Engawa Restaurant

Food was great however they can not accommodate for any allergies or intolerances as they “like to serve the dishes as is” which is surprising given that everything is made fresh & basically in front of you - they would definitely be able to accommodate however just refuse to. Other than that the tables are slightly too small for the amount of food on the table! But the food and waitress were amazing.

The waitstaff was very accommodating-- we were running late for our reservation and it was no problem at all. The food was amazing and when they found out it was for a birthday, they brought out mini cakes with candles. It was delicious! I would definitely recommend Engawa to anyone looking into going. The tasting menu was great and worth the price.

Everything ok!!!!....a great time!!! We love it

The worst Japanese food experience in London I've ever had.
It is not authentic Japanese food at all - if anyone gives this restaurant 4-5 star - they clearly have no idea what Japanese traditional food should be.
To be honest, I would've been ok to pay for the meals if it was £15-20 per person but we ended up paying £122 (incl. 12.5 service charge) for two persons. The owner of this restaurant seriously needs to consider what is value vs. quality because they haven't got the balance right at all.
As Japanese person, living in London, I genuinely feel embarrassed that the British people believe this is Japanese food because it is not.

Unfortunately we were disappointed with both the service and the food at Engawa, which result in an overall very disappointing value for money. Of course, the dishes were well prepared and the flavours went well together (we had the 7 course Omakase), but none of it stood out in a particular way (which you would expect for this price). The quality of fish didn't seem better than at most other restaurants and some of it was badly done (especially the cod seemed dry, and fried salmon in a bland soup defeats the point of frying it, as the crispy parts get soggy within seconds).

The service was rushed, the waitress placed the napkins on our laps (which should still be the client's choice) and the second a glass was empty someone rushed over to ask for a refill. 2-3 waiters stood behind us during the entire night, staring at our plates which was very attentive but didn't leave any space for a personal experience.

We learnt our lesson - good ingredients don't make a good restaurant. We will not come back.

One of the best Japanese restaurant I have tried in London. Service amazing, the menu at £65 was exactly what you need to discover the restaurant menu

Our second time here and very good again. The otoro and uni crepe is absolutely delicious, a must if you like fatty tuna. Not cheap by any means but well worth the price considering the premium ingredients used. We mixed a la carte and omokase menu to try a variety of dishes, everything was delicious. Service was friendly but as space is limited every time a waiter passed they brushed our backs without acknowledgement, until the very end after a particularly hard bump when we had the bill. We had our chairs pushed in as much as we possibly could and we are both slim. For the prices charged they should really be more mindful of this and pass more discreetly even if it takes a little more care and manoeuvring. Otherwise a very enjoyable evening.

Very poor combination of quality vs value. Overpriced food, average quality of food, limited choice of food in the menu. Though staff are friendly and helpful. Space is very tight and it gives the feeling of restriction

I love the team : )

I am already planning another visit to this lovely place. It was a great experience :)

Very thoughtful birthday celebration which was delicious. Food was great and plentiful. #noregretsspendingthatmuchmoneyformybaby

One of the few authentic feeling Japanese restaurants in London.

On the higher end of the price range. But totally worth it for the quality and service. Need to book ahead if you want to get a table. Been a couple of times already and will return again.

Enjoyed my second visit very much, would love to return

Brilliant authentic Japanese experience. The lunch menu is extremely good value (in the context of an expensive artisanal Japanese meal). Thoroughly recommended.

Went for my birthday with my mom, it was such a nice experience :) food was so amazing

Really nice place and worth the price!

Amazing restaurant. Lovely service and stunning food

Very good Japanese restaurant! Food was fine and well presented. The service was impeccable. Highly recommended!

First time dining at Engawa last night and it was such a lovely evening. Upon arrival we were greeted, coats taken to the cloak room and seated at our reserved table. Our waiter was very attentive and took the time to explain the menu to us. We decided to go for the omasake 5 course meal. Every course was delicious and well thought out. Presentation was beautiful. Especially enjoyed the 11 assorted sashimi and veg selection and dessert. The staff were aware of the comment left on the booking that this was a birthday celebration and brought out a dessert platter with candles and 'happy birthday' written in chocolate. Overall, can not fault the service or food quality. The price is worth it. A very memorable experience. I would definitely recommend.

Wagyu was very good but literally just a taste. very small selection of Wagyu dishes. Crazy expensive.

We booked a table for a quick lunch, having read the excellent reviews of the restaurant. We weren’t disappointed. The food was great and it was presented beautifully in wooden bento boxes. I loved the wagyu beef; it was exceptionally tender and delicious. The sashimi was very fresh. Service was friendly and attentive without being overbearing

What a fantastic introduction to Japanese food. We ordered the three course tasting menu, we were not disappointed it was amazing. The wagu beef was like butter. Staff were helpful and friendly without being intrusive. Loved the open kitchen and watching the sushi chef at work. Go, you’ll love it!

Food was great. Service a bit lackadaisical for the price.

Amazing food, beautifully presented. Great location.

Absolutely beautiful restaurant with stunning food. I particularity appreciated how understated it was inside, without an air of pretension at all for a restaurant of its calibre.

The staff were fantastic, and described every dish served and knowledgeably answered questions about them too.

My partner and I had the Omakase 5 course at 12:00 because it was their birthday, and it was the only time convenient because we live in the North West and had a train home booked in the early evening.

The whole thing is a culinary adventure, and I can not recommend this restaurant enough if you appreciate Japanese cuisine and sushi. Every dish we had was a deliberate and crafted experience and left us asking "how does that work so good!"

The only criticism I can think of is that we turned up at 11:45 and were told to wait outside for 10 mins as they don't open until 12... For me that was a bit off. I'd expect a restaurant like this to be prepared for people turning up early. It was slightly awkward just milling around outside for 10 minutes when we'd already walked in.

Regardless, my partner and I are sure to return and explore more of the menu.

We had their Omakase 3 Courses menu at £65pp which we thought it was good value, considering it includes the sashimi selection and wagyu steak which already exceeded this price. We were full afterwards that we couldn't finish the side dishes. Most dishes were beautifully presented, very tasty and well-portioned (except for the tempura which was greasy and the no-miso miso soup). However, the toro and wagyu were not top of the range, while they are tender and fresh, they lacked flavours.

The service was very friendly and efficient, but I feel they need a little more attention to detail for an upmarket Japanese restaurant. They do not inform the customers of sushi & sashimi etiquette (e.g. don't mix the wasabi into the soy sauce and eat white fish then darker fish etc). I guess they want to keep it casual and it's not essential, but it would be nice to know they have that knowledge. The restaurant is very small so the tables are very close together and very small for their signature boxes, which I understand they can't do much about that. Hopefully, they will have the budget/intention to move to a bigger site soon to elevate the dining experience.

They rushed us out way too fast

This is a very small and unique restaurant where the only real way to experience the food is to go Omakase. They offer a 3 or 5 course omkase of which I opted for the 5 course on this occasion. Don't let the size of the plates fool you, the meal will be delicate but very substantial! I love their small plates offering which comes in a box, 12 small dishes with 3 different sauces (see photo). I chose the waygu beef with vegetables and rice as my main. As the restaurant is small, it would not suit large groups, however, it is a great place to enjoy a leisurely meal over a good conversation.

The food was overall very good, but the chefs special course was poor. The staff weren’t rude, but fairly disinterested, we had our courses sat in front of us but no explanations - when the starter has 11 items, it might be nice to know what they are.

Food really good, service on point and everything was smooth. Highly recommend this thoughtful restaurant!

Lovely ambience, amazing tastes and flavours! My parents and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Please be aware the place is a little cozy if you need lots of legroom.

Not very friendly service

Went there for my anniversary and I am pleased about the overall food and service, waygu beef was very nice and met in the mouth but there were bits that were just not very nice like the miso soup and the tempura.

Very expensive. Just standard Japanese foods without any emotion

Best one comparing to similar restaurants.

This was second time I went this restaurant.
It was brilliant when I went first time. But this time was very bad!!
I ordered 11 assorted bento box . It’s not worth for 40 pounds. It’s used be very good. But I could see it’s clearly cost cutting this time. I am not going there anymore.

Food was a bit poor, was expecting better

Food was all right. The old lady “waitress” rushed our food even when I asked for a 15 minute break for our next course. She also tried to take our plate when we weren’t finished yet and she was very impolite. After that; the 4th course came when we were still having our 3rd course. If you WANT to rush your dinner and eat delicious food, this would be a highly recommended place.

Overall very happy with our dinner, food was good, nothing spectacular, but the atmosphere and the service was excellent. Their complimentary birthday dessert made my night, definitely recommend to try it at least once for that authentic Japanese experience.

Food was amazing and the whole experience was really worth it. I'd say only issue is the size of the restaurant. Everything is so cramped together. However, totally recommended! I'd eat here every day if I could