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    The Yakitori Bar

    4.2 (567 reviews)
    Closed • Closed
    Updated 1 month ago

    The Yakitori Bar Photos

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    THE YAKITORI BAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Hipster
    Casual
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    Recommended Reviews - The Yakitori Bar

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    Jackson D.

    Came by with a few friends for sake and beer and had a great time. Food was super fresh, piping hot, and delicious. Service was on point too. The owner even dropped by our table to check in on us. Love the vibe and character here. We'll definitely be back!

    Chicken Knee
    Henry W.

    I come here pretty much once a week. I will skip lunch and breakfast knowing I'll have an awesome meal at this place. The food and vibes are amazing . Staff are super friendly and it's an awesome place to grab some late night food and drinks. Beyond the wide selection of beer, sake and highballs - they have incredible chicken skewers. These are my favorites: - Chicken wing - salted - Chicken skin - Gyoza with chicken skin - Knee Cartilage - Chicken Skin salad If you're looking for a great deal, see udon and skewer set is worth ordering. It's really filling and you get to pick your choice of three skewers. But of course, if you're coming with friends, the Nabe is a great choice that is shareable besides all their delicious skewers. What's really interesting about this place also offers a sake tasting set. If you're like me and like to try a little bit of everything, it's a great way to figure out what you like and don't like. Overall, this is my go to place that I come to week after week. My mouth is watering just thinking about their amazing skewers.

    Chicken Wings so good
    Bernard F.

    Great food, wonderful service and awesome atmosphere. My friend said vibe reminds of being in Japan.

    Hubert L.

    I came with family at late night. Thankfully this place was open, not too many places are open at night. We had a solid 15 minute wait at 10pm. The interior has some bumpin music. Very loud. Was ok to deal with. The food took like 20 minutes to come. Service is not special. However skewers are pretty cheap. 3$ per skewer is a good price. The skewers were all seasoned just ok. Not super tender either. I've had better I've had worse. Fav was probably chicken heart. I definitely wish the meat was more tender like yakitori I've had in japan. Would I recommend? At night, sure. Would I go back myself? Maybe not, but it was worth a stop.

    Jason T.

    Pretty neat local spot. I could always go for some good yakitori, and this place definitely hits the spot. The restaurant is small and cozy, which really adds to the atmosphere. As soon as you walk in, you're surrounded by the pleasant aroma of smoke and grilled meats cooking over the open grill. The interior is thoughtfully decorated, with street art covering the walls that makes the place feel like you've been transported somewhere far from where you actually are--especially considering it's located in a simple shopping center in Fremont. It actually reminded me of eating skewers in Asakusa, which is a nice feeling to get from a local spot. It's a fun place to grab some drinks, order a bunch of skewers, and just enjoy the atmosphere. Servers are kind and welcoming. It can get a bit pricey if you lose track of how many skewers you've ordered. They're tasty and easy to keep ordering, though, so it's a great place to splurge a little and treat yourself. Just not an everyday kind of place, at least not for me.

    Additional Menus
    Evonne C.

    Review of 2 experiences in a week [Appetizers] - Crispy Chicken Skin ($6.50): Can never go wrong with crispy chicken skin! I like that they have their sauce on the side rather than drizzle it all over the dish. - Truffle Brussel Sprouts ($6.50): A bit salty and I personally did taste the truffle, but still a good with beer. - Chicken Skin Gyoza ($4.95): Surprisingly good. I thought the chicken skin would be too thick and crunchy but it was good. Appreciate the decent amount of filling too. [Skewers] price per each - Thigh ($2.80): Moist and juicy. Would order again. - Wings ($2.80): A must order as it's delicious with the tare sauce they grill it with. - Gizzard ($2.60): Pretty good. Well cooked and nicely seasoned. - Negi Tofu ($2.60): Flavorful but I do wish they were a tad bigger. - Eggplant ($2.30): It was a bit bland for me but nothing togarashi can't fix. - Pork Neck ($3.10): Nicely seasoned and perfectly cooked. Another one to add to my favorites! - Duck Breast ($4.20): This was a bit disappointing as I was expecting a flavor bomb that was juicy. Not to say it wasn't good though, it's decent. - Unagi ($4.20): Not bad as unagi goes. Not too salty. - Japanese A5 Wagyu ($16): Sad to say this was also a bit lacking for me because all we got was fat and a sliver of meat. I'm sure not all skewers are like this for this item, so maybe we got unlucky. Not sure I'd get this again though. - Hokkaido Scallop ($16): Delicious! I hope they keep this on their menu! It came with a bit of mayo and lemon. - Scallop ($4.20): If you don't want to splurge on the Hokkaido scallop, this is also pretty good. One skewer comes with 3. - Ranch Beef Tongue ($7.95): Decent flavor wise, so I'd probably order it again next time. - Chicken Skin ($5): Also not bad but I'd say the crispy chicken skin is more up my alley. - Grilled Onion ($2.30): Grilled nicely and tastes good with the meat skewers or even with a splash of lemon or dipped in ponzu sauce. - Breast w/ Shiso ($2.80): I really wanted to like this but the breast was dry. The shiso flavor definitely came through. - Chicken Shoulder ($2.60): Decent. Wasn't dry but did lack a tad bit of flavor. - Cherry Tomato ($1.90): Always a nice add some refreshing veggies to balance out my usually meat heavy meal. [Drinks] - Shikuwasa ($12): I'm so glad I ordered this. Would definitely order this again. Decently sweet with a nice flavor of yuzu and perfect amount of Chu Hi! - Lemonade Chu Hi ($8.50): I wanted to like this but it just doesn't taste as good as the Shikuwasa. It's definitely a lot less flavorful and sweet, so if you prefer a toned down version of the Shikuwasa, try this one. - Hakutsuru Sake ($12/180ml): My bf enjoyed this. Since I'm not too big of a sake drinker, I'd still say it's pretty palatable. [Service] - Attentive, fast, helpful - Walked in on a Saturday at 7:30pm for 2 and was seated right away at the bar. There were maybe 1-2 more spots at the bar opened but got filled up pretty quick. No line an hour after we left. - Came here twice. First time was great at 7:30pm, but our second time the service felt a bit off (was there around 11pm-12am) and we realized they missed an item after we left but still got charged for it. [Ambiance] - Fun Japanese izakaya vibes - Has bar and table seatings - Only 1 restroom [Overall] - My favs are the crispy chicken skin, chicken skin gyoza, thigh, pork neck, wings, Hokkaido scallop, gizzard, negi tofu, cherry tomato and the Shikuwasa! - If you are vegan, let the staff know you'd like the vegetable skewers with no bonito flakes as some do come with it. - Enjoyed the food, atmosphere and drinks, so I'll definitely come back to try their Nabemono, Saba, and squid. Love especially that they open late!

    Christine M.

    No reservations so we tried to go as quickly as we could on a friday night. Got there at 5:30 and luckily we were able to be seated once everyone arrived. We ordered almost everything it felt like. I think our favorite was the kalbi one. We even ordered a tray of the uni which actually complimented the yakitori well. Some of them were a bit fatty so it help cut the fat. We must have been hungry because we even ordered a sukiyaki at the end which definitely helped end the meal and we were all stuffed and satisfied. Service was good. Restaurant felt like you were in the stalls of Japan. I think it was $80 pp with tip for 4. Glad I got to try it!

    $4 Asahi deal
    Lisa N.

    A great late-night spot for yakitori! They offer your first draft beer for just $4 with an order, which was a nice surprise. Most of the skewers came out quickly, and my favorites were the chicken skin, which was perfectly crispy, along with the duck and tsukune. A few items were slightly too salty for my taste, but nothing a cold pint of beer couldn't balance out. Overall, it's a fun, casual place for late-night bites and drinks, and I'd happily come back to try more of the menu.

    Pork belly
    Jon Y.

    I love that, at least for this meal, I'm promptly teleported to my after-a-full-day-of-intense-meetings-late-night-in-Tokyo izakaya days without leaving the comfort of Fremont. That's what happens when you kick back in one of the booths or the bar here and just soak in the ambiance. Wonderful job capturing the complete feel, from the wall designs, to the furnishing, the smokey grilled meat smells, and the sounds of chatty locals and laughter that fill this small yet charming space. The transporting to Japan doesn't stop with the ambiance though; the food is equally great with many classics you'd find in any Tokyo late night izakaya worth their course sea salt. Some stand out dishes: -beef tongue -spicy tuna grilled onigiri -fried enoki was interesting -chicken wings -pork belly -takoyaki were good and had that super authentic "burn your mouth because you have no patience" feature -The wagyu was good, but the portion size and finesse of cut wasn't what I expected. -The sea bass was small for its price, but good flavors and cooked skillfully. The staff is welcoming and friendly. I was smiling when I heard some Cantonese being spoken amongst several of them. Shout out to my brethren. ;) Plenty of parking in the lot if you get here around opening. The restaurant starts to fill up about an hour after opening. Bonus points for them staying open late (just like in Japan).

    Yuzu cheesecake and yuzu sorbet
    Kathy N.

    I loved the ambiance of this place and would come back just for it. I really enjoyed sitting at the tables where we could watch the chef's grilling all the food. As for food, I got a whole variety of things ranging from meat to vegetables. One of my favorite skewers was the scallop and I also loved the grilled Chilean sea bass. Both tasted excellent and had such a nice grilled flavor that left me wanting more. I also really enjoyed the eggplant. For dessert, I really enjoyed the yuzu sorbet and found it was the perfect was to finish my meal. Oh! And their takoyaki was probably one of the best I've had. All the other skewers I got were okay, some I would get again, others I could go without. One thing I didn't enjoy all that much was the grilled avocado. That may be my personal preference on not eating hot avocados though. I would love to come back to try other items off their menu.

    Irena S.

    Came here last night (Tuesday), party of 2, no reservations, around 6pm ish. After reading some of the reviews, I would highly recommend coming on a weeknight to avoid crowds. We didn't have to wait and were immediately sat at the bar. Total was about $60 a person but we ordered ALOT, including 2 sake drinks, 2 shitake mushroom skewers, knee cartilage, short rib, ikura grilled rice ball, 2 chicken hearts, 2 shishito peppers, two tofus, oyster chicken, and probably more. I'm honestly a sucker for tapas-sized items because I love trying a variety of things when I eat, so I think I naturally would rate this place higher. Also not a ton of yakitori places in the East Bay so very little competition. Pros: - Honestly, pretty good meat skewers. My standout favorites were the chicken hearts, the kalbi short ribs, the mushrooms. I liked the crunch of the chicken hearts and the tenderness of the kalbi cubes, and I like that there's some non-meat options like the tofu and peppers to cleanse yourself a little bit. - Really easy ordering system, with paper and pencil. - Great for parties of 1-2, my friend and I were right at the bar and we got to watch the skewers cook and have them handed right to us. I think because we were seated here, I felt like the service was really fast. - Because it wasn't too busy on a Tuesday night, even though it says there's a 90 min seated wait time, we were there well over 2 hours (but also maybe because we kept ordering lol) - Plenty of easy parking spots in this plaza - All the staff were nice - Nice dark Japanese street food bar like ambiance, great for a casual night out Cons: - not great for parties of more than 2, there's a few booths in the restaurant that could fit 4 people maybe but I could see a long wait if it's a busy night. - The chicken items (other than the chicken hearts) were subpar in my opinion (which I guess shouldn't be surprising) so I won't be ordering them again Overall, I would definitely come back, but maybe order 1-2 dishes fewer and avoid the fried rice ball (I loved the ikura on this but felt like I could do without it).

    King oyster mushrooms
    Saleen L.

    Def has become a local staple & fave of ours! Super packed & busy on the weekends so we usually opt for a Weekday! They just updated their menu knocking down their portions but also their prices so that people can try more variety (also more suited to smaller parties as well!) Regardless the Yakitori skewers were all still very tasty! Some of our faves remain: - chicken wings salt, nicely charred & light flavor - chicken wings ponzu, nicely charred & bolder flavor - galbi/short rib, tender & flavorful - mushrooms, buttery goodness - shishito peppers, nicely charred w/ a great bite to it - okra, fave way to have this veggie = no slime! - new zucchini, great flavor & nicely charred - new eggplant, good flavor & tender - onigiri, charred & crispy - sweet potato, the perf dessert + crispy chicken skin also a must! Hot, crunchy, & well seasoned! In addition, another go-to for us is the HOTPOT!! Legit my current addiction + constant craving!!! The sukiyaki miso flavor (med. spicy) always hit the spot - the broth is super flavorful and it comes with a variety of meat + veggies which is perfect for 2 ppl (in addition to skewers ofc lol). They also pour extra broth for you throughout, to cook the noodles & if you're just running low (aka a broth drinker like me :)) *Always complete the meal with a nice cold beer & hot sake...100% worth, trust me.

    Grilled squid
    Stacy L.

    Absolutely love this place for yakitori! The flavor and smokiness is amazing and I always go out of my way to suggest this for a dinner spot. My favorite is the grilled squid. It does take a little bit of time to cook (something to keep in mind), but it's well worth the wait. It's by far my favorite grilled squid I've had in the Bay Area. The place has a great vibe with decorations, menus, photos covering all the walls. It's smaller than most places so I would recommend coming earlier if possible. Parking is no issue, as it's located in a large plaza. Highly recommend to bring a small group to eat! The skewers are perfectly grilled and their draft beers are delicious combination!

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    The Yakitori Bar Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - The Yakitori Bar

    Is there outdoor seating or only indoor?

    Only indoor. You have tables or you can sit at the bar

    Do they have steamed rice?

    Is there hot pot on the menu- i don't see it online?

    Yes, they have few options

    How can I make a reservation?

    I've called when they were available to pick up. It seems you can make a reservation if you have a party of 6 or more, and only available during certain hours. So I'm guessing peak hours and small parties is out of the question. This totally sounds… 

    Hello, is there outdoor seating available?

    No.

    Is the business open? Or has the number changed? I can't seem to get ahold of anyone on the phone.

    Phone number is the same, when we went we sat next to the phone and every phone call was picked up

    Is this place open for business? I called but couldn't get through and website not working.

    Went today since Yelp stated they'd be open (6/30) after being marked temporarily closed for months. Still closed. I hope they survived because I'm still really looking forward to trying them out.

    When will you guys offer happy hour?

    Haha your funny!!. 😂.. Good question too😀 I hope if they're offer low the prices whole squids lunch and dinner 😄

    Do they serve Okonomiyaki?

    No okonomiyaki on menu

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    We are always looking for good AYCE sushi spots. This spot popped up on my insta feed when I was…read morepregnant and I finally got the chance to check it out now that my kids are almost 2 years old :P Rating Breakdown: 1/2 Stars for Taste -- We are a nigiri-focused crew and they have a pretty good selection here. They don't overload on the rice, which is a plus. We also ordered our way through the rolls, but for us, these pretty much taste the same after a while. It's nice that they have a lot of cooked options for the kids. Overall, I would say everything is rather forgettable. 0.5/1 Stars for Customer Service -- The servers were super nice but the major downside to this place is the wait. The restaurant wasn't even full on a Saturday for lunch but there was SO much down time between rounds. My kiddos could not sit still so my husband and I would take turns taking them outside to get their zoomies out. We would come back after 10 minutes or so and the next round still wasn't out yet. I don't know if it was because we were a big party placing large orders and they were waiting to complete the platters before bringing them out. It got to the point where we weren't sure if orders were missing or still being made. There was literally no food on the table. My husband and I ended up giving up and leaving before we had eaten our fill because the kiddos had reached the end of their (and our) patience. 0.5/1 Stars for Value -- It's $40pp before taxes/tip for the premium menu on the weekends, which isn't bad, but you can get a way better experience for a few dollars more at local competitors like Hinata or Ultra Sushi. No bonus star because, even though there is virtually no wait for a table and this place is very conveniently located, we probably would give this place a skip unless we are craving rolls specifically and have a lot of time on our hands (and no kids).

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    The Yakitori Bar - japanese - Updated September 2026

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