Abeno

Massively overpriced for what it was. I loved the hot plate in the middle of the table and some of the food cooked in front of us but the three main courses took an absolute age to come out of the kitchen and my friend had to wait 20 minutes for her main dish after mine was delivered. I wouldn't choose to go back here. Unfotunately having your meal cooked in front of you means that you smell like kitchen for the rest of your evening.
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katie
2 Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 2
Friday, March 25, 2011

Like many posts said here, the price is a rip off though the food in general is yummy. Okonomiyaki is supposed to be a street food in Japan so it is very pricey to have it in Abeno in addition to the unavoidable food aroma that caught in the clothes. They could have done a better job if they offer a cloak room which seem impossible since the restaurant is very compact (small). Great experience but I probably won't visit again. For the price like that there are other worthy alternatives in that area.
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TJohnson
5 Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 2
Tuesday, February 01, 2011

My friend and I came to this place as recommended by the reviews and friends, what we didn't expect was the unreasonable wait!!! When we arrived there were THREE empty tables!!! But we were not allowed to sit in these tables as they were for groups of 3 to 4 dinners only, since it was only two of us, we had to wait till the bar is free !!!! So we waited for 25mins( please note this was a weekday and it was already 8pm) while these 3 tables remained empty for at least 35 minutes, and by the time we finished, there was still one table remained empty!! What's the point !

Another unhappy experience is the seating, we were sitting on the stool - storage unit with no foot step, as I am 5 ft 4 and my feet didn't touch the ground! While you can not move the seat without asking 3 other people to get up for you (cos you are siting on a 2 meter long storage unit with 3 other people), as a result, my knee was very painful through out. The ventilation is lacking and you smell like the food afterwards, I know somewhere else offers you the same quality of food, price with good dining experience, I certainly will not come back.
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3 Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 2
Wednesday, January 27, 2010

I really don't understand some of the comments here... What do you expect to pay in a central London restaurant? £4 plus tip?

A Japanese friend took me to this place, I was pretty sceptical having read a few reviews previously. However, I was really surprised by how much I liked it. I felt genuinely excited about having found an interesting and new culinary experience in London - which doesn't happen that often.

This is not a place for formal dining or romantic, sophisticated encounters. It's not particularly a "destination", book 3 weeks in advance, special occasion type place. This is a place to meet some friends for a relaxed evening, have a few ice cold Kirin beers and eat some fresh, interesting and tasty food! Then go and drink some cocktails...
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Marcus
8 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Although i want to like this place, i found it just a bit too much of a rip off. Okonomiyaki is supposed to be a cheap, filling meal. Abeno has no competitors so i guess they think they can charge what they like.

£10 for a 'Super Deluxe' Squid Okonomiyaki, with an additional £4.50 for a handful of noodles is daylight robbery, especially when a far bigger and superior product costs a fraction of that in Japan. the ingredients are not exactly expensive.

The side dishes were all quite good, but again bad value for money. The biggest rip off is the edamame - £4.50 for a portion, which was really shocking. We ordered the prawn and Asapagus gyoza £4.95 for four.. Nice, but again overpriced. Kimpira Gobou - literally a couple of mouthfuls in a tiny dish for £3.65. To be fair, the agedashi doufu was a lot more generous, and wasn't a bad rendition.

The meal wasn't bad at all. But having grown up in Osaka, the home of Okonomiyaki, i think i'll wait till I go back there to have it again.
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Mark
6 Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 4
Wednesday, August 19, 2009