Wagamama's - must see or skip it?
 

I noticed that alot of people have been to the resturant, and I heard the food was good, but I'm not really into the "communal" style eating.<BR><BR>If I went before dinner (around 5-6pm) would it still be busy? Do they always seat you with other people? Do they allow take-out's?

Opps - forgot to add this... I heard their are alot of Wagamama resturants - are their ones that aren't as busy as the Bloomsbury one?

It is not fine dining. I'm not into the communal dining idea either, but somehow at Wagamama it doesn't make much difference. It is all very long tables. They often leave a space or two between groups. I never really feel like it is communal eating -- it's just that you are all at the same very long table. It's fun. It's inexpensive. And the food is very good. Just go and enjoy it for what it is. I've never gone for dinner, only for lunch.

It's always very busy around dinner. Many young people (schoolgroups, etc.). And it definitely is communal style eating. But you should have done it once in your life.

Are all the Wagamama's less busy at lunch time rather than going around dinner time?

we went to the one in Covent Garden a few times around 10 PM and there was next to no one there.<BR>

Anne,<BR>It is communal!<BR>The food is no more than OK.<BR>You can do much better even in London!<BR>Ada

I echo most of the other comments. Wagamamas is okay - if you're hungry and happen to be standing outside one (and there's not much of a queue) then you might want to try it out, but it's not worth a special trip for. If you want to experience communal-style dining, try the Belgo in Covent Garden (Belgo Centraal) instead. Very good mussels and a wide selection of Belgian beers and different flavoured schnapps.

Wagamama's(in Dublin) was ok, nothing special. In fact, my husband was still a trifle hungry after dinner! He felt the fare was rather "skimpy" IHHO.<BR>Judy :-)

Wagamama is pretty much my idea of the ninth pit of hell.<BR><BR>Being crammed chek-by-jowl with strangers and their horrible acnoid kids and being feed extremely ordinary, overpriced food is not a good dining experience.<BR><BR>Also its INCREDIBLY loud as all the kids are shouting into mobie phones, or their parents are shouting at them, and the rooms are bare glass and tile and echo the sound around.<BR><BR>If you want to eat cheap chinese food, go to chinatown. If you want to eat dreadful chinese food - get me to cook.

Hey Beth!! How are you, how is everything????

David, what does your comment about Chinese food have to do with Wagamama? There is nothing Chinese about their food.

Also went to Wagamama's last August. Interesting food, good, but not great. Don't mind eating with other people at the same table, in fact, enjoy meeting people from other places. We happened to sit next to a couple of snotty bitches who ate like pigs, and had no interest in chatting at all. Had better response from the wait staff. Wouldn't make special trip especially at dinner time when the wait can be forever.<BR><BR>If I had my choice I would go to Chinatown where the food is spectacular but making a choice of restaurant can be maddening as they all look good.

Wagamama's on a Thursday evening around 5 pm in Bloomsbury. Were seated at our own place - many empty seating - no crowds - staff great - cheerful & smiles - noodles in broth with seafood was hot, messy and delicious....not one diner was crammed in, even as the crowds were pouring in....I recommend it if that is the type of food you enjoy....my son and I love anything fun, light and what he considers just too cool!

If you are looking for that sort of experience, I would suggest eating at Busabi Eathai - I think the food is much better, it's owned by the same group. It's located in Soho - maybe Frith St?

Hello~Stephanie! Where are you taking that little boy next?

Hi Kate - We are headed to Deutschland this year! Very excited....out of the blue decision, cannot wait!

We're talking about a noodle shop here, not the Ivy. Drop by, if it's too busy go somewhere else.<BR><BR>IMHO, Wagamama pops up on so many "Bang for the Buck" London lists that it's often a victim of its own success. There are any number of similar restaurants with similar menus and prices. <BR><BR>The Hare & Tortoise in the Brunswick Centre (next to the Renoir Cinema) in Bloomsbury comes to mind. Although the name suggests a traditional English pub, this is an Oriental noodle restaurant very similar to Wagamamma, with large portions and cheap prices.<BR>

xx: What doo you think a noodle shop is - CHINESE FOOD.

I thought Wagamamma is Japanese?