Yakitori Near Me in Covent Garden: Sticks'n'Sushi's Henrietta Street Grill

Sticks'n'Sushi occupies a handsome Victorian townhouse at 11 Henrietta Street in Covent Garden, situated two minutes on foot from Covent Garden Piazza and three minutes from Charing Cross station. Founded originally in Copenhagen by brothers Jens and Kim Rahbek alongside Thor Mønsted, the restaurant group pioneered a hybrid culinary concept pairing Japanese robata yakitori skewers with precision Danish design sensibility. The Henrietta Street venue embraces this heritage within a striking multi-level space characterized by vaulted historic brick cellars, bespoke charcoal-toned timber tables, industrial iron accents, and soft atmospheric lighting.

Grilling at Sticks'n'Sushi is performed over specialized robata grills that balance radiant heat with controlled wood smoke. The kitchen's skewers are engineered for visual harmony as well as flavor, presented on bespoke dark slate platters with clean, minimalist geometric layouts. Every skewer features a distinct seasoning profile: sweet shoyu glazes complement juicy poultry, pungent yuzu kosho cuts through fatty cuts, and coarse sea salt accentuates the clean flavor of charred seafood.

The architectural concept of the Henrietta Street branch was developed in collaboration with Danish design studio Norm Architects, creating an understated dialogue between Scandinavian restraint and Japanese craftsmanship. Raw concrete walls and restored London stock brick archways are softened by dark oak communal tables, blackened steel light fixtures, and acoustic felt wall panels that absorb conversation chatter, ensuring that the subterranean cellar remains intimate even when every booth is occupied.

Beyond poultry yakitori, Sticks'n'Sushi's grill masters produce a diverse range of skewered meats, seafood, and vegetables. The Shake Teriyaki skewer at £6.80 presents thick cuts of Scottish salmon basted in teriyaki and skewered with sweet spring onions. For meat lovers, the Iberico Secreto skewer at £14.60 showcases acorn-fed black Iberian pork cured in savory miso, while the Gyu Habu skewer costs £15.60, featuring tender beef fillet topped with melting miso herb butter. Crisp Gyu Katzu skewers at £15.40 deliver breaded beef fillet drizzled with Japanese okonomiyaki glaze and Kewpie mayonnaise.

Table sharing is encouraged through a wide variety of starters and side dishes. Steamed edamame beans cost £5.50 seasoned with coarse sea salt or spicy chili garlic. The kani korokke crab croquettes at £9.90 are golden-crusted and served with a zesty wasabi Caesar sauce, while the ebi bites at £9.90 deliver crispy tempura shrimp coated in miso aioli, fresh lime, and red chili. For raw preparations, the beef tataki costs £15.00, thinly sliced and dressed with truffle ponzu and miso aioli.

Vegetable sticks also receive inventive treatment. The grilled broccoli stick at £6.50 is brushed with supreme soy sauce and roasted sesame seeds, charred until the florets turn smoky and crisp. Grilled sweet potato sticks basted in teriyaki butter and tender king oyster mushrooms seasoned with herb salt provide rich, earthy textures that pair seamlessly alongside the poultry and beef skewers.

Desserts at Sticks'n'Sushi merge Japanese ingredients with Nordic pastry techniques. The matcha fondant with chocolate ganache and vanilla ice cream is a standout dessert choice, alongside delicate yuzu sorbet and sesame seed tuiles that provide a light citrus finish after a rich sequence of charcoal-grilled skewers.

The physical space at 11 Henrietta Street offers two distinct atmospheres across its multi-level floor plan. Street level features an energetic dining room with large windows looking out onto Henrietta Street, while a broad staircase descends into the subterranean brick cellar where intimate dining booths nestle beneath original Victorian archways. The cellar is especially popular for evening dinner dates and post-work group gatherings, providing a secluded haven away from Covent Garden's busy street crowds.

The service team operates with Scandinavian attentiveness, guiding guests through the photographic menu book that clearly illustrates every skewer and sushi plate. The beverage menu includes Nordic-inspired Japanese cocktails such as the Shochu Spritz, draft Japanese lager, and curated sake carafes. Diners can easily order in progressive waves, pairing hot skewers with sushi rolls like the Spicy Tuna roll at £11.50 or the Ebi Panko roll at £13.80.

The kitchen's grilling operations run with surgical efficiency across dedicated hot and cold production lines. While sushi chefs shape nigiri and roll maki at the front counter, robata grillers at the back manage custom charcoal grates, monitoring cooking timers for chicken thighs, salmon cubes, and beef fillets. Each skewer is inspected before plating, ensuring that glazes maintain a brilliant mirror finish and that bamboo skewer tips are wiped clean of excess sauce before arriving at the table.

Sticks'n'Sushi Covent Garden is open seven days a week, operating Monday through Saturday from 12:00 pm to 11:00 pm, and on Sunday from 12:00 pm to 10:00 pm. Due to its location steps away from West End theatres like the Royal Opera House and the Lyceum Theatre, the restaurant experiences peak dinner demand between 5:30 pm and 7:30 pm, as well as on Friday and Saturday nights after 8:30 pm.

For spontaneous visits, walk-in seating is often available at the bar counter or during the mid-afternoon hours between 2:30 pm and 5:00 pm.

If Sticks'n'Sushi is fully booked and wait times for the cellar exceed forty minutes, walk four minutes west to Yari Club at 57 St Martin's Lane (WC2N 4EA) for automated rotary-grilled yakitori skewers from £3.00. Alternatively, walk six minutes northeast to Flesh & Buns at 41 Earlham Street (WC2H 9LX) for Japanese robata skewers and izakaya dishes.