Tourists in Marylebone usually follow the same stops. Wallace Collection, Regent’s Park, the shops on High Street. Food tends to get figured out on the go and by the time hunger properly hits; whatever is closest starts looking a lot more appealing than it should.
Japanese food has a way of solving that problem without making a fuss about it. Light enough to not slow the rest of the day down, interesting enough to actually be worth sitting down for. Ikkan Sushi on Marylebone Road keeps coming up when people in this part of London ask where to eat, and the reason becomes obvious once you walk in.
Most people come in expecting sushi and leave having ordered half the menu. Appetizers, fried chicken, katsu curry, chicken rice bowls, sushi specialties, all of them under one roof and none of them feeling like it was just added to bulk out a menu. That combination is harder to find in Marylebone than it should be.
Start Right, The Appetizers at Ikkan Sushi
Chicken Karaage
Japanese fried chicken, marinated, light batter, crispy outside and juicy inside. Tourists order this one thinking it is just something to start with and end up talking about it on the way home. Karaage shows up on Japanese menus all over London and most versions of it are forgettable. The one at Ikkan Sushi is not. That much becomes obvious pretty quickly.
Ikkan Fried Chicken
The house fried chicken mix and a step further than the Karaage. Bolder flavor, more substantial, and the kind of thing that works as a starter or a meal on its own depending on how hungry you are walking in. Ikkan Fried Chicken is the kind of dish that people who came in for sushi end up talking about more than anything else on the table. Order it without any deliberation.
Chicken Katsu Bites
Bite-sized katsu pieces, crispy and satisfying, and one of the most affordable appetizer options on the menu. The kind of thing that disappears off the plate before anyone really notices and then everyone wishes they had ordered more. Good for sharing across a table or keeping entirely to yourself; both are valid decisions.
Takoyaki
Japanese octopus balls a street food classic that a lot of tourists in London have never actually tried before. Crispy outside, soft in the middle, bonito flakes and sauce on top. Nothing else on the appetizer menu quite like it and the kind of thing that makes the whole meal feel like more than just a dinner stop.
The Katsu Curry, Japanese Comfort Food Done Properly
Tourists who come in for the sushi and end up ordering the katsu curry never really see it coming. And then it arrives and suddenly it makes a complete sense of why it is on the menu. Japanese curry is nothing like anything South Asian or Western first timers go gaga over it every single time and it is not hard to understand why once you try it.
Chicken Katsu Curry
Crispy breaded chicken over rice, Japanese curry sauce on top mild, slightly sweet, nothing heavy about it. The crispy katsu against the smooth sauce is the whole point, and Ikkan Sushi gets that balance right. Never had Japanese katsu curry before? This is the one to start with, and it will not be the last time you order it.
Prawn Katsu Curry
Same curry sauce, prawn katsu instead of chicken. Lighter, and different enough that it does not feel like a swap; it feels like its own thing entirely. Good for anyone who wants something warm without circling back to the sushi menu. People who try this one alongside the chicken version tend to end up with a very strong opinion about which one they prefer. Worth finding out which side you land on.
The Chicken Rice Bowls, When You Want Something Warm and Filling
Chicken Teriyaki Rice Bowl
Grilled chicken, teriyaki glaze, rice underneath. Sweet and savory without overdoing either. Tender chicken, nothing heavy about it, and the kind of bowl that sorts out a long afternoon in London without any complaints from anyone at the table. A classic combination that Ikkan Sushi does well every single time without making a big deal about it.
Basil Chilli Chicken Rice Bowl
For those who want something with more heat and personality. Basil Chilli chicken over rice bold, fragrant, and a completely different experience from the teriyaki version sitting next to it on the menu. The kind of dish that reminds you Japanese cuisine goes well beyond sushi and covers flavor profiles that most Western diners have never explored properly.
Ikkan Fried Chicken Rice Bowl
Fried chicken mix experience in rice bowl format. Everything that makes the Ikkan Fried Chicken worth ordering as an appetizer, now sitting over a bowl of rice as a proper meal. Filling, flavorful, and the kind of thing that makes a very easy lunch or dinner decision on a busy day of sightseeing.
Why Ikkan Sushi in Marylebone Still Starts and Ends at Sushi
All the above exists alongside a sushi menu, that is the reason most people walk through the door in the first place. And the sushi in Marylebone at Ikkan Sushi is the kind that earns its reputation one order at a time.
The Dragon Roll is the one that gets talked about most among first-time visitors’ prawn tempura, avocado, thinly sliced avocado on top mimicking dragon scales, and eight pieces that look as good as they taste. The kind of specialty roll that makes people realize sushi can be something more than just a quick lunch. At £10.95 takeaway it is one of the better value specialties rolls you will find anywhere in central London.
The Red Dragon Roll takes it a step further to prawn katsu, avocado, and chopped tuna on top for anyone who wants something richer and more layered.
For those who want something simpler and cleaner, the Salmon Sashimi at £5.45 takeaway is the dish that brings sushi enthusiasts back to Ikkan Sushi specifically. Three pieces of sushi-grade salmon, sliced fresh, served clean. Nothing else needed, and nothing else added.
Conclusion
Marylebone is worth the visit and the meal at Ikkan Sushi on Marylebone Road is worth building the day around. Appetizers that actually deliver, katsu curry that catches people off guard every single time, chicken rice bowls that sort out any afternoon, and sushi in Marylebone that has earned every bit of its reputation. The first time or fifth time, the menu always has something worth coming back for.
FAQs
What food doesIkkan Sushi serve beyond sushi?
More than most people expect walking in. Chicken Karaage, Takoyaki, Prawn Katsu for starters. Katsu curries, fried chicken rice bowls, teriyaki bowls, udon, poke bowls, and gyoza after that. The sushi is brilliant, but it is only part of what is going on here.
What is the bestappetizer to try at Ikkan Sushi?
Chicken Karaage if familiar is what you want. Ikkan Fried Chicken if you want something that goes further. Takoyaki, if you have never had it, try it once and see what happens.
Is the katsu curry atIkkan Sushi spicy?
Not really. Japanese katsu curry is mild and slightly sweet. The versions at Ikkan Sushi follow that same profile flavorful without any overwhelming heat.
What is the best chicken rice bowl atIkkan Sushi?
Chicken Teriyaki Rice Bowl for something classic and reliable. Basil Chilli Chicken Rice Bowl if you want something bolder with more heat. Ikkan Fried Chicken Rice Bowl if you want something more substantial.
What are the opening hours atIkkan Sushi Marylebone?
Monday to Sunday, 11AM to 10PM.
