Japan Centre Restaurant Toku

the food and service here is fine but the price is annoyingly high

we dont go there for this simple reason it just feels cheeky to pay over the odds presumably just for the location

no atmosphere whatsoever. better than wagamama though (foodwise)
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kay and james - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 4
Tuesday, December 16, 2008

A friend and I had dinner at Toku on Friday and it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. I had eaten at Toku about 4 years ago and was somewhat surprised by the increase in prices and cramped seating conditions, however my last dinning experience was a long time ago. These feelings soon disappeared when I saw the portions of food and I found the staff to be very attentive and friendly. Our food was delicious and the options of a main/set are a good idea - though in future I think I would share meals as it was too much food for two of us to eat.

I will definitely return again - though perhaps not on a Friday night as it was a little too crowded, however we were lucky that the people sitting next to us, were friendly and were happy to chat.
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JR
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 7
Monday, December 01, 2008

I gave this place a second chance and the experience was not bad at all.

Things really have changed but I still think the food is rather ordinary, the quality is good though.

Staff is very friendly and helpful.

Most important thing of all: the ridiculous 12.5% service charge is gone.

I would be back for the occasional visit in the future.
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Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 6
Friday, November 28, 2008

I've been here in the past (years ago), and like many reviews here I was not impressed with the pricing nor the quality of the food.

However, I returned recently (October 2008) to experience a few welcomed changes in the restaurant. Firstly, there was no service charge added to my bill (its optional now). Secondly, there is now a large selection of food available to choose from, and many have the option of becoming a set meal including unlimited miso/rice/gyoza. I had a miso ramen set, which came with rice and gyoza dumplings for 9.50 which isn't bad at all, along with miso (refillable) and kimchi.

The miso ramen, gyoza dumplings and even the kimchi were superb, however the actual miso drink tasted rather odd (very different from the miso ramen!), and I did not make use of the refill option.

The staff were polite by London standards, and atmosphere was what you'd expect from a restaurant in central London in the evening. They also gave the receipt when the food came, and you take it to the counter to pay. We sat for awhile after eating, and they didn't rush us to leave which was good (even on a friday night).

If you've had a bad experience with this place in the past now is the time to give it a second chance (hopefully they don't bump up the prices or something after this is written!)
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Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Sunday, October 19, 2008

This restaurant has always tried to give us customers a wide choice of Japanese cuisine and for that I am very grateful. A while ago you could even get Hakata Ramen with mentaiko! I am Japanese and while I agree that the prices were more competative 3~4 years ago it seems that Toku are listening to when their loyal customers want and are reducing the prices, and also removing the service charge on parties of less than 4 people at last! As much as people write about the prices, at least they are doing something about it!

So I'm pleased about that...
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- View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 6
Monday, July 28, 2008

I am Japanese.

I do feel sad that people think this place is a good Japanese restaurant, and think they get a Japanese eating experience.

Yes, only talking about food, this place used to be very good - about 4, 5 years ago. But it is now far too pricy for the quality of the food and atmosphere: The quality of the food is now so bad that I feel as if someone non-Japanese who has never eaten Japanese food has made it looking at a cookery book for the first time (I am sure this is not the case. But the food certainly tastes like that); The atmosphere is too noisy and crammed. They just want to cram as many customers as possible for a better profit, not for customers' comfort.

And the sneaky 12.5% service charge is merely ridiculous.
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Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Saturday, June 21, 2008

You don't have to Japanese to be embarrassed with this joint. Over priced, amateurish cooking. The menu harps about the use of organic chicken; the Tori Karaage (deep fried chicken) was appalingly greasy and half cooked. Imagine what they do with the battery variety. The sushi, ah well, the rice was half cooked! The only saving grace was the bottled Asahi beer. £60.00 for two...arrrgh.
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bellaphon
Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 0
Sunday, May 04, 2008

I was disappointed by Toku the last time I went (April 2008) - it was fairly pricey (75 pounds for three), which I expect for sushi, but wasn't good value. I had squid tempura, which was very good, octopus sashimi, which was just ok, and inari, which was filled with overcooked rice and not at all nice. There are definitely better sushi places in London - I'll be going elsewhere next time.
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Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 1
Sunday, April 13, 2008

WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT!

Food quality is as of its usual style, yet the price seems to have gone up by a small margin, and the FOOD QUANTITY has decreased by nearly 50%! I am not a heavy weight in food consumption, a curry rice + tea would fill me up nicely, but tonight I had a Sushi (2 pieces), California Roll (2 pieces) and 1 Tuna Don, bill was £25 and I was only half full! Portion really tiny, even for Japaneses size!

Not to mention the worst-than Fastfood chain store style service that cost 12.5%, they should be ashame of themselves claiming to be Japan Centre.

I have been there many times before since 2002, I will not be returning...
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Leonard Pan
Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 0
Saturday, February 23, 2008

Just went there to have a quick dinner tonight. I was more looking for a cheap and quick dinner with a bowl of Ramen so I decided to go to Japan Center.

Things definitely have changed. Majority of the change is their price! Between me and my friend we only ordered 2 bowls of Ramen with an order of tuna sushi roll and two beers.

However, they charged a 12.5% service fee for a canteen or fastfood style dinner. The bill came at a whooping £35. We both think that the dinner is way overpriced.

You can have better food for that £35 in a lot of places.
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Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 2
Wednesday, February 20, 2008