Yatai

Spicy Tuna Burger was delish! Ask for light spicy mayo though.\r Also, green tean is in a can, boo, but still good. more

Spicy Tuna Rice Burger. This place is one of my favorites in the whole city, not to mention the amazing prices. more

Went here for lunch out of the blue and was blown away. The decor is beautiful and classic Asian and once I saw the menu I couldn't decide where to start. The taps sounded exquisite as did the rolls, but the lunch special for the Spicy Tuna Rice Burger with pumpkin tempura and curry salt for $8.50 had me intrigued. I didn't even understand it but I had to try it. And I don't regret it. It's unlike anything I've ever tried and really delicious and surprisingly filling. Spicy tuna and avocado with special sauce between two crispy sticky rice patties. Just divine. Now I have to go back and try those tapas I passed up. If I can refrain from ordering the burger again. more

...made me want to go and I am planning to check it out on an upcoming LA trip. The pumpkin tempura alone... more

...made me want to go and I am planning to check it out on an upcoming LA trip. The pumpkin tempura alone would get me there. http://www.oneforthet... more

This restaurant is one of the best place for date. \r They were kind and provided good service. \r I liked their style of serving in a small dish. \r The overall atmosphere was great and would recommend this place!! Pros: good atmosphere, good service more

Music curls through the air like smoke - iced sake trickles out of a bamboo shoot, a waterfall, my cup overfloweth.\r \r Happy hour every night from 6-8PM, movie lights flicker off the wall, trees canopy the outdoor open air court, dark wood interiors wrap one in comfort. A cornucopia of select Japanese izakaya deliciousness for lunch and dinner.\r \r A respite from the flow outside, a haven, a recharge, a gathering of friends. more

This place is great. I go there at least once a week, the service is phenomenal, the sushi is fresh and its very inexpensive. Definitely worth it. I recommend the seared albacore w/ crispy onion and the crispy rice w/ spicy tuna. I love that its my neighborhood sushi joint. Pros: Food, Service, Ambiance Cons: Parking might be a pain w the meters on Sunset but there is a paid lot more

We go to Yatai at least once a week. (We even took the location into consideration when we bought our new house...we didn't want to leave the neighborhood!) The tapas are terrific and creative -- don't miss the spicy tuna on crispy rice and the light-as-air pumpkin tempura -- and the service is warm, attentive and friendly. more

This is one of my favorite places that I discovered initially searching for tapas and on Restaurant\r com. I visit often for I don't even know how long now but I must say that I'm surprised to have seen such a negative review posted earlier on since every visit I made is always consistent with great service, great food, great people. The owner is accomodating and staff is so customer service oriented. I love the concept of japanese dishes served tapas style since I like to have a taste of everything although my boyfriend and I keep ordering the same dishes we enjoy most. Be sure to taste their famous Spicy Tuna on Crispy Rice which you can get here for better quality and less the price compared to some of the fancy, trendy sushi restaurants I been to in Los Angeles. My boyfriend does admit that he likes the Spicy Tuna on Crispy Rice just as much at Tao in the Venetian in Las Vegas, but unless you're out in Vegas often, this place would be the place to go. In addition, they have patio seating outdoors where if warm enough, you can sit and eat outside. I was able to bring along my shih tzu pup to enjoy the evening with us as well. Pros: Excellent Food, Portion Size, Friendly Staff Cons: None to share! more

Yatai is across the street from my work and I literally eat there at least twice a week. It is the best, freshest, tastiest sushi I ever had - and that's not an exageration. I've eaten at other sushi places - even expensive, trendy ones - and none compare. And everything on the menu is delicious (I've had it all!) The great reviews truly are well-deserved. Pros: Food, atmoshpere Cons: None that I can think of, honestly! Maybe the parking? more

If you are looking for a truly unique and special restaurant to frequent , please look no further than... more

If you are looking for a truly unique and special restaurant to frequent , please look no further than Yatai. My husband and I were lucky enough to... more

I have been to Yatai several times and cannot say enough good things about it. Even though it is right on Sunset, the atmosphere is romantic and mellow. The service is always extremely attentive without being overbearing.\r \r They currently have happy hour all night, take advantage of the fantastic deals! I love the small plates - great for those who want to try many different things. The sushi is always fresh and beautifully presented. There are plenty of things on the menu for non-sushi eaters, too, from beef to baked fish to tempura. I have dreams about the pumpkin tempura. No really, it's that good. \r \r I love this restaurant! Pros: Ambience, Service, Value for Price Cons: none! more

If you are looking for a truly unique and special restaurant to frequent , please look no further than Yatai. My husband and I were lucky enough to find it one weekend last year during a stroll along Sunset Blvd and we now dine here every time we visit LA from Miami (as much as we can). This place is truly magical and unique. Everything gets an A+, the atmosphere is wonderful, the service is great and the food, well the food is absolutely out of this world. They offer all sorts of AsianTapas (small dishes at unbelievable prices) and Sushi and the mix of flavors is to die for (and healthy too!). It is a great place to go as a couple for an intimate dinner or to meet a group of friends for a great night out. You can order and order dishes until you are bursting at the seams but never leave feeling like you have eaten too much and are uncomfortable. We cannot get good ethnic food in Miami and originally being from the UK we miss Asian food terribly. Well miss no more; The Chinese Chicken with creamy sesame dressing is the most tender chicken and most exquisite salad that we have ever tasted, I always get this as a takeaway for the plane journey back to Miami when we leave LA, it is THAT good. The special Spicy Crispy Shrimp is always on offer so do not miss that on the specials menu. Although I was never a fan of sushi I must say Yatai has transformed me into a sushi eater! If you like Shrimp please try the Spicy Crispy Shrimp Rolls they are truly delectable. Ooops, almost forgot the important part, do not miss out on their wonderful cocktails or Saki poured from a hollow bamboo cane either! Yatai truly offers everything you could ever wish for in a restaurant and if you are lucky enough to frequent lunch or dinner the owner and staff always makes you feel very welcome. Be careful though, you could walk right past the entrance which is a small doorway off of an opening on Sunset. MOST INTIMATE AND UNIQUE RESTAURANT IN LOS ANGELES, DO NOT MISS OUT!! !! Pros: EVERYTHING!! more

On a Saturday night we expected a little wait but were seated immediately. Inside seating was a little too dark. Each table was lit by one tiny tea light candle with made reading the menu difficult at times. Although it was a romantic setting, the tables were very close together but the music was loud enough to keep your conversations private. \r \r The Mojitos were AMAZING! The service was very friendly and helpful. Our server answered all of our questions politely and brought our drinks and food promptly. Thank you Remi! \r The California roll and BBQ eel roll were fantastic! The soy paper made the presentation impeccable. We also ordered tempura pumpkin with curry salt which was different but delightful. We were not impressed with the Crispy shrimp with black pepper and sweet chili sauce which was found on their most popular list. The flavors were a little off. We will definitely be returning to Yatai! Pros: Great sushi with soy paper, parking validation Cons: Cramped seating more

I think the last reviewer went to a different restaurant. Yatai has been our favorite restaurant since it opened, and I can honestly say that I haven't ever been able to say that about any other place. My girlfriend wants to go at least once a week, and everyone that I've ever referred to Yatai has come back to personally thank me for the reccomendation. Masa is amazing, as well as the rest of his staff. I had my birthday there last year and the went over and above what I expected. Thank you so much for everything!!! Pros: ambience, pumpkin tempura, chinese chicken salad, black pepper shrimp Cons: Parking....street parking is best, can be a little warm inside, so outside is great! more

Overall, this place is over-rated. The ambiance is cool but the food is just ok. I have to admit there are waaaaaaaay better places to dine in L.A. for asian cuisine. \r \r But here is my BIGGEST problem...the customer service is awful! My friends and I went on a Wed NON-busy night & we had to flag the waiter down EVERY time we needed something (water, to clear our plates, just to order, etc.)! It was kinda ridiculous; it's not like the place was busy. \r \r Then to top it off we ordered the chicken egg rolls. NOTE: DO NOT ORDER THE CHICKEN EGG ROLLS!!!!!! When we bit into them the meat tasted a bit ""off""...like it was fermented. So we asked the watier to take it back. When the check came, they charged us for the egg roll so we told the waiter that was unfair since we felt uncomfortable with the taste. \r \r Next thing you know, the MGR came over and said, ""but you ate some of the egg roll, do you always eat some of the food before you send it back?""---with a slight attitude, as if he wasn't going to take it off our bill or as if he didn't believe his food tasted foul. LMAO...seriously, we thought we were being punked. What kind of question is that?!?!?!? Of course we had to taste the food in order to send it back!!!! Furthermore, the dish is $6.50....is the restaurant performing that poorly that you are going to challenge $6.50...especially when the issue we are raising is a valid one?!?!?\r \r Anyway, we were highly irritated!!!! The principle at hand wasn't about removing a measly $6.50 [for an egg roll] off our bill. I mean come on, our bill was like $100..what's $6.50 off right?!?!?! The point was, HOW DARE the manager exude such poor customer service over funky food. So, I did NOT have a good dining experience at Yatai. I can safely say I will not be returning...neither will my friends.\r \r P.S. One more thing---no lie--yes, I had diahrrea the next day!!!!!! So CLEARLY some of that food was bad like we thought!!!!!!!\r \r ~ Unsatisfied Patron\r \r Pros: new experience Cons: Bad food...literally, the meat in the egg rolls went bad more

This is without a doubt my favorite restaurant in LA. You get great food that is Nobu and Katana quality or better at a much more reasonable price and without the snobbish staff. This place is the best kept secret in LA right on the center of Sunset Blvd. If they hired a PR firm there would be a line out the door and up the street. Pros: Food, Staff more

This place is just absolutely perfect! No other words, just perfect! Best Asian food I had in long time. Pros: The ambiance, food and service Cons: Non more