Yakiya Photos
Business Info
YAKIYA ATMOSPHERE
More like Yakiya
Recommended Reviews - Yakiya
Start your review...
Reviews With Photos
Food and service was amazing. It was my first time dining here with a friend and we both enjoyed it. We tried out their Original Chef's Tasting Menu ($128pp). I think the highlight course for us was the A5 Wagyu pieces. It was my friend's birthday and they surprised us with a bone marrow shot.
I've dined at the Hacienda Heights multiple times before and wanted to check out the Pasadena location. I was disappointed of the value of the "original" set especially since they no longer offer the bone marrow fried rice (it's on the lower tier one though). For $128 set and you only get 5 pieces of grilled meat and they count the starter drink as a course is disappointing. Yes there's meat in the starter courses but when the restaurant is focused on grilled meats, it's kinda sad you only get 5 pieces (unless you order more). The food quality is good but the value isnt there like it used to be. The biggest disappointment was the service though. We were never asked if we wanted to order drinks and was not asked if we wanted to add anything else at any point of our meal. Could we have asked? Yes. But there's a level of expectation from the service with a restaurant like this where they're promoting an exceptional dining experience. The courses felt rushed at some points and then other times there was a longer wait in between. It wasn't consistent. Knowing how it is at the other location, the hospitality level was not on par. Also separate from the dining experience - one of the bidet toilets in the womens restroom wasn't working, but there was no out of order sign and BOTH stalls had no toilet paper for quite some time until we had to ask a worker to restock it.
Came to Yakiya in Pasadena with my friend to celebrate her birthday and try their Dine LA menu. The Dine LA menu was $78 per person, and after finishing the entire meal, I thought it was the perfect amount of food. I left satisfied without feeling overstuffed like I sometimes do at Chubby Cattle, but definitely wasn't hungry either. First piece of advice: make a reservation! This place gets busy, and I can see why. From the moment we checked in, the experience started off great. We were greeted at the front, our table was ready, and we were quickly introduced to our server, Jeffrey. I have to give Jeffrey a huge shout-out because he took our dining experience to another level. From his warm smile to his attentiveness and genuinely friendly personality, he was just an excellent human being. I would honestly come back just to chop it up with Jeffrey again. My water barely made it to half empty before he was already refilling it. More importantly, he paced every course perfectly so we never felt rushed or like dishes were piling up on the table. For drinks, I ordered the Imperial Palace made with Suntory Toki and yuzu, which was delicious and refreshing. My friend ordered the non-alcoholic yuzu lemonade, and that was really good too. Now for the food. The quality of the ingredients and meats here is no slouch. We started with the A5 Wagyu tartlet topped with caviar. This was one of those single bites where you immediately wish you had five more. So good. Next was the smoked ribeye tataki, which was another hit, followed by the chawanmushi with uni and okra. Everything was well balanced and beautifully presented. Then came the miso seabass, and I have to say it was right up there with Nobu's version. The fish was cooked perfectly and packed with flavor. For the main meat courses, we had USDA Prime ribeye, American Wagyu short ribs, and A5 Wagyu filet mignon. The Prime ribeye was incredibly flavorful and well seasoned, while the American Wagyu short ribs practically melted in your mouth. Pairing the meats with freshly grated wasabi made them even better. Another reason Jeffrey deserves recognition is that he actually cooked our meats for us. Even while taking care of multiple tables, every piece came out at a perfect medium rare. That level of attention and consistency was impressive. Jeffrey then prepared the bone marrow rice and cooked our A5 Wagyu filet mignon to pair with it. By this point in the meal, I was completely satisfied without feeling overly full, which is exactly what I want from a tasting-style experience. For dessert, we finished with the Miso Cappuccino ice cream. Since we were celebrating my friend's birthday, the restaurant added a really thoughtful personal touch to her dessert. They made a handwritten cracker with her name on it along with "Happy Birthday." It was a small detail, but it made the celebration feel much more personal and showed the level of attention Yakiya puts into the overall experience. The ambiance matches the food and service. Yakiya has a modern, elevated Japanese BBQ feel without being overly stuffy. The restaurant wasn't too loud, and the tables were spaced far enough apart that we could actually have a private conversation. For a birthday, date night, anniversary, or another special occasion, the setting works really well. Parking was surprisingly easy for Pasadena. They have a huge free parking lot, and we had no trouble finding a spot. Overall, the $78 Dine LA menu was a great introduction to Yakiya. The portions were just right, the meat quality was excellent, and every course felt thoughtfully put together. But what really made the night memorable was Jeffrey and all the little details the restaurant added to make my friend's birthday special. Great food can bring you into a restaurant, but service like this is what makes you want to come back. I'll definitely be returning with friends and family for future special occasions. And if I'm lucky, hopefully we'll get Jeffrey again!
Came here for their 10-course yakiniku experience and thought it was a great way to try a variety of dishes and wagyu cuts. The course featured both A5 Japanese and American wagyu and there was a lot of attention to detail throughout the meal. We started with the wagyu tartare and hamachi and both tasted super fresh. The steamed egg with abalone was silky smooth and comforting, while the cod was rich, buttery, and fatty in the best way. I also enjoyed the fresh crudité with the red miso dip as a lighter bite in between courses. The meats were definitely the highlight. The beef tongue was thick and flavorful, and I especially liked the scallion kosho because it balanced out some of the richness. The ribeye, short rib, and chuck were beautifully marbled, and the fresh wasabi was a nice touch that complemented the meat well instead of overpowering it. We also ordered the bone marrow rice on the side and I'm glad we did. It was rich, packed with flavor, and had chunks of meat mixed throughout. Our server also brought out birthday shots poured through the bone marrow which made the experience extra fun and memorable. Finished everything off with mandarin sorbet and vanilla ice cream which was refreshing after such a rich meal. Overall a fun dining experience with quality ingredients and good service.
Have had this place bookmarked on my list for a while and was super excited to hear that they partnered with DineLA. Made reservations on a Friday night at 5:30 PM. Parking was pretty easy as the lot was large enough. The interior was super sleek and modern, but it was quite dim since the colors were mainly black. Got seated right away and was presented the DineLA menu which was a 10-meal course, $78/person. Out of all the dishes we tried, my favorite was probably the A5 Wagyu Tartlette. Although I'm not a huge fan of raw meat, this was seasoned well and didn't taste raw at all, instead very fresh. Everything else was pretty basic in my opinion. The uni on the chawanmushi didn't taste too fresh and it was a bit hard. The meats were all grilled by the waitress but it was a bit too hard and not soft. The bone marrow rice I was really looking forward to it but because there was so much rice, I couldn't really taste the individual bone marrow which was disappointing. The miso sea bass was also slightly a bit salty for me, felt like the miso overpowered the fish. There was also way too much garlic in the rice so it was oily as well. While the experience itself felt very fancy as the waitress explained each course of the menu, I didn't think the price was worth it for the quality of the meal. Overall, it was okay but didn't really live up to my expectations. Probably won't come back because of the price.
Everything was so good! We really enjoyed the service and how all the meats just melted in your mouth. This is a great splurge place, and the ambiance was really nice. Thank you Yakiya team for everything last night.
Three for three, Yakiya has yet to disappoint. We celebrated our anniversary at Yakiya again, this year at the Pasadena location. It's good to know that the amazing quality is consistent between branches, both in terms of food and service. There is a lot more space between tables here, making the Pasadena location feel considerably more intimate than the Hacienda Heights location. The calm atmosphere at 8:30 on a Sunday evening was everything. Everyone who waited on us was incredible, but Jeffrey especially was an absolute delight.
Honestly, doing the 10-course menu at Yakiya is the move-every course came out super flavorful, and timed out perfectly so you don't even have to think about what to order. I was actually surprised it wasn't more crowded for how good the food is, especially with how welcoming and attentive the staff were the whole time. From the melt-in-your-mouth beef, everything hit the spot, and pairing it with a quick drink made for a great meal.
Yakiya are two words meaning grill store which sounds a bit stilted in Japanese. Yakinikuya is the usual default word for a grilled meat restaurant. I then found out this is the high-end restaurant for the Panda Express group using a Japanese format with all things Wagyū (wah ghee yu). Being in Los Ángeles, there are other culinary influences seeping in such as Korean, Argentinean, Indonesian, etc. and of course Chinese. Decor can be described as contemporary East Asian with touches of Japanese Wabi-Sabi understated minimalism & refined Chinese accoutrements such as the gold tone metal chop sticks at the table which continues the motif. There is a bar which was manned by Billy who is a polished, suave barman comfortable and capable enough to perform in a Guide Michelin Trois Étoiles restaurant. He entertained us showing us rare ultra premium Suntory Hibiki Whiskey aged 30 years and Yamazaki Single Malt aged 25 years. 1) Wagyū Smoked Tartare is plush, lush topped with a quail egg yolk and microgreens ceremonially mixed sur la table while there is a wafer of burning Hinoki Japanese Cypress to give off incense like smoke. Placed on a crispy square toast point. 2) Crudité of carrots, crispy cucumber, purple bell pepper with Aka Miso/ red Miso paste. Huge, airy, Indonesian Rengginang/crunchy fried rice chip. 2) Chawan Mushi: A more viscous version of Japanese egg custard soup garnished with woodsy Shītakè (shee tah keh) & what may be Chinese dried Abalone. 3) Miso Black Cod: Sweet white Miso caramelized and cod slightly burnt, sprinkling of Asatsuki/Japanese chives. 4) A5 Zabuton Nigiri: Wildly marbled Kagoshima Wagyū. Zabuton, meaning seat cushion, is the chuck area, located between the neck and the rib of a cow. Plush Zabuton wraps around a small Nigiri of Sushi Rice and topped with Kuki Wasabi/fermented, pickled Wasabi stems. Underlying flavoured soy sauce in the dish. 5) SRF American Wagyū Tongue: Thin disks with hash grill marks chewy yet soft eaten with a flavourful rough chiffonade of green onions, aromatic, toasty sesame oil, sea salt which seems to have Chinese sensibilities. 6) SRF American Wagyū Harami Skirt Steak: Harami means belly meat and it came out pleasantly chewy with good, fatty beefiness. Deliberately cooked to medium to emphasize the chaw. Excellent Chimichurri sauce of green herbs, aged garlic, thick olive oil that complemented the beef. 7) SRF American Wagyū Shortrib: Another wildly but not as marbled, thicker slice that had a pleasant chaw. Used the green onion chiffonade. 8) Wagyū Garlic Rice: Korean Bibimbap like crispy yet moist rice texture augmented with green onions, toasted ground garlic and fatty beefy Umami. Same flavoured soy sauce. Starchy and rich to finish off any hunger present. 1-8a) Kikusui Daiginjō Sakè (sah keh): Using the rare Kikisui Sakè rice, rich body with hints of acid, Kōji/rice earthiness, touch mushroomy, faintly fruity, dry apricot, Japanese Hachiya Persimmon. 8) Yuzu Sorbet with Basil oil: Refreshing mildly bitter sour citrus with slightly musky green herbal. All the staff is very accommodating, welcoming, service oriented. Since they do all the grilling, they instinctively know when to swoop in according to the customers' pace which is amazing. Christian was informative, food knowledgeable, savvy. He helps create a feeling of hospitality that goes a long way in enhancing the Yakiya experience. 4+ stars
Yakiya is a wonderful Japanese steakhouse specializing in yakiniku (Japanese grilled meats) in a center table grill with smoke free ventilation. We went during Dine LA and had the 8 course menu and every one was A+ delicious. It included premium cuts like Japanese A5 Wagyu, American Wagyu, Prime beef and a cod that was so buttery and flavorful it was as good as the beef. Jimmy our server made the whole visit such an enjoyable experience for our table of 4. He was a great storyteller and imparted a greater appreciation for the preparation and the quality of the beef. Some cuts are sourced directly from Japan. Billy took care of us at the bar and made some delicious cocktails notably the Mr. Miyagi whisky with puréed ginger and sweet fruit essence. Form the moment you gaze at the entrance adorned with colorful Japanese lanterns and step into the softly lit lobby, you can feel the amount of attention it took to create a harmonious space complete with comfortable seating, beautiful premium bar area and tastefully designed dining room. Definitely worth subsequent visits and a place to take your best friends and family.
This is my first at their new Pasadena location. I believe it was $128 per person and you are definitely satisfied by the end of the pre fixe. The beef is always tender and perfectly cooked by the staff. One thing to keep in mind is the bone marrow fried rice is no longer park of the omakase, but is available for an additional $24.
My aunt took me here for my birthday dinner. We came on a Sunday around 5:30 PM. The restaurant wasn't quite full yet, but it does get more busy as the night went on. We loved their decor. We got YAKINIKU TRADITIONAL CHEF'S TASTING MENU | 10 COURSE for $78 per person. All the food was really good, definitely high-quality. The food that needed to be cooked was prepared table side by our server. The timing of each course came was just right. This place is definitely an experience. But for people that don't eat as much, they didn't have a lot of selections for people that wanted to order à la carte. Other than that, the food was excellent.
Great service. Didn't have to really do much since the employees here cook for you and always come and check on you. Will come back to try their 11 course menu and see how it defer from the dine in LA special one. Got a few drinks as well to try them out. Their old fashion with the marshmallow was a nice touch and my girlfriend really enjoyed the fog drink. Nice decor inside very modern. Only problem is when I tried calling them to reschedule my reservation that I made a mistake on i didnt get a response when I emailed them and couldn't get through their phone number so I just had to let it go and make another reservation. Which someone would answer or pick up the phone
8 months ago
DineLA's Restaurant Week brought me to this restaurant for the first time. I live nearby and remember when this space was Pei Wei, a "fast food" Chinese place. Pick Up Stix was another one, also gone. Both were unable to match the success of Panda Express, whose Innovation Kitchen is down the street. Across the street is Panda Inn Restaurant. The Panda Restaurant Group, founded by and still owned by Andrew and Peggy Cherng, also own Yakiya. There's another Yakiya in Hacienda Heights. Yakiya is a Japanese Steakhouse with tabletop grills as seen in Korean barbecue places. The concept is similar here, although in Pasadena the grill can be switched out for a Shabu-Shabu hot pot. The beef cuts are all types of A5 Wagyu. I'd say the main differences between Yakiya and Korean BBQ are: 1) the meats are not marinated here, but are served with sauces, and 2) the "banchan" here are not pickled (like kimchi etc), they were called crudite because they were fresh veggies. I made a reservation for the 11:30 opening (on a Sunday), There were 4 other tables with 11:30 seatings. I believe the reservations are spaced out, because aside from another group that may have walked in, no other guests arrived until 1:00 pm. They seemed short-staffed at first. There was just a male host and female hostess, who then also became our servers, bartenders, bussers, tableside preppers and meat cookers! After the initial rush of seating everyone and getting drink orders, the staff of 2 settled into a well-choreographed dance, bringing out dishes to each table in sequence, and most expertly placing the meats on the grill flipping them, again in succession, table to table. Such precision was possible because we were all seated at the same time. The $68 per person DineLA menu included: 1) Wagyu Smoked Tartare. Wagyu and seasonings mixed tableside and placed atop a piece of toast. There was a burning piece of wood on the plate to emphasize the smokiness. Very nice. 2) Chawanmushi (Japanese warm egg custard) topped with braised abalone that I mistook for mushrooms. Savory and delish. 3) Miso Cod. A traditional Japanese preparation, but this one was lighter and more to my liking. Portion quite petite. 4) A5 Zabuton Nigiri. A square of A5 beef cooked tableside and then formed into a piece of nigiri with sushi rice, soy sauce and a wasabi relish that had some kick but not nearly as much as the wasabi paste usually seen. Unique and yummy. 5) Three cuts of beef served on a plate with smoking dry ice underneath: ribeye (not on the DineLA menu, so a pleasant surprise), skirt steak and short rib, cooked in that order with a dish of chimichurri (and whatever wasabi you had leftover) alongside. All were tasty, but the ribeye was a fave. 6) Crudite and Red Miso. Served with the meats: fresh lettuce leaves, sticks of carrot, daikon and cucumber, plus a red miso paste and a fried rice cake/chip. Loved the freshness, my preference over Korean kimchi or other pickled things. 7) Not on the menu, a palate-cleanser of ponzu-marinated tomatoes. 8) Wagyu Garlic Rice. Rice with Wagyu and other things topped with fried garlic and a warmed sauce poured over and mixed tableside. Nice and savory, with some crispy bits. 8) Yuzu Sorbet topped with basil oil. Nice, refreshing and light. Based on the texture, it was clearly pre-scooped and kept in the freezer. I also ordered a "fresh Japanese lemonade" after my first 2 choices, the Cherry Blossom mocktail and the "fresh Japanese organic strawberry lemonade" were unavailable. It was fine, sparkly. Overall a nice introduction to Yakiya and its concept. I must say I was still a bit hungry afterwards. Sunday is the only day they open early for lunch, which I suspect is the reason for the possible shortage of staff, the unavailable beverages, and the men doing exterior building maintenance during business hours. Still, I would return, perhaps for dinner. read more
The food was amazing but the service was top notch. Everyone was very attentive. The attention to detail is worth mentioning. Even the wet towel with lavender essence. The beef was delicious, the tartare melts in your mouth, the egg dish was so good. They surprised me with a birthday special, the ice cream was so good. Very nice atmosphere, amazing Japanese toilets, beautiful decors. I'd recommend it. Especially for a family night, girls night, dates, or birthdays!! Truly beautiful restaurant paired with the best service and delicious food! read more
Dropping 1 star because the booking portal for Dine In LA for this restaurant was missing a key aspect. Booking on the Dine In LA portal only allowed for the original menu and I wanted the special Dine In LA menu. Thankfully, they were able to accomodate us for the special menu as I would have been quite upset. Anyhow, the restaurant, service, ambiance, and food was exceptional. The staff are very skilled at preparation of the meats. The presentation of the uncooked then cooked items was spot on. The meats and other items was perfect. The order of presentation was typical with the attention to detail and geared towards palate pleasing. We started with the tartare and an abalone steamed egg; some very clean sea bass; grilled tongue and short rib with a cool tomato and watermelon radish; wagyu garlic fried rice prepared table side; oxtail broth; ribeye with a delicate poached egg; and finished with some yuzu cheesecake. Please repeat for next Dine In LA event but change the dessert. The yuzu cheesecake was still frozen and only a hint of yuzu flavor. Everything else was just fantastic. read more
Dine LA was decent. The prefix menu started off strong, but it ended a bit weak for my own tastes. Their appetizers were so delectable and addictive. I wanted more. The wagyu tartare and uni caviar egg were delicious. The beef tongue was good. I am not really a wagyu person, but I enjoyed it very much. The garlic fried rice was ok. I'm not really a rice person. The yuzu cheesecake was alright. The service was great though. The decor and the ambiance were really nice. It felt fancy. I would come back again where I can choose all the dishes I want. I definitely would come back for the wagyu and appetizers! read more
7/29/2025 - Dine LA Week brought us to Yakiya in Pasadena - It is one of the best deals for this kind of multi-course lunch or dinner menu at a nice ambient environment. The presentation and taste of each dish earns 5 stars except for SRF American Wagyu (Short Rib) that is too chewy, per our excellent waiter, Aeko, sometimes, it is very good depending on the part of the Wagyu Chef gets. Of course, A5 KAGOSHIMA RIBEYE & POACHED EGG may earn a Michelin star dish. Adding Garlic Miso Bone Marrow for $15 to Wague Garlic Rice is worth it - the best we have had. Again, Aeko delivered an excellent service for us, and his timing for each cource arrival is perfect. Yakiya has a free WiFi access as well as a shared huge parking lot for free. In summary, this DineLA menu will be a perfect fine dining menu if the SRF American Wagyu (Short Rib) can be replaced with either a high-quality sashimi or sushi. Note: A 43-second video for this tasting menu is available on YouTube or TikTok. read more
1 year ago
Highly recommend their DineLA tasting menu. Kudos to the chef who create the tasting menu, they did a fantastic job. There's several small courses, but in the end we were filled and satisfied. This was our first time here and our waiter was Angelo and he was amazing and walked up through each course. We're so used to KBBQ that we tried cooking the first few meat ourselves, but honestly just let the waitstaff do it. Angelo timed just right for each meat and his tasted so much better than ours. We definitely had the fine dining experience here and I didn't feel the DineLA menu compromise my experience. It's a DineLA done right and had me wanting more. There are different reservations- regular, shabu, and DineLA during DineLA week. You'll have to scroll down their Opentable reservation page for the DineLA option. So make sure you select the correct one to make your reservation. If you prefer more of a quiet dining experience, the patio is more quiet compared to inside. The alcohol is well balanced and strong! We will definitely come back! This location is away from downtown pasadena area, so there's a large parking lot and it's free! read more
I've eaten here a few times for their weekend lunch menu. After being denied service today for their DineLA menu, I've decided never again. Despite being willing to accommodate me for their regular menu (seating available), the hostess told me I would need to use their reservation system for DineLA, which doesn't accept reservations for solo diners. After driving 25 minutes to dine here and being told that I could only be seated for their regular menu (higher spend) but turned away for the DineLA menu, it didn't make sense for me to continue patronizing a restaurant that makes a return customer drive *almost one hour* (round-trip) for absolutely nothing at all but bad vibes. Our time on this planet is limited; there's almost nothing I dislike more than someone completely wasting it. Never another cent Yakiya; I'm done with this place My silver lining is that I was fortunate enough to have dinner at a Michelin one star in Barcelona three nights ago and am dining at another Michelin one star in Los Angeles tomorrow. So this unfortunate blip won't kill the good vibes for long. It's just sad that you have to actually go upstream to Michelin caliber restaurants for quality service nowadays Since I won't be back, I'll post some photos of previous visits I never had a chance to post in the past read more
We came here when they were offering Dine LA in 2025. The menu had A5 Japanese wagyu tartare, nori ribeye tartare, abalone chawanmushi, miso chilean sea bass, American wagyu beef tongue, American wagyu, ponzu tomato, wagyu garlic rice, oxtail broth, A5 Kagoshima ribeye, and yuzu cheesecake. The meats overall were very tender and melted in our mouth, as well as the sea bass. The items that were less amazing were the ribeye and short rib but all were overall still good. For the price point of 68pp, it felt like a good curation and way to sample their menu. read more
9 months ago
My first wagyu omakase experience & definitely won't be my last. Yakiya will keep you coming back. Dinner Omakase - ribeye, skirt, A5 miyazaki chuck - bluefin tuna, hamachi - wagyu beef tongue - chawanmushi - A5 miyazaki wagyu strip loin w/ poached egg - wagyu ponzu jelly - filet mignon on bone marrow rice - ribeye tataki - local farmer's veggies, multigrain cracker - strawberry lemonade - lemon olive oil sorbet read more
1 year ago
A Truly Exceptional Family Dinner at Yakiya Pasadena My family and I, my wife, two kids, our parents, and Ihad a fantastic experience at Yakiya Pasadena. We opted for the Original Course (their celebrated chef's pre‑fixe menu), and it was a hit across all five of us! Food & Presentation From the first bite to the last, every dish showcased top-tier quality. The premium beef (both U.S. and Japanese cuts) arrived beautifully marbled and was expertly grilled right at our our table. It was thoughtfully paced, small enough to sample plenty, yet satisfying enough that we all left thoroughly full, just as other diners have noted . Pre-fixe Course Highlights We started with tantalizing raw dishes like the tartare with caviar and it set the tone for an elegant and elevated tasting journey. Each meat course was rich and flavorful, and even the bone marrow fried rice felt indulgent yet balanced. Family-Friendly Vibe Bringing both kids and grandparents can sometimes be tricky but not here. The intimate, dining room and attentive staff made the experience seamless for all ages. We appreciated how they made my children feel welcome and comfortable, while still delivering that upscale yakiniku experience. Service & Atmosphere Service throughout was outstanding. Our server guided us through each course thoughtfully, making sure everyone was happy and at ease. The combination of warm woods, leather accents, and a gentle hustle behind the scenes created a refined, welcoming space. Parking is plentiful so there is no need for valet parking. read more
Came here for Father's Day and parents liked it! And despite the small portions that come out at a time, we left full and satisfied. This time we got their new $78 tasting menu, as well as their $12 Matcha IPA (soooo bitter, dad was OK w it tho) and $9 Strawberry Lemonade (refreshing but prob wouldn't get again) This time around they made a good amount of changes to their menu. The most noticeable for me was the picanha switch from the filet mignon. I found the picanha to be more chewy than I would have liked, and because it's topped on the rice, it was hard to bite (our plates had already been swapped for bowls so we couldn't cut it). The extra yakiniku sauce to drizzle on top of the rice as well as the garlic bits were great tho. Things that were kept from previous menus include the beef tongue and scallion kosho which was one of my faves as well as the chawanmushi - hearty and oh so yummy. The lemon sorbet w/ basil oil and the cuts of meat that sit on plated nitrogen gas are all great too. Dad is usually not a fan of raw food items, but surprisingly really liked the starting tartare course! I was too, whilst mom had to ask for lemon to squeeze on which ended up also being tasty. The only main downside was the wait time in between portions - I think it's because of how busy it was - all the tables were taken and had to wait for our table for our reservation at 6:30pm (we were seated about 15 minutes after.) They asked for my dad's name and was hoping they would laser it onto the meringue cookie at the end like how they do for other occasions but that wasn't the case this time :,) Shout out to Team S for the smiles and thoughtful explanations and cooking! We left this place with a renewed appreciate for quality beef and various cuts :,) read more
2 months ago
Made reservations for Shabu shabu hot pot. We made reservations for 430pm and were so looking forward to hot pot. We arrived at 4:05 and were asked to come back later because they were not open yet. Hours listed in Yelp, google and open table say 10am-11pm on Sundays. We came back at 430pm and saw many diners already seated starting their meals. That didn't feel good. We were then seated at a grill and when asked about the hot pot, which I selected as part of the reservation, we were told that they aren't serving hot pot on Sunday, because it's Mother's Day. The website, Yelp or Open Table did not specify that at all. When I told them that I selected the shabu on the reservation, they told me that is just the general seating, has nothing to do with the meal you get. What?! See the hours and the reservation below. This is our second time trying to have hot pot here, the last time we were turned away on another Sunday at 2pm with customers eating in the restaurant we were,told they close from 2pm-4pm to clean. I guess we aren't welcome here. read more
It's been awhile since I've had fine dining and Yakiya definitely did not disappoint! Came here to celebrate my son and his mom's bday and from start to finish it was a fun and tasty experience going through all the courses! Everything tasted fresh, peak of their flavor and was cooked perfectly. Highly recommended and will definitely be back read more
11 months ago
This is one of the better dining experiences I've had. Unlike Korean barbecues, they prepare everything for you and the quality and the service are all first rate. In my opinion, the food is worth more than the price point. read more
10 months ago
Can't go wrong with a restaurant where you don't really have to decide. We got the 10 course menu and luckily not the 15 course. Surprisingly we got full before the 10th. I think because it takes awhile for each course a little too long. But overall it's a okay dining experience. If you have the luxury of time then you would love it. read more
2 months ago
Business owner information
Panda E.
Hi Michael. Thank you for the feedback regarding your experience. If…
I loved the overall vibe and experience of this place. If you are looking for AYCE, then go to Chubby Cattle. I made reservations online for a party of 3 to celebrate a bday and a graduation. They seated me earlier than expected and I was able to get a cocktail while I waited for the rest of my party to arrive. The interior is very modern, sleek, and pretty. The servers were very personable and approachable without any pretense, which I appreciate at such a nice atmosphere! I am willing to pay the money so I was able to relax as much and enjoy my time. We ordered the Original set for all 3 of us and ordered multiple rounds of their tasty cocktails. They let us take our time and ENJOY the meats. I spent $800+ on the 3 of us for a special occasion and it was well worth it. One of my friends compared it to Chubby Cattle, UM DON'T. This is not AYCE and you can taste it... also you can experience it, too! The cockails made by Sean were amazing. Service by Angelo and Tiffany were humble, attentive, and efficient. I will come back again. I've been to IWagyu which is somewhat comparable to this, but this place is definitely in a higher level in terms of service, ambiance, and quality of meets. read more
10 months ago
I BEEN wanting to review this place for the past 3 weeks and finally have the opportunity to sit down and discuss my experience !!!! 1. We got the full service yak yak experience or the meat omakase party or "the full experience" ... service was excellent and i learn more about my meat then i should have 2. Service was excellent and value was right 3. Panda Express owns them !! Yes that Panda Express. Instead of me rumbling on ... make an appointment and ... eat ... there are more pictures but I don't want the world to see all the secrets !! read more
Came here to celebrate my birthday over the weekend. Husband made the reservations and it was easy. They even called to confirm if we wanted the Prix fix menu vs Shabu. Based on the pricing of the sample menu on their website, husband thought Shabu would be the better option. Parking was easy and plentiful, decor and ambiance was very nice. It's on the darker side inside with no TVs (thank goodness, since the Dodgers were playing, we really just wanted to enjoy the evening). We were seated quite quickly and the Host was very nice, even asking where we normally have Shabu and jokingly agreed with us and asked for honest feedback but didn't follow up at the end of the meal. Both he and our waitress informed us that the Shabu menu was printed separately on a paper but never brought it to us. We started by ordering our drinks but it took a while to get them. The drinks saved them a Star. We ordered the Fog on Mt Fugi and Skytree, they were visually appealing. Fog came with some smoke in a bubble. They knew that we were doing Shabu, so the menu is set already and a kids meal that was $20. The kids meal came with a 3rd of an apple, 2 halved raw carrots and 2 strips of cucumber with sesame dipping sauce, egg fried rice with a couple slices of beef sprinkled with seaweed, and chiwanmushi (steamed egg custard). Our kiddo's meal came first with our appetizer tray that came with the A5 wagyu spoon, uni egg, and ribeye tartar. Then came the Chiwanmushi shortly after and all of the dipping sauces, sesame & ponzu. But we couldn't eat anything because we had to wait for the soup base. There are only 2 options and you don't have a choice, spicy miso and dashi kombu. They weren't flavorful at all. The following plates/dishes came in increments of about 15-20 min. First came the seafood and veggie platter. Then came the prime chuck, then the wagyu chuck eye and a5 chuck rib (the best tasting beef offering). And that was it for the Shabu menu. Once the plates were cleared we waited about 20 min for the birthday treat, which ended up being 3 individual melon ball scoops of lemon sorbet with basil oil with a flat piece of meringue printed with Happy Birthday and my name. And 2 balls of chocolate filled with a liquid matcha surprise inside. Overall the slow service for us, because we ordered Shabu. There were 3 tables seated after we had been seated and they had the prix fix menu and were finished with their meals and gone before us. We rarely saw our server because she was overseeing 2 tables with the prix fix menu and was cooking for them. And NO ONE else, besides her, checked in on us during those time gaps. We got no information or guidance on how long to cook each of our items for tastiest results. We weren't full because of the wait time in between dishes, so we actually left the restaurant still hungry and ended up going somewhere else to pick up something on the way home. Our total time seated at the table was nearly 2 hours. If you want to try this place, go try the Prix fix instead of the Shabu. Keep in mind the pricing on the website is not always accurate because it is a sample menu based on season. Also considering on Yelp they have $$$$ and is a self proclaimed sophisticated luxury dining experience, there were lots of people casually dressed, in sweatpants and a hoodie, or shorts and baseball cap. read more
5 months ago
A really amazing fine dining experience. It was my first time trying this level of dining, and everything was so elevated and delicious. We tried the 10 course yakiniku set, which included a ton of different bites, and everyone was satisfied at the end. We especially loved the miso black cod and obviously the wagyu cuts. The service was so attentive, friendly, and informative. I would highly recommend. read more
Came here via car for my birthday dinner in early March 2025. The parking lot was free with plenty of parking spaces. FYI, they will not seat you early if you come early. Service was great. Food was beautiful with lots of flavor. We went with the grilling prefix instead of the shabu version. Was not disappointed. They have this scallion sauce that was SO good! I love that they put yuzu in many of their dishes. We ordered a side of Crab Salad with our meal because my partner wasn't full yet. Plus, we needed the extra veggies. Make sure to bring GasX with you for this meal. read more
2 months ago
10 months ago
Yakiya gave us an unforgettable dining experience from start to finish. Our group enjoyed the ten course prix fixe menu, and each course was beautifully prepared with rich flavors and elegant presentation. The pacing felt perfect and the entire evening flowed with a calm and refined rhythm. We were a party of ten seated at a comfortable two grill table. The staff worked both grills at the same time with skill and confidence, which is not easy to do. They handled a group of our size with ease, and we never felt crowded or overlooked. One of our guests has celiac disease, and from the moment we arrived, our host addressed the allergy with sincere care. Our host, servers, and chefs made every effort to modify dishes when possible and clearly identify each plate as it arrived. They made our allergy guest feel valued and included, not like an inconvenience, which is something very rare in most restaurants. Even though the grills are built into the tables, the room never felt smokey and our clothes did not absorb any cooking smell the way they do at many BBQ spots. Their venting system works extremely well and makes the entire experience more comfortable. The decor is attractive and modern without feeling over the top, creating a warm and relaxed setting. Service and food were exceptional in every way. The entire staff was attentive, knowledgeable, and truly focused on giving us a great evening. This is a wonderful place for a celebration or any special occasion. We left completely satisfied and excited to return. read more
10 months ago
I stumbled into Yakiya blindfolded. Dragged in by a degenerate drinking buddy. A gun pressed into my ribs essentially. Fully convinced I was about to be financially violated. That part did happen by the way. But, I still thanked the old bastard afterwards. Somewhere around the second or third course of this meat-omakase-ish prix-fixe lunacy, reality peeled off like bad wallpaper. I realized I was trapped inside a very expensive and very delicious hallucination. This place does not serve meat. It seduces you with it. You do not come here to eat. You come here to confront the lie you have been telling yourself about what good beef actually is. The plates arrive like controlled narcotics. Not big. Not generous. Precise. Deliberate. Fucking surgical. Each cut lands harder than the last. Like a dealer who knows exactly how much you can handle before you start sweating and smiling at nothing. Meat so tender it feels like it is trying to escape the burden of being solid. You chew slowly. Not because you are polite. Because your brain is buffering. Your body does not know how to behave when confronted with this much pleasure in public. You nod. You go quiet. You start having thoughts like, oh, so this is why people believe in God. The service is unsettlingly good. Not fake. Not theatrical. They refill your glass before you notice it is empty. They solve problems before you realize you have them. It is competence verging on telepathy. And here is the real mindfuck. Why is this place not busier. This should be crawling with expense account assholes and anniversary couples pretending not to check the bill. Instead it feels like a secret. One you hesitate to tell people about because it might ruin it. I am still not convinced writing this review is the right move. Oh well. Too late. Five stars. Nirvana.This place is my new fucking obsession. Eating at other restaurants now feel like a cruel joke. read more
4 months ago
Wonderful experience, the food was great and the service was also very nice. The restaurant was quiet as well. Would definitely recommend the food was very good. read more
this was an unforgettable dining experience. from excellent service, to perfectly moody ambiance, to unique flavors, i would 100% recommend this place to my friends and family. as we went through the multi-course meal, it just got better and better. the starters were unlike anything ive ever tried-- in a good way! all the slices of meat were buttery and melted in your mouth. cant wait for the special occasion that i can visit again! read more
1 year ago
service is always exceptional here!!! the staff and management is always so interactive with guest ensuring we enjoy the meal and experience they have to offer here. they are always super attentive as well. I came to try their shabu menu and it was extremely filling, came with the normal vegetables & I think 3 rounds of high quality meat. the cocktails and drinks are super delicious as well. i always go with anything yuzu or lychee. parking is easy to find as well, always make a reservation when coming here :) the interior design is always pleasant and allows a comfortable luxurious feel and the tables are within a good distance from each other read more
1 year ago
Came here twice for dineLA cause it was really good. Came here once with friends and then had to visit the Hacienda Heights restaurant also cause I wanted to bring my parents. Yes it's that good. Wagyu meats were top notch and the chawamushi was so delicious. Chef's kiss read more
1 year ago
Been wanting to try and have heard amazing things so waited for Dine LA so we could try a tasting menu. Mmm everything was very.. raw egg yolky? Best part was the ribeye and the yuzu cheesecake was to die for. The servers cook the meat for you just FYI. I think the dinner is supposed to last 90 mins but they were so overwhelmed that night it ended up being 2 hours! I've read reviews of ppl saying the inside is loud I didn't think so when we got there, still opted to sit outside since we have a toddler. Oh by the way the kids meal was the best thing ever!!! Rice with meat, fresh veggies and fruit, well balanced and delicious. Anyways when we left it was super loud inside would have been hard to hear the rest of your party. Make sure to indicate where you'd like to sit for your reservation because they plan for that. All in all, glad I tried, likely won't be back. read more
3 months ago
6 months ago
A great experience food that tingles your taste buds and you can taste the quality of food with every bite. read more
Business owner information
Panda E.
Hi Barbara. Thank you for the kind words, we look forward to seeing…
4 months ago
Excited to try this place for the dinela menu. The decor was and ambience was upscale but parts of the service felt needed fine tuning. They noted on our reservation card that we were celebrating my sisters bday but at the end of the meal didn't do anything special what so ever which I thought was odd. Why ask and note and then nothing?! The courses start very very strong and they were very very tasty and I was very excited for the 11 course journey. But the time we got to the fried rice.. the food was not at the same level as the first 4 courses and I did NOT care for the poach egg wagyu dish or the oxtail soup which was overly seasoned dashi. I didn't even finished those courses and I finish everything at these kind of places. I'm glad I tried it but I think I got rid of the itch. read more
A little random cause I live in RH but yea...I came here for dinela deal and it was pretty worth. This is strictly for the dinela deal because $68 is honestly pretty good especially in merica'. They were super busy when we arrived on Sunday and everybody like us was there for the DineLA deal. Service was ok...it's ok though cause they were rightfully busy so it was understandable. While the DineLA is honestly pretty worth, prob won't be back for awhile unless there's some kind of deal like that. Did think the dessert was pretty bad...(that cheesecake) and the tomato that once was one of my favorite(and I know it's not that anymore) is prob one of the worst now. read more
More info about Yakiya
3455 E Foothill Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91107
Chapman
Directions
(626) 514-2147
Call Now
Visit Website
https://yakiya-us.com
Full menu
Hours
Payment methods
Food & Alcohol
Indoor Amenities
Outdoor Amenities
Other Amenities
From the Business
More Info
Health Score
Ask the Community - Yakiya
Hi. Anyone know the all month 10 course is mean August or till end of September ? I just saw the promotion in FB. Thanks. Aug 22. 2025
I think the end of Aug., but may extend it. Call the restaurant directly for confirmation!
What is the dress code for this restaurant? Are shorts okay?
No dress code. You can even choose to sit at a patio dining for less noise!
What is the difference of yakiniku dinning room with shabuya dinning room?
Yakiniku is BBQ, Shabuya is Hot pot
Are food allergies addressed and honored?
Not all the time. What restaurant put on their menu that they add MSG? I am highly allergic to MSG and trust me when somebody doesn't put it on their menu. I suffer from it.. I get the wonderful trip to the hospital.…
Do the guests cook the meals themselves or is someone cooking it for them table side?
They cook for you.
Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
23 reviews that are not currently recommended
The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.
2 years ago
2 years ago
2 years ago
6 months ago
2 months ago
3 years ago
1 year ago
3 years ago
3 years ago
3 years ago
3 years ago
3 years ago
3 years ago
2 years ago
3 years ago
