (tea and coffee), we finished our drinks, and finally ordering food meant that the rice was nearly ready. Two of us had udon noodles and the other of us waited for the rice. We all got the English Breakfast udon and then the English Breakfast Rice. The rice was a lot like congee with English Breakfast toppings. The udon was a udon noodle soup with English Breakfast toppings. I, for one, REALLY liked the udon noodles. The bacon was a bit soggy in the soup, so that wasn't so nice. It was all a bit awkward to eat since it's a fried egg, bacon and shiitake mushrooms on top of soup. Same for the rice. It could just be me, but I'm not used to cutting things that are floating on top of soup or (for the rice) porridge. I liked my food, but it wasn't anything I'd return for. I am interested in trying their lunch or dinner menu which has more items. read more

This place exceeded my expectations! Probably the best duck udon soup that I've ever eaten! The udon was freshly make with the perfect bouncy texture. The duck was not that fatty and had the perfect texture and flavor. The broth was clean, flavorful and light with a depth of flavor. Highlight was the homemade chili oil! Not your typical chili oil. Had peppercorns with gave it that addicting numbing effect that you will get when you Chengdu or Szechuan food. I threw in a few spoonfuls and it took the broth up a notch for someone that likes a little spicy kick. I'm going to definitely buy a bottle of chili sauce from the on my next visit. This place is something special. Warm and comforting. read more

Koya Soho - Duck udon - AMAZING !!! - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

Solid udon place in soho. I'm a huge udon lover, so I judge hard on the udon texture. It's was thick and chewy, but a little bit rubbery on the outer layer (hence the one star off). Overall, great experience and would definitely come back for an udon fix here. The broth / dashi in both the hot and cold udon was enjoyable. read more

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This was recommended to me by my brother in law so I came here for dinner after visiting the Banksy exhibit nearby. Solid udon for sure! Delicious broth, great noodles, generous portions. read more

Koya Soho - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

You may want to schedule around typical peak meal times if you don't want to wait in line for this udon gem. During my short stint in London, this was the spot I found myself coming back to over and over again. The tempura is so incredibly flaky and light, giving the most satisfying crunch, so definitely recommend trying at least a side. For udon, I love the hiyashi kinoko; the cold udon noodles are so delightfully chewy and the marinated mushrooms are plump and flavorful. Highly recommend checking out at least once! And honestly I found it to be reasonably priced for London read more

This brought me back to the fabulous udon shops in Kyoto, Tokyo, and O'ahu. Actually, the udon here may the best of the lot. I'd recommend: - Buta Miso Atsu-Atsu: hot broth with hot udon noodles, and a really umami-packed, subtle yet aromatic miso with ground pork, really the best miso soup I've ever had, and it went so well with the perfectly chewy thick udon noodles - Hiyashi Kinoko Udon: a beautiful nest of chewy thick udon noodles, topped with tender enoki and shiitake and other mushrooms, thinly ribboned shiso leaf, with a little wasabi on the side for you to add as you choose (I put it all in and it added just the right level of spice), then you poor on top of this art piece a delicious, fragrant soy and dashi esque broth. It is just pure deliciousness, the thing dreams are made of. - The prawn and vegetable tempura were very well done, with light batter, and not oily, the perfect side to share with two. It has two large prawns, and one large piece each of eggplant (super tender), broccoli (really crisp and flavorful), cauliflower, zucchini, and shishito pepper. The meal paired nicely with a semi-sparkling white Italian wine they served in a cute little can. It's one long wooden noodle bar with perhaps 15 seats so there's a good kitchen view from all seats. Efficient and friendly service. No complaints here. Can't wait to return! read more

Arrived here just after 6, on a rainy day in London and waited approximately half an hour outside in the rain just to get in. Not surprisingly, inside was a tiny: approximately 20-30 seats, elbow to elbow around a bar surrounding the kitchen. I ordered the Ten Hiya-Atsu (as it was the only dish that had both prawn AND vegetable tempura), though I wasn't particularly looking for cold noodles to be dipped in hot broth. I have to agree that with reviewers before me: the udon here is amazing - perfectly chewy, and the broth delicious. The tempura was maybe one of the better ones I've had outside of Japan - not too greasy, but the batter still too thick for my liking. The prawn itself, though, was perfect. I also ordered the house lemonade - easily my favourite part of the meal. Neither too sweet nor sour. Though I liked the food, I didn't particularly enjoy lining up outside. I also really didn't love the elbow-to-elbow dining, especially eating with chopsticks and hot broth. It was needlessly difficult, and I'm not particularly willing to repeat the experience anytime soon. read more

As a self-proclaimed udon connoisseur, I was so excited to check out Koya after reading such high praise on Eater about it. Luckily, Koya lived up to the hype for me. It is a small restaurant that doesn't take reservations, so you should probably get there early. However, the line moves relatively quickly all things considered. I ordered the kinoko hiya-atsu udon, which comes with with mushrooms and walnut miso. The nutty miso paired nicely with the broth served, but don't even get me started on the noodles. The noodles were perfectly toothsome and chewy, and I could eat a bowl of them all day long. I also ordered a homemade pineapple kombucha, which was something I majorly appreciated as someone who makes kombucha themselves too. After a long day of walking around and shopping, sitting down and enjoying a wonderful udon was just what my family needed. I will definitely be coming back to Koya next time I am in London! read more

The rating depends on the baseline and maybe the items ordered. I've had lots of udon including several times in Japan, so maybe it maybe an unfair bar. For London, it should probably be a higher rating, maybe 4. But, I was a little disappointed. I ordered niku udon and chicken karaage. The soup wasn't very flavorful and lacked depth. It wasn't very satisfying. The noodles also lacked the appropriate chew. It wasn't exactly soft, but didn't have the good udon texture (bounce). The niku (beef) in the soup also lacked flavor. It seemed un-marinated. The karaage chicken was kinda dry and also not very flavorful. Overall, it was ok, but a little disappointing, probably too high expectations based on the Yelp rating. Tempura looked good, but didn't have it. read more

Going here I realised I don't like udon noodles. For an Indian origin person, the flavours are too bland or too much of a stretch to meet Indian flavours read more

Koya Soho - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

I ate here today for lunch. I was impressed with the amount of udon served and the thick texture as well as the very tasty walnut miso. But the broth with mushrooms was pretty bland. For £13 I thought this meal was quite overpriced. The seating area is quite small and they don't take rez so expect a queue. read more

Koya Soho - Udon with mushroom and walnut miso - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

Environment: Super cozy and cute. I felt like I was in Japan for a brief moment. Lots of wood in the space. The seating was very tight and not plentiful. You can only seat around the kitchen with bar like seating. Service: The service was great. Food came out fairly quickly. The waitress was helpful and asked more information from the kitchen when we had additional questions. Food: Food was PERFECTION. The miso base was not too salty and had the perfect touch of umami flavours. I got the hot soup cold noodles. Which added another layer to the taste through the temperatures. Perfect udon place if you're craving it around the area. TLDR: Udon go-to in London. PERIODT. read more

Had a line out the door, and I didn't know it if would be worth the wait. However, the line moved quickly and the service was quite quick. The starters were great and the udon was excellent. read more

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my friend brought us to her go-to udon place in london! it was such a wholesome place but long queue! i can understand why though, it was fully worth the wait! i loved the vibe of it as well and the workers were so kind! it was the homesy, earthy atmosphere an udon shop could have! they have udon and rice bowls which all looked so amazing! they make all your dishes in front of you as you talk amongst your friends and they make it fairly quickly too! i especially love how they have coat hangers for everyone;; overall, although there is usually a queue, i would wait again to try another one of their dishes! the price ranges from £9-13 for udon which i think is fairly reasonable for london! will definitely recommend and come back when i'm in london again! read more

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Hands down the best udon I have eaten outside of Japan. Truly an authentic and delicious meal. There was a long wait as there should be for a worthy meal in Soho on a Saturday night. As soon as I bit down into my tempura and noodles, I was home. It was all worth it. Fresh, crunchy tempura with giant prawns and vegetables. Delicate, flavourful noodles and dashi broth. The saba udon was hot, flaky and packed with umami. Beware of the lone fishbone. Otherwise you can go as slow as you want. My friend had the curry and it was thick and delicious. Very filling and enriching. My companion had the miso pork which had depth and a salty broth. Such a joy in every bite. I recommend this to anyone who wants to experience the best of Japanese cuisine in a bar setting. I cannot wait to return. read more

Love this hole in the wall in Soho! We came after seeing a play a few blocks away, ~30 min before closing, and the staff was so welcoming, friendly, and eager to feed us! The ambience is very Japanese-chic like most udon/ramen places I've been to. I got the chicken udon which was absolutely delicious. The broth was extremely flavorful, which surprised me since usually chicken broth is lighter than the pork/beef bone broths. The portions were the perfect for the price and they didn't cheap out on the protein in the bowl. Had such a great experience and would definitely come back! read more

Koya Soho - Chicken udon- sooo yummy - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

Decided to get some udon at Koya Soho with a friend on a Saturday. I got the Niku udon. The broth is lighter than I'd like and missing an umami quality a beef udon should have. Broth flavors were mainly ginger notes and dashi essence. Furthermore, the noodles were slightly overcooked and soft. I doubt the noodles are being made in house from scratch. I also ordered tanuki which is chopped up tempura bits. This topping lent a fried tempura-ness to the udon. The Niku (beef) itself was thin cut, rare and satisfactory, but nothing particularly remarkable. In addition to udon, my friend and I ordered kakuni, and tsukemono. Kakuni is served in a bowl, stewing in its own juices. A dab of wasabi on the side. Melty and fatty. Unami. Wasabi offers a spicy nuance. Mild salty seasoning. Tsukemono was also enjoyable, crunchy fermented greens and roots. Salty and tangy fermented character was an excellent palate cleanser for the meal. While I think the main attraction, the udon, is satisfactory at best, the sides are the hidden gems of the menu at Koya Soho. read more

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FOOD + Hiyashi buta udon: so good! The udon was of perfect bite/texture and the pour over sauce went well with it.iso pork was salty and a tiny bit sweetness so it was tasty when mixed into the noodles and the sauce. I added some green onions and then ginger whenever I wanted a little spicy kick. Radish on the side to clean my palate between bites of other food items + Vegetable tempura: thought this was okay. The batter was light, still greasy especially with the starchy vegetables. Fairly large size order - attempted to order the "fish and chips" but they didn't have any that day AMBIANCE/DECOR Cozy small shop with counter seating around the kitchen. Everything seems neat and tidy. I sat in front of the noodle chef who called out orders from time to time. The place was fairly quiet and patrons mainly dined alone or some with one other companion. No hooks under table for jackets or purses, but coat hooks on the wall to the right when you walk in. Restroom available was clean too. SERVICE Good service and food came at a good pace. I didn't have to wait long at all. I was asked to move one seat over because a small group of people came and wanted more space to sit together. I didn't hear the waitress tell them she will ask me to move over so I think it was the customers' request. It was fine. I'm not claustrophobic :) Are at my own pace and was not rushed to pay bill. Overall, I really liked their udon and would come back to try other items when I'm back in London! I even offered my husband to come for another meal (he's never been), but we decided to eat elsewhere the rest of our stay in London. So yea, I would recommend this place! read more

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OVERALL: Highly recommend if you enjoy udon! Casual spot but really high-quality Japanese Udon. Bar only seating so not suitable for big groups. Would be good for solo-dining. They have a ton of options for udon it's a bit overwhelming but also great way to get you to come back and try the different flavors. MUST-GET: Any of their udons! Probably go with the cold udon so it's chewier. Although when it's cold outside, it's nice to just have a large bowl of hot udon and soup. I really enjoyed the Niku udon. I love their clear soup, it's not too oily like most ramen soup and it's very refreshing. Their tempura is also delicious! Unlike most tempura outside of Japan, their tempura batter is light and crisp. Lastly, I was surprised by the atsu age (fried-grilled tofu) - it's simple (just fried tofu in soy sauce) yet you just can't stop eating it for some reason. DON'T GET: Gyu-katsu, it's not bad but also not amazing so I would save your tummy space for something else. OTHER TIPS: Go early or late for the meal to avoid the line, we went at 8:30pm and waited for around 20minutes before we got seated. read more

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A cozy Japanese restaurant, staffs are very friendly and helpful, gave me some very good suggestions on the menu. Food came very quickly, and quite fresh. Apart of the sushi dishes, I really enjoyed the miso soup here...All in all, nice place for good Japanese food at a decent prices. read more

Koya Soho - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

A cozy and quiet Japanese bar located in the bustling heart of Soho. Seating here is limited and most patrons dine alone, especially for breakfast. The menu is mostly comprised of udon dishes, but they also serve rice and other small plates. To help combat the blizzard that's been striking London these days (so unusual!), I ordered a warm bowl of English Breakfast Udon. Kind of overpriced for what you get, but it was pretty good given the dish's simplicity and uniqueness. Only served in the mornings. read more

Koya Soho - English Breakfast Udon (£11.10) - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

Koya Bar is worth trying if you're craving udon but don't have a flight ticket to Japan. The restaurant is small with only bar seating facing the open kitchen. If you don't mind waiting at least 30 minutes on a weekend night, then you'll find yourself deciding among a ton of udon options to try. The menu features a ton of options for your udon, whether you prefer it hot or cold, with broth or sauce, and different toppings. The food came pretty quickly after we ordered. My friend and I both got the cold udon with sesame sauce for dipping. This was delicious. The sesame sauce is thick and flavorful and the udon is firm and chewy. No matter what udon you choose, you also have to get the prawn and vegetable tempura. The tempura is crunchy and the prawns are huge and delicious! Each serving comes with two prawns so this is great for sharing too! The menu also featured some small plates. We tried the agedashi tofu, which was good but it uses hard tofu and I prefer soft tofu. Overall, I really enjoyed the udon and tempura here. Can't wait to return when I crave udon! read more

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