"To manage one 's expectations, I would describe Robata as Japanese inspired rather than authentic Japanese food. To summarise, the service was good and the food was okay. Here are the pros and cons: Pros The waiting staff was attentive and gracious, even though 2 of our guests were VERY late. I really commend them for their patience. Service was fast. The waiting staff was well versed in allergens and there were plenty of dairy free and gluten free options The interior was quirky and reminded me of Japanese manga meets art nouveau which I liked very much! The general ambience and music were upbeat I can imagine Robata being a good option for pre going out dinner with friends or a casual first date, but some may find it a bit loud for intimate dinners The sake mojito was delicious! Cons The traditional Japanese menu items including sushi rolls and sashimi did not perform strongly. The robatayaki skewer items (Robata 's name sake) were better, but unfortunately did not steal my heart I felt the flavours and seasoning were too strong for my palate and this genre of food Neutral Observations The menu was eclectic with a mixture of Japanese (sushi, robatayaki) Korean (kimchi rice), Peruvian (ceviche) and other foods (I 'm not sure where tartare originates). There were some open 'bao ' options, which were some Asian inspired hot fillings wrapped in a flat piece of steamed bun. Personally, I 'm not a fan but I 've encountered this in a few restaurants in London so this seems to be a popular concept in recent times. Who knows? "
