Had a wonderful time at So on a visit to London for the week. I was looking for a Japanese restaurant that had more of a low key ambiance. The service was wonderful. Chris our server had great recommendations and was very thoughtful about our whole experience. The Pink Punk maki roll was delicious. Also recommend the Ninja Curry Chicken Katsu. The desserts were amazing. We had the matcha cake and Hojicha Terrine. read more

So Restaurant - The Hojicha Terrine and Matcha Cake for dessert. - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

Wonderful staff, atmosphere, excellent food and drinks. Live music made the dining experience more enjoyable. read more

So Restaurant - Drinks - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

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I received a voucher from my company for this place and Im really happy I could discover a new place for sushi ! The restaurant is not big but very comfy and "Japanese" style. I was seated at the bar, just in front of the sushi masters. The service was good and fast. This place is quite pricy however, the fish quality was amazing ! I ordered a soup miso, cucumber maki, salmon nigiri, a spicy tuna temaki and one salmon temaki. The presentation was simple but nice and the taste was delicious. The spicy tuna temaki was perfectly spicy. One of the good places to go for a fancy sushi dinner read more

Fois gras jyu (rice) was amazing but would suggest that you share because althought the portion is small, it can get quite heavy after awhile. The sashimi was quite fresh. We also ordered a wagyu beef tataki which was yummy too. This restaurant is quite pricey though, so maybe for a treat occasionally :) read more

So Restaurant - Fois goie rice - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

Sadly So Restaurant's food just doesn't hold up against the competition, particularly given the price. We had the Tuna Tataki and the Scallop with Daikon salad for starter. I was actually a bit offended to find we were served such poor cuts of tuna - filled with cartilage that was impossible to chew - surely no good Japanese restaurant would be seen serving that?! The flavour of the salad was actually quite nice, but was ruined by being quite soggy and the scallops being overcooked. Our mains were the tonkatsu and the soft shell crab sushi. The tonkatsu was probably the best dish we had but that didn't stop it being slightly burnt. On the plus side - I did thoroughly enjoy the sauce served alongside it. The soft shell crab sushi was fine. Despite our waiters and the staff being generally attentive and friendly, this couldn't really make up for the food. There are plenty of better, cheaper, places less than a minutes walk away from here. read more

So Restaurant - Tuna Tataki - poor cut full of cartilage which was inedible - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

I always get hesitant having sushi when I'm in new areas. If it's a bad experience, it ruins my tongue's last memorable fling with amazing fish and Japanese food. And my tongue is high maintenance. But So gave me a confident pep talk regarding London's Japanese food scene. I had some plum wine (a highly recommend) and ordered a Chirashi. The sashimi was fresh, it was REAL crab - not imitation crab, rice was good, and ginger was sweet and tart. Most of all, I love hearing Japanese, gouchisousamadeshita! In terms of the physical restaurant, it was nicely lighted, and had an upscale French-Japanese feel. Some would say it's a bit pricey, but I wasn't too bothered by it since the price was worth the quality and value. Besides, what else do you expect for good sushi? Obviously not Yo! Sushi prices. I am sure there are many more authentic Japanese restaurants in London, but for now, until I am introduced to something better, I will return to So for some more tongue action. read more

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A trip up to Town, plus my mission to Get to Know Sushi brought me to this eaterie. A really good discovery. There is a huge selection to choose from, and they do Specials. Apparently there is a famous Roll named The Mackerel Timber Roll, and it's back! Whoopee!! but I had enough to deal with reading the vast menu already presented. Fabulous surroundings, as was the staff and food. We shall return, (the wife's still not keen)!! read more

So Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

Well, a little bit disappointed with the food and the waitress downstairs serviced us very unfriendly. The ingredients are fresh through, like salmon, but taste not good, not worth with the price I think. read more

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Went to Warwick Street's So Restaurant and ordered the following: - Today's sashimi - Mixed tempura - Edamame The sashimi platter offers good value per piece and it is quite a varied board. There wasn't much to elevate it from the standard of sashimi in other places but as a lover of the dish I still enjoyed it. The edamame was similarly routine and the mixed tempura came again with nice variety. The sauces were a bit of let down however and were indicative of the food as a whole; standard and acceptable but without much imagination to justify the price compared to other Japanese eateries. One last thing is that when entering we were offered a table either upstairs or down. I opted for upstairs but if going again I'd like to take my chances downstairs. Our table was in between two others and couldn't have been more than 50cm apart leading to the feeling that my date and I's conversation was shared between the three tables. Admittedly I have no idea what the downstairs seating was like and it could be even worse. read more

Great sashimi! Tasted great. Recommend sitting at bar to get a view of the chefs at work. Watched a guy peel a radish paper-thin and then make the little strings of radish. So cool!! They even entertained my dad's stupid I-don't-know-crap-about-sushi questions! Guys next to us ordered a bunch of different things and obviously knew what they were doing. Beware, though: one of the guy's phone's went of loudly twice, and they confiscated it! He got it back at the end though. read more

3.5 Stars?!? Really? Yelp, are you f*ckin kidding me?!? This was my joint when I lived in London. Dooooope FISH. Judge a sushi joint by the fish. I see they've messed up on some people's orders here but I have to say, every single time I came here, I was only pleased by the fresh, juicy cuts served up. The Sushi chefs smiled and they went to work. The salmon rolls...Oooohhh, the salmon rolls. Order up a bunch of nigiri. Have a few beers. Then, save room for black sesame seed ice cream. Oooohhh... read more

How does a sushi place manage to be both excellent and completely forgettable? It's a special gift I guess and So Restaurant has got it. It could be because of it's location, perhaps the non-existent atmosphere, I really can't put my finger on it and although I enjoyed my dining here, I can't really call it an experience either. It's on the pricey side (cheaper than nobu though) but the sushi is really quite good, although my salmon was served far too chilled for my taste, everything else including my sea bass sashimi was delicious! Really, top notch sushi like a few other of my other favorite London sushi haunts. Look around online and you can find a discount for dinner here, and you certainly won't be disappointed by the food, I'd just say don't bring your friends visiting there as it's a nice place but manages to be neither an authentic japanese restaurant nor a hipster sushi fusion bar. Up to you if you want sushi or atmosphere, or both. read more

Came in out of the rain on a whim and left happy! My Bento box was was filled with all sorts of great flavors and my wife's sushi was very good. Everyone was friendly and it was a good escape from the rain and crowds outside. read more

So Restaurant - My Bento box. I ate everything! - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

Really nice food... I used to go there very often, as they offered a 50% discount deal with the Tastelondon card. Not anymore, and I really miss it! It is a bit pricey, but the food is to die for, specially the black cod in miso and the ice cream dessert! If you are looking for a place for a special day... this is it! read more

I like to think I know a fair bit about Japanese restaurants and this one is definitely a good authentic mid-class sushi diner just off Regent street. The decor, plates / glasses and cutlery are classy and I like to perch on the bar like a regular with friends. Their website http://www.sorestaurant.com/ is pretty good and rewarding. Book in advance and you can get upto 40% off which is a bit ludicrous. In fact the other night I rung up and asked for a discount at very short notice and they gave it. You do need to be a very nice with the staff. For two people with the discount, you can eat a quality sushi/sashimi platter for two and enjoy a couple of beers all in for 50GBP in central London. That's great value. read more

Tucked in the middle of nowhere in Soho, lost amongst the numerous restaurants and small streets, is this little gem of a japanese restaurant. You'll most likely walk by it if you're not looking closely, but look look and look for it, because it's THAT good. I had the sushi & sashimi platter. This means "whatever fresh fish was brought in today" deliciousness. The types of sushi and sashimi will change from day to day but the constant thing is the elegant simplicity of a a well-prepared dish. And it's absolutely yummy. The staff is attentive and ever so polite (a rare treat in London unless you're going to fork out the money and sometimes not even then). The sake martinis are quite good and marries well with the sushi&sashimi. If my pocketbook can handle it, I would be here every night. Verdict: My new favourite sushi restaurant in London (thanks Sunmee!). read more

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I went there on a date on a Friday at 9. The size of the crowd was perfect for that because it was half full and pleasant decor. There were some people leaving shortly after we got there and they started to haul in the trash by 10:30 so wouldn't get there later... The choice of beer and saki was good and we had a good cheap cold saki. We ordered the sushi special platter which had a mix of spicy salmon roll, various sushi and sashimi. The meal overall was good and the fish was fresh! The reasons I give it only a 3 is because I probably wouldn't go back again. I like having a choice of good rolls and that was few here. I also like a slightly more lively atmosphere with prompt encouraging drink service. If these things aren't important to you then it's a great place! read more

Here is a great example of a Japanese restaurant. I've been twice now and the quality is superb. My must have: Foie gras nigiri. The flavour is melt in your mouth rich and seared just so right. Lunch is a great time to go, not too crowded and so far I've been able to get in without a reservation. Fantastic service as I was in a bit of a hurry too. They even have a frequent dining card! read more

So Restaurant - Foie gras nigiri - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

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Overall I quite enjoyed my experience here. The mains can be a bit pricey but the sushi and the starters are all pretty reasonably priced. We had the Agedofu starter which wasn't quite what I was expecting but still was pretty good. The sushi was fresh and delicious and the scallops my friend had looked great and were really well presented. The staff here was really helpful and were really honest in helping me pick a tea. They do sort of require some catching of attention because they don't just often come check on you. The atmosphere is nice. Everything is quite modern and sleek looking. This place might not be a constant go-to spot, but I would recommend it as a nice first date sort of place as it seemed like many of the people there were on one. (Some of which were going better than others. The first date happening directly next to our table was hilariously painful to watch, but I suppose that is a different story) read more

So is what I'd call a "so-so" restaurant. On a forgettable part of Soho (Warwick street), that might actually be a good thing. I'm not a real sucker for touristy restaurants, so the further away from the neon light's of soho, the better, in my book. That being said, it's not cheap. Even with a 25% discount (which we got online on their website). 55 pounds for 2. They don't have unfiltered sake (to my knowledge), which was a bit of a bummer, as we were spoiled for options when we lived in the South Bay (California). The salmon/tuna sashimi is really very good, and you can tell that the fish is fresh. The soft shell tempura is not bad. I like the fact that the tempura is not over battered. The crab was juicy, but pretty tasteless. The fried tofu was good, very subtle tastes, but again, not as good as what we've had elsewhere. The atmosphere is dry, quiet, and sterile, however the staff is really sweet and nice, and as always, I love the fact that everyone says good bye when you leave. In a city where there's so much choice for decent japanese, So doesn't stand out, in a good way or a bad way. read more

A few friends and I went for a simple dinner, and everything was delicious. I ordered the spicy tuna handroll and hot udon. I absolutely loved my handroll -- possibly the best I ever had in London, full of fresh tuna and flavours. My udon was solid as well, though I wish it had been a bit more flavourful. My friend ordered agedashi tofu and aubergines to share, and both starters were spot on. Service was generally good and prompt as you would expect of a reasonably nice Asian restaurant. I spotted quite a few Japanese businessmen dining too, which generally is indicative of an above average service standards. Ambience was average -- would have expected a bit more sophistication. We dined downstairs, which was generally alright but I personally wouldn't have preferred in general. A solid Japanese place to try if you're around Piccadilly! read more

If I were rating only on quality and taste of food, this place would get 5 stars, however, add in quality of service and it gets reduced big time. Perhaps the lack of service was because i stopped by when lunch service was winding down, but it took over 10 min to get something to drink and 10 more to order and then nobody else came by until i interrupted someone for the check. read more

Dont bother going to- rice very thick and not cooked well on rolls. Cocktails stunk and lighting was EXTREMELY bright, made it feel like restaurant was actually a cafeteria. Was seated in basement that was cold and had absolutely no personality or decor. Over priced. read more

Fabulous Sushi restaurant! Splendid fresh sashimi including O TORO. Seaweed salad and a wide range of dishes. Not too expensive. One of best I have found in London. Lunch so good I got takeaway for dinner! read more

Been there last year during spring break. My friend brought me there and we definitely love it. Oh I really miss London. When I go there next time, I will go to this restaurant again. read more

I'm only revealing this restaurant as one of the best Japanese/sushi restaurants in all of London (and my favourite) because I desperately want it to succeed. It already has a couple of things working against it. Number one is location. Warwick Street is one of those streets in Soho that no one seems to tread upon. There's not a lot on the street except the yucky bar The Warwick (sorry) and The Club Bar & Dining which recently replaced the failed Grocer on Warwick and before that, the Sugar Club (I'm sure something failed there before that as well?)... Number two is the name. SO Restaurant? Or is it So Restaurant? Or SO Sushi? I vote for the latter (as the antithesis to YO Sushi), but I think it's technically the first. Ambiguous, boring, not clearly a sushi place.. sigh. I suppose it's too late to change the name. Regardless, this really is an exceptional spot for Japanese food - both the sushi and other dishes are top-notch. The atmosphere is very calming and modern, but not sterile as you find in so many other Japanese restaurants... the lighting here is soft, the decor pleasantly soothing and the staff gentle. It's like eating in a spa (but fortunately without the scent of essential oils). Best of all, the prices. Definitely not cheap, but if you want to eat food that rivals Nobu - if not prime, then a close contender - and still hope to pay your credit card bills, you must give SO a try. And happy note: portions are not tiny. A quick list of some of my favourites: for starters, the duck & walnut salad, smoked duck and the octopus & tomato salad; for mains, the grilled eel and the beef (get the wagyu if someone else is paying); for dessert, the tofu cheesecake or the green tea cake if they have it. The sushi/sashimi is all excellent. Finally, they have a very good sake, shochu and Japanese beer selection. Long live SO Restaurant. read more

Friendly and fast service. Unfortunately, the sushi and sashimi were less impressive and the presentation resembled a cheaper restaurant than the price actually charged. I did not order any cooked items on the menu so the two stars may not give them justice. read more

Went on 5 June at 7pm. We were seated promptly with menus. After 15 minutes not a single employee came to our table. We got up. We left.

The shrimp Tempura was barely ok... Had to pay for Miso soup (should be a given). The sushi was So so. I definitely had better sushi in other major cities (mind u Tokyo, San Francisco, Atlanta are some of them, so I might be biased). For London cuisine, it's good. NOT worth the price paid though (and I am on an all expense paid budget) read more

Really good place! Can have proper dishes or sushi. We opted for a couple of courses and everything was really tasty. Smoked duck to start was very finely sliced and absolutely delicious, as was the babay octupus and tomato salad. Mixed grilled seafood was plump and perfectly cooked - and the scallops in particular were excellent. The foie gras was apparently delicious (although I hate it myself!) and apparently the miso was also very good, although it was the first time I'd had it and thought it was disgusting! Friendly staff, nice atmosphere. Would definitely come back. read more

Excellent experience at So Japanese. Didn't eat much as it was out second sushi restaurant of the night, but all nigiris and the roll we tried were great. The Chef also gave us some complementary torched salmon and it was not just a nice touch, but also delicious. Also had a nice conversation with the manager at the end of the dinner. Great place, will go again! read more

One of the best Japanese I have been to in London, although it is a bit pricey. Really good sushi platters and I also really love the fried tofu. Have been here with Japanese friends before and they also said it is good. read more

Very dissapointed with our dinner here. Avoid the cooked dishes. The black cod in miso was the worst i've ever tasted. The soda was flat, the green tea was not replenished. Although the fish was fresh, it was haphazardly cut. The rice was tasteless. Left feeling unsatisfied and ripped off. Never again. read more

One simple word: fantastic! Japanese food at its best and most authentic. Majority of customers are Japanese and so are all the chefs and staff. read more

The salmon teryiaki was to die for! So delicious. The quality of the sushi was amazing too. The food at So never fails to impress - however, it does come with the price tag. Compared to other japanese restaurants in london this is slightly at the upper end of the spectrum. read more

Yummy yummy food. Miso black cod starter was brilliantly done. Fried oyster starter melted in my mouth. We went and had their tasting menu on offer midweek, and for that it was an excellent value. (though with lots of sake and soju, we ended up spending a goodly amount). The the contemporary Japanese food is excellently done. Service was good, and the setting was very chic (although a bit dark). We were seated downstairs. Upstairs it is brighter, but not quite as nice IMHO. This is the best Japanese food I have had in London so far. I had the venison, which was probably a mistake. It was very good, but paled in comparison to their seafood offerings (which I will stick to next time). read more

I was a bit skeptical about getting decent sushi in London, but the Hare & Tortoise exceeded my expectations. The tuna tartar was exceptional and the fat content of the salmon sashimi made it as buttery as I've ever had. My son opted out of sushi but said the chicken teriyaki was the best he has ever had. The spicy calamari starter was probably the best calamari I've had as well. Definitely worth the price, which isn't bad by London standards. read more

The fish here is so fresh. We come here regularly for lunch on Saturdays because you can get delicious bento boxes for a bargain price. We've been coming here for years and I've been meaning to try out different mains on their menu but I still haven't ventured past the chirashizushi - rice topped with pieces of salmon, tuna, grilled eel, fish roe, white fish, rolled omelet, prawn and crab meat for £11 which comes with miso soup. They even have a lunch loyalty card. They also have a delicious looking vegetarian bento box that is well worth £8. Dinner is quite expensive and there is no vegetarian main as such. Personally I think pieces of cucumber, avocado or carrot wrapped up in some rice and held together by seaweed paper isn't my idea of a satisfying meal. My husband asked for the veg bento which they serve at lunch time and offered to pay more for it since it's for dinner but they politely pointed out that it's a lunch time bento box and is not available for dinner. The sake tasting set of 4 different sake is recommended. My experience was that if you take a sip from each to start with so that you know you can rank them from most to least liked and then drink the one you like most first because I did it the other way thinking that I should leave the best to last and found that the after taste of the not so good ones spoiled the flavour of the best tasting sake. I love how they also give individual hand towel to dry your hands in the toilet is so posh, especially for their lunch time customers. read more

Like their Foie Gras, Tempura, Salad... Aged Tofu was so so... Service great, cute waiter;p