RAI - Tottenham Court Road

Name: RAI - Tottenham Court Road
Address: 11-13 Bayley St, London, Greater London, United Kingdom, WC1B 3HD
Telephone: 020 8149 6248
Price range: £41 and over
Rating: 4.6

4.6

166 Reviews

£41 and over

Japanese

Make a booking

2 people

30 Mar 2025

19:00

Booked 12 times today

Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

Good for special occasions
Fancy
Romantic

With just 5 tables and 10 sushi counters, RAI offers the finest yet affordable Omakase experience in London. Experience the essence of “omakase,” which means “I’ll leave it up to you,”. Performed right in front of you by Chef Padam, each plate demonstrates a different level of craftsmanship. Watch as our chef expertly prepares sushi and stamps it with speciality binchotan charcoal for charred flavour, served with 5-year-old soy sauce & rare freshly grated Japanese wasabi.

Forget the noise of central London and enter a serene Japanese garden. Discover the captivating charm of our traditional Japanese garden, where stunning visuals meet an exceptional dining experience. Indulge in our expertly crafted New Style/Classical Tasting menu by Chef Padam and his exceptional team. For those who want a little bit of everything but aren’t quite ready for a full course, we offer an exciting À La Carte menu that can be enjoyed in our Japanese Garden.

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
£41 and over
Cuisines
Japanese, Sushi, French / Japanese
Hours of Operation
Mon–Sat 17:30–23:00 Mon–Sat 12:00–15:30 Fri 17:30–23:30 Sat, Sun 12:00–22:30
Phone number
020 8149 6248
Website
https://rairestaurant.com/
Dress code
Smart Casual
Executive Chef
Padam Raj Rai

Location
11-13 Bayley St, London, Greater London WC1B 3HD
Area
Fitzrovia
Parking details
None
Public transit
We are only a 4-minute walk from the Tottenham Court Road Underground Station.
Additional
Chef's Table, Counter Seating

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Experiences

Seasonal ALC Menu - Only 5 Tables Available.
Multiple dates available
You can order any dish from the Seasonal ALC MENU.
9 - 11- 13 Premium Course Omakase Menu £59/£75/£89
Multiple dates available
9-course Omakase - £59. *Only at lunch times. Not available at Dinner times.* 11 course Omakase - £75 13 COURSE - PREMIUM OMAKASE | £89 Using freshest and the highest quality premium ingredients. Such as freshly grated 100% Japanese wasabi that takes up to 3-yrs to grow, 2-38-yrs aged soy sauces aged in 100-year-old cedar barrel, A5 Kobe, Koshihikari rice & Sanpuku nori considered one of the best sushi rice and nori in the world – Be prepared for an incredible omakase experience!
RAI SPECIAL PREMIUM OMAKASE | £110
£110.00 per person
Multiple dates available
Using freshest and the highest quality premium ingredients. Such as freshly grated 100% Japanese wasabi that takes up to 3-yrs to grow, 2-38-yrs aged soy sauces aged in 100-year-old cedar barrel, A5 Kobe, Koshihikari rice & Sanpuku nori considered one of the best sushi rice and nori in the world – Be prepared for an incredible omakase experience! To book the Seasonal Tasting menu or ALC menu, please select the correct buttons.

Wagyu dumplings, ponzu sauce | £19*
Grilled aubergine, truffle saikyo miso, sesame | £18*
Add truffle | +£14
Lime and chilli tiger prawns | £22*
Australian halal wagyu with kizami wasabi, lime, togarashi | £39
Salmon, kombu oil, butternut xo sauce | £26
Unagi don, aged soy, ikura | £35
Add truffle | +£14
48hrs marinated saikyo miso grilled cod | £42
Chargrilled spicy lamb cutlet, spicy yuzu dressing | £35
Chargrilled Pork Secreto | £27
A5 Wagyu or Kobe, maitake, sanso pepper chimichurri | MP

Dessert

Seasonal special dessert | £10
Sesame Delight | £13
Home-made sorbet & ice-cream | £6
Raspberry Sable, yuzu ganache, banana, mint & strawberry ice-cream | £13

What 166 people are saying

RAI - Tottenham Court Road reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6

4.6 based on recent ratings

4.7Food
4.7Service
4.6Ambience
4.4Value

Noise • Energetic

Loved For

West End London
Japanese

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

RAI, located on Tottenham Court Road, is a standout destination for Japanese dining enthusiasts. Guests rave about its "absolutely amazing experience," highlighting the "exquisite food" and "exceptional service." The omakase menu, with its "freshest food," is especially lauded. Chef Rai's personal touch and dedication create a "memorable" culinary journey, making RAI a must-visit for a "fantastic experience."

166 Reviews

W
Wenye
London1 review
5.0
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The experience was perfect. Food was mind blowing even though I went to so many good Japanese restaurants before. I brought my girlfriend here and she absolutely loved it. I have left a note when booking the table saying that we were celebrating our 6 months anniversary and they surprised us with free champagne. The head chef Rai was very nice and funny and enthusiastic, making us laugh a lot. I would definitely come back and take my friends and family too. Perfect experience.
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C
Carmel
London6 reviews
3.0
Dined 5 days ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 2
I visited this restaurant to celebrate my husband’s birthday after seeing it frequently on Instagram. While the sushi quality was good and the staff were friendly, the overall experience didn’t meet expectations, especially considering the price. We ordered two £78 omakase sets, an additional wagyu dish for £49, and three glasses of wine with water, bringing the total to £300. For that price, I expected a more immersive omakase experience. Unfortunately, there was only one sushi chef, and if he was serving other guests, we had to wait a long time before being attended to. The setup also lacked the typical omakase experience—there was no real engagement with the chef, nor could we watch the sushi being prepared with the level of craftsmanship that makes omakase special. Instead, sushi was simply placed in front of us with little interaction. Additionally, communication was a bit challenging, as the staff’s English was limited, making it difficult to ask questions or understand details about the dishes. Another downside was the wet towels provided, which had an unpleasant smell and left my hands feeling unclean—something the restaurant should definitely address. Overall, while the sushi itself was good, the experience fell short, and I don’t feel it was worth the price. I wouldn’t return.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Berkshire3 reviews
5.0
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Great experience with the omakase experience for my birthday! Great food with details! Absolutely feeling full after 13 courses.
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C
Chris
London1 review
5.0
Dined on 22 March 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
Very good restaurant! Probably the best food I’ve eaten in London, it is pricey but you get what you pay for
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G
G
London4 reviews
5.0
Dined on 22 March 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great experience but the bill was steeeeep. Disappointed they didn’t provide the fixed menu to possibly choose and only presented the a la carte
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OT
OpenTable Diner
London1 review
5.0
Dined on 9 March 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
From start to finish we cannot thought the experience. One of the best dining experiences we have had in London Can’t wait to come back
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D
Dan
London1 review
5.0
Dined on 7 March 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The courses were all amazing. The scallops and the negiri being particular highlights Staff were all welcoming and it was a delight to watch the chefs work For what you get, it’s very reasonably priced (you will spend a lot but you will be glad you did)
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SS
SSoliman
Birmingham2 reviews
5.0
Dined on 1 March 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Second time we have eaten at Rai and it doesn’t disappoint.
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J
Jon
Hampshire1 review
5.0
Dined on 24 February 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Excellent and entertaining Omakase which was extremely good value for London. We will definitely visit again and are looking forward to trying sister restaurants Kibako and Hotstone.
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T
Tamar
London1 review
5.0
Dined on 23 February 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Outstanding food, beautifuly presented, in a convenient location.
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FAQs

RAI - Tottenham Court Road is rated 4.6 stars by 166 OpenTable diners.

RAI - Tottenham Court Road does offer gift cards which you can purchase here.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.