HIMI Soho Izakaya Dining: £50 Rule, Counter Seats

HIMI is a neo-izakaya in a compact Soho setting, at 4 Newburgh Street, Carnaby, London W1F 7RF. The official contact page lists lunch Tuesday to Friday from 12:00 to 14:30, dinner Tuesday to Friday from 17:30 to 22:30, and Saturday service from 12:00 to 22:30, Sunday and Monday are closed. For anyone searching izakaya dining near me before a West End show, the useful detail is not only the address but the pre-theatre opening at 17:30 and the counter directly in front of the chefs.

The restaurant comes from chef duo Tamas Naszai and Tomoko Hasegawa, whose official story links their work to Japanese and fine-dining kitchens in London, Paris, and Tokyo. That background explains the balance at HIMI: the format is relaxed and after-work, but the cooking is not casual in the careless sense. The team describes the menu as seasonal, with classic izakaya dishes reworked through British and European ingredients. You should therefore expect familiar forms—karaage, tempura, salads, ochazuke—to arrive with the kitchen's own point of view.

The menu is intentionally compact and built for sharing. That is good news when the group is willing to let the kitchen guide the meal, but it means a dietary request needs to be raised early. HIMI says only a limited number of dishes can accommodate specific requirements and asks guests to email ahead for detailed conversations. The first order should include one dish that gives the table crunch, one that carries broth or rice, and one seasonal plate from the specials. The point is to let contrasting textures make the meal feel larger than the room.

The drinks program deserves its own decision. HIMI's official description names organic and biodynamic wines, seasonal draught beers, and an exclusive sake list with rare bottles, some imported directly from Kimijimaya Yokohama. If you are new to sake, ask the team for a pairing rather than choosing by label alone. A cold beer may be exactly right with the restaurant's fried chicken, a more aromatic pour can work with grilled seafood or a rice-based finish. The room is designed for conversation, so one thoughtful bottle or flight is more useful than a crowded drinks order.

The £50 cancellation rule is a real part of the booking etiquette. HIMI requires card details for reservations and charges £50 per person when a booking is changed or cancelled with less than 48 hours' notice. Groups of six to ten also require a £50 per person deposit, while larger parties should contact the restaurant directly. Those rules are not a reason to avoid the place, they tell you that a small Soho dining room protects its seats carefully. Book when the plan is firm, arrive on time, and use the phone if the group changes.

HIMI is especially convenient for pre-theatre dining. The official page says it opens at 17:30 Tuesday to Saturday and serves dishes promptly for guests heading to the London Palladium, Lyric Theatre, Soho Theatre, or another West End venue. Reserve rather than gamble on a walk-in if curtain time matters. For a walk-in, the team says it welcomes guests when tables are available, and the four window stools are a useful alternative when the main dining room is full. Ask about the terrace if indoor seats are gone.

The neighborhood walk is short but full of texture. Start at Newburgh Street, pass the boutiques around Carnaby, and use the few minutes before dinner to reach Regent Street or Liberty London. After the meal, Soho is better explored on foot than by trying to add another reservation: turn toward the theatre streets, linger around the small lanes, or walk to Oxford Circus for the Tube. HIMI's location makes it a strong anchor for a night with one planned meal and several unplanned conversations.

The restaurant fits diners who like counter seats, seasonal cooking, and a drinks list that is part of the story. It is a good choice for a couple, a solo diner who wants to watch the chefs, or a small group prepared to share. Families with young children should read the house guidance carefully: HIMI says it has no high chairs, buggy or pram space, or baby-changing facilities and generally does not recommend children under ten. That clarity helps the room serve the audience it was built for.

A candid judgment: HIMI is not the place to arrive with a rigid checklist of ten dishes. The menu changes seasonally and is compact, so the better experience comes from listening to the server and accepting that one or two items may be unavailable. The dish that should not be skipped is the conversation with the team about weekly specials, that is where the restaurant's seasonal identity becomes useful. If you only want a fast plate before a show, choose a reserved early table and keep the order focused.

Practical notes: HIMI is at 4 Newburgh Street, Carnaby, London W1F 7RF. It serves lunch Tuesday–Friday 12:00–14:30, dinner Tuesday–Friday 17:30–22:30, and Saturday 12:00–22:30, it is closed Sunday and Monday. The official booking policy requires 48 hours' notice to avoid a £50 per person cancellation fee, and groups of six to ten pay a £50 per person deposit. Reserve for counter or pre-theatre seats, email ahead about dietary needs, and finish with a walk through Carnaby and Soho.

The counter is the most revealing seat because it turns the kitchen's seasonal decisions into part of the meal. Watch what the team is sending to nearby tables, then ask whether a similar plate suits your group. That exchange is more useful than trying to decode every item from a phone screen, and it keeps the visit aligned with HIMI's chef-led identity.

HIMI's private-dining page also explains that the room can be booked for larger groups, but the regular service is more naturally intimate. For a party of six to ten, make the deposit and cancellation rules part of the planning conversation. A firm headcount protects the experience, a last-minute expansion can turn a compact counter-led meal into a logistical problem.

The menu's Japanese forms make the restaurant approachable even when the ingredients shift. A guest who knows karaage or tempura has a way in, while someone more interested in seasonal vegetables or sake can follow the specials. That is the best kind of neo-izakaya: the room gives you familiar doors, then lets the kitchen decide what is behind them.

Keep the post-dinner walk unbooked. Carnaby, Soho, and the theatres all sit close enough that the night can continue without another timed reservation. If the table is heading to a show, leave early, if not, use the lanes around Newburgh Street to let the meal settle before the Tube.