Yoisho

I ate at this restaurant last night and was so disappointed! The restaurant was buzzy and the menu looked good, but the meal I ate was just awful - bland and made with cheap ingredients, and not at all fresh. I asked the waiter about it and he told me it was meant to be bland. I then asked to speak to the manager who shouted at me! Now perhaps these things are a question of taste - and perhaps I simply ordered the wrong thing for my particular tastes - but that is no way to speak to a customer.
Comment on this reader review

3 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 5
Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Yoisho is a lovely authentic Japanese izakaya on Goodge Street. As other reviewers have noted, Japanese diners outnumber Westerners and the staff speak better Japanese than they do English. We sat at the bar on the tiny (not very comfortable) stools and feasted on gyoza, freshly grilled yakitori and deliciously crisp tempura, washed down with excellent sake. It's not cheap but we would definitely return for a light meal, rather than a full on dinner. It felt authentic and all the food that went past us looked great. Recommended.
Comment on this reader review

-K- - View all reviews by this user
8 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 7
Monday, April 04, 2011

I love Yoisho because it served authentic Japanese food and drindks. I almost felt as if i went back in my country Japan. The people are very friendly and helpful. I highly recommend this place not only for Japanese people but also for non-Japanese people who want to enjoy a real Japanese IZAKAYA (Japanese pub) experience.
Comment on this reader review

azusa
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Monday, May 10, 2010

This place is a truly authentic Japanese experience. I really felt I was back in Japan as did my Japanese friends who recommended it to me. Friendly helpful staff excellent food and drinks. This place is is a full 10/10 the best Japanese experience for me and my friends in London! A real must!
Comment on this reader review

Paul
10 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Saturday, May 08, 2010

Overall: very very poor.

I'm not a snob, but this restaurant not only makes you feel like walking back in time, say 40 years, when it was probably last decorated, but the food and service was very very poor.

The chicken katsu was nothing like I've had before,or expect from chicken. It was not white meat but soggy and grey, tasting and smelling not too dissimilar to pork!! When queried, the baffled waitress vehemently insisted it was chicken. All I can say is that if it was chicken it was a) definitely not fresh, b) not the part of chicken I normally eat, or c) pork.

Even though this experience did not dent the wallet too much, I still came away feeling hard done by.
View/Add comments (1)

Costas Papadopoulos
0 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Tuesday, April 13, 2010

A normal Japanese izakaya with traditional Japanese dishes like the ones that Japanese sarariiman are used to. Yoisho is not catering to the wishes of foreigners. They are welcome but not more than that.

I liked it to sit at the counter eavesdropping to my left and right side Japanese neighbours.

I was left alone enjoying the food and the laid back Japanese atmosphere.

Will come.back when around.
Comment on this reader review

edwin
7 Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Tuesday, December 08, 2009

As a Japanese, I am writing this review on this restaurant.

Not only non-Japanese but Japanese (at least me!) could not enjoy the atmosphere and service offered from this restaurant.

The first issue was caused by several waitresses. It does not matter if you only speak English or not. I felt disrespect from some Japanese waitresses there, when I was with white friends. Their usage of Japanese is not elegant at all but relatively rude. Then, one Japanese waitress was sneakily eating dumplings on the counter.

The food offered was nice, although the atmosphere created by this restaurant was not friendly at all. If a white customer is in this restaurant, some waitresses do not come closer as if we were untouchable. Their hostility against our table made us speechless.

Overall, their target customers are not clear even to me (as I repeat, I am a Japanese).
Comment on this reader review

1 Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 1
Monday, April 13, 2009

Yoisho was pretty crowded but that wasn't the problem. There was also a 10pound minimum charge as we were there for dinner. Fine.

What really ruined the night was the service. The waitress who took our order was quite rude. But we didn't think too much of it. When ordering, instead of saying the English description of the dish i decided to say the Japanese name. In case of my horrible Japanese pronounciation i showed the waitress the menu and what i wanted to order. She nodded and left.

When the meal came, it was the wrong dish. I told another waitress to check, and when she came back she told me that the other waitress said it was because i "tried to order in Japanese" that the order was what it was. I was left speechless. I probably would have accepted it if i spoke more Japanese and did not show the waitress the menu. But putting the blame on the customer for trying to "order in japanese"? All i said was the name of the dish for goodness sake!

The meal was average for the price. I've tried better and cheaper Japanese food in London and i was still left hungry. All this and i still had to pay the extortionate service charge.

Needless to say, i'm not recommending anyone to this restaurant.
Comment on this reader review

1 Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 0
Sunday, February 22, 2009