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    Wagamama

    3.9 (34 reviews)
    ModerateJapanese, Asian Fusion
    Closed 12:00 pm - 10:00 PM

    Wagamama Photos

    WAGAMAMA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Very loud
    Outdoor seating
    Good for kids

    Recommended Reviews - Wagamama

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    Laura F.

    I'm not usually one for visiting chain restaurants and when is comes to Japanese and Chinese food especially Manchester is spoilt with so many independent choices. I had never tried Wagamama's before so I decided to pop by on my way home through Spinningfields and give it a go. I was every impressed - it wasn't too busy and we were seated at the end of a long table and the waitress came over. We ordered a few dishes to start and then a main meal each. The starters were very good! The chilli squid was exceptional and the lollipop prawns too. I found them to be excellent value. My main course was teriyaki beef with sticky rice. It was okay, the beef wasn't as tender as I'd have hoped but still it was enjoyable. I was full by the end of the meal and it wasn't too expensive either. If I went back I'd order an array of starters as a main meal, as these were really good.

    Ginger chicken Teppan you noodles
    Calvin T.

    This restaurant chain is by no means authentic Asian or Japanese food in any way. I find their food to be mediocre. They definitely don't do Japanese food any justice. There is a lack of certain ingredients in some of their food. My noodles were over cooked and it was hard and chewy in some parts. The chickens are dry over the ramen noodles. The chefs obviously has never made Japanese food before, and the food wasn't made with precision and love. typical westernised Asian food, very disappointing. On the plus side, the restaurant is nicely decorated and it is very cosy, I'll give them that!

    Chicken katsu curry
    Keeley W.

    I popped in Wagamama with a friend one lunch time for a catch up. We arrived at 12.45pm expecting a bit of a wait but were shown straight to a table that was light and airy. We both ordered the Katsu chicken curry with a diet coke and commenced chatting. The diet cokes took a while to arrive despite the restaurant being so quiet. We could see them sat on the bar for a while before a server brought them over. The food was much more prompt. The Katsu chicken was lovely and crispy, the rice sticky but slightly too sticky for my liking. The sauce had a nice spice to it but had been poured over the whole thing. I would have preferred it just on my chicken or on the side so I could decide how much I wanted with my meal. We were shown where the forks were but unfortunately the chicken hadn't really been cut into manageable sizes and the absence of a knife was obvious. We ended up sawing it up with our forks as there weren't any knives to be had! A real shame as the service was relatively quick where the food was concerned and the restaurant itself is much more calm compared to other restaurants in Spinningfields at this time of day.

    Ideal...
    Rana M.

    Looking for a decent sit outside lunch venue near Deansgate, Manchester and was a tad surprised at the lack of options I fancied. Wasn't in the mood for food at Dukes. Iberica and Thaikun didn't have good sunshine exposure. Didn't want any pub food. Didn't want to walk around all day looking for a place, as was getting over-enthusiastically peckish. Enter Wagamama, spinningfields. Great outdoor seating area for lunch, great food and reasonably priced (given its location) Restaurant chains come in different shapes and sizes. As far as the likes of Wagamama's, Rice and Tampopo are concerned I'm not too scathing in criticism. The same way I'm not too scathing in my criticism of Film franchises like Saw. They aren't pretending to be anything they're not. You know what you're getting. At Wagamama's, the menu isn't gonna blow you away but you're guaranteed to be served a decent Pad Thai or a Katsu curry. These aren't hard dishes to make and I LOVE them. So any place that serves them at reasonable prices are fine by me. The set up is simple, the prices are simple, the food is simple. Simple is good. I can do simple.

    "Website Photo"
    Sarah-Anne M.

    Wagamama is just one of those places that never lets you down. I was out with a group of people the other night, we were off to the Opera House to see Aladdin and we had just less than an hour before we had to be there...only problem was that we were starving. One hour to eat on a Friday night?! Only one place for it...! The people I was with had never been to Wagamama before and I'd never been to this Spinningfields one, it's a much nicer style than the Printworks one, it's all glass windows so great for people watching and there is ample seating, it's still a bit weird for first-timers that you all sit together on benches but you get over it in after about 5 minutes. The service was unbelievably quick and so was the food, a lot of people don't like the fact that the food comes separately when it's ready, they don't wait for all dishes for one party. I actually really like it because the food is always steaming hot and not been sat on a hot plate for 20 minutes. Sure it's a bit antisocial but it's never a long wait for any dishes so it's not for very long. It's about £6-£10 per main course so it's cheap as chips but much tastier! There's always a deal on too, in January it's 2-4-1 on main meals! Bargain! The daily specials are worth a look too, the crab cakes I had the other day were amazing, I hope they end up on the proper menu because I would go back for them alone!

    Thomas B.

    A favourite of me and my chums we will often log onto student beans, rustle up a 2 for 1 then head down. I still struggle to grasp wagamama's menu, but generally speaking anything you order is all about big flavours and big portions. The latter is great news for a fat boy like me, however the first point should be well adhered to, when things are hot they are hot, when things have ginger in them you better dam well hope you like ginger. But don't let this put you off everything is delicious. The restaurant is set up so you sit at a long table facing across from your friends, green tea is free (that rhymes).... (not that you needed telling that) and there is lots of huge soups which can quickly fill you. My favourite is wagamama ramen basically as huge broth of tofu, chicken, noodles and every variety of green matter ever found. Prices won't break the bank.

    Chili beef tastes nice, not that spicy. Wagamama ramen is good and classic. A little bit expensive
    Irene R.

    Locates well. Just to the opposite of the city main library. Well-decorated but the music is a little bit loud when eating. The ramen tastes good but a little bit expensive including service charge

    My friend's Udon noodle dish
    Georgie G.

    Wagagmamas is generally somewhere I go to that's a safe bet, and ticks all the boxes. Obviously this all depends on you liking Japanese and Asian food! But I have found there is generally something for everyone on the menu. Since I last visited, their menu seems to have had a slight re-haul. With additional items added to spice things up (like the beef and red onion steamed bun that I had, which was delicious!), but they've also kept the old favourite's on there, like the Katsu curry and the Phad Thai (my personal fave... Thai I know, don't hate me...) so I was pleased to find they hadn't banished some dishes off the menu, instead just extending it, which in Wagamamas case lends to its culinary repertoire. Slight negatives: my edamame beans were boiling hot when they arrived, and wasn't informed to their temperature, I am used to edamame beans being cold so this was a surprise to me and I almost burnt my mouth on one! Secondly, my tofu was still a bit under cooked - now I know tofu technically doesn't need to be 'cooked through' but it was just a bit too cool in the centre for my liking. Could of done with being a little hotter. Also, last note, we had to wait for a very long time for our plates to be cleared after we finished eating. We must of sat and chatted for 20 minutes or so after we finished eating, and no one came to clear our plates until I actually asked for the bill. Food was delicious, staff communication with customers could do with a little work.

    Chicken and prawn Yaki Soba

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    12 years ago

    Went here once with my boyfriend. I was not expecting much but I was pleasantly suprised! My veggie soup was delicious too!

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    Review Highlights - Wagamama

    Wagamama is a place for those who want to find the balance between the Eastern cuisine and Western style and chilled atmosphere.

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

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    Yuzu - Yakitori

    Yuzu

    4.1(54 reviews)
    0.4 miChinatown
    ££

    Around the time I went here, I was craving some Japanese food in Manchester that wasn't just sushi…read moreor ramen. This place kept popping up on my socials so I knew it was fate I had to try it. I was glad I did!! I went in around noon, quickly got sat down and given a menu, and then the problem was choosing what to have. I went for the teriyaki chicken meal set and it was quick to arrive. For a drink I just went with a Japanese green tea. The meal set was quick to come and it had a plate of teriyaki chicken, a bowl of white rice, and a bowl of miso soup. I loved all of it. I read up on the correct way to have it all, picked up my chopsticks and went to town. I was a little nervous for the miso soup as I've had one before and didn't like it but this one was amazing. The chicken was perfectly cooked and full of flavour, the rice shot, fluffy, and hot. I definitely will go back here as there was more I wanted to try. The ambiance was amazing, I was in front of the kitchen so could see the chefs preparing the food, and all the different bottles of sake were around so I could look at those and pick one if I wanted some alcohol. I can't wait to return

    Went to one in York and didn't love the food hall location. Then it took forever. Finally I ordered…read morea simple chicken fried rice and it was so salty I could hardly eat it. After a few bites just picked out the chicken and left the rest. Maybe it's a cultural thing as I'm from the US but not what I was expecting.

    Photos
    Yuzu - Sashimi and miso soup

    Sashimi and miso soup

    Yuzu - Teriyaki Chicken

    Teriyaki Chicken

    Yuzu - Full Meal Set

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    Full Meal Set

    Sakura House

    Sakura House

    4.1(11 reviews)
    3.6 miWest Didsbury
    ££

    Usually I go to Kyatoya nearby but this was closed on a Monday so this was the back up plan…read more Stepping in it was definitely more of a takeaway place than sit in. It was so small you had to go through the kitchen to use the toilet. The choice of food and drink did surprise me.. how could they find room to stock it all? With loads of different sake, juices and wines. Selecting a glass of plum wine ..himself green tea we pawed the menu. There was a great use of pictures which helped us decide. From various sushi Nigiri, temaki, sashimi etc to noodles and ramen dishes. I found the sushi a little over priced to the average sushi joint of this nature..we decided on the 12 piece sashimi and sushi platter ..for mains I chose my usual spicy seafood broth with udon noodles, beef and kimchi. Himself had the beef yakisoba. We inhaled the sushi as soon as it hit the table. It was good healthy amounts of tuna and everything tasted fresh. The wasabi did not mix well with the soya though.. My main was a far cry from what I had at Baekdu the week previous. This was packed with veggies..tender beef and seafood. The broth was also excellent. Looking up I could see my other half wolf down his..giving it the thumbs up . Overall the service was very good and food was a stark contrast to the restaurant. I would probably use this more as a takeaway if I were local but I wouldn't go there to eat again as didn't find it relaxing enough.

    We just happened to stumble across the newly opened Sakura House on Saturday night whilst exploring…read moreDidsbury. It seemed as though a lot of locals did the same too, as people kept popping in to investigate whilst we were eating, in the hope of an opportunistic free table. Despite only opening three weeks ago Sakura Houses' popularity is clear, the restaurant was packed but it's also only 6 tables, which may play a part! Either way we were lucky enough to snaffle a table for two off-the-cuff as there was a 45 minute space before a booking and our waitress was happy to make time and space for us. Due to being short of time we decided to stick to a simple meal each, so we didn't sample the sushi - which seems to be the main fare. I opted for a comforting plate of pork katsu curry and it was very tasty and freshly cooked, so fresh I almost burnt my mouth on the cutlet! My only issues were that it is currently cash only and that my meal came a good 5-10 minutes after my partners - but I honestly think these are just opening month niggles. Sakura House isn't fancy, it's an honest little restaurant with lovely staff and I think it's a welcome and refreshing addition to the area.

    Photos
    Sakura House - Ebi Fry starter with the delicious Futomaki Rolls in front

    Ebi Fry starter with the delicious Futomaki Rolls in front

    Sakura House
    Sakura House - Sashimi and sushi platter 14.99

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    Sashimi and sushi platter 14.99

    Sapporo Teppanyaki - Lumpy rice

    Sapporo Teppanyaki

    3.8(52 reviews)
    0.3 miCastlefield
    £££

    Amazing service. Had hibachi grill. Did king prawns in teriyaki sauce. Also fried rice. So…read moretasty. Chef did an amazing job of entertaining and cooking. Highly recommend this place.

    This restaurant is in the waterlogged city centre - with blocked drains, flooded streets, uneven…read morepavements and generally untended. Nine of us turned up for lunch on a miserably cold, wet day. The meal here was just about better than ok, but not at all near great; scrapes two stars against price paid. If I were invited back I wouldn't be looking forward to going again. The teppanyaki 'show' is almost non existent. We've been to dozens of these shows over years in USA and on cruises. The shows are usually highly entertaining with food portions tasty and generous. This place was lifeless in comparison so if it's the show that attracts you'll waste your time and a lot of money too. Customers are also being ripped - off. This is the biggest shock I had - although the cooking left much to be desired as it's not simply cooking that's essential: building and concentrating flavour and plating up tasty food is important and mostly missing here. My wife chose what was a mean - portioned duck spring roll starter at a stonking £8 - 75p in ingredients to make (see photo). It tasted ok but not super. I got a 1 star tempura seafood £9.5 starter. It was also quite poor, not generous, lukewarm and the tempura wasn't crispy light either. I do better/tastier at home. A £1 chicken breast becomes a £20 teppanyaki with the addition of some sliced fried potatoes, about 20 pence worth of potato and tasteless thin sliced vegetables, tipped from a plastic bag onto a hot plate (beansprouts/carrots/snow-peas) then steam cooked to limp, unappetising, served with a very small bowl of fried, long grain white rice; say about fifteen pence worth. The rice wasn't cooked in front of us but at the hot plate behind our 'chef'. My pitiful small portion of cheap rice was al mush rather than al dente, with lumps of starchy boiled rice still prominent (see photo). No second portion was offered. I opted for fillet steak main £26 for 4/5 ounces of raw meat; had I opted for sirloin it was £24 for 6/7 ounces. The meats were tasty and cooked as ordered. I chose the Sapporo peppercorn sauce. It was far and away the tastiest part of the whole meal by a distance (not a big challenge) but the 'chef' slightly burned the pepper sauce. My first 330ml ale choice at 7% wasn't available (£12.05 a pint) I got a 6% tasty amber ale (£10.32 a pint). The staff are polite and courteous. The atmosphere was surprisingly muted despite the fact that the restaurant was very busy ripping off lots of folks at one time.

    Photos
    Sapporo Teppanyaki - Inside

    Inside

    Sapporo Teppanyaki - Alright tempura. Not crispy crunch and served warm not hot

    Alright tempura. Not crispy crunch and served warm not hot

    Sapporo Teppanyaki - Inside

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    Inside

    Teppanyaki Restaurant

    Teppanyaki Restaurant

    3.7(3 reviews)
    0.4 miChinatown
    £££

    I came here on Friday night with a friend for a catch up as we both had a craving for some…read moreTeppanyaki and found ourselves in China Town. I have been to Teppanyaki restaurants in the past and have always enjoyed them - having the food cooked in front of you adds an entertainment value which is great fun. The staff in here are great - the service i cannot fault at all. From the moment we arrived they were polite and gave us time to look through the menu in the small bar area before showing us to our seats. We asked the waitress if we had the set courses, would we need a sushi starter as well? She said no, and mentioned that the set menu would easily be enough food. I appreciated her honesty as i was just about to spend a further £18 on 8 pieces of Nigiri Sushi and California Rolls. My scarf kept falling off the back of my chair when people brushed past me, and the waitress kept picking it up and placing it back on my chair. This must have happened 5 times - very kind. We both opted for the 'Teriyaki Kyoto' set teppanyaki menu at £24.95 each. This consisted of Zensai, which was a small starter dish of some wontons and spring rolls. A choice of either Sirloin Steak or Chicken Fillet cooked on the teppanyaki grill and egg and vegetable fried rice and stir fried vegetables too. We both opted for steak and the waitress was right - this was plenty of food. Our chef was polite and our food was served quickly.. the rice and stir fry veg was particularly good, and the steak was cooked how i like and was juicy and tender. However, the chef went crazy with the soy sauce on my steak, and whilst this is fine for some people, this made my steak very salty. I can't help but compare this place to Sapporo Teppanyaki - where it's only £21 for a filet steak cooked with rice, veg and potatos - so i found this restaurant particularly expensive in comparison. And like i said, whilst the chef was polite, there wasn't the same entertainment as there is at Sapporo - which did leave me a little disappointed. But, all in all, the food was nice and it's a nice restaurant.

    One of the best places that I have ever eaten in Manchester, Teppanyaki is a really fun Japanese…read morerestaurant. The basic set up is that you all sit round as the chef grills your meat. The menu is limited in the sense that it is meat + rice + sauce but it all tastes so good you won't care. And there are actually tons of different meat and sauce to choose from - we had beef, duck and salmon. I went with a big group and it is definitely a special occasion restaurant. I spent much more than I usually do but it was really good fun and some of the sauces made it taste incredible. By far the most entertaining part of the evening was our chef. As we watched him it became clear he didn't speak much English so he made all the animal noises relating to what he was cooking at the moment. Quacking and mooing galore. Rest assured there was nothing lost in translation: both he and his food were a big hit with me and my friends.

    Photos
    Teppanyaki Restaurant
    Teppanyaki Restaurant
    Teppanyaki Restaurant

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    Tampopo - Sharing platter for two - looks small but definitely sufficient and delicious!

    Tampopo

    3.8(45 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    ££

    Service is great. I got right in after being told no by a snooty Italian place across the square…read more Appetizers and mains are solid good food. Place is busy which is a good sign. If you like unpretentious, Asian fusion food and happen to be in Manchester, this is your spot.

    After a heavy Friday night on the drink it was time to start thinking about where we could eat that…read morewould be quick and easy. We were sat next door to Tampopo so it was the obvious choice. We were seated straight away and considering it was half 9 it was relatively busy! We were served by a devil (halloween themed) and considering the outfit the server was lovely. We ordered a bottle of fizz and a coke, the soft drink did get lost on route however was soon rectified. I opted for the duck dumplings to start and pitting them against Wagamamas own I was left slightly disappointed. The dumplings had a sticky texture and weren't quite full to the brim with duck and didn't have much of a taste alone but needed a good dip in the soy sauce to add flavour. For my main I opted for the chicken katsu curry (I was hungry!) It arrived promptly and was a super tasty combo of sticky rice, deep fried chicken with a mild curry sauce. I would say it was on par with Wagamamas version even served with the same side salad topped with ginger. I wouldn't come here for a special occasion but its perfect for a quick and reasonable dinner!

    Photos
    Tampopo
    Tampopo - Imperial rice dish

    Imperial rice dish

    Tampopo - Corn fritters

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    Corn fritters

    Wagamama - japanese - Updated May 2026

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