I love this restaurant. It's dangerously close to where I live and I go here often and get various maki rolls. Sushi obviously isn't inexpensive, but compared to many places in Portland it's quite reasonably priced if you order non-speciality rolls. The eel avocado roll is especially good and I have also enjoyed the fatty tuna and yellowtail/scallion. I think what makes this place special though is that it appears the owner is heavily involved in the day-to-day operations. I believe he works as a sushi chef sometimes and I've also passed by late at night and seen him cleaning the glass on the front door. The waiters seem genuinely happy to be working there and seem to be friends with each other. They also seem to have strong intra-restaurant culture such as greeting people who walk in the door with the same greetings that I heard when I was in Japan and saying "corner" every time they're rounding a corner with food. The patio outside is delightful. There's a waterfall and the space has the feel of a Japanese tea garden. Really special place. It can feel a bit buzzy/sceney on the weekends, for better or worse. Definitely a special restaurant worth going to. read more

Yosaku - Avocado roll and eel avocado roll and spicy salmon roll - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Maine

My friends and I had a fabulous experience here. We started with the fried chicken (chicken karaage) which opened up our appetite for all the sushi we ate. Every sushi roll was fresh and packed with different fish. We loved the option to sit at the traditional Japanese tables on the floor, it reminded me of when in Japan. It took a bit of time for the sushi to come in, but we did order quite a bit (so worth it) They had a painting on the wall featuring the sushi chefs from 2020 and they told us that the same sushi chefs are still working here! It was very heart warming. read more

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Went here on a date a little while ago and it was awesome. Ambiance is great and staff were friendly. Some of the sushi options are a bit pricey but that's to be expected and it was some good stuff for sure -- you can totally tell the fish is fresher and higher quality than some of the cheaper sushi spots (don't get me wrong I'm glad those are around too cuz I'm broke lol). They have some really unique rolls too. My date got a roll with pickled plum in it, wasn't for me but it was really interesting and he loved it. My salmon skin roll was unbelievable. read more

Sushi was great, server was kind and attentive. The seaweed salad is yummy and the outdoor seating looked super cozy. Bonus points for the bidets, we need more of those in America. read more

Yosaku - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Sit at the sushi bar and enjoy the talent of the chefs! Service was good. Ambience at the sushi bar was excellent. There were 5 sushi chefs lined up and working fast and meticulously. We all had fun and ate some beautiful fish! read more

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Rude abrupt service. Asked to move out of the sun to a different table, they refused because it would mean we'd have a different server. Since when is that the customers problem? Quality of the tuna was poor. Slimy offcuts that "some customers prefer". Will never be returning. read more

Very good Japanese food. Tried Donkatsu, Bento Box, nicely done sushi (great sushi rail) attentive service and over all a gem of a find. Great outdoor space and even some floor level seating for those who want more of a traditional experience. read more

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I absolutely loved this place. We got sushi rolls, gyoza, and edamame. Everything was delicious and our waitress was unbelievably prompt and kind. I LOVE that they let you sit on the floor on the elevated platforms and their little seats. Boyfriend paid so I cannot speak on how expensive it was but it's probably pretty comparable to other Portland spots. THEY HAVE STREET PARKING which if you know me is my biggest deal in Portland. Would definitely recommend. Loved it. read more

Yosaku - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Maine

If I'm getting sushi I always seem to come here. Menu options and prices are great and the vibe is so good in there. I love the low traditional tables. Never have been disappointed here read more

Yosaku - Godzilla roll and salmon roll - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Maine

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I Yosaku. While I don't normally go in the winter I always opt for summertime visits. I absolutely adore their outdoor patio it feels like such a zone of serenity in Portland. The food here is incredible and fresh. I always opt for some sort of bento box because I love many things. I always see other tables ordering sushi boats. My mouth waters every time. read more

Yosaku - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Maine

Great post baby delivery meal! Rolls were substantial and the location is close to the hospital. Called in the order and the staff was great and helpful. Can not comment on ambiance since we had takeout. read more

Consistently delicious year after year. Tried the udon for the first time last night and the texture of the noodles was incredible; flavor of broth perfect for warming me on a cool night. We also had several rolls which were fresh and delicious.. Yosaku has been my go to for over a decade (when I visit Portland). Sushi came out a bit slow tonight - they were busy! Our server was fantastic - great communication throughout. Really enjoyed our dinner. read more

Excellent experience in every aspect from start to finish! The food could not have been better.

Ate here several times. Highly recommend. Everything was top notch. For all ages. Will definitely go back on other trips to Portland, ME

Excellent evening, delicious sushi and great service! We were seated at a tatami table, shoes are placed underneath and it was a first for both of us. Now, we are looking forward to finding the same experience on the west coast. Our service was quick, very attentive and our server was patient with our questions. The restaurant was comfortable, not too loud and very welcoming. We ordered the cold noodles, saki trio and the sakura platter, plenty of food for us but we wanted to try a few different dishes. This restaurant is located towards the end of town but easily walkable from many of the hotels. Parking is difficult in the area, so walking is definitely preferred. We had originally had a reservation for 9pm, but decided to try walking in at 7pm, and to our luck, they had a table available. We highly recommend enjoying a meal here. We would love to come back one day and will talk about this experience for many years! Cheers! read more

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Average quality of sushi at reasonable prices. When will the restaurants believe that empty plates need to be cleared off tables before serving more food on the table. read more

Always a delicious meal when I come here! I've been craving sushi and haven't been here in awhile. We decided to splurge and get the Ume sushi platter! Perfect for two people. My only recommendation during the busy season is to try and book a reservation! read more

Yosaku - Ume - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Maine

Table for 1!! Sashimi! Sashimi! Sashimi!! Has to be one of my favorite lunches, light, bright and delicious! Sushi is definitely a lazy lunch. It relaxes you, no hurry, it's quiet and calm. Toro and ankimo in season you can't really go wrong. The sushi at Yosaku never disappoints, it is always fresh and delicious. Sashimi is probably my favorite because you really get to taste the fish. You wouldn't know that salmon has a lovely natural nutty flavor when you don't dose it in sauces. Another great thing about ordering sashimi is they give you real wasabi with it, not that overwhelming green play-dough. Scallop, two kinds of salmon, tuna, Toro, yellowtail. Uni w/quail egg, ankimo w/quail egg and eel sushi for dessert. I ordered an extra eel because it was so good! read more

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LOVE LOVE LOVE. The Tuna sampler was amazing and reasonably priced. Loved the saki flight, posted a picture of my favorite saki. Lemon drop martini was delicious. Everything was great and worth the price. Service was great as well. Definitely will be back. read more

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We were extremely disappointed with our takeout order. The portions were very small for the price, and the quality of the sushi was even more disappointing. We have eaten sushi at many restaurants over the years, and this was honestly the worst we've had. The fish and rolls lacked freshness and flavor, and the overall experience did not come close to justifying the cost. I have never left a review before, but the food was not edible. I hope this feedback encourages improvements because, based on this experience, I would not order from here again. read more

I love this place! Me ands my dad used to come here a lot but I hadn't been back for a while- I remembered it being good but it was the best sushi I've had in a long time! We got 3 rolls (Gokudo, Hat trick, and another I can't remember) all super good! We also shared a bento box and I WISH I got a picture it was so good!! The miso soup was also great! The tea was pretty watery but all in all I love it here. It's pretty inside and the outside seating is very nice too! :) they have heaters! read more

Yosaku - Hat Trick, Gokudo, another I can't remember but very good! - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Maine

Yosaku is THE spot for sushi! This place is fantastic and one of our favorite spots to grab the yummiest sushi in town. We first discovered Yosaku last spring, and I'm honestly a bit sad we haven't gone back more often. The sushi is so fresh and creative -- they offer the classics, like spicy tuna and California rolls, but also fun rolls you won't find anywhere else. The rolls are enormous; 5-6 rolls for two people is more than enough (and honestly, you might have leftovers). They also offer noodles, delicious appetizers, and everything you'd expect at a sushi place. Seriously, the menu is about six pages long. We've never tried anything at Yosaku that we didn't love. My favorite thing, though? The ambiance and the value. Yosaku offers outdoor seating under a beautiful tree, which is lovely during the spring and summer. Their indoor ambiance is just as nice and cozy. The value at Yosaku is unmatched. There are few places in town where you can get delicious, fresh sushi for this price. 4-5 rolls usually cost us $60 or so, a steal for Downtown Portland. Never change, Yosaku. read more

Yosaku - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Maine

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I've been here for work lunch several times, and it has consistently been delicious. The interior is really spacious, and we've never had trouble finding a table. They also have a really large outdoor patio for nicer days. The service has always been prompt and warm. As for food: Yosaku has a great lunch deal that gets you a salad, dumplings, your choice of sushi roll, and a rotating protein, all for $16. Every item is tasty and it's a nice assortment of different dishes - I usually order the una-avo roll, and the unagi is tender and well-cooked. The only downside is you're not able to substitute out the protein for a vegetarian/vegan option, but they do have other veggie dishes on the menu. Overall: a lovely spot for lunch. I'll definitely be back again, hopefully to enjoy their patio when the weather's a bit warmer! read more

As always the staff was friendly and helpful. On a cold January night, nothing is better than Niku sliced beef, onion, scallion hand made fresh soba. Awesome broth and perfect noodles. Also ordered Tuna and Scallop sashimi. Super fresh and great flavor. The scallop (Hotate) has become a favorite of mine, but I would only get it here at Yasaku. Constantly busy and a place we've return to many times. read more

Yosaku - Niku - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Maine

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The Hat trick and Jaded Lady are my favorite rolls and a must get every time you visit. The staff is always very friendly as well which is nice to see. There is a reason this place is always busy. read more

Delicious!!! Great service and atmosphere. Lots of variety on the menu and some things that were new to us read more

Yosaku - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Maine

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The sushi is so good here. Super fresh! The price tag can add up quick so be mindful but it's definitely worth the splurge. Their lemon drops are a favorite of mine and they have such a good selection of sake. They can get super busy so there's sometimes a wait- they churn out online/doordash/takeout orders and also seat people but it's worth it. The server I got last time was so nice and everything came out relatively quickly. read more

Great food, prices, staff, and atmosphere! The lunch special prices are amazing. I love the vegetarian maki roll selection. read more

Yosaku - Avo-Kyu, Inari, Gobo, Sweet Potato, and Ume-Kyu. - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Maine

Came for birthday lunch with my old roomie. I'd heard great things about the restaurant and had high expectations. The food was fresh and our waitress was attentive. We sat in the area where you take off your shoes and sit on the floor. It's nice they have seats with backs, but my feet definitely fell asleep so be conscious of this if you're with a big group and can't stretch your legs out. Thankfully it was just the two of us so we had some room to spread out. The miso soup was delicious and the roll were fresh. I'm excited to come back and try more of the menu. There's some street parking in front and a small lot right past the restaurant. read more

Yosaku - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Maine

The current rating is 3.9 stars. That is way too low and why I never trust these sites. The fish is always as fresh as it gets. This is the premier sushi place in Portland undoubtedly. read more

The owner and staff are THE best and are super friendly and welcoming! The owner sat down with us and had some drinks and 'extra' sushi brought over and talked about cuisine. He knows a ton and even makes his own Soba noodles! The food is amazing! Best sushi in Maine! read more

Yosaku's patio space is very pleasant overall, with a lovely Japanese-style garden including a waterfall and a stone lantern. A downside to the outdoor seating is that only alternating tables on the street side area of the patio (i.e., every other one) have lighting. We were on the unlucky side of these 50/50 odds, and could barely see our lovely food when it arrived at 7:30 pm (August 7) -- see my dark photo of a nigiri platter. This set-up is unfortunate, and a really fixable situation! Our server was knowledgeable about what fish was locally caught. We enjoyed the avocado maguro ae -- a bit like a don bowl without the rice -- and the tempura shrimp as shared appetizers. We also had the nigiri dinner platter, kitsune (fried tofu) udon, and soba. All were very close to dishes you will get in Japan, i.e., not "Americanized" or made "fusion" as too many Japanese restaurants tend to want to do. It was handy that we could take home the sake we had not drunk in the bottle it came in. Friends who go to Japan regularly recommended Yosaku to us as the most authentic in Portland, and so far we agree. read more

Yosaku - Tempura shrimp appetizer -- photo taken with flash. - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Maine

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the BEST sushi and noodles we've ever had. Coming up here from Boston, maybe that says a lot? Have been looking for this kind of ramen/udon forever and never would have thought I'd find it in Portland, ME! Broth sublime, shaved steak delicious, both sushi rolls were super fresh and tasty. Everyone very friendly, very courteous, and service was prompt and food came out fairly quickly, especially for lunch time on a Saturday. We sat at the sushi bar, which was a neat experience. The sushi chefs were all friendly, they greeted us when we sat down. There were low tables with pillows or seats to lean on, and an area under neath to put shoes. Will definitely come here again the next time we're in Portland! read more

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Amazing sushi! This restaurant transported me to Japan. I love the bentos, they are so cute. And all of the food came quickly.

I had the Oroshi Sansai udon bowl it was delicious! Our server was also so friendly and pleasant. Great food and service!

This was a very underwhelming experience. I would like to say we were expecting some American sushi. We received what seemed to be very authentic sushi, but they were very small rolls, not stuffed much and a lot of rice. I ordered the special market price crab and did not realize the crab was fried. I was hoping for the fresh market catch and instead received a fried complete crab inside a 6 piece sushi roll. It was honestly pretty underwhelming. We took it to go and the staff seemed very nice. Not sure if our expectations were too high, but it really wasn't great food. Outdoor patio had a good ambiance. read more

Yosaku - Shiitake Sweet Potato Miso Soup Crab Sushi Roll - Market Price - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Maine

I am shocked at how crazy busy this place is. Every time we have called in for take out or come to dine in, it is the dictionary definition of "full house". The folks here work hard and we have never had a negative experience here. We are known to come at 8:30 but their hours reduced to closing at 9 and they no longer open on Sundays. They used to always have plenty of room to accommodate but nowadays we have to wait! I will once again shout out their amazing soba noodles -- handmade with Maine grown buckwheat and it is the perfect dish for summer (cold) or winter (hot). Their sushi bar is what people come here for, and I don't disagree -- I don't think I would bother going elsewhere. Their fish is top notch and the rolls, nigiri, and sashimi are all excellent, with plenty of "less adventurous" options available. They have a very enthusiastic serving/hosting crew and they are probably the ones who brought Yosaku to Instagram, so check that out for their specials. Lastly, I know I shouted out their soba, but that doesn't mean you should get it. Of all the times I have ordered it, last night was the first time they ran out. I sobbed quite hard because I can never resist getting a choko soba. read more

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Ram is now the new owner! Ask him for the seasonal best and he will give you a short list of the fish that is in its prime. On this visit it was Tuna toro, scallops and King Salmon. The scallops were on point--tacky, tender, snappy-sweet and luscious. Ram was also flexing his soba making skills. Springy, slightly chewy bite and smooth nutty dough made this a deceptively simple but addictive treat that I thought was reserved for Japan... taste and tell me if you agree. read more

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I had a horrible experience here. The sushi was good but not worth this. We get seated with no problems and no reservations. The server then tells us before we order that they are super busy and it's going to take 30-45 minutes to get our food. Not the server's fault, but this should be a caveat before you seat people. Or, don't seat people knowing that the kitchen is super behind and let the poor cooks catch up. So we order. We get our miso soup, and then one hour passes. The server comes out and asks if we want our grilled food to come out before our dinner. This should have been asked way sooner. By the time we got it, it was super cold. It also only was salted. It was cold and the blandest food I have ever tasted, and one of the most expensive things on the menu, and I waited an hour for it. The sushi came out after another 10 or so minutes and it was good but that was the worst customer experience I have ever seen. read more

I have not been to Yosaku in quite a while, partly out of an impression that it's very popular and tends to be crowded. However I took off on a Monday for my birthday and came here for dinner. very happy I did. Shrimp tempura was excellent as I remember - giant prawns, super fresh and delicious. I got a caterpillar roll which was great - the avocado kept slipping off the pieces though. Also got inari nigiri which is a personal fave. A little disappointed that it was just one piece, but it was a very large one to be fair. Service was good, though perhaps a bit too attentive - a busboy must have checked my table 10 times during my meal to see if I was done with my dishes. read more

Yosaku - shrimp tempura - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Maine

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