This is my favourite Japanese restaurant in London. It is a true neighbourhood gem, loved by the locals but also easy to reach and worth the trip for all Londoners.
The place is warm and welcoming. The owner and chef has done a great job setting up the place.
I am pretty much a regular and I have tried many different options over the years, especially from the lunch menu (which is a great deal!) and I was never disappointed.
I have just left from lunch and already looking forward to my next visit!
I can't recommend this restaurant highly enough. The staff, the ambience and the food - all just wonderful. I can definitely say that there will be many, many more visits from me, I am excited to work my way through the menu. Expect me back really soon, and thank you for a first class dining experience
One of the most authentic Japanese restaurants I've ever eaten at in the UK, with excellent food and friendly service. The chef is the owner, and she even makes the beautiful traditional Japanese crockery!
My first cousin once removed and I visited this restaurant this afternoon after being turned away from another Japanese restaurant nearby and the ancestors must have been smiling down at us to arrange it: an absolutely exquisite environment, welcoming staff, delicious food beautifully presented: I cannot recommend Zen Mondo highly enough.
An all-round first class experience within a deceptively modestly fronted establishment.
The chef/owner is also a ceramic artist whose work not only adorns the tables but is also available for sale. Handling this work enhances the entire experience: gorgeous!
Amazing, authentic Japanese restaurant with a wide variety of delicious dishes from sushi to hot pot. The best part is their inspiring owner and chef, Akemi. It's very rare to see a female Japanese head chef and she made sure to come by to make sure we had a great meal. Please do yourself a favor and try this fine establishment!
Beautiful place,beautiful food and tasty, good Commuication good service definitely have another girly day out with my oldest child and thank you for helping her with the chops sticks problem 😉
Really friendly staff and amazing food. Highly recommended. While we were there, the waitress welcomed a few regulars what is always a good signal.
Such a lovely resturant with really friendly staff and the Japanese food is the best I've ever tried! I'll be sure to come back the next time I'm in London!~
Sushi is something I crave in waves. I can go months, even years without and then out of the blue, if I am near the right place I will jump right in. My all time favourite is Bento Cafe in Camden, but now being an East London gal, it can be a bit of trek heading over there when I get the craving, hence me seeking other world cuisines to demolish.
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Sushi is something I crave in waves. I can go months, even years without and then out of the blue, if I am near the right place I will jump right in.
My all time favourite is Bento Cafe in Camden, but now being an East London gal, it can be a bit of trek heading over there when I get the craving, hence me seeking other world cuisines to demolish.
Picture a weekday, grim, cold and a huge come down after holidays, Summer months etc etc and you have your cosy "date night" with one of your besties. Her company certainly brightens the mood and this partnered with some surprisingly good sushi lifted both our spirits.
Zen Monday is tiny, you can eat in or takeaway. Manoeuvring into your seat between the closely knit tables can be like something out of the Krypton Factor and it certainly encourages familiarity with your dining neighbours with "oops, there goes your drink on the floor", joking, but silently hoping it doesn't happen.
At is an intimate and quite dark space, I didn't want to be that girl constantly taking pics with flash, so I grabbed shots of what I could. Salmon madness was on the cards for Fitore with a platter of nigiri, maki, sashimi and cod roe. I opted for the spicy tuna maki and some salmon sashimi. It was fresh with the rice served at the perfect temperature (body temp) and the fish between 4 and 6 degrees. This ensures you enjoy the taste and texture more. The salmon in particular tasted creamy to me.
Zen Mondo is not cheap, because it is superior in its offering and authentic with a Japanese brigade. But as a healthy option when you searching for lunch or dinner on the upper street, this works.
Great spot. Great, fresh, authentic Japanese food. The lunch combos are great for the price - a main, miso soup, salads and green tea all for about £10. Food is much nicer than a lot of pricier Japanese restaurants around.
This is a great little place - simple, good value authentic Japanese food, very delicately prepared. Should be loads busier, as is better than the others in the area. Will be back here whenever we are in the area.
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Restaurants don't have to boast a Michelin star to receive a rating of 5 from me and, in many ways, Zen Mondo is better than some of the Michelin-starred restaurants I've sampled.
Don't be fooled by the dubious exterior or its location slap bang in the middle of Angel's busy Upper Street - Zen Mondo is a gem in a slew of mediocre Japanese restaurants dotted around the North London area.
Its reputation for being the only Japanese-owned (with a Japanese chef) restaurant in North London means that the recipes that are served out of its tiny but buzzing kitchen are authentic, simple, and more akin to home-cooked Japanese dishes you'd find in Japan, instead of struggling-to-impress, overpriced, fusion dishes that are the norm of most Japanese restaurants in London.
The flavours are clean and the ingredients are fresh: I'd highly recommend the sushi and sashimi, which we can never resist tucking into, or the delicious bubbling hot seafood clay pots served with noodles and Japanese vegetables. The pre-theatre four course menu is a steal at £15.50 per person and includes the most choice of delicious desserts - ranging from a lychee granita to matcha cheesecake.
The prices are very reasonable and I'd happily pay more for the quality of food that is served at Zen Mondo. Service is always friendly and prompt and the dining environment is an oasis from the hustle and bustle of Upper Street. It's no surprise that the restaurant has its loyal customers who return again and again, greeting the chef by name, who in turn, reciprocates the greeting with a deep, appreciative bow. A standout place that most might walk by- I'm very happy for it to be kept a secret!
Gorgeous little restaurant with fantastic food and good sake selection at very reasonable prices for London. Authentic Japanese taste and quality ingredients! Can't wait to go back again. Felt like being back in Japan.
We got the sukiyaki, sushi platter and tempura platter. All the food was delicious and portion sizes were great.
The have a great little sake selection and prices per bottle are very reasonable for London.
Staff couldn't be more friendly and accommodating.
This is a fantastic, fresh and authentic Japanese sushi restaurant. Now I’ve found it I don’t think I’ll go anywhere else. The prices are competitive and the flavours are brilliant. Authentic wasabi so you don’t think you’re gonna burn your nostrils off. If you’re into your fish please come here delivered with lovely presentation. And if you’re looking for ceramic plates and bowls they also sell hand made. If you don’t believe me just check out the photos
Having recently visited Japan, it was really nice to be somewhere in London that felt so authentic. From its philosophy explained in the menu through to the ceramics you eat/drink from (hand made by owner), this place is all about the detail. I was a bit throw initially by the cost of some of the dishes but the portions are generous and beautifully executed. Quality ingredients and delicious. I look forward to visiting again soon.
My favourite sushi place in London. Come, have a platter, some sake, check out their ceramics.
good value for price!
the servers were attentive, the place was quiet so we could talk pleasantly, the sushi and sashimi plate was fresh and tasty. also liked the matcha ice cream!
What a lovely restaurant this is. It is small but cute inside. They play relaxing music so you can enjoy talking to the people you are dining with. The food is excellent. I tried the vegetable tempura which was first class. The vegetarian selection isn't very large and is mostly tofu which I don't like. But i did enjoy what I ate. This is a great place for a romantic date.
One of the best Japanese place I’ve been to in London! You get what you pay for, great taste, authentic food and amazing flavours. I loved the pork belly and the agedashi tofu! The udon texture was spot on, just the right chewiness and the shabu shabu had some great quality thin sliced meat. I definitely would recommend this place! I can’t wait to go back again and try the sukiyaki :)
Tempura was amazing. Sukiyaki was so good. Perfect sushi. All food are tasty. Quite environment. Everything is perfect. Major.
A little sushi gem in North London.
Great menu with a big selection of fresh sushi and tempura.
Worth to try the Mondo selection and the Matcha dessert! Absolutely divine!
The ambience and the staff are incredible and they make you feel at home.
The sashimi at this restaurant was an absolute delight, and I can't recommend the White Tail sashimi enough. It's a true gem on their menu. One dish that pleasantly surprised me was the salmon dumplings – a rare find that you don't come across often in London. The pricing, considering London's reputation for being on the expensive side, was surprisingly affordable. This establishment offers a great blend of quality and value, making it a must-visit for anyone looking for a delicious and reasonably priced dining experience in the city.
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