Umu Restaurant — Restaurant in London

BULLET FRAGMENTS inside of food are COMMONLY found here......BEWARE!

I went to this restaurant to have a dinner with my close friends. We ordered the Keiseki course meals and sushi we wanted to eat, but the Keiseki course dish tasted terrible for a very expensive Michelin two-star restaurant.

A more serious problem with the restaurant, was that one of my friends found something like a piece of iron while chewing on one of the Charcoal Grilled meats. It was about as big around as a pencil eraser. We were puzzled and informed of this to a server working at the restaurant. The server initially thought it was edible gold and said it could be eaten. However, soon after he saw it closely again, he said that the piece of iron was a fragment of bullet.

Since the wild-hunted animals were caught with a gun, he explained that it was quite common to find bullet fragments while eating such meat. Another server reacted the same way. The response of these servers has embarrassed us as much as a piece of iron from the food.

Later, a manager of the restaurant came to us, but he started explaining to us as if he were not very timid. In Britain, he explained that if you get a bullet fragment while eating wild meat, you're lucky. I was not sure whether he meant that we were lucky because we found the fragment of bullet before eating or that we were lucky because we found a piece of bullet inside of food.

As we all know, the major issue was that eating bullet fragments could be bad for a person's health, however, they were neglected to mention in advance that they cooked out of game meats and there might be bullet fragments.

According to the manager, in the past, it had happened to some of the other guests, but everyone thought they were just lucky. Later, the manager apologized reluctantly to us for this bullet fragment which came out of the meat, but I asked him to leave us alone.

It didn't look like a manager-like behavior at a restaurant that received Michelin 2 stars. When ordering food, just like asking if customers are allergic to any food, I think the restaurant has a duty to inform customers that the meat they use is game meats and that bullet fragments may come out of the food while eating the meat. I'm glad my friend didn't break her tooth while chewing on that...

True culinary artistry lets ingredients speak for themselves. After dining at UMU, I finally understand this philosophy.

As London’s only Michelin-starred Kaiseki restaurant ，UMU delivers unwavering excellence. Their premium seasonal ingredients and creative dishes have won over even the most discerning palates (while other Michelin Japanese only offer Omakase).

Sashimi Selection | Ocean’s Sweetness UMU’s sashimi is textbook-perfect freshness! The tuna belly melts with rich marbling, salmon dissolves on the tongue, and Hokkaido scallop steals the show with its creamy sweetness. Ingredients are flown in daily, and the knife skills showcase true craftsmanship—each slice precision-cut to millimeter perfection for maximum texture.

Vegetable Tempura | Crispy-Sweet Harmony Move over shrimp tempura—UMU’s veggie version reigns supreme! Pumpkin, shiitake, and eggplant are cloaked in feather-light batter, fried to order for a shatteringly crisp shell and tender interior. The daikon radish dipping sauce adds a refreshing zing. The chef even adjusts oil temperatures mid-fry to lock in each vegetable’s natural sweetness!

Lobster | Umami Explosion A flavor bomb! The meat is springy and briny, elevated by a masterful sauce that layers umami with every bite. Pure luxury. 🦞

Shichimi Edo Mae Sushi | A Love Affair of Fish & Rice Edo-style sushi is the ultimate test of Japanese mastery. UMU’s version pairs traditional vinegared rice with seven-spice seasoning. Golden-eyed snapper and yellowtail boast flawless fat-to-lean ratios, while pickled ginger tucked inside cuts through richness. The red vinegar rice’s subtle acidity harmonizes perfectly with the fish.

Dessert | Zen-Inspired Sweet Finale The viral "potted plant" tiramisu 🌱—layered with matcha, dusted in cocoa powder and gold leaf—is as Instagrammable as it is delicious. A palate-cleansing yuzu sake dessert wraps up the meal with bright, citrusy elegance.

PS: Kaiseki vs. Omakase? Kaiseki: Rooted in tea ceremony culture, it’s a seasonal, ritualistic dining experience emphasizing balance and artistry. Omakase: Chef’s-choice dining focused on spontaneity and interaction. Choose UMU’s Kaiseki for tradition and tranquility, or Omakase elsewhere for...

Three years ago, I had great experience at Umu: good quality ingredients and helpful staff. However, my visit to Umu yesterday turned out to be an utter disappointment. What’s worse was that I also got food poisoning symptoms after this dinner.

The staff seemed indifferent, displaying cold expressions. The person who waited for us at the reception didn't bother assisting guests, did not even hold the door but just let it slam on us. The overall attitude was exceptionally cold and unpleasant. The sushi chefs showed no passion or respect for the food and lacked courtesy towards the guests. The kitchen counter prep top was in disarray. We looked at the Course Menu, there were typos on the menu, waiters and waitress stood afar and chit chatted, creating an uncomfortable atmosphere.

The worst part was the sushi chef's casual and careless preparation of the food, making me feel: "I don't care about you; I just want your money." The ingredients are fine, but not worth their price. The cooking/preparation is horrendous. We ordered two uni nigiris, even the width of the seaweed is different. Lobster Tempura has very thick and non-crispy, floury coating. The grilled eel tastes gamy. After eating, I experienced food poisoning symptoms. I had very severe diarrhoea two hours after the meal and lasted the whole night. Today I had mild fever and needed to rest in bed to recover.

The only nice element was the male waiter who assisted us in ordering foods. Other parts of this restaurants were far from the Michelin standard. We spent above £400 and got upset tummy and fever. Save you money and health, stay away from...