I have actually been here a couple of Times ..again it's one of those places I thought I had already reviewed! This place has a great ambiance, with nice soft music, and its nicely adorned with Japanese garden themed items. The waitresses also look stunning in there kimonos, and are happy to help. Settling in, their starters consist of sushi, dumplings , meat and fish skewers, soups and the usual Chinese /Japanese food. Tuna maki was immediately ordered (which comes as an eight piece) tuna tamaki hand roll (2 pieces-) and seafood dumplings (5 piece). This was nicely presented in a bento style box, however the Maki was very small. The best value for money was the tamaki hand rolls, as it contained thick pieces of red coloured tuna. The dumplings were also good. I had never tried a ramen here before, so a beef one was ordered and a seafood udon ramen. The seafood one was a bit disappointing. Bobbing about was one mushy shelled prawn, one squid ring and pieces of salmon. I asked for some chilli oil and flakes to be brought over to add some more taste to it.. The beef though was pretty much a cut up steak, which was fantastic value for £9.99. For dessert I always choose the green tea ice cream, which was a decent portion..I also tried a fairy tea which is served boiling hot in a wine glass. If you let it settle these flowers will come alive making it pretty and fragrant. Downstairs en route to the bathroom leads you to a gift shop. Which sells ice cream, woolly sushi, sushi making equipment and crockery. A really nice idea. However the ladies toilets are atrocious. Two out of the three toilets were out of order. The third one, I think someone had died in there because they spent ages! Overall this a nice scenic place , with slightly expensive food for what it is...if you get the ramen choose the medium size as its plenty if you are having starters. read more

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I popped in about 2pm on a weekday having seen a sign advertising sushi for £3. it turns out that was for six pieces so really pretty good value and certainly better value than yo sushi in nearby Piccadilly station. The sushi was better too, although not outstanding. No tuna or salmon which was a shame because that's my favourite but it's good to try different things. I would go in again for the sushi deals but I thought the bento boxes were rather expensive - £7.95 for lunch is too expensive in my opinion and they need to stop advertising them for £6.95 outside unless they want me to slap them with a lawsuit. FYI if you want to pick something up quickly this is not the place - assembling my sushi took 25 minutes even though there were no other customers when I arrived. read more

Ok, not to be rude or mean or anything, but this was honestly one of my worst meals in Manchester, maybe even all of England. It was horrid. Expensive, not fresh, the worst. It was honestly so disappointing. I went here because it had read great reviews and it was close. Truly, don't waste your time. Head on over to itsu or something along those lines. It was not a good time. read more

Amazing food, friendly staff, great atmosphere, music, had Saki, Bento boxes with Sushi, Norimaki and Miso soup, Sichimi chicken, mixed Tempura, gyoza, prawn katsu curry, great price, quality, authentic Japanese food having tried much of this in Tokyo myself. read more

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Back to one of my 'go to' hardy perennials. The atmosphere is always classy. Relaxed and quite, it feels like a second home. I realised on this visit that I've been eating here for over 20 years so it's clearly got something right. Despite that, it's taken all this time for me to get to the Bento Box! I had always dismissed them as 'lunchtime tourism' in favour of the banquet options. I've been missing out. For a very affordable price (from £10-14) you get a great selection of dishes and miso soup and sushi starters. Shichimi and Karange chicken, tempura, Katsu prawn curry and the trimmings. Exepional quality and a full feast experience. I'm converted to lunchtime tourism. read more

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My favourite Japanese restaurant in Manchester. Seafood Sukiyaki highly recommended.

I used to eat here regularly but had to stop. The food is inconsistent. I usually get the 24 piece sushi/sashimi for £10 on the lunch special which is a great deal. They alternate the sushi chef, and frankly some of them are terrible and I could do better. At worst I've had salmon sashimi that was chewy and rubbery and not cut properly. I felt ill afterwards. When it is good the food is above average and great value. The venue is always clean and the service attentive. I have now stopped going as it is awkward leaving the restaurant when the decent chef is not on. They need to sort this out. read more

Oh WOW! This place is so FUN! Stumbled across it late one afternoon when I'd gotten a little lost- fairly new to the area- and decided to chance the funny little place with a grassy entrance. And I'm so glad I did. From the wonderfully kind and helpful staff to the fantastic food (balls of octopus starter [NB: not the other way around!] a personal favourite) and the beautiful decor, it's an authentic Japanese experience. If eating with a big party, ask to be seated on the mezzanine area- they'll put you on a low table when you put your feet under the ground- a little hard to explain (and certainly challenging to get in and out of!) but really adds to the feeling of having a real Japanese experience. Finally, for a nice place, the price is fairly reasonable. Very much recommended! read more

Been to New Samsi a few times. The one on Whitworth Street and the one which used to be in Spinningfields - shame its closed now. I like the set bento box meal deal with the main and sushi. It was a weekend lunch time when we went - around 2pm on a Monday. I would have thought it wouldn't be that busy but consider it was a Monday and afternoon, it was busy. Went to the one on Whitworth Street other week. Food was "OK" at best. We had a set meal and was very good value - based on quantity. We couldn't eat it all so took some home - which I ended up having for dinner. It was some sushi and some noodles. The sushi alone would have probably cost about £5 if you bought from somewhere like Tescos. Like I said, the actual taste of the food was just OK. The service was a bit odd. There was a waitress who served us but also a guy - possibly manager. The waitress was miserable. Certainly was not service with a smile. The guy was a bit better. My rating is considering past visits to New Samsi - it was a while ago but remember thinking it was pretty good - the Whitworth Street one. If it was just based on this visit, it would get a 2/5. read more

I have been to Samsi several times and have always enjoyed the food and found the service efficient and friendly. This was also the case on my last visit. However I feel that Samsi has a lot more stiff competition these days and think that Yuzu and Umezushi do it so much better and authentically. We ordered a selection of dishes. The seafood gyozas were a little on the small side and lukewarm to be honest, the veg tempura was good though and the batter was nice and light. My tuna sashimi was ok, the tuna wasn't the highest quality and a little bit tasteless. My prawn sushi maki rolls were very tasty and hit the spot. I really like the shop they have below the restaurant where you can buy Japanese ingredients to use at home if you want to recreate any of the dishes you have tried. Overall an average experience. read more

Decent place. The upstairs has been reviewed sufficiently but the downstairs also needs a mention. Its not only a shop but also a little noodle bar. Its only got a few seats and they are right next to the Japanese shop, which is a little strange. Additionally, the woman behind the counter seems to serve you your food too, out of nowhere. Again, strange. Anyway one of the criticisms correctly made about the upstairs was the prices. If you don't fancy splashing out then the downstairs might be the better option. It serves mainly noodles (being a noodle bar) and they start at £4.25 and aren't bad at all. They also sell teas and coffees or you can have a Japanese beer depending on what the shop has in at the time. Its pretty nice, but a little tacky, weird and often empty. In all I'd say its worth going upstairs, but perhaps if its just for a quick lunch or snack, the downstairs is the better option. In all, I prefer its sister restaurant in Withington called Little Samsi, which sells the sushi at a cheaper price. The shop is also worth a visit. read more

Called by here for some sushi to take away - really friendly staff and very helpful, sushi was REALLY fresh and will go back to sit inside as restaurant ambiance was great. They told me they do Sushi course 2 hours for £20 at the new Spinningfields branch - BARGAIN! Shop downstairs a bit pricey much cheaper from Japanese Centre via mail order from London. read more

The New Samsi is situtaed on Whitworth St Manchester. Myself, My Husband and Daughter all tried this a few weeks ago and was very pleasantly surprised. Sunday buffets are great value, and with a good choice of buffets to choose from. Service is leisurely but amiable. The restaurant is very child friendly - and the bento box for children is a perfect idea, with choice pieces of chicken, salad and rice along with fruit and marshmallows to dip in a chocolate sauce. An excellent place for a special family meal out. read more

A fantastic Japanese dining experience. Here you'll find a variety of various Japanese dishes to suit all tastes. There is an extensive Sushi menu which satisfy those with more adventurous tastes and it's completely delicious but there is plenty to choice for those not so familiar with the Japanese cuisine such as tempura (meat/veg lightly battered). The set menu's are both broad in choice and excellent value for money, if it's your first visit to Japanese food, you'll find these provide a fab all-rounder on various dishes. The atmosphere and setting of the restaurant is great too, definitely worth a visit. read more

I love Samsi. At the moment, it's my #1 lunch spot in town. The restaurant is spacious, not too crowded, nicely decorated- very calming. Perfect for a midday culinary escape. The staff are super friendly as well and there are some great bargains on the set lunch menu. Now onto the food: the bento boxes RULE. They are delicious little trays of balanced, yummy flavours. And Samsi serves brown rice green tea, which has a delicately amazing taste but is very hard to find in most places. So for the ambiance, bento boxes and brown rice green tea Samsi is my lunch oasis. The only reason I took off a star is that their sashimi is not very good, which was a big disappointment. read more

I'd never had Japanese before visiting this restaurant with a friend, so I was a little nervous about the raw fish! However, I was pleasantly surprised and would even go as far as to say I've been converted from my usual Chinese haunts. The ambience in here is sophisticated, relaxing yet still lively enough to have a good vibe. The waiting staff are all dressed in traditional Japanese attire which adds to the atmosphere. Food is beautifully presented and the menu offers a lot more than the typical Sushi (although this is plentiful and really quite delicious!) The clear soups are delicious and feel very 'cleansing' and the spicy sizzling meat dishes are particularly good. If you've been inspired by the menu, you can even pop down to the store in the basement to pick up ingredients to re-live the experience in your own dining room. Well recommended for something different. read more

Food is disappointed since the real sukiyaki is not and never look and taste like that......If you really want to try some real Japanese food, don't go inside this restaurant; but if you want to enjoy the atomsphere it is a good place to go though read more

New Samsi - Japanese Near Me - Manchester, XGM

This is place worth a visit just for the little shop in the basement! Located just near the gay village, this, in my humble opinion, is the best Japanese restaurant in the city centre. They do a great deal on a set menu. I usually go for the samurai banquet which includes sushi, miso soup, tempura and steak. At £22.95 a head, its a great deal. There's a fab little shop in the basement that sells lots of Japanese food, as well as serving sets read more

We tried this restaurant a couple of years ago. I love Japanese food and my husband hates it. We went rather early infact we were the only ones in the restaurant for about 45 minutes. The staff were lovely and let me try out my Japanese language skills on them. What I loved about it is that they cater for non sushi eaters too. My husband had samurai steak with udon noodles and I had tuna norimaki followed by Samurai Salmon. The steak was, according to my husband the best steak he'd ever tasted and that testament still remains. Apart from the sushi which tasted like metal the rest of the meal was sublime. The highlight of our meal was the dessert. We shared a chocolate fondue made from the most exquistely chopped fruit. It looked so beautiful we didn't want to eat it. There's a little shop downstairs that sells an array of weird sweets which we indulged in and various Japanese goods such as sushi kits, tea sets etc. It's the best Japanese restaurant we've been to if you truly want a feel of being in Japan then this is the restaurant for you. So why only 3 stars? Because the restaurant was fully booked with blue bottle and black fly diners which kept landing on our table, trying to muscle in on our food which spoiled the meal and left us wondering about the hygiene standards. I would go again to see if they've improved the fly count but sadly I won't get the chance. Which is a shame. read more

Service is so slow I wonder what's wrong with them. Rice is horrible. Cooked for too long with too much water. I've visited this place twice, and the rice was really bad both times. Miso soup was too thick and strong as well. I've never met any Japanese people who would like bad rice and miso soup. So how they keep their business running I have no idea. read more

I don't know about other food as I have been there only once I am not impressed at all with their kasu curry chicken bowl and vegetable tempura. Too oily for the latter and the chicken bowl tastes just wierd Besides the lobby was too dark, difficult to read the menu (had to use phone light). Service is not existing. No one come to add water at all. And they don't take amex, understandable. But you don't have to curse when you find out you charged an amx card read more

Nice japanese restaurant, you should try the sushi special £10 sushi lunch and anything with eel. Waiting staff can be frumpy sometimes.

What a beautiful little restaurant. Located on a quiet little corner of Whitworth Street, New Samsi is a beautifully decorated Japanese restaurant and grocery store. Upstairs the elegant decor and traditional music really sets the scene and the food is delicate and delicious. I had the vegetable tempura to start, followed by the Teriyaki chicken with steamed rice. It was very filling but I didn't feel weighed down or bloated afterwards. The service was very fast and the staff are charming and more than understanding if, like me, you don't know much about Japanese food. Downstairs there is a Japanese grocery with a great selection of dried, tinned and fresh foods as well as some beauty supplies and Saki. I'd definitely recommend New Samsi to anyone looking for a mid-range restaurant and a classy looking evening, but I've heard if you are really into your Japanese Food I've heard there are better places to go. read more

Not the most fantastic sushi on the planet (but admittedly, being from Hawaii and California, I may have unrealistic expectations), but the fish is fresh, staff friendly and atmosphere pleasant. The cooked dishes seem a little more inspired. But the best thing is the little market in the basement-- all the Asian staples that are so hard to find in England, right at your fingertips. Plus, an excellent selection of sake. read more

Was seated in the basement and it was a terrible atmosphere. The plates, cutlery, and napkins were infantry. The service was mediocre and there were many mistakes with our order. The Nigiri was okay, but the rolls were some of the worst sushi I've ever had. The entrees were very bland, better than the sushi, but nothing special. The main seating area looks nice, would've been nicer to sit in it. Overall let down and disappointed. read more

We ordered sushi. Quite a bit of it actually and I was not impressed. It didn't have that super fresh, clean taste that sushi should have. I think the biggest letdown was how sloppily it was all put together. Bland colours, massive block slices of sashimi which was wrong wrong wrong. Normally sushi should be a feast for the eyes and mouth. This was neither. Avoid! read more

The perfect combination of unique, really lovely food and also really reasonably priced. The ginger edamame is amazing and the katsu and basically all Al a carte dishes are my favourite. Don't miss the Japanese supermarket hidden downstairs too! read more

A good place to come for a little lunch, they offer good specials at lunchtime including an all you can eat buffet and bento boxes. I chose the luxury bento box which included Karaage, Mixed Tempura, Yakitori and Ton Katsu curry (crispy pork curry) and set me back £9.50. The staff are friendly and dressed in traditional Japanese uniforms and the decor is relaxing and contemporary. Downstairs is a small shop to buy Japanese groceries and kitchen essentials although I do find it a little on the expensive side. One thing I would say is that some of the presentation seemed a little slap-dash, and although the place was busy I don't think this should be an excuse for a lack of attention to detail. read more

As a Japanese, I think it is highly over charged price.Some menu are weird. it would be good if this is your first time to try Japanese foods. I d prefer m&s 1 pound sushi to be honest.. read more

This is a great restaurant and something new and exciting if you, like me, aren't too familiar with Japanese food. They do set menus which are good if you haven't a clue what to order. The sushi is lovely and the array is vast. They also do noodle based dishes, soups and curries. Give it a try. On the lower ground floor there is also a shop selling all sorts of Japanese ingredients and packaged foods, I think they do takeaway sushi and bento boxes too. There's another shop in Withington on Wilmslow road. read more

This place is now just called 'Samsi' and although I've ordered take-out from here a few times and visited the shop downstairs I'd never eaten in it until today. It was about 12:30pm when we sat down and the place was not busy at all. The waiter was friendly and the place had an overall good feel. The decor was tastefully done and the tables not squished together. I think perhaps they had just had the place re-done recently to go along with their name change from 'New Samsi' to just 'Samsi.' We decided to order off the lunch menu which was quite good price wise, around £6.50 - £10.00 depending on the meal. We ordered the katsu chicken curry bento box which came with katsu curry and veg, salad, yakisoba noodles and sticky rice. It all tasted yummy and was a very filling meal, you could tell everything had been made from scratch including the curry sauce. Afterwards we decided to get the Japanese desert sharing platter between us as we have a love of mochi and other Japanese sweets. The plate, when it came, was filled with goodies. Five mochi, one large dorayaki, marshmellows, cream and a Japanese cheesecake. The only small niggle I had with this was the dorayaki was just on the verge of still being frozen and the cream was canned squirty cream, not fresh whipped but other than that it was very good, just a little more attention to deserts needed. Perhaps some fresh fruit would have added to this desert too. The special 'flower' Flora teas they had on the menu looked wonderful and I would love to try one next time I go. All in all the meal was very good, but not the best Japanese meal I've had but I will come back as the menu is huge with everything from sushi to steaks. The little shop downstairs... I used to come here a lot a buy sweets (that were highly overpriced) that I couldn't get anywhere else in Manchester. Having visited today it seems the shop is going downhill fast, the stock they had in was tiny, hardly any sweets and far too many items you can easily buy at near half the price at any of the local Chinese supermarkets in China Town. They did however still have my favorite Japanese Cherry Blossom sweets, still at a crazy price but as a treat I bought two packets. If they want this store to do well I suggest they lower their prices a little and stick to importing hard to find, specialist things rather than varmont curry and dried noodles. read more

Having had 2 good experiences here, we were quite disappointed after our latest visit yesterday. I ordered the same dishes as I enjoyed on our first visit but my veg tempura (previously crispy with a good variety of veg) was soggy. My vegetable teriaki was cold, lacking in sauce and the some of the vegetables were uncooked, the rice was rock solid and congealed. I wouldn't bother ordering the veg noodle dishes as they are bland with hardly any vegetables, should be much cheaper as there is not much substance. The quality was not much better than a chinese buffet so sadly it has put me off coming back. Luckily we had a discount voucher but I can't imagine paying full price for some of these dishes, better off buying some quality ingredients and DIY! (Homemade sushi is miles better anyway) read more

I love eating here and then going downstairs to the little shop to buy the ingredients to try at home

Good tasty food. Tempura is beautiful and the Katsu curry is to die for.

A very mediocre Japanese food experience. While being as pricy as most other Japanese outlets, Samsi offers tasteless sushi and sashimi that appear less than fresh. An overall disappointing sitting. read more

New Samsi is a Japenese Resturant located in Manchester. They serve amazing Sushi and Tempura, the prices are extremly cheap and can expect to pay around £6 for a lunch time meal. If you go a little later in the evening a banquet can cost around a tenner, for food this good its a place i would highly recommend people visit!! read more

After some shockingly arrogant service put myself and my partner off Samsi Spinningfields for good, we defected to New Samsi hoping to find better. That we did! The service is perfectly friendly without being over attentive and there is always a smile from the lady I assume is the manager. My boyfriend is in love with the Gyoza chicken and my Ebi Fry was fresh and tasty. My only gripe was that for the same price I got 5 prawns at Spinningfields and 4 at New Samsi. However, if one prawn is the price I pay for a waiter who doesn't think he's better then everyone else, I am happy to pay it! We always try to order a different main every time we visit, but outstanding examples would be my chicken Ramen, which was utterly delightful, and the sushi hand rolls, the freshness of which is ever in doubt. I find the drinks prices a little high, a double spirit topping £5 before even getting to the mixer, but again, that is a minor complaint. I confess I have not summoned the courage to buy anything from the deli as yet, but I am certain that when I do, I will be met with helpful staff and quality products. After loving the Samsi food for so long, we were very disappointed to have to leave Samsi Spinningfields, but as I am in the business of customer service, I could not permit such behaviour. It is with great relief then, that I can rely on New Samsi to restore my faith not only in this utterly fabulous business, but dining experiences as a whole. Thank you! A lovely restaurant, excellent quality food and friendly service. You must go!! read more

Me and my friends decided to go to New Samsi as everybody was raving about it. I was really looking forward to it because sushi is one of my favourite foods. We were seated on the floor with cushions but with our legs hanging down so it was nice and comfortable. We were a group of 12 so it took us a while to order and the waitress looked a bit confused,but everything was right when they brought the food out. I ordered a premium seafood bento for £14.95 which consisted of several different kinds of seafood and fish and four pieces of sushi on the side. I ate the sushi first and was a bit dissapointed-the tuna was 'stringy' and the other fresh fish were very bland. The main course was pretty big and divided into four compartments,unfortunately all tasting the same-of soya sauce. I couldn't eat the squid as it was too chewy. I know most people like it so maybe we were just unlucky,but I doubt that I'll be going again. read more

They offer takeaway, to view their menu and order by phone click here Samsi Menu (http://www.take-a-way.co.uk/menu/5799/samsi-manchester/)

Samsi on Whitworth Street is delicious and excellent value for money. I'd recommend this restaurant to those who are new to Japanese food and also to those who are familiar with Japanese cuisine it suits all. The menu is handy as it includes a key for those unsure of any items, and it has a large selection of authentic dishes to choose from. I had the chicken gyoza ramen and it was delightful. Take note of their bento boxes, we ordered a seafood one, which included a miso soup, 4 pieces of amazingly fresh sushi, an ebi katsu curry, rice, gyoza and mixed tempura. Their bento boxes are exceptionally tasty and brilliant value for money great for a lunch on the go. The stairs in the restaurant lead down to a fantastic shop selling authentic Japanese food, worth a visit if you want to try Japanese cooking yourself. Samsi is also situated in Spinningfields and there's a Little Samsi just outside Withington (leading to Didsbury). read more