Tokyo Diner

The place is in the middle of Chinatown but doesn't seem as touristy as other restaurants surrounding it. In fact, it appears very authentic, all staff speak Japanese, there is a good selection of Japanese dishes. Interestingly, the first page of the menu says that tips are not common in Japan and have never been accepted in this restaurant. All money left on the table will go to a charity of the restaurant's choice. Generally speaking, a very different and positive experience.

Very courteous service! No tipping allowed which is neat. They encourage customers to recommend them to others and bring friends instead. They don't serve tuna either for sustainability reasons. The salmon Don and Nigiri platter was so fresh and the rice was perfect and 'warm' which is exactly what sushi should have! The katsu curry was delicious too!

First off the service was impeccable, the staff were so so friendly . I understand you can’t tip here but they definitely deserved a hefty tip. The food was so quick which I was glad about but this did not affect the quality. Fresh, delicious and large portion sizes. Everything I got was from the sides as I wanted to try a lot of different things, and a bit of sushi. The Inari was definitely a stand out dish. Thank you for a great dinner❤️

I am a Japanese living in London for years and this place makes me feel like I’m in Japan. Although sushi etc can’t be the best quality, they are all so decent and when it comes to warm meals, they are as authentic as in Japan! What even makes this restaurant better is that their policy is also very Japanese too, that they give free green teas(they will come to fill it up again and again when your cup is empty), and welcoming waiters although there is no service fee! We had a great dinner with three of us which made us full, with only less than £60. This restaurant is truly a gem 😊

I had the best Chicken Katsu Curry here! The staff is extremely kind and friendly, the dishes are exquisite and I highly recommend this restaurant! A real gem and I look forward to going back with friends! They do not take tips nor charge a service fee, however if you leave a tip on the table, they will donate the sum to St Martin’s-in-the-fields’ Unit to help the homeless! Such big heart!

Reasonable authentic Japanese fare. I ordered a selection of sashimi, which was fresh and nice but I would have preferred a little more variety and for the portion it was slightly overpriced. The udon noodles with cold soup was reasonably nice but the soup was a little too bland. If you’re looking for somewhere to have an authentic Japanese meal where the dining experience is more realistic of that of a restaurant in Japan, this may be the place for you. Also all the staff can speak Japanese.

I visited Tokyo Diner on the strength of the reviews and was not disappointed. Going midweek with friends, we waited about 20 minutes to be seated but that was no issue. The restaurant is cosy so we were split across two tables but we were kept close and could still talk to each other. The staff were polite and friendly and exhibited everything that is great about Japanese hospitality. The food was delicious with plenty of choice and portion size good. If you're going to the theatre make sure you leave plenty of time in case they are busy, but if you're looking for traditional Japanese cuisine then Tokyo Diner is absolutely worth visiting.