Zuma

If you're set on Japanese Japanese cuisine go to Japan. I couldn't help contributing to the comments side since so many are unconstructive and confusing.

The food is great undoubtedly, and this is the reason I have visited this place twenty times or more with both family and friends.

Ambiance is nice if you are not waiting squashed at the bar. Don't get me wrong the bar is pleasant but it isn't designed for the capacity it has to hold every evening.

In terms of the staff all the waiters I have met were very nice and helpful.

The only understandable pain and source of great disappointment are the booking line reception ladies, who seem to go with their cycle from cheerful and friendly to cold blooded women who hang up on you.

Ohh, and the charity pound. If I wanted to support a charity I would. If Zuma wants me to support a charity, put it after the service because I can't see why I would pay service charge from the charity pound.

Overall I will come back and I will always ask for the charity pound to be taken off my bill.

Hope that's constructive! Bon appetit!
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the economist
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 6
Thursday, December 10, 2009

Lunched at Zuma yesterday for a business lunch. Got the greeting I have come to expect at these places: a wryly arched eyebrow when we stepped inside (Good afternoon is sometimes so difficult to say!).

Atmosphere is quite nice, although the restaurant is without windows inside, re-creatign a nighttime feel. It actually creates a nice atmosphere.

The waiter arrived and presented the meus, but when it came to ordering, he immediately said "shall I create a selection for you?" for our group: evidently the highly bespoke menu does not really suit group diners.

The menu is vaguely ordered into small dishes, dishes from the grill and "Zuma mains" - but slighly confusingly it is not clear how big the grill dishes are. Ribeye steak at £17 is presumably a smallish affair, but in the end I followed the judgment (guesses) of my companions and ordered a "Zuma main" to follow their selection of sushi.

Sushi selection came on a huge hunk of carved ice. Great, but the sushi was reasonably ordinary - the exception being the huge scallop which was wonderfully fresh, sliced into four and divided with small wedges of lime. Salmon was slightly ordinary, the tuna was good but not amazing. We were given "low sodium soy sauce" - no choice, but that's fine with me. First time I've been told I'm eating low sodium withut requesting it. I also tried some of the salt and pepper squid: you squeeze your own quarter slice of lime over it (great - interactive!) but otherwise it was on the bland side. The presentation is pretty good, but I did feel the substance left one wanting. Starters were whisked away - then came the mains.

I ordered the seabass with roasted tomatoes. It duly arrived: a fillet of largish seabass on a square plate with a small heap of roasted cherry tomatoes in the corner. Another triumph of form over substance - they serve it on a large serving dish, but then you transfer it yourself to your own dining plate.

It was tasty, not especially well seasoned (no salt for example - maybe another low sodium touch. Tomatoes were fine, nicely roasted but no evidence of particularly good quality vegetables. No side dishes were present, so it was a tasty morsel, but certainly a rather bare plate and a mono-sensational experience. It felt like a supper you might eat by a river bank on a fishing break with Bruce Parry. Maybe they do offer side dishes at the restaurant, but they didn't suggest any.

If I had eaten this meal at a local restaurant I would have been impressed with the freshness of the fish and the slighly bare approach to the food. I did expect more innovation from a restaurant whcih has paid so much attention to the design of the front door and interior. The prices verge on the ridiculous side for what is proferred, and I am left reflecting that this is an experience for people who want to share a space with other "people like them". There was a lot of expensive jewellery on display, and some attractive waiting staff. So, my conclusion is, come to Zuma for a bit of fun, reasonable but expensive food and if you are the sort of peron who likes restaurants with atmosphere and glitzy people, or if you are married to Wayne Rooney.

If you are looking for knowledgable staff, reasonable prices, well thought-out menus or clientele who don't care about who else has been there, then you might end up feeling short changed. I did - and I wasn't even paying.
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Albert Chemist
Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 1
Wednesday, November 04, 2009

I went for dinner on Saturday,,place is overcrowded,,hostess is very rude for non booking customers,service is average.food is copy of Nobu.
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A.J
Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 1
Monday, November 02, 2009

I went to Zuma in lunch time with my family. When I saw the menu, I was so surprised, because there are just a la carte and all of them are unbelievably expensive. To tell the truth, Zuma is on of the worst Japanese restaurant in the world. They are shameless! I do believe Zuma will not be there next year.
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Chelsea resident
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 0
Thursday, August 27, 2009

I went to Zuma for a 4th time in a row tonight. I go alone and sit at the sushi counter. The staff is incredibly friendly and all came over to greet me and ask how I'm doing. The thing I've realized about London as far as service goes...if you tip well and are a regular...you're treated differently. Honestly, being a first-timer in pretty much any restaurant here...you go unnoticed and that's just the way London is. As for the food...The sushi is incredible, the rolls are so much better here than at Nobu...order the specials and have the sushi chefs prepare something for you that's not on the menu. You won't be disappointed!

Zuma isn't cheap and everyone that dines here knows it...so either go and enjoy it without worrying about the bill or pick a different restaurant. When it comes to food, I'll pay anything if it tastes amazing and makes me smile. MMm..so worth it!!!
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Michelle
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Monday, August 24, 2009

Probably the restaurant will be doing well as long as there are people who never taste real Japanese.

I was so disappointed with the food. I won't come back.
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A Japanese from Tokyo
Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 0
Tuesday, June 09, 2009

I have been to Zuma on 10 may 2009. I sat on the bar area which the chef is making the sushi and sashimi.

I found the food was really nice and everything is fantastic. But the thing, food is too small per portion. Also the service not that good as the 4 stars restaurant.

But the atmosphere was really great.

I recommend this restaurant for you to go. But remember to book the table before you to cos I think the recession not effect this restaurant.
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Tae
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 6
Monday, May 11, 2009

Zuma! Excellent!

In my opinion this place is one of the best places in London for an all round innovative Japanese feast!!! The thing with this place is that after several years the atmosphere still buzzes...the beautifully plated dishes of fresh top quality ingredients combine perfectly to explode greatness in the palate...

Zuma is an inventive Japanese restaurant, whose dishes may begin get old but one never tires of eating... a trendy bar at the entrance superb service. The grill offers an alternative for those of you that prefer their food cooked.

A place worth visiting if your budget allows it!
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chribson - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 7
Sunday, January 18, 2009

Food was exceptional, service cheerful and efficient, bling levels as amusing as ever. But there's defo something irritating about ending up back on the street £150 a head lighter after about 90 minutes - for that price you want to settle in for the evening. I guess you know all this up front though and I never felt pressured by the staff, the system is smooth enough...
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Richie
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 4
Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Again a case of a restaurant thinking it is better than it's customer's (not the first time)- the front desk is so pompous (young girls are not necessarily efficient - in this case more air heads), there is absolutely no sense of liaison between bookings and restaurant - table was 30 minutes late and then after fifteen minutes they dained to take the order only to tell us that we were told to hurry up and order as the kitchen was closing in ten minutes. Two of the dishes never arrived, basis this sort of service it undermines the quality of food served in what otherwise has good potential.
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Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 5
Tuesday, December 30, 2008