I've been a Yak's customer since the mid 80s including at the former locations at Fremont and U Village. It was just a reliably good experience with friendly yet busy staff. They used to have a varied menu and ready to go Shu Mai and bbq pork filled Baos in a steam case. You could add stir fried veggies with any order for slightly more. I think they even had some noodle and soup dishes! This owner now is I think twice removed from the family that started the business and grew it to three locations. As people have said it's not very friendly or warm. No Staff except what seems like his very elderly mother who tries to help a little? I ordered my usual Bbq pork and the famous Pink Rice. But he started to put two little scoops of steamed rice in my container and I asked about the pink rice with pork bits and color in it. He curtly said he isn't making that anymore. When I told him that was what brings me here he didn't care at all. I'm not so sure about other reviews perceiving him to be racist against black people however that is not uncommon amongst the older Asian community. The only other person that came in while I was waiting for my order was black and frankly not with a very clean appearance. But he was treated just about the same as me. So if that matters to you.... I just want good food at a reasonable price. I didn't go to that dump of a restaurant, and it's a dump!!, to sit inside and get service. The bbq pork was VERY dry, only one little thing of mustard given, and the sauce was horrid! It was like a burnt salty goo. He'd be much better off buying the bucket sized Kikkomans or similar. No one was going there mid day when I ate outside. A couple people went into the five tavern next door, and there is an abandoned mini mart next to the bar. Yet parking full? I can't understand how this hell hole I used to love stays open?? I spent almost $20 including a 10% tip for this small portion w/o any salad or greens. I passed up a great Teri place in West Seattle that gives me more and better pork than this with a salad and stopped here. I won't do that again. Soooo many better food choices on 4th Ave including Teriyaki. If anyone questions my review, look at much earlier reviews and pictures of Yak's food and you will see the sequential devolvement of the cuisine offered! read more

Yak's Teriyaki - Bbq Pork with nasty sauce and no Pink Rice - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Food was amazing, the beef teriyaki was like no other beef teriyaki I've ever tried. Service was a 10 out of 10. I came here during the day on my lunch break and was not disappointed. I will definitely be coming back. read more

Yak's Teriyaki - Beef Teriyaki - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Yaks is just what I did after dining on this dish. This sparse teriyaki joint located in the industrial district known as SODO is not a hidden gem. Let's just say the chicken teriyaki was limited in taste and needed that extra sauce the counter person gave me for an unknown reason, until after I ate it. Rice & BBQ pork accompanied this dish and neither has a taste worthy of the $20 I paid for it. As I sit in the car with indigestion I only wish I have grabbed a burger Vs stopping at YAKS! read more

Yak's Teriyaki - a plate of food - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Anytime I'm back visiting Seattle I need to get my teriyaki fix. I had some time to kill before heading to the airport and this popped up on Google maps. The owner was working the counter and gave me some solid service and a nice looking plate of teriyaki. It had the perfect amount of char, wasn't too saucy, but had enough left over to eat with the rice. The pot stickers were deep fried and had a nice acidic sauce to compliment. The price was right and if I'm ever in the area again I would definitely come back in. read more

Yak's Teriyaki - a plate of chicken, rice and salad - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I used to come here a lot, but I don't work close by anymore. Popped in today and it's under new ownership. All the great little things are gone. They used to have the best barbecue pork. I ordered it today sauce taste like salt and the pork is dry also changed the rice not bothering coming here again. read more

Yak's Teriyaki - BBQ pork lunch - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

unwelcoming interior; brusque matter-of-fact service; rubbery chicken in an excessively sweet sauce--at least the salad was fresh. no reason to return. read more

I haven't been here in years! But I passed by it and remember they have that pink rice!!! it was the first thing I asked when I came in and the owner said yes! Picture speaks for itself chickens always juicy and their salad dressing is fire! read more

Yak's Teriyaki - Daily special number one - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

The owner/cook isn't very friendly and never has been toward people of color, especially of African descendancy. I don't understand why. As a matter of fact, I've been going there for about 10 years or so, because I love the pink rice and bbq pork, but I cannot recall any black people ever being there. I just began to notice this this year. The food has always been very good prior to the Pandemic. However the prices have increased and the food isn't as tasteful as it was before the pandemic. Five stars for the food prior to the pandemic; 2.5 stars post pandemic for the food; zero stars for the hospitality of the owner/cook. read more

We have ate at Yak's Seattle since 1985. One of our favorites! Over the years always good! Recently, we revisited since covid. OMG, we have gone 3 times in alittle over a month! Completely amazing, changed their always great pork to so Amazing pork! We can't get enough! Best teriyaki we have ever had glad its better then ever. If you haven't tried, your missing out! read more

It's a typical teriyaki place, nothing fancy. We went for lunch and their chicken teriyaki plate is 6.49 and chicken bowl (bowl of rice topped with chicken) 4.99; standard prices. They have daily specials including drinks for 7.99. The chicken teriyaki is very plump and juicy. It's good without the sauce. The cashier is efficient and nice. He remembers you and your orders after just one time! read more

I like to refer to this little place as "slum teriyaki".. It's right next to a seedy-ish tavern and the first time I went there, I was one of the only two women in the entire place without a mullet. (see photo..) Fast and cheap... Just what you'd expect from any teriyaki joint. Go early though, they get busy at lunch. (Not that kind of "busy"..) read more

Yak's Teriyaki - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Red porky goodness. I'm not sure if it's magic juice or some other potion from Harry Potter, but I really like the unnatural red food that is pork from Yaks. It's not of the same quality and variety of somewhere like Kau Kau, which is a short drive from Yaks, but it lives on its own merits, and parking is gloriously easy. The neighborhood is not very nice, admittedly, A couple summers ago, I had the unsightly experience of seeing two homeless people actually have sex on the adjoining sidewalk on the North side as I entered the restaurant. But, even through that, I endured, went in and enjoyed some delicious BBQ pork. The surroundings are not palacial, but there's usually a copy of the Seattle Times laying around that you can grab and read as you drink your Snapple. Sometimes people say "This place has seen better days" when referring to somewhere, and in the case of Yak's I really can't say if that's true or not. read more

I just recently found this gem! The owner and staff are super friendly and very helpful. The food there is hands down my favorite teriyaki joint. The quality is first class, the smell is mouth watering and the taste is great. I highly recommend trying! read more

I have been to Yak's a handful of times for lunch. Not the best teriyaki, but definitely not the worst. This is a family owned and ran place that is perfect for lunch if you work in the Sodo, Industrial or Georgetown part of Seattle. Only open Monday thru Friday! Each day they offer a lunch special which is offered at a decent price and will typically include an entree, rice, drink and salad. A couple of things that Yak's offers that alot of teriyaki places don't offer is shu-mai (one of my faves) and cha siu bao (BBQ pork bun) also really good. Something that I do not like is that the food is pre made and sits in a warmer. I do not like this because it makes me wonder how long it's been sitting, when it was made and if it was left over from previous days, etc. Because the food sits in the warmer, the beef teriyaki and the chicken teriyaki doesn't taste as fresh as it would from other places who make the food once ordered. Overall you do get a good amount of food for your money and you have several food options to choose from. This is a place I would at every once in awhile for lunch. read more

Yak's Teriyaki - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

They had roaches next to the soda machine up under the tape! I went on Jan 19th, 2022! I will never go again!

I've been dining at Yaks since the early 80's. Back when they also had a location in Fremont. Over the years I've enjoyed the variety of Japanese cuisine offered however the signature dish that keeps me coming back is where it's at for me. I worked in Seattle for close to 30 years where Yak's was a regular lunch stop for me. Currently I live approximately 30 miles outside of Seattle and always seem to find a reason to stop in whenever I'm in town. Practically every time I'll settle for the BBQ pork with pink rice on the side. Although its traditionally served at Chinese restaurants, Yaks spin on the dish is what keeps bringing me back. Their generous portion of sliced BBQ pork smothered in their signature teriyaki glaze and scoops of that unique pink rice. Yes, you read that right, I said pink rice! Its steamed short grain rice that's somehow infused with the BBQ pork marinade. Gives the rice a slight tinge of the BBQ pork base in every bite. I find it uniquely delicious. Add a little dab of hot mustard paste and you get the perfect bite. There appears to be no magic ingredients to this simple dish, yet its simplicity is what makes it so tasty. The place had become run down over the years and began to show its age. But the one thing that never changed was the BBQ pork entree. The current owners have spruced up the place quite a bit and thankfully continue to offer my favorite dish. I'll continue to come back whenever I get a chance and highly recommend this dish. Also appreciate the conversation with the gent who works the counter. Very friendly and helpful. read more

Running errands in SODO today, got hungry, and thankfully I walked into Yak's for some grub. I can only speak for the gyoza and mongolian beef. Both were great and the food was cooked relatively fast. I also especially liked the beverage options. Most Teriyaki places I've been to have soda, water and a few other options. Yak's had like 4 fridges with soda, Gatorade, tea, water, Sobe, all kinds of stuff! If I'm in the area, I'll be back to check out their Tsao's chicken. read more

Yummy PINK, yes that's right, PINK rice!! Teriyaki standards are served up here well. Run by a nice Korean family, the service is always fast and friendly. With their added frequent buyers punch card, a nice touch, this place gets a big BOO-YEAH from me and my co-workers. Ron M. swears the pink rice grows hair, hey guys, just a side note!! Nice soft drink selection, either from the fountain or in the cooler via bottles and cans, you should be able to find something to quench your thirst. Teriyaki Chicken, Pork, & Beef are served in great sized portions, and plenty of flavor. The "pink" rice is extra on a few dishes, while it comes standard on others. It's worth a try. Check out their daily specials, there's a nice selection to tickle most anyone's fancy. Oh, non-meat eaters need not apply. Take out or stay in, it's all good..... read more

Having to work near SODO area, where there are not a lot of eateries around, I often times come to Yak's Teriyaki to escape from my 'usual' lunch. They serve good food. I especially love their General Tao's Chicken. Recently I tried the ramen, and that was also delicious. I would definitely say that this is the best teriyaki place so far of the places that I've been and tried in and around Seattle. read more

Well, finally got a chance to try out the infamous Yak's teriyaki. I've heard about this places for ages. However, the hype was a bit larger than reality, at least for me. It was plain, generic teriyaki, at best. I thought the prices were a bit on the high side for the amount of food you get. C'mon, it's a teriyaki joint, you should be stuffed when you leave the place. I got the combo chicken and gyoza and spent over $8.00. The 4 gyozas were all deep fried, not pan fried. There wasn't much chicken over a ton of rice. After eating the meat and gyoza with some rice, I wasn't totally full nor satisfied. Nothing worse than eating enough where you're not hungry but not really full. So, I was left with that feeling where you wish you hadn't eaten the food to start with so you could have been happy with something else. read more

Hecka good teriyaki! Staff is friendly to the max! I'll be checkin in more. I like their spicy chicken and bbq pork read more

I first want to say that this is the second Yak's, as the name implies. The other Yak's is located in Fremont, about a block down and to the right from the Troll. Right, the foody bits, which are important here. This is yet another almost dive looking place I love. My family usually get the bbq pork rice bowls. These bowls are rather large styrofoam bowls fill with pink rice, and completely covered by bbq pork, that have been warmed in some kind of sauce, which also seeps into the rice, adding more flavor (I assume it adds flavor. I'm not a fan of rice, so never tried.) Now, that's what the other members in my family get. Me, on the other hand, order differently. I usually order two humbows, and a couple of shumai. The humbows are a stuffed roll, made of a white dough and stuffed with a shredded sweet pork. This pork is bright red. It goes nicely with the insane looking pink rice. They are by far one of my favorites. And the shumai... oh man, the shumai. I could probably get a dozen of these and call it a meal. These little dumplings are made of win and yum. Actually, I am only taking a guess here, but they're dumplings filled with either a pork/onion or a chicken/onion mixture, I just don't recall which it actually is. They can appear to be slightly slimy, but the taste is increadible. And my two favorites are pretty cheap, too. The humbow, which is slightly larger than my fist, is only $1.99, and the shumai are only 65 cents each. Now I will tell you a story about the service these wonderful people give. About 15 years ago, my dad was a truck driver who did local runs into Seattle. He would usually stop by the Framont Yak's, and order a bbq pork rice bowl and a humbow. And it would never fail that the little old lady behind the counter would say, "You big boy. You need more food. I give you extra." And she would pile his bowl especially high with rice and pork. read more

Recognize that my five star rating doesn't represent a belief that Yak's deserves a Michelin star. It is what it is, a divey Teriyaki place. Within that context it is absolutely awesome. A couple of things deserve special attention, both having to do with sweet, sweet wonderful pork. Their Humbao are a treasure beyond measure. Generous mounds of fluffy, white steamed bread filled to capacity with their awesome pork, shredded and laced with their secret sauce. Whenever we dine there we get at least a dozen to go for lunches over the next few days. On to their BBQ pork. No, this is not KauKau where you can watch the whole roasted pig being dissected into it's individual yummy parts. Instead this is the pinnacle of the little red tipped slices that you can get at your grocery store or as appetizers in bars or cheap Chinese restaurants. Those dry little slices are as frozen pizza to Yak's full, rich steaming Chicago deep dish pie version of BBQ pork. Yak's takes the tenderloin, slow roasts it in the odd, artificially colored red stuff (don't know why), then they take this tender, succulent meat and carve it to order over a bed of their (reviewed below) excellent pink rice. A healthy ladle or two of their delightful sauce, a little coleslaw vinaigrette on the side, and you are in Teriyaki junk food heaven. Stop by. It's worth the trip. read more

Know that I am a huge Teriyaki fan and was pretty happy to work right next to this place. I've been a regular here since day one. First run at a teriyaki joint I always get the spicy chicken because well that should be something you have to perfect to be a respectable teriyaki place. It came out relatively fast (less than 5 minutes). Chicken was moist and pretty darn tender. Came back and tried a couple more dishes. Their teriyaki beef is amazing. Its soft and full of flavor. Their bbq pork, although not on par with kau kau's, is also worth mentioning. Overall, I haven't had an unpleasant meal here. Btw, I always order with their pink rice and grilled onions. Makes everything that much better. And their portions fill you up, but you're not going to get another meal out of it unlike other teriyaki places, but leftover teriyaki is not that great anyways. They didn't receive a 5 star because well, I believe the 5 star is only reserved for the very best teriyaki place. I haven't found that place so if anyone know of that place please pm me. read more

A beautiful bed of soft rice. Glazed chicken teriyaki. I love our lunch flings, and our reheated late night affairs. read more

So for true BBQ pork .. I reviewed KauKau.. but if you want the best BBQ Pork Teriyaki.. you need to come to YAK's order extra meat you will not be dissapointed. The meat is soft, flavorful and abundant. read more

Yaks Teriyaki is what yaks teryaki is, they ain't changed after 8 year.. that was the last time I have been here... wow!! I can't believe it, now that I think about it 8 years... well there is nothing wrong here. My chicken was warm, the same ol way the delivered fast teriyaki.. they pre cook it then put it into a hot box. Same method McDonald's uses except its chicken teryaki that truly equal opportunity...like I said what is bad? It still taste the same from all the teriyaki shops I been to that tend to change.. why 3 stars? I was in a rush for lunch break and hoping to catch them while the chicken gets off the grill fresh...no straight from the hot box... the hospitality is 5 star tho..... read more

Customer service warrants this... the order taker obviously misunderstood what we wanted .. brings order to table in a bag.. we opened it and immediately said this is not what we asked for instead of giving us the right order and/or adding Extra charge if there were any.. he says no change no take backs needless to say my family and I will never be gracing those tsteps again and I hope people will see this and no this is not the place to expect honest & good customer service, Yak's customer is always right despite your "make money only attitude" read more

Solid place for teriyaki but not the best. Had the chicken & beef combo. Good size portions but could have been much better quality.

Very good teriyaki! The pork here is awesome! Good to see a teriyaki that has pork as main special over the chicken. Recommend it. Good price good taste read more

I go here 3-5 times/week and love the spicy chicken teriyaki. The owner Bo is friendly and always looking to try out new dishes.

Service is friendly, portions are fine but the food is quite mediocre. The spicy chicken breast teriyaki was overcooked, had mostly spice and almost no teriyaki sauce, the rice was too dry and the salad was about par for most teriyaki places. Messing up the namesake ingredient is a deal killer. read more

I travel for work all the time, and try to give any teriyaki place I can find a shot at making the list of my favorite teriyaki restaurants. This place is probably the worst I've ever been to. The meat is old and nasty, I couldn't even finish my meal. Combined with how expensive it is I regret eating here. Also, don't by the extra teriyaki sauce. It's either not the same or watered down. Skip this place! read more

food is great! It's a great spot for lunch or if you're grabbing something to take home for dinner. The atmosphere and Decor is not fantastic, but the place is clean. New ownership took it over about a year ago and they are slowly improving the Aesthetics of the place. Frankly, I never eat there I usually take my food to go and it's always been great. I'm a regular customer and will continue to be a regular customer. Great work! read more

I ate here almost 20 years ago. I have never had teriyaki chicken like this. It is tender, tasty and juicy. The combo with the barbecue pork is the best. Go there... eat... be happy. Don't look for anything fancy, just good food. read more

I am always looking for a good teriyaki restaurant. I tried this place today and was very disappointed with The Chicken Curry Special. I ordered to go and when I opened my container at home it consisted of 6-7 small pieces of chicken and over 12 pieces of potatoes. Most of the container consisted of rice. This could have been an enjoyable meal if there was more chicken. It should have been called Potato Curry with some chicken. I did show up at 2 pm and maybe I was given the last bit... read more

Yak's Teriyaki - a meal in a styrofoam container - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

This is a seattle intiution. I didnt go to collage and i dont work for amzon.dork. but i do know a few things and one is whats good teriaki, the other is doing sick dounghnuts in my 1994 mazda miata. This place as existed for a mere 43 years. So go eat your pinaple infused pulled pork. I will be chillin a yaks eating the finest teriaki this side or the orieant and sipping on complimentory tea. You milk toast neophytes. Try the spicy chicken teriaki it heavenly. read more

I never had teriyaki before I came to Seattle, and I had first teriyaki in my life at this restaurant. It was so delicious and Ive been kind of addicted to teriyaki since then. I love beef teriyaki here, which cost you less than ten bucks. After I became a huge fan of teriyaki, I've been exploring teriyaki restaurants, but this is still my favorite one. read more

I have been a patron of this restaurant for many many years. Really good bbq pork, soft and delicate and drizzled with teri-sauce. The pink rice, as I refer to it, is very tasty. Not much has changed as far as appearances go, almost like the restaurant has been stuck in a time warp. The building looks really old, but love the feeling of nostalgia I get LOL. Been a customer since I was a kid and will continue being a customer well into my adult years. read more

We got the orange chicken to go and after the 20-minute ride home, it was still so warm and crispy! Literally the best orange chicken I have ever eaten. I will definitely be coming back for a dine-in experience. I'm very excited to try EVERYTHING on the menu. My new regular to-go teriyaki place. Please try this place out! YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT!!! read more