A small hole in the wall place with a good selection. Staff was friendly. Prices are reasonable and medium sized portions. The curry rice flavor was good and tasty. 3 stars because there were only two small pieces of meet and a tiny bit of carrot. It was mostly gravy and rice. Chicken teriyaki was good but not the typical way. It didn't appear grilled but more like boiled in a broth. After living in Los Angeles for 5 yrs and enjoying great Japanese food I have a high standard on Japanese food. Good but set expectations properly. read more

Yama is the best restaurant in Morgantown. Authentic, delicious, and iconic. It's a great place for a date, dinner with friends, or even to just grab a quick meal alone. Everyone working there is cheerful and genuine, and the owner/chef (Yama) is welcoming and humble. From the 30+ meals I've had there, none have ever been even remotely bad. I've never even been able to bring home leftovers, it's just too delicious. read more

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Every day, I wonder what do I need to make my day a little better. Yama is that place. The staff is always extremely friendly and helpful and the portions are great. Haven't had anything yet I haven't loved. 5/5 would definitely come back every stinking chance I could read more

This place is cool, feels like it was pulled right out of one of the YouTube travel channels. I had the curry rice, really good, but I didn't dig the pickled veg that came with it. Don't know what it was, but my mouth tried to turn itself inside out. Serving sizes are small, but Japanese don't eat as much as we do, so there's that. The takoyaki were amazing, would go back just for them. read more

The most authentic Japanese food you'll find in Morgantown. Just a small, hole in the wall kinda place so you know it's good as soon as you walk in. read more

I am not sure why but I was really excited about this place I thought the food would be great and cool but no the sushi was mediocre to say the least. It has found a way to glorify top ramen. I think on a cold day maybe this place would be cool. Otherwise not so much. The location it's pretty good as it is right across from a pay and park. Also THEY ONLY ACCEPT CASH. read more

OK, how did I not know about this place until now? Locally owned delicious and authentic Japanese food in West Virginia--who knew? The prices are very reasonable and the portions, while not huge, are adequate; Yama is proof of quality over quantity. The building is small, but comfortable, with wood paneling and pleasing decor. The owner does all the cooking (though he is training an apprentice at this time), but the service is fast and the young woman behind the counter is very friendly. Keep in mind: they DO NOT accept credit or debit; cash only. You can also rent Japanese books and movies at Yama. Also: their mochi? Holy moley good stuff--and half the price of Lavender Cafe. read more

Yama is great!! Great food and amazing service! They're such great people and I've never been disappointed :-)

Back in town for summer break and the first restaurant that I hit-up is, of course, Yama. Some additional info to why I love this place so much: it's good, home-cooked food. Like the type of food that you can only get at grandma's cozy little house. The people who work here are so nice as well, so I always feel welcomed here. read more

Yama - Tofu teriyaki - great vegetarian option - Japanese Near Me - Morgantown, West Virginia

Yama fulfills a need - a simple but wonderfully authentic Japanese restaurant in a great college town. I wish we had a similar Japanese restaurant (Japanese-owned and run) in Ann Arbor! read more

Nothing cures a hangover like a big bowl full of ramen! read more

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I went to Yama for some Ramen for lunch with a friend and I loved it! The ramen was authentic and everything was cooked really well. I am looking forward to the next time I come back and can try some of their other dishes! read more

The most authentic and friendly Japanese Restaurant in Morgantown! Best service, locally owned. Cozy atmosphere. Reminds me of restaurants I've been to in Japan. Amazing! read more

My friend always raves about this place so I had pretty high expectations of it. She did warn me ahead of time that they only accept cash, so be prepared. When you walk in it looks like a hole in the wall - very small and very few tables. You order at the counter, pay, and they bring the food out to you. Unsure of what to get, despite reading Yelp reviews, i decided to go with the yakisoba. When the food came out I was slightly disappointed. Don't get me wrong, the noodles were good and they didn't taste heavy or oily, however I was expecting more of a teriyaki or soy sauce flavor to my meal. Maybe that's how yakisoba is. It was kind of fruity without being overly sweet. So it could've been just me not really knowing what yakisoba is supposed to taste like. My friend did love her tuna special and her dumplings were pretty darn tasty. I was also disappointed that there weren't many sushi options (I think I was mislead, so it's not the restaurant's fault) and that the spicy tuna seemed a bit pricey. Maybe because Morgantown doesn't have easy access to sushi? At the register there is a TV that plays Japanese game shows. This was pretty entertaining - mostly trying to figure out what the show was about. Overall the experience wasn't bad, it just wasn't spectacular. It only felt disappointing because my expectations were high. I would like to come back again and try the other dishes - probably the vegetable tempura udon (friend's favorite) and teriyaki chicken (Yelp favorite). The price was reasonable, the staff was friendly and adorable, and there are tons of options. read more

If you're coming from I-79 southbound, your approach into Morgantown will include a very hilly drive through a very hillybilly-ish small town (as a fun game try playing "count the American flag and 'Support our Troops'" regalia; see if you can get to 100), a sudden descent leading to a bridge spanning a river, and finally a plunge into the heart of the ramshackle downtown of an old river mill outpost. Decaying brick, hectic narrow streets, grimy storefronts, a comic shop, a Subway (of course)... in short, it's a darn strange place to expect a bonafide Japanese food experience. Yama, however, brazenly defies our simplistic assumptions that the best ethic holes in the wall are always found in places with the highest concentrations of people from that particular group. Once you finally find the entrance to the place (not a given; it's up some steps on a side street), step in and observe your surroundings. You'll feel like you are at that place where only "the locals eat" somewhere in Kyoto or Fukuoka. Completely non-touristy and totally devoid of any "catering to gringos" element, there is a flat screen t.v. playing Asian gameshows in the background, DVDs and books lining the walls labeled in kanji, and no pretension whatsoever to wow you with decor. If you are squeamish about funky bathrooms, make sure to go beforehand. The menu has many tasty-looking surprises, but your eyes should head straight to the ramen. Ramen, as I've learned of late, isn't just an MSG-laden form of cheap carbs that US college students eat to save money. It's also a late-night ritual and culinary tradition in Japan; hungry party-goers, so I'm told, flock to "ramen houses" for a quick and satisfying restorative indulgence that brings you back to life with its spiciness and rich broth. After my meal at Yama, I totally get the ramen craze. Ramen is pho's urbanized egg-noodle cousin: while not packing the array of fresh vegetables that accompany the pho experience, ramen offers delightfully chewy, home-made noodles that bathe in a sweet, nutty miso broth, topped with bean sprouts, chipped pork, scallions, and other aromatics. Before you dive in to the noodles, take a sip of the hot, thick broth out of your plastic Asian soup spoon. It's like letting the waves splash over your feet at a Caribbean beach before charging into the waves. That sip will tell you everything you need to know about the experience you're about to enjoy. read more

Just ate here the other night. Fantastic Japanese comfort food. Love the Yaki Soba. This is not a sushi place so if you are looking for sushi this probably isn't the place for you. They have it but it's meh. Everything else is really good. Oh and definitely get some miso soup I like it with a scoop of rice. read more

One of Morgantown's best casual restaurants! Their vegetarian yakisoba and the veggie sushi combo are my favorites -- I could eat there once a week, if not more, and not tire of it. Simple but cozy atmosphere, always amazing service, and consistently DELICIOUS! read more

I tried Yama for the first time yesterday afternoon and I can't wait to go back. You order and pay at the counter before sitting down, so it may be helpful to read the menu online and come with an idea of what you want. Vegetarian options were annotated on the menu, which I appreciated. I got the kitsune udon and absolutely loved it. Sometimes tofu is very bland and doesn't add much to the taste of a dish, but the pieces in this udon were surprisingly well-flavored and really stood out. Service was quick and the staff is very friendly. read more

Yama - Kitsune Udon - Japanese Near Me - Morgantown, West Virginia

Unpretentious Japanese hole in the wall restaurant for a truly delicious simple but authentic meal cooked by a real Japanese chef. Chef Yama is a one man show , so forgive him when the place gets crowded. The wait is worth it! No other restaurant in Morgantown has a more beautiful looking and authentic seaweed salad. A mix of different colored seaweed in a bowl which puts even many of the higher priced Japanese restaurants in other bigger cities to shame. You don't come here for sushi , not that it's bad , but this was never meant to be a sushi restaurant. You come for their simple one bowl meal. If you want to splurge and have a bigger appetite for a Bento box meal , go for it. It comes with salad and other authentic condiments in the box with a choice of meats. Rice and the best miso soup in town is served with the box. It's worth stopping by for just the miso soup especially on a frigid Morgantown winter's day while out on an errand down town. Rating is given for the tasty food here , not for the place. Look elsewhere if you want to dress up and be seen. read more

Came for lunch @ Wednesday noontime! I'm not sure why people talk about how good the prices are here. My bento box of teriyaki beef was about $13+ and had 3 types of pickled veggies, a gyoza, potato salad, and actual salad. Plus rice & soup. I just wish there had been at least 2 pieces of a California roll or something! Most Japanese places that offer lunchtime bento boxes usually include a tiny bit of sushi-- so, for what I got, I felt a bit disappointed. read more

Yama - Teriyaki beef bento box - Japanese Near Me - Morgantown, West Virginia

So this is a classic Japanese restaurant run by a Japanese family. It's authentic and the staff is so friendly. You won't find hibachi grills here. We ordered the shrimp udon and the Katsu curry. Katsu curry wasn't on the menu but they said they could make it for us. We also had some gyoza which tasted like it was homemade but it was deep fried. Gyoza in Japan is not deep fried so that was a little disappointing. It was a busy on a Friday for lunch and they don't have too many seats. Get there early! read more

Wow I was so surprised that there is an authentic Japanese restraunt in West Virginia! The place is owned and run by Japanese people and the food was very good. I had the shoyu ramen and my boyfriend had the miso ramen. The ramen were both very good. Noodles were tasty and the soup was great. Miso ramen soup was kind of gritty but I thought it was very good and the shoyu ramen soup was salty but that's because it's soysauce based. The only bad thing was they only took cash! read more

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Hungrily sitting in my office at my new job, I thought I'd hit up Yelp to see what food was nearby. Let me tell you--the positive reviews of Yama are in no way exaggerated. That was the best Udon I've had since my time in Japan! Great service. Delicious, fresh, filling food. Cash only. read more

Yama - Udon with Tempura Vegetables--Freakin' Fantastic! - Japanese Near Me - Morgantown, West Virginia

Can you say free miso with any purchase? Morgantown roll is my favorite. Servers share the tables so you might have someone trying to take your order twice but is too much attention a bad thing? read more

For your average Joe, this place is pretty good, but a little pricey IMHO. For your average Zhou, the cuisine could aptly be described as "Japanese-American". read more

A rare and excellent find. A small restaurant where the sushi was very good and the service was excellent. I will definitely return on my next trip to Morgantown. read more

Really good food, seems to be authentic - many Japanese students eating there. Prices are reasonable. A VERY tiny place but worth trying read more

Had cold ramen, eel bowl and takoyaki. Well the menu is kinda small but it is enough for people who love noodle. The food I got were great. I love cold ramen and haven't had it since I came to America. It was satisfied. Takoyaki came with sauce on the side. They didn't have dry fish on the top like I like that is why I only give them 4 stars. The girl at the register was very nice. I would definitely go back there again. read more

I came here while visiting a friend going to WVU. She and another friend raved about the place, so I looked forward to trying it for myself. I ordered a special- tuna over rice bowl. I was anticipating either a seared tuna or sushi/sashimi type tuna. What I got was a weird mushy glob of tuna over rice. The rice itself was good, as was the ginger dressing side salad I ordered. I just did not like the consistency or flavor of the tuna (it was a bit too 'fishy' for lack of a better word for my taste). My friends loved their orders so perhaps this one was not right for me. The service was quick and friendly, location easy to find. Next time I'll try something else! I would definitely recommend and try it for yourself! Others seem to rave so again, maybe it wasnt my day/not the right menu item for me. read more

As close to perfect as it gets. Morgantown staple that never fails to deliver. From the tuna bowl, to gyoza, to the shoyu ramen. If you are left disappointed from this hole in the wall, it says more about you than Mr. Yama. read more

Yama is a small Japanese restaurant in Morgantown with authentic Japanese food and sushi. Service is quick, and the food is great. As a bonus, you can rent Japanese movies and books. read more

Yama - Japanese Near Me - Morgantown, West Virginia

I can't stress enough how AUTHENTIC yama is. It's not "asian" cuisine that you're used to at Benihana and Hibatchi steakhouses. I affectionately call Yama a "Japanese Greasy-Spoon" diner. Everything is so damn good. I recommend the vegetable tempura croquette bowl. So damn good. FYI, it can get a little pricey if you start adding on side orders. Stick with water. read more

This is the only real authentic Japanese food in Morgantown! One of my favorite things to get on the menu is the Miso Ramen. It is very delicious even with the bean sprouts on it (I'm usually not a fan of sprouts). Highly recommend you come and eat here if you are out and about downtown. read more

I want to start off by saying that this place has a super cool feel to it, it felt like I was in some tiny shop in Japan rather than in dirty, downtown Morgantown. The staff is also wonderfully friendly, and the menu, though not extensive, has plenty of good options. I did give a 3 though because I absolutely hated my ramen (I got the miso ramen). It didn't taste fresh at all. My boyfriend got the Shoyu ramen and really liked it! I'm sure the food is great, I just think I probably didn't order the right thing. read more

Nothing even close to Yama in Morgantown. Most authentic Japanese food by 100 miles. Food and staff are superior. My go to for 3 years when in school. Unbeatable read more

This is the real deal- authentic japanese and amazingly delicious. Miso Ramen is super yum. It is funny my 16 year old and all of her friends go to this restaurant when they are downtown- if Yama can please a group of teens it must be amazing. I highly recommend eating here ! read more

I am in-love with this restaurant! My partner and I have eaten here once a week for the past 4 months and we're not planning on stopping anytime soon! Personally, we have not had any of their meat dishes so I cannot speak for them. Every time I order the Kitsune Udon with a side of Inari Sushi and it is just impeccable. I will be so sad when Yama decides to retire cause I am hooked on this place! The aesthetics are pretty basic, but it does make me feel like I'm in an actual Japanese restaurant in Japan! They have a nice selection of manga and a tv constantly on some sort of Japanese show. (Usually involving cute animals!) The service here is some of the best in Morgantown! I usually wait 5-10 minutes for my food and the waiters are super friendly, helpful, and caring but without being over-bearing. Yama himself is a cool guy and friendly as well! They always say "Thank you!" or "Arigato!" before you go out the door to everyone which is so cute! I highly recommend this place to anyone who eats! read more

The shoyu ramen is amazing, everything I've tried here so far is amazing. The shoyu and miso ramen both are available vegetarian too!

Visited here two days ago on April 1st, 2014. I had heard good things about this place, but it still exceeded my expectations! For reference, the foods I had were the miso soup, takoyaki and yakisoba. They were all so delicious. Not a complaint about one thing. I did embarrass myself a bit, though, by biting into the takoyaki straight away after it was served and ended up burning my mouth, but that was my own fault. While the restaurant itself is pretty small, it definitely adds a lot of atmosphere. The back where Yama cooks is open, and he was sure to thank us from his cooking station on our way out. He and the lady working were both super friendly and kind! The only "negative" thing I could probably say is that I wish they accepted credit/debit cards as we don't normally carry cash with us, but at least we knew ahead of time to have some cash on hand when we came in. And, overall, the most important things of the restaurant are the food and service. Both of which were excellent! I can't wait to go back and try some new dishes! read more

The food here is out of this world. The only real Japanese food in Morgantown. Now for the downside... The lighting in this place is so bright. You almost feel as if you are sitting underneath an interrogation lamp. The restroom situation is terrible. The atmosphere is... well, non existent. Worst of all, they don't except credit cards! So you are telling me that you only take cash?! What? That sounds a little suspicious to me. read more