Filled with people tucking into all manner of Japanese staples, Hi Sushi Soho isn’t too bad, but that’s only really down to the very reasonable prices.

The Venue
Down Frith Street, amidst the good, the bad and the ugly of this perennially populated part of Soho, sits Hi Sushi, looking a little garish all tarted up in turquoise. Inside isn’t hugely better, with a quiet top floor (where the sushi chefs weave their… magic) leading down to a restaurant that was probably once pretty good-looking, but which now looks ever so slightly tired. The sunken tables with foot wells give the impression of traditional cross-legged Japanese dining - so are a nice touch - and if at first you don’t realise that they are indeed sunken then don’t worry, the chipped paintwork will soon offer views of the depths below. The toilets are shabby too but this place isn’t really about splendour or comfort – the onus is on cheap food and tables turned.

The Atmosphere
The matriarch who plays front of house has an admirable dedication to efficiency, so her replies tend to become curter as conversation advances, ending with huffs, puffs and a face like thunder. Happily, the rest of the staff seem much more pleasant as they set about serving a youngish crowd with smiles and impressive speed.

The Food
Hi Sushi Soho isn’t likely to have the itamae of Japan’s best sushiya quaking in their boots but clearly there’s a market for inexpensive sushi that’s perfectly edible, as this place seems to do a pretty good trade. A sushi and sashimi bento, for example, will set you back £12.50, which really isn’t a lot of money for four pieces of okay sashimi, three pieces of okay nigiri, some miso soup, some rice and, strangely, a garden salad covered in Marie Rose sauce. The fish isn’t the freshest but it’ll certainly do, and you could probably pay a lot more in London for something very similar.

If you prefer your dinner cooked then the yakitori (£4) isn’t too bad, with the two small skewers of chicken so swamped by a thick tare sauce that it’s difficult to tell whether it’s well grilled or not; still, it tastes perfectly fine. The salmon teriyaki (£7.50 for a bento) is probably the best of the bunch, with soft and flaky fish grilled perfectly after marinating in that same, sweet tare. There are a few ‘chef’s specials’ too but with prices veering toward the £15 mark, you’d be somewhat missing the point of going here.

The Drink
Asahi beers at £3.75 a pop are every bit as popular as they usually are in these sorts of places but you can also get a bottle of wine or two, as well as some decent teas. Stick to the bottled beers though and you won’t really go too far wrong.

The Last Word
It might not be somewhere worth rushing back to but if you’re after a cheap dinner right in the middle of Soho then this isn’t a bad option, especially when you get a little bit of theatre thrown in for free.

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