Umai Japanese Cuisine in Shropshire

Another great meal this place is consistently wonderful, loads of good vegetarian options too and very reasonable price

Busy restaurant serving Japanese cuisine. Beautiful sushi and sashimi

The most amazing place, Food always 😍 amazing, authentic and reasonable price. Always 100%

Our overall for me the best restaurant in town

After doing my research, this is by far the best Japanese restaurant in Shrewsbury. Fair price, and great quality. Sushi was preferred over the ramen, but both were good. Handy to know - It was cash only at lunch time when I visited.

This little gem is easy to miss. Down one of those famously narrow Shrewsbury side streets, Umai is one of my favourite restaurants in Shropshire. The food is outstanding. The only drawback for me is, the restaurant is a little cramped, so they're a little too quick to hand you the bill so they can get someone else in after you.

My friend and I visited this cosy little sushi restaurant for lunch, and we were thoroughly impressed. Despite its small size, the atmosphere felt warm and welcoming. The service was excellent – the staff were friendly, attentive, and quick to accommodate us. The sushi itself was absolutely delicious, with fresh ingredients and beautifully presented dishes. Each bite was packed with flavour, and the variety on the menu meant there was something for everyone. It’s a great spot for a casual meal, and we left feeling very satisfied. Highly recommend this hidden gem for anyone who appreciates good sushi paired with great service!

Rushed to order, Food came fast but its not cooked so cheating really. Spent the entire time sat in a tight area of traffic close to the till constantly having people behind me squeezing past, people leaning over me to serve and collect empty bottles plates etc, couldn't relax. Nearly a £400 bill for our table and I hadn't even let my food go down or finished my one bottle of JDM Peroni before the tory party are flooding the door eye balling us to leave, then the staff said if you're finished you need to leave because we need the table. Feel bad my boss paid for it all, might as well of had a cone of chips in the cold windy alley way next to it because that's were we found ourselves stood wondering where to go after the eviction.

Amazing little place. Really great choice of food and a bit of choice of Korean and Japanese. You don't need to book for Saturday lunch and it's cash only. Well worth a visit

One of my favourite go to restaurants in Shrewsbury - however we booked almost a week in advance and they'd obviously over booked themselves, so one of us was left to sit on a fold away plastic chair. Something you'd use outside, camping etc NOT at a restaurant where you can easily spend £30-40 a head. Secondly I have never seen dogs in their ever, but on the bench we were sitting someone next to us had their tiny dog on their lap which was the same level of the bench where you eat your food. I found this really off putting. I love dogs. But the floor is surely suffice - or just don't bring your animal out.

Good restaurant but for me a bit expensive

Amazing Japanese food. Quite Authentic and mouth watering.

One of the best Asian restaurants in town!! Good prices and good Quality food definitely worth it!!

Umai is a firm favourite on our work trips, everything is so tasty and fresh and the staff are super nice there 🤩

Lovely japanese restaurant with a wide range of sushi and other classic Japanese dishes. Some vegan friendly dishes and very caring if allergies.

Great and I mean, yummy food, very friendly service and accommodating as they didn't really have a table for us but fitted us in.

Some of the best food I've had in Shrewsbury, service is fast so can feel a little rushed at times due to how popular of a place this is

A good spot for sushi and other Japanese food in Shrewsbury

I absolutely love it here, my favourite restaurant ever. Me and my partner come quite a lot, and never have a bad experience. The staff are wonderful, every time we come they deliver fantastic service. Can't wait for my next visit 🥰🥰

It was not a good experience because they are trying to fit 5 adults in a 4 people table. Where there is a 2 seat table next to us and remain vacant all time. We also been told that we can only dine in for 45 mins because we didn't book a table in advance. Maybe such experience could avoid if we book the table instead of walk in. The food was alright but with only 45 mins dine in time, we really can't order much to eat.

A great Japanese restaurant, the food was amazing and everything was very reasonably priced. Highly recommended, be sure to book in advance as it gets very busy.

The food was fantastic, the staff were very efficient and friendly. I would definitely come here again

I know this will not agree with lots of other reviews, but we had a mixed experience here, contrary to the recommendation we’d received. The first encounter was the surprise that they wanted cash at lunch on a Sunday - they hadn’t mentioned this when I called to book. The music was far too loud - we could barely hear each other. Most of the food was good (chicken katsu and sushi lunch platter were fine), with a few notable exceptions in the bento box, which two of our party ordered. Salmon overcooked, edamame beans cold (this might well be a normal way to serve them, but we’ve been to other excellent Japanese restaurants and they’ve been served warm) and some small egg dumplings that were not very nice. The Jasmine tea seemed particularly weak - made me wonder if they might have reused the leaves, although that is speculation - and the small teapots leaked lots of water when pouring. We might give it another go, but not for lunch on a Sunday!

My partner and I visited Umai on Saturday evening, and we were thoroughly impressed. We started with a variety of Maki, which were beautifully presented and tasted fresh and delicious. For our main, we both had Chicken Yaki Soba, which was packed with flavour and cooked to perfection. I also ordered a portion of steamed rice as I was particularly hungry, and even that was spot on. What really stood out to us was the service. The staff were like an F1 pit crew – efficient, seamless, and constantly in motion, working together in perfect unison. The atmosphere was lively but relaxed, making for a wonderful dining experience. Highly recommended if you're looking for great food and exceptional service in Shrewsbury!

Unfortunately, we didn't have the best experience here - have rounded up from 2.5 to 3 because 1 of our party said the Katsu Chicken was delicious. 2 of us ordered bento boxes - my go-to in a Japanese restaurant and were disappointed with the size of the portions and the quality of the food. The teriyaki salmon was over-cooked and very dry, the 'sushi' was 2 tiny pieces and the only filling was cucumber slivers, the edamame was not freshly steamed but served cold, the Agedashi tofu was clearly cooked in oil that wasn't hot enough as the tempura was gluggy and inedible. The serving of miso soup was tasty but sparse, and the jasmine tea tasted like hot water even after 30 min of brewing. Poor value for money and I left hungry.

The food is okay, though nearby wakaka is better, though the owner is very rude. There is £13 minimum per customer at lunch, £20 at dinner. As soon as your given your food your given your bill and forced to leave your food (unfinished) as they want the table for new people. Very unprofessional, if you try to finish your food before leaving they will get mad at you. Very bad restuarant, I would not recommend.

Some of the nicest sushi I've ever had !

Celebrating my daughters birthday, cost over £200 , asked if we wanted sweets and drinks which we did. As soon as they arrived , without asking, the bill arrived and then we were asked to leave as they wanted the table. VERY RUDE !!!!! Treat your customers with respect

I wouldn't recommend niji doesn't taste like egg it was cold and fishy! But overall my main was super as so was my partners if your looking for a sushi experience this is it !

Not what I expected to find down an alley in Shrewsbury but a most pleasant find. What i would expect from a casual Japanese dining place.

The quickest service in my life! Super efficient, drink and food at your table shortly after ordering. The dish variety is good and everything tastes really fresh. Nice little ambience. Will be going back for more!

Been here a couple of times with friends. Food is really good with a large menu all done well. Love the miso and dragon rolls.

Food reasonable, staff friendly and helpful, although service a bit rushed as main course arrived before we had finished our starts. However watch out for the extortionate service charge, our bill arrived with a 35% service charge despite the menu indicating it would be an "Optional" 10%

Great restaurant, this was an early Saturday evening, drinks came very quickly, starters came quick. Then mains came in good succession. Food always actually properly just been cooked and brought to table hot, not sat on the counter for ages as you get with restaurants. Would definitely recommend.

Food lovely but staff clear plates literally AS SOON as you put the last bite in your mouth despite other members of the party still eating. They pressure you pay the bill and vacate the table as soon as you've finished. You get a feeling of being an inconvenience being there because they want the next people in rather than looking after existing customers. Sort your customer service out Umai. Numerous reviews say the same thing!

Amazing food brilliant experience i would recommend this sushi to everyone. Staff very polite in a very small restaurant

Great Japanese bento box for lunch. I had prawn tempura and it was excellent - really light batter. Was good value for what it contained. 13.50. The restaurant was very busy at lunchtime. Felt very authentic to me and I loved it. Welcoming staff. Thank you!

Great, fresh authentic Japanese food

Umai has some of the best sushi you will find and it tastes incredible!!! Me and my husband love it here and we are never disappointed. The restaurant is slightly small and if you are after a long romantic meal, this might not be the place for you as the service is quick. However, if you are after brilliant, fresh food at a reasonable price, I would highly recommend.

Unreal Japanese food, best I've personally ever had, and in a lovely little Shrewsbury side street. Great atmosphere and worth a try even if it's a journey. I'll definitely be back!

Favourite restaurant in Shrewsbury

Really great Japanese food 🇯🇵🇯🇵😁😁

Consistently one of my favourite places to eat in Shrewsbury. Food is always top notch and good, fast service. Used to be cash only but they now take card which is helpful! Book in advance to avoid disappointment.

The best sushi around! Very nice price point and always delicious. I would recommend katsu curry and salmon and avocado maki

One of the worst meals ever. The beef (if it was beef) in my Ramen was off.

Loved our meal at Umai. We hadn't booked anywhere and landed into the restaurant hoping for a table for two. We were given an hour which was just enough time for two courses. Everything was lovely but especially the flamed sushi rolls and nigri. The mains came quickly and we're both superb. Happy to eat here again.

The food was Hot, Fresh and tasted amazing, the service was quick and impecable and the atmosphere felt very Japanese.

I expected so much from this pretty Japanese restaurant as RAMEN is one of my favourite dishes. So many locals had pointed out this restaurant, hence the reason I popped over for a meal.. But, sadly to say, I was left quite disappointed with the overall experience. Maybe I've been lucky to eat at one of the very best Japanese RAMEN restaurants in Bristol, and therefore, my expectations of fantastic RAMEN were very high.. I unfortunately won't be coming back here again seeing Shrewsbury has such other excellent restaurants to try out.

Never had a meal that wasn't delicious here.

Food was pleasant but didn't seem spot on for Japanese food. Highly inconvenient (and odd) to discover that Sunday lunchtime is cash only (#taxavoidance?). Nice atmosphere, excellent service.

Delicious food, quality worth the price, definitely coming here again

The food is truly outstanding and the Sunday Special Lunchtime Bento box is great value (BUT on Sunday lunch special it is cash only). Visited many times up to mid 2024 so far and always a brilliant authentic experience

What a hidden gem. Went here for a birthday lunch for my sister and it did not disappoint. Lovely friendly staff, lovely atmosphere. The place was full on a Thursday lunch time which says it all 👌 Food is exceptional, very fresh, presented beautifully and a big menu to chose from. Definitely be returning soon.

Poor service, no customers waiting for a table and constantly asking for payment before closing, extremely rude

Lovely place! The Chirashi Don was absolutely gorgeous and really fresh. Lion King sushi is a must try, trust me on this one! I would definitely go back.

On arrival, we noticed a note saying “Sunday lunch cash only” which we thought was strange so we explained to the staff member that we had no cash on us and asked if they’d like us to go and get cash before we sat down for our meal which they said ‘no, go after’. We had our meal, food was great but very cramped upstairs with a lot of people causing it to become very hot and making me feel ill. The staff were very eager to clear the table away, taking empty dishes before letting us finish the whole meal. When it came to paying, we asked the same staff member if she was still happy we went to get cash and brought it back which she was. We walked to the cash point down the road and me and my friend worked out the cost each and took it back. By the time we got to umai, the woman who had been serving us was waiting for us by the door and another member of staff was down the road obviously looking for us. If you’re wanted Sunday lunches to be cash only and allowing people to get cash after their meal, you’ve got to be able to trust people.

Very authentic and delicious Japanese food. Plenty of meat and vegetarian options! I felt like I was in Japan! Great quick service also and lovely interior decor - very quirky! Food was delicious, the special lunch variety box deals were amazing - loved the chicken katsu! Came with so many different things - like tapas!

We stopped by very early evening after being recommended to eat here by our hotel reception and a relative who loves this restaurant. We love Asian food and having travelled all over Asia sampling local cuisine and Japanese we thought we would be in for a taste sensation. Only we weren’t, it was really average. We were shown to the back room and a small cramped table in the walkway next to the door to the toilets. Staff loitered whilst you ate and as others have stated plates were whipped away the second your food lifted from the surface of the plate. The waitress also tried to take my husbands bottle of beer which was 1/2 full at the time. I ordered a glass of the red wine - there wasn’t a choice and it was undrinkable for my palette- very vinegary and left the entire glass. Ordered the chicken gyoza which didn’t blow us away but was the best item ordered. The endame spring rolls were really heavy, thick pastry and not pleasant to eat - we left two. Then there was the wasabi prawns which were undercooked in our opinion. The texture was wrong and the tempura batter was soggy indicating to us that they were not quite cooked. The wasabi dressing drizzled all over the surface like strawberry sauce in ice cream which was tasteless - not even remotely hot! Didn’t feel inclined to order more food as the experience so far was not great. £38 later for 3 poor starters, I bottle of beer and 1 undrinkable glass of red wine is a bit over priced I feel. Also had the tiny bottle of water which they charged £2.20 for! other tables were brought tap water in a small bottle - not us. I wouldn’t recommend or come here again if in the area.

The food is delicious but unfortunately my group, including myself, felt a bit uncomfortable around the staff. We were lead into the main seating area and were going to sit down at a table near the window when we were told that we couldn’t, we had to sit at the table they had reserved for us. There was no flexibility about that which felt odd. Soon after we ordered a couple came in and also tried to sit at that seat. The waiter told them to go back to the seat that had been reserved for them. There was nothing special about our reserved tables and no one ever came to that window seat. It felt uncomfortable for both my group and the couple with visible embarrassment shown by both parties. I’ve been here quite a few times with friends and family alike and have always picked up on the strict and rather forced/uncomfortable vibes from the staff. I would also like to say, as someone who has been studying Japanese for nearly 4 years, the staff are mostly if not all Chinese and communicate in said language amongst themselves at the cafe. I have nothing against it but as someone who has also studied bits of Chinese in the past the fact that I am constantly hearing Chinese speech takes away from the ‘Japanese’ vibes the venue tried to get across. The food is delicious and I love the katsu curry. It always feels fresh and warm and I continue and will continue to come back for that reason!

Fine sushi place, excellent food, reasonable prices, friendly hosts.

Excellent food and service if you like or want to try Japanese food

Excellent food, quick service without feeling rushed. Highly recommended. We went with our daughter, who is a manual wheelchair user. We bumped her up the small step into the lower restaurant and were accommodated there with no issues.

This is my favourite place to eat always fabulous never had a bad meal and been going for 7 years!

Very busy, but great staff and food was served quickly. The food was very tasty and reasonably priced

Excellent, freshly prepared food. Reasonable prices and attentive service. We have been before and we will be back for sure

Loved the food here. Everything was very fresh and tasty. Particularly liked the Panko covered prawns. We will definitely return but next time will will buy drinks from the restaurant itself. I had read in a local newspaper review that you could take your own wine and pay a corkage charge, which we did, but the £15 (!!) corkage charge we felt was excessive.

Unpretentious but good Japanese food.

Love love loved it!!! One of the best sushi places I have ever been to. Food was to die for, I am already fantasising about it! The service was quick and it is prepared fresh. Nice restaurant atmosphere and staff were really friendly! This place is a hidden gem and I couldn’t recommend it highly enough. We will definitely be back (a lot)!! Thank you Umai

Absolutely delicious food - fresh, clean, crisp, tasty! The service was also impeccable and the restaurant was clean and tidy. One of the best, most authentic Japanese restaurants I’ve experienced in the uk

This is by far and away the best place for miles for this type of cuisine. The sushi is expertly made (you can see the Chef preparing it at the front of the restaurant), the hot food is always delicious and the sashimi is always prepared and presented excellently. There is a wide range of combinations to try and the bento lunch boxes are bang on. The only time we've ever had anything we weren't keen on is when we've tried something completely new that we've never tried before The staff are always friendly and smiley too.

Great food and service. Definitely book a table before you go. Vegetarian options but you can ask for vegan.

Loved the location. Amazing great food. Tasted very authentic. I had the beef ramen, the best ramen i’ve had. The maki here is amazing too. Sashimi was also fantastic and basically melts in your mouth. Price is very worth it too. 10/10 overall, thank you Umai team!

Clean, simply styled Japanese restaurant with first class food & service. 5⭐

Really liked this restaurant. Not massively priced. Went for wife's birthday and it was lovely. Nice atmosphere and good service and very tasty food. Recommended booking.

Umai is our go to place for a special meal. We always have a sushi platter and it's incredible, delicious and fresh. Our friends have had other meals there and the food always looks amazing. Great staff, lovely atmosphere, authentic food and speedy service. Highly recommend!

We have enjoyed many excellent meals here. Top tip - order the plum wine, you won't regret it. 👌 This time we ordered red tiger sushi, Takoyaki, tempura and teriyaki beef with Kinoko rice (wow). Excellent, tasty food.

The best sushi I’ve had in the uk, and we live in London! I couldn’t recommend Umai highly enough - the interior design is beautiful, it feels so authentically Japanese and the layout is so fun. We celebrated a 30th birthday on Saturday night and the atmosphere was perfect.

Lovely place to eat sushi, I think best in Shropshire and service is great 👍 I recommend

Very tasty food served quickly. Good prices.

Had a lovely lunch here with the family. Will definitely come back again soon to try a bento box.

I like sushi. I buy it from the supermarket and places like yo sushi. The green tea, miso soup, sake warm was excellent, on another level. The salmon was delicious. The tuna again was on another level. Never had it where it literally falls apart on your tongue. Beautiful. The surroundings are gorgeous. Shrewsbury is a great place to visit, walk around. Not a large place so definitely need to reserve a place in the evening , maybe even during the day. Exquisite. The chicken bento Box seemed to be all the rage when we went.

A lovely and authentic Japanese restaurant serving an array of dishes to suit every palate and very competitively priced. The dishes are made to order and served piping hot. The staff are all friendly and attentive and the restaurant is well organised and well run. I will definitely visit again and I have no hesitation at all in recommending it to everyone.

Absolutely amazing, first time we have ever been and the food is fantastic whilst not being overly priced. The eel sushi was 10/10 and the katsu was divine. Really was an authentic Japanese inspired experience.

Amazing food and great service. Most definitely worth a visit!

Completely delicious, amazing food!

Loved it great food and atmosphere

Good Japanese food depends on good ingredients and the proper preparation. It is never easy in England where the ingredients are going to be expensive and the skills hard to find. This restaurant is an excellent compromise. It does not reach the heights of fine dining but it is well worth what you are paying for. The tempura was particularly well made, fresh oil, crispy batter, the dipping broth needed some daikon and ginger but that is the compromise. Chirashi was well made, but perhaps a bit too much vinegar, perhaps the fish was cut a little thinly, but that is the compromise. Green tea in clay coloured cups? But that is the compromise. For England, this was very good cooking for a price competitive with other local restaurants. Definitely worth a try, there are hints of Korean flavours on the menu, but this is washoku

I’ve been several times to Umai and I will say the food is out of this world. You get the true authentic Japanese food. It’s also good to see they do takeaway as the restaurant itself is quite small which means it’ll get fully booked quickly, depending where you sit it can feel claustrophobic. The service is 10/10 always friendly and helpful staff. I can use chopsticks however my friends I’ve bought along don’t so they have the option you can use cutlery so won’t need to feel pressured eating your food with chopsticks. I love their sushi boats they do and they have the best alcohol list

Noisy and bust + compact Staff a little dry Need to order for a min of £10/person + bring cash only !!!! However food was delicious. For a 1st experience of Japanese food a little more guidance would have been appreciated. Parking near by is not easy. Many steps in the restaurant.

This is a regular visit for myself and my partner for any special occasion. The service is second to none, food is incredible and fresh and the whole vibe feels fantastic. Best restaurant in central Shrewsbury in my opinion.

Extraordinarily tasty food. Brisk and efficient service. Will definitely return

Food was brilliant, service was brisk and efficient. I was left with the overwhelming desire to return as soon as possible to try some of the extraordinary dishes that my fellow diners were clearly enjoying.

Delicious sushi and tempura!!!As a loyal customer who frequents umai restaurant, I hope to share some of my views on the restaurant service.I would like to emphasize that the dishes in the restaurant are undoubtedly delicious!!!BUT if you don't like the fast pace of service and the limited dining time, this restaurant may not suit you!!!Service staff will quickly remove guests' plates during the meal to keep the restaurant environment clean and smooth although this rushed atmosphere may be different from traditional Japanese dining style.Overall, I think that although umai's dining policy may make some customers feel uncomfortable, it does not affect the deliciousness and quality of the restaurant's dishes. If you don't like the speedy service, I suggest you try to make a reservation in advance or choose to dine during off-peak hours, which may give you a better dining experience. Also Umai has a really really really great chef team. If you are a big fan of sushi like me, I really recommend you to come to UMAI!!!

Our favourite Japanese restaurant in Shrewsbury and one we revisit regularly whenever we are passing close by the town. A wonderful cosy atmosphere and really friendly welcoming staff and absolutely top quality food all combine to make this place a hidden gem

Love, love, love the food at the Umai. It really cannot be faulted but sadly the service does lack. We often go for lunch and we accept that we'll be rushed, which isn't so much of a problem when you are having a cheeky lunchdate before picking up the kids. What is a problem however, is being served a second bottle of wine on a night out with friends, with no warning that they are closing, then to be told within 8 minutes (I kid you not) that you need to leave. Come on guys, we don't want your restaurant to end up closed like so many others. Your reviews point to the fact that you would benefit from some urgent staff training.

I come here very often and the food aswell as the service is always amazing

Really enjoyed our visit here this week. Great food, fast and positive service. Followed the servers recommendations when ordering the platter which was the right decision so very happy with that. Go the umai plater it was the 52 pound one. Got the wasabi tempura prawns. Edamame and some mochi to finish up

My favourite place to eat. Great food and amazing service

My friend & I arrived for my birthday lunch at 2.20 clearly with no knowledge that they closed at 3pm. Several couples &people in there & a table was found straight away. Coats off & it was very clear when we were asked were we ready to order that we weren’t as I unwrapped my gift. Another waitress came & asked about an order for a drink .. now 2.30. I ordered my wine being asked large? I agreed. She didn’t have knowledge of wine, went away & asked came back with wrong information & just pushed the most expensive. We then ordered a started & our main. To be fair the prawn tempura were beautiful but literally not even one eaten & my main arrived. Now 2.40pm. My friends meal arrived a few minutes later both only luke warm. They were taken away with a small apology. 2 mins later they were back having been microwaved. At 2.50 the hovering waitress announced ’kitchen close 10 mins’. We looked at one another & just thought as she said the kitchen was closing not the restaurant. We were happy finishing our food & wine & chat… ha ha ha. Actually not funny at all. Val finished her meal & the spoon hadn’t reached the dish before the waitress swooped in & removed her dish while I still had my meal. VERY RUDE. It was at this point we realised they were waiting literally to kick us out. I finished my meal & my dishes were whipped away in seconds & replaced with the bill. We questioned why we hadn’t been advised about the closing time. We were given garbled reasoning. So having to leave half of my wine we got organised to leave. They had even added a service charge which I had removed. Not once were we asked if things were ok. The service was poor to the point of rudeness. £55 in a rushed 30 mins ruined my birthday. I told them on leaving I would never return. They didn’t care in any way. I have called 3 times to speak to a manager &as you can imagine with no success. This was the worst restaurant experience I’ve ever had.

Great food, ruined by pushy staff trying to get you out of the restaurant in under an hour!! Bought the card machine whilst friend was still eating!!