Vegan
Japanese
Organic
Beer/Wine
Vegan Japanese restaurant with branches in Japan and UK - this one is in King's Cross. Serves tapas style Japanese classics like grilled onigiri, vegan sushi, noodles, and tofu-steaks. Rice, root vegetables, seaweeds, soya beans, and soy by-products are recurrent ingredients in the cuisine. Also art gallery and weekend live music. Lunch is cash only. Open Tue-Sat 12:00-14:00, 17:30-22:00.
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Last update on 09 Aug 2023 by geometric-noise
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228 Reviews
First Review by feorag
bloomlala
Points +51
Delicious - Edit
Went for lunch with my children (6&2). We had shoyu ramen and bento box, and everything was super delicious. My kids loved it so much we had to order another bento box and some extra spring rolls. And then we had pancakes with ice cream for dessert!! Can’t wait to try the evening menu.
Read moreGuest
Lenene
Points +872
A delight - Edit
Wow. Everything we had was amazing. My favourite was the okara balls and the plum wine. Felt authentic. Friendly staff. We had booked for 6pm on a Saturday and it filled up very quickly, booking highly recommended.
Read moreAlthough the full menu is not cheap, we will be back!
Pros: 100% vegan yet authentic & delicious, Beautiful crockery, Staff helpful & friendly
Cons: Tempura quite oily, Not spicy - ginger/chilli flakes would be nice, Small place, walls quite bare
Guest
mmmeiday
Points +708
Worth the wait - Edit
I've been meaning to come here for so long and I was not disappointed. I feel that a lot of the Japanese food on offer in the UK comes in the form of supermarket sushi, and as such people often expect the food to be loaded with salt and sold for a quid - this is not that kind of place. Food takes centre stage over pushy customers here. Grateful to the staff for kindly offering me and my friend a table for a quick dinner even though they were fully booked (make no mistake, this place is popular) and already had a queue at the time of opening.
Read moreThe food itself looks simple, but is beautifully prepared and rich in flavour. I loved the small additions in the sushi - the little dab of sesame paste here, a gentle sprinkle of micro herbs there - and the broths used for the noodles were so lovely. The toasted sesame in my friend's udon was gorgeous!
It is a shame that this place is small, but it does at least mean that food comes out fast and fresh. We have already made plans to return.
Pros: Beautiful food, Attentive staff
Cons: Not accessible due to stairs, narrowness
Guest
M.Rós
Points +200
Real japanese cuisine, and vegan! - Edit
Superb quality, faithful to real japanese style. I had a lovely evening. The portions may seem small, but I consider them enough, we were full and had to take away leftovers. The atmosphere downstairs is wonderful. Calm and cozy. Will definitely repeat if I go back to London. Completely worth the price.
Read morePros: Real japanese food but vegan!
Cons: No cons. Its expensive but totally worth it
Guest
JokeRuy
Points +41
A little disappointing - Edit
The food is nothing creative, it is all very simple, nothing special, and the quantity is small compared to the price. On other hand, I had two experiences not good: when I booked I asked for the possibility of a nice table because it was a birthday dinner, they did not consider it and it was obvious that there were more interesting tables that our.
Read moreWhen I paid they didn't bring me the whole change, I had to claim it. When they are already charging 5% of service it is not nice they take some more tipp without my permission.
I will not come back.
Guest
youxme
Points +22
Nice Japanese quality ! - Edit
I went there with two Italian friends who always love having Japanese food. We enjoyed it a lot, the waiters are so polite. The bento box is beautiful and well cooked, I was impressed the vegan spring roll so much.
Read moreIf I’d say, we hope we can have more options.
- gyoza, okonomiyaki, oden in winter something like that.
But I’m sure I’ll be back !
Guest
akna
Points +702
Not bad at all - Edit
Went on a Saturday at 6pm and had booked a table which was a good decision as the place got super busy very quickly. It‘s a small space with some additional seating downstairs and it feels cozy and authentic. Staff was super friendly. The menu is not too big, which I really like, and it was still hard for us to choose as many items on the menu sounded delicious. I was a bit confused that they had Bibimbap and Kimbap on the menu, which normally you find in Korea, but we tried the Bibimbap and it was good. We also went for the Tendon (very good, loved the Tempura) and some peanuts and Okara Balls on the side. We had lemonade and a coke, not a fan that they serve the drinks in a can (you get a glass too, but not very environmentally friendly). It is a bit pricey considering the size of the portions, but I like it when you‘re not super full after a meal. 10% off when you pay cash. Toilets available downstairs. 8 minute walk from King‘s Cross Station.
Read moreGuest
clionama
Points +542
Full of flavour - Edit
The sushi was quite bland but all the other food made up for it! The miso soup, spring rolls, fried tofu and udon noodle soup were all delicious with great flavours. The service was super quick, we got our food almost immediately. Pretty pricey but will definitely come back to try more of the hot dishes!
Read moreGuest
Catannierose
Points +70
Nice little find - Edit
Really tasty food (particularly the okara balls and the vegetable tempura). Cheesecake was nice but a bit on the sharp side and a slightly grainy texture.
Read moreStaff were super friendly and very efficient - also genuinely helpful, for example when my friend dropped her chopstick, the waitress overheard us talking about it and got us a new one without us even having to ask!
The seating was quite crampt (we went on a Saturday evening and hadn't booked in advance so were squeezed onto the last free table). Also it was a bit on the expensive side, considering the portion sizes given.
Overall, I would definitely reccomend giving it a try if you like Japanese food! Having so much choice as a vegan was pretty cool 😊
Guest
Rowse
Points +1019
Cute little place - Edit
A small restaurant with an authentic feel. The food is very tasty - little Japanese tapas. Portions aren’t huge so you may find you come away hungry... but it is all vegan!
Read morePros: All vegan, Good quality food
Cons: A bit expensive for the amount you get
Guest
KatOG
Points +41
Local vegan Japanese food - Edit
I love all their food. Is tasty and varied
Read moreGuest
enterusername
Points +24
Good but little to compare to - Edit
The first fully vegan Japanese restaurant I've found it London, which makes it hard to compare versus others. The Bento Box feels like good value at £10 and was pretty tasty. I do feel that there could be more variety/invention but the service is quick and the food is decent so I'll be back.
Read morePros: Quick service, Tasty if unspectacular food
Cons: Limited lunch menu
Guest
TreyaLin
Points +110
Not worth the money - Edit
!!10% for payment in cash make sure you bring cash!!
Read moreThe staff was friendly, space was compact but kinda cozy. And good try for offering vegan Japanese food. But sorry I’m gonna say something negative about it now.
As an East Asian I don’t think I would come back again. Probably Ive had many good memory about vegan food when in Japan. Here It seems like those oriental food for westerners, expensive but the taste was just average or even below. I really miss those amazing cozy vegan places I visited when in Kyoto and Osaka! The food there were great in both arrangement and taste!
Maybe I’m being picky, but the taste was really not delicious and the cutlery looked cheap. Like very light plastic spoons and cheap pink tissue used under fried stuff. And the price! The udon noodle with a bit fried veggie cost £11 and 10% service charge. The fried veggie was kinda sticking to the tissue underneath and made me feel uncomfortable.
No hot tea offered for free. (I miss it in China and Japan where hot tea is always offered for free in average Japanese restaurant!)
Anyway It was freezing cold on the street that night and the hot soup udon kinda saved me so I appreciated that. But I don’t think I would go back. Sorry.
I kinda presume that great comments are from non-Asian customers who haven’t had much Japanese food before? No offense but what a pity.
Anyway, to the restaurant owner, there is a lot improvement to be made, and please don’t make people think less of Japanese food! I mean, if you mean to make a place that charge service fee instead of a fast food stall, then please make it better!
Pros: Friendly Japanese staff, Walk-in
Cons: too expensive , Not delicious especially if you’re East Asian , Cutlery looks too cheap
Guest
Summer_Tan
Points +1736
Expensive and generally bland - Edit
I was here for dinner on my own as I was very intrigued about a fully vegan Japanese restaurant. I had the Itadaki Course (Noodles Set) [£24.00] and extra starter of Okara Ball [£5.00]. The course came with a starter, 6 pcs sushi, main (Spring Roll/Tempura with Noodles) and choice of dessert.
Read moreI liked the Okara ball and sesame pudding dessert which was tasty and brilliantly done! The veg tempura is pretty good but everything else was flat for me and the sushi didn't taste very fresh.
The place was busy during my visit on a Saturday night. The place is spacious with a basement level. The basement level was smaller with only a few tables (mostly for bigger groups) and a counter for solo diners. The restaurant is cosy with minimal décor in Japanese style (wood and white) and has a warm ambience. There was quite a wait for the food but service was still good.
Overall, a cosy environment with a small menu of starters, sushi, noodles and rice (with a couple of Korean dishes) and good variety of set meals. As much as I love the concept and appreciate a fully vegan Japanese restaurant, I hate to say this but… I do think the prices are a high for the taste and quality you get which was just average and mostly bland to me. I know the concept of the restaurant is healthy food, but we all know healthy food does not equal to bland and under-seasoned food. I see potential but they have a lot to improve on!
Pros: All Vegan Japanese Restaurant, Nice starter
Cons: Expensive for what you get, Mostly bland, Below average sushi
Guest
unmond
Points +769
Nice food, quick service - Edit
I very much enjoyed eating here. Spoiled for choice with all the dishes on the menu being vegan, I went for Udon noodles after much deliberation, which turned out to be a fantastic decision.
Read moreStaff were nice and provided fast service. We also got 10% off our bill by paying in cash!
Guest
Emilysmagic
Points +24
:) - Edit
Super happy with the food we ate here, it was really tasty and great service! Would eat here again, thankyou so much 🙏🏻
Read morePros: Everything is vegan , Lovely staff , Tasty food
Guest
endofcity
Points +440
Not authentic / greasy food - Edit
This is a typical example of non Japanese people running a supposedly Japanese restaurant.
Read moreInitial impressions were favourable because the decor was certainly authentic but the food most certainly isn’t.
I had a bento box, which was pretty terrible really. Some rice, a salad, 2 bits of tofu (which were the best part), a deep fried spring roll and some shredded veg, which was also deep fried. The shredded veg was basically a large lump of batter, waiting to clog your arteries. The rest of it bland and not made with the precision and creativity you expect from real Japanese cuisine, which is 1,000 miles from this.
I hate leaving poor reviews for fully vegan businesses but this place needs to be a lot better than it is to tempt me back.
Pros: Vegan
Cons: Poor service, Greasy food, Not authentic
Guest
hokusai77
Points +13612
Great Japanese vegan food - Edit
Great Japanese vegan food, we chose the menu set to try a few things. Sushi and okara balls were wonderful. Highly recommended!
Read morePros: great Japanese food
Guest
MoragMcNaughton
Points +29
Delicious meal in busy restaurant - Edit
Had the bento box and was very tasty. Quite cramped seating arrangements. Prompt food delivery once order taken. Would go back again :)
Read moreGuest
JamesMorgan
Points +274
Best Japanese food in London - Edit
This place blew me away. It's stunningly authentic and the food is just fantastic.
Read moreIf I didn't live so far away I'm come here more often!
Guest
iokan
Points +1757
Your mileage may very, but mine was great - Edit
Vegan Japanese restaurant "Itadakizen" has a lot of reviews. They are either very positive or very negative, with almost nothing in between. Mine is very positive.
Read moreI visited on a Monday evening and the place was very busy. Yet, the waitress came to me quickly and offered me a place in the cellar. On busy days, there are a few tables and some spots at the bar in the cellar. No problem. Cosy, actually! Eventhough the restaurant was packed, service was okay and it didn't take too long for the food to arrive.
I tried a set menu to taste a little bit of everything. The "bento box" has a salad (with subtile Japanese dressing), tempura, a spring roll, hijiki (mix of seaweed), egg like salad and of course sushi. The taste was as close to genuine Japanese as one can get without actually using ingredients from Japan. As it should be with Japanese food, a lot of attention went to a beautiful presentation. The bento box looked almost too good to eat!
Please notice that the Japanese kitchen uses very little oil or dressing to preserve the original taste of the ingredients. Those asking for additional sauces or spices don't understand Japanese cuisine. Please consider Thai or Indian food is you want rich and spicy.
As a dessert I ordered sesame pudding, which was absolutely delightful: subtile, delicate and ever so soft.
Of course, some dishes may not be as tasty as the bento box. On some days the kitchen may be understaffed or the waitresses may be slow, but when I visited everything was excellent. Good food, decent service and a fair price (a set menu is always a better deal than ordering separate items from the menu).
Pros: genuine Japanese food, quick and polite service, beautiful presentation of the food
Cons: closes quite early
Guest
kristinivarsson
Points +93
Fresh nice food - Edit
Great food. We took the bento box and it was nice. Could have wanted some more flavours, was very mild.
Read morePros: Cosy place
Guest
petergwyn
Points +60
Wonderful - Edit
Tasty, all vegan Japanese food. fresh,light but filling. Friendly staff
Read morePros: All vegan , Wonderful food, Friendly but not overbearing staff
Cons: Small meanu
Guest
IkoOo
Points +134
A japanese veg in London ! - Edit
I went first time in 2014 and we took it away to eat in the Eurostar. I keep good memories of the food so I went a second time for eat-in this time. The ramen soup of the day was quite good and interesting sides (marinated peanuts, marinated seaweed - kombu, I assume - tempuras and spring rolls). We also had a lemon tart -dish of the day - which appeared a bit bland (very lightly sweetened as most japanese desserts..) and if we had not been told one could not figure the lemon !
Read moreThe big con is the service : the japanese girl was very distant and looked like she wanted to stay away from the customers as much as possible. She would play on the tablet instead of looking after the clients and we waited so long before finally chasing her everytime we needed something (like, fo example.. place the order !!)
In the end, we were the last remaining customers who left the place and she had disappeared ; the cook said good bye from the kitchen. Yet, as we closed the glass door when leaving, she rushed to lock it after us ! So ackward !
Updated from previous review on 2014-10-21
Pros: Japanese (rare), Near St Pancras train station, Good choice of dishes
Cons: Short menu, Unpleasant waitress, Slow
Guest
PabloMP
Points +276
Dissapointing, a lot - Edit
It was too expensive and not really tasty. I had high expectations but I got something really disappointing. The location is bad, the size of the place is very bad, most of their tables are prebooked. the tables are dirty from the previous customer,s they don't clean them beyond taking away the dishes which take years. They are not really friendly and keep looking at customers as if they were going to steal. Only the Japanese workers seemed nice.
Read morePros: Vegan, Japanese
Cons: Small, Dirty, Expensive
Guest
StineRW
Points +77
Really nice food, cosy - Edit
Went for my birthday and it was really nice. Interesting food, super nice staff and very cosy vibe. Not the most fancy place but def worth a visit.
Read moreGuest
beulahspeckledface
Points +160
Decent, nutritious food - Edit
This is a basic place that does reasonably priced, healthy food.
Read morePros: Reasonably priced , Tasty
Guest
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