It was a hot August evening, but one meant for celebrating. Japanese food was requested from this local spot which was a vague memory of years gone by. We wandered in without a reservation on a Friday night and after a short wait were shown to our own little koshitsu room. Due to the broken air conditioning it was even hotter inside than out, but it added to the authenticity. The service was also reminiscent of Japan with the kindness and hospitality shown. The menu was politely explained, but not how large the servings are. Three of us got the Mihama combination plate with teriyaki salmon, one the chicken. But, it also comes with tasty soup, refreshing salad, and loads of delicious tempura shrimp and vegetables first before your entree of delicious salmon and perfect rice comes out. We were pleasantly stuffed and the other couple took home enough for dinner the next night. Our celebratory evening was complete. The prices were very fair, the service wonderful, the setting memorable, and the food scrumptious! And if they have that air conditioning fixed, I'm ready to return right away! read more

Koyos is my favorite place to go when I need comfort. If family comes in from out of state everyone knows we need karaage, tempura, the very best salad dressing I have ever tasted! Tender scallops...perfection. It's difficult to find words that convey my pleasure! Cold Japanese beer poured by Master Chef Baron! Love it! Thanks kindly! read more

We were a bit concerned at first since we were the only guests at the time of walk in but the food was great and our waitress Amber was so nice! She gave us great recommendations. The place is cozy and we enjoyed the Japanese vibes - would recommend! read more

This restaurant is one of the last family owned Japanese restaurants in Salt Lake City. The menu isn't large, but the food they offer is delicious. And it is also reasonably priced. For much of the dinners, they offer a combination where you get Botha salad and miso soup, plus it comes with a side of tempura. Where the dinner comes with soup OR salad and no tempura. If you go check to see if your choice comes in a combination. read more

I'm thrilled to give Koyo a 5 star review. Ten years ago it was badly in need of a refurb, but the newly re-done interior looks great and has maintained most of the original charm. If you ever wish you had a Japanese Grandma in town, this is the place for you. My mother grew up in the Japan, and this the place she and her sister come for home-style Japanese cooking. If you book ahead you can ask for a "tatami room" (though the actual tatami mats are apparently a thing of the past here now, replaced by new carpeting), for a more private dining experience involving sitting on zabuton (cushions) at the table (with room under the table for your legs). There are also regular tables for those with physical limitations that would prevent scooting across a bench to get situated, which are also in semi-private spaces. It's really wonderful for noise control and easy dinner conversation. On my recent visit, I ordered the "Shingu" Combination dinner. Named for a small seaside city south of Wakayama Prefecture, the combo includes a salted and perfectly broiled whole mackerel side (deboned unless you ask them to leave the head and bones) with with garnishes of grated daikon (they asked to make sure I wanted it), lemon, and cucumbers, PLUS a small plate of ebi and vegetable tempura with dipping sauce, PLUS freshly made miso soup AND a side salad (the dressing is delicious, as others have said, but you can ask for it on the side if you prefer). It was a whole lot of food, and the price is very reasonable. I noticed several new dishes on the menu, including more sushi and sashimi options than before. I have recently heard their sushi is excellent, but I haven't tried it yet. I also forgot to order the house-made gyoza, sadly enough, but I'll be back. Even without them, my dinner companion (who ordered the ebi tempura Koyo dinner with miso soup) and I had more than enough food. Because the restaurant prioritizes diner privacy, they don't constantly refill your water glass without asking, but our server was lovely and checked in with us regularly in case we needed anything. So! If you're looking for the new hot spot and photos for the 'gram, this might not be the place for you, but if you just want to sit back and enjoy Japanese Grandma's traditional, scratch-made recipes in a nice quiet space, I strongly encourage you to give the newly re-done Koyo a try. read more

took my wife here for okonomiyaki, what a disappointment. I guess our first clue should have been when we arrived at the peak of lunch hour and were the only ones there. After reading the reviews of the food being "authentic" Japanese, we were excited for the okonomiyaki. Again, another clue was the fatty bacon, then carrots and broccoli, really? On okonomiyaki? No cabbage, no noodles, and then ruin it with fatty bacon. Here's a suggestion, take a trip to Hiroshima for Hiroshima style or Osaka for Osaka style. Either way you'll learn what authentic is. Real sliced lean pork, thinly sliced cabbage, egg and soba noodles. What you served us was disgusting. read more

We tried a plethora of food items from Koyo to get the full experience. The food was good! The salad has some of the best Japanese salad dressing I've ever had! The miso soup is served hot and has tons of flavor. We got the Baja and the Koyo roll, both with shrimp, and they were rolled perfectly and tasted wonderful! The other appetizers were delicious, especially the breaded chicken! The Kiwa was okay, and I wish it had more noodles and more of a sweet flavor. The steak teriyaki was perfect! I would definitely get teriyaki chicken or steak for my entree next time. There was only one server running the whole show, and he did a marvelous job! He checked on us and other tables and made sure that everything was perfect. The ambiance is delightful and encompasses a Japanese vibe. There are private dining areas that fit small or large parties, and there are other tables to accommodate parties of 10. The Japanese music is relaxing and adds to the ambiance. I would love relaxing in this restaurant. read more

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I was very pleasantly surprised how tasty our lunch was today. Koyo's has all the classics and I love the paper rooms. My mars roll was fresh, and the miso soup and shrimp tempura lunch box was hot and good. My server was very nice and quick. I will be back soon! read more

As a purebred Japanese American, I can confidently say that Koyo serves the best and most authentic homestyle Japanese food in all of Utah. Every dish tastes like it came straight from a Japanese home kitchen, full of flavor, perfectly balanced, and made with care. The prices are extremely inexpensive for the quality and authenticity. Honestly, they could easily charge more. If you are craving genuine Japanese cuisine, Koyo is an absolute must-visit. read more

Sitting around fantasizing about opening a restaurant is easy. Italian? Mexican? Steaks? Only the best wines from undiscovered vineyards? Absolutely. The real truth is that as fun as it is to throw out cool ideas, actually running a restaurant and being successful at it, is incredibly hard. Keeping it going longer than a year is even harder. Koyo has been around a long time. Eons in the restaurant sphere and sometimes that works against you. To me, the menu was getting a little stale, the interior of the building needing attention and servers seemed to come and go in quick fashion. Me and my dinner companions would go there and we'd always talk about what the place needed to really be successful in a rapidly changing world, because we were sure they were on their way out. It seems that the owners of Koyo were doing the same and I'm happy to report that instead of pie-in-the-sky thinking that me and my friends would throw out during our visits, the folks at Koyo did something logical and simply leveraged what they know. The menu is still familiar for longtime fans, but they've added some dishes that lend a more interesting meal. I ordered gyoza as an appetizer and it was excellent. Obviously handmade and cooked to perfection with a lovely sear on one side from the pan, with the other side wonderfully chewy. For my main, I ordered something I rarely see on a Japanese menu in Utah and that is okonomiyaki. It's described on the menu as a Japanese pizza, but let's be honest in that it's more like a pancake. Calling it a pizza invites a comparison that will only cause patrons to complain. Now, the reason more restaurants don't offer okonomiyaki is because there really is no standard version and I learned from my time living in Japan that nobody really cooks or prepare it the same way. It's a true freestyle dish and Koyo did a wonderful job. The batter held up well and kept the cabbage, bacon and other ingredients warm throughout, carrying flavor to me in every bite. The traditional sauce was generous in portion, but not overly soaked and the raw scallions on top gave it a punch. Of course, the best part of this dish - besides eating it - is watching the bonito flakes waving at you as the plate is set down. Koyo didn't skimp on the bonito flakes! The accompanying pre-main salad was good (I prefer this one slightly more than the other Japanese restaurant that starts with a K) and the miso soup was delicious. In fact, me and my companion both remarked at how good the miso soup was versus past experience at Koyo. Our server was wonderful, had solid knowledge of the new offerings and really did a great job of communicating just how hard the owners are trying to offer a more satisfying experience. Across the table, my dinner mate feasted on the maguro no sashimi - raw tuna - and commented on the quality of the fish and we were both bemused when we looked at the bottle of Asahi beer and read that it's brewed in Italy. What a world. Koyo did something that I think many longtime restaurants should do and that is look within to see how you can add something new for your patrons. Challenge yourself to be better via better quality ingredients, attention to detail and present a good product from the minute someone walks in the doorway to the second they leave the table. This is the recipe to not only survive, but thrive. Koyo is reenergized and through their new menu items, more caring staff and subtle change in philosophy, so are we. The answer was right there all along - in house. No fancy ideas. No gimmicks or tricks, just really good quality food. And a note to the talented folks behind the scenes at Koyo: thank you for these changes. You've made a difference and the food truly is great, especially the new items. Doing what you do to the best of your abilities should be every restaurants mantra, especially those struggling a bit to improve or innovate. It's an incredible improvement for Koyo and positively Japanese. Kaizen! I'm so glad they made these changes - they've truly kicked it up a few notches - and I'll be back soon. If you haven't been to Koyo for awhile, try again and try something new. The okonomiyaki is delicious on a cold winter night. I think you'll be glad you did. read more

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it was great! Super pretty, and a great price for a filling amount of food. gobpass by and give it a try

Great chill restaurant with an authentic feel. Simple service, amazing quality food, and nice privacy dining experience. Gone here multiple times and have never been let down. read more

Koyo Restaurant - Steak teriyaki - Japanese Near Me - Salt Lake City, Utah

Nice and quiet, interesting interior, and good food. Specifically the tempura and age tofu. Service was fast as well! read more

Koyo Restaurant - Tempura - Japanese Near Me - Salt Lake City, Utah

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Koyo has such an amazing feel to it. The music and art make the ambiance pop, and the food adds to this with its gorgeous presentation. The service was also top notch, there was only one person working but as busy of a bee as he was we didn't have to wait more than 15 minutes between each thing we ordered. This place is perfect for gatherings or intimate dates, I'd recommend this place over any in the area. read more

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I have lived in the Millcreek area for the last 5 years, however, I had never stopped by at this restaurant. I had driven by it so many times and figured I should finally try it. Right when I walked in, I was already enamored by the decor and the set up of the restaurant. The decor in the waiting area is almost like a section out of a museum. There are painting and masks on the walls. It's so interesting to look at and it makes the place look authentic. You get a glimpse of the set up of the restaurant from the waiting room and it is set up like a very authentic Japanese establishment. There are rooms where you can SIT ON THE FLOOR AND EAT ON A CUSHION AROUND A LOW TABLE like Japanese people did back in the day. Each table is sectioned off with authentic wood dividers with wooden lights and hanging sphere lights. I love the touches of the place! The food was delicious as well. There are not many sushi options as it seems more like a dish and side dishes type of place rather than a sushi house. I ordered the breaded pork combo dish that came with tempura, salad, and soup. I had no complaints with it! There was a good amount of food for the price of the combo. I also tried the Smart Roll. I did not realize the salmon was cooked in the roll until I received it. I was wanting a raw fish roll, but that was my mistake, I probably did not read the menu diligently enough. The roll was still delicious and I enjoyed it. A note though: It was stuffed with an abnormal amount of rice, so the ratio between things in the sushi roll and the amount of rice did not match up... There was a lot more rice. This place is a very cute place to come with a date or for an intimate get together with friends! I suggest getting a rice plate rather than sushi at this place. You get more bang for your buck that way and I think the dishes are better anyways! read more

I love this place so much! great service and amazing food!!! We will be back again and again read more

Always been a fan... 30+ years. Went again this week for the first time in years (moved away). The food was great, the service was attentive and friendly, and the atmosphere can't be matched! It's one of a kind! Tip: Make reservations for one of the special "sit on the floor" rooms (5 or less people) and the earlier the better because it does get filled up so it's nice to have your order in soon. Also it's good to note this is not a sushi joint, so the sushi list on the menu is short but tasty. My favorites; Koyo Roll and Koyo or Nachi Dinner combinations. read more

We were seated and for 10 -15 mins no one helped us. I was excited to eat here but walked out. they asked something wrong? I said yes. everyone around us had food and walked in after us. terrible and we won't go back. read more

The Koyoi is my favorite Japanese restaurant in Salt Lake. The restaurant is very accommodating for those that want to have a private dinner or a private lunch without being bothered by the hustle and bustle of an open table type restaurant. Their tempura is fantastic and they're chicken and steak teriyaki or both delicious. When I go there, I always get a combination with the teriyaki and the tempura. If you want a really good dinner with the nice atmosphere, the Koyo is the place to go. read more

Went to Koyo recently with my cousin and had an awesome dinner! The food was tasty, the Asahi Super Dry was cold, and our server Shar is AMAZING! Will be back soon! read more

First time trying this place, it was recommended to us by a relative. The first bad omen was when we waited for 7 minutes before we were even greeted and asked how large our party was. We were told that they would have to check to see if they could even seat us without having a reservation. I had no idea reservations were needed and it's worth noting that the restaurant had maybe 5 cars parked outside and appeared to be empty aside from maybe 3-4 tables. After an another 5 minutes we were told it would be about a 15 minute wait to be seated. Service throughout our visit was slow and non attentive, drinks were never refilled. We noticed another party seated next to us decided to leave after waiting 20+ minutes to never even be greeted the first time by a server. When our food finally did come out everything was cold. Honestly, COLD chicken breast and steak. We were never given a chance to tell the waitress until she came to present us with the check and offer boxes for all of our untouched meals. Boxes for what? So I can go home and cook it myself? I won't be going back, they have no idea how to manage the flow of customers and I'm never in the mood for Take and Bake Teriyaki. read more

My wife & I were visiting SLC, I asked a business colleague if their was a good local Japanese restaurant he could recommend? The answer: Koyo, it's in a suburb about 15 min. from City Center. What a delight, private room dining booths, very traditional Japanese dining atmosphere!. We were greeted by attentive staff. We ordered appetizers, fried oyster. Calif. Roll, both were excellent. We tried family style dining, shrimp & veg. tempura (light crisp batter, very little oil taste- excellent), Steak Teriyaki & Sukiyaki. The dinner was accompanied with a salad & miso soup ( both tasty). We both left saying to one another, excellent local meal, great value, healthy portions, wish we had a Koyo in San Diego, good service and would we return: YES ++!. read more

Sometimes you hesitate giving your favorite restaurant your honest rating because you want to keep it a secret. I'm breaking that rule because Koyo deserves the recognition. The ambiance, service and food warrants the recognition for being an authentic Japanese eatery. When you go, just don't tell anyone else. read more

Hands down my favorite Japanese restaurant in Salt Lake City. The chefs here know how to throw down. 100% give this place a shot. If you don't agree, give it another shot because Koyo is legit. read more

Best family own restaurant love it here love all the food especially the shrimp tempura !

You know how sometimes you find a place that isn't very attractive looking but the food is amazing, sort of like a hidden treasure well that's NOT the case here! Dirty old carpet everywhere, sticky tables & NO AIR CONDITIONING!!! Now about the food ....I am going to sound like a big negative Nancy but honesty is the best policy. First the menu has only about 6 different things on it & the sushi menu has about 15 ordinary rolls that lack freshness & creativity. Worst gyoza I ever had honestly the best thing about this place is that they have tutami rooms & it's pretty quiet, serene. With all that being said I really had high hopes for this place but I guess I will stick with Tsunami & Takashi for my weekly sushi fixes :( read more

Koyo Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Salt Lake City, Utah

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Order Sushi and teriyaki chicken for take out last night. Great food and great service! We will definitely order from here again. read more

Hands down the BEST Japanese food in Salt Lake City. Every time you go, you know you are going to get a great meal. Koyo is our family's go to restaurant for celebrations or when we are entertaining out of town guests. Note this is not a fast food place. Expect to enjoy a nicely paced meal. read more

I felt terrible about sending back my order of sashimi. The fish had gone bad, I wasn't able to stomach even the first bite. The teriyaki chicken's texture and flavor was off. The service was strange. Our waiter gave us attitude for requesting spoons for the miso soup. I don't recommend this place and will not be visiting again. read more

Service is faster and more friendly than it used to be. The food is still consistently awesome and seems to come out faster than in the past. Some new sushi options have been added, too. For all of these reasons, I'm upping my star rating. read more

Koyo Restaurant - Plum wine, tempura and dipping sauce. - Japanese Near Me - Salt Lake City, Utah

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Koyo has been a regular go-to restaurant for me and my family for years. I have appreciated their service, but more importantly I have appreciated their amazing food. These people really know what they are doing when it comes to food. While I know Covid has impacted their business, I still highly recommend either take out or dine in if available. read more

Koyo is an interesting place. The decor feels a little old school. But I've been with friends from Japan who say it's dead on as far as traditional Japanese decor. It's quiet, dimly lit, and peaceful, which is a funny word to use to describe the atmosphere in a restaurant but it's true. It also feels very clean and well taken care of. Ive been to Koyo many times and never had a bad experience. The service is great. Maritsi is a fantastic waitress. And the food is always great. The menu is very simple and traditional. Nothing fancy here. But what they do, they do well. The sushi rolls, as stated above, are very simple and they don't have a long list of options. If you want sushi this probably isn't the place. But the sushi does taste fresh. We love the spicy tekka maki and the ABC. The sukiyaki is fantastic. My favorite is the Koyo dinner which is steak teriyaki, soup, salad and vegetable tempura. My husband loves the chicken teriyaki dinner. The meat is always cooked perfectly and is tender and flavorful. Miso is great and the dressing on the salad is my favorite of any Japanese restaurant. The veggie tempura is great as well. Koyo has been around for a long time and for good reason. Great service, nice, quiet ambiance and great food. They always appreciate reservations! We have been turned away before when we didn't have a reservation. PS. They are great for lunch too! read more

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Stopped in here for lunch one afternoon, and first off I loved the atmosphere and ambiance of the place. They have lots of the tables that are in a private room areas and built into the ground so you can sit on the floor and eat. The food was all ok, but nothing was really good, but all I got was the teriyaki chicken lunch and some tempura, so I cant really judge the sushi. There was a soup bowl of some kind that several people had ordered while I was there and it looked really good and seemed to be a specialty of their, so I may order that if I go back. I would likely go here again, mostly for the fun ambiance of it, and it would be a nice date spot. I will update my review if needed. read more

Koyo Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Salt Lake City, Utah

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Very consistently good over the decades. The lunch salmon teriyaki is one of the best values in the state! Quiet, refined atmosphere and dining experience. read more

Koyo Restaurant - Happy I had a blanket in my car. - Japanese Near Me - Salt Lake City, Utah

Hands down best Japanese food I have ever had. Literally everything I've eaten there I've LOVED and I go at least once a week! The owners are a pair of Japanese brothers and these guys know their food! Anything tempura is to die for. I get it every. single. time. The batter is house made and so it's super fresh and crispy just how it should be. It's ruined all my diets. Actually, most everything they have on the menu is made in house from scratch so it's all super authentic! The sushi is super simple and there aren't a ton of options to choose from, but what they have is delicious! Things to get: gyukatsu, sukiyaki, spicy tekkamaki, tempura, salad, Saba, mars roll, steak and chicken teriyaki read more

Very quiet, relaxing, and calm restaurant with a very traditional Japanese vibe. All the dishes are well balanced and the entrees have decent portion sizes. For appetizers, I enjoy the agedashi tofu or a sushi roll. My go-to entrees are the Katsu Don, Tempura Udon, and the Koyo Combination Dinner. The Koyo roll is also amazing. I'd say the staff is one of the best staff I've encountered at a restaurant and the owners are especially nice. 5/5 would recommend!! read more

I just saw the place from the car and stopped It wasn't busy at all. Ambiance is enhanced with the separation of tables. It was quiet. Service was excellent. I ordered a combination dinner (salmon , salad , soup, tempura veggie and shrimps , named Mihama without the teriaki sauce, and a roll of spice tuna sushi roll. Food was delicious, great and the tea was exquisite. I am glad to have found this place. I highly recommend it . read more

No, just no. Nothing here was remotely appetizing. Sushi rolls were lackluster and fell apart--shitty pink ginger and fake wasabi btw, seared ahi salad had greyish overcooked 'ahi' over bagged iceberg lettuce with some random roe. Have to go here on occasion because a family member likes it for her birthday. I guess there are worse things than getting tortured once a year. read more

We came here for a double date dinner. The wait for 4 of us to be seated was 30 minutes. The atmosphere itself, was quite boring. It was so quiet in the restaurant, like you feel like you have to whisper when talking to your guests. I was surprised to see it was a 30 minute wait because Ive seen A LOT of open tables, but come to find out to sit us late because the chef needed to "catch up." There is barely any kind of selection for sushi rolls, and it was expensive. If you wanted like a basic california roll, the price is high. I couldve gotten an exotic roll that had more ingredients at another sushi restaurant for half the price. The sushi we ate had more rice than it did fillings which greatly disappointed us as sushi lovers. read more

The YUMMIEST steak teriyaki!! My parents always came before a night out when they were in college and since 86' it's been our favorite restaurant. The owners are incredibly kind and I'll continue to come as long as they continue to stay open:) read more