Tobi Masa: Is London’s Hottest New Sushi Restaurant Worth The Hype?

Ina Yulo Stuve dines at Tobi Masa, the first London offshoot of NYC’s most expensive sushi restaurant

Restaurant Review: Tobi Masa, Mayfair

When it comes to buzzy London openings, few come close to the amount of whispers that surrounded The Chancery Rosewood. Set within the former US Embassy in Mayfair, the five-star all-suite hotel towers over leafy Grosvenor Square and houses its own Asaya Spa along with eight different restaurants and bars. 

Originally designed by Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen, the property underwent major restoration efforts to transform it into a luxury hotel while still preserving its mid-century modern design features. Acclaimed architect Sir David Chipperfield was then called in to turn the fortress-like embassy into the modern luxury hotel it is today. Since opening in September 2025, The Chancery Rosewood has hosted high-profile events with celebrity and royal guests and has taken the gastronomic world by storm with the launch of much-hyped New York transplants like Carbone and Tobi Masa.

As one of the global icons leading the charge for modern Japanese dining, Masayoshi ‘Masa’ Takayama caused a stir when he announced he would be opening a restaurant in London’s hottest new hotel. Masa’s reputation precedes him: legions of fans trek to his two-Michelin-starred Manhattan flagship Masa, contemporary small plates venue Kappo Masa, and the more laidback Bar Masa in New York for a taste of his elevated Japanese flavours. The word tobi means ‘to fly’, an ode to the golden eagle sculpture – an original piece from the US Embassy building, moulded out of aluminium from B-52 bombers – that towers over the Eagle Bar above the restaurant. 

I had the chance to speak with chef Masa late last year when he was in London to launch the restaurant. One thing he was adamant about was that he was not trying to create a typical Japanese menu: ‘You are in London, so you need to feel like you’re in London. Why would you do traditional Japanese food like they do in Japan? That doesn’t make sense to me.’ He shares that he laid the space out with warm lighting, a drinking bar, lounge, and spacious seating area, with the intention for guests to ‘sit here and eat new, modern, Japanese cuisine as if you’re in a museum.’

Walking into the lobby at The Chancery Rosewood, we’re surrounded by showstopping design features expertly curated by French interior designer Joseph Dirand: soft earth tones evoke warmth while a dramatic chandelier cascades from the ceiling above. At Tobi Masa, the impressive dining room is humming with conversation – whether it’s the family reuniting for an intimate dinner in one of the banquettes nearby or the high-flying execs walking past the chefs hard at work at the sushi counter, everyone is talking about the food. 

The Menu

Masa explains that he doesn’t want to offer the exact same menu as his New York restaurants, claiming customers who venture across the pond would get ‘bored’ by seeing the same things. ‘I created a different, more local menu for Tobi Masa. In Europe, you have countries like Portugal and France that are very close by. The carabinero shrimp for example doesn’t exist in New York, but here it’s quite easy to get. It’s really fun for me to work with those kinds of ingredients,’ he says. 

The menu is extensive and broken down into otsumami (small snacks), cold/hot appetisers, charcoal grilled dishes, rice, salad, soup, and nigiri/sashimi, rolls. If you’re happy to put your fate in the chef’s hands, we suggest one of the omakase options (you can choose from sashimi or sushi), where a selection of fresh seafood – salmon, fatty tuna, and sea bream are just some of the fish on offer during our visit – comes expertly sliced with a few slivers of cucumber and radish. 

While Masa’s Manhattan venue regularly makes the headlines for being one of the most expensive restaurants in America, his London location’s prices aren’t as eye-watering: though a scoop of truffle ice cream will set you back £38, a beautiful slice of toro bluefin tuna will only cost you £12. The carabinero shrimp that Masa spoke about made its way onto the best dish of the night, where the crustacean’s sweet meat is slathered with a decadent coconut curry sauce and served hot off the grill (£32). Other dishes not to be missed include his signature toro tartare caviar, a rich, umami bomb that really sets the tone for the evening (which we favoured over another signature, the foie gras shiso roll); and the melt-in-your mouth skewers of A5 wagyu. 

The Final Word

Masa Takayama is not afraid of standing up to the hype. At Tobi Masa, he charges headfirst into the spotlight – with caviar, foie gras, and truffle in-hand – to deliver an upscale, innovative dining experience where Japanese flavours and technique join forces with an energy that exemplifies all things London.

Book It

Tobi Masa is open Tuesday to Sunday for lunch (12:00 pm – 2:00 pm) and dinner (5:30 pm – 9:30 pm). The bar is open all day from Tuesday to Saturday. Snacks start at £14, mains at £32 and the sashimi and sushi tasting menus are £68 and £74, respectively. rosewoodhotels.com