It’s taken an age getting here – five months at our reckoning – but Wanstead’s first sushi restaurant, Sumo Fresh, opened its doors tonight (Thursday). Good luck to all who sail in her.
As ever, reviews from anyone who eats there are welcome here.
47 thoughts on “Reviews for Sumo Fresh welcome”
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Excellent food, great atmosphere,
we felt so relaxed and so well looked after,
highly recommended!
It was predictably chaotic, on a busy first night, but the staff were very personable and were trying hard. Interesting cocktails. We didn’t eat anything this time. Will definitely be back.
I also wish it good luck, but relieved I’m not a shareholder. How many sushi fans are there in Wanstead? Answer: “not enough”.
Wow, bold statement but have you done door to door research on the subject?
My household 100% loves Sushi and it is about time something other than Itsu or Yo Sushi! existed and locally!
“Sumo” and “fresh” don’t seem to go together, somehow! Will definitely give it a try, though.
@Martin
I’ve done no research whatsoever. I wonder if they have?
Just my gut instinct and I’ll be happy to be proved wrong. I know very few people who like Sushi, but plenty who would love a fresh, reasonably priced Italian.
@Martin – I’ve done no research whatsoever. I wonder if they have?
Just my gut instinct and I’ll be happy to be proved wrong. I know very few people who like Sushi, but plenty who would love a fresh, reasonably priced Italian.
Bit overwhelmed on their first night but great service and lovely fresh Sushi – I’ll be a regular!
Great food yesterday, service crew still finding there feet, but overall 100% quality. A breath of fresh air to Wanstead High street hopefully others will follow giving Wanstead a chance. We are top 10 afterall..
Good food and ambience. Owners very welcoming. Very enjoyable and great addition to the high street – good to see some variety. Shame to see some people already assuming a business wont get enough trade – which I also think is completely wrong. Don’t know many people who weren’t excited by this opening!
Not to mention – it is a Japanese. Not purely sushi.
Went for sushi yesterday…. Although still getting their service in order they were all lovely and the sushi was amazing… Will definitely be a regular
Amazing food! Even if your not a fan of Sushi there is plenty of other dishes to choose from. Try the Chicken Katsu Curry or the Teriyaki. Delicious.
Glad to hear the Katsu is good as this is one of my favourites!
I will be trying it out next Monday, they should have found their feet by then.
Went on the opening night. Predictably chaotic. Main course before starters. Notwithstanding this, the food was delicious. Katsu Curry was terrific, whether chicken or salmon, the gyozo were fantastic, the sashimi fresh and so tender. The staff could not have been more helpful, if a little bewildered at times. I am sure they had not anticipated the interest. Brilliant time. I am sure, assuming the teething problems are sorted, this place will be a success. We need something different in Wanstead and this could be it.
Going tonight! Can’t wait
I went for lunch today. The place looks amazing. The guys have taken great with this restaurant. It’s modern but still keeps all the lovely original features of the building. The staff are great and super friendly. I had the prawn gyoza for starter. Absolutely delicious. Very fresh and a real home made taste to them. Chicken Katsu Curry is lovely and great value at £6.50. It’s like a combination of Yo Sushi and Wagamamas but better! Plus there are baby change facilities and high chairs for those of us visiting with little ones. All the food coming out the kitchen looked amazing and there was a lovely positive vibe from all the staff and people eating there. I’m sure this place will be a huge success. The guys who set this up have done themselves proud!
Went for lunch on Monday. It was fine and I hope they do well but some of the details need working on.
For example, I had some sake. This was served in a wine glass which was ok if a little odd. But the sake was at room temperature when it should have been chilled – they had kept the bottle out behind the bar and once you’ve opened sake it should be kept in the fridge. On the fod, the rice for the nigiri had been cooked very well but the preparation was a bit amateurish.
On balance I’d say it’s reasonable quality, nothing special, and they are charging a bit too much. I guess they’ll be trading more on the cocktail bar at the weekends? Hope it works after the novelty wears off.
Anyway, good luck to them and it’s nice to see someone trying something a bit different.
I’ve said I would be happy to be proved wrong, and it appears I will be judging by the crowds so far. I was told (by somebody who was at the opening party) that it was 100% sushi – if it is offering other fare, then it will probably do very well. My bunch will definitely try it with that knowledge (and there can’t be many who eat out more in the vicinity!!). None of us like sushi.
I’m delighted they have opened – great to have another independent food choice and as a fan of Japanese food I’m looking forward to going.
Went for lunch on Tuesday and the food was fantastic, the fresh Sashimi was amazing, as good as you get anywhere in Tokyo. Service was first class and must recommend the Rhubarb liqueur it was most agreeable, good prices and will try to get there as often as possible. Very best wishes to them. Wanstead is very lucky.
VEGETARIANS BEWARE. I understand that all new restaurants have teething problems, but the service was truly dreadful. We were told half an hour wait for food, 90 minutes later they fed my vegetarian daughter chicken dumplings instead of vegetable ones, which is inexcusable. We left after two hours with only half our food, very disappointed with the food we did manage to get. I know it was busy, but really come on Sumo Fresh.
It’s always nice to see independents opening here and Sumo Fresh and their ilk are always welcome in Wanstead.
I’m sure that this is not just a Sushi bar but a proper restaurant serving hot food and delicious drinks; something unique and not generic, like they do at the chains!
Good luck and much fortune!
Went Saturday night it was really good fun the place was buzzing and everyone just seemed to be having a good time the food was lovely! The bill was fair too.. Definitely a worthy addition to our local high street!
I went for lunch this Saturday with my wife (not a big fan of Japanese food) and our one year old toddler. Service was attentive but at times a little wobbly. The waitress who took our order preferred it when we pointed to dishes on the menu which is never a good sign…. My order of warm sake arrive in a wine glass with ice….! Prawn Tempura was served as sushi rolls – although this was quickly corrected and we were given the rolls for free as take out. Gyoza was lovely, Salmon Nigri was as good as it gets, Katsu Curry was decent as was the Chicken Udon soup. The chilli squid was a bit too oily for me.
They accomodate children very well with high chairs and nappy changing facilities.
I will return for sure as I think they are making a big effort to iron out any glitches (they asked for our feedback before we left) and were incredibly friendly. Plus the interiors are spot on.
WOW had such an amazing meal at Sumo Fresh…finally somewhere to go which is a trendy hot spot!!
So pleased that we now have a quality Sushi restaurant in the area…cocktails were fantastic and the food was delicious! fun and friendly staff..definitely popping back this week!
Well done guys! The decor is incredible the food is amazing and the atmosphere is something I haven’t seen in years…A**** all round! Price of our meal was realistic and very fair! p.s the music is spot on!
Excellent food Sumo Fresh…Had such a lovely evening..! No need to go up to town anymore, See you next week! 🙂
Interesting comments regarding research on sushi fans….wanstead is a catchment area for city workers…therefore BIG sushi fans, and obvious by virtue of the fact that the place is always busy and buzzy. Yes service can sometimes be less than 100% but that’s teething problems. The staff actually care….they are just busy!!! For those who love their sushi: this place serves amazing food, an unfussy menu, you can eat your sushi at a table or conveyor belt, or have a drink at the bar, all bases covered. What’s not to love. AMAZING.
First and foremost I would like to say about time we had a sushi restaurant in Wanstead…..We have Spanish, French, Italian, Turkish, Thai, Indians (natch), even a Belgian place, not to mention an absolutely superb pub, aka The Cuckfield, name another high street in east london that can boast the same…..Sorry I digress….Sumo Fresh has a superb menu and great chefs to back it up…..The sashimi is very fresh and sushi dishes are very good, the staff are very friendly, the hot dishes are great too. The reastaurant itself is cool and not pretentious at all, very well thought out, they also have a great cocktail list which is not overly expensive like everything else on the menu….so overall a great addition to Wanstead and to all the naysayers wearing their blinkers……GO TO LEYTONSTONE AND EAT YOUR MCDONALDS.xx
We went last night and we had a wonderful time. I took my two children who both tried everything apart from the sashimi, and we all loved it. The service was great – really friendly staff who welcomed the children as enthusiastically as the adults, fabulous food and all very reasonably priced. I would recommend this restaurant to everyone. Also with regard to the saki I took a quick look on the internet and this is what I found
“Bring the sake to an appropriate temperature. Regular sake, honjozo-shu, and shunmai-shu are usually warmed to room temperature, while ginjo-shu and namazake (sake which has not been pasteurized) are chilled. [1] Do not heat sake above room temperature unless it is of poor quality.”
Well done Sumo Fresh and good luck for the future, I hope you get the support you need and deserve.
I had to fight my way through children buggy and infants which was not cool after persuading my reluctant partner to give it a go. We found the food average compared to the West End and the prices were as expensive as up town. General ambiance ok but not remarkable and some of the people had poor hygiene and table manners which is so common in the area these days. I wish them well but for us there is something lacking, especially natural light.
Went with a group of friends some vegetarians. We found various options to please all. Food came on time, staff are very helpful and friendly which makes the place feel homey.
Amazing cocktails that kept us talking about the place and how we would like to be regulars.
My only suggestion would be a door to door which can help in the cold days.
Well done again on a great brand
This place promises so much but so far we have failed to eat there. Ordered a takeaway for a Thursday night and when I turned up to collect the place was packed and clearly in chaos. The (owner?) was stressed out and saying he needed more chefs. After waiting 10mins (on top of 20 mins collection time) I was told that my order wasn’t ready yet and could be another 20mins (ie it had never been processed). A friend went tonight (Saturday) and had their meal/drinks refunded as it was so slow/never arrived and they resorted to getting chips on the way home.
A group of us had planned to go on Tuesday but as we are all arranging babysitters, cannot take the risk with this place. A shame, because the menu looks good. Sort out the staffing issues and it could be a winner.
Great Sushi. Not had sushi as good as this before. Wish you all the best. I hope you will continue to deliver great food and customer service.
Dined at Sumo Fresh for a birthday celebration, staff were incredibly friendly, felt as if I were at home – but most importantly, food was impeccable! Truly 5* service and quality. Would recommend to anyone and will definitely be regular customer! Thanks a lot guys!
Very chaotic, they clearly haven’t ironed out their processes yet. Some food took more than 20 minutes to arrive after we’d finished and other parts of the order was forgotten about because they’d lost the order in the kitchen. Cooked fish was well overcooked and my yaki udon tasted burnt. When the bill came they’d added things we hadn’t ordered. On the plus side the staff were very good, however the food was terrible and over priced. If you want Sushi go up London, Sushi Hiroba Holborn is a good call.
I have been to this place 3 times since it opened 4 weeks ago and I must admit that my experience is getting better and better every time we go. Yes they clearly had some service teething problems at the beginning but doesn’t any new restaurant when they just open. People need to remember that they have only opened 4 weeks ago and I think they have done an amazing job so far and will continue to improve in the coming weeks. I completely disagree with the last comment regarding the quality of food because it is one of the best i have tasted and i eat out 3-4 times a week. Also commented about they are overpriced, not sure which planet you on but if you think they are over priced then go to Mcdonalds. He is the only one mentioning quality and price so that how you know its the odd one !! The only problem they had since the opening is the timings and they are improving this greatly as demonstrated on our last visit which was spotless !
I highly recommend this place as it has quality food, great prices and friendly staff, all the combination of a great brand. Good luck guys and keep up the great work.
Second visit yesterday very good food and welcoming atmosphere. Food as good as the west end!
Brilliant dinner here. Food was fab, service attentive, there were loads of staff, food was quick and a good atmosphere even on a Wednesday night there were lots of people eating at sumo fresh. All the waiting staff were super friendly too. Great place, and can’t wait until the next time we get a babysitter and get to go again.
Looks like the novelty has worn off now. Seems empty, every time I have been by last and this week. I popped in for a drink today but as I was the only one in there I went to Nice Croissaint. Eerie and spooky in there when it is souless and just bowls of food going round on the conveyor belt.
Great food!!! Best on Wanstead high street..
I’ve had lunch (I’m 80 so I don’t do nights ) here 4 times now, and can’t recommend it highly enough. Having lived in the States for 40 years, I’ve been eating sushi since 1981 and the various Sumo dishes stacks up with the best. Be a devil, forgo the wine and drink hot sake instead! I just hope there are enough sushi lovers in Wanstead to keep this terrific restaurant going.
Went there last night. I love Japanese food and was really looking forward to dining there and discovering a local Japanese on my doorstep. Restaurant lacking in soul and atmosphere. Met by a bar with food on a conveyor belt. These seats were all empty and the lonely food was just going round and round and wondered if it sat there all night becoming stale with each revolution. Staff nervous but wanting to please. We were seated and first noticed that there were no Japanese chefs working the open kitchen. Food appalling. Not authentic Japanese. The balance of flavours was completely wrong and missed the subtle and delicate tastes and textures of real Japanese food. The sauces accompanying the dishes were also wrong and badly missed the mark including the soy sauce on the table which was some over-fermented, watered-down vinegary concoction, which was heavy on the pepper. We had spicy squid which was rubbery and chewy. Soft shell crab which was served Katsu style on a bed of shredded prawn crackers, so orange and heavily breaded that you missed the delicious flavour of this delicate crab (never eaten it like this anywhere before). Spicy tuna roll, again, all hot pepper and no flavour – just a burn!! Must stress tuna roll comes with a choice of 3 heats and we chose the number 1, which is the mildest. Scallop and tofu salad – description said seared scallops. This was a dish of totally bland mush. A few undressed salad leaves with a silky piece of tofu and a barely-seen the heat scallop on top. Lacking in any taste and texture, we had one piece each and left the rest. Black miso cod was revolting and full of bones and the sticky rice was a gluey mess that could be used as a building material. Washed down with green tea served in a huge white coffee cup! All in all, if you’ve never eaten Japanese food before, I’m sorry that this would be your introduction. Even the crockery was wrong and lacked the culture and ritual of Japanese eating. We left so much food that the waitress enquired as to why and we explained it was ok but not authentic. She lacked any comprehension of what we were saying, so the owner came over and he also did not understand our comment. There is wonderful Japanese food to be had all over London at different price levels. If not venturing into town, then Chai Pan at Two Kitchens in Loughton, is far more delicious and authentic with Japanese chefs working the kitchen. I won’t be returning.
Delivery service is awful. Told it would be 45 mins. After an hour I called and was told they couldn’t find me. The card reader didn’t work and I had to give my card details on my door step. The food was cold and items were missing from my order. When I called to let them know, I was offered 50% of my next order. I won’t be making another order. It’s been opened long enough to not blame teething problems. Really poor service and very disappointing food.
Well what a terrific place to eat sushi …..the food delicious …the service great …my family and I went there for the first time to celebrate my birthday ….and not being a great fan of Sushi (only ate it in the city on the run ) we ALL thoroughly ENJOYED it ???will be back ……..well done boys …..