This place is special. Very fresh fish and creative rolls. We usually do a number 1, number 2, spicy tuna hand rolls, special tuna rolls and miso soup. A side of spicy mayo is a must. I go here every time I'm in the neighborhood. Highly recommend! read more

Yama is back, and just as good as before the pandemic! Yelp should stop reporting this place as closed - they're definitely open now. I've been coming here for over 10 years (when we call, Andy immediately recognizes both my voice and my fiancee's voice since we order takeout so often). I'll admit - the pandemic and the previous reviewer's pictures scared me. The special roll #5 has been my favorite as well. But we decided to order anyway, and it's exactly like how we remember it. I don't normally write reviews here, but I needed to correct the record about Yama's famous #5. Delicious sushi that tastes very fresh. Oversized sushi and rolls. Great cooked food too, though we usually stick to the sushi. read more

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Overall, extremely satisfying and filling! We both agree that the chicken teriyaki is better than the beef teriyaki, which is pretty good in itself. Waitress was helpful and attentive, and kept checking in to make sure we were enjoying the food. The prices are reasonable too. Get the plum wine for a little extra on the side! read more

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This sushi place has been around for a while. Been coming here since I was young and it's just as good as the first time (granted I was like 8 years old the first time I came here lol). It's extremely small so I would recommend reservations! The sushi rolls are significantly bigger than your normal rolls and they serve everyone's rolls on one large plate. Perfect for ordering a bunch of different rolls and sharing with everyone! A bit pricey, but the sushi always tastes fresh and is wrapped to perfection. I like that the place has a tiny, hole-in-the-wall feel. Always a good time when I come here! read more

Yama - These rolls are huge - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Love coming to Yama on special occasion dinners. That it's sort of under a staircase further adds to its charm. Their sushi is pretty decent - we ordered a few rolls and the sushi deluxe and were not disappointed. My favorite treat this past dinner was their special sea bass appetizer (pictured) cooked with a yummy miso sauce. Very, very delicious. A very classic and cute date spot, but also super appropriate for groups of friends and family! Space is a little bit tight (see before note about being under a staircase) but not terribly cramped. read more

Yama - Special sea bass appetizer - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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We love it here! The tiny basement space will film up quickly and stay full entirely because the food is fresh, tasty and beautiful. We ordered quite a variety with the salmon tartar being my absolute favorite! read more

Yama - Salmon tartar is wonderful! - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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Why this place has 3.5 stars is beyond me. If you like real sushi, do not come here. The pieces are HUGE - whether a piece of roll, or a slice of sashimi. Why are they so big?! Poor quality fish - the tuna was brown both times I went. The pieces of fake imitation crab are enormous and terrible, and should not come in a chirashi bowl. They add things like asparagus, citrus mayo, and mango - that should have been my sign to get out before actually ordering anything. Even the rice was strangely cooked, and strangely over-sized. Dining room is strange - overly packed, low ceilings, dirty, sticky, exposed mechanicals. Full of loud diners who just get drunk on their terrible cheap wine, so they order more terrible sushi. read more

Probably the best quality sushi I've ever had in Lower Manhattan. Venue is a speak-easy like intimate setting right off of the hustle and bustle of Union Square. read more

Yama - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

The best sushi in NYC is off of Union Square, down some steps, in a unassuming but welcoming spot. The menu and the spot itself aren't fancy, but the service is prompt and efficient, and the fish is unbelievably fresh and melts in your mouth, and the pricing is reasonable. Yama is out of this world good. read more

This japanese restaurant is conveniently located near Union Square were we watched a show We were craving sushi and we were not disappointed. The fish was fresh and flavorful. The atmosphere relaxed. Tables covid safe distanced. The size of the sushi and sashimi pieces was perfect. We ordered a wide variety and I loved the uni and unagi. Takeout seemed extremely busy which is a good sign. Prices are very reasonable. I forgot my credit card at the restaurant, which they mailed to me as I live far away. First class people . Will definitely return read more

Yama is a very discrete and cozy sushi spot near Union Square. I recent came here midweek for dinner. They nearly full and I'm not surprised! The sushi was excellent and the prices were basically unbeatable. We were shocked when the bill came considering the great quality of the sushi. We also did an order of the gyoza and it was delicious. Highly recommend! read more

A literal dream! So delicious and so many options on their expansive menu. I really enjoyed this place for takeout and I would definitely go back again. Really has options for everyone! read more

Yama has great sushi. They have specials, appetizers and entrees in the menu or you can order rolls or pieces a la carte. Everything we got was great, I would recommend the mango salmon roll, which turned out to be pretty large and filling! The prices are fairly reasonable, a dinner for two, including an order of saki was less than $50. The staff was also very nice. The restaurant is on the lower level so it might be hard to find at first at first glance, however the place was packed! Yama is kind of small, so I do not recommend going with a large group. I would also recommend making a reservation in advanced, so you do not have to wait. read more

My go-to sushi spot in the city. Always fresh, incredibly generous serving sizes, and you just can't beat the value. Will always recommend.

As much as it pains me to do this I must leave a negative review. I don't know if they changed suppliers, or are using old fish from before the pandemic starting but something is off. The special no 5 roll salmon is white (salmon should be red/orange) and Yama sauce which has been a staple sauce is now bitter. Don't believe me? Just compare my pictures of the special number 5 vs. pics from before of the same roll. Stay away until they get there act together read more

Yama - White salmon - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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The food is good, but the staff is rude. I don't appreciated being rushed to eat at 8:30 on a Thursday evening. They literally gave me a 30 minute last call order when they seated me. I've ordered throughout COVID to support them, but I will never go there again. read more

You can eat created Japanese sushi and good Sake! It was really good. But restaurant was small and I wanted more nice interior for date...1.8.2016 read more

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Went for lunch - not the best sushi but for $18 you get a pretty good deluxe set! Not a date spot but more like a become a regular spot if you live near here. Worth going for value! Also their rice menus are like $14 and pretty good! read more

Yama - Sushi - Dx - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

They've been in the game for decades & the Sushi is Great. The place needs some simple interior décor improvements. A simple paint job and replacing the old rug in the back room would do wonders. read more

I came here with a group of friends before a movie. We waited about 30-40mins for a table when we were told was a 20 minute wait. This is not a place that I would wait 30-40mins for. We ordered the sushi and sashimi for two to share and additional rolls to share. Just to let everyone know, they put wasabi between the rice and the sushi because that really caught some of us by surprise. For those that don't put wasabi on their sushi, this will not be to their liking. I normally put a small amount but it was a little too much. I like to put my own wasabi to my own taste. However, the sushi fish is fresh and the salmon melts in your mouth. So they deserve a 3 star because they use good ingredients and the portions are huge. However, the service and wait time was where they lost points for me. read more

Yama - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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Now that I've tried Yama a few times, it's going to be hard for me to continue to eat mediocre sushi. It's worth putting up with nonchalant servers, higher than average prices, and being packed like sardines in a can in here to eat fish that is precisely the opposite of that. I've had both the sushi for two here as well as a la carte pieces and rolls and have enjoyed everything, especially the salmon and Spanish mackerel--impossibly long, thick slabs of Omega-3 goodness that cannot be contained by the bundle of sushi rice neatly tied with seaweed. My friends have enjoyed the uni, omelet, and Octopus. The only roll I don't recommend is the spicy tuna because they render the spicy mayo into a runny puddle that is drizzled over the top of the roll rather than integrated into it. I wouldn't recommend this place as a weekly hangout, but it's certainly a nice treat once in a while. read more

Yama - Sushi for two - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Let's start off with the fact that Yama Sushi has received a C Restaurant Grade. Did you know that? Maybe you didn't because they deliberately keep the door open with the Rating facing so that it is not visible. I can't believe that get away with this! The sushi is decent but the combination of receiving a C grade (there is no D) combined with the fact they hide it so customers cannot see it, has made it impossible for me to eat there anymore! Why go through all the trouble of hiding the rating and not fixing whatever problem there is that caused it? Avoid at all costs, at least that's what I do. Sorry to share but I just felt I had to. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/17/nyregion/new-york-today-what-do-restaurant-grades-mean.html #yamasushi #yama17 read more

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Sometimes my eyes are way bigger than my stomach...and this was the case for all members my party of 4 at Sushi Yama last night. We ordered enough food for 12 people and while we ate, and ate, and ate delicious sushi we just couldn't eat it all. But wow- Yama's sushi is GOOD....I'm talking California sushi quality good. And almost as good as the sushi...the many bottles of chilled sake (perfect for the HOT, humid July night). Our party arrived at 7 pm on a Monday night and by 7:30 there was a line out the door....pretty impressive for a Monday night! And even more impressive...the party of 6 sitting next to us that ordered enough sushi for 100 people (they made us pigs look like we were on a serious diet). We watched them eat a boatload (literally) and more of sushi within 10 minutes...they looked so hungry that I wanted to give them our leftovers! As far as pricing don't expect cheap sushi (this is NY afterall), but well priced for the size and quality of the rolls. read more

Not sure what to think of this place. The wait took forever (9pm on a thursday) and the Union Square location seems to be quite the Euro hangout. Maybe its in some travel guide cause everyone sitting in our room was speaking a European language. Generally I prefer hearing Japanese in sushi restaurants but Yama is definitely not authentic in that respect. But it is good, fresh fish. I appreciate the generous portions but would prefer that to translate into more pieces not 1 ginormous slab. It made eating awkward cause the rolls are so big they fall apart and that takes away from the sushi experience a little. Some rolls are the size of those deli wraps you see on lunch platters... read more

I missed that place for 6 to 7 months because I'm 100 pounds over weights, after I have seen hundreds of photos, still drooling over it. Right now I list almost 40 pounds[not yet]. I think I can eat there again, watch my diet after ward. This place is my home. Drooling again, thinking all the rolls[ too much rice] salad and soup is a must[ zero points] great tea. So , no lunch till dinner may be perfectly fine with me read more

It could have easily been a 4 stars, but the service is borderline annoying. I don't know from which part of Japan these people come, but I've never seen such rudeness in a "real" Japanese place (and this one is). Now. As for food, I liked their fish all the three times I've eaten. The rice has a nice firmness. Don't know the kitchen, but the sushi bar is up to a nice level (although the plating resent a bit of that same rudeness showcased by the front of the house). Last minute note : twice I ate lunch in the last two days. Both days at 2,15pm they had the oil for tempura shut off. Again, I've never seen a restaurant doing like that. Note that there were still customers, it was not a slow day. Some customer came in at 2,24pm (yes annoying thing to do) and as they were still about to seat, the manager told them to order quickly as they were about to close. Come again ?! ..... read more

Yama - Nice craftsmanship, but no love in plating. - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

I started to come to Yama while my husband and I lived in the neighborhood 25 years ago. It used to be super popular and the line would form around 4:30 pm before first seating at 5 pm. Back in the days, we would come 1-2 a month and could always count on a delicious Japanese meal. We moved away and came back and just took a friend there to re-live the joy of my favorite place. It didn't disappoint. My friend is a vegetarian and her eggplant appetizer was really flavorful and so was her kabocha sushi roll. My assortments of sushi and rolls were just as fresh and delicious and the pieces of fish on my sushi were just as big as before. read more

Yama - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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Yama is one of my favorite sushi places. I've been eating here for...well, let's just say a really long time. Very little has changed in all these years which is one of the reasons I love it. There's no fuss with decor or fancy service. I actually prefer the simple Japanese decor and cozy space. Feels more authentic than their younger location on 49th St. The sushi is good quality and tastes fresh. IMO, better than most sushi places I've been to. As a sushi lover, I'm a fan of the big, long pieces of nigiri sushi. Sure, the fish is cut a little thinner in more recent years as costs have risen, but that's the case for anything. Even so, the prices are reasonable for the quality and portion. While sushi is what I go for, I also enjoy some of their appetizers. Hamachi kama is one of my favorites...meaty, succulent yellowtail collar with salt. I could almost just have that and some rice for my meal...almost. I'm going all out with 5 stars because I've never had a bad experience, the food is always good, and I just like going here. read more

Yama - Various sushi roll specials - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Saturday night. Me and my boyfriend were looking for a Sushi place and after being told at two places there was a 2 hs wait we found Yama. It was packed but we found a place at the bar. Premium location as I got to see the chefs in action! I don't know why they have a low review. We had a great experience. Everything was super fresh and portions were abundant. I even struggled to get the sushi to fit my mouth as they are so big. I cut the sashimi in half with my wooden sticks (probably bad Japanese etiquette, but my bf doesn't know lol). Also good fish to rice ratio in the sushi, I hate when is all rice and a tiny fish! I only knocked them off one star because waiters were more order takers than anything else. We left super satisfied, in a good way. A nice thing since you starve at many sushi places in NY. The bill came up to ~$80 and we had plenty of food. We had: - Miso Soup with Nameko Mushrooms ($4.75): good to start, not much to say about a miso mushroom soup really... - Hijiki cooked seaweed salad ($5.5): loved it - 1 Tuna ($4.25 / piece), 4 Salmon ($4 / piece), 2 Yellow Tail ($4.25 / piece) and 2 Shrimp ($4 / piece) Sashimi: So fresh. They come with this white vegetable noodles that I loved! Skip the shrimp, for $4 I would get more of the salmon instead one tiny shrimp. - Special roll - Sea Scallop, Flying Fish Roe, Cucumber, Avocado and Spicy Mayonnaise ($8.75 for ~6 pieces): Delicious! - Special hand roll - Salmon, Avocado, Cucumber and Flying Fish Roe ($8.75) - very fresh, we also got a normal salmon hand roll - Special roll - Shrimp, Cucumber, Flying Fish Roe, Avocado and Spicy Mayonnaise ($8.75 for ~6 pieces): good, but the scallop was better! Will be back! read more

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My friend and I went here for dinner tonight as one of her local favorites. I was definitely impressed by the quality of the fish. Everything was tasty and fresh. What was weird to me was the service. From the start, there was a confusing order form left in front of us that didn't even seem to be accurate and we ended up just telling the waiter what we would like. He never checked on us and we had to ask for the bill. They weren't very friendly either. I asked if they could do brown rice as a substitute and he said "they didn't have it." Yeah, ok. I'm not gonna lie if I had seen the review below about the C healthgrade rating I DEFINITELY would not have gone. Luckily, we didn't have any issues with the cleanliness but that's pretty abominable. read more

I've been wanting to go here for about five years but I always thought it was super expensive. I think that since you have to physically go down a set of stairs to read the door menu, i just assumed it was beyond my reach both physically and financially. To my pleasant surprise, Yama is not some elite club house for Manhattan's upper echelon. I mean, I showed up in some gym shorts, a t-shirt and my leopard print Nike freestyles and they seated me, served up some edamame and some special rolls without a blink of an eye. Though I read some complaints about the basement set up, I think the low ceilings and ground level windows keep things quaint. They also have a little schtick going: you have to fill out a paper, marking your sushi orders with a pen like a take out menu. I don't know what the deal is with this. Is it to reduce miscommunication issues or to breakdown language barriers? I'm not sure. Anyway, the sushi was good. I wasn't like drooling on the floor or anything and I'm not already scheduling my next visit, but everything was definitely fresh and delicious. (I guess I was a little disappointed after the five year wait, but what did I want? The sushi to be brushed with diamond dust and the wasabi to be laced with gold flecks? The disappointment is much more the fault of my dreams and fantasies than any of the staff members at Yama). The spicy rolls are doused with a spicy mayo on top (it's not like mixed in with the tuna or whatever like you're used to). The little waiting area was packed when I left at 8:15 and I did sense some frustration for the waiting patrons. We, however, had no wait at 7:00 on a Thursday. So that's the best I can offer after one visit. I'll update after my next trip...hopefully not down the stairs on my way to Yama...oooh no! haha. read more

Yama is a bit of a surprise. Located in NYC, it has access to some of the freshest sushi I've ever tasted. If it's your first time there and you're a big sushi lover, take the Sushi Sashimi combo. It's a great sample of what Yama has to offer. If you really want to enlighten your taste buds, pair it with a salad where they make their ginger dressing fresh every day. And to drink, get yourself a cold saki, but save it for your meal. They have a large selection hand rolls. #5, the salmon roll is their most popular, but I'm a particular fan of their #1 and #7. They're loaded with fish, shrimp, and their spicy mayonnaise. And finally, if you're an eel lover, try the I Love Eel roll, which is hard to eat with its cucumber wrap, but ultimately delicious. read more

This place is now my second favorite sushi place out there, and only just a hair behind Sushi Yasuda. If this was a horse race, it would require a photo finish between the two on the quality of the fish. It would be easy to just walk right by this place... It is in the basement of a building with very minimal signage. We came here on a Saturday night and were seated after about a 10 minute wait. Every seat in the house was taken and they pack everyone in there. You can literally reach over and take food off of the plates in the next table on either side. Anyways, the food. The sushi here is incredibly fresh... Every bite of fish was melt in your mouth tender. Something also interesting here (and previously mentioned) is the spicy mayo they use. It's a bit thinner than what you normally see, and has a slight hint of sesame oil. Really excellent and unique. We also had the whole fried baby octopus. Truly excellent. You haven't eaten unless you have bitten the head off of a baby octopus. For the quality of food you get here, it really is a best deal. 2 rolls, 10 pieces of sushi, the baby octopus, and a bottle of sake ran under $100 before tip. That's less than half of what you would pay at Sushi Yasuda for pretty comparable sushi. So if the food is so good and the value is there, why only four stars? Two reasons. The service is lacking completely. After our food was served, the waitress never came back to check in or for us to order more sake. The other reason is the ambiance / space. They pack in the customers way too tightly to the point that you cannot get out from the table without having to move the table next to you. Will I come back here? Absolutely. For sushi of this quality, I'll deal with any space and service issues. read more

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Inside Yama looks like any other typical local sushi place with Japanese decor and menu. But what separates it from the rest of the sushi spots - its their sushi. The sushi is very reasonably priced, comes in large portions and most important tastes great. Very fresh and delicious. Great place for all sushi lovers out ther, including myself of course. The service here is also very good. The staff is very professional, kind and helpful. The only bad thing is that this place is always packed. Very hard to find a seat, and tell you the truth I don't like it when there are lots of people around me and so close to me when I eat. Very stressful. read more

Yama - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

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Favorite sushi joint around Union Square. Came here a couple of times and really enjoyed the sushi. A few reviewers said this place is a bang for your buck, maybe I ordered too much but it's never been cheap. I'm not complaining because the sushi is fresh and well worth it but I would put it in the three dollar sign range. There's also a bit of a wait for a table so keep that in mind if you're in a hurry to get somewhere. read more

Again another place where my taste buds are apparently opposite to the consensus. Perhaps people find the charm of being shoehorned into a basement restaurant that's semi-difficult to locate charming, or perhaps the fact you literally get to rub elbows with scenesters here makes some people happy. Perhaps I just happened to experience an unfortunate chain of events that lead to being seated next to some obnoxious guests, coupled with mediocre sushi that pushed be down below what could have been 3 stars. They seem to be all about the volume of patrons here and as such you're packed in tight and service definitely had the vibe of attempting to rotate tables quickly. I had the sushi regular which was ok for the majority of the fish, the tuna however was pretty terrible. You'd think with a common fish like tuna it would be served through quickly, but it certainly didn't taste that way. The best way I can describe it is it tasted like the pre-packaged sushi you might get one day later than prime. Pricing is definitely not worth what you get. If you have the choice, I'd probably choose something else. read more

The answer to my sashimi addiction while I interned in Union Square. Lunchtime is the best time, give a few sakes some sips while you peruse their sushi prices. Very reasonable, given the size and quality of the fish they curate read more

Love the tender large pieces of Sushi. The interior of the restaurant could use a much needed remodel but the outdoor sidewalk shed is one of the best I've seen, and for the great prices I can overlook the interior decor. read more

One of the best tasting sushi joints in the city. Located at the end of 17th st almost the basement level. You can probably miss this place if it's your first time. You won't get blown away by the decor or service but you will definitely be blown away by the sushi and its freshness. My go to spot for sushi but don't expect anything fancy. Small place that seats maybe max of 60 people. Taste would be 5 stars but I've been a patron to this place for years and I feel the cut of fish has progressively gotten smaller throughout the years where wash sushi piece might cost 4-6 bucks. But other than that solid 4 star no frill sushi joint Also don't forget to try the tempura green tea fried ice cream. It's sooooo good!! read more

Yama - Japanese Near Me - New York, New York

Try special roll #5 with salmon, scallions, and their amazing spicy mayo. A friend brought me here yesterday for dinner and I liked it so much that I came back today. Fish is fresh, reasonably priced, no decor or music playing in the background but I think I prefer it that way. Service is not overly friendly but efficient. Not the best sushi I've ever had but probably my favorite sushi place as of now. read more