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Tombo Japanese Cafe

4.2 2,172 reviews 11:30 AM - 08:30 PM 29 Thurloe Pl, South Kensington, London SW7 2HQ, United Kingdom

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Tombo Japanese Cafe, located in the heart of South Kensington, is a delightful gem that captures the essence of Japanese cuisine. Customers rave about the donburi, with Mike Alans praising its deliciousness, particularly the chicken katsu paired with a flavorful sauce. A standout dish is the matcha mont blanc, described by Garfield as a perfect balance of sweetness and bitterness, complemented by mochi and brownie, creating a unique culinary experience. The cafe also offers an impressive poke bowl featuring fresh salmon and tuna sashimi, as highlighted by Marianne Heredge, who appreciated both the food and exemplary service. Although some diners, like dom, experienced minor service hiccups, they still looked forward to returning for the delectable udon noodles. Meanwhile, May the awesome enjoyed comforting tonkotsu ramen and a hot matcha latte in the spacious venue, ideal for gathering with friends. Overall, Tombo Japanese Cafe is a must-visit for anyone seeking authentic Japanese flavors in a welcoming atmosphere.

Photos

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Amenities & More

Service options

  • Outdoor seating
  • Delivery
  • Onsite services
  • Takeout
  • Dine-in

Highlights

  • Great dessert
  • Great tea selection

Popular for

  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Solo dining

Dining options

  • Brunch
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Counter service
  • Dessert
  • Seating
  • Table service

Amenities

  • Bar onsite
  • Gender-neutral restroom
  • Restroom
  • Wi-Fi

Atmosphere

  • Casual
  • Cozy
  • Trendy

Crowd

  • College students
  • Family-friendly
  • LGBTQ+ friendly
  • Tourists
  • Transgender safespace
Note: Amenity details are aggregated from verified visits, the venue's website and Google. They may change without notice. We recommend confirming key details (pet policy, accessibility, reservations) directly with Tombo Japanese Cafe before visiting.

Reviews for Tombo Japanese Cafe

4.2
2,172 reviews
5
100%
4
47%
3
18%
2
8%
1
8%

Review highlights

Based on 2,172 reviews

Tombo Japanese Cafe in South Kensington garners positive attention for its authentic and flavorful Japanese cuisine, with particular praise for dishes like donburi, ramen, and matcha-based desserts. Customers appreciate the quality and balance of flavors, especially in traditional offerings such as chicken katsu, poke bowls, and tea selections. The cafe’s spacious and inviting atmosphere makes it an ideal spot for both casual dining and social gatherings. Service receives generally favorable remarks, though occasional inconsistencies have been noted. Overall, Tombo is recognized for combining a comforting, well-executed menu with a pleasant dining environment, appealing to both Japanese food enthusiasts and visitors seeking a reliable, quality experience near London’s museum district.

Mike Alans
May 25, 2025

Delicious donburi and fabulous service as well. The chicken katsu tasted really good and paired well with the sauce.

Garfield
May 22, 2025

Came in for a treat, and the matcha mont blanc delivered! Not too sweet yet no overwhelming bitterness, I really enjoyed the mochi & brownie on the side, eating the adzuki beans with the match soft serve, which was placed on top of crispy rice for a lovely twist and experience. The bonsai genmaichai was a hit too, will return!!

Marianne Heredge
May 19, 2025

I love Japanese food and so I was delighted to see this place, near the museums. I had an excellent poke bowl of salmon and tuna sashimi with rice and avocado. The tea was also very good. The service was very good here, and I'm sure that I will be back.

dom
May 18, 2025

Great food. Very comforting and tasty. However, we weren't very impressed with the service (perhaps it wasn't a good day). However, will come back for an udon noodles soon!

May the awesome
May 17, 2025

Very nice spot in South Kensington! It’s like both a restaurant and a cafe. I had the Tonkotsu Ramen and a hot matcha latte, they were both very tasty! It’s also spacious inside so it’s a perfect space to eat with friends.

Damien Kempt
Apr 30, 2025

I am a regular customer at Tombo and I always have a great experience. They have a very good selection of Japanese food and it is very authentic (I used to live and work in Japan) and there are also quite a lot of Japanese customers. Their curries, noodle dishes and sushi are delicious. However, my favourites are definitely the desserts. I particularly recommend the baked cheesecakes and sundaes. A lot of places in London now serve matcha latte, but I would say Tombo is among the best I have tasted outside of Japan. All of the staff are friendly and professional. On one occasion, they made a minor mistake with my order and insisted on replacing it without any fuss. It reminded me of the customer service in Japan. If you want to have tasty and authentic Japanese food, I definitely recommend Tombo, as it's one of the best places I have been to in London.

IMtrigirl
Apr 02, 2025

Such a lovely spot for some delicious Japanese food. Great choices on the menu and very easy to eat. Full of flavor but still simple so not overwhelming. We had edamame, misu soup, katsu curry, and ramen. All so delicious. Service was also very friendly and fair prices. We definitely recommend and would eat here again and again if we lived here.

Anton Palgunov
Mar 26, 2025

Food is good. But it's really hard to pay via GPay only with a card I finally succeeded in the web menu. I recommend ordering via waiters.

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Quick info

Address
29 Thurloe Pl, South Kensington, London SW7 2HQ, United Kingdom
Price range
£10–20
Category
Japanese restaurants

Opening hours

  • Monday (Today) 11:30 AM - 08:30 PM
  • Tuesday 11:30 AM - 08:30 PM
  • Wednesday 11:30 AM - 08:30 PM
  • Thursday 11:30 AM - 08:30 PM
  • Friday 11:30 AM - 08:30 PM
  • Saturday 11:30 AM - 08:30 PM
  • Sunday 11:30 AM - 08:15 PM

Location

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