You Real Restaurant
Photo: Google Maps · Menu photos via Google Maps
Foodies 263 reviewed it in Jul 2023 · 6.5/10Older review
A Japanese-leaning spot with calm décor, good sushi and rare proper bubble tea; the watermelon-lychee mocktail and shrimp tempura rolls stood out. Service swung from excellent to very poor across two visits.
Read the full review →Kicking It With Mimi reviewed it in Sep 2019Older review
A quick lunch where the Japanese décor, friendly staff and a frozen mango margarita were the highlights. The sushi platter was fresh but only middling, and she had eaten better sushi elsewhere in Harare.
Read the full review →Summaries are ours. Follow the links for each writer's full review.
What to Expect
You Real Restaurant at Sam Levy's Village mixes Japanese and Chinese dishes, and reviewers agree on the drinks even when the food splits opinion. Zaib (2025) rated “the ramen and udon dishes” the best on the menu and appreciated the halal options as a Muslim tourist. Ruvarashe (2024) loved the “strawberry mojito, very flavorful” and called the overall experience fair.
Food quality is inconsistent across visits. Krystal (2025), on a third visit, was served “absolutely boiled rice with 4 tiny bits of carrot” instead of vegetable fried rice, and found a rainbow roll “soggy and did not taste good”, but keeps coming back because “the bubble tea and drinks is really good”. Hilary (2024) likewise found some dishes “a little under seasoned” and the stir-fried rice with chicken disappointing, though the sushi platter itself was fine for a first try.
HG (2025) found the atmosphere cozy and the sushi fresh, with friendly, professional staff. You Real is open daily, 09:00 to 21:00.
Quotes are from Google reviews, credited by first name and month.
The Menu
Menu photos
From photos of the printed menu posted on Google Maps (Dec 2022). Prices are in US dollars. The photos are more than two years old, so dishes and prices may have changed. Prices change, so confirm when you order.
What Diners Say
from 263 Google reviews
★★☆☆☆
The food is pretty dismal. Bubble tea is good. We ordered vegetable fried rice, and they gave us absolutely boiled rice with 4 tiny bits of carrot. The rainbow roll sushi was soggy and did not taste good. The beef kebab was mediocre, not something I'd order again.
★★★★☆
The waiter mixed up our order but despite that the service was ok. The food was brought out quickly and it was hot. Some dishes were a little under seasoned and the stir fried rice with chicken was disappointing.
★★★★☆
I really like Japanese food so I enjoyed the food here! Especially the miso soup, but I hope they cut the seaweed smaller for the soup next time. They also serve halal, which was really helpful as a Muslim tourist.
★★★☆☆
Lovely decor and a very broad menu. Decent pricing and service. Presentation could be improved especially for the maki sushi. Overall a fair experience. Loved the strawberry mojito, very flavorful👌🏾
