Nine of us enjoyed a top notch Japanese feast this evening! Lots of variety on the menu give us lots of opportunities to try multiple dishes, not one of which wasn't great! Our waitress was so patient with us as orders were changed or added to, so cheerful and polite. Every one of us walked out having enjoyed one of the best Japanese meals in memory! read more

It's really hard to say what to order here because everything I have tasted is fantastic. The dinner special is only $11.95 ( if I'm not wrong) for a veggie roll (always fresh and crispy), a salmon roll (yummy) and a Calamari roll (my favorite!)...the dinner special also includes salad and miso soup. Both times I've been there I had Age Gioza (deep fried)...and it was delicious. Besides the great food, Yamato has a place in my heart for the atmosphere and the super friendly staff. Love all about it. read more

Yamato Japanese Restaurant - Age Gioza: it comes with 8 pieces, but we had a few before the picture! - Japanese Near Me - Orem, Utah

Amazing food amazing service. The short woman who runs the front is super sweet. The food comes in large portions. We had to get a box for all the extra food. The atmosphere and everything about it was great! We'll definitely be back next date night! read more

This restaurant is incredible. The atmosphere is very calm and the restaurant feels as if you were actually stepping foot into Japan. The food is incredible too! The chicken katsu and the tempera veggies are awesome! Definitely want to come back and try the sushi! read more

Good sushi, but the service isn't great. Both times I've come, I got my sushi before appetizers and soup. That's not good. I also do not like when I have an empty water glass for the bulk of my meal. The food is pretty good, but I will probably not return because of the lack of service. Last time I came, I ended up cancelling my pot stickers because they were supposed to come first, but halfway through our sushi, it still hasn't come. Hopefully things improve in the future because I love supporting small local businesses. read more

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The Bomb sushi roll was tiny. Great flavor and presentation. The chicken Ramen bowl was very disappointing flavor was flat the chicken was dry and old and the soft boiled egg was a cold hard boiled egg obviously from yesterday or the day before before. read more

How do I describe the majesty of this place? The food was something Gordon Ramsey would be proud of. The service was the best I've had in my life. (Friend number 2): I've been coming here for about 5 years, 3 of those years were of birthdays. My friends and I enjoyed ourselves the Yam, California, Bonzia, fire, Kiss of Dragon (Rolls). We were given a roll on the house that we all decided to call the Sweet Devil. The Service was nice sense we had to take our time ordering and waiting for friends. (Friend number 3): The food was great and the service was amazing. The Sweet Devil in particular was the best sushi I've had. read more

This is the first time I have had miso soup that actually tasted fermented. It was good. My son really liked his ramen. We had the bento boxes with spicy chicken. We liked them. They appeared to be short handed, which really slowed down the service. read more

Yamato has, without question, the best sushi in the entire area (both Utah and Salt Lake counties). The sushi grade fish is flown in daily and it shows - it's always very fresh, firm, and never fishy or mushy. The rest of their food is delicious as well, though, which isn't always the case at sushi restaurants. We love their teriyaki and get it almost every time we go there. Their portions are quite large and so reasonably priced - today I ordered the beef teriyaki and gyoza lunch special, which came with miso soup and salad for only $7.95. Our favorite sushi roll is hands down the Dancer Roll, which is a California roll topped with mango and a fresh pineapple sauce (to die for). We also love the Sunset roll with fresh salmon and thinly sliced fresh lemon. We haven't really ever ordered any rolls we didn't like because their menu is so varied and delicious! I've noticed in other reviews that the biggest complaint is slow service. Admittedly, this isn't really the sort of place you can pop in and out of in a short period of time. But the service is solidly good - our favorite server is Toshiko, a lovely middle aged woman who is so attentive and friendly. We hadn't been in for a few months and she recognized us today, welcoming us back and thanking us for returning. When it gets busy, I notice some of the younger servers can get overwhelmed, but for us the ambience and food are what make Yamato really shine. read more

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We've been coming here for years. We were quite regulars a dozen years ago. These days it's just because everywhere else is busy and they aren't. There was the day when this was the place to get decent sushi in town. Now we just come once a year hoping things are better. I haven't tracked the chefs here over the years, but things have changed and slowly gone downhill. Each visit the fish is a little less fresh, there are more rolls with lots of mayo, and the tempura batter gets thicker while it gets more soggy. We've finally hit the point where we just won't be able to come back again. At least until somebody I trust says it's back. read more

Where do I start? How about the best value Japanese restaurant in Utah County. $7.95 for Shrimp and Vegetable Tempura, Chicken Teriyaki, salad, miso soup and rice? Really? How about Beef Sukiyaki for under $10? Yes - really! Outstanding service? Oh yah, Yamato is all that and more. They have a great sushi selection, plus a Korean grill right on your table so you can cook your own meat, seafood, and vegetables. My family and I often travel a 40 minute commute from South Jordan just to experience the good food and good service from Yamato. We celebrated my wife's birthday a while back in their private room and it was one of the best experiences we have had for a long time. You just cant overlook their reasonably priced menu to other overpriced Japanese restaurants. A definite diamond in the rough. read more

We really liked it but not the best. Since it is a Japanese restaurant, my husband loved the pork katsu. He said it was amazing. Completely authentic. I got something of the Korean menu, pork bulgogi which had good flavor but the pork was cut pretty thick to what I'm used to. It was huge portions! The cool thing was that they give you miso soup and salad before your meal and then ice cream after. We came for dinner so I think it was for that, not lunch. The booth was really fun to sit in also. It felt like you were crossing your legs or something at a really Japanese restaurant. Our service was great, they came by and refilled the water plenty of times and asked how everything was. We also felt like it was a really good deal! $30 for a appetizer, two miso soups, two salads, two entrees with a huge portion, and ice cream after. That's pretty awesome! read more

Yamato Japanese Restaurant - Pork bulgogi - Japanese Near Me - Orem, Utah

I've been in a few times now, and I can say this is my favorite Japanese food place in town. They do a fantastic job every time, and their staff is so nice! I keep bringing new friends, who also love the food. I absolutely recommend this place! read more

The first few times we came here food was amazing. The last three times we ordered the food tasted kindof funky and they mixed up our orders. If I order through a food delivery service it is never packaged well and usually spills inside the bag :/ Hit or miss when it's a hit tho- its a huge hit!! read more

Like other reviews mention, we had very slooooow service. We were seated quickly and got water, but then it was 10 minutes to order, about 30 minutes for food to come, and 5-10 minutes of trying to catch the waitress's attention to get our check. We tried the Yamato Sushi roll which was an excellent choice. A little expensive but very good flavors. Then we had the Pork Cutlet (Tonkatsu) and had enough to take home for leftovers. Do they really think 1 person can eat 2 pork cutlets with a pile of sticky rice? Maybe if we hadn't had sushi as well I could have finished the pork. But the pork was a little dry so I'm glad we had the sauce. If you have time to wait for slow service but want excellent food, give this place a try. You've probably whizzed by it several times as you pass by the Orem mall nearby. read more

Yamato Japanese Restaurant - Yamato Sushi Roll - Japanese Near Me - Orem, Utah

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I'm a huge sushi fan and I'm so glad I found this place! Great customer service and delicious food! I was with a group of friends and we all enjoyed ourselves! I love the ambiance of the restaurant too! I ordered the Dynamite roll and it was delicious!! Their whole menu looked so good, but I'm glad I got the Dynamite roll - I definitely recommend it! read more

Good portions and fresh food. Tempura orders come with lots of veggies, which is always nice.

I have been to Yamato many times especially when I lived in Orem area and just went there recently. The service was friendly enough, could be slow sometimes. Love their Saba Shioyaki but this time I had seafood pancake( flour too thick) and Katsu curry( too salty), I could not finish it. I think I ordered the wrong thing. read more

Yamato Japanese Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Orem, Utah

I have been to Yamato's several times but this time was absolutely horrendous. Words cannot describe the horrible service and the quality of the food that we received. First, it took forever for the waiter to come to the table. This young Korean man was slow and din't care at all about the service he was giving. Further, he was more interested in flirting with my friend rather than doing his job. How disgusting. Even more, none of the waiters could understand English. I ordered the Hiroshimayaki which was the most disgusting thing I have ever eaten. The bottom was completely burned BLACK and that black crap was similar to a burnt deep-fried cupcake. I do not know why they thought it would be a good idea to put cupcake batter at the bottom of this, but they did. It left disgusting crumbs all over my yaki which gave it a strange and unsightful look. Additionally, we rarely were checked up on and no one asked how our food was, even though they would ask others in our group. I felt that this was blatant rudeness and frankly very concerning and offensive. So I asked the Korean waiter boy if we could have more sauce on this piece of crap because it literally tasted like nothing. It was dry, bland, and burnt. The waiter abruptly said we were not allowed to have more sauce, which was a complete shock since this thing completely lacked any sauce at all. After being quite pissed, we flagged down another waiter and told him about the quality of this Hiroshimayaki. We told him it was burnt, dry, and that we couldn't eat it. With much care, he said he would take care of it. I was relieved. 5 minutes later the waiter came back with the plate. Much to our surprise, we saw that they MICROWAVED our food!! WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD MICROWAVE BURNT AND DRY FOOD?? At this point, there was nothing we could do to save the food. We couldn't contain our laughter and started dying because of the stupidity of these people. Wow, imagine having your burnt food microwaved, which made the food even more dry and at this point, inedible. When we were at the register we asked for the manager. Guess what, they wouldn't give us the manager. I was appalled at their rudeness and their inconsiderate attitude. I mean, the people at the register was our waiter and the other waiter who microwaved our food, so they obviously didn't want to get chewed out. Anyways, after complaining and wanting the food to be free, they thought it would be a good idea for us to pay half the price. I wasn't happy and was honestly pissed, but I payed. I am never coming back and I hope to talk to the manager about this problem. I feel it is important for him to know about the attitude of the waiters. read more

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I always feel guilty when I leave a review less than four stars because I am expecting something great. This place is both good and bad at the same time. Considering this is Utah and the cultural diversity tends to be lacking, I will be less harsh on my reviews and round up to the nearest star. Personal note: I'm not a fan of Japanese food. Nor do I think sushi is something everyone should try. First off, the food has been good. I've been here many times with friends and every visit has been consistent. Presentation is nice and flavor is good. Higher rating for that. Staff (aka family) can be disorganized at times. Servers working everywhere but they don't seem to be fully aware of their surroundings. Food gets brought out at different times and things get forgotten on every visit we've made The building is nice and they do keep a clean place. Seating is available for a few people up to a very large group. Plenty of parking in the back of the building. My first experience at this place: A pitcher of water was dropped in the walkway by the booths and bunch of cloth table napkins were just thrown over it. People including staff just walked over it the whole time we were there. Hmmmm.... read more

We have came here for years for the beef sukiyaki, today we sadly received zero noodles in ours. We mentioned it to the server who went to the kitchen, the kitchen said it was in it and when we showed him there was not any he returned to tell us the kitchen said there is noodles in the dish and if we come back later and buy it again they will add more noodles. It was very bizarre and definitely not the experience you'd expect when you have came here for years to order this specific dish. read more

Summary: This is one of those places I have seen quite a bit driving up and down state street, but it is one that I had not experienced until now. It has an expansive menu selection with everything from Sushi to Korean BBQ. While everything was good, it did not quite meet up to other options in the area with the same offerings. ------------------------------------------------------------------- The atmosphere (3 stars) - This interior was clean, well taken care of. The booths are unique, and very private which is a great added bonus. They even have tables you can sit at where you cook your own KBBQ The food (3 stars) - The food is good. Not amazing, but it was tasty and well prepared. The Korean Short ribs I had could have been a bit more tender, but overall they were tasty. Service (4 stars) - The service we received was exactly what was expected. Our server was friendly, quick, and attentive. Value (3 stars) - I spent around $30.00, and while I got plenty of food, I did not feel like the cost met up to the quality of the food. Will I go back sometime? - Yes What I wish I would have done: I wish I would have sat at a table where I could have experienced cooking my own Kbbq.... Next time. What I ordered: Appetizer: Pork Gyoza (3 Stars) Entree: Korean Short Ribs Udon Soup read more

The thing that stuck out to me the most was that the service was terrible. The waiters were all young Korean guys who spent more time chatting with each other than serving customers. I waited a ridiculously long time for utensils after I got my food until I finally was sick of waiting for one of them to come by, so I stood up and walked to their corner where they were talking and laughing and straight up asked for utensils. The guy who was in charge of our table actually questioned me when I said I didn't have utensils! He said "What?? Really??" in a disbelieving tone, made a face, and took forever to actually deliver. Also, they tried to "make it up to me" by offering a scoop of cheap, rock-solid ice cream. It really didn't make the experience much better. Lastly, the portions and prices for my sushi were also just so-so. I really don't know if I would ever come back here again, unless they retrain or rehire their employees. read more

Always excellent food overall. The sushi is fresh and tasty. I have enjoyed many of the menu items over the years, and they're all good, having said that you must try the Hiroshima Okonomiyaki. I lived in Japan for a couple of years, so was very familiar with the traditional Osaka style (which is very good), but once I tried the Hiroshima style, it became my favorite. The yakisoba and gyoza are also excellent. A nice dining experience. read more

Yamato will always be special to me. 17 years ago, the lady I was dating took me there and introduced me to sushi. I was in love. My culinary affair with sushi continues to this day, as does my love for that special lady friend who introduced us. Beyond my personal connection to Yamato, as I've developed my own system for evaluating the various restaurants I visit, my original review has stuck in my craw. Yamato is like home. Warm and safe and easy to take for granted. The sushi is very fresh, flavorful, and creative. The gyoza is tender, with a sauce that is pleasantly tart. I've enjoyed the sukiyaki and the saba shioyaki. Even the side salad, with a house made relish/dressing stands out from the usual. As for the service, I've never had better. There's a server by the name of Toshiko, whose been running the front of the house for 20 years or more. A kinder, more attentive lady is not to be found. Please give Yamato a try. They do not disappoint. Strongest of recommends. read more

Yamato Japanese Restaurant - Lisa Roll. - Japanese Near Me - Orem, Utah

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We've been coming here for years and always love it. The only problem I have is there are so many delicious options that it's hard to decide what to have. Lunch time has the best deals. Chicken or beef teriyaki, katsu curry, okonomiyaki, takoyaki, sukiyaki, katsudon, tempura, sushi, it's all really good. My default is often the chicken teriyaki and California roll lunch combo but you can't go wrong. read more

We always love and have a wonder experience at Yamato's! Staff is kind and have the best customer service! read more

Yamato Japanese Restaurant - Okonomiyaki, Katsu Don - Japanese Near Me - Orem, Utah

This place is still the best deal for great Japanese food at a good price in Utah! From sushi to entrees, my family loves everything we have ever eaten here, and at better prices than most Japanese restaurants in this area. This is our go to place! read more

Amazing Christmas lunch. So glad they were open. Service was quick. Servers were helpful. Food was delicious. Even the picky eaters at the table were fed and happy. read more

Every visit here at yamatos I have been very pleased and impressed with the food as well as the service! I absolutely love the seating options there too, it is really a fun and exquisite experience :) If you're not a sushi person they have great terryaki chicken dishes! read more

I was told it's super good place to go eat so I decided to give it a try. Prices are relatively low for the portions served and food tasted great . However our server took forever to come take our order and during our stay he never came back to check on us or get us refills. We had to go get our own check too. It wasn't even busy, there were only 4 tables and 2 servers available .We could see him just sitting down in the kitchen area doing nothing. read more

My friends and I have been coming here once a month for more than a year now. Every time we go, we all get the same thing: the Yamato spicy chicken. It's fried chicken, which in and of itself is excellent, but the sauce is explosively delicious. Spicy, yes, but also so sweet and so tangy. It's a party in your mouth, unlike anything I had ever had before. It's essentially Korean (yes, in a Japanese restaurant) fried chicken with a gochujang sauce, if you're familiar with it. The portions are huge, so we always share one order for two people. The small green salad that comes with it is so incredible and satisfying, and their miso soup is excellent. Something about it tastes like home--very comforting. One of the best miso soups I've had in the area. Service isn't always great. Small glasses they only fill once a meal during busy times, and they are busy often given how delicious the food is. With the chicken being covered in a thick sauce, you get thirsty pretty quick, so pace yourself. If the spicy chicken weren't so absolutely perfect, I would probably complain more or come less. As it is, I adore this restaurant and I'm so glad it exists. read more

Excellent sushi and fantastic Ramen. One of the best ramens I've ever had. We went back 1 week later for more sushi and ramen. Staff is very knowledgeable and friendly. Highly recommended! read more