05/21/2026 Happy 20th Anibersary, AnneMarie! We had an excellent time, celebrating with a great lunch. I always start with Unagi, and theirs is one of the best that I have ever had. Large tender pieces of roasted Fresh Water Eel that are so tasty. Then it was on to the House Salad and Miso Soup. The salad is a mix of greens dressed with a light, sweet Vinaigrette. The Miso is so good here. Lots of Tofu and Seaweed is a super flavorful broth.....hot and delicious. My entree selection was the Chirashi Bowl....an assortment of Sashimi (Ahi, Albacore, Mackerel, Octopus, Sea Breen and Tamago) over a bed of Sushi Rice. All of the Sashimi was very fresh and super tender. AnneMarie got the 3 Hand Roll Lunch, and she thoroughly enjoyed it. She got a Spicy Yellowtail, a Spicy Salmon and a Scallop Hand Roll which she raved about. This was my 3rd visit to Yui and I have been super impressed with everything so far but this time our service was not the greatest. She was not very attentive and kind of had an attitude. We kept having to ask the other server, Genki, for assistance. All in all, this place is an amazing Japanese/Sushi Restaurant, and I highly recommend it. read more

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Came here a few weeks ago with my mom, wife, and kids. They were full, told us it would probably be 25 minutes or so, but called us up 15 minutes later with a table. It's a small restaurant with a sushi counter to see the chefs at work. We ordered a bunch of things to try and came away really impressed with the food and service. The kids ordered their usual rolls (though the California roll was with real crab). I really enjoyed the chicken wing skewers, hamachi kama, and sea bass. They have several different chirashi options (by price) and I got the middle one ($50). The fish was super fresh and the rice was excellent. Very happy to have this place in downtown Sierra Madre. It reminds me a lot of Sushi Maruyama in San Mateo, one of our favorite spots. read more

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Their Food is great fresh and some of it is very healthy A little too pricey. Service is ok it's quite formal For a small authentic Japanese restaurant in a beautiful town they should have a very nice person welcoming with a smile each customer, The guys running the show are kinda serious/ pair of fellas. Hospitality plays a big role in a restaurant business. We used to be served by One of their best waitresses ALEXA very nice and very knowledgeable on Japanese cuisine and drinks - trust me not having staff -- not well trained with people skills or sense of knowing the basics of engaging with customers is hard to retain control of your business - Happy team Happy Customers = 20-30% more profitable. -1 star for being on a pricey side -2 Stars for letting Good workers go away Everything else is great , even their nice napkins Chopsticks maybe needs a new brand or provider doesn't really match with their delicious food.. read more

We came by because we wanted to try akimo and shirako! They are seasonal and depend on availability so we called ahead to check. The place is near the center of Sierra Madre, so nice walkable area with plenty of free parking in the rear lot. Staff seated us quickly and took our orders. The dishes all came out as they were prepared; some dishes were noted on the menu requiring extra time. It filled up quickly after opening on a Sunday, so recommend calling ahead or getting reservations. read more

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The service people were so kind and respectful. They served us some fresh salads that we ordered for appetizers. Though, when I ordered the chicken teriyaki lunch special, the teriyaki was a bit dry. But, overall, it was really good and the location is perfect for me. I liked how there was a window to see the view in the morning. read more

Got takeout and was happy to get their lunch special tempura, 4 pieces shrimp and 4 pieces vegetable (broccoli, mushroom, eggplant and green beans). It came with rice and miso soup for $14 so pretty good deal and filling. The employees were kind and the interior is cute and simple. read more

the service was great & very fast. food was delicious & fresh! the spot is tiny, but you could be seated outside as well. a perfect spot for a quick, intimate lunch or dinner! read more

I don't usually write reviews but I ate here last week and got horrible food poisoning. I know it's from here because the rest of the day and the day before everything I ate was alongside my partner and they never got sick. So I can only ascertain it was from my solo meal here. I remember the Albacore tasting a bit fishy (a funny descriptor for sushi sure, but I don't know how else to describe it) and worrying something had gone off. Shortly afterwards I got horribly sick. I tried to do the responsible thing and call the restaurant afterwards to let them know and whoever picked up the phone was rather curt and rude about it. I can forgive the occasional bad dish but not rudeness when trying to follow up about it. Won't eat here again. There's fantastic sushi just a short distance away and with way better ambiance! read more

I wish I took pictures when we were there! The sushi was so delicious and fresh. We sat at the bar. The lead sushi chef and seemed to be owner, named Katsu was so friendly and funny. You can bring your own bottle of wine for a corkage fee. They have a really nice drink menu and gorgeous. giant wine glasses and beautiful champagne glasses. We can't wait to go back! It's a cozy little spot with seating inside and outside with a beautiful ambiance. Highly recommend!!! read more

I stopped here on a whim because I was getting my eyes examined next door. I ordered my food to go buy the wait staff was very nice and accommodating. The mixed tempura was excellent--nice and crunchy with a great batter on the outside. Real crab California rolls were good. I didn't really care for the chicken wings on a skewer though. They were flavorful but kinda dry. My mom absolutely loved the soft shell crab appetizer and the mushroom soup. read more

We've been coming to Yui in Sierra Madre for years, and it remains one of our absolute favorite restaurants. The intimate and welcoming ambiance makes every visit feel special and personal. Their omakase is consistently exceptional, every meal is a new experience. Chef Katsu is not only incredibly skilled but genuinely passionate about his craft. He always takes the time to explain where the fish is sourced from and introduces us to flavors and cuts we can't find anywhere else. The quality, creativity, and hospitality at Yui are truly unmatched. It's a rare gem in Sierra Madre, and we feel lucky to have it so close to home. read more

Yui is my neighborhood sushi joint. Lucky for me. The are consistently good. I order takeout a lot. And they are always done with my order quickly. We end up getting the same thing every time. I will say, their sushi is better than their hot food. We did something different this next time and got the hot food and it was not great. We also thought we ordered soft shelled crab hand rolls and got this...mixture of crab and mayo, and it was not good at all. So, we are going to stick with the sushi and sashimi from now on. The ambiance is great. Small. Intimate. In 'downtown' Sierra Madre, which is small and quaint and not really a 'downtown' so sitting outside is nice. Service is efficient, but not really friendly, which I don't mind. read more

Wanted to come for a nice omakase lunch special so we got seated at the sushi bar. We asked the chef what were the different omakase tiers $80, $100 or $120. He proceeded to tell us omakase means "chef's choice" so he could decide, can be up to 30 dishes if we wanted. We asked approx how many pieces of sashimi came with the $80 set, he wouldn't tell us, only said the $80 is lower quality fish...um way to sell your omakase. I understand omakase is chefs choice, but usually you can tell us ballpark how many pieces of fish, and if we needed to supplement with appetizers or other things...instead of risking it we decided to get the nigiri set lunch... The nigiri set lunch was so underwhelming! The tuna was such bad quality and had lots of connective tissue in it which was inedible, the skin on one of the fish was also chewy inedible. Also my ginger had a piece of hair on it! When I told the server she just took it away and they didn't even apologize for it! I had heard good things about Yui but we were SO disappointed!!! Would NOT recommend! read more

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Best sushi I've had in a long time! I heard about this gem from a friend and had to try it out for myself. I've heard the sushi chef sources a lot of his products directly from Japan and that's what makes this place even more special. It's a quaint little sushi restaurant in the heart of downtown sierra madre that is clean and modern. Cute place for a girls day or date night. Came here for lunch and they have a lunch special menu and the meals are really reasonably priced. Nigiri sushi lunch is only 25 dollars and comes with a miso soup and salad. Not to mention the fish quality and sushi is of impeccable quality. So delicious I wanted to order 2. Hamachi cilantro: so fresh with the herbs, flavorful and light at the same time. And fish was so fresh, melt in your mouth quality. The Portion is on the larger side as well. My friend and I sat at the bar and the couple next to us were having an omakase lunch. I didn't even realize they had an omakase option. It ranges ranges 80-200 dollars so you definitely can choose based on what your price range is. Service is top notch, they checked on us often without feeling like someone was interrupting you throughout your dining experience. Would definitely come back and try their omakase next time! read more

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If I could, I would give it 3.5 stars. Smells very fishy inside. Food was okay. I feel like the flavors were unique as compared to most sushi spots. Service was pretty good. read more

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One of my favorite spots for sushi. Always quality fish and great service. Worth the price for me.

I was disappointed with the quantity n the over the top pricing. Small portions, my party of three spent $80 on rolls that are so small that we went to another restaurant immediately after. Never again! read more

Yui is an amazing restaurant. They have very bold flavors and traditional food. Their service is good and they make sure to be very efficient. They are not the most kid friendly but that is ok. Their ambience is very plain but not boring. It is very traditionally appropriate. read more

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I'm convinced this is the best sushi at this price point. Seriously delicious. Check out their Instagram where the owner posts fresh fish that will be on the menu that day!! I've been coming here for years and the service is always impeccable. I often get to go and when they say it's ready at 6:15...it's ready at 6:15. Love eating there too. The place is so cute and I love sitting outside by the heater. I always get the salmon sashimi. The fish is always buttery and impeccable. YUI 4 LIFE read more

I don't really like to write negative reviews, but sometimes it's necessary to help others make informed decisions. I wouldn't say this place is terrible--it's not--but their customer service could definitely use some improvement. I ordered the lunch special with three hand rolls and made a simple request: less rice. They refused, saying they couldn't alter the lunch special. I wasn't asking for anything extra, just less rice. Their response was to order the rolls individually if I wanted any changes. So, I reluctantly accepted the rolls as-is. When the rolls arrived, I noticed something concerning: they were cutting the fish for the spicy yellowtail and used the worst parts--the brown bits of the yellowtail. Instead of quality fish, they overcompensated with an excessive amount of spicy mayo, to the point that all you could taste was the sauce. It was overwhelming and honestly unpleasant. While I wouldn't write this place off completely, I now know to avoid the spicy rolls and to not expect much flexibility with menus read more

Yui Restaurant - Sushi Bars Near Me - Sierra Madre, California

Great sushi, always happy to support local and with the variety Yui offers you won't be disappointed in omakase. Bonus, Orion on draft.

The best quality of fish, best service, we love it, We've known the chef for years, he is amazing, we've tried so many other places nothing compares to Yui sushi, it's the best read more

Good sushi. Place is a bit small and can get stuffy but the sushi was good and service was nice.

Friends from Sierra Madre invited us to join them for lunch and made the reservation. When we arrived five minutes early, we noted the reserved table for four, and requested seating since we observed our friends parking. A diminutive and combative Asian man with buzzed hair demanded that we provide the name of the party who had made the reservation - which of course we knew--but also a corresponding telephone number, without which he refused to seat us. Fortunately, our friends arrived on time, and we were given the reserved table. The lunch specials, tempura and sushi, were excellent. However, the initial impression of the restaurant was one of being challenged and barked at by a belligerent employee. read more

Good Omakase with chef pointing out the part of the ocean around Japan where the fish originated.

Excellent selection and quality! Small spot, best to go on a weekday. Really enjoyed this place. Prices are on the higher side, but quality was top notch and they have some interesting/unique options. Demerit recommend! Stay Cheerful read more

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Best sushi I've had in a long time! Loved the variety of rolls. The ingredients were soooo fresh and the presentation was top tier! I want to return ASAP. read more

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Alright, I have to say it, and I'm sure a lot of other people notice it, but this restaurant is the definition of a hostile work environment. On about several occasions, I have seen the chef publicly tear into the dishwasher for making a mistake, I've seen the chef tear into an assistant chef for making a mistake, I've seen what best be described as the maître d tear into a server and most recently tear into a server by calling him "stupid" in front of the patrons. Why am I writing a review about this? It's been part of my dinner experience on several occasions. Probably why it seems there is a turn over rate as well. read more

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Best Sushi place in Southern California. Food and service was great. Definitely my new favorite spot.

It is a very compact but orderly restaurant The food samples that we ordered were very delightful even the appetizer. Since it was Valentine's Day the larger parties and the ones by the chef had a bit more priority the restaurant does have hi potential for me to come back as the quality was great. When it comes to a good savory part of the restaurant. The Dessert is the weakness but it was nice for them to cut the Mochi ice cream. Maybe ice-cream with cut pieces of authentic mochi. gelato and mochi works too. So glad to find a actual local Japanese sushi spot. read more

Yui sushi restaurant included authentic sushi items and kitchen cooked foods. I like the combination both all selections and various items. I've ordered chicken meat ball yakitori... sea bass, grill shrimp with Wagyu oil!! So tasty for kitchen foods!! My appetizer was Akimo monk fish liver and this one is very different than other sushi restaurants... Akimo was using a deeply tasting of ponzu sauce with sautéed monk fish liver!! Even though there's much portion but so tasty!!! Sound liked French cuisine... the Real California Rolls was so different than most others sushi places that Yui is using real Crab Meat!! At last, I usually nowadays ordered thé Chirashi bowl!!! So much authentic traditional sashimi over the rice!! At the end, having a miso soup and mochi green tea and chocolate ice cream!!! It's the best to finish the nice dining. I would recommend to make reservations especially on the weekends since Yui only have +20 seat available... it's a very authentic traditional small sushi restaurant!! The design of the restaurant is so much traditional and there are not much room... 2-4 people in a group is the best way to dine over there... read more

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Good omakasi but expensive. Head chef takes care of you at the bar which I appreciated.

Yui provides clean, fresh, and a broad array of quality fish. The experience is very authentic with quick and pleasant staff.

This is a great local spot. The menu is simple but has most of the sushi/sashimi one is craving. Quality of their fish is also fresh, the chef sources directly from Japan. Give this spot a chance if you're looking for quality sushi without having to make the trek to LA. read more

Visited Yui for lunch and dinner, as I was attracted to the Japanese patrons who run the restaurant. Yui is small and intimate, but I feel they could put a little more effort into the interior design to make it a little more cozy. At night for dinner, I really wasn't a fan of the fluorescent lighting. It was way too bright for a fairly pricey dinner, and it didn't feel very "Japanese". The food here is pretty good, and fish tastes fresh. I enjoyed my nigiri lunch ($25), as it was delicious and reasonably priced. However the dinner items are way overpriced for the ambiance (ambiance is important to me as it sets the mood). I got the cheapest chirashi for dinner ($30) but the other chirashi options were $50, $70, and $100 (!). Man, for $100 chirashi it better come with gold flakes and a foot massage while we eat! I would recommend this restaurant for a causal mid-week lunch to get some good quality sushi. I don't think it's worth the drive outside of the Pasadena area. read more

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Amazing food! So unique and delicious. We had the Hamachi Cilantro, Salmon Yuzu and Asian Roll. The Hamachi and Asian roll were OUTSTANDING. Servers were very attentive. Small area for inside seating so definitely make a reservation. We would definitely come back! read more

Yui Restaurant - Salmon Yuzu - Sushi Bars Near Me - Sierra Madre, California

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Discovered this gem in quaint, cute area in Sierra Madre. We ordered both types of omakase--sushi only and sushi+appetizer and both were delicious. The food and fish is high quality and some of our favorites were the goldeneye snapper, Spanish mackerel, and kampachi. The restaurant is small but they also offer outdoor seating, which is nice as the area and view was pleasant. Service is great and little wait on a Sunday evening. read more

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Paid $85 for the set menu and left disappointed. Right after we sat down, the waitress asked for our drink order without giving us a moment to settle in. Just a few minutes later, she was already standing by our table, pushing us to order while we were still looking at the menu. It felt rushed and uncomfortable. Food started coming out too quickly. I was still working on the first course when the second one showed up. It made the whole experience feel hurried, not enjoyable. The fish wasn't impressive either. Nothing about the meal felt like it matched the price. Definitely expected better service and quality at this price point. Won't be returning. read more

This place is a gem. The fish quality is unmatched. Their lunch special is a steal - you get amazing food for a very reasonable price.. you can tell each ingredient is well thought out and of very high quality. read more

I came to Yui Restaurant which has a good reputation in Siera Madre. At every sushi restaurant, I first try the Chirasi sushi before I judge it. The sushi here was perfect. The skewers ordered by the regulars on either side of me, especially the chicken wings, are definitely something I'll order next time. read more

Yui Restaurant - Chirashi Sushi Lunch - Sushi Bars Near Me - Sierra Madre, California

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