Harden's survey result
Summary
When it first touched down in 2014 under founder Matsuhiro Araki, this nine-seat Mayfair venue broke the mould for London in the level of ambition for its top-end sushi omakase (gaining three Michelin stars in the bargain). When Master Araki returned to the Far East in 2019, his protégé, UK-born Marty Lau, took over and Michelin removed all three stars never to return any. Why always puzzled us, as little other than very good or outstanding meals are reported here. “You sit at the sushi bar, watching the chef produce the most incredible sushi ever, with the theatre of exceptional fish being filleted”, and if there’s a quibble it’s that “even though the sushi is superb, it’s hard not to wonder what it was like when Master Araki himself was still here”. There is also the issue that this genre of high-end sushi experiences have multiplied in the capital in recent years and so it is no longer unique in the way it was in the early days.
Summary
Matsuhiro Araki returned to the Far East in 2019 (he had moved to London while his daughter went to uni in the UK) and left this nine-seat Mayfair venue (for which he gained three Michelin stars) in the hands of his apprentice – UK-born Marty Lau – who has run it along similar lines ever since. Of course, it’s a second-mortgage job, but the sushi omakase menu here is very seldom rated anything less than “outstanding”, and why Michelin now chooses to ignore a restaurant which satisfies such a high proportion of customers at one of London’s top price points is baffling. One quibble – “it’s £300 a person, but you still have to leave after your 2-hour sitting”.
Summary
“The team that took over from Matsuhiro Araki is outstanding”, and under Marty Lau this Mayfair nine-seater continues to deliver “stunning sushi, immaculately served and presented”. When the maestro moved on in 2019, Michelin not only removed all three stars, but completely deleted the restaurant from its database – a fantastic example of the capriciousness of its decision-making and the partial nature of its ultimate listings. As a result, this Mayfair venue inspires very much less attention and feedback than once it did, but it can still deliver “a meal you’re likely to remember for the rest of your life” (even if the same can be said about the price tag…).
Summary
“Sushi as an art form, with every piece designed to the last detail” is at the heart of an unforgettable trip to this illustrious Mayfair nine-seater, where Marty Lau is the new master after maestro Matsuhiro Araki returned to Japan in spring 2019. The place is “soooooooooo expensive”, but what’s been striking ever since its debut in 2014 is how few diners begrudge the mesmerising bill, instead appreciating the intense, personal theatricality of the endeavour; and the “exceptional quality and sourcing of the ingredients”. Early feedback on the new regime says it’s “not affected by the loss of Mr Araki, and still a very special experience” – whether Michelin maintain its three-star rating in autumn 2019 remains to be seen…
For 33 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at The Araki?
Unit 4 12 New Burlington St, London, W1S 3BH
Restaurant details
Prices
| Availability | 2 courses | 3 courses |  |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dinner | £310.00 |  |
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| Drinks |
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|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £60.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £6.00 |
| Extras |
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|---|---|
| Bread | £0.00 |
| Service | 15.00% |
Unit 4 12 New Burlington St, London, W1S 3BH
Opening hours
| Monday | CLOSED |
| Tuesday | 6 pm‑9 pm |
| Wednesday | 6 pm‑9 pm |
| Thursday | 6 pm‑9 pm |
| Friday | 6 pm‑9 pm |
| Saturday | 6 pm‑9 pm |
| Sunday | CLOSED |
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