Dotori

Food was great but after coming here a few times, I think they are better at the Korean dishes than Japanese.

The place was packed on a weeknight so the atmosphere was very cosy.

However the restaurant is quite cramped and do be prepared for some well-intended but ineffcient service!
Comment on this reader review

8 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Thursday, November 18, 2010

Went last 3 weeks ago, i enjoyed it.. .My hubby and I had a great time.. We are the 2nd guest.. not many ppl on sundays.. soo that why i chose to come on sunday.. less busy and i afraid that the foods not be 'special' .. It wasnt reasonably price.. maybe we ordered too much food. .

Lastly, would i come again? Yes i will..
Comment on this reader review

enjoyfoodlady - View all reviews by this user
8 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 5
Thursday, November 11, 2010

I can only echo the thoughts of others. I am fortunate enough to work about five minutes away from this little gem and my work colleagues and I are in there all the time.

I've lived in Korea and can tell you this is genuinely fantastic food, the real taste of Korea. They even have studenty thick spicy noodles that I love but are proper trash food in Korea! I love them for that.

I can recommend the sea food pancake, spicy fish soup and Bebim bap....all amazing.

If you don't like waiting for good food then don't come - more room for me!

Best restaurant in London. No contest.
Comment on this reader review

10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, October 12, 2010

My boyfriend and I have been going here for the last 6 months and this weekend we are carrying his parents who are visiting us from Leicester. We also carried my mother when she was visiting all the way from Trinidad. WE CANNOT wait to take out guests to Dotori, it's a GREAT place, not necessarily for the size of the restaurant BUT for the GREAT tasting food. The staff are quite pleasant and I would recommend any set menu :) YUM!
Comment on this reader review

Raquel
9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Dotori is like food lottery. If you are one of the ones the chef chooses at random to be served first you are lucky. If not you will have quite a wait. Having been three times we have waited 45min - 1hrs for our food, all times. I never make complaints at a restaurant, but this time I was compelled as I really wanted to enjoy my meal. Staff seem to do little or nothing to hurry things along and explained it was up to the chef what order the food came in. A group of people who had come in after us got their food before us, and the second course AND the desert before we got any food. Staff were rude and insulting.

The food was bland when it did arrive, and if you are looking for good Japanese there are a host of places that do it for cheaper in London. I dont mind waiting for good food but this was not. We live in Finsbury Park but I would happy take a trip into Soho or to any of the other areas with restaurants we know and love to AVOID this place.

There card machine didnt work, the seating was uncomfortable and the menu is rather limited.

Having been three times and experienced the same poor service, long waiting times and highly under par food I will never be going back here again. I am not one of there reviewer who is just a bad customers as I would happy recommend may other places, and cannot understand where the other people who are reviewing this place have been talking about. This is one of the places I would love to have loved, but will never go again.

DONT GO HERE.
Comment on this reader review

John
2 Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 2
Saturday, April 24, 2010

I never understood why people took a time to write restaurant review after eating out. This time, I leave a review because I totally loved the food here, Dotori in finsbury park.

It was delicious, well presented, in-expensive. And the quality of Kimchi was so good. Having a good Kimchi in the house, it tells everything. Tempura was crispy and fresh, Dae-gh-tang (Cod fish soup) was amazing, the taste was the right degree between home-made-food and eating-out-slickness.

Completely loved it, and definitely going again!
Comment on this reader review

Brown
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Saturday, October 03, 2009

Had walked past it a few times and the food didnt disappoint. It was great and tasty. Had a great bibimbap with all the perfect raw beef, veg and sauce.

But I cant help feel they are beginning to be victims of their own success in terms of service because they are so busy. The staff were lovely and attentive, but they seem to struggle when the restaurant is full (which is quite often). You wait for 5min to be seated despite free tables because they were busy taking orders. You wait for your chopsticks after your food arrived because they have forgotten it. You wait 10min to pay them because they were rushing around despite a queue at the door.

So my recommendation is: its a charming place with nice tasty dishes, but only go if you are patient.
Comment on this reader review

8 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 8
Sunday, May 31, 2009