Tonkotsu Kentish Town — Restaurant in London

I've been here 4-5 times now. The first time was good and each subsequent time has got progressively worse. I won't be going back after last night though.

My 10 year old daughter and I went last night. There were only 2 other people in the place when we arrived, and another 6-7 arrived sometime after we had ordered, but before any of our order was ready. So it wasn't exactly busy.

We ordered the chicken kara-age to start. Luckily I pulled a piece apart before biting into it, as the chicken inside was still raw.

I took it to the waiting staff and one guy told me that it was cooked, it just looked that way because it was marinated. Seriously!? There is a big difference, a HUGE difference between what raw and cooked chicken look like. No amount of marinate will change that. Especially since chicken will only marinate superficially, it does not soak up marinade juices the same way that beef will.

Then he tried to tell me that it was because it was chicken thigh meat. I mean come on! Did he really think I'd never cooked chicken, or chicken thighs in my life, to not know what cooked chicken looks like!?

But that is all beside the point. The point being, he would rather risk the health and safety of customers, one a 10 year old girl, by convincing them to eat raw chicken — potentially containing salmonella — than just taking the dish back and bringing us one that was cooked properly this time!

Luckily there was another waitress — or maybe it was the manager, I couldn't tell, since they all dressed the same — who at least had sense and actually understood customer service. She took the dish and said they'd bring us another one. She came a little later too, apologised and said she had taken the dish off our bill.

By this point though, we didn't want it any more. Mistakes happen, no one is perfect, and had they initially taken it back, apologised and brought us a new one, I would have happily accepted it. But after having to argue the point with someone, the trust is now lost.

The sensible staff member brought us a new dish. I politely declined it. She then came back a bit after and said she'd given us a 50% discount on the entire meal.

Then the ramen came, I got the beef short rib ramen, it cost £14.75. There was barely enough broth to cover the noodles, one piece of bone — FYI, it did not look like a rib bone, more like a shank bone — and a stringy looking piece of meat. My daughter got the tokyo ramen, it cost £11. The two slices of pork belly were 90% fat. So, needless to say, all the meat from both dishes went in the little dish they use to put the napkin and chopsticks on.

By this point we were starving, so we ate some of the noodles — and this is why I really hate this new pay, AND tip, before you've even eaten system restaurants are doing! — seeing as we were already out of pocket.

While my daughter was still eating, she hadn't even got half way through her noodles yet, the sensible staff member brings her an ice cream! While it was a thoughtful gesture, for future reference, bringing a child a treat while they are still eating their dinner is a sure fire way to incur the wrath of any parent!

Also, what was the point of bringing ice cream while she's eating her dinner? By the time she's finished her dinner, the ice cream will have melted... 🤷🏽‍♀️🤦🏽‍♀️

We left shortly after that and we are not...

I went here for dinner with a friend last Thursday. I got there before her but I was starving.

The server kindly explained to me that I could order using my phone or I could order from her. I looked at the menu on my phone at first and was going to order a drink and an appetizer - but then thought it would be kind of annoying to keep paying each time I ordered something (and you know the whole should my friend and I order together on one of our phones so that our mains come at the same time and then transfer money later?)

So I decided I'd prefer to order from the server, especially because I had questions about two of the cocktails (although I will say, the photos on the app for ordering are beautiful AND very helpful).

It took a while to get the server's attention. I'm not sure if she was waiting for my friend to arrive before she came over or if she thought I'd be ordering from my phone. Eventually she came to serve the table next to mine, so I flagged her down and was able to order a drink and an appetizer.

I had the Japanese gin martini, which I thought was delicious and the tenderstem broccoli which was cooked to absolute PERFECTION (I need to figure out how to cook it this way at home).

For my main, I had the chili chicken ramen (the larger of the two sizes) and I thought it was out of this world. This was undoubtedly the tastiest ramen I've had in a long time. I was a little worried it'd be bland, as sometimes chicken ramen with a chicken broth is - but it wasn't bland at all. Lots of herbs and spices (or whatever). And lots of noodles!!!! This made me so happy. I hate when there's not enough noodles! And it was pulled chicken - rather than large slices - so it was much easier to eat (with chopsticks) than many other ramens I've had.

I will most definitely be going back here because it's the best ramen I've had in London. I also want to try their summer ramen (that has chilled noodles) and the katsu curry.

So excited to have discovered...

Located conveniently near Kentish Town Station, Tonkotsu offers a truly exceptional dining experience that combines authentic Japanese flavours with outstanding hospitality. From the moment we arrived, we were thoroughly impressed—not only by the generous portion sizes, which offer great value for money, but by the consistently high quality of the food itself. Every dish we tried was rich, comforting, and beautifully presented. The ramen, in particular, stood out for its depth of flavour and satisfying texture.

What truly elevated our visit, however, was the exceptional service provided by Julia. Her knowledge of the menu and warm, professional manner made a lasting impression on all five members of our group. She ensured that we were well taken care of throughout the evening, striking the perfect balance between attentiveness and allowing us to enjoy our meal at our own pace.

Julia also went out of her way to engage with the two young children in our group, showing kindness, patience, and genuine care—something that does not go unnoticed by families dining out. Her friendly and welcoming presence made everyone feel completely at ease and added a special, personal touch to the experience.

We left feeling both full and genuinely looked after. It’s rare to find a combination of excellent food and such warm, attentive service, and it’s clear that Tonkotsu, with team members like Julia, sets a high standard in both areas. We will absolutely be returning, and we cannot recommend this restaurant highly enough.

A well-deserved 5 out of 5 stars—with extra credit to Julia for making the evening...