Great tasting food. Especially liked tempura bento box. Will definitely be coming back for more!

as you can see the sushi rolls are BIG! not pictured but i also had a side of fried rice which was generously portioned too. i would say Yamato's is a bit of a "hole in the wall" kind of restaurant it's a bit older aesthetic wise & gives an authentic "stepped in japan" vibe. read more

Yamato - 7. Spicy Girl Roll & 3. Tuna Roll - Japanese Near Me - Berea, Kentucky

I have been to several other locations and this one is by far the BEST! The service is always A1 and the food is so appetizing. It reminds me of a hole in the wall due to its location but you CANNOT find better Asian food in Berea. This is my go to for special occasions and especially if friends come to visit and want to eat somewhere that offers a calming ambience. Their sushi quality is always top notch and their yakisoba filet is a favorite! Flavored sake only sweetens the deal. Quick tip, I usually order a box of fried rice to go and add it to meals throughout the week for meal prep! Lastly please tip your hibachi and sushi chefs they work so hard to provide the best quality of meals. read more

If you eat here don't get take out. We ordered online and waited the 25 minutes for our food to be ready. When we went inside to pick up the food they hadn't even started the order because "it wasn't connected ". They literally said "well most people call in their order so this isn't connected ". I'm sorry but if you are going to offer online ordering then YOU NEED TO CONNECT IT. No apologies, no discounts, just "well you'll have to give us 25 minutes". We get home and the food isn't even warm. It took me 4 minutes to get home. My food should have been warm. Never again. read more

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I tried this place twice: yesterday and in 2023. Both times I was horribly disappointed. The ingredients are very low quality, including the tuna being scrapings, not actual pieces. The rice also is way too heavy and not seasoned well. I would definitely rate this as significantly lower quality than grocery store sushi. Save yourself some money and wait until you are by a better sushi place before going out. read more

Order was supposed to be ready at 715 now 745 and still waiting... i understand its a friday night but wow!!!!

Definitely fits in the "hole in the wall" category which is great. Food was plentiful and well priced. Service was okay, our server may have been new. My only big gripe was the whole place seemed a little gross. Like they should shut down for a good three or four days and really, really, clean. Otherwise definitely recommend as a great sushi spot in the middle of nowhere. read more

By comparison of other Japanese places, this is easily a 2/5. I got the chicken hibachi with a noodle side. The chicken is not very flavorful and has a fishy taste to it. The rice is almost flavorless. The yum yum sauce taste different than any I've had and not in a good way. Edible? Absolutely? Doesn't taste good? Absolutely. read more

Yamato never disappoints! Lunch is always enough for two meals; supper is enough for three! The service is lovely and the prices are super reasonable. It is our favorite local place for healthy food. read more

I got deathly sick from food poisoning about 2 hours after I ate it. was up all night throwing up and so sick for a good 24 hours. I missed work and everything. terrible. I got the chicken hibachi read more

Our server was very nice and proper. The food was served promptly. The proportions were very large. A quiet little restaurant, would recommend if you're in the area. read more

The service was lovely, because the girl serving was very sweet. I should have taken the hint when she came by to ask about the food with a kind of face. The food was just gross. There wasn't a photo of what I wanted, but a spicy salmon roll sounded perfectly normal. When it came out, it was blended. Just unseasoned rice wrapped around some very spicy goop. Not appetizing at all. The "hibachi" style food was bland and cool as well. Definitely won't be going back. Such a shame. Berea always has the best little restaurants. read more

Ambiance a Tad dark Food ALWAYS delicious. We love the Bento box meals! So MUCH food and always delicious!! Service- Great host and waiters I recommend this place to everyone!! read more

I have been dining here for several years, and since the pandemic closed indoor dining, I pick up every Sunday, with great glee. It may be just over 9 miles for me, but it's more than worth the drive. The in-person service is marvelous, and I've developed a solid friendship with the counter service. My only quibble is that, by the time I get home, the lobster rangoon is cold, and the tempura shrimp is soggy. But that's not Yamato's fault. I do wish they had mochi ice cream or green tea or ginger ice cream, for dessert. read more

I decided to try yamato one day because I didn't want to drive to Richmond for sushi. Definitely worth it. Quaint little spot, never crazy busy, and the service is great. Everything was fresh and delicious. read more

Quaint cozy local feel. The store is clean but simple. The servers treat you like they have known you all your life. I was very pleasantly surprised with our servers willingness to talk about religion after we got our food. She never rushed us and still kept all the tables service. It was pretty slow when we were there but it was a week night. Now into the good stuff. I had a sushi roll called the Godzilla roll. Oh. My. Goodness. My new favorite. It was delicious. The sushi roll are prepared up front where you can see the chef making them. The grand kids had sobo chicken noodles and they cleaned their plates. Prices were very reasonable for the amount of food you get. My sushi roll was huge. It was 15.00 which is on par with other sushi prices however I've never received a roll that size. Do yourself a favor and visit Yomatto in Berea Ky. Exit 76 off I-75. You can thank me later. Don't be put off by the manager. She treats everyone as if you are her kids. lol. A+ in my book read more

Very friendly service and large portions. I wish they used a better quality soy sauce for their take out, as it had a watered down taste that didn't go well with the nice fresh cucumber roll and sweet potato tempura. read more

It was basically dead when we went and to be honest, I've actually never seen this place busy, at all, which is a telling sign. Walking on the floors our shoes were sticking to them. The blinds at our booth were filthy. The food smelled fishy and if seafood smells fishy, it means it's not fresh or stored properly and you shouldn't eat it, but, I did. Did 'not' make it home to use my bathroom and had to stop at a gas station instead. The amount of food was totally fine - the quality of the food however was not. Their website states: "Serving with Love", "Tasty Products", and "Wide Range Flavors". I felt 0 love, tasted no tasty products and there was for sure a wide range of flavors but not the ones that go with the items on the plate: 1. The miso soup was basically used dish water in a tiny bowl with something green in it - not sure if seaweed or kelp or a random leaf from outside but it was one piece and very, very, tiny at that. There was no tofu in it like most other places. 2. The 'salad' was also in a tiny bowl and it was just plain ol iceberg lettuce with 'one' cucumber piece on top...but in their defense, you can only fit one cucumber piece in a bowl that tiny. The ranch is disgusting; not Hidden Valley quality by any means. The pieces of the iceberg were also quite large; you might want to bring in some garden shears to tame it down a bit before attempting to eat it. 3. The spring roll or egg roll or deep fried crayon, was no lie, the size of my pinky finger and I'm not even sure what was in it, if anything. 4. The salmon was two 'pieces' but very thin, like seriously thin and smelled fishy and it was covered in sooooo much sauce, I assume to mask the odor. Some of the bottom still had skin on it. Don't places remove that nowadays? I don't recall it anywhere else I eat salmon. Stinky Salmonson was overcooked in some places yet juicy in others. Verdict: 100% unacceptable quality of food for the ridiculous price they charged for it. Will not eat there again. Will not recommend it to anyone either. read more

some of the best hibachi i've ever had. pink lady roll is also my go to! delicious, consistent food & service. highly recommend!!

Yamato is an underappreciated sushi spot next to the Chestnut Street exit and the local Walmart. The interior seats crowds of all sizes and patrons may be surprised at its dark and subdued atmosphere. I joined two friends for dinner. We were seated promptly at a window booth. I ordered the Tyku citrus cucumber spritz. The placard describes a light beverage with sake, yuzu, fruit flavors, and dashed with Sprite. In practice, the cocktail is very flat and cloying sweet. It would have been better with seltzer for sure. I ordered a spicy California and a shrimp tempura roll. Miso soup preceded the dish. The soup was very light with small bits of seaweed and a clean flavor. The rolls were fine. The only issue was that the sauces were a bit overpowering. Ask them to go light on the spicy mayo and such; you'll be fine. That said, two rolls for $10 is an unbeatable deal. Service is acceptable. I have had this waiter before. He is prompt and stays out of the way once the food comes. I have to be in a mood for it, but this place is a welcome food addition to the area. Stop on in and enjoy. read more

Yamato - Japanese Near Me - Berea, Kentucky

This place is so good I love their lobster Rangoon and chicken and steak it's so great especially their yum yum sauce

Food is always fresh and delicious! The sushi is great as well! They have good customer service and are very friendly. I eat here about once a week or so since they opened! read more

The food has always been good. The Sushi is pretty good it's just a little pricey to me. My wife likes the spicy crab stick and the kids like the hibachi chicken. read more

Good food and service. I got the lunch bento box to try a variety of the foods they offer. First I received the miso soup and salad with ginger dressing. Miso soup was light and refreshing. Salad was not great and I usually love these types of salads at Japanese restaurants. The dressing was the issue because it was sweet and bland. However, my bento box was delicious. I got the shrimp teriyaki box. It came with about 8 shrimp which were very flavorful. The fried rice was great as well. My favorite part was the California roll. The rice was perfect and the ingredients were fresh. Overall the food was tasty and the server was friendly. I would definitely return. read more

Yamato - My salad and soup. Husband's soup is also included in the image. Dressing was awful but lettuce was fresh. Miso was light and tasty. - Japanese Near Me - Berea, Kentucky

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Fantastic place to eat and I'm usually very critical. The sake is fantastic and the food is delicious. Definitely becoming a regular. read more

Yamato - Japanese Near Me - Berea, Kentucky

Excellent meals, flavorful and unique! We ordered sea scallops bento box, imperial bento box and hibachi steak. Everything was great! Service was quick and attentive. Hidden gem in Berrea, KY. read more

Yamato - Japanese Near Me - Berea, Kentucky

Worst dinong experience ever. I ordered wine- some crumbs floating in the glass. Waiter did not care. Soup- very small dish of who knows what and a hair. Waiter did not care. I was working in the restaurant, i was a waitress and a bartender, I know how it is supposed to be. This is my first complaint. I was charged for that soup and that wine. I sipped couple times before I noticed those floating things (traveling, not attentive) and the soup was not touched. The waiter's shirt was dirty with stains. The restaurant just opened. When approached about stains (just a comment in a nice manner) he said he doesn't care. Really, my worst dining experience ever! read more

3 stars is generous based on our experience... However it's just little things that could make it higher. I will say that our wait time was minimal- seated upon entering and meal on our table in less than 15 minutes. First, the wait staff needs training- properly cleaning tables and not arguing in front of customers. Then to the food, it's not bad but it's not that good either. The fried rice today was a tad gummy and extra oily- that needs some work. The meat was great as well as the California roll in the bento box was delicious. BUT the mushrooms were undercooked a tad. And the biggest issue was the yum yum sauce... Please correct that, this sauce today was more like honey mustard and mayo mixed - you can overlook much of the food, but not the yum yum sauce. I really want this place to work out, I love hibachi and sushi- it's just a few things and they are new so it should get better. read more

I love this place!!! The staff and food are amazing. I will drive out of my way to eat here. I definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys hibachi. read more

Very slow to be seated. Took forever to be served and then the food was less than good. Also overpriced. No way we will be back.

One of my favorite places to eat. Food is to die for. (Ok not literally.) I always get the teriyaki chicken bento box and a vegetable sushi roll. read more

Yamato - Teriyaki chicken bento box - Japanese Near Me - Berea, Kentucky

2nd time they screwed up my order. Placed a order online for pick up. Got there 20 mins later, they didn't even have my order, told me they overlooked it. So they was like I'll make it and give u a discount. 20 more mins over charged us. No discount. Food wasn't very good. Got the order wrong again. They need better management and nicer people. I miss the old Chinese place that was there. The food was amazing and they never once got our order wrong. Just very disappointed. read more

Sushi was swimming in thick sauce and that's all we could taste. May have been fresh, but we couldn't tell. Not impressed at all. The floor was very very slippery!!! read more

Let me tell you. I've tried sushi in a lot of cities across this country. Yamato is the first one of the very few to get me in and out inside of 5 minutes (from the time I walked in to order/pay), at a good price. AND with delicious food. I LOVED the Gyoza. I'd go back any time to try something else. (I also got a spicy Cali roll. It was good, but I prefer my sushi pretty chilled. My own preference and next time I would toss it in the fridge before eating.) read more

I have visited Yamato on two previous occasions and have found some other reviews a bit harsh. Yes, the service is not stellar but I've never had an empty glass or received anything less than what I ordered. Consider the different customs of the Asian staff, they are not overly friendly; however, they are in no means rude and are always welcoming. I have never had a long wait for meals, that included a party of 4 at my seating, nor have I ever been dissatisfied with the presentation or flavor of my hot dinner meals. Furthermore, they have some of the best sushi, outside San Francisco, I have eaten. If you folks want fast service, stick with the grease pit restaurants next door. Keep in mind that this is a new business and style restaurant for South Madison, which needs variety. The place is much cleaner than most local businesses, so give them time to iron out the wrinkles and give them another shot. Meet me there for lunch today and we can compare notes.... read more

Absolutely the best Japanese restaurant! The food was perfectly cooked. I ordered the seafood soup, expecting a small portion, I also ordered chicken and vegetables. The soup was delicious as it was served but I wanted a little something to spice it up a little. The waiter brought me some of his personal chili sauce..it was to die for. I ended up taking the chicken and vegetables home. My husband ordered sushi and sashimi combo..was delicious. Best meal we've had in a long time. I would give it 10 stars. read more

This is my favorite place to eat in Berea. The filet mignon hibachi is my go to, as well as the veggie roll. I will admit, sometimes the soup has tasted a little off but it definitely hasn't stopped me from coming back. I love it here and the service is always great! read more

Yamato, I wanted to like you I really did. I have driven past this place many many times and it always seems to be an empty parking lot with the exception of the same 2-3 cars which I assume are the workers/owners cars. I looked on YELP to see the reviews as me and fiance both have been wanting to try something different. As we both like hibachi we finally decided to give it a try. We got the hibachi chicken and steak which include rice , veggies, and there form of yum yum sauce. This was a to go order and I am glad because upon entering into the restraunt it is not what I would expect from a hibachi restaurant. It was more of a sad sad diner vide to it, but I wasn't there for the looks of the inside as I said it was a. to go order, so I over looked it. So now the moment we been waiting for. When I opened the box it was packed to the top, and all mixed in. I first tried the rice, I am not going to beat a restaurant up about there rice, but I have had rice that's alot better. Then to the chicken, which would have been good if it wasn't so slimy and rubbery. The juicey sauce mixture in the bottom of the tray of the chicken had a decent taste. On to the steak, I had to take a couple of bites to get the flavor, then I realized there want a flavor, but no fear I have yum yum sauce to the rescue. So I dipped the steak into the yum yum and....no... just no.. It was more of a pudding thickness to it and it was just not good even in the least bit. So I'm looking at my tray thinking veggies? The only veggies are onions and sliced zucchini. I'm sorry but that's a little ridiculous. I wouldn't tell someone that I had some veggies for them and only give them onion and zucchini... none the less the zucchini was the star of the dish. The unflavored zucchini. I'm sorry I really tried. I understand now why the parking lot is always empty. Also its should be noted that I got 2 steak and chicken hibachi meals no drinks no extras stuff and it was 32 dollars and some change. For that price I would rather go to a actually hibachi and eat food that is literally 10 times better and a way better atmosphere and vibe. A 1 star is friendly, but unfortunately that's the lowest I can give as I tried to post the review and just give no stars at all. Very very disappointed and a flat out waist of 32$ not even my animal's would eat the chicken nor steak. read more

I like it pretty good it beats the drive to Richmond for Japanese and the pricing is fair. The sushi was warm and I like my sushi cold. they could do some work on making the place alittle more inviting. and the staff is just that staff I cant say they where rude but I think they could be nicer or at least more inviting read more

Tried this place while passing through Berea. The sushi was delicious. The rice was cooked perfectly and the ingredients were fresh. The staff was very friendly and attentive. I would definitely stop here again. read more