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    Naru

    3.9 (73 reviews)
    ModerateKorean
    Open 12:00 pm - 3:00 PM, 5:30 PM - 10:30 PM

    Naru Photos

    NARU ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed
    Good for groups

    Recommended Reviews - Naru

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    Reviews With Photos

    Seafood pancake
    Jacqueline C.

    Naru is a small and simple restaurant serving up some homey and classic Korean dishes. My friend and I made a reservation for a Friday night at 6:30PM. By 7PM, the restaurant was packed. The menu has a great selection of appetizers, meats, soups, rice and noodles etc., which all feature some homey and familiar Korean dishes. My friend and I got the japchae, teokbokki, seafood pancake and the bibimbab. The seafood pancake was pretty big. There were three portions and I liked that it was hot and crispy on the edges when it was brought to our table. The bibimbab was pretty flavorful but I wished there was more beef in it. The teokbokki was delicious! It's perfectly spiced and tasted like it was homemade. I loved the cabbage that went with this dish too because it had soaked up all the flavors from the sauce. The japchae was probably my favorite out of everything. It was so delicious with some earthy flavors, colorful vegetables and shredded egg whites on top. The noodles had a new chew to it too! For beverages, my friend and I both got some Asahi. You can't go wrong with beer and Korean food! The total bill came out to be ~£50 for everything, which is definitely more pricey than what I'm used to. I wouldn't say the portions were particularly large either. Overall, Naru isn't the cheapest place for Korean food but it's a great place for some tasty, homey and well prepared Korean food. I'll be back!

    Pork belly!
    Alicia Y.

    It's a quiet little Korean restaurant that seems to be empty most nights. I've never been here for lunch, and mostly end up here for dinner or a late night supper after a few drinks at the bar. They serve ala cart menus but you should go for the BBQ. The meat is very fresh and they also have someone to cook them in front of you. Here's what we ordered: 1) Pork Belly 2) Marinated Beef Bulgogi 3) Kimchi Jjiggae (comes with a bowl of rice) 4) Kimchi pancake 5) 2 bowls of rice 6) 1 hite beer Total bill came up to: £62.80 for 3pax, I wouldn't say it's the cheapest place to indulge in Korean food but it's definitely a good place to come and enjoy a decent quiet meal.

    Lava Y.

    Naru serves great tasting authentic Korean food, the bibimbap and kimchi here were amazing. The menu has a huge variety from jigae, kimchi pancake, bulogi and Korean bbq to noodle dishes and rice dishes. The staff were very friendly and efficient, the food came quick and fresh, and the prices were reasonable without any service charge added. By far one of my favourite Korean restaurants in London.

    Yee Gan O.

    I am not an expert in Korean food and I'm grateful to visiting San Franciscan Yelper Rachel Z for organising this Korean food outing Following some advice from local Yelp foodies, she led an intrepid group of hungry Yelpers to Naru on the outskirts of Covent Garden. Most of us had a little experience of Korean food but were keen for more We did the time-honoured group ordering system of shouting out dishes that we liked the look of and once again, we came up trumps! Haha, must be natural ordering skill. Naru lived up to the recommendations we had been given and we were treated to some tasty dishes I'm afraid my poor memory and lack of familiarity with Korean food means that I can't summarise all rhe dishes that we enjoyed. However, I can remember that my favourite dishes were the beef tartare, sweet yet fragrant than sesame and perfectly paired with pear, and the japchae, sweet potato noodles I haven't been overly enamoured by Korean food in the past but Naru has inspired me to explore this cuisine more in the future

    Bulgogi with Spicy Pork
    Kelvin Y.

    Busy restaurant on a Friday night. Simple well prepared food. No Banchan was served unlike most Korean restaurants we patronize in the US. I had the Bulgogi with Spicy Pork. We prepared and delicious. I tried each ingredient individually at first - each ingredient had good flavor. Combined they were great. Service was fast.

    Tak I.

    We stayed in London for 3 nights, and we spent 2 dinners at this place 'cause it's so yummy! We had following dishes with family of four (2 adults and 2 teens). ALL VERY GOOD! #26 Bulgogi ... Slices of beef was soft and very tasty with sweet soy source. #27 Yangnyeom Chicken ... This is the BEST one, crispy fried chicken dipped in a sweet spicy source. It's MUST item if you are chicken lover! #28 Sundubu jjigae ... We like Sundubu and had several ones in the past, but this one was the BEST one for our liking. Soup was not too spicy but has a lot of umami taste in it, and small squids are really good! It also comes with steamed rice (it's good also). #41 Haemul bookeum udong ... We asked to make it "non-spicy" as we don't like too hot dishes. It has a lot of seafood (Mussels, Oysters, Squids, Shrimps etc.) and very tasty stir-fried noodle. You'd better considering to order couple of dishes as a starter to be shared, as all dishes are relatively in smaller size (compared with US one). Also you need to take enough time into account as it takes time to be cooked (probably by one chef?). BTW, typical Korean restaurant in California comes with multiple small dishes as an appetizer (Namuru, Kimuchi etc.), but you need to order them here. Anyway, all dishes are soo good and atmosphere was very nice for small family like us to talk and enjoy tasty dishes without being bothered by a loud noisy music or too much crowded environment in a busy touristic area. There is no stress here so you can relax and enjoy time with family!

    Jap Chae Spring Rolls
    Nida K.

    Korean food is one of my favorite cuisines when it comes to Asian and I've been on the hunt for a restaurant that does Korean fairly well. I've been to Naru a couple of times and I've got to say that it's pretty good. They need to improve on a few things for me to give them a 5th star though. For one, Korean restaurants typically give you complimentary side dishes with your meal. Maybe I'm spoiled from California where I'm used to this, but when I stopped by Korea, they seemed to do the same thing. Naru gives you nada! Secondly, they seem to be a little skimpy on the portions. I ordered this ramen street dish with rice cakes and stuff in it, although it was delicious, I still was hungry afterwards... Other than those reasons, Naru does Korean really well. Everything I've tried is pretty good, I just wish I got more of it. Service isn't horrible, but it does get busy in there.

    Dolsot bibimbahb
    Donniel L.

    I've tried several Korean restaurants in London. Some very disappointed. However, Naru's dolsot bibimbab is goooood! And kimchi is good too.It actually taste like Korean food. I haven't tried other stuffs yet but I would definitely come back here to try other stuffs...

    Soju
    Adrienne Y.

    I really liked this restaurant. The staff was super friendly and conscientious. Is it weird that I felt they were highly organized and exact in their technique. Haha It was just the overall vibe I got. The food here was amazing! Best seafood pan cake I have ever had! Better than all the Korean places I've eaten at in new york and new jersey back in the states! How do they do it? Maybe it's because I prefer it slightly crispy as most other places make it soggy. That or, you really do value your food more when the portions are smaller than what I'm uesd to. We also got the bibimbap and a pork with calamari. Very delicious and on point. The lady mixed our Bibimbap for us and took extra care to get it perfect. Great Korean dining experience for sure and I can't wait to come back for the other yummies on their menu.

    Kimchi jigae, steamed rice and seaweed soup
    Jo Y.

    Had a nice lunch at Naru today. I went with my staple, kim chi jigae, a kim chi stew (pork and tofu) served with rice. While it satiated my craving it could have had more of a kick to it. I found the stew was a tad too sweet for my taste. The seaweed soup hit the spot though. And the service staff was very nice. I will come back to try their other dishes but will be heading to Bi Won, across the street, for the jigae.

    Soondubu jigae

    Wasted of money, mediocre foods and I am not impressed with the customer services. Will never go back.

    Dol Sot bibimbap
    Erin L.

    Whenever I am homesick there is nothing like Korean food to bring me the comfort. Since the Korean population in London seems fairly low, I was afraid of what my options looked like. After scouring a number of reviews my eyes fell upon which seemed to have relatively good reviews. I had the bibimbap in a stone bowl which was really quite delicious! The stone was hot enough to create some really crispy pieces of rice. The taste of sesame oil and red pepper paste flooded my mouth with joy. Aside from being a bit stunned that kimchi and namul had to be paid for (they are complimentary in Korean restaurants in Korea, Canada and the States), the portions were good for these and they tasted fresh and delicious. Finally I also had the kalbi which had a bit of an unusual appearance it was like they took the tong kalbi (the traditional cut) and sliced it into a long strip which they cut up into pieces and served in a heated marinade pool. I wish it was truly grilled as the charcoal flavour was missed. It wasn't my favourite version of the dish but hit the spot. Afterall who would turn down kalbi?

    Tofu Bibimbap (no egg)
    Beverly Y.

    I stopped by here for lunch because it was super close to my residence, and I'm happy I did! The location isn't all that great since it's on a corner and doesn't get the best publicity, which might explain why it wasn't that crowded when I visited. I ordered the tofu bibimbap (no egg) and ended up really liking it. The tofu tasted great and had a good texture, and I enjoyed the vegetables/rice (mixed grain) as well. The vegetables did seem a bit oily, though, hence the minus one star. But overall, a solid meal, and for a reasonable price too - I believe I paid around 7 pounds for the bibimbap, which was more than enough for lunch.

    Budaejigge

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    2 years ago

    Everything authentic Korean and was very good all around. Service, food, Korean beer all great. I will be back.

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    Page 1 of 2

    Naru Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Naru

    I highly recommend Naru to anyone looking for good quality, moderately priced Korean food in central London!

    Mentioned in 3 reviews

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    Jinjuu - Kimchi Fried Rice and Seoul Survivor Cocktail

    Jinjuu

    4.1(115 reviews)
    0.6 miSoho
    £££

    Great food. Awesome atmosphere. And located in one of London's most poppin' neighborhoods. If you…read morelike Korean food, this is your new jam. The interior gives you a sense of being in an underground bar somewhere in Asia, and it comes complete with Pucca dolls nestled on top of the booze bottles behind the bar. There is seating both upstairs and downstairs, but given how crazy it gets, if you're planning on coming, book in advance. I've eaten here twice, and I can safely say that the food is legit! It's surprisingly authentic given the location, and the drinks aren't half-bad, either. The Bibimbap with Bulgogi Beef is one of my favorites, thus far, with the perfect ratio of rice to beef, kimchi to veggies. It's one hearty dish, so come hungry. The Signature Fried Chicken is also done to perfection, and if you've ever had Korean Fried Chicken before, you know what I'm talking about. It's not expensive, but sadly, you only get 2 pieces. Believe me, you will want more. I can also vouch for the cocktails. Being a girly drinker myself, I can't pass up a delicious fruity cocktail from people who know how to put it together well. However, they also have a great Happy Hour with some of the cheapest beer you'll find to pair perfectly with your meal. That is how they do it in Korea anyway, isn't it?

    They treated us like no other. 12/10 stars…read more You want to come here for not only fine surrounding but TOP Shelf food.

    Photos
    Jinjuu - My Pret coffee wrapped in tissues because it offended "the manager"

    My Pret coffee wrapped in tissues because it offended "the manager"

    Jinjuu - Kimchi fried rice

    Kimchi fried rice

    Jinjuu - Little Seoul- Nikka Whiskey, Amaro, Dark Chocolate, Bitters, & Sweet Vermouth

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    Little Seoul- Nikka Whiskey, Amaro, Dark Chocolate, Bitters, & Sweet Vermouth

    K Place - Those are extractor fans.

    K Place

    3.4(30 reviews)
    1.9 miAldgate
    ££

    K, K Place, I really wanted to like you but, in the end, you were just (O)K…read more We'd read some things about how K Place was doing an AYCE Korean BBQ option. It's so rare in London that we thought we should definitely give it a try. We made a reservation for Friday night easily and they were flexible when we were running late. When we arrived, we headed down the stairs to the basement where the restaurant was. It isn't a huge place, with seating for about 30-40. Not all of the tables have grills, but the vast majority do. We were seated near the entrance and heard another group come in for karaoke and were directed out of the restaurant, so if you're looking for dinner and karaoke all in one - K Place could be a great option! After having a look at the menu, we decided to go with Set B Buffet, which was described as 10 course buffet with unlimited meats (£28.99). They also have a Set C with unlimited meats and seafood for £33.99. Soon after ordering, the dishes started to arrive. Banchan arrived first with 4 dishes: kimchi, radish kimchi, beansprouts, and cucumbers(?!). Odd. The cucumbers weren't the usual pickled cucumbers (oijangajji) but just some slices of raw cucumber. Maybe they had just run out of their pickles for the day? But we would have preferred them not providing this super random banchan. All the banchan were OK, but a bit bland. Next came the egg roll, dakdoritang (chicken and potato spicy stew) and mackerel. Everything was fine, though the dakdoritang was a bit bland as was the egg roll. The mackerel was overcooked. The kimchi pancake was standard, not the best I've ever had but not the worst - pretty middle of the road. The steamed mussels was probably the highlight. Fresh and sweet, cooked well in their own juices and a sprinkling of green onion. We then received a platter of 9 different meats - it was easy to tell that these weren't the highest quality. Yes, I know I'm at an AYCE place but I've had great quality AYCE meat at Korean BBQ places (Looking at you, LA). Spicy pork, (fatty) chicken, pork belly, rib eye, chuck, etc. all super unmemorable and pretty bland. At least the service was good and our server came over to turn over the meats and cut them for us. They gave us a small platter of some vegetables to grill as well as lettuce to wrap the meat in. There was also a huge container of ssamjang, which I always slather into my lettuce wraps so that was a plus as well. We could have ordered more meat since we weren't stuffed but found it all just mediocre and decided that we didn't want the extra calories for such blah food. Sigh, I had high hopes but I think I'll just wait until I'm back in LA to have the real deal. Additionally, at this price point, I expected a bit more. Maybe due to it being in the City, they charge more? The hunt for good AYCE Korean BBQ in London continues.

    I had never tried Korean barbecue before so I was excited to give this place a go. It's on the…read moretastecard which is how I found it so you can get some money off your bill and if you select the 10 course set menu you really get enough food to be stuffed by the end. As I found out, when you go for Korean barbecue you have the actual barbecue in the middle of your table so you can cook your own meat and veggies just like you want them. But before you get to that there is an array of delicious starters and sides that are put in your table, meats, fish, seafood, vegetables, rice and soups. Once you go through most of those, you meats of choice are brought out and the barbecue is turned heated up. You can then start cooking your steaks using the special wooden cutlery and cut them up with a pair or scissors. This way you can be sure you have everything as soon as it's done and nothing gets cold. We decided to go with the set menu that offers 3 types of meat per person but if you really want to push your limits or have not eater for days there's an unlimited meat option too. If you pick that one, I salute you. Anyway, I definitely enjoyed everything I tried and look forward to going back soon. I recommend going there with a group as that would be great fun and you can order a greater variety of foods. Either way it's worth putting it in your schedule.

    Photos
    K Place - Cook food at your table

    Cook food at your table

    K Place
    K Place

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    Hot Stone - First course: sashimi

    Hot Stone

    3.4(14 reviews)
    1.3 miIslington

    Solid experience at hot stone! The food is delicious and service on point. Perfect for date night,…read moreor a hang out with your girlfriends. Highly recommend buying their vouchers when available to come, to get the most value. We purchased the 5 year birthday offer at £30/person which came with a five course meal. The vouchers go on sale during certain holidays - you can find all their previous offers online. Be sure to ensure there are promotional seating when making a reservation and follow the terms and conditions. Total meal with drinks, the oyster supplement and service charge was just under £100 for two (including the vouchers). Price is quite steep without the voucher and doesn't represent value to me personally. (You've been warned!)

    That Wagyu though!…read more Swung by here at the tail end of my trip in London. Showed up around 8 and got a seat at the bar without any wait on a Tuesday night. Ordered myself 2 orders of salmon sashimi, and the wagyu hot stone meal. The Salmon Sashimi: Very generous thick cuts of salmon. Fresh tasting and delicious. What more could you want? Get This. The Wagyu Hot Stone meal: Oh man I love wagyu steak, and here you can get it for only 25 quid. Cut up your steak and grill it on the stone for a little on each side, and have it melt in your mouth. This came with a side of seaweed salad and a nice spicy sauce to dip the meat in. Get this. If you're coming to a place called Hot Stone you've gotta take in the experience of grilling your meats on an actual hot stone, but also add some sushi / sashimi to your meal because the slices are thick, and its as fresh as I had during my stay in London. Will be back!

    Photos
    Hot Stone - Fourth course/main course: hot stone wagyu

    Fourth course/main course: hot stone wagyu

    Hot Stone - Fifth course/dessert; matcha and miso caramel cheesecake

    Fifth course/dessert; matcha and miso caramel cheesecake

    Hot Stone - Third course; eggplant with miso glaze and truffle

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    Third course; eggplant with miso glaze and truffle

    Naru - korean - Updated May 2026

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