I tried Yagumo for the first time last night and boy do I have a story to tell. I honestly think the best thing about this place are the hand rolls. For just $2.95 a piece, you get a pretty generous-sized hand roll, and they have a bunch of different kinds. I tried the spicy tuna, spicy salmon, and the spicy scallop hand rolls. I had been warned about their spicy hand rolls. As a lover of spicy food in general, I figured I'd give it a try. Boy, was I in for a surprise... I'll get to that in a bit. The place seemed really cozy, and I could tell that it's a place frequented by regulars who are already familiar with everything. The service was decent. They were quick to fill our water, which is how I rate the service when a place serves really spicy food. The food itself is good - not the highest quality, but good. I ordered the combo box, which is very generous for the price you pay (~ $10). I chose salmon teriyaki and mixed tempura as my two main dishes. The teriyaki sauce was good, though the salmon was a bit dry and not a big portion. I really liked the tempura though and I thought they were extremely generous with it. I got a few veggie tempura and a few shrimp tempura, which were amazing. The food also came with miso soup, salad (which had AMAZING dressing!) and ice cream (I got the mango kind, but you have a choice of mango, red bean, and green tea). The ice cream was handy at the end when I was trying to recover from the spicy tuna roll. They also served bean sprouts dipped in a savory dipping sauce at the beginning, which was great. Then we decided to try the spicy tuna.... The restaurant serves sushi on a spicy scale of 1-10, the least spicy being 1 and the most spicy being a 10. To do the challenge, you must eat two level "10" spicy handrolls. Then you get a shirt and your picture on the wall. The "10" is not only spiciest but it's also dipped in wasabi oil, which none of the others are. The restaurant recommends that you shouldn't get anything spicier than a "5" if it's your first time there. Feeling up to a challenge, I first tried the "5" and didn't think it was too bad. It was OK on the way down, though it started stinging a bit a couple minutes later. Then, feeling adventurous, the two of us decided to try a "7." I was perfectly fine eating a "7." I didn't even have to drink any water. It did burn a bit, but it was mostly an unsettling feeling in the pit of my stomach. It wasn't too bad though. Feeling happy that I'd survived a "7" my first time there, i quipped to the sushi chefs to make me an "8." We saw two friends at the bar and decided to join together. One of the guys decided to try a "7" and the other a "9." The one who wanted to do a "9" had already done two "9s" the previous time he was there (he's a regular), and warned me that even after an "8" he felt sick for the following two days.. I started psyching myself, and by the time my "8" came out, I had three guys staring at me, encouraging me to do it. I braved myself to do it... It felt 100X stronger than a "7." It hit me instantly and burned my throat as I gulped it down. A word to the wise: eat it as quickly as possible. Just get it all down. That's what I did, and I immediately grabbed my water and drank all of it. I was already full after eating 3 handrolls before that and an entire combo meal, so I really thought I was going to explode because I was filling my stomach with even more water. I put the ice cream on my tongue to soothe it. It was unlike anything I'd eaten before (and I've eaten a regular "2" at Orochan ramen). I've been eating spicy foods my entire life, and I figured that being a Middle Eastern girl, I could handle it... but no, this was something else... After realizing that the water was not helping and that i could not drink any more of it without exploding, I ran to the bathroom. I found myself teetering on the edge, but thankfully did not throw up. I came out and soon it went away. My stomach just burned. I felt good though, as two other guys could hardly muster a "7" and I managed to finish and survive an "8." I didn't feel good that night, though. A word to the wise: don't eat the really spicy rolls if you have anything important to do the next day. I was up half the night in the bathroom and my stomach burned like mad. I would recommend alka seltzer or bepto bismal, neither of which I had. The worst part was having to share a bathroom with someone who was in the same situation - having to take turns. Now it's the next morning and I'm ok. I think I got it out of my system last night, thankfully without throwing up. But I can tell it's something I will crave and I do want to go back and try the "9." Overall, I loved the experience. Oh yeah, and we saw someone finish the "10" challenge. It's quite an accomplishment. read more

I won't recommend this place not even to my worst enemy,bad taste of the sushi,ugly attitude of the Indian girl almost got on a fight with my lady,never ever coming back!!! read more

The food doesn't taste bad, but the second time we went there saw an insect (which looked like a spiny roach) climbing up the sides of the glass onto the tabletop. We all got terrified by it and got up from the chairs then one of the waitress came and killed it. Nevertheless, the owner did not show any regret about the incident or even address it. After seeing that bug on the table, we were unable to eat there, we paid the bill and took the food as a to-go. Wasn't able to eat any just from thinking about the incident and just ended up throwing it away. Service wasn't what we would expect from ANY food service place. read more

Come here if you love spicy sushi and lots of crAb and mayo. The rolls are filled with lots crab. Not impressed.

oh heavenly prices! sure, i love great, melt-in-your-mouth sushi. but having a chronic sushi addiction with my measly wages, i can't just go to sushi zo whenver i want. heck, i can't even go to my usual sushi karen. this is where this comes in! 2.95 for 2 piece nigiri?! 2.95 for spicy scallop hand roll?! alcohol prices that are almost store-bought?! un-friggin-believable! i've been here twice, once with a friend at a table, and once by myself at the sushi bar. both have been on a weekday. (i've learned that sundays are bad for sushi) both experiences have been pleasant. the fish quality was decent, not great, but surely enjoyable. the presentation of the fish on the rice was a little lacking, but hey, i'm just gonna eat it anyway. i can't say much about the sashimi, since i've never (nor will i ever) order it here. i'm here to get my grub on and fill my sushi needs, not to indulge my epicuriosity. you just don't get sashimi at a place with prices like these. however, last time i went there, they had ankimo as one of the specials, and it was pretty damn good! (and i've had a LOT of ankimo, cuz i get it whenever it's available) i ordered albacore sushi, yellowtail sushi, ankimo sushi, spicy ninja roll #4, spicy scallop roll #4, and my total before tip came out to like 12.77! granted, i didn't get charged for the ankimo cuz i'm such a hottie *wink wink* but what a deal! the hand rolls are a generous size, so you'll definitely get full. i'm definitely coming back whenever i'm in the area! read more

Chef was upset at the fact that I was not pleased with his dish of albacore. I will not be coming back here again anytime soon.

Please do not go here if you do not want to feel very sick... first of all the air conditioning is set to 88 degrees on a 90 degree day, it is dark inside and the sushi chefs are questionable. If you ask them if they eat the food they will say no way. Everything is served as a warm, stirred up mix of imitation crab and mayonnaise... or if you want to try levels of "spicy" they will add cayenne powder and jalapeno paste. If you order a shrimp hand roll it will be 98% fake crab/mayo and and 2% tiny canned shrimp. The same can be said for every other hand roll. When we ordered the basic cut rolls they were served warm. Sushi should never be warm unless it is broiled. The seaweed salads were also served warm. Our wrists and ankles were swollen after eating here! Please stay away! read more

I only go here for sushi since being introduced here last year. I'm from Hawaii, and with growing up with a lot of Japanese influences, your standards on things like sushi can be pretty high. I rather eat here then a lot of places back at home, and I don't mean that lightly. The quality of fish is something you'd never expect to come out of the valley. The service is always on point and efficient. The portions are never small and you definitely get what you paid for. Within the countless times I've come here I have never once left unsatisfied. This is one small business we must keep open at all costs. If you haven't given this try a place hopefully this review entices you to. read more

This is my #1 go to sushi place if I have the time to drive out to Van Nuys. The prices cannot be beat. The quality is average with the exception of the yellow tail and albacore - they are both to die for. I could seriously eat like 10 orders of the albacore sushi, and at their prices, I could afford it. Be careful when ordering any of the spicy rolls. I usually just get #2 spicy. Anything more than that is for people who really really like super spicy food. I'm a wimp! read more

i don't like the location of this spot. parking in that little plaza sucks. business, the quality of of the sushi is solid. presentation clean. service has been a bit schizo. some days solid, some days jelly. as for the challenge, i tried. failed. it was horrible. that level ten atomic ass wasabi killed me. burnt me tongue, left me talking like Rocky Balboa. i was in tears. the chefs were clowning on me and my friends questioned my latino roots. alas, i shall be back for the sole purpose of conquering that challenge. ps. i didn't like the bathrooms. ugh. read more

The sushi here is really bad. The fish was horrible quality. Too much wasabi. Just bad. The rolls were decent - probably because they drown it in spicy mayo. I ordered the Red Dragon and Green Dragon. read more

Came here yesterday with my friends. We had a pretty good time. From the outside it seems like the restaurant is unappetizing and below rating; however, dont judge a book by its cover; it's pretty good. There are plenty of parking within the area as well. The customer service was great; the female waitress was kind and sweet. One of my friend tried doing the spicy challenge but couldnt do it because he failed the "pre-game" round before you do the challenge just to test if you can do handle it or not. The reason why Im giving it a 4 star is because some of the food that they offer didnt show the price; for example the red dragon roll. Overall it was a fun experience read more

A hole in the wall establishment that almost appears dodgy given the neighborhood that it's nestled in. The guy I was seeing introduced me to this spot one evening and boy oh boy...... Their spicy ninja rolls.... Drool-inducing. I'm a fan of spicy level 6. (Warning: brief bouts of mild blindness is totally normal.) Friendly service, clean (enough), and parking lot is rather small and was cramped every time we went together. No longer dating said boy -- but I can walk away still having fallen in love with these ninja rolls. I guess I still win. ...... right? : ( (Yep, they're that good.) Have yet to return since the breakup as I've since moved 30+ miles away, but I'll be back some day! (Hopefully soon!) read more

We used to live in Van Nuys and in my opinion Yagumo was one of the only saving graces of our old neighborhood. Last year we moved to West Hills, and we still drive back to Van Nuys to eat here! The reasons we love it are: casual/fun environment, really friendly and cool staff, great 80s music, and delicious sushi. This is a super cute place, a real gem and you should stop by and try it. read more

Came here with my boyfriend this past Sunday 9/25/16 because he wanted Japanese food. He ordered the teriyaki chicken and salmon dinner dish and was not too happy with it. He said he's had better at other Japanese restaurants. I ordered 2 sushi rolls. The red dragon roll which was ok but not great. I love sushi but this roll for some reason had a really weird taste. We also got the ninja hand roll level 3 spicy and it was good. A little too spicy. I can't imagine how hot the level 10 one is! But the main reason why I'm giving it a 1 star was the waitress, she seemed pissed off the whole time and it just wasn't really good customer service. She never smiled or even greeted us. We were actually greeted by one of the sushi chefs. They were really nice but the sushi was disappointing. We won't come here again. read more

Love this place. The food is phenomenal and all the staff members are attentive and awesome. I go there once or twice a week that how good this place is. read more

From Sushi Aki to Yagumo Sushi, besides the name the food has not change. Yagumo Sushi get their fresh fish delivered daily to insure their fish is fresh everyday. My favorite if their Spicy Ninja #4. I could do more spicy but I would like to taste my food. There are also other favorites like yellow tail collar, dynamite hand roll, special california roll, wormy hand roll, spicy tuna roll. This is a great find in Van Nuys. I have been going here for over 20 years. The menu is good value and has good selection too. read more

This seems to be a mediocre sushi joint in a neighborhood without much sushi...only reason I can think of for the four stars. Take the time to drive to Ventura Blvd. It's no Sugarfish, Sushi Yuzu, or even Sushi Dan! read more

Favorite hidden sushi spot! It's a gem in the valley. The fish is always fresh. The chefs are very talented and creative. I've never had to order my own food they always create the most delicious dishes. A MUST try !! read more

Call me the dissenter here but I know Japanese food and this is mediocre at best. The plates look okay however there is little to say about the taste. Nothing I ordered tasted like it should. The dressing on the salad was inedible and the fish was tasteless. All I can figure it is that it is a lower grade of fish than I am used to. read more

My wife and I were looking for a quick dinner near her car dealership and like always she chose sushi. I have been to Yagumo one other time many years before Adam Richman ever filmed an episode of Man V Food there and I remembered we liked it. Well my memory is either fading or this place went to Hell in a hand basket, either way I was not pleased. I ordered the spider roll, and this was the best one of the night though the crab was beer battered and not the light tempura I love. I also got the shrimp 3 ways roll, wow was I surprised, one of the shrimp styles inside was raw and the whole thing was covered in a really spicy chili oil, no thanks! Overall I can't remember what else I had since I was so disappointed with the whole experience, the prices were high for what you got and quality of seafood was moderate at best. Service was quick, maybe too quick as they cleared the plates even before I was finished with my food. I think I can write this place off and not feel bad, Aloha read more

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Definitely one of the better Sushi places in the Valley and a frequent place for me to visit whenever I'm in California. Very friendly staff and good service along with a great selection of Sushi. read more

Not impressed, the food was JUST OK, the sushi was not fresh and carried an after taste, but when you say spicy they give you spicy, which was probably the best thing about it. I won't be back, but I'm glad I tried it. read more

Love the sushi here! Great prices and fresh fish every visit. I recommend the torch roll, crab hand roll, albacore sashimi and pretty much anything on the menu read more

I love this place! I'm here at least once a week. The sushi is so fresh and it's very inexpensive. The staff is always very friendly and it's a clean place. It's located in a small shopping center and looks a little ghetto but the sushi is amaze balls! I personally love the Spicy tuna hand roll level 5 (try a 10 if your feeling adventurous or seeking a cheap thrill!). read more

We live close so we have been a few times. Each time we go the service is worst than the time before.. The tempura is decent, the sushi is old and foul, and the service is horrible. I am a easy customer who orders off the menu, I always leave 20% or better and believe in patronizing small businesses. IF YOU WANT GOOD FOOD AND DECENT SERVICE SKIP THIS PLACE ATTITUDE AND OLD FISH ARE NOT WHY WE GO OUT TO LUNCH AND BTW IT WAS NOT BUSY SO THERE IS NO EXCUSE. read more

Overall: Would recommend if you are craving sushi but don't have good sushi funds... A few people suggested that I try this place, so I decided to go one day when i wanted sushi, but didn't feel like spending a fortune. I will admit, at first I was hesitant because of the neighborhood and because it looks like a total hole in the wall- nothing against HITWs, BUT when it comes to fish, especially raw, you don't want to mess around and get sick. To my surprise, there were people in their parked cars waiting to get in, and when the clock hit 5:30 PM (they are only open for dinner on Sundays), there was a rush of people trying to get in. Anyways, two of us ended up ordering a few sashimi pieces, some cut rolls, and some specialty rolls which came out to about $30. All were pretty good. The only complaint I would have is that they were a bit heavy with their use of mayo for some of their rolls. HOWEVER, you can customize the sauces and ask for light or no mayo or whatever sauce you want more or less of. Frankly, I've never heard of sushi places that gracefully take special orders without charging a fortune for every "substitution." AND, the customer service was pretty good for a cheap sushi place. Our water glass was always full and the sushi chefs took requests for customized rolls and plated them without hesitation. Also, be prepared if you want to try their level 10. I am a spicy food lover, and I tried level 5 in my spicy tuna to gauge what would be appropriate. I felt that level 5 was enjoyably spicy, but my husband had only one roll and barely survived the heat. SO if you are not used to spicy foods, I would not recommend higher than a level 3. But if you're ready to pay the price, go on with your bad self. ; ) read more

Spicy tuna roll #10...the hottest thing I've ever had in my entire life. Got my shirt and will never try it again. Wasabi oil, cayenne pepper, and habanero peppers all wrapped up into one handroll. read more

If you are looking for posh sushi in the north of Van Nuys, this is not the spot. BUT, it's special here in its own right. Yagumo's claim to fame (or notoriety) is that if you get through two #10 spicy hand rolls, you get a photo on the wall and a spin on their wheel. It's not for the faint of heart...rumored to contain habanero, wasabi and anything else that anxiously makes you think spicy is in the #10 rolls. You also have to sign a release of their responsibility for embarking on the challenge. But in terms of regular restauranting, the sushi is pretty solid here. They start you off with a sprout salad too, and there are some fun menu items. As you guessed it, this is a good spot for hand rolls. (I believe they'll do soy paper for a buck or two extra.) If you're into spicy and not looking to go to the coroner, I think the #5-7 range of spiciness is the sweet spot. Bon appetit! read more

Sushi is good for the area. I'm not too familiar so I had to try it. Owner got upset because we requested spicy edamame, not sure why, but he ended up giving us spicy power on the edamame. read more

I'm so happy I checked this place out in lieu of driving to the Blvd. and paying a pretty penny for the same quality I ended up getting here. It's a great, lax atmosphere, but not on service: they were very quick, not overly intrusive either. The man who looks Indian (actually from Bangladesh) knows his stuff and he and well as the other chef were hilarious. Both times I've gone so far people have tried the challenge: one passed and the other quickly dropped out. I think I might have to do it at some point. The location is a bit off putting but get over it and try this place! read more

My Friend and I were at the liquor store next door. This sushi place caught my eye and I asked the cashier from the liquor store if she recommends the sushi restaurant n she gave me two thumbs up. So we decided to try it by far the best sushi I have had in awhile. The chefs are so sweet and fun! I will for sure come back again!! read more

Love it so much I almost didn;t want to write a review... cause then, ya know... EVERYONE will be hitting this joint up. And I don't want to wait for great sushi! The cuts are great, the prices are unbeatable. Sit at the bar and get your orders in - don't wait to be looked at just holla out 'Tuna! Albacore! Salmon!' If you grab a table be warned, service can get backed up - but magical food does not happen in an instant. If you wanted instant food you shoulda microwaved some ramen at home. And the #10 roll... it's hot. Super hot. I like hot things, but could only stuff 1 down. read more

Japanese restaurant run by Indian people. far cry from authentic. Quality is also not there, sushi tasted old and dried out. Now on to the level 10 challenge roll- if you think you can do it, you shouldn't. The heartburn, stomach pains, chest ache and nausea/vomiting is no way in hell worth the tee shirt and "fame" amongst van nuys patronage of this inauthentic, and gimmicky place. There is no sense of worth, or pride if u do finish this, its regret. Unadulterated shame and regret. read more

Ok Hole in the wall sushi place in a strip mall. Went and tried the sushi #10 challenge. OMG, was that a mistake. I managed to power through it but it was a very uncomfortable 24 hours that followed. As for the rest of the sushi I couldn't really tell you that much. It seemed pretty good but I think most go there for the challenge. I will say that if you like spicy, you must get 4 and above because otherwise it will see really bland. read more

If you are seriously into sushi, find somewhere else to go..... if you are the type of person who gets excited over grocery store sushi- this place might be cool to you. ON THE REAL, I am a super sushi connoisseur, i have worked in sushi bars, been complimented on my tastes by sushi chef's, and i know how to make sushi myself as well, been eating it since i could eat... I was craving sushi and the closest sushi bar i knew of was Sumo sushi, which btw is a very good place to get GOOD sushi (although the atmosphere is not as lively as it should be) I chose to try Yagumo because it was closer, the reviews were very conflicting of eachother and honestly.. when you try the food it is obvious that the food is not made traditionally. I have no clue why some people are saying to try the green mussels, I make WAYYYYY better green mussels at home.. I had to ask them for a side of Ponzu sauce and it didnt make them better. The Dynamite was horrible!! i had 2 bites and asked them to take it away. The sashimi wasnt too bad.. Only the Red snapper wasnt fresh, the rest of it was alright, in fact, it was the only thing i think i really enjoyed. OH The GMC this is actually really good- it reminds me of the spicy tuna rice nugget, except its made with some kinda puffing rice meal rather than actual rice and the ninja is good but those 2 thing are the only original things they have there and are the only things that are really good, every thing else is just mediocre. If you are someone who really likes sushi and goes alot and tries different places (like me) this place isnt worth it even WITH the super cheap prices.. you might as well go to Midori and get AYCE and pay 30 bucks for some seriously good rolls! but if you are a very basic sushi eater, you might be ok with this, or if your really like me- youll eat here just to try it cause of the reviews you read and then rate it at a 1 or 2 cause its just ok and even some stuff is just not good.. ALSO the menu is very limited.. I am huge on trying different rolls and i ended up getting the rainbow roll... for cryin out loud!! a RAINBOW roll.. thats like so me when i was like 3! read more

This has been my sushi joint since the 90s Since Sushi Aki across the street I don't get there enough I don't eat out that much But here's what I LOVE - Dynamite Roll for dessert, the sprouts while you are waiting, the albacore is to die for, the salmon melts in your mouth, the calamari - I call gourmet french fries. Please don't do the contest Enjoy your sushi Don't burn your mouth Ronnie is so so with me But I go there for the food Lately I sit at the tables, not the bar Just so I don't get vibed or something There prices have gone up over the years But the qulaity and value will ALWAYS surprise everything else in town! I love two restaurants in LA Both are on Van Owen read more

I really like the spicy tuna hand roll. Great food, friendly service! Their crunchy roll n soft shell crab is delicious.

Doesn't look like much from outside but the sushi quality and service are amazing. I'll be back for sure!!

Came in today for the first time in a very long time. I ordered 2 Philly rolls. To my disappointment, they didn't have any smoked salmon. I won't try to pretend that I know anything more than the average dunce does about sushi, but what I had was good, had great flavor, and was served up neatly and quickly. I had a roll for lunch and a roll for later on once I was done working. I stuck my sushi in the fridge meanwhile I worked and when I came back, it was too cold. It didn't have the same good flavor. I let it sit for a few minutes and it was ok but not as good as fresh. Next time, ill just pic out all at once. Lol read more