RAI Restaurant London

This was our first omakase experience and we absolutely loved it (I booked it to celebrate my partner’s birthday). We chose the RAI special, the premium omakase, and also enjoyed a bottle of South African Chardonnay to accompany the dishes. Although my partner isn’t usually keen on fish, we completely trusted the chef, and every dish was delicious - exceptionally fresh and full of flavour. The restaurant wasn’t too busy, which made the experience even more enjoyable, and the service was attentive and friendly. We definitely recommend RAI. [Date of visit: 27-Dec-25]

BEST SUSHI IVE EVER HAD!! Definitely get the fatty tuna yum!!! And the sashimi platter pretty good but presentation is amazing! Another tip, get a small bowl of rice on the side good for converting sashimi to your own nigiri. Thank you for a great experience. Oh we had the matcha dessert and I would not get that. But the ice cream was good! Wish they had more desserts

We visited RAI for a 13-course omakase lunch to celebrate my wife’s birthday, and it was a memorable experience. The staff were extremely accommodating from start to finish, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The food was very good, and watching the chef prepare each piece of nigiri right behind the counter was a real highlight — a wonderful blend of craftsmanship and presentation. The ambience of the restaurant is refined and intimate, adding to the overall enjoyment. However, the bar seating area felt a bit crowded, and having staff reach between diners to clear plates at times was slightly awkward. A little more spacing between seats would definitely improve the comfort. Additionally, while the Wagyu beef was delicious, it was pricey for the portion size. £45 for 3 pieces of Wagyu, poor value. I would avoid the À la carte bolt ons and just stick with the omakase set. Overall, RAI offers a delightful omakase experience with excellent service, quality dishes, and a beautiful atmosphere — just with a few seating layout improvements that could make it even more enjoyable.

I visited Rai for my birthday lunch as a solo diner and chose the 13-course Omakase. It was an incredible, intimate experience where the chef’s expertise really shone - each dish was beautifully crafted, and watching the skill and precision behind them made it even more special. The fish was unbelievably fresh and melted in my mouth; every course felt like a new favourite. Standouts for me were the butterfish, eel with grated black truffle, spicy scallop, and the black cod main. The service was exceptional - attentive, friendly, and made me feel very welcome dining alone. A lovely surprise was a complimentary glass of champagne and a birthday dessert with a candle, which made the whole experience extra memorable. Rai truly delivered a 5-star dining experience and made my birthday feel very special. Highly recommend for anyone wanting to enjoy a refined and beautifully thought-out omakase in London.

It was such an amazing culinary experience at Rai! We were celebrating our anniversary and couldn’t have thought of a better restaurant.We went for the Chef Rai premium omakase set and every course was brilliant! Love it!!

The 13-course Omakase was absolutely amazing, authentic, and delicious—the chefs deserve high praise. Unfortunately, the service was a significant letdown. The pacing felt far too quick, especially during the nigiri courses, and we felt rushed throughout. What was truly disappointing was being presented with the bill without having requested it. For a premium, because they emailed me to buy feedback and we were and we have a potential to win £200 voucher pre-booked experience, completing 13 courses in less than 1.5 hours and being effectively hurried out is unacceptable and significantly cheapened the overall experience.

We had the counter-seating 11-course omakase, and each course showcased a range of flavours. We also added Kobe beef to share, priced at £65 for 100 grams. Unfortunately, the beef wasn’t particularly impressive and didn’t complement the meal well, as it was served right at the end after a series of delicate seafood courses. The 11-course omakase alone is already filling, and I wouldn’t recommend the add-ons. My rating is based on comparisons with several omakase experiences I’ve had in Japan, and the experience at RAI fell short and at times felt awkward. The pacing was quite fast, leaving little time to savour each course, though I may simply be a slower eater. The server frequently reached between diners to clear plates, which was uncomfortable given the already tight counter seating. You constantly had to move to avoid the server’s elbow being close to your face. In most omakase settings, plates are usually collected from the counter instead to avoid this issue. The main reason for my rating, however, is the misleading presentation of the “11-course” meal. It did not appear to be 11 courses. A very small bowl of miso soup was counted as a course, even though it was served alongside another item as a complimentary side. Even including the miso soup, the total still came to 10 courses. I politely asked about this and received a vague explanation that the side of miso soup was considered part of the 11-course offering. Maybe the bizarre shot of the chef’s rice wine at the end is counted as a course also?

We had our anniversary dinner here and we absolutely loved it. Definitely one of the best omakase experiences I’ve had and the best I’ve had in London. The ingredients were fresh and the chef’s creative twists on the classic nigiris were simply delicious, a scrumptious balance of flavours in every bite, and even though they used premium ingredients (otoro, ikura and uni for example), they didn’t skimp- it’s probably the first time I’ve had omakase and felt happily full afterwards. The freshly grated fresh wasabi was one of my favourite things. Chef Padam and his team are doing a great job. Only two minuses in our opinion: the seating is a bit too crowded and in one course the rice was too moist - those are our only two minor complaints. I’m already looking forward to our next visit.