Ramen & noodlesManchester Street
Pompoko
Cheap, cash-only Japanese noodle bar, always packed
9.5/10
Local score · A local favourite
No. 5 of 300 places to eat on r/brighton, from 234 locals across 139 threads.
84% would send a mate. Some say it’s gone downhill lately.
A cheap, no-frills Japanese spot behind the Pavilion Gardens that regulars call a Brighton institution, known for filling katsu rice and tofu/rice bowls for under a tenner. It's cash only, and BYOB is still allowed for a £1.50 corking fee. One commenter reckons newer rival Korpan does similar food better, cheaper, and takes card.
- Go for
- A cheap, filling, cash-only Japanese lunch
- Heads up
- Cash only — no card payments accepted
What locals say
Not adding a new one to the list but heartily recommend pompoko because spending under a tenner there doesn't feel like taking a a shortcut / getting half a meal as all the food is in that bracket. Love the food there too.
Not under a fiver in actual terms, but in value I find Pompoko good - for me a main + side is filling enough that I usually have it over two meals, and comes to just over £10 so its £5ish per meal. Depends how hungry you are!
A bit of a lazy answer I suppose, but Pompoko is pretty good for a quick bite and byo, especially if you are heading out after. Edit: Just been informed they don't do byo anymore (food still good though). Edit 2: They do still offer byo but for a £1.50 corking fee.
This is so wrong on many levels. There a literally a dozen Asian restaurants with more locals in across the city. And pompoko is not only a shadow of what it used to be but pretty poor in general these days. Doesn't even make the top 5 Japanese in Brighton let alone the top 10 Asian.
Ranked from 21,200 r/brighton comments. Summaries are written by AI from what locals said; quotes are word for word. Not affiliated with Reddit. Back to the guide