Yauatcha Soho - London

I had a fantastic experience at Yauatcha Soho. The food, service, and atmosphere were all top-notch. The £34 lunch menu was a great choice for our birthday celebration.

I have loved Yauatcha for years and always go back to visit when in London. After four years of being away, my husband and I were excited to return to Yauatcha for our anniversary. We were sadly disappointed. The service wasn't very good they got my drink order wrong (I ordered rose champagne which doesn't seem complicated) and didn't bring the correct drink for about 20 minutes. The food was fine, but just that fine. The dumplings were no longer outstanding and weren't so flavorful. The aromatic duck and pak choy were good, but... nothing special. We felt that the restaurant had really declined and probably won't return again. They did give us a macaroon for our anniversary, which was a very nice touch and appreciated.

The overall experience was just okay. It was 32 degrees on Saturday and the air conditioning wasn't working properly. The restaurant felt like a sauna and they failed to inform us beforehand. The manager was able to move us to another table that was slightly cooler, but it was still quite warm.

Food and service are both good at this restaurant. However, don’t go if it’s hot outside as the restaurant is uncomfortably hot (not sure whether aircon was malfunctioning on our particular day)  which makes the eating experience uncomfortable. We had a drink at the bar, and it felt like I was sitting in a sauna. 

We decided to try the three-course fixed price lunch menu. You have the option to choose your main course, which showcases the excellence of their dim sum selection and will definitely entice you to return for dinner. The service, presentation, and overall experience were up to their usual high standards. The only very minor downside was being seated downstairs with no natural light.