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    Yamato

    4.0 (67 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 2:30 pm, 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM

    Yamato Photos

    Business Info

    YAMATO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Loud
    Casual
    Intimate
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Yamato

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    Steak and chicken hibachi
    Donny S.

    The steak was cooked perfectly medium and the flavor was fantastic. Definitely a high recommendation to get this again. Make sure to come early as this place often gets busy and is hard to get a table. It took quite a while for my food to come out to the point that I was loosing my appetite that's the only reason it gets 3 stars. Should be 3.5

    Dinosaur Roll
    Christina W.

    My first impression and experience was great!! Small Japanese restaurant on the edge of Pella. I think Yamato is a great Japanese restaurant for the community. I had the Dinosaur Roll and a side of Miso soup. This roll had Soft shell crab, tempura, topped with eel, avocado & eel sauce. Came out delicious, crunchy, hot & fresh. The miso soup was awesome. It had a really great flavor! Not like other restaurants where they make theirs bland. My friend had a couple California rolls and soup as well. Both came to $34.xx after gratuity. Service was efficient and nice. Nothing spectacular but they served well and without interruption. Visited during Thursday night dinner hour. Environment was packed and busy. There were a couple families waiting for tables while we visited. It shows that the locals definitely love this restaurant and keep them busy. The restaurant was minimal in decor and had maybe 10 tables that seat 4 people each. Noticed many to go orders being picked up. Overall all I recommend Yamato! My friend who lives locally loves this restaurant and visits often.

    a bowl of soup and two spring rolls
    Michael M.

    Altoona, IA. 10/31/2020 3:27AM Yelp wants me to seek out and support black owned businesses. Um, No. I use Yelp for 2 main reasons. 1. To find the best places to eat, regardless of what race the owner is. I don't care what race the owner is. I only care if the food is good. If you're plaid and you serve good food, I'll visit. If you're plaid and your food sucks, I won't. I reward good food, regardless of race. 2. I like to write and Yelp gives me a platform to do just that even though their 5,000 character limit is bullshit. Yelp kept asking me to review Yamato. I blew it off every time because I had no clue what Yamato was, till I finally looked it up. "Well I'll be a son of a bitch. I did eat there" and Yelp knows this because I checked in using the app. This, one would think, would not be a good sign for Yamato. Yamato is a sushi restaurant in Pella, Ia, hidden in a strip mall adjacent to WalMart. If you're not looking for it, you're not gonna see it. Fortunately for them, you're going to seek it out because other than the surprise onion bit, with teeth, in the bowl of soup, it was surprisingly good. The Lobster Rangoon was wonderful as were the spring rolls. I wasn't aware that I got soup with my order but it came out with the appetizers. Im not even sure what kind it was, maybe Miso. At first I thought the white floater was possibly a baby shrimp, fetus sized. It looked like it was once alive and had been sacrificed for my enjoyment. Fishing it out and placing it on the table I asked the waiter "What is this" He replied "Its Onion" and it did it without hesitation which put me at ease. Had he had to think about it, even if for a moment, it would not have gone well. I finished the soup regardless because it was delicious. The Green Dragon Roll and Volcano Roll were very good. One had a delayed spicy reaction which was addicting and I can't remember which it was which just means that ill have to order both again the next time I go. The staff was exceptionally nice. They did wear mask which doesn't really matter to me but Im sure that it will bring comfort to many people during these days of tribulation. Sorry Yamato that I forgot about you. You are well worth the trip.

    a plate of sushi and rolls
    EmilyEmily D.

    Waitress was rude and bossy, told her my drink order 3 times. Clear soup and edamame was good. Got 4 sushi rolls, dinosaur, spicy girl, amazing and one other. Sushi was ok, nothing fantastic.

    Teriyaki salmon Bento box

    I ordered the Bento box teriyaki salmon. This was very good I enjoyed it and the soup was also pretty good. Atmosphere OK service OK. Will definitely come back again and try other things.

    My husband and I waiting to be served.

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    10 months ago

    Great sushi as always . The food is always fresh and hot and tasty. We do both takeout and eat it and either option is excellent.

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    7 months ago

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    5 years ago

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    1 year ago

    The food was hot and fresh, everyone was nice, little expensive but was worth it, convenient spot too

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    3 years ago

    Nice Japanese restaurant in Pella, IA. I had a salmon tempora which was very good. I'd go back again.

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    4 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    5 years ago

    Sometimes there's definitely a bit of a wait but considering it's the only place like it in town they do a very good job.

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Food was great. Service was great! Came in from out of town and loved this place. Good price as well!

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    4 years ago

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    6 years ago

    Great sushi and very quick when ordering online or calling in! Our to go sushi/Asian spot.

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    4 years ago

    I love Yamato best sushi I have ever had and I was in Japan for two years! Must eat at! Best of the best!

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    6 years ago

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    5 years ago

    Good high quality Japanese cuisine. Their special rolls are very good as well as stuff from their grill like steak and chicken!

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    Hokkaido Ramen House - Spicy beef ramen

    Hokkaido Ramen House

    4.3(55 reviews)
    39.1 mi
    $$

    We went to Hokkaido Ramen House Friday night thinking we were just grabbing a bowl of noodles. What…read morewe found was a really nice surprise -- and then we apparently forgot how to stop ordering food. The restaurant is very cool inside, spotless, and has a great atmosphere. They were moderately busy, but service was still very fast. Our server was sweet, funny, witty, kind and attentive. She really added to the experience. We started with the gyoza, which were fresh, hot and delicious. I ordered the Tom Yum Ramen, loaded with seafood and a ton of flavor. Kim had the Spicy Beef Ramen with the giant bone-in beef rib. That thing is a monster of a bowl and was packed with flavor. Kim tried the apple sake and liked it so much that we stopped afterward and bought a bottle. I had a Tsingtao beer and then decided I apparently hadn't ordered enough food, so I added the tuna sashimi. It was incredibly fresh and delicious, especially with the fresh ginger and greens. We definitely spent more than we intended, but mostly because we kept wanting to try more things. Hokkaido is only about half a mile from our house, which may turn out to be dangerous. Great food, fast service, fun atmosphere and one of those places that surprised us in the best way. We'll definitely be back.

    If you're looking for authentic, flavorful ramen, Hokkaido is absolutely worth the visit. This was…read moreonly our second ramen spot, but it has officially become the standard we'll compare every other ramen restaurant against. We started with the dumplings, and they were outstanding--crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and packed with flavor. They were the perfect way to start the meal. I ordered the Spicy Beef Ramen, and all I can say is... wow. The broth was rich, bold, and full of depth without overpowering the dish. The beef was incredibly tender, practically falling apart with every bite, and every ingredient came together perfectly. My wife ordered the Miso Ramen and couldn't stop talking about how flavorful and comforting it was. Every spoonful tasted fresh and thoughtfully prepared. The atmosphere was another highlight. The restaurant has a beautiful, open layout with warm lighting, Japanese-inspired décor, and a welcoming vibe that makes you want to stay and enjoy your meal. It feels modern while still being cozy. To top it all off, the service was phenomenal. Our server was attentive, friendly, and made sure we had everything we needed without ever feeling intrusive. Hokkaido delivered on every level--food, atmosphere, and service. We'll definitely be back, and if you're in the Ankeny area and craving ramen, this is a place you need to experience. Highly recommended.

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    Hokkaido Ramen House - Entering the restaurant

    Entering the restaurant

    Hokkaido Ramen House - Kobe Beef Bun

    Kobe Beef Bun

    Hokkaido Ramen House - Decor

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    Decor

    Masao

    Masao

    4.9(29 reviews)
    37.3 mi

    We had the BEST experience at Masao! The food was incredible and the quality of the fish was…read moreabsolutely top notch. We loved how unique the menu is, offering both amazing sushi and a French-inspired menu. We sat at the bar and had a 10/10 experience. The owner and staff truly made our night! We were celebrating our 1-year anniversary, and Nick, the owner, surprised us with a bottle of champagne and even took care of one of our dishes. Such a thoughtful gesture! Amazing food, incredible service, and such a special atmosphere. We will definitely be back!

    I'm gonna likely get hate for this and maybe I'm jaded because based on the reviews I had higher…read moreexpectations of this place but it was a bit underwhelming. I generally like a place that has a different menu on the daily based on what they have sourced seasonally etc however this days menu wasn't that exciting. The quality of the fish was good. I had the yellowfin nigiri but $12 for one piece was steep. I also had the prosciutto wrapped mushroom stuffed squash blossoms but the prosciutto was too heavy for how delicate the blossoms are and it caused it to be overly salty. I had walked in planning to order additional dishes but my disappointment told me to be done. The service was average. One sushi chef was nice. The other I could overhear speaking to guests which looked like they were getting omakase and it was possible he knew them because I could hear him speaking of his personal life and casually using curse words. The restaurant itself was clean, had nice decor but rather loud. Maybe I'll try again next time I'm in town for work.

    Photos
    Masao - Nick the owner at work!

    Nick the owner at work!

    Masao
    Masao

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    Ichiban Japanese Restaurant - Teppanyaki Steak Hitbachi Bento Box

    Ichiban Japanese Restaurant

    3.9(18 reviews)
    56.1 mi

    12/13/25 9:00 p.m…read more Dine-in Food: 10/10!!! Everything we ordered was phenomenal! All of the fish was fresh and delicious. The sushi rice was perfectly cooked as well. We tried a couple of appetizers and they were really good! The Komodo Sticks are a newfound favorite lol. Also, we decided to give some sake a try; two different flavors. The Hana Fuji Apple is definitely preferred over the Moonstone Plum. The Hana Fuji Apple sake tastes similar to an Apple Jolly Rancher, but the Moonstone Plum sake tastes almost as if you're drinking a perfume; not in a bad way, just unexpected. A Teppanyaki Steak Hibachi Bento Box was also ordered to share, and it was great! The steak was savory and delicate without being overcooked. Service: Our waitress was awesome! She greeted us with a smile as well as a great, upbeat attitude. All of our questions were answered with knowledge instead of guesses and she even made great recommendations. She was quick and non-intrusive. All of the kitchen staff were fantastic as well; working quickly and efficiently. Ambiance: Inside is small, quaint, almost intimate, and pretty quiet. You're able to see the chefs work as they prepare the food, without being overwhelmed by kitchen noises or smells. Speaking of, it smelled great in there! It hit us before we even entered the restaurant and it smelled like perfection!

    We stopped by rather late one evening during the week. My daughter, an ISU student and…read moreself-proclaimed sushi connoisseur, brought us there. Not surprisingly, it was pretty quiet but we were glad to find a decent place to eat at that hour. We ordered 4 rolls that were recommended by the server. Portions and prices were reasonable. I can't say it was the best sushi I've ever had, but I was impressed. Maybe I had low expectations for sushi in a college town in the middle (literally) of farm country, but I thought our food was really good. I liked the Asian bar vibe. Save for a few ISU pennants and other memorabilia, it was pretty easy to imagine we were in a small sushi bar in rural Japan. Having never been to Japan, I am probably way off on that, but the atmosphere was way better than most of the strip mall sushi places we usually go to. All in all, pretty good! I'd definitely go again.

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    Ichiban Japanese Restaurant
    Ichiban Japanese Restaurant - 2 Casino Rolls

    2 Casino Rolls

    Ichiban Japanese Restaurant - Hana Fuji Apple Sake 10oz

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    Hana Fuji Apple Sake 10oz

    Yamato - japanese - Updated September 2026

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