Sapporo Ichiban - (Near Lewisham, South East)

5 /5 Matthew Ryan: I went here for the first time at the weekend. It is absolutely fantastic. I brought my son who hadnt had Japanese food before and we were so well looked after. Its a crime its not busier. Great value, freshly cooked delicious food with absolutely wonderful friendly service. Cant wait to go again.

5 /5 Nathan John: Ah Sapporo ichiban.... This place is such a Catford institution. Ive been singing its praises as a hidden treasure for Japanese food for many a year, and now Im gonna put it here on Google. You may have walked past the shopfront many a time without noticing it, but I truly recommend you pop in and sample the yakitori, ebi fry, and one of the rice bowls! Trust me. You will not regret it.

3 /5 Andrea Cali: Family-run restaurant, decorated in oriental style but in need of renovation. We ordered both sushi and some hot dishes. The food arrived promptly, the sushi was good but the hot food was honestly not good, the flavors of the various dishes were not well distinguished. Very low prices, I recommend it for a meal with friends, without great expectations. The honest rating would be 3.5 but since I can give 3 or 4 stars I prefer to reward the owners commitment with 4 stars.

5 /5 Anthony Prigmore: I popped in to Sapporo Ichiban on Sunday evening to try a takeaway after years of walking past without making the time to do so. All I can say is I wasted a lot time when I could have been enjoying their amazing food years ago. Fresh food, great taste with a homemade feel to it. The eel hand roll sushi & duck teriyaki were great as were the seaweed salad & miso soup. The service was friendly with plenty of kind conversation. The elderly couple who run the restaurant have been in Catford for decades & have real roots in the community. I shall definitely return to try dining-in with my family. Highly recommended.

5 /5 Andrei Acsinia: We have waited too long to write a review for our most favorite place in London. And no, we are not in the so called new age "food critics" category, whatever that meand. If youre expecting high end service and a katana wielding lesson, this is not the place for you. We are also not "authentic Japanese food experts", as some gleefully label themselves, we just like the restaurant, top to bottom, authentic or not. Service can be slow at times, as it can be experienced IN ANY OTHER RESTAURANT ON THE PLANET, but if youre not going there after a starvation diet or during peak times, it should be fine. Consider that it is a family business and three, four people are usually doing everything, from cooking to serving and cleaning. We often take our own empty plates back or we even clear our own table, as to give them a hand (now the restaurant aficionados are going to have a mild stroke upon hearing this) but that, for us, is part of the charm of the place. Food wise, we have never been disappointed, I mean NEVER, and the price per quality and quantity cant be beaten in London. We are two average people and we never seem to pass over the 25 pounds bill, for both of us. Thats literally the cheapest dinners we ever had in London. Since weve been going there for one year and a half weve got to know the staff and theyve gotten to know us and weve always been understanding of the serving times or possible mishaps. So, my advice is to go there with an open mind and decent appetite and if youre planning to visit the restaurant at peak times, be ready to wait a bit for your food. And stop whining about everything. 2024 UPDATE: Sapporo has lost nothing of its charm, despite others trying to squeeze it out of Catford (yes, Taro, I am looking at you!). We moved to East London a few months ago but Sapporo still remains our go-to sushi spot in London, and always worth the long trip! 2025 UPDATE: Definitely still the best sushi youll have in London!