ROBATA

Name: ROBATA
Address: 56 Old Compton Street Soho, London, United Kingdom, W1D 4UE
Telephone: 020 7287 5766
Price range: £26 to £40
Rating: 4.4

4.4

1049 Reviews

£26 to £40

Japanese

Top Tags:

Our lunch hours are temporarily closed until further notice.

Specialising in the long-standing tradition of Japanese charcoal cooking.

Head Chef Charles Lee has worked in a number of Michelin starred restaurants during his career before arriving at ROBATA. Possessing a strong command of Asian cuisines from across the globe, Chef Lee has devised a menu which shows the diversity of the country’s food, highlighting traditional cooking techniques and contemporary flavours, along with using the best of British produce.

ROBATA meaning ‘fireside’ specialises in robata grilled charcoal cooking, a Japanese tradition that was first introduced by ancient fishermen who took boxes of hot coals with them on their boats to warm their food at they gathered their day’s catch. While the cooking method has largely stayed the same, the menu is a modern interpretation of some of Japan’s most prized dishes as well as a number of ROBATA signatures sure to please Western pal

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

May 23, 2022

May 2022

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

7:00 PM

Booked 11 times today

Additional information

Dining style
Elegant Dining
Cuisines
Japanese, Sushi, Japanese Speciality
Hours of operation
Mon–Fri 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Mon–Fri 12:00 pm–3:00 pm Sat 12:00 pm–11:00 pm Sun 12:00 pm–10:30 pm
Phone number
020 7287 5766
Website
http://robata.co.uk/
Payment options
AMEX, JCB, MasterCard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Executive chef
Charles Lee

Location
56 Old Compton Street Soho London, W1D 4UE
Neighborhood
Soho
Cross street
Between Dean Street and Wardour Street
Parking details
Street Parking
Public transit
Soho Leicester Square Piccadilly Circus Tottenham Court Road Oxford Circus Covent Garden
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Weekend Brunch, Wine

Popular dishes

Mixed Sashimi Set£13.00
salmon, tuna & sea bass (2pcs of each)
Deluxe Sashimi Set£23.00
salmon, tuna, mackerel, yellowtail & sea bass (2pcs of each)
Tuna Tartar£9.00
black caviar, quail egg & black truffle aioli
Sea Bass Ceviche£7.50
coriander yuzu soy, mango tiger milk & red chilli
Beef Tataki£10.00
yuzu pepper soy, garlic chips, truffle aioli & spring onion
Soft Shell Crab Roll£11.00
gochujang mayo, cucumber, chives & tobiko
Salmon Roll£9.00
asparagus, avocado, crispy shallot & yuzu mayo
Spicy Tuna Roll£9.50
chilli mayo, chives, avocado, cucumber & jalapeno puree
California Roll£10.00
crab meat, avocado, chives & yuzu mayo
Avocado Roll£7.00
asparagus, barley miso mayo & avocado
Prawn Tempura Roll£12.00
cucumber, avocado, chives, orange tobiko, wasabi mayo & unagi glaze

Sashimi

2pcs

Salmon£4.00
Bluefin Tuna£6.00
Vinaigrette Mackerel£4.00
Sea Bass£5.00
Yellowtail£6.00

Small Plates

Steamed Edamame£4.50
maldon sea salt / spicy sweet soy, gochugaru chilli flakes
Chilli Pepper Squid£8.00
yuzu & coriander
Padron Pepper£7.00
yuzu zest, japanese pepper & maldon sea salt
J.Fried Karaage£8.50
chicken thigh, gochujang mayo & fresh lime
Pork Gyoza - 4pcs£8.00
homemade | waterchestnut, shitake, spring onion & chilli soy
Kimchi Gyoza£7.50
homemade | cabbage, carrot, spring onion, seaweed & chilli soy
Crispy Duck Salad£8.00
pomelo, grapefruit, pine nuts, hoisin sauce & wafu dressing

Robata Skewers - 1pc

minimum 2pcs

Chicken Thigh£3.20
sweet soy glaze & spring onion
Iberico Pluma£4.50
black pepper miso
Beef Fillet£4.50
sweet spicy soy
Pork Belly£4.00
apple gochujang glaze
Hand Dived Scallop£9.80
apple & kizami wasabi
King Oyster Mushroom£3.50
sansho pepper & chipotle glaze
Asparagus£3.50
sweet sesame soy & sesame seed
Corn on Cob£2.70
miso glaze & crushed wasabi pea
Lamb Breast£4.50
homemade japanese 5 spice & lime

Bao Buns - 2pcs

J.Fried Chicken£12.00
sweet spicy glaze, kimchi & pickled daikon
Braised Short Ribs£16.00
lettuce, pickled daikon, cucumber & chipotle miso
Soft Shell Crab£14.00
spicy mayo, green mango, purple shiso, cucumber & red chilli

Robata Large

BBQ Free Range Chicken£16.50
grilled 1/2 chicken, bbq glaze & pickled daikon
Miso Aubergine£11.50
pickled shimeji mushroom & ROBATA red chilli
Black Cod - 160g£28.00
spicy miso & japanese pickled cucumber
Broccoli Steak£9.50
yakiniku & ROBATA red chilli
Hay Flamed Beef Fillet 200g£25.00
smoked & cooked over hay, served with yakiniku, chimichurri & chilli oil

Signature Dish

Wood Flamed Iberico Pork Pluma 200g£23.50
black pepper & sweet pickled green apple

Bowls

Tomato Salad£6.00
heritage cherry tomato
Green Salad£5.00
wafu dressing & pickled daikon
Truffle Fries£8.00
nori, porcini & rich truffle mayo
Kimchi Rice£8.00
homemade kimchi, nori, spring onion & fried egg

What 1,049 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.4

4.4 based on recent ratings

4.5Food
4.4Service
4.2Ambience
4.1Value

Noise • Energetic

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Filters

JS
JayS
London
15 reviews
vip
5.0
15 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience4
Very very excellent -great service and wonderful foood. The only negative is that the kitchen closes earlly (10.15) and so booking made at 9.30 or later do not have much time to enjoy the full menu.
S
Soph
London
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience4
Amazing food and super lovely service. Will definitely be coming back
OT
OpenTable Diner
London
3 reviews
3.0
3 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
overall3food3service2ambience4
Food was fine, although service was a little slow
OT
OpenTable Diner
Gloucestershire
8 reviews
5.0
8 reviews
Dined 5 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
10th Anniversary lunch, we love Japanese food and Robata excelled !! Staff were fabulous and extremely helpful, and the food was just delicious!! Definitely recommend the Spicy Tuna roll and my wife definitely recommends the Pornstar Martini with sparking sake!!
OT
OpenTable Diner
London
9 reviews
5.0
9 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Outstanding! I had a really great dinner with my dad and two friends. The soft shell crab bao was sensational! Everything was delicious and, overall, reasonably priced. I would definitely return.
DD
DisappointedDiner
1 review
1.0
1 review
Dined 7 days ago
overall1food1service1ambience1
We booked a table for 1:30. I requested a standard table - they tried to put as at the counter and then on a high table. We were given the last pokiest table in the room. When I asked to switch to one of the larger tables as there were three that were empty - I was told they were reserved for larger parties. They clearly weren’t and tbh, the manager seemed so unhelpful that after 5 min, I decided to leave and spend our money elsewhere. We went to Shackfuyu up the road, had a wonderful brunch and spent the best part of £100. Will not be coming back to Robata as the staff are unpleasant.
AC
AlexC
Bath
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on May 14, 2022
overall3food4service1ambience4
Food was ggwat but our waiter was rude and rushed us
OT
OpenTable Diner
London
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 14, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
It was legit the best meal we’ve ever had
OT
OpenTable Diner
London
5 reviews
vip
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on May 13, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience4
Food was delicious and service was great. Sashimis really tasty so was black cod and the sushis. Would definitely go back.
R
Ralph
Essex
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on May 13, 2022
overall4food5service4ambience4
Absolutely delicious! We had a variety of dishes as recommended by the very helpful waiter. Would definitely go back for the sashimi, squid, truffle fries, black cod - actually all of it! My only gripe - portions were a little on the small side
OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on May 12, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Ordered a range of dishes - all were lovely. Sake mojitos were excellent too.
DT
DavidT
London
48 reviews
vip
5.0
48 reviews
Dined on May 12, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Our first but certainly not our last taste of Japanese food. We took the advice of the very pleasant waiter and chose a variety of small plates like tapas. All very tasty and original to us anyway! Dessert was very lovely ice cream served in a kind of pastry.
LO
LewisO
London
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on May 12, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
We wanted to try something new and read the reviews. But the food surpassed the reviews. Everything was fresh and tasty and I got to try things that I have always wanted to try
J
Jy2610
Las Vegas
15 reviews
3.0
15 reviews
Dined on May 11, 2022
overall3food2service5ambience5
I was so disappointed by the t
OT
OpenTable Diner
London
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 11, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience4
Robata was a truly outstanding evening out. Excellent service, decent surroundings and absolutely gorgeous food at a reasonable price - so much to love. We tried the tasting menu which took the paralysis of choice away, but I’m definitely coming back to work my way through the rest of the menu. 10/10, cannot recommend enough!
JR
JohnR
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 10, 2022
overall5food4service5ambience4
Food was original and of a very high standard. By London standards, good value. Service was quite outstanding.
EM
EstefaniaM
London
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 9, 2022
overall5food5service4ambience5
Small and cozy place, good food, nice ambience! I recommend it!
C
Citygirl
New York Area
122 reviews
vip
5.0
122 reviews
Dined on May 9, 2022
overall5food4service4ambience4
Great little find. Bit quiet when arrived at 7pm but got busier. Lovely tasty food and nice friendly service. Will definitely be back!
JH
JohnH
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on May 9, 2022
overall4food4service4ambience3
We had not tried chargrilled Japanese snacks before. We thought it was all very tasty and will return some time (wedonot live in London).
FV
FilipaV
London
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on May 7, 2022
overall2food4service1ambience3
On arrival the waiter guided us to the high chairs which I had requested on the booking not to be seated there. We made ou order and a few minutes later the waiter came with a sparkling bottle of water when I had just asked for still tap water. 15min later we overheard that sushi wasn't available due to chef's sickness yet no one had mentioned it to us. I enquired the waiter and they said they would try and make the sushi that we ordered anyway. They didn't, but another waiter came with a different order as an offer for not being able to make the sushi we requested. I appreciated it but they could've given us an option to choose something different had we known from the beginning. Service was slow, for such a small and not that busy place, and hard to get someone's attention. The toilets were absolutely disgusting and not cleaned at all, considering the restaurant had just opened at 12. The food was delicious and the pornstar martinis stunning, however the experience wasn't satisfactory. Can't even blame it on short staff as there were 4 waiters and only 6 tables had people. It makes me sad there's so much service charge when there's inattentive staff, errors on the bill and just a general lack of interest in waiting tables. I understand that restoration has suffered a lot throughout COVID but when you decide to go out for a meal is because you want a different experience than the one you get at home, when the experience isn't satisfactory it feels like a waste of money.
RR
RikR
Las Vegas
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on May 6, 2022
overall4food5service4ambience4
The tasting menu is a nice way to try out different menu choices. A great combination of cold and hot starters, including one of the main courses of 4 options. The listed price of 55 pounds is without the service fee of 12,5%.
L
Laura
London
6 reviews
4.0
6 reviews
Dined on May 6, 2022
overall4food5service4ambience4
This is a great restaurant. The food is exceptional and staff were incredibly helpful and cheerful. The duck salad and signature pork dish were real highlights. We would have liked the music to be a little quieter but that’s really the only small criticism and not something that would bother a lot of people Overall a great experience.
CJ
CJayJay
London
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on May 5, 2022
overall4food4service4ambience4
Great service and food and pints and fun and laughs
ML
MurielL
Wilmington
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on May 5, 2022
overall4food5service5ambience4
Very good meals, including deserts. Service very quick.
D
Dave
London
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on May 5, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Cool place, with great service and good food. Recommend the J chicken! Perfect location if you want to catch a show after.
E
Emma
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on May 4, 2022
overall3food2service2ambience2
Felt like there was a miscommunication between the servers. Food was good but nothing wow.
OT
OpenTable Diner
London
5 reviews
vip
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on May 3, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great food and service, ambience & music were also very good.
EA
EA22
London
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 2, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience4
Quickly becoming one of my favourite restaurants.. everything i've tried here so far is delicious and the staff are lovely. Stand out dishes for us were the Braised Beef Short Rib Bao Buns and the Beef Tataki - so flavoursome. The sushi is always fresh and enjoyable. Love this place!
OT
OpenTable Diner
London
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 2, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Absolutely amazing food and service! The waiter was so friendly and helpful from the start!! Best sushi I’ve had and I would highly recommend trying the Crab Bao Buns and the Spicy Tuna Roll.
JK
JanaK
Glasgow
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 30, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Amazing food, best rolls we ever tried! Everything was soooo tasty. We definitely going back there very soon!
VR
VRNK
London
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on April 30, 2022
overall2food3service4ambience2
Avoid booking a high top table. They'll make you perch on the corner rather than sit face to face with your companion. We had to argue to be seated at a table where we could sit facing each other. Unheard of!
M
Margarita
1 review
1.0
1 review
Dined on April 30, 2022
overall1food1service1ambience3
I chose Robata because of Its Great japanese menu and high reviews but we were dissapointed. Place is really small and tables are very close one to another. My chair was in the walkway and there were a lot of people just going next to me and pushing. We order few dishes to share and first two dishes came quite quickly but for the other we had to wait almost an hour. Staff was not interested. They were talking between each other. The food was Ok but portions were so small that we felt hungry ☹️ And the prices are realy high like for these small portions. I do not recommend this place.
D
Dynamicduo
London
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on April 30, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Absolutely lovely lunch. Every dish we ordered was exquisite. We will be back.
OT
OpenTable Diner
London
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on April 29, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Honestly, food was amazing and the place is super relaxing and amazing location too!
CH
CHonbot
London
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on April 28, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Good quality food! However is on the pricier side but well worth a visit
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on April 27, 2022
overall3food3service3ambience3
Everything was spicy and not mentioned on the menu. The dishes arrived separately then we couldn’t eat together with my friends.
LD
LilyD
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on April 27, 2022
overall3food3service4ambience3
Took my boyfriend here for his birthday meal and food sounded great on the menu but unfortunately didn't wow us. We were offered water and he came over with a bottle and we were the only ones in the restaurant so didn't think anything of it but when people started coming in they were given big jugs of water for free and we payed £5 for a bottle. Very over priced for what it was but fantastic cocktails ! If your looking for a snack and cocktail it's lovely but for a whole meal I wouldn't go back.
L
Lauren
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 27, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
A cute small place with good food and lovely staff. Asked the guy for recommendations and he was very kind with helping us out. The prices were also good, very affordable. Do not forget to make a reservation.
SB
SarahB
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 27, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
The food was amazing with lots of different flavours and cooked to perfection. Staff attentive and polite. Would highly recommend and will be returning
OT
OpenTable Diner
London
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 27, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Restaurant opened at 5 and we were greeted and seated on time. Food was served relatively quickly and was delicious

Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitizing
- Surfaces sanitized between seatings
- Digital, disposable or sanitized menu provided
- Sealed or wrapped utensils used
- Common areas deep-cleaned daily
- Sanitizer or wipes provided for customers
- Contactless payment available
Physical distancing
- Limited number of seated diners
- Distancing maintained in common areas
- Extra space between tables

Screening
- Sick staff prohibited in the workplace

FAQs

ROBATA is rated 4.4 stars by 1049 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

May 23, 2022

May 2022

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

7:00 PM

Booked 11 times today

56 Old Compton Street Soho London, W1D 4UE

Additional information

Cross street
Between Dean Street and Wardour Street
Neighborhood
Soho
Hours of operation
Mon–Fri 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Mon–Fri 12:00 pm–3:00 pm Sat 12:00 pm–11:00 pm Sun 12:00 pm–10:30 pm
Cuisines
Japanese, Sushi, Japanese Speciality
Dining style
Elegant Dining
Dress code
Smart Casual
Parking details
Street Parking
Public transit
Soho Leicester Square Piccadilly Circus Tottenham Court Road Oxford Circus Covent Garden
Payment options
AMEX, JCB, MasterCard, Visa
Executive chef
Charles Lee
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Weekend Brunch, Wine

Website
http://robata.co.uk/
Phone number
020 7287 5766

ROBATA

Make a reservation

Additional information

Miso Aubergine

Black Cod - 160g

J Fried Chicken Bao Bun

Raws & Sushi

Mixed Sashimi Set£13.00

Deluxe Sashimi Set£23.00

Tuna Tartar£9.00

Sea Bass Ceviche£7.50

Beef Tataki£10.00

Soft Shell Crab Roll£11.00

Salmon Roll£9.00

Spicy Tuna Roll£9.50

California Roll£10.00

Avocado Roll£7.00

Prawn Tempura Roll£12.00

Sashimi

Salmon£4.00

Bluefin Tuna£6.00

Vinaigrette Mackerel£4.00

Sea Bass£5.00

Yellowtail£6.00

Small Plates

Steamed Edamame£4.50

Chilli Pepper Squid£8.00

Padron Pepper£7.00

J.Fried Karaage£8.50

Pork Gyoza - 4pcs£8.00

Kimchi Gyoza£7.50

Crispy Duck Salad£8.00

Robata Skewers - 1pc

Chicken Thigh£3.20

Iberico Pluma£4.50

Beef Fillet£4.50

Pork Belly£4.00

Hand Dived Scallop£9.80

King Oyster Mushroom£3.50

Asparagus£3.50

Corn on Cob£2.70

Lamb Breast£4.50

Bao Buns - 2pcs

J.Fried Chicken£12.00

Braised Short Ribs£16.00

Soft Shell Crab£14.00

Robata Large

BBQ Free Range Chicken£16.50

Miso Aubergine£11.50

Black Cod - 160g£28.00

Broccoli Steak£9.50

Hay Flamed Beef Fillet 200g£25.00

Signature Dish

Wood Flamed Iberico Pork Pluma 200g£23.50

Bowls

Tomato Salad£6.00

Green Salad£5.00

Truffle Fries£8.00

Kimchi Rice£8.00

Overall ratings and reviews

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Cleaning & sanitizing

Physical distancing

Screening

FAQs

How is ROBATA restaurant rated?

Is ROBATA currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information