Ukai

Bars, Japanese, Sushi·
££££
·
Silver Award
·

SquareMeal Review of Ukai

Silver Award

This is not just any old pub in Portobello. The large corner site is a lively bar with a world-class drinks list, a performance space and an astonishingly good Japanese restaurant tucked away at the rear. (‘Ukai’ refers to the traditional Japanese method of fishing with cormorants.) It’s a magnet for locals and tourists drawn by the cheerful atmosphere, live music at weekends and top-notch cooking.

Chef Alessandro Verros polished his skills at Nobu and Roka and brings a distinctive mix of modern and authentic Japanese cooking overlaid with ultra-fashionable Peruvian touches. There’s a large menu ranging from small-snack ‘japas’ (geddit?) such as vegetable gyoza, rock shrimp tempura and salmon and mango tartare. There are steamed buns with pork belly and cabbage, and a lavish lobster tail tempura with yuzu mayonnaise. There’s an ambitious range of sashimi, nigiri and temaki in combos including dragon roll with eel and avocado.

Sit at tables around the walls or the high counter opposite the robata grill and watch the chefs prepare scallops with orange and tobiko, or spicy lamb chops to die for. It’s all delicious, especially with a Fire Blossom cocktail (pisco, saké, fruits and chilli is a beautiful balance) created by an expert bar team. This is a very classy operation.

 

Good to know

Average Price
££££ - £30 - £49
Cuisines
Bars, Japanese, Sushi
Ambience
Cool, Dark and moody, Fine dining, Fun, Glamorous, Lively, Romantic, Themed, Unique, Widely spaced tables
Food Occasions
All day dining, Late night dining
Alfresco And Views
Outside seating
Special Features
Counter dining, Live music or dancing
Perfect for
Birthdays, Celeb spotting, Celebrations, Dates, Group dining [8+], Romantic, Special occasions
Food Hygiene Rating

About

On Notting Hill's Portobello Road, UKAI delivers a creative combination of modern Robata Japanese cuisine with a spectacular cocktail list and colourful design. The menu draws influence from Mediterranean and South American flavours, which you may not typically pair with Japanese food. The restaurant is open seven days a week, whether you're popping in for drinks or dinner.

Spicy seafood soup, lobster and shrimp gyozas and wagyu beef sliders all feature on the hot japas selection, followed by several ceviche and tataki options. White tuna tataki with truffle is topped with peanuts, then there's a lobster carpaccio with yuzu granite, citrus granita and sauce, and salmon ceviche tacos with a spicy sauce. Following those selections it’s straight into mains, with seafood and meat robata and hot dishes. Choose from roasted black cod with miso sauce and lime, which is a restaurant favourite, to beef toban-yaki with enoki mushrooms and chicken breast in a creamy mushroom sauce.

There are plenty of side dishes to choose from, including baked aubergine with a miso sauce and parmesan, UKAI salad with lettuce, radicchio, seaweed, soybeans and house dressing, and brown rice cooked in an iron pot with Japanese mushrooms, truffle and parmesan. Tempura and fried dishes that can be enjoyed as sides, or as mains when ordering a few, include prawn tempura with orange ponzu, baby squid with a jalapeno mayo and lobster tempura with yuzu mayo and lime.

Some of the house special rolls include spider maki with soft shell crab, hamachi and jalapeno rolls, California with premium blue crab meat, dragon rolls with marinated eel and salmon tempura with a spicy sauce. To try a bit of everything, order the UKAI deluxe with a mix of volcano, smoked salmon, cucumber avocado, prawn maki and butterfish sashimi.

This venue also offers

Ukai
Private Group Dining

Ukai

Ukai
Christmas Parties

Ukai

Location

240 Portobello Road, Notting Hill, London, W11 1LL

0771 0583 161 0771 0583 161

Website

Opening Times

All day
Mon 12:00-00:30
Tue 12:00-00:30
Wed 12:00-00:30
Thu 12:00-00:30
Fri 12:00-01:00
Sat 12:00-01:00
Sun 11:30-00:30

Reviews

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9 Reviews 
Food/Drink
Service
Atmosphere
Value

andres P

06 December 2023  
Food & Drink 5
Service 5
Atmosphere 5
Value 5
best sushi in town

our favourite sushi restaurant. great atmosphere

Anon

04 December 2023  
Food & Drink 5
Service 5
Atmosphere 5
Value 5
Sushi & live band

Been here on Saturday afternoon during a live music show.

we had couple of drinks and sushi platters 

all amazing. The crispy rice is delicious 

Martin L

22 February 2023  
Food & Drink 5
Service 5
Atmosphere 5
Value 5

The food was incredible, friendly attentive service.

The lamb chops and the black cod were sublime.highly recommend .Thanks a lot

Fiona H

20 February 2023  
Food & Drink 5
Service 5
Atmosphere 5
Value 5
Great menu

Very innovative sushi restaurant. The shrimp tartare was fresh and delicious. The two of of Wagyu ribeye were pricey but really really good. Great service we been offered 2 glasses of champagne for my guest birthday. Really great experience.

Edin C

27 January 2023  
Food & Drink 5
Service 5
Atmosphere 5
Value 5
Japanese in Notting hill

Great experience with very nice sushi and cocktails.Best In Notting hill 

Anon

27 January 2023  
Food & Drink 5
Service 5
Atmosphere 5
Value 5
Beautiful lounge bar restaurant

Great lounge bar restaurant.Love the black cod miso.

ideal spot for a date

Sylviaf

27 January 2023   - Verified Diner
Food & Drink 5
Service 5
Atmosphere 5
Value 5
Best Japanese in west London

Absolutely a fav one in west London.the sushi and the ceviche are amazing.We tried the lamb chops and are delicious.Great atmosphere at the bar with live djset 

Gaz P

30 April 2022  
Food & Drink 0.5
Service 0.5
Atmosphere 0.5
Value 1
Strange bar

Interesting visit. Strange bar, they hire a bouncer to sit at the bar and check customer's credentials before they are granted permission to order a drink. The guy is about 5ft actually quite funny!

We asked why we were checked and he responded 'I'm Greek I don't understand'! Hilarious.

think he and the guy with the beard are a couple and they run the bar. Very odd place!

 Would say if you're 'an outsider' Id probably swerve this one. Could be good if you're part of the 'in' crowd if ya get what I mean. ??

Gaz P

30 April 2022  
Food & Drink 0.5
Service 0.5
Atmosphere 0.5
Value 1
Strange bar

Interesting visit. Strange bar, they hire a bouncer to sit at the bar and check customer's credentials before they are granted permission to order a drink. The guy is about 5ft actually quite funny!

We asked why we were checked and he responded 'I'm Greek I don't understand'! Hilarious.

think he and the guy with the beard are a couple and they run the bar. Very odd place!

 Would say if you're 'an outsider' Id probably swerve this one. Could be good if you're part of the 'in' crowd if ya get what I mean. ??

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