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    Yama

    4.2 (263 reviews)
    Closed 11:30 am - 2:45 pm, 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM

    Yama Photos

    Business Info

    YAMA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Romantic
    Trendy
    Upscale

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    Recommended Reviews - Yama

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    Soybeans
    Jennifer D.

    I was a little put off by the long wait despite seeing several empty tables. Ended up sitting at the bar (which was packed) but the service was still good. The bartender was alone trying to serve everyone at the bar plus make drinks for the whole restaurant which I thought was ridiculous but she still did a nice job. All of the sushi was excellent as were the spring rolls! I tried two cocktails and both were tasty. The prices were very fair and the experience overall was good!

    Arpee O.

    Food was delicious. Service was great. Drinks also great. Would've given 5 stars but the bathroom was an atrocity.

    Linh T.

    Great food, great drinks, and an overall enjoyable dining experience. We really loved the sake and sushi -- everything tasted fresh and high quality. The ambiance was stylish and welcoming, making it a nice spot to relax and enjoy a meal. Even though it's a busy location, the service was fast, efficient, and attentive. Our waitress was friendly and made excellent drink recommendations that we ended up loving. There was no wait when we arrived on a Saturday afternoon, and the portion sizes were generous for the price. We left satisfied and impressed. We would definitely return and recommend it to anyone looking for fresh sushi, good drinks, and a great dining vibe.

    Absolutely great sushi!
    Angel F.

    We've only been here twice, but there's nothing bad i can say about this place. We had the same waitress both times; Allison/ Alli was friendly, she knew the menu & she was attentive to us. We live in Columbia but WILL TRAVEL FOR GOOD FOOD! And right now it's our favorite sushi spot in Charlotte.

    Bento Box C with shrimp tempura
    Dan R.

    Across the street from my company's office, went here for lunch with the team. Place was busy but got seated right away and service was quick. Had the bento box lunch special which included shrimp tempura and veggies, gyoza, California roll, soup, and salad. Good value for the amount of food. Overall food is good!

    Danyel Nicole S.

    Food was absolutely amazing Best sushi in Charlotte area I've had since moving here from Los Angeles. Highly recommend

    Creighton F.

    I defiantly would like more flavor in the food and maybe shouldn't have ordered tempura style veggies. I envisioned something else in mind and the batter on the veggies filled me very fast. I ended up giving up on the veggies and went for my sushi roll which was delicious. I love Sake and the bartender recommended a nice smooth one for us. I will go check out other locations in town.

    Lychee Martini
    Amoy G.

    Food and service is amazing!! I love sitting at the bar, the bartender is my girl and she makes an amazing Lychee Martini!

    Snow Roll, Lobster Roll, Totoro Roll, Naughty Akami Roll | Instagram: @telephonesmoothie
    Jacqueline T.

    We came here for lunch on a Friday and it was decently busy. They have a patio, but unfortunately, they only put a few tables out there even though it's mostly empty and there is plenty of space for more. This seems like an odd choice when there is nice weather and there's a pandemic that makes eating outside safer. We ate inside since the few tables outside were full when we got there. Three of us split: - Snow Roll - Lobster Roll - Totoro Roll - Naughty Akami Roll I really enjoyed the Lobster Roll and Totoro Roll. The Naughty Akami Roll was pretty good too. The Snow Roll was pretty boring to me. The fish was fresh though. The sushi rolls were pretty small. If you're looking for a light lunch this would work, but we were all hungry after we left.

    Left to right: Snow, Lobster, Totoro, Naughty Akami

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    Photo of Rob F.
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    8 years ago

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    7 years ago

    Best Japanese restaurant in the area. Great Sushi, and tempura. Lunch specials are a real treat on a budget.

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    7 years ago

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    8 years ago

    Good sushi in the Waverly area. The service has been good. Their main dishes are prepared well also.

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    9 years ago

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    8 years ago

    Must come place. Great atmosphere, friendly staff. Fresh sashimi. One of my favorite japanese restaurant?

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    8 years ago

    We really enjoyed Yama. The food was very good and the atmosphere was fun. The bar is also fully stocked so you can get fun cocktails.

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    8 years ago

    Fabulous sushi. Fun, contemporary interior at Waverly location with great cocktail menu. Waverly, Morrison and Ballantyne rolls are amazing!

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    Page 7 of 7

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    Sushi Hana

    Sushi Hana

    4.2
    (261 reviews)
    12.4 mi
    $$

    Anytime you stumble across all-you-can-eat sushi , it already feels like a win, but this place…read moremanages to bring much more to the table. The restaurant is stylish, modern, and surprisingly chic , with a great location that makes it easy to add to an evening out. As first-time guests, we especially appreciated our server, who patiently walked us through the process and made sure there were no surprises. The explanation about the charge for uneaten all-you-can-eat sushi that guests want to take home was particularly helpful. Knowing the rules upfront makes all the difference and sets the right expectations from the start. The food was excellent. We worked our way through several rolls , sampled dumplings , and didn't find a miss among them. My Lycheetini was delicious, and after tasting a couple of sakes , I ended up buying a bottle to take home. Zero regrets there. Parking requires a little planning, with a paid lot nearby unless you're fortunate enough to snag a street spot right in front. Overall, I'd happily return and enjoy the entire experience all over again.

    First all you can eat sushi! The ambiance of this place is nice, casual but slightly upscale as…read morewell. For 30 dollars per person, I feel like you get a lot of variety to pick from. I would skip their fried rolls since you can barely taste the actual sushi. Their classic rolls and specificities are good though! Favorite was the black pepper tuna which was so nuanced in terms of flavors. Overall some of the rolls were a miss while others were pretty good. Service was good too!

    Photos
    Sitting area
    Sitting area
    Nigiri
    Nigiri
    Chef Special Rolls

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    Chef Special Rolls
    Muraya

    Muraya

    3.9
    (182 reviews)
    12.4 mi

    Really enjoyed this restaurant. The atmosphere was great, and the staff was very friendly and…read morewelcoming. The food came out surprisingly fast, which was a nice bonus. The octopus honestly wasn't fully my type flavor-wise because of the seasoning, but it was cooked extremely well -- probably the most tender octopus I've ever had. The cocktails were also very good and definitely strong in a good way. Overall, a really good experience, and I'd come back again.

    After a couple hours scrolling on the internet, my friend and I agreed to try this spot. I…read morepersonally have been craving latin food since coming from Honduras. Great location in south end near the light rail. We had a reservation for 6:30 and were seated promptly. The restaurant is gorgeous! I was in amazement walking to my seat. The host was about to sit us at a table, but we requested a booth and were accommodated. Our server was very nice and thoroughly explained the menu. We started off with the empanadas and I ordered my first virgin "pinny yolada" :). The empanadas were mind blowing! They were nice and hot, flavorful, and absolutely a delight! We were so impressed, we decided to order the double fried wings afterwards. The wings were good and had an interested flavor with the tamarind. After the wonderful appetizers, it was time for the entrees. I ordered the short rib yuca gnocchi and my friend the arroz con pollo. On paper the gnocchi sounded sublime, but in actuality it was lacking a lot. The entire dish lacked so much flavor, even with hot sauce, additional salt, and lime it tasted bland. I was very disappointed. The empanadas and service were a saving grace, I ordered two orders of empanadas to go for my family. However they were so expensive. I paid $14 for 3. Even though I loved the empanadas, I probably would not be back.

    Photos
    Atmosphere
    Atmosphere
    Calentado Criollo
    Calentado Criollo
    Limonada de Coco

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    Limonada de Coco
    O-Ku

    O-Ku

    4.3
    (717 reviews)
    12.1 mi
    $$

    We recently came here on a Thursday to celebrate my birthday. Wanting to beat the dinner crowd, I…read moremade a reservation for 5:30 p.m. At 5:00 p.m., I received a text letting me know our table was already ready--a very thoughtful touch. We arrived at 5:17 p.m., were greeted immediately, and seated right away. When I opened my menu, I was pleasantly surprised to see "Happy Birthday" printed across the top. Another thoughtful detail that made the evening feel special. Since we arrived early, the atmosphere was quiet, intimate, and honestly very romantic. We could actually hear each other talk without raising our voices. The lighting was perfectly dim--creating a cozy ambiance without making it difficult to see the menu. The service was equally enjoyable. Our waiter and waitress were attentive, friendly, and never overbearing, allowing us to enjoy our meal at a relaxed pace. As for the food, it was every bit as good as I remembered. The quality hasn't changed at all--fresh, beautifully prepared sushi with consistently excellent flavors. That's exactly why I keep coming back to O-Ku. You can always count on them for outstanding food, attentive service, and an overall dining experience that never disappoints.

    O-Ku Charlotte was a beautiful spot for a birthday celebration. We had a group of 7 and overall had…read morea really fun experience. The sushi was fresh and flavorful, and both the cocktails and no tails were great. The atmosphere and ambiance made the night feel special. The only downside was that the waitstaff mixed up our order a couple of times, but they were kind and did their best to fix it. Even with that, we still enjoyed the experience and would come back again.

    Photos
    O-Ku
    Red Dragon and Volcano Roll
    Red Dragon and Volcano Roll
    Red Dragon Sushi Roll?

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    Red Dragon Sushi Roll?
    Yume Ramen Sushi & Bar

    Yume Ramen Sushi & Bar

    3.9
    (460 reviews)
    12.7 mi
    $$

    Great service! Our waiter was very attentive. The restaurant is decorated nicely. The AC appeared…read moreon when we first arrived, but we asked the waiter to turn it off/down and they did it immediately. The overall consensus was that the food was alright. The one amazing dish was the chicken skins. The sushi was okay. The house salad dressing was too vinegary and less ginger than I was expecting. I think there are better Japanese restaurants to try for next time but I would give this restaurant another chance.

    Absolutely disgusting experience at Yime Sushi & Ramen in Charlotte. The owner acts like he owns…read morethe entire city and has one of the rudest attitudes I've ever encountered from a business owner. Customer service was terrible from the second we walked in extremely disrespectful, arrogant, and unprofessional. What made it even worse was the condition of the restaurant itself. There were bugs and even roaches inside the restaurant, which completely ruined my appetite and honestly made me question the cleanliness of the kitchen. No restaurant serving raw fish should ever have issues like that. The environment felt dirty, uncomfortable, and poorly managed. I genuinely do not understand the hype around this place. Between the awful attitude from the owner and the unsanitary conditions, I would never recommend anyone eat here. Charlotte has WAY too many amazing sushi and ramen spots to waste your money at a place that treats customers badly and can't even keep the restaurant clean. Save yourself the disappointment and go somewhere else.

    Photos
    Bar
    Bar
    Teriyaki salmon collar
    Teriyaki salmon collar
    Katsu Don

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    Katsu Don

    Yama - sushi - Updated July 2026

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