Order Yamato 2 Takeout or Delivery
Yamato 2 Photos
Business Info
Yamato 2 Popular Dishes
YAMATO 2 ATMOSPHERE
You might also consider
More like Yamato 2
Recommended Reviews - Yamato 2
Start your review...
Reviews With Photos
This is my 2nd time at this restaurant. This time, it was chill and got seated right away. It could possibly be that the hype of ayce sushi died down due to the new wave of interest for omakase. Worked out well for me! The restaurant uses a tablet for ordering now. Most menu items have an image. For the ones without an image, don't make my mistake and do a quick Google search before ordering. Hot tea is not included but a good workaround is to order a bowl of miso soup. Good selection of sashimi, nigiri, rolls, and other food items. Would definitely come back!
About 4 years ago, I used to come here once a month. I just went back and was somewhat disappointed. The quality of the food has definitely gone down and the restaurant was much dirtier than I remember. The appetizers weren't hot at all and the fish just didn't seem fresh. Still a good spot for cheap sushi though!
This is the best value spot for sushi in all of Boston. It's all-you-can-eat for under $40, even for weekend dinner. We came here as a party of 2 and were seated pretty quickly. Staff gave us a dim sum-like ordering sheet which we filled out and handed back to them, and we could ask for more sheets for any subsequent orders. Our food came out pretty quickly and the ngiri, sushi rolls, hand rolls, sashimi, and appetizers we ordered were all restaurant-quality and sized. There was a noticeable dip in size and quality after our first order though, with some pieces tasting fishier and our sashimi pieces being half as small. The dining area is simple and undecorated, but clean. They also include picture menus so you know what each item looks like. The staff was friendly and service was quick. I'll be back for my next AYCE sushi craving!
Food: If you want all you can eat sushi, this is the place! There's large selection of sushi, sashimi, dishes and dessert you can order. Service: They were pretty quick when it came to seating us, and each order they sent in took about 10-20 minutes to come out. But overall, I enjoyed my meal there!
A staple since my college days. Great for quantity (not necessarily quality) and group gatherings. There is hot tea to accompany the sushi along the way and for dinner, fried ice cream to end the meal. The rolls were mostly rice and the food was quite average but if you're hungry it's the best thing in the world. The spicy salmon hand roll was one of my faves actually! Service was decently fast. Parking in Back Bay is a butt. The interior is decently bright despite it being in the basement.
The trick is not to drink water and avoid filling foods and you'll have a great time here :) High quality sushi rolls made to order and servers are attentive to take your order before you are finished with your current plate! Lively atmosphere!
Great all-you-can-eat sushi for the price! The quality is good enough, but I wouldn't come here for anything other than their AYCE option. The menu is also fairly big and has lots of hot food options as well. They do a good job at doing their rounds!
The Internet seems to have a very positive opinion about Yamato. After walking by and having a mental bookmark for over a decade, it was finally time to stop in. I blame Reddit - plus I had a nearby interview that got out just as lunch was starting. Off the bat: $24.50 for AYCE sushi lunch is a great deal, especially in downtown Boston. However, $25 can get you all sorts of delicious lunches, and I'm not sure Yamato has gone in my Rolodex of places to revisit. I do think it is worth a second chance though... only maybe for dinner. I had the opportunity to try: - Crab Rangoons - Brighton Maki - Volcano Maki - Salmon & Tuna Sushi - Salmon Skin Hand Roll The Crab Rangoons were alright. The filling was A-OK, however the fried wonton was on the thicker and chewier side for my taste. The Brighton Maki was a bit unsure. Rather than having a spicy tuna filling, in this case it was the exterior topping! Inside was avocado and white fish. Flavor-wise, this role wasn't much to write home about. I found the pieces a little inconsistent as well (more or less spicy tuna topping, smaller or larger bit of white fish, etc). Texture-wise, the large amount of spicy tuna, rice, and avocado led to a mouthfeel that hid the white fish. Overall though, pretty average: I'm glad I ordered it, but not necessarily something I'd order on future visits. Something I would skip on future visits is is the Volcano Maki. This one contained...cheese? I'm not sure, but it was a simple spicy tuna maki topped with a seemingly cheese-bound "torched scallop, tobiko, scallion, crab meat and mushroom mixture." Points for creativity, however seems like something I would make when trying to empty my fridge pre-vacation. It did not work here in my opinion. The salmon skin hand roll was very good. This one had balanced textures and ingredients, and allowed the quality of the rice to shine. While I deviation from my usual eel hand roll, this is something I would happily order again (though maybe in the eel variety). Also a favorite were the salmon and tuna sushi (nigiri, I suppose?). The simplicity is what works here. High quality rice and fresh fish, plus a little soy sauce makes for a winning combination. Finally, the service was friendly and attentive, no complaints there. The location was generally pleasant, but felt a little musty, and the mirrors could use a good wipe down. Thus, while the rice and fish are fresh and tasty, the execution could use some work overall. As such, I have the agree with Yelp's 3-star average, and disagree with those friends and Redditors who extol Yamato's virtues.
My expectations for this place were quite low, considering it's all you can eat sushi, but I was still quite disappointed. The sushi was not very fresh, especially the tuna sashimi, which had a very fishy taste, and some of the salmon was a little too slimy. In edition, the agedashi, tofu that we were served, had a hair in it and had to be remade, which is obviously not a great sign of hygiene. Also, the crab ragoon tastes of pure cream cheese. The roll selection is small and there's is not much else going on. Overall I would say unless you're ordering a ton of sushi this isn't even really that great of a deal. It was quite pricey actually considering taste and service. I think you'd be better off going to another quality sushi restaurant and you would get a similar bang for your buck. Also, the place was quite rundown, especially the bathrooms.
My team and I came to Yamato 2 for lunch the other day. We didn't make a reservation or anything, but when we got there a little after noon, we were pleased to see that there were plenty of tables available for walk in. They must have just cleaned the tables because we all noticed the strong smell of bleach. We opted for the lunch AYCE, which excludes sashimi and certain rolls. We could eat plenty of hot entrees and appetizers as well. We got a whole plate of sushi and then a whole plate of rolls. Food came out super quick! I didn't mention this in our lunch, but unfortunately one of my rolls had a piece of hair in it, which is why I can only give 3 stars. Aside from the hair, the food was fresh and tasty. Service was great too.
Sushi is decent and the best you can get for your dollar in the back bay area. Drinks are also pretty good. Soju is overpriced - $25 for the same bottle i get for $12 at total wine. Staff is friendly but super slow (understaffed.) Our waitress was so nice and attentive though! It always gets super hot in there for some reason though so be prepared in layers. Tables and floors are often sticky and the bathrooms always smell like chlorine. But dining ware is always clean and the food is fresh and clean as well.
8 months ago
1 year ago
Very much enjoy the value proposition of this place: particularly the "All you can eat" (AYCE) sushi. My wife ordered off the menu, and I went for the AYCE option. First tip: if you go for the AYCE, pick and submit the order for the main stuff first, then the appetizers. Why? There will be a wait for the guys to prepare the main stuff and you want to get your order in ASAP. After the order is in, when you submit the app order, it comes quickly. My wife's order was served relatively quickly but mine took awhile (despite 5 guys making sushi). I suspect they prioritize orders off the menu to volume guys like me . Tip 2: place a small order when you sit down to get something to eat (after the apps). Then when the order arrives, place the 2nd half of the order. Waiting for a single order will be frustrating when the place is slammed. Tip 3: sit at the bar. They have a full bar, but the bartender is the one taking orders. Hence your order will get in quicker . What I liked: - the food quality is quite good for a buffet place - They allow you to order sashimi. Granted they are small pieces, but what place allows AYCE sashimi? It allowed me to order a piece of varieties I had not tried. - I like the fact they make it clear that wasting food will not be tolerated and there will be a charge for wasting. read more
4 years ago
Decent quality sushi for AYCE. A bit pricey, but it'll definitely satisfy your sushi cravings. Pretty quick service and okay ambiance. Our favorites were the mixed tempura and squid sashimi. Also recommend ending with ice cream... it really does open your second stomach. read more
9 months ago
1 year ago
Perfect food and perfect service, I will recommend this to anyone and personally I will come back any time available read more
1 year ago
9 months ago
9 months ago
Nice AYCE Sushi spot in the heart of Boston/ off of Newbury Street. Popped in for dinner last night and got some sushi, some other food items and a drink. Service was quick and efficient and the staff were super nice. And the food was standard fare for All you can eat sushi restaurants - decent quality but nothing to rant and rave about. For my first AYCE experience after the pandemic I was very happy .... My stomach has definitely shrunk though. Would definitely stop by here again the next time I'm in town 4/5 read more
3 years ago
Came here after a night of drinking and this place was the perfect spot to fulfill our appetite! We sat at the bar and the service staff immediately gave us the all you can eat menu. We arrived around 9pm and last call was at 9:30pm and after knowing that we ordered two plates of fried rice: beef and seafood - along with 8 sushi rolls. I still remember when we placed the order the waitress stated "if you cannot finish the food it will be an extra charge". I told here "oh don't worry we will finish all of this". Unfortunately I didn't snap a pic of the sushi rolls and beef fried rice because we were hungry LOL! All I have to say is that Yamato 2 food hit the spot! We cleaned off all of our plates and left full and happy. Yamato 2 is delicious!!! read more
2 years ago
Yamato was super tasty but it was in a lowkey sketchy basement. I think it's on boyleston street but then we had to walk intho these weird steps and went into the restaurant but we got all you can eat and ate probs about a gazillion dollars worth of food. The apps were delicious and the fish was mid but still super tasty! Oh boy I'd go back here to have a good full tummy with the boys read more
2 years ago
Came here on a Saturday around noon and was immediately seated (also we did AYCE). We ordered hot teas (perfect taste), agedashi tofu which was crispy with a delicious sauce, and fried calamari which I thought was greasy with too thick of a batter. The seaweed salad was very fresh. We ordered different types of nigiri, rolls, and hand rolls. The rice to fish ratio of the nigiri is very rice heavy, and I would definitely not order too many of them. The maki rolls were decent, but the hand rolls were the best in my opinion! Also the tobika and ikura fish eggs were great!! Definitely recommend trying those as well. The main complaint I have is that they add crispy tempera flakes to all of the rolls, which I don't enjoy eating. My guest thought the spicy tuna and salmon rolls she got were mayo heavy and not spicy enough. Also the wasabi was very mild in comparison to other types I've tried. Overall, not the fanciest, best sushi you'll get in Boston but a great bang for your buck if you order smart. read more
Yamato is pretty nice! The sushi isn't the greatest you'll ever taste but it's pretty good, and you can get all you can eat of it at a very reasonable price. The service is the biggest low point. It's pretty inconsistent and slow and not super friendly. Sort of arbitrarily critical too. They refused to seat me until the other person arrived, despite just asking for a table for 2 (so the same I would get if I were eating alone) and the place being 90% empty. I think the best thing here is by far the nigiri and so I would recommend getting a large share of that--I've made the mistake or ordering too many rolls and come to regret it, particularly with the spicy tuna which I did not like at all. But the nigiri is excellent! read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
1 year ago
Average price for all you can eat, I went during lunch so it was around $26 per person. The sushi was mid but definitely a lot better than the appetizers read more
I am a huge sashimi and seafood fiend, but I haven't been able to find spots where I can just eat sashimi (a lot) with reasonable prices. Yamatos II is a good spot if you just crave sushi/sashimi because the quality is solid (especially if you go early before dinner) and the kitchen food is also really good like the fried rice (highly recommend). The major downside is that it is pricey ~$40 for dinner option/sashimi, but once in a while the splurge is okay :) The servers there are also very attentive and quick to get your orders, which is really great for AYCE since you have a time limit. This place has a lot of seatings and also bar seat options if you want to see the chefs make the food (or eat alone). I like how clean it is as well. It is definitely better than Yamatos I just better quality and seats and service. read more
4 years ago
I came here with a group of 50 for AYCE during lunch. Shout-out to Yamato for accommodating our group and coordinating between each table's orders! For $25 pp pre-tax and tip, I thought this was a great deal. There's a wide variety of appetizers, sushi, entrees, and desserts to choose from. The quality of food served was pretty standard, tasty but nothing out of this world. Be prepared for long wait times, though. I would recommend placing a large order upfront instead of smaller consecutive ones, as it took almost an hour for some of our tables to get their initial orders. read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
Food was ok. Service was ok as well until the end. Was told til finish the sushi left (5 pieces to be exact) or we would be charged extra. They didn't even mention that on the menu and or to us directly! Nice try dumb bitches. Anyways I hate 3 and then the waitress came over and said it's ok no need for more. Fuck you!! Rude. read more
2 years ago
1 year ago
4 years ago
Title: AYCE rice, not AYCE sushi. Unfortunately, this was a pretty bad experience. The rice to fish ratio was very off. For most of our rolls, there was more seaweed than fish. Our group opted not to eat half of the rice from our nigiri because there was only a sliver of fish included in all of our sushi pieces. The waitress told us we needed to finish all the rice or else they would charge us more. After speaking to the manager and showing the amount of fish they gave (close to none in comparison to the rice), he agreed and apologized. Thankfully, he was very professional and wanted to address the issue, but nothing changed on our next order. We got mostly rice again. When comparing to previous pictures from other Yelp reviews of the sushi rolls compared to now, there was a clear discrepancy. The waitress mentioned two points: 1) The rice amount is standardized. This is valid, but when the fish that you provide is not standardized, the amount of rice you include does not matter. 2) She said this is AYCE, which is different from regular menu portions. Again, this is valid, but when we pay for AYCE sushi, we hoped to get some fish. Instead, we got AYCE rice. I would not recommend anyone to come here, unless you want to pay to eat rice. Again, we do appreciate the manager's kindness and willingness to listen, but we were sad nothing had changed and the waitress was still ready to talk about us under her breath. Check out the pictures of some of the for reference. read more
Would probably rate this place closer to 3.5/5 for an AYCE sushi restaurant. I thought the quality of the fish was okay for an AYCE style menu, but unfortunately you get full on rice pretty quickly. For lunch, you are really only limited to rolls and nigiri so you're unable to eat a lot of the sushi itself due to how much rice each bite has. Out of all the sushi orders, I actually really enjoyed the spicy tuna hand roll (pretty filling but I liked the flavor and crunch added to the handroll). Also, as an FYI they may have adjusted their menu slightly because they do not have salmon roe on their menu anymore. Appetizers were not terrible. We tried to limit on appetizers but notable shout outs include the crab rangoon, shrimp tempura, and seaweed. If you are serious about maximizing on AYCE, I would come for dinner which opens up the menu to sashimi for a little more expense ~$34 (dinner) vs. ~24 (lunch). You do have to pay an additional dollar or so for certain weekend days. read more
3 years ago
Used to be my favorite, then became a disappointment in 2022. I gave it another chance one year later and decided it would be the last one. Sushi come with way thinner slides of fish. Rice is dry. Seaweed is so chewy I had to spit out. Seafood ramen is burning spicy. Even the wasabi... I used to work in a restaurant so I know it won't dry out like this if kept in a cooler. Such a waste of $100. Good luck with running a restaurant like that. read more
4 years ago
Fantastic lunch special and the food is fresh. I had a good experience ordering online and would absolutely do it again. For the same price as a bowl at Cava, dig, or sweet green, you can get 2 rolls of sushi, a small salad, and a cup of miso soup. read more
2 years ago
WARNING DO NOT GET THE PHILLY ROLL Everything was pretty decent, I would recommend the sashimi(tuna and salmon I got) and the sushi. I also liked the California roll, avocado and cucumber roll, shrimp tempura, and gyoza. the service was really fast and pleasant. but seriously do not get the Philly roll it was lowkey an abomination... so much cream cheese and fried to the gods . i would go here again for sure, just don't get the philly roll. Wanted to rate a 3 bc of it but that was would be rude. read more
3 years ago
We were sat at our table with soy sauce marks still needing to be wiped down, along with eel sauce staining my plate. I'm pretty big on interior decor and this definitely gives off cafeteria/slightly run-down vibes. The price is steep at $35 AYCE for adults on Sunday dinner, and I personally felt that it wasn't worth. The salmon sashimi was delicious along with the eel makimonos, but a lot of the sashimi pieces weren't even fully cut-through. Our all-sashimi plate also had a tiny piece of ikura on it--while not a big deal I would've preferred the presentation to not be as sloppy and lackluster. There was also a mouse that scrambled into its pit on my way to the bathroom which is a maze to get to anyways. I would've loved for the place to feel cleaner and more well-kept personally. Special rolls are also additional charge as well. read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
3 years ago
A great place to come with friends and satisfy a sushi craving! Yamato II does have a large selection of sushi and other foods - highly recommend getting combination of sashimi and other rolls since they tend to be rice heavy. The hand rolls are also great but are pretty large. The non sushi foods are decent, including crab rangoons, edamame, tempura etc. The deserts round out the meal - the fried ice cream is pretty melted but tastes alright and the fried bananas are pretty solid. The staff is pretty nice but you sometimes have to get their attention or order more. read more
Fantastic all you can eat sushi! The sushi is excellent quality for the price, it's only $25 for all you can eat lunch. You can also order more than just sushi -- fried rice, noodle dishes, and a variety of appetizers are also on the menu. All of the appetizers were excellent - I would especially recommend the spring rolls, which were some of the best I've ever had. The only caveat - don't order more than you can eat, they will charge you a fee! (Which I think is an excellent idea to reduce waste) read more
4 years ago
Abstract; In a city where AYCE sushi joints are few and far between, Yamato 2 stands out in its ability to thread the fine line between providing sheer quantity while maintaining good quality and for a reasonable price. Pros: fairly priced, wide variety, good quality Cons: Limited seating time (though it is more than enough), completion of food required (always a challenge) Recommended items: Salmon Sashimi, Spicy Crab/ Tuna roll, Crab Rangoon, and pork dumplings Review; I've been to Yamato 2 twice within the past month, and each time was a positive experience. For review purposes, I'll be describing my first visit there. This visit happened to be on the evening of July 4th this year. I don't think there is a better time to try to come here-- on a day where the majority of attention in Boston shifts towards the Esplanade, Back Bay itself becomes rather quiet. Our party of 4 got to Yamato 2 around 5:30 and the place was extremely quiet; maybe 3 or 4 other tables out of the 15-20 that are available in the restaurant. We were able to be seated immediately and got started with the AYCE menu. (Side note; the second instance I came was a much busier Friday evening, but even then our party of 7 was still able to grab a table within reasonable time, with the only caveat being a 90 minute seating cap) The selection and options that Yamato 2 offers are pretty widespread, with a good assortment of appetizers, standard and specialty rolls, and sashimi as well. We ended getting two rounds of sushi during this trip and that seemed to be more than enough for our group. I do, however, recommend that larger groups exercise caution when choosing which rolls/ how many to get. It's almost safer to under order and then adjust as needed (you've got an hour and a half of seating time generally, which is more than enough time to get your fill)-- and remember, that you do have to pay for pieces that go unfinished ... Highlights I would recommend other visitors to try are the the salmon sashimi, the spicy crab and spicy tuna rolls, the crab rangoons, and the dumplings as well. The sashimi in particular was made with extremely good quality fish; I was honestly blown away, and this has left a lasting impression on me and my regards for Yamato 2. Often times, AYCE sushi as an experience feels that you are trading off quality of sushi for sheer quantity. Yamato 2 seemingly finds a way to tread the line between each of these. While it's not the best sushi I've ever had, it certainly provides the best AYCE sushi experience I've had anywhere. And at around $24 dollars a person for dinner, you are DEFINITELY getting your moneys worth. I'd highly recommend Yamato 2 for anyone looking for a great and affordable AYCE sushi experience in Boston. 4/5 read more
2 years ago
More info about Yamato 2
545 Boylston St
Boston, MA 02116
Back Bay
Directions
(857) 250-4473
Call Now
Order Takeout or Delivery
Start Order
Visit Website
http://yamato02116.com
Full menu
Hours
Payment methods
Food & Alcohol
Indoor Amenities
Outdoor Amenities
Other Amenities
From the Business
More Info
Health Score
Yamato 2 Reviews in Other Languages
Ask the Community - Yamato 2
You might also consider
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.
11 years ago
4 years ago
2 years ago
8 years ago
8 years ago
11 years ago
8 years ago
2 years ago
5 years ago
9 years ago
9 years ago
9 years ago
7 years ago
6 years ago
11 years ago
9 years ago
5 years ago
11 years ago
11 years ago
