I went to Yamato to order lunch yesterday and was excited because I love Japanese cuisine and the lunch special was only $9. I ordered the crispy chicken over jasmine rice lunch special. The chicken was far from crispy, as it was soggy and way too laden with sauce. The salad was ok and so were the spring rolls, although when I opened the spring roll dip, it smelled like alcohol and tasted foul. The whole meal actually tasted very foul and I was left wondering whether or not I had eaten some spoiled food when I was done. I powered through the rest of my workday and then some workouts after work. I still wasn't feeling 100%. I went to bed after drinking a ton of water, ready for blissful, restful sleep. -HOWEVER- I was awoken at 4:45am with an urgency to go to the bathroom. Everything came pouring out. I would go on for the next 6 hours alternating between sitting on the toilet and then sleeping because all of my energy was wrecked. I have been sick all day today and I blame it squarely on Yamato in Park Slope. I will never go here again, and when I walk by it on the street, I will give it a really mean side eye. I will tell everyone I know to never go here. I'm not saying they used spoiled food as a way to keep their lunch specials so inexpensive, but I'm not saying they didn't either. Who knows? The only facts I have are that the food seemed a bit on the spoiled side, it felt gross eating it (but I was super hungry), immediately after my body didn't like it, and I woke up in the middle of the night sick af. This reviewer is going to leave it up to the reader to determine what they think happened here. Seemed a lot like a case of something that rhymed with schpood scfoisoning, but who can really say? Oh, also, DO NOT even think about paying for a $9.80 meal with a credit card. It's a $10 minimum, OKAY? read more

This place is amazing! I went here last night for a friend's surprise birthday dinner. Off the bat, this place is great for groups. They had a huge booth right in the front of the restaurant that could easily fit eight people. It also doesn't get too crazy busy, so you can easily be seated/make reservations. Let's talk about the food. This place has a very extensive menu, from sushi to dim sum to warm entrees. You can also get a prix fixe sushi or warm entree dinner for about $30-$35, which includes an appetizer, entree, and dessert. I had the chicken udon (just $9!) and vege pot stickers (only $4!); it was very delicious! The portions are enough to fill you up without breaking the bank on the prices. All dim sum ranged about $4-$6 and all warm entrees were $9-$10. Sushi never ran above $16, depending on the type of roll. That's a steal! The service was also exceptional. Our server was very patient with us and took the time to help us choose the right sake. He also checked on us regularly and even brought out an extra dessert with a candle to sing happy birthday to my friend. We later learned from the manager that our server's shift had ended, but he wanted to hang around to at least finish off the birthday festivities for us. This place left a really great impression on me. I think it's sometimes hard to find restaurants in NYC that have good food, good prices, good vibes, and good people. This place gets a checkmark in all categories. read more

"Yamato" must be Japanese for "there goes your budget". I lived around the corner from this incredible restaurant for about a year. During that year, I'd pop in for lunch, dinner, second dinner, and a snack before bed. I developed a horrible dependence on their sushi and bento boxes. It was like crack with chopsticks. Every time I walked by, I swear I'd hear someone whispering "sushi, sushi, bento" in that Washington Square Park sort-of-way. Whatever your favorite is, they'll do it up right. This is one of the few Japanese restaurants I've been to where the food has always been consistently incredible. If you're budget conscious, try out the lunchtime specials. read more

Wow, this was an amazing surprise. I chose to bring my fiance here prior to going to an event a block away purely on the basis of the Yelp comments when I did a google search of the neighborhood in a huge rush. I am not from Brooklyn and my only experience in Park Slope has been going to the Clay Pot. Amazingly, Yamato is right next door to the Clay Pot! What a shockingly GREAT discovery. Absolutely smack-you-in-the-face fresh fish, lovingly cut, beautifully presented, inventively prepared and served with obvious pride. We sat at the sushi bar and enjoyed an omakase-style sashimi platter and a daily special that included sashimi, sushi and several rolls, including the White River Roll. My fiance's platter came with a Red River Roll--tuna around tobiko, panko and spicy scallop, garnished with caviar and gold leaf--that was so good, that AFTER his enormous entree, he ordered it as an appetizer and ate that too. The service was impeccable, the atmosphere was casually elegant, and the place was packed by 7 PM on a Thursday night. I could not recommend this place more, and I live in NYC and have a lot of sushi. I can't say enough about this restaurant. I don't know how they keep their prices so low, either--the special I had cost $28 and was an enormous amount of food. Please go. It wasn't hard to get to from the R train. It's worth the schlep. read more

Ordered delivery from them since my roommate raves about them. I don't think they're overpriced, but let's just say that $50 did not go a very long way. Ordered the Millennium Roll (tuna/avocado/caviar with spicy scallops on top), the black sesame salmon, and the tuna poke. I guess I should've read the descriptions more closely. The salmon was basically sashimi pieces lightly seared. The poke was just a pile of tuna over avocado with some black caviar on top. They were both good, but not very filling. Should've gotten an extra order of rice. The Millennium Roll was pretty good also. Delivery was fast, and the fish was fresh. But there are better and more inexpensive options a lot closer to Park Slope. read more

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OMG, Sushi lovers must travel here. This place is amazing, mouthwatering and incredible. Insert adjective here _______ for the amazingness of this place. Every roll is rice/fish perection. The chefs here know what they are doing. The Spicy Tuna Salad is scrumptious. The Green Tea Creme Brulee will make you want to go uhhh, na nana. Highly recommend to all parties involved. read more

My partner and I did not dine in; we got delivery. And though the order came very quickly, next time we will definitely eat at the restaurant. We ordered the sushi deluxe, the lobster and soba noodle salad, and the millennium roll. First I will talk about the lobster salad: It comes with a huge amount of mixed greens, a lobster tail, an extremely thin, crispy fried legume of some sort, soba noodles, and a french/Japanese fusion dressing that was simply addictive. We are deliberate eaters, but found ourselves shovelling uncontrollably. A+ 2nd we ate our complimentary miso soup, complete with tiny slivers of tasty mushroom (in addition to your normal broth, seaweed, tofu combo). I tend to think miso soup is miso soup, but my partner and I agreed that this broth has a deeper complexity than that of other restaurants--a hearty richness if you will. It does not taste as salty as other miso soups. 3rd was the Millennium roll: in the middle is toro and avocado, and on the top is a mixture of caviar and spicy scallop. It comes garnished with thinly sliced scallions. The fish and seafood was as fresh as any I have tried, and the flavor combination was powerful but subtle. This was a fantastic roll and I give it a 10 for originality. The only problem (in my opinion, less so in my partner's opinion) was the sushi rice. Perhaps they use a different kind of vinegar than what I am used to, but the sweetness overpowered the other the otherwise perfectly cooked rice. Lastly (and I must say that by no means have we finished eating all of this food), we ate the sushi deluxe. The slices of fish (in contrast to the aforementioned crispy legume, mushrooms and scallions) were the thickest I have ever had. What a treat! All of the fish was fresh, and there was very little repetition. We got Tuna, Yellowtail, Spanish Mackerel, Salmon, Whitefish, White Tuna and Fluke. All-in-all, a wonderful choice, but once again, I had a slight problem with the rice. I highly recommend this restaurant. The rice problem may just be a personal thing, as my partner did not seem to agree. I give Yamato an emphatic four stars. read more

I used to eat here quite a lot, and delivery was quick and reliable.....that is, until the salmon skin roll incident. My husband thought the roll tasted a little funny, and only ate one. But that was enough to give him the worst case of food poisoning I've ever seen--at one point while he was sleeping (after the shakes, fever, and vomiting) I went so far as to check his pulse, and then stayed awake the rest of the night watching him and making sure I could hear him breathing. I even rented Sydney White, starring Amanda Bynes, On Demand so I would have something to do. We didn't eat sushi for almost a year following and we never get it delivered anymore. I'm sad that this happened at Yamato, because I had always trusted them in the past. Now I only feel safe going to Blue Ribbon. read more

Came here after work with some friends. The food was just alright---on the bland side. I don't recommend the lobster special roll. It was tempura'ed lobster and was pretty flavorless. My favorite part was the lemongrass ice cream we ordered as part of the lychee tart at the end. read more

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Stopped in with the boyfriend for a quick afternoon bite. The greeter and server were friendly and attentive. We ordered from the lunch menu: American Dream Roll, and Black Pepper Roll. This came with miso soup and a small salad, which we split. I thought the miso was terrific. I'm not a fan of iceburg lettuce, but I ate half because the dressing was so clean and refreshing tasting. The rolls were delicious, but the reason I'm only giving four stars is that I don't think we ordered enough food to get a true idea of what Yamato is all about. I will definitely be back, and review anohter time. We also each had a glass of Sauvignon Blanc. Our bill was $26, which I thought was pretty good. read more

Not a big fan of this place. Took an hour to get here thinking it'll be some bombass sushi but was very disappointed. There wasn't anything special with the sushi or fish. I ordered the omakase sushi which was $30 and it said comes with a special roll. Their special roll is just a roll with seaweed on the outside and carrots and radish on the inside. Like what?! How special is that??? I also ordered a lobster salad roll on the side and wow, usually I'm mind blown by anything lobster but it tasted like crabmeat. No offense to the people there, they are all nice people; service was good but the food just didn'tcut it. Definitely won't be coming back. read more

Yamato - Omakase with lobster salad roll - Japanese Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

If you order the edamame appetizer, brace yourself: It comes in a bowl that contains a small edamame factory that keeps making more edamame while you struggle to finish the Delicious edamame that fills the sucker to begin. Moderately priced, good sushi all around. Thumbs up read more

If you like Japanese food and some sake, this is the place for you. Judging from the outside you would never feel such warmth that lies inside the restaurant. It has good decor that makes you feel as if you are in a deep sea journey, good music and great service. Now the food, EXCELLENT, me and my GF spent like $80 including tip but it was worth every penny. Im a big dude so i eat a lot, we had the calamari salad with hot crab appetizer, miso soup, a chefs specialty roll, a phily roll, sashimi plater, and i had the crispy duck, topping it off with a leechy tart , all while sipping on the hot house sake, worth every penny. Go there. read more

The service was good, however the sushi was pretty bland. Good date spot, however lighting was too dark for my taste.

A really awesome simple lunch spot in Park Slope. They have an extensive menu for lunch specials, and the restaurant decor is casual but nice and bright. My typical sushi order would be 2 rolls, last time I got salmon avocado and veggie and both were really fresh. I also tried their pad thai, which was honestly really good! I would usually never order thai food in a Japanese restaurant but the flavor was good and it wasn't oily. Is it a fancy date night spot? Best quality sushi you can find? No, but if you're looking for reasonably priced fresh food then Yamato is a really nice option. The staff there is also very friendly. read more

Ackk, the quality has drastically declined. Came for a quick lunch special and got the shrimp tempura roll. The shrimp smelled and tasted rotten. My friend got the chirashi and there was some definitely escolar in there since my friend had to run to the bathroom soon after, and it was not pleasant. FYI - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escolar read more

Ordered dinner from here for the first time and was super disappointed. We got the duo tar tar, millennium roll, green river & a spicy tuna. Every item except the spicy tuna was jam packed with soggy tempura crunch flakes. None of the items on the menu were described as having crunch in them. I personally feel that the crunch ruins the flavor of the fish and is used as a filler so they don't have to use as much fish. The only thing i could taste in these rolls is the soggy "crunch". It was so overpowering I couldn't even really taste the fish. So can't comment on whether or not it was fresh. Also, the avocado in the rolls was not ripe at all. Had no flavor and was hard. Think I'm gonna stick to Kiku on 7th between 10th & 11th from now on. The place is also super over priced. Green river roll is simply spicy salmon avocado & it costs $11. I can get the same roll anywhere else for max of $6-7. read more

We live in the neighborhood and decided to have a sushi night here. It is a really cute and nice place. The decor was great, the size of the place was great. Not too small and cramped but was intimate enough for a nice date night. It was very modern and clean. It really looks like an expensive place but I was very surprised that the prices were so reasonable! We got the dumpling app. Three different dumplings served in a modern way. They were delicious and great for the price! We also had a couple of their specialty sushi. The fish was fresh and the flavors were innovative and went well together. Overall a great experience, great service, everyone was attentive and nice and awesome prices. I definitely will come back to try the other things on the menu! read more

A nice and cozy neighborhood spot. It's located on a busy stretch of 7th Avenue and parking is reasonably easy to find. We came on a Wednesday evening with a lite crowd. The staff was friendly with quick service. We ordered a variety of dishes. The ingredients are fresh and well prepared. After dinner, the host offered a nice spread of delicious desserts complimentary on the house. Overall a good dinner and we will be back for sure. read more

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Plain and simple... I found a one-inch long bone in my sushi this evening. First time after eating sushi hundreds of times, but not at Yamato before. I asked for an adjustment on the bill for that one meal out of the four that had been ordered and they wouldn't do it, just a quick apology from the waiter - clearly not his fault. My kid was with me, so I decided to not say anything more, but a sizable bone in sushi is a clear sign of a bad sushi chef. On the way out, I spotted the "B" rating near the bottom of the front window, which I'd missed going in. Sorry to share, but they're deserving of this review. (For what it's worth, their seaweed salad was excessively fishy, too, and not fresh tasting). Addendum: I forgot to add that their backyard seating area is filled with the loud whirring of the huge air conditioner vents overhead. Even with a fine eating experience, I wouldn't recommend it as a relaxing spot. We have had a far better experience at Oshima, on 7th Ave a block and a half north of Union Street. Highly recommended. (We went to Yamato this time only because our young son asked to try someplace different). read more

This Sushi place gives Romantic all day. Great for a romantic dinner out with your boo. They also have the cutest patio in the back for outside seating. This place is great for summer weather romantic dates. Can't wait till gets warm again for the garden! This in one of my favorite Sushi restaurants in Park Slope, the food is great and I love the fact that they have think outside the box sushi rolls. They have great variety. I love their Valentine Roll and i never leave without getting the green tea crepes or the banana crisp a la mode dessert, which is why you have to come with a date. You can share. I love that they are very creative. The service is also consistently good. There is almost never a wait and the food come out with good time. I always enjoy Yamato. They are great. read more

I tried the sushi/sashimi platter here a couple of months ago - veryvery good. I have to disagree with some other reviewers, the prices seemed average for park slope. In terms of freshness and quality they are on par with Blue Ribbon. read more

The crab meat & corn soup was good. The miso chicken wings really needed the spicy chili sauce & had no flavor on their own. I also ordered the Optimus Roll & the Mike Roll. Both were "ok". I tried sea urchin for the first time. If you haven't tried it, it kind of tastes like the inside of a lobster. I LOVE lobster guts but sea urchin.. not so much. Anywho, the chicken & soup were both piping hot which was good. I enjoyed the soup immensely. The last thing I ordered was the shrimp & vegetable tempura. The crunch was there. However, the dish really lacked seasoning & tasted oily. The sauce did not help. I will definitely be back to this restaurant to try other items on the menu. The soup alone is worth another visit. read more

Aside from the fluke which was woefully recalcitrant and sinewy, the sushi was quite a treat, i must say. The flavors were bright, the texture was smooth and yielding. I remember fondly the tuna. I'm glad the fluke was just a fluke. Not Ki by any stretch, but definitely a contender for best in Slope. Edit: I went back. The sushi was muscular. The garden was visually appealing, but the fountain was so abusively loud that I couldn't even hear my own words as I uttered them, let alone my companion's. Maybe they made the fountain that loud to drown out the wall of sound created by all the shrieking, unsupervised children that dined there that night. More likely, they were trying to drown out the customer complaints regarding the tendons we were all chewing through. read more

Screw Blue Ribbon. Overrated. Yamato is where it's at in the Slope. THE FOOD. It is good sushi. It's fresh, flavorful, and the special rolls are all interesting. A few of my favorites are the Norwegian Roll, the Blossom Roll, and the Brooklyn Roll. While Yamato is great for delivery or take out, the atmosphere of the restaurant is also amazing. It's classy and refined yet casual, and a great spot for either a quiet date, a meal with friends, or a solo trip. The staff is exceedingly friendly, and one time even brought out a free dessert when I was here on a date. I hear they also have a great patio in warm weather. read more

Tucked in a quiet corner in Park Slope, Yamato was the perfect place for me and a friend to meet up on the Saturday night after my birthday. The restaurant itself is a long, quiet space with tables neatly lined in a row aided by dim lights and candles, that almost toed the line between romantic and coyote ugly dark. I opted for the Yamato roll which is made with tempura eel, asparagus, caviar, mango, and avocado and my friend ordered the vegetable roll and salmon skin roll. I can't speak for her sushi, but mine was worth the $10: eight neatly prepared pieces of really fresh ingredients that blended so well! Needless to say, it was all I could handle, and handle it well I did. Bring someone you like here: it's quiet, the food is obviously amazing, the staff are accommodating the point of making us bashful as they were always attentive, refilling our glasses, and even bringing us complimentary creme brulee because we were talking and eating for a few hours. I'll definitely be back :) read more

We have been going to Yamato for over 10 years. The food never disappoints, always fresh and delicious, whether it's sushi or kitchen entrees. The staff is friendly and always willing to go the extra mile. They're happy to accommodate picky eaters. We just went for dinner on our son's birthday and they came out with this big beautiful dessert with a candle on it for him. With so many restaurants in the neighborhood coming and going, it's great to see that the community continues to support Yamato after so long. read more

Got the sushi prix-fixe meal. Was fantastic. $28. 1. Avocado salad. While I didn't like the boring greens, avocado is always great... and it had raw scallops and salmon... both with some dressing that was delicious 2. Chef's recommended sushi, 8 pieces, with 1 special roll. Way more sushi than I expected, and all very good! 3. Vanilla mille crepes... wow. This I didn't see coming. It's really a layer cake. Absolutely yummy. I'm coming back! read more

I come here for lunch during the work week and the food is delicious with a very reasonably priced lunch menu. I usually like to get the shrimp tempura roll (perfectly crunchy and sooo good) and the tempura udon. They make really good tempura here! The service during lunch is a little slow, theres usually only one waiter there, so I guess he does what he can on his own. The only thing that really bugs me here... they cant seem to figure out what kind of music to play. For a while, it was "suicide fm" (sappy and depressing celine dion/elton john and other kinds of soft rock stuff) and now its something else, I don't remember what... but I'm going there for lunch in about a half an hour so I'll try to pay attention... Reviewing the music when I should be focusing on food/service seems strange i guess, but its important! Definitely affects the atmosphere! read more

Based on all the rants and raves this restaurant got, I decided to take my lovely BF for a sushi date after attending the Murakami exhibition (Japanese theme of the day). Coming into the place, its quite small and intimate. The decor is minimal, however simple. The color is so subdued and plus the music that was on, made me feel so relax. When the food came, oh goodness.... the sushi and sashimi were fresh. It is difficult to find a gem spot where the fish are FRESH ( cannot emphasize enough). Definitely a must go to all sushi lovers. The wait? what wait? Our appetizer came literally 3 minutes after we order and the rest came as soon as we have devour our previous dish. Overall, a cute, simple, relaxing and worth the trip for sushi/sashimi meal =). read more

MY SUSHI PLACE. I love them all..the staff is amazing. I had one waiter who was consistently rude to me(I eat here daily)my always waiter said the owners let him go because of that. I never complained(because I am in the industry&I just did not care that much)but the owners were observing his service& let him go. I LOVE them!!! Great food&the one time I did not eat my food(because I had been a little risky&ordered octopus)they comped my meal. read more

This has been my go to sushi for years but tonight's meal was totally different than I've ever had. Maybe a new chef or owner? Pork gyoza was a greasy thick mess with no dipping sauce, my special roll with crunch was just a normal spicy tuna roll, despite paying $3 extra for scallions and tempura crunch. Not sure what happened but am looking for a replacement sushi place. read more

We love Yamato and we are so glad they are back! Their contactless pickup was extremely well-done- they have a plexiglass wall with a box, they place your bag inside and close it, and you take it out on your side. As usual the food was delicious- we ordered several chef's special rolls, yaki udon, seaweed salad, dumplings and roast pork buns. Truly a neighborhood gem! read more

YUM! I love Yamato. Excellent sushi and excellent service. After only one visit, Amy greeted my boyfriend and me by name. I want to bring everyone I know to experience the greatness! I've never had anything like the Optimus Roll - it is a mandatory item and will cause a slight y obsessive reaction (Ama Ebi, lobster salad - need I say more!?) The ambiance is zen and would be perfect for a quick meal or a celebration. Well worth the trip to Park Slope! read more

My wife and I walked over for a date night on a Tuesday and the place was pleasantly packed. This is a shotgun layout of a restaurant with all the tables along the left wall, but the management has made it feel more open with great use of mirrors above the bench side of the table against the wall. The rolls were excellent as well as the singapore noodles. The wait staff was very attentive without feeling intrusive. If you're already in Brooklyn or looking to try something new, this is definitely worth it. read more

One of my favorite places for Sushi in Brooklyn! My favorite rolls are the Optimus Roll and a Dragon roll. You wouldn't think the place was family friendly because it's so dark and romantic inside but I go there with a toddler and he has a great time. read more

There were warning signs everywhere: 1) Nobody sitting down yet for weekday lunch at 1215 2) Menu full of Chinese AND Japanese AND Thai food 3) Typical bastardized Chinese fare (orange chicken, tangerine beef) 4) Way too many "House Rolls," with trendy combos 5) The option to choose hot and sour soup at a Japanese resto?!?! I was very, very afraid. But i was also very, very impressed. The lunch combo selections are basically a menu of their own. Bentos with white/brown rice, your choice of soup, salad, and either spring roll/porkdumpling/8pc cali roll. Plus your entree. And this isnt a bullshit bento box quantity of entree. It is stacked! Even the hot and sour soup impressed me. And I am a jerk Californian who looks down on NY Chinese food. This stuff was great. Perfect quantity of vinegar and peppers, and tender chicken and even shiitake (new to me). The salad was pretty standard, with a citrus-miso dressing. Light and refreshing. I got the california roll, which even had tobiko on it (the little orange eggs that you find in your teeth afterwards for a nice surprise). My entree was a weekly special of miso tilapia with grilled asparagus. I expected a frozen, defrosted chunk of fish.. I received a perfectly seared, crispy chunk of tilapia with an excellent sauce.. And the ability to choose brown rice for no extra made me happy inside. Amazing. I'm sad I found this place so late... I wont be in park slope very often any more... :( read more

This used to be my go-to sushi restaurant. It's still really good; I've just come to prefer Kiku. The sushi here is fresh and delicious, but it's just a bit too salty for my tastes. Nearly all the specialty rolls are worth trying, except perhaps the Triple Color roll--all those different kinds of fish in one roll sounds great, but all those different flavors combine to taste like everything, and thus like nothing. On my most recent trip, the Optimus Roll was a standout (which my girlfriend ordered due to her serendipitously having an Optimus Prime Band-Aid on at the time). What little else I've had besides the sushi was fine but not memorable; you should keep in mind this is primarily a sushi joint and not expect too much if you order anything besides that. Oh, and like seemingly every sushi place in Park Slope, it has a kickass cheap lunch box special, usually like $8-9 for a lot of food. That never hurts. read more

I feel like this place has earned it's 3 to 3 1/2 star rating. I'm getting it four stars because it definitely delivers on price. The lunch menu is cheap and easy. It comes with the large salad and I feel like your choices of sashimi and sushi are varied and there's a lot of options. Coming from the West Coast I wouldn't say that it's the freshest sushi I've ever eaten but it's definitely a good lunch time easy inexpensive spot. read more

Really pretty decor, really average sushi. The fish was certainly fresh, though not remarkably so. I had the chirashi, which was just fine. The rice was not evenly vinegared, so some bites were a little bland. My wife's futomaki was fine as well, and her fried tofu was tasty. It was also a little odd to be asked if I wanted sweet and sour soup with my chirashi. The menu is really more pan Asian than Japanese. At $80 (tax & tip included) for 3 entrées and 2 appetizers, the price was about right for what we got. read more