Ukai Notting Hill Review: Exceptional Sushi and Cocktails on Portobello Road
There are some restaurants that immediately feel right for their setting, and Ukai is one of them. Positioned in the heart of Portobello Road, it draws on the energy of Notting Hill without getting lost in it. Outside, the street carries its usual rhythm of movement and noise. Inside, the atmosphere shifts. The room feels warm, tucked away and quietly luxurious, with the kind of low lighting and intimate layout that makes dinner feel like an occasion without forcing it.
Ukai describes itself as a Japanese bar and restaurant, and that feels accurate, though the experience goes beyond a straightforward sushi spot. The menu is built for sharing, moving between lighter starters, sushi and richer mains in a way that allows the evening to unfold gradually. It is stylish without being stiff, lively without becoming chaotic, and polished in a way that suits Notting Hill particularly well.
A Warm Welcome on Portobello Road
The evening was set up well from the start. Our host, Aditi, was warm, considerate and genuinely informative, helping to guide us through the menu and making the experience feel easy from the moment we sat down. It is a small thing, but good hosting can shape the tone of a meal, and here it added to the sense that Ukai knows exactly what kind of restaurant it wants to be.
Starters That Set the Tone
Ukai’s menu is clearly designed around sharing, and that format works well here. To start, we had the truffle edamame, ceviche, and crispy rice with salmon tartare.
The truffle edamame was simple but effective, a familiar plate sharpened into something more indulgent through the addition of truffle. It was the sort of dish that gets picked at casually, then suddenly disappears.
The ceviche brought brightness to the table. Fresh and clean, it added balance to some of the richer plates that followed and stopped the opening of the meal from feeling too one-note. It had exactly the kind of sharpness and lift that you want from a ceviche, especially when eaten alongside warmer, more savoury dishes.
The standout among the starters, though, was the crispy rice with salmon tartare. It delivered that highly satisfying contrast of texture that makes dishes like this so appealing when done well. Crisp at the base, soft and rich on top, and finished with enough freshness to stop it feeling heavy. It was probably the plate that best captured the restaurant’s overall appeal, polished, flavourful and easy to enjoy.
Sushi Worth Sharing
The sushi section sits at the centre of the menu, and it is clearly an area where the kitchen is confident. We ordered the sashimi platter, crispy tuna roll, and the tiger rolls.
The sashimi platter brought a welcome sense of restraint and purity to the meal. Fresh, precise, and carefully prepared, it gave the table a quieter moment between some of the bolder dishes. It did exactly what good sashimi should do, reminding you that simplicity still relies on quality.
The crispy tuna roll leaned into something more playful. It had crunch, richness, and enough contrast to keep each bite interesting. The tiger rolls proved a worthy substitute for the unavailable fire roll, delivering depth without excess. Glossy, well‑balanced, and confidently assembled, they felt generous yet controlled, offering warmth and savoury richness without overwhelming the palate. Taken together, the sushi section made a strong case for leaning into the sharing format here, allowing the table to move fluidly between textures and flavours rather than locking into one direction too early.
Mains With Depth
For the mains, we had the black cod miso, beef short ribs, and spinach salad.
The black cod miso was one of the strongest dishes of the evening. Soft, rich and beautifully glazed, it had that signature sweet-savoury depth people look for in black cod, but it never tipped too far into heaviness. It felt luxurious in a quiet, confident way.
The beef short ribs brought something deeper and more grounding to the table. Richly flavoured and properly comforting, they gave the meal weight without making it feel overloaded. Alongside them, the spinach salad worked as a useful point of contrast, bringing freshness and helping the mains feel more balanced overall.
This was where Ukai’s menu came into full focus. The starters and sushi established the rhythm, but the mains anchored it.
Cocktails With Personality
Ukai clearly takes its cocktails seriously, and they deserve their own mention. We had the Cotton Candy cocktail and the Fire Blossom, both of which felt very much in line with the restaurant’s mood.
The Cotton Candy cocktail had a more playful edge, while the Fire Blossom leaned warmer and more layered. Both were memorable, and the fact that the bartender took time to explain them made them feel even more considered. They brought a sense of theatre, but not in a way that overshadowed the food.
A Sweet Finish
By the time dessert came around, we were full, but not so full that we could leave without trying something sweet. We finished with a cheesecake, which was a fitting close to the evening. It brought the meal back to something familiar and comforting after the more layered flavours of the earlier courses.
The Final Word
Ukai gets a great deal right. It feels cosy and luxe in a way that suits Notting Hill, and despite being in the middle of Portobello Road, it still manages to feel tucked away once you are inside. The atmosphere is warm, the service is thoughtful, and the menu is structured in a way that encourages a proper evening rather than a quick meal.
What works best is the overall balance. The starters are strong, the sushi is worth ordering, the mains have depth, and the cocktails add just the right amount of occasion. It is the sort of restaurant that feels social without becoming loud, polished without becoming formal, and memorable without trying too hard.
For anyone looking for a Japanese restaurant in west London with atmosphere, flavour and a sense of ease, Ukai is very much worth booking.
Book here.
For more restaurant recommendations, visit TONE Magazine LDN and our Eats page.
