My friend brought me here saying that this is one of the top Japanese food places in London. I was expecting a little more, but the food was just okay (I actually wouldn't come back for the food). BUT. Their desserts are really good. Their matcha desserts are really rich in flavor and they have a lot of different selections! So it's definitely worth it to get matcha ice cream or their cakes. read more

Tombo - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

If you've eaten Japanese food in Japan or San Francisco, this will not be the food experience you're looking for. Place certainly looks good and the staff are friendly, but the food is very pedestrian and not worth seeking out. read more

Great food, great atmosphere and amazing & fast service. Recommend for anyone in the area looking for some authentic Japanese cuisine. read more

Tombo - Amazing Ramen and Miso - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

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Food was good! Got afternoon tea, which comes with 3 pieces of a roll and 2 different sushi pieces. The bottom tier holds 4 desserts, and they can also make the whole thing gluten free. My biggest complaint was the service, which was pretty slow in my opinion. Took a while for food to come out and for people to check on us to ask if we needed anything. Additionally, our first server did not know what the gf options were (she incorrectly said that only one of the desserts was gf) and when my friend, who's been to tombo, said that she'd had other gf desserts from tombo our server asked several times if my friend was sure instead of just going to check. She went to check and came back, saying only the brownies were gf to which my friend said she could just replace all the desserts with those then, bc my friend is literally allergic to gluten. Another server inquired in a few mins to confirm whether my friend really wanted 4 gf brownies and said that they had other gf dessert options, so obviously my friend asked for an assortment rather than 4 gf brownies. Food was probably 5 stars and good quality, if not a bit overpriced, but we just had a fairly negative experience with the first server. read more

I am a big fan of everything matcha, and I can gladly say that this place did not disappoint. My favorite is the matcha soft serve... Creamy with a prominent matcha taste unlike anything I've ever tried before. Give this place a try, especially if you are a matcha fiend like me. read more

Tombo - Matcha soft serve - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

Perfect place to take a break and have some tea after visiting the Natural History Museum. Looks small from the outside but upper level seating is comfortable and well decorated. Had the salmon bento box, a poke bowl and the Japanese afternoon tea. Generous portions and delicious, healthy, clean food. Would definitely come again! read more

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I've finally found the place that does authentic matcha ice cream in London and it's ranked number 1 on timeout for all those green tea lovers like me out there. It's a small cafe that gets busy with a lot of health conscious ladies out there who just cannot resist sweets. If that sounds like you it's a match made in heaven with light bento box option that even has no carb option. I went for the grilled salmon that comes with three side dishes that really fills you up as its full of healthy veg and soya beans. But the real gem is the list of matcha desserts! The matcha sundae is definitely to be shared and it comes with warm brownies with azuki (red bean) paste. The ice cream is soft and there's no icy flaky bits like you get in some frozen green tea ice cream you get in Asian shops here. Definitely going back for more desserts. read more

Tombo - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

The service here is excellent, friendly and attentive waiters and waitresses. I had the katsu curry which was delicious and my sister had the chicken teriyaki which she enjoyed as well. read more

Seen the pictures on instagram and since the theme is matcha I decided to come in. The cafe is just few steps away from the South Kensington tube station. When I got there the place was packed and had to wait 15 min in a queue (saturday around 13:00). The place is not big with a small open kitchen bar. I ordered the Don rice bowl - miso katsu pork, temari sushi set to start. The sushi was great, the quality was perfect! Miso katsu was a horrible mistake. The pork chop was very dry! The miso sweet sauce was not sweet in a good way a bit acidic. In addition they garnish it with raw white cabbage, cut thick and very bitter. Huge turn off. For dessert I had the matcha latte which was great!!!! I also did order the matcha sundae which was good but somehow not too creamy and sweet as I would like it to be. Overall good place for drinks (they serve alkohol and matcha beer!!!!), matcha teas, latte, desserts and cakes. Sushi worth the try too!! Still avoid any sort of meat here its dry, dry, dry..... I think they prep it outside and then microwave it at the cafe. Price wise for the area its just ok. read more

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I love Tombo. A friend found it on Instagram and knew that I'd like it. It's a cute, small cafe that serves simple Japanese food that's healthy and quick. It's also a match (green tea) bar as well, with matcha desserts and drinks. London doesn't have a lot of matcha places, so this place is awesome. I've tried the chirashi and salmon sashimi bowls. Both are delicious. They use a mix of multigrain and white sushi rice; so tasty. I've also had the bento box with salmon teriyaki and it's good! My mother tried the chicken teriyaki don buri (rice bowl). She said the chicken was a little dry. Now let's get to the exciting part! Matcha! The matcha sundae is so good! I like the biscuit pieces, but I wish they had Mochi too. Azuki (red) beans are delish. The soft serve matcha is really good too and comes with a cone holder, which is great because if you're lazy, it just sits there and you can lean in your head in for a lick. While the matcha is delicious, I think for desserts, Tsujiri in Soho is better. The soft serve itself is great at both places, but I prefer Tsujiri's sundae (Shirotama). read more

The food was delicious and really stayed true to Japanese cuisine. The curry was so flavorful and the vegetables were very generously portioned - not overrun with rice as some curries can be. The lack of meat was not missed, and that's coming from a big meat-lover like myself. The sushi sliders were also great and an interesting twist on traditional rolls. read more

I think this cafe is here for long but it never get my attention until today we saw their matcha dessert poster outside the shop. (We were suppose to go to snog though. Sorry snog) Looks like the matcha dessert trend is hitting London. You can find all sort of matcha cakes and drinks in their menu. Infect all of them is matcha flavour. Matcha cake, matcha pancake, matcha brownie, sundae in only matcha flavour, etc. I ordered a matcha sundae and one Sakura ice tea. The Sakura ice tea is rather blend. Prefer it to be stronger. Matcha Sundae was nice. It has good balance of matcha taste and milky creamy taste. People who love stronger matcha green taste will prefer their matcha sundae more compare to Tsujiri. They do serve sushi, noodle and other Japanese meal. I think I will be back to try out their Japanese meal next time when I'm around there. Aug 2016 I came back to this place again for dinner this time. We order one udon, unagi don (grill eel rice) and sashimi don. The portion is not too big. Taste not bad. Salmons are fresh. They only do salmon for their sushi and sashimi dishes. read more

Tombo - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

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We came here for a quick meal before a show nearby, and we weren't disappointed. We both ordered the chicken katsu curry as it is a reliable dish that we have had in other restaurants before. The crumbed chicken portions were on show in the counter and they looked delicious. We placed our order and the meal was ready minutes later. We also had a couple of beers. The curry sauce was piping hot and I would dip my chicken pieces in it. I may have been a bit too generous as I didn't have quite enough to mix in with my rice, but it was fine. My wife had some dessert at the end: some mochi and black sesame icecream with a surprisingly good wafer. The total cost was fair for what we ordered and we were satisfied with the dinner. read more

I remembered this almost minimalist white oasis from a visit a couple of years ago (don't know what happened to my review from back then, but it would have been glowing) and was happy to find it still where I left it. My previous experiences must have been mid-week when the area is less busy, today's visit was a massive disappointment. I can't remember any time I was treated with such contempt upon entering a cafe. The first member of staff didn't know what to do with me when I said I needed a table just for myself (come on, this can't be THAT unusual in London in the 21st century!) and turned to the manager for help - who offered me a stool in the corner. This would have been bad enough had this been the only space left, but there were several free tables in the main dining area. Needless to say, I left. read more

really average and over priced. Food was blah, not a lot of flavour. When you are not happy with your meal you feel any amount you pay to be a rip off and the bento boxes do not come with miso soup! gasp. I had to pay an extra £3 for a large miso soup, and yes it was large but no tofu! gasp. Lots of seaweed. Needless to say life is to short to re- eat at a place you do not love! I left feeling like I wasted money. I feel misled by all these raving reviews :( read more

I've been here quite a lot recently for lunch, dinner, and mid-afternoon snacks. I like Tombo - I'm not usually too fussed about interiors of places, but it's a nice place to sit in, helped by the friendly staff. I feel relaxed there. Tombo do a variety of things - katsu curry, noodle bowls, rice bowls, salads, and a bit of sushi as well as a bunch of desserts, mostly matcha based (yup, yum!). Generally, I go in for a soy matcha latte and an onigiri or a doriyaki - whilst the soy matcha lattes aren't the best I've had in London, they're nice and it's a very welcome hot beverage option in SK (and eating into my time spent in Fernandez and Wells). They also have a small but nice selection of teas - I'm a big fan of their haiku ginger roasted hojicha. The food here is decent. Unfortunately, the kitchen is pretty minimal, so things like the katsu are reheated using microwaves and don't come out crispy. That said, the food's not bad - the dishes are a decent size and I like the noodles: as well as standard toppings (teriyaki chicken, miso salmon), there's a special item every day which is usually pretty good. I do like their salady things too - they're simple (things like seaweed salad and sesame broccoli), but well put together and have great texture. I've not tried the sushi here yet so I can't comment on the quality. I'll be coming here plenty in the future and I want to go back to try their desserts at some point as I do like my matcha cakes. It's not cheap cheap here, but you can get a decent meal for a tenner and it's just a nice place to be in. It won't rock your world, but I always have time for good, simple food. read more

Oh my gosh I had such a nice lunch here today. I had the Katsu Bento Box which comes with 3 choices of salad. So yummy! And a Jasmine Pearl tea which was served in the best little clear glass teapot I have ever seen in my life. I want! I love everything about this place. The tea selection is amazing, the menu design is really cute (and it's delicious!) and the staff are friendly and smiley. Everything is really clean and every detail has been really well thought out, from the teapots (yes I am obsessed) to the amazing wooden spoons that come with the Donburi. Healthy, yummy lunches in a great environment. Go here if you are in the area. read more

Don't know what to say, the food are just wrong, if you know what Japanese food is, just don't try. And bad service too. read more

Great Japanese Cafe in South Ken, and perfect for escaping the tourist traps of the Le Pain Quotidien and Paul's nearby. Located on Thurloe Street, also home to the nice and cheap Kulu Kulu Sushi, Tombo is a Japanese cafe combined with a deli. Although deli is probably not the word for it - as it serves hot food like bento boxes, dons (rice bowls), and noodles. I fully recommend the matcha latte - which is matcha powder mixed with frothed steamed milk. Absolutely amazing! Their sesame macaroon was perfect - crispy on the outside, fluffy and light middle, and filled with a sticky and not overly sweet sesame paste, which had bags of that burnt sesame flavour. Do try to go for the £4.50 drink + cake offer during tea time (3pm to 5pm) as its superb value for money, especially in South Kensington! Full Review by The London Insider http://www.london-insider.co.uk/2011/02/tombo-cafe-a-japanese-oasis-in-south-kensington/ read more

Lovely cafe with an interesting Japanese menu. It's limited but the bento boxes are very healthy and quite filling. They advise of gluten free options and even stock almond milk to make matcha latte which is amazing. We went at 12 which was nice and quiet, it was heaving by 1.30 pm. The Asian staff are lovely, one non Asian (manager?) seemed a little abrupt though. read more

Had dinner here. I got poke bowl and eggplant with onions appetizer. They were good.

Dropped by here last night on the way to the Royal Albert Hall. Decent Japanese with a small but well priced menu. Plum wine made a lovely aperitif. Starters were small so not ideal for sharing, but mains were a good size. Everything tasted fresh with plenty of flavour. Great curry sauce that didn't overpower the prawns. Polite and happy staff - nice styling throughout. Chairs in the window were particularly comfortable which you don't often get in a Japanese restaurant for some reason, they tend to go for simplicity over comfort. Ideal spot if you're in South Kensington as it's just by the station. read more

Travel to Japan in a couple of minutes having an awesome meal here. I had the rolls and a teriyaki chicken bowl. They were awesome!! Also any matcha drink tastes great!! Service is quick and precise. Definitely recommend this place!! read more

Had yet another great meal at Tombo. Today's daily special was Seared Salmon Sashimi which was so yummy. Such a lovely cafe/restaurant and Japanese style deli. Great for eat in or to go and perfect choice for pre prom at Royal Albert Hall. Classic Bento Boxes with choice of main and 3 salads are great as well as the best Katsu curry in London. Have to go early as some dishes runs out because they are so popular. Matcha Latte is also fantastic! Not like those horrible drink at EAT. Nice selection of Sake and Plum wine as well as lots of Japanese tea. Please please open another branch soon. read more

Tombo - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

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Delicacy is always the stamp of good japanese restaurant, no matter big or small, cheap or expensive. You can always visualise the piece of carefulness and respect towards the food that paid by the chef. I had chicken katau curry with a Zen mocha, also many more. See pictures please. read more

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Nothing says fresh and delicious like a row of microwaves proudly displayed behind the front counter. It could be excusable if the food were great - I'm sure quite a few decent curry houses reheat in microwave on the regular - but the food wasn't great. I ate it and that was that. Would I return? Well I haven't yet. Would I freak if a uninformed friend insisted we meet there for lunch? I likely wouldn't. read more

Cute place! Had hot matcha and a (very) little macaroon. Would definitely come back here if I'm in the area because their savoury stuff looks yummy and I need to try it. It's great to have somewhere that has an interesting and reasonably priced menu in such a touristy area. Go Tombo! read more

The hojicha latte was excellent. I was thinking about getting food but there was a long queue. Neat little place.

Great matcha latte, I loved it. The only downside was that they charged 50p for soya milk, which I consider expensive and it wasn't specified in the price list. I thought that for this kind of drink, soya milk would be included in the price. I should go back and try the sushi and bento, it must be good because there was a queue and all tables were occupied. read more

My friend and I wanted a cheap and quick dinner before going to the Royal Albert Hall. Tombo made a good impression at first but we weren't convinced by the food. My friend had rice with teriyaki chicken and I had a noodle soup with tofu and both were ok but defenitely would have needed fresh vegetables to liven up the dishes. Maybe they make good sushi but I couldn't really recommend Tombo. read more

Tombo - Thick noodle soup with tofu - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

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After reading Yelp reviews and perusing the menu, I knew this was where we would get dinner after a long day at the V&A Museum. Between two people, we ordered: 1- Sashimi Bento - Came with a few slices of salmon sashimi, and a few cubes of tuna. The salmon was very tender and fresh, but the tuna was tough and chewy. For the price, I expected higher quality fish. The sides it came with were also nothing memorable. 2 - Curry with Pork Katsu - My fiance got this as his entree - the katsu was breaded well and added a thin layer of crunch. The pork itself was a little touch, but the curry sauce was very flavorful. 3- Matcha Frappe - Almost like a milk shake, I liked that it was not too sweet 4- Matcha Lemonade - Very refreshing drink that had the perfect balance of matcha and lemonade 5 - Some sort of dessert that consisted of matcha ice cream on a wafer with mochi and red bean paste - serving size was way smaller than I imagined / it looked in the picture so that was disappointing. If i ever make it back here, I would probably just get the matcha ice cream cone. read more

Every time i go here, i have a good experience. Food is tasty and arrives quickly, the matcha lattes and ice cream are delicious. Prices are decent too. Can encounter a longer wait but you can skip the waiting by taking the food to go with a slight discount too. read more

Tombo - Delicious healthy lunch- poke, miso soup and matcha latte. - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

Great atmosphere and Friendly staff! The chicken Katsu was delicious will definitely return again! read more

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Matcha ice cream is great and the selection of teas is also very good. However on a Saturday lunch we had to queue 20 mins. But it's worth it. read more

Tombo - Teas - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

If you go during lunch hour there is always a long queue. I won't recommend dining here for the price you pay you won't get the fair share of food. Food is not as authentic you can get better Japanesse food elsewhere. This place is great for take out desserts especially the matcha icecream.everything else is overrated. Matcha latte with matcha colour but you can't taste the matcha. Ps; Don't waste your £5.70 for the matcha beer.. read more

This was a completely random find while on my way to another restaurant. It looked great from outside so I decided to check out the menu and the food looked good too. I'm so glad I decided at the last minute to eat here - it was FANTASTIC!! I ordered a miso soup, sashimi bento box and bonsai tea. Absolutely everything was delicious and so reasonably priced. I'll definitely come back here and would highly recommend! What a find! read more

Tombo - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

The original green tea is good in the aspect of legit flavor. If you go there for food, it is still quite yummy. However, the afternoon tea is not really attractive. I ordered that only for trying out and turned out to be not good at all. You can only have afternoon tea from 3-5pm and they actually decide the food not you. i.e. They may give you tart today or macaroon next time, and you have no choice. From Japanese service, I do no really like this. More, the sushi is not tasty at all. I am sure they did not make rice really traditional,and they should have warmed rice by hands, which obviously they did not do so. I would also use Chinese to comment since many Chinese people go there. 为了食物而去，这家店还是可以，抹茶，不是抹茶拿铁，而是纯正的抹茶很有日本原味，你能感受到抹茶在舌尖的停留，但下午茶并非吸引人的原因，一你不能自己选择有什么，也许今天他们马卡龙剩的多 就给你马卡龙，二寿司并不好吃，因为米没有经过手指按压 感受不到结合了手的温度 read more

Tombo - I have been there three times and this time was for afternoon tea - Japanese Near Me - London, XGL

THE BEST GREEN TEA IN THE WORLD! Tombo is amazing. The service is brilliant, the food is DELICIOUS and the decor is beautiful! Perfect for a quick, but lovely meal : ) Definitely buy some of their Bonsai, Genmaicha with Matcha tea to take away! read more

I had a weird craving for a matcha. I don't know what strange force hit me, but it was one of those ungovernable cravings whose demands you have no other choice but to follow. Tombo offers a traditional matcha tea for £4.95, completed with mochi. I'm not a fan of adzuki-filled mochi, so opted for the matcha latte. They didn't have soya but do have almond milk. It was quite watery, but the taste was overall good. My partner got the matcha latte with regular milk and the matcha cheesecake. He said that both were okay, but still doesn't quite get the matcha latte trend. This is a bit of a novelty spot, prices are a little high which is to be expected in South Kensington, but I will undoubtedly be back to try the veggie bento box with the nasu dengaku (miso aubergine). Good option if you need to refuel near the museums. read more

Great food, kind of poor service. One of the female waitresses was rude to us several times.