Disappointing. I found this place on Google and I decided to pay it a visit with a friend given the high number of vegan options. We got there around 9.30 and the restaurant is closing 10. We were told to wait and then, once seated, we were told that most of the items were sold out which was a bit disappointing. We ordered whatever was available and the food was actually ok. Having said that, the customer service was a bit rude and uninterested which is not great given the prices. The lady who served us was very grumpy from the beginning till the end, and they even forgot one of the two drinks we ordered. Overall, negative experience. Decent food but very poor customer service. They seemed to be annoyed that we came half an hour before closing but in that case they could've just told us and we would've found another Japanese restaurant, there's plenty of options nearby. If they decide to take in new customers at that time they should make sure the service is adequate otherwise they should just shut the restaurant and tell people that they are not taking in any more people. I doubt I will be coming back to Koya.

Authentic, no-frills Japanese cuisine. This isn't your modern "photogenic" bowl of Ramen that you might be used to, but everything is full of flavour and super well prepared. Service is very fast and the chefs hand the food over the counter to you. Super delicious and very reasonably priced. Very small inside but service is so fast you'll be seated in no time.

Worth the wait. No bookings. A queue out the door at all times. Staff is friendly and attentive but didn’t feel rushed at any time. Food was delicious. We had warm noodles with warm broth. I had the smoked mackerel, mushrooms to start with and pickled plums as a snack. The food was scrumptious. No deserts available. Would recommend!

I haven't been in London for 8 years... And my first had to be Koya: it is by far my favorite restaurant in London. The food is so perfectly delicious beyond its seeming simplicity. I had little tears of joy eating the pork belly braised in cider ❤️ the udons are the best I've had anywhere and I enjoyed so much my lunch that I came back a few hours later for a serving of cold udon with a hot soup 🥰 if you're visiting London, do not miss this place 🙏🏽

Hearty, flavorful udon. Noodle texture and chewiness was on point. Portions are super generous, so I’d only order sides if I were dining with someone else. Queues can get quite long during peak times (I waited 45-60 minutes for dinner). I’d advise going there for lunch on a weekday.

My first time at Koya Bar was 7 years ago and I could still remember how good the udon was. Naturally this time round I was expecting the same level of quality and was really looking forward to coming back. We came on a Sunday evening around 6:30 and we're surprised we didn't have to queue that long to get seats (~10mins). It's cool that the one long table setting means that you can watch the chefs cook food in front of you. It's definitely an authentic, Japanese style. We went with the kakuni (pork stew with mustard), prawn tempura Udon and curry Udon with prawn tempura on the side. Pork stew came out quickly first and we really enjoyed it. The meat was so tender and sweet and savoury in the sweet soy sauce. Mustard sauce almost acted as a palate cleanser so we kept going back for more. Udon though, on the other hand, was quite disappointing honestly. My curry udon broth was so bland, wish the curry taste could have been much stronger. Nice to have all those veggies as toppings, but the Udon noodles were as al dente as they once were 7 years ago. I wonder if it's to do with the change in kitchen staff. As I remember the last time I was here there were many more Japanese staff. My friend was also very disappointed with her Udon, the broth was very bland. The most disappointing thing for us both was how unfresh the prawn was. The batter was ridiculously thick when the prawn meat was tiny, as if it was a way to cover how small it was so they could justify charging £4.50 for one tempura. Staff were alright, one particular staff kept coming by to take our plates and checking in when we were trying to enjoy our food and have a chat. Felt like we were being rushed the entire time so we didn't feel like staying long. Gotta be honest, I don't think I will come back again. My experience this time is just too different compared to 7 years ago.

Great place, ambiance is very like Japan dining. Would recommend for parties of 4 or less though as seating is quite limited, service is nice and quick. Udon tastes very light with unique flavours and cold/hot varieties to choose from. The tempura here is amazing!! Price is quite dear however.

The prawn tempura hot udon soup was Delicious. I added a poached egg and made it even better with some 🌶️ flakes. There is a line outside the door but worth the wait. Fair prices and authentic. Good people make sure to slurp! 😋

Stopped here for Sunday brunch. We were delighted to see they were offering a traditional Japanese small breakfast menu. We had the curry udon with a poached egg, and oh my! It was incredibly delicious. For an authentic experience, I can highly recommend this lovely gem of a restaurant

When Koya first arrived I imagined a load of imitators would follow. It didn’t really happen, not exactly (plenty of other things happened). I came back to London to visit after ten years and though the novelty of eating here has faded, the pleasure hasn’t. Elegant, informal, precise. The place remained the same.

Small casual udon noodles cafe. They don't take bookings, so you might need to queue when busy. Used to be one of my favourites. I haven't visited this place for a while , but I was neaby, so popped in. Unfortunately the quality of the food dropped quite a lot. Udon noodles are doughy and stodgy. They used to be much tender yet had a proper texture. Tempura was good, slightly heavier side. They have daily specials on the black board. Which is nice to try. I ordered clams, which wasn't cleaned properly, full of sand. But when I complained the staff apologized without arguing. Although the food was disappointing, somehow the service was more attentive than before, and I can see the staff care about customers.

Great noodle restaurant in Soho with plenty of choices for every palate. The place is quite small and doesn’t really have tables, all seats surround the open kitchen like in the most iconic Japanese bistros. The menu has clear vegan and vegetarian options. Prices are good! I definitely recommend it for a Japanese craving in Soho.

Delicious, authentic Japanese udon restaurant. Beautiful, seasonal dishes and daily specials. A “must try” if you are an udon aficionado! Counter seating only. Be prepared for a queue during lunch and dinner peak hours. Worth the short wait!

Had some awesome beef udon and kakuni at this place. Definitely top-notch Japanese udon in London. It's a bit crowded inside, and you might have to wait a bit, but totally worth it. Perfect for a quick, tasty meal.

Hands down favourite place for udon - especially this branch. Broth is fragrant, noodles have a bite, tempura is light yet crunchy. Also they have really nice side dishes. Always a nice, quick but filling lunch.

Very authentic Japanese hot cuisine in London. Udon are outstanding, try different combination until you find your favourite one. Tempura dishes are great, always freshly made, just like the way they are in Japan. Also try the one on special menu on the black board. There is almost always a long queue but we’ll worth the wait! Hopefully they can add more tables.

What an amazing find. One of the best and most authentic Japanese dining experiences in London. The food is simple yet exquisite in taste and presentation. The prices are relatively cheap and competitive. We ordered the curry udon, tempura and beef udon. All fresh, filling and flavorful! Servings are great. The staff are friendly! Just be prepared to queue here but the wait shouldn’t be long anyway. All in all a highly satisfying dining experience and one that is worth checking out.

We had such luck to get a place here without waiting in a big queue, pure magic ✨ I absolutely loved the food, we also had hot sake. Be aware that the place is quite small and the big queue means you will have to vacate your seats as soon as you finish eating. Well worth the wait, highly recommend

There’s always a queue and we waited for about half an hour. The food did not disappoint though. The tempura and braised pork are highly recommended.

Our most favourite udon restaurant in London. Delicious tempura & chewy udon! We love Tenzaru most! (Cold udon+ cold dipping sauce+hot tempura) The food here is generally better than the branch in the City.

Amazing udon restaurant! Loved how smooth and light the broth was. It was perfect. The ambience was really nice, it felt like we were transported to Japan. The servers also were very friendly and always smiling.

Always loved Koya for the most authentic Japanese hot cuisine in town. Udon is their specialty in my opinion, and they serve an especially delicious CURRY udon. It is out of the world. Tempura dishes are also on point, always freshly made, just like the way they are in Japan. There is almost always a long queue, so either go super early or late to avoid long queuing times.

The first time i went here it was amazing, the second time i went it was even better 🥰 This little udon place in the heart of Soho is so special and is perfect for a warm meal on a cold winter day. The cold udon with hot broth is a must try 😩 It’s chewy and flavourful, feels rly authentic and filling too. I’ve tried the pork miso, chicken and duck - all different and delicious!! The braised pork too omg 😭 The servers are attentive and sweet, and the chef’s look like they enjoy what they do! Its cosy and intimate ambience creates the perfect date setting. There is usually a small queue too so recommend going on weekdays or earlier than 6pm. Definitely try it if you’re around central London!

Loved the ramen so much!! So delicious! Because of the long line waiting outside I ordered a take away and they packed everything so nicely. It also had a description how to mix everything together.

Obsessed with everything this place serves! Their pickled veggies feel so special. Broth on soups is on point and everything tastes and makes you feel amazing. Great macrobiotic food options. Great restaurant vibe, clean and simple. Be prepared to queue

Excellent udon shop! No reservations & the restaurant is very small & counter service only, so be ready for a little wait. But it’s worth it. They have hot & cold udon, I got the hot pork miso, which was excellent. Also, the shrimp tempura was fantastic. My wife doesn’t usually like sake, but she thought the higher-end version offered here was great.

I love seaweed so ordered seaweed soup udon which is breakfast menu. I’m so upset the photo of the noodles is so ugly 😭actually it was really good.. warm and comforting and tastes home !! I can have the noodles every morning as my breakfast. I’ll definitely go back again!!

Heard a lot of great things about this restaurant and the google reviews are promising. However, I failed to see what all the hype was about. The broth is overpowered by the porky taste and lack the depth that gives you a warm feeling of good soup on a cold rainy day. The noodles were too firm for my liking, and the presentation of the dish felt a bit lazy; it was literally just noodles, broth and meat without any garnishes to brighten up the dish.

Worth every minute of waiting time. The spot is a small space with a huge open kitchen and seating around the long counter. Everything is prepared fresh, their udon noddles are perfect for a winter weather. Definitely a recommend, they don’t take reservations, walk in only.