Still the best in New York. Unique, flavorful chicken skin skewers among many things (see my photos), though somehow grilled chicken soft bone is a bit tasteless? Fast service. You can order a little and keep adding depending on how big or small each dish is. We came right at 5 pm when they opened. We didn't have a reservation, and after some fumbling they got us four seats at the bar (looking over grilling chefs at work). Not bad, though we were hoping for a table. Great decor and ambiance as always. Wish the grilled shrimps come with shell on, and with salt only (no sauce). read more

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Yakitori Totto has been around for ages, and I've visited this location in person a few times though it's been a while! Their location is a little hidden, it's on the second floor above Soba Noodle Azuma on 55th Street between 7th and 8th Avenues, closer to 8th. You have to go up a stairwell on the side. Getting to the food, their focus is on meat, seafood and vegetable skewers though they also have a variety of appetizers, rice bowls and noodles, and dessert. The meats and veggies are grilled over charcoal while basted with "tare", a house-made sauce that adds a level of umami to the caramelized grill flavors. Recently I got a handful of skewers for takeout, including: - Ebi (shrimp) $8 x 2: the shrimp were cooked just right, tender and juicy, yum! - Hotate Eringi (scallop and oyster mushrooms) $8 x 2: the textures of the oyster mushrooms and scallop pieces complemented each other, and were kinda similar. Another tasty offering. - Negi pon (pork belly with scallions) $7: I'm not a huge fan of pork belly in general, though they grilled it well here and chopped scallions added a little spicy tickle. While not the cheapest for skewers that you can find, (and inflation hasn't helped,) their flavors are authentic and their quality and consistency is key here. I'm glad it's still here since there seems to be fewer and fewer good yakitori spots in Manhattan these days. They used to have another location in the city though I believe this closed pre-pandemic, however from their website they now have another location in Boston. This was also the sister restaurant to Ramen Totto which had four locations at one point though all have shuttered as well. Hope this location stays around for a long time! read more

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Bring back Ton Toro, asap. It is the best pork option in the menu. If it is an inventory management issue, just add it to the limited menu similar to the chicken skewers and increase the price. It will be a 5 star again once ton toro is back on menu. read more

Good for group or solo dining. Recommend to make reservations ahead of time. No happy hour. Service is fast, friendly, and accommodating. Restaurant is located on the 2nd floor. The food here is so good and flavorful. I recommend coming with one other person and getting a variety of skewers to try. read more

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A cozy little izakaya right below Central Park - the interior is on the smaller side, so it's probably best to make a reservation beforehand but luckily my brother and I were seated at the bar after a couple minutes. We ordered the chicken broth udon but mainly came for the yakitori so ordered a ton of skewers as well - I love chicken gizzard so we got that, chicken thigh with negi (green onion), the hotate eringi (scallop, king oyster mushroom), the combo mambo (eel, shrimp, scallop), beef ichibo, and pork negi pon (belly with scallion). The chicken skewers were all very juicy, seafood and meat was tender, although the beef and pork skewers were a little too fatty/rich for my taste. I'm not sure if they were understaffed but the service was slower than expected as it took 30 minutes for our skewers to come out and then another 30 minutes afterwards for our udon. In light of this, our server did give us a free spicy cucumber dish while we waited for the udon. Overall food is very classic izakaya style and worth checking out if you're craving skewers, slightly on the $$ side and in an intimate space. read more

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It's been a minute since I had a dinner at this popular yakitori place but consistently this place is delicious! This small yakitori restaurant gets pretty busy so highly recommended to make a reservation. (Earlier the better. They also have few limited yakitori menu, first come first served!) Our server was very friendly and knowledgeable, she did warn us about how spicy their Shishito peppers were but OMG! It was jalapeño pepper spicy!!!! My favorite dish is still steamed chicken dumpling! read more

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5.0 / 5.0 An izakaya in Manhattan where you can eat delicious yakitori. The moment you enter the restaurant, the atmosphere will remind you of a Japanese izakaya. The yakitori is grilled over charcoal, so it's authentic, and everything is delicious! And the fried chicken side dish is to die for! The staff can speak Japanese and English. There are table seats and a counter, but be careful as there are stairs at the entrance! I went right after opening on a holiday, but it was fully booked. So it's best to make a reservation! ・Karaage ・Momo ・Kawa ・Tukune ・Seseri ・Bonjiri ・Tontoro ・Pork miso read more

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I have never been to a Japanese izakaya for yakatori skewers before, so this was a pleasant and new experience. I thoroughly enjoyed the food. I got a delivery order of Uni-Ju over rice, and four skewer dishes, each with two skewers: Combo Mambo Tare (Eel, Shrimp Scallops), Harami Beef (Skirt Steak and Vegetables), Momo Chicken Tare (Chicken Thighs) and Hotate Eringi Mushroom (Scallops with King Oyster Mushrooms). Everything was delicious...well seasoned, fresh tasting and filling. Speed of delivery was quick and packing was neat and well executed. Highly recommended. This order also traveled well for a delivery order, with no food degradation. read more

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One of my favorite new finds this year. Though the skewers weren't super filling, they were all D E L I C I O U S. I mean I don't like to repeat places that much, but as a Japanese food lover, I'm wanting to come back here soon. The grilled onigiri skewer was the most surprising - it was sweet, savory, salty, almost in a peanut butter like way, but the rice was nice and crispy with a gentle char. It was - wow. I haven't had anything like it. A runner for one of my favorite new bites this year for sure. The other skewers were also great - got a lot of chicken based ones, which all came out really tender and delicious, well-marinated and hot. The chicken oyster one was delicious though they just had one left when we ordered on a weekday at 7. The negi chicken one was also a favorite of mine, nice char, really deeply savory and tender meat. ugghhhhh. I'm salivating writing this! Also a runner for one of my favorite bites this year. read more

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Really solid yakitori restaurant that really brings me back to my time in Tokyo. Yakitori Totto serves food a la carte and features a large selection of various parts of the chicken, in addition to cuts of pork, beef, veggies and seafood. The food is fairly simple and I think the move here is to sit at the counter. Order a bunch of the skewers, some apps, maybe a beer, and you're all set. Everything was cooked well and not overdone. I think my favorite was the eel and Negi Pon (pork belly with scallions and ponzu). The Tsukune and chicken "oyster" (a specific part of the chicken thigh) were excellent as well. read more

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Sometimes, you just get an itch for some Yaki Nasu Miso Dengaku and only Yakitori Totto can scratch it. Everything on the menu is wonderful. I mean, even the humble seaweed salad is on another level here. Obviously the mainstay meats and seafood are phenomenal, too. But there's something magical about the eggplant with miso paste. It's flavorful. Got a great texture. Fragrant. It's just something else. I prefer sitting at the counter so you can see how the chefs do their thing while the busy wait staff keep the dining room fully fed. The dining room is certainly energetic but somehow serene looking down on 55th street from this Japanese hideaway... read more

Yakitori Totto - Yaki Nasu Miso Dengaku (Eggplant) - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Been meaning to come here for a while and it did not disappoint! I've been to japan many times in my life and this restaurant felt extremely authentic. All the food was fresh and delicious and I'd say reasonably priced. Everyone who worked there were so kind and attentive during the meal, seriously made the whole experience great! The ambiance of the restaurant is wonderful as well, I'll definitely be back soon! read more

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Walked up the stairs to this tiny but true yakitorri styled restaurant near Central Park. We made reservations in advance because it was a Friday night. The service was phenomenal, attentive but not pushy or overbearing. There are two bathrooms but best to wait until you know it's free as it's a tight space. But the food!! Everything was SO tasty. I wanted to order the whole menu, but we held back. The pricing is decent and we loved it all. Perfect cooks on everything we ordered. Highly recommend you check this place out, and I will be back for sure! read more

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Amazing yakitori spot! I love that they have unusual cuts of the chicken, ranging from heart source to tail and neck. They have some specials that sell out quickly every day- be sure to inquire about them! My favorite skewers are the pork neck, chicken skin, heart source, and chicken oyster (a special! super tender part of thigh). I also love their grilled onigiri- delicious! The non-skewer portion of their menu is pretty solid too, recently tried the Tori dango (chicken meatballs with sticky rice) which was fine. I like their Tofu pudding though- light but creamy vanilla vibes! Service is pretty good- skewers come out quickly. I like sitting at the bar so you can see them cooking- it's quite an experience! read more

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the yakitori here is great but not outstanding enough that i want to return. the prices per some skewers were a bit higher than I felt was reasonable but I did enjoy all of them. They also charge for extra tare even though we never requested it and also didn't use it. I understand if they charged us like $3 but it was only $1.50 so not sure how much they profit off it anyway. favorite was definitely the soft knee bone. came for lunch on a weekday and saw many families with young kids. read more

Yakitori Totto - pork belly with miso, soft knee bone, pork belly with scallions, chicken skin, chicken oysters - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

We rarely see good yakitori joints outside of southern Ca, so when this place popped up right next to our hotel, we had to pay a visit. We arrived 15 min before opening so we were able to grab a quick table without a reservation. This place has the vibes! Very reminiscent of our time in Japan earlier this year. It's a small restaurant with bar seating and a few extra tables. We ordered a variety of grilled chicken (thigh, breast with scallion), pork belly with a yuzu sauce, tako wasa (raw octopus with seaweed), beef short rib, a spicy cucumber appetizer, fresh made tofu, egg omelette and a heaping bowl of chicken udon. Everything was well prepared and would 10/10 return again! read more

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Rating 3.5 Just to caveat this review - I'm not a huge Japanese skewer fan to begin with, mostly because I don't find the flavor profiles particularly interesting. We didn't have a reservation but they had an opening at the bar for an hour so we took that. The menu is pretty simple - everything is a la cart. We got the takoyaki and agedashi tofu as apps and they were solid. I got the chicken breast/scallion skewer and the chicken meatball stuffed in a green pepper. They were good but again nothing standout. Overall it's a decent spot but just personally not a favorite of mine. read more

Fun meal. It's hard to go wrong with hot grilled items and cold beer. Seaweed salad was refreshing and a bit more upscale than the ubiquitous normal one. I enjoyed: chicken thighs, tori dango (chicken meatball with sticky rice and steamed), negi pon (pork belly with scallion and ponzu), and cipollata con pancetta (scallion and pepper wrapped in bacon), grilled king oyster mushrooms, oh and grilled smelt. Kara age was strong but not the best I've had but still satisfying. Only thing I didn't really enjoy was the gizzard. Tough, not enough flavor for me to order again just for the chewy texture alone. Took gyoza and takana jyako gohan bowl to go for my SO and wow- the bowl was tasty! Tried the affogato dessert and it was pretty nice too. Delicious meal and good quick service in a lively happening atmosphere. read more

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Unfortunately I'm not a fan and probably won't be back. The ambiance and service were fine, but at the price point the food is just lacking. The Totto don and two additional skewers (Hiza and Kawa) came out to ~40 after tax and tip. The kawa was unfortunately disappointing and was bordering on burnt due to being over-charred. read more

Yakitori Totto - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Such a fun spot for Yakitori! All of the meats were cooked well and so flavorful! We tried the Chicken heart source, chicken skin, chicken neck, chicken oyster, pork neck, the shishito peppers, tori dango, the miso and yakitori yakionigiris, and the tofu pudding dessert. I enjoyed trying everything- they have such interesting cuts of meat! My favorite was the heart source followed by the tori dango- I love the sticky rice that coats the chicken meatball. Not the biggest fan of skin in general, so I didn't love the chicken skin. I enjoyed the chicken neck more than the pork neck, but wish the chicken option came with the grilled onions like the pork neck did. Honestly, I would order a stick of grilled onions- they add such a nice complimentary flavor profile to the meat. Both of the yakionigiris were crisp- I slightly preferred the Miso one to the Yakitori one. The hidden gem of the meal was the tofu pudding. Not the most complex dessert- but the perfect sweet treat to end the meal. It has a thick and creamy texture and a marshmallow-vanilla flavor. Delicious. Service was good- food came out relatively quickly in multiple rounds. I will definitely be returning! read more

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This place is great! I just had to go back to Yakitori Totto during my most recent trip to New York after visiting once in 2019. All those years in between but it was a definite must because the Matcha Tea Affogato has been living in my mind rent free since then. And it did not disappoint 5.5 years later! The matcha tea affogato is a fun, vibrant mix of flavors and textures. It's a great combination of soft, chewy, creamy, crispy, all in one dish. The flavors are very well balanced between sweet, umami, bright, and bitter. This would be my highest recommendation for anyone dining at Yakatori Totto! As for the yakatori meats, I really enjoyed everything I had, including a selection of chicken and beef options. My favorite was the negima, chicken breast with scallion. It was the most flavorful and well seasoned of all the meats I tried. The service, atmosphere, and view of the kitchen from our bars seats were also great additions to our dining experience. This is such a fun spot! Not only am I looking forward to visiting again next time I'm in New York, but I'm also hoping to visit their Boston location soon to see if it's just a nice. read more

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Was nervous coming here without reservation. It's near time square and you gotta climb some stairs to get to the restaurant. I'm saying this because we have a baby in a stroller so it'd have been difficult for me to get up there without my husband. The food was delicious. I think it's my favorite yakitori I've had so far. Everything we had from skewers to side dishes to rice bowls were yummy. I'd definitely want to come back when I return to New York in the future. read more

Yakitori Totto - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

One of the few places I've found in nyc that uses charcoal for their yakitori so it's very legit. I've had a variety of skewers and it is on the more expensive side averaging $8/skewer. My favorites that I recommend: Tsukune Oyster and scallop Eel Shishito Pork belly read more

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I was looking for something to eat in the area and didn't realize how packed this spot would be when I first arrived. We were initially told that it would be an hour wait and as we walked down the stairs to leave, we were called back -- and I'm glad because we were so hungry. If you're looking to eat here, I'd recommend taking a reservation first. We were seated at the bar and ordered a few different yakitori (chicken, pork, beef, seafood). They all came out one at a time so by the time we finished eating one, the next one was out or on its way out. The one thing that we noticed was that they were out of some of the ones we wanted although it was only 7 pm. The ones that we were able to try were delicious and surprisingly, we were filled up by the end. We ended with the matcha affogato for dessert and tasted pretty good, but the matcha was very watery. I also tried the calpico sour and it was a good pairing with the yakitori. I see that this spot has some mixed reviews but I had a decent experience and would recommend as a date spot. read more

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Ordered: chicken thigh, chicken meatball, pork belly, enoki bacon, skirt steak, combo mabo, udon and matcha affogato. Ordered 4 skewers per person but recommend 6-7 per person. Amazing service, our server was so attentive! The restaurant is kinda hidden and you can easily walk past it but once you're in and walk up stairs- it's such an immersive experience. We didn't have a reservation but luckily came when they open at 5 to get a bar seat. The meat is grilled exceptionally, everything came out piping hot and juicy. The skewers that came with the tare sauce is amazing. The udon hit the spot after a day of traveling and cooler fall weather. The noodles were bouncy, the broth was light yet flavorful. The matcha affogato was the perfect way to end the night. read more

Yakitori Totto - Combo mambo - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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Took a girl on our third date here. Food was good and because yakitori new to her it was a fun experience. Service was good and the ambience. So I tried to kiss her but she wasn't into it. We shortly ended our time together. But we'll always have yakitori tottos. read more

Most of their dishes just didn't land for me, especially considering the price. It could be a preference thing, since my girlfriend liked it, but she also said she wasn't amazed by it. Staff was fast, but the lady that was serving us wasn't as friendly. They are constantly getting reservations in, so it's unlikely to find a good table if you walk in, but the ambience itself is really nice and comforting. read more

Yakitori Totto - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

This is my favorite yakitori spot in the city -- I've been coming here for about 10 years, and it's always a good meal. The skewers (chicken, pork, or beef) are consistently tasty, and appetizers like the salmon crispy rice and eggplant never disappoint. For dessert, the almond tofu is smooth, delicious, and perfectly balanced -- not too sweet. My only complaint is the frozen blueberry on top, which was too tart and uncomfortably cold, but otherwise everything is excellent. read more

Excellent service and so many great tasting items. Ice cold beer on a hot summer day paired well with the yakitori. The seaweed salad was so good! We enjoyed a wide variety of chicken parts including liver, heart, crispy skin, thigh and wing. The meatball was also a hit. I enjoyed the mushroom with a wonderful sauce. It was a traditional setting very similar to the places I had been in Tokyo. The second floor location brought back many fond memories. Once we had left a fair number of empty skewers I knew we had had a wonderful lunch. read more

Been back several times and the rice has come out promptly! So glad they value feedback and act on it!

Had a 7:45 reservation, and at around 7:50 we were seated, great! Waitress took our drink and appetizer order and about 15 min later took our skewer orders. Around 8:30 our last food item came out. About 10 min later we were asked if we need anything else and was told that there is reservation later (basically telling us to hurry). Around 8:45 we were told last call for additional orders and if not, they will give me the check. I got the check and left before 9. I asked the waitress and she told me there is 90 minute limit. 2 of us were forced to consume 2 bottles of Hot sake, high ball cocktail, and a beer, along with 8 skewers and 3 dishes in less than 1hr. I would never return to this place even if the food is good. This is how a place gets big headed and drive their customers away. read more

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Always great good and wonderful service. The lunch special is fantastic. Must try the chicken skin, chicken meatball, and the steak is wonderful. read more

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I came here by myself on a Saturday evening before an Off-Broadway show, around 7:10PM. The entrance to the second-floor space where the restaurant is located is very nondescript, and even knowing I'd need to keep my eye out for the door (having been recommended this place by a friend), I almost missed it. You have to go through 2 doors once on the second floor, and then the seating area was much smaller than I expected. They had 2 seats open at the bar area, so I was able to get seated right away luckily, but most of the other tables looked full. Service started out slow, but during my actual meal my waiter was attentive and timely. I wanted to try as many skewers as possible, so I got something from each section of the skewers menu (listed in the order they came out): - Harami (skirt steak w/vegetables) - $9 - good! Steak is well cooked (~medium, which is what I prefer), and the veggies are shishito pepper and zucchini, I think - Momo (chicken thigh) - $6 - SOO tender; definitely my favorite of the night - Yaki nasu miso dengaku (eggplant w/miso paste) - $5 - too much miso paste, but eggplant was cooked super well and melted in my mouth - Combo Mambo (eel, shrimp, scallop) - $8 - the scallop  so tender, wished it was more than just half a piece lol. Shrimp was slightly overcooked but flavorful, and eel was good - Buta tare (pork belly w/yakitori tare sauce) - $6 - great flavoring (smokiness) and well cooked Really enjoyed all of the skewers, despite being a bit on the pricier side. I would definitely come back with friends, and am looking forward to trying some items on their main menu. read more

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Solid establishment owned by the same restaurant group as Totto Ramen and Soba Totto. The counter is definitely the place to sit, service is relatively quick. They've been around for a long time, and most famously hosted Anthony Bourdain and Anderson Cooper for an interview over bites. They have your classic izakaya and yakitori fare, but I gotta mention the sleeper hit on the menu. The fresh cold tofu appetizer is something I always have to get when I stop by. It's refreshing and simple, curated to your own liking with the accompaniments. Worth a try. read more

Yakitori Totto - Takoyaki - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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While I've never been to Tokyo I did feel transported to another place and time so as they described the experience I'd say job well done. The restaurant is located on the 2nd floor, so it is not handicap accessible to my knowledge. Once we ascended the stairs, we were hit by welcoming air conditioning. Thankfully as it was a sweltering NYC heat wave day. The have a large bar/counter seating area which surrounds the cooks who prepare the grilled food. Once seated I realized I didn't have a good enough view of them preparing food to film so asked to be seated at a table. I suggest making a reservation since the restaurant is intimate. They serve alcohol, beer and wine. They offer meat, seafood and vegetable skewers charcoal grilled along with Japanese appetizers and several "don" bowls. The skewers are not large so one skewer per person. We did share as we ordered a variety of skewers. We started with Chicken thigh yakitori. The chicken was moist and flavorful. We really enjoyed all the skewers although our favorite was the bacon wrapped enoki mushroom. Smoky with a nice chew to the mushroom. Try their skirt steak, it was juicy and flavorful with a yakitori sauce. I'd skip the pork belly as it was a bit tough and the crispy rice tuna sushi, not our favorites. read more

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delicious yakitori! One of the best I had in US (I've been to Japan and had Yakitori there several times). Great service. The most authentic. Love the interior decor reflecting a japanese yakitori shop. read more

Yakitori Totto - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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delicious yakitori and great service. if you love that charcoal grill taste, this is the place. i had the unagi, skirt steak, and ebi and they were all delicious!! would definitely come again. read more

Yakitori Totto - unagi yakitori - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

New York City has tons of restaurants - rumor has it that if you tried eating at all of them, you'd die of old age before you ever even got close to trying them all. With that said, many lose their touch over time, whether quality or they just simply get stale. Yakitori Totto opened over 18 years ago, and yet it still packs the house and does not disappoint. On the second floor, and not too big of a space, housing a grill bar and some tables towards the windows, it's important to come early or be prepared to wait because they do not accept reservations. We went around 5:30pm, and still were only able to seat at the grill bar - within 15 minutes the entire place was full. It's not the "nicest" space, but given the food, you really don't need it to be, either. Here's a few things I highly recommend: Yaki Onigiri - not your typical Onigiri, served grilled and crispy. We got the soy sauce version, and it was delicious. Salmon Crispy Rice - great appetizer for sharing and, of course, skewers, skewers, and more skewers! Harami (skirt steak), kalbi (short rib), eringi (mushroom), hotate eringi (scallop mushroom), were some of our favorites, but theres also a "combo mambo" (eel, shrimp, and scallop), and unagi (eel), too! If you're feeling like drinking, they've got a short cocktail and sake list. That said, skewers are not that expensive, so I suggest trying what looks good to you on the menu because they make everything so well! read more

Food 7/10 Pricey but decent yakitori. Some of the skewers were a little salty and oily, but we ordered a wide array of dishes. I enjoyed the smokiness, and their chicken don was good too. Left very full and content. Atmosphere 6/10 Very smokey inside, wished their ventilation was better. Service 6/10 The took forever to bring up wings and the gizzard sigh. read more

Yakitori Totto - Skewer - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

3.5 / 5.0 - Yakitori Totto used to be one of my favorite Japanese spots in the city, serving authentic Japanese food. During my most recent visit, I was overcharged for a rice ball--only ordered one, but was charged for 2. They're $5 each, so including tax and tip, that's $6.50 of overcharge. I only realized after I got home and called the restaurant the next day, but they never picked up. Considering the amount, I never followed up, but it left a poor impression. Still giving 3.5 stars, considering how delicious the food was, although a bit pricey. One of the great things about Yakitori Totto is that you can order a variety of dishes to share. My friend and I ordered: - Kyona Arugula Salad ($15+) - Dashimaki Tamago ($11+) - Gyoza / Dumplings ($10+) - Eringi x2 - Momo - Negima - Sasami x2 - Yakinasu Dengaku x2 - Yakionigiri - Onigiri / Rice Ball *All skewers and rice ball: $5+ each I would recommend everything except for: - Sasami (unless you like wasabi--no flavor without it) - Yakinasu Dengaku (I love dengaku in general, but the amount of miso paste on the eggplant was overpowering) - Yakionigiri (my friend ordered this and it wasn't what we'd envisioned) If you're not a big eater or drinker, this may be enough food for you and you could keep the cost under $100 per person. Drinks were $10 or higher ($10+ for beer, $12+ for plum wine), so you can easily exceed $100 if you have a couple of drinks and more skewers. So it's not a cheap option, but if you're looking for a taste of Japan, you can find it here. read more

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