Kanpai Classic Soho: A Luxurious 14-Course Wagyu Tasting Menu

The Signature Wagyu Omakase at Kanpai Classic Soho

We were invited to experience Kanpai Classic’s Signature Wagyu Cuisine Omakase, a 14-course tasting menu dedicated to the art of Japanese yakiniku and premium A5 Wagyu dining in London. Each table is fitted with its own smokeless charcoal grill, where staff guide diners through the ideal preparation of every cut - transforming dinner into something far more immersive than a traditional tasting menu.

Kanpai, meaning “cheers” in Japanese, is more than clever branding. It’s a philosophy of hospitality woven into every corner of the experience. The moment you step inside Kanpai Classic, you’re enveloped by the aroma of gently sizzling beef, an intoxicating welcome that lingers in the air. Soft lighting dances across the dark interiors, while an open kitchen hums with quiet precision, framed by a glittering glass wine cellar. Even before the first bite, the mood is set: you are here to be transported.

We were invited to experience the Signature Wagyu Cuisine Omakase, a 14-course tasting menu that reads like a love letter to Yakiniku — the Japanese art of grilling meat in small, exquisite bites. At Kanpai, this is done with an almost cinematic flair: each table is outfitted with its own smokeless charcoal grill, where your personal waiter cooks, guides, and educates you through the experience with graceful expertise. You can book the experience here,  with 30% off food until 11 May during select hours.

Wagyu Tallow Truffle Chips & The Opening Courses

The journey begins with Wagyu Tallow Truffle Chips, an elevated introduction to the restaurant’s luxury approach to Japanese dining. Earthy truffle and rich Wagyu fat coat each crisp bite without overwhelming it, setting the tone for the courses that follow.

Next arrives the Wagyu Treasure Caviar - one of the most visually striking dishes on the menu. Combining sea urchin, king crab, salmon roe, and Wagyu tartare, the dish balances richness with salinity in a way that feels decadent without becoming heavy.

By the time the Wagyu Tartare with celeriac purée and salmon roe arrives atop crisp seaweed, Kanpai Classic’s approach becomes clear: precision, texture, and restraint over excess.

The Yakiniku Experience

At the centre of Kanpai Classic Soho is the traditional Japanese yakiniku experience - premium Wagyu cuts grilled tableside over charcoal with guidance from the restaurant’s staff.

The first grilled course of the evening is beef tongue, often one of the more divisive cuts for diners unfamiliar with yakiniku culture. Here, however, the marbling transforms it completely. Tender, rich, and delicately smoky, it becomes one of the evening’s most surprising highlights.

Premium A5 Wagyu Cuts at Kanpai Classic

The tempo shifts with the arrival of the Sugatayaki Chuck Flap, glazed with Yakiniku sauce and garlic purée, followed by a progression of premium Wagyu cuts that showcase the versatility of Japanese beef.

The Negiyaki, taken from the hind leg, arrives with a house-made spring onion sauce that melts beautifully into the meat after grilling.

Then comes Karubi - widely considered one of the defining cuts of yakiniku - with extraordinary marbling that dissolves almost instantly on the tongue.

The Rib Finger (Geta) introduces more texture and depth, balancing fatty richness with chew and spice alongside lettuce wraps and miso sauce.

The Signature Wagyu Steak Course

By the time the Japanese A5 Wagyu Steak, Filet Mignon, and Rump arrive, the meal reaches its crescendo.

The filet is impossibly tender, almost dissolving on contact, while the rump delivers a more pronounced depth of flavour and structure. Together, the courses demonstrate why A5 Wagyu has become one of the most sought-after luxury dining experiences in London.

The evening crescendos with the Moriawase Platter, showcasing three more cuts, each an ode to Wagyu’s incredible versatility. And just when you think you’ve reached the peak, a playful Wagyu Gyoza arrives, nestled in a delicate tomato Surinagashi soup with Japanese yam noodles.

But it’s the final savoury course - the Japanese A5 Wagyu Steak, Filet Mignon, and Rump - that delivers the showstopper moment. The filet, so tender it nearly dissolves on the tongue; the rump, richly flavoured and assertive. It’s an unforgettable demonstration of why Wagyu has become the global symbol of indulgence.

As a gesture of generosity, the chef sends out an off-menu Wagyu Beef Curry, its fatty richness infusing the sauce with a depth that lingers. Then, a thoughtful nod to tradition: Chicken Kamameshi Rice (a classic iron-pot rice served at the end of a meal), perfectly cooked and steeped in broth, the kind of simple perfection that punctuates a meal with quiet satisfaction.

And finally, dessert: a dark chocolate soufflé, crowned with strawberry powder, raspberry jam, and delicate chocolate flakes. It’s less a sweet ending and more a joyful exclamation point, designed to be mixed, matched, and devoured in one perfectly indulgent spoonful.

What elevates Kanpai Classic beyond its (already lofty) culinary ambitions is the passion that runs through the entire experience. The staff are not just servers; they are storytellers, educators, and guardians of a tradition honed over decades. It’s no surprise - the Kanpai Group, with 68 restaurants across Asia and a Michelin-starred Yakiniku outpost in Shanghai, has arrived in London with something to prove.

For those eager to enter this world, there’s even more reason to book now: Kanpai Classic is offering 30% off food until May 11, in partnership with The Fork, for both lunch and select dinner seatings.

In a city where culinary experiences are increasingly vying for your attention, Kanpai Classic doesn’t just demand it - it earns it. This is not a place you visit casually; it’s a destination for those who seek the rare, the refined, the truly exceptional.

So here’s my advice: book the table, clear the evening, and let Kanpai Classic take you on a journey you won’t soon forget.

Kanpai, indeed.

Final Verdict: Is Kanpai Classic Worth Visiting?

Kanpai Classic succeeds because it understands that luxury dining is no longer just about exclusivity - it’s about immersion.

From expertly guided yakiniku grilling to beautifully paced omakase courses, the restaurant delivers one of the most distinctive Wagyu dining experiences currently available in Soho.

For diners searching for the best Wagyu restaurant in London, a luxury Japanese tasting menu, or an elevated yakiniku experience, Kanpai Classic more than justifies the attention surrounding it.