We ordered take out, I've been looking at ways too make our own Salmon Sashimi, curing the salmon, preparing it and garnishing it. It has been sometime since we have eaten here but we're VERY pleased the times we have. Before diving in and making our own, I decided to have a quick dinner for Judy (wifey) and myself, of course...sushi! Called in an ordered that included a Chef Special and Salmon Sashimi along with a Rainbow roll and would pick up in 20 minutes. Done, picked it up and brought it home, did the soy sauce prep and we sat down to enjoy a marvelous sushi dinner. The Rainbow roll is prepared with the wasabi between the rice and fish, fish was fresh and tasty. The salmon sashimi was tender, delicious and tasty as was the Chef special, which included salmon, yellowtail, tuna and albacore. In addition to the fish our takeout order included sliced cantaloupe and watermelon, grapes, Meyers lemon slices, ginger, wasabi, edamame and soy sauce. Everything needed for a delicious dinner. I cannot say enough about how good this was to enjoy at home with a nice glass of wine. We loved it! read more

Everything was ridiculously delicious, high quality, fresh & beautifully made here. A new favorite sushi place that I'm happy to have tried! I'll be back without a doubt & am already looking forward to coming back down to have it again. Yum, yum, yum!!! I tried the spicy salmon & spicy yellowtail. Next time I'll just get one roll as I'm beyond full but my goodness, the flavors were perfect. They had gluten free indicators on a menu & had gluten free soy sauce which was terrific. Happy! Everyone was kind here as well. New fav place to eat in Tucson & I definitely recommend. read more

Tucson sushi in its highest form. There are a lot of great sushi options in Tucson, and they're all a bit different. There are places were you go for abundant quantity, or roll options...or sake bombs. Yamato is clearly a sushi chef driven sushi experience. You NEED to sit at the bar to watch this master work his craft. read more

Best sushi in Tucson. Legit. I lived in Japan for years, and I am so happy I found this small, unassuming restaurant so centrally located. It's pricey, but you pay for quality. The sushi chef is the real deal. Treat yourself, and order some hot tea or sake and stay awhile! read more

Had lunch here with my sister on Thursday. The place was clean, quiet, and the atmosphere was nice, we loved the decor at the restaurant! The food was good, not a very expansive menu, but I enjoyed what I ate. I ordered the Miso Ramen with a Philly Roll on the side. Delicious ramen, nice philly roll, a good place to sit for a casual lunch. read more

See all

I've eaten sushi since 1975, and this place rates in the top 3 best ever. Wonderful quality fish, beautiful presentation and friendly service. They are dealing well with the COVID-19 mess. Give them a try - they deserve it! read more

I saw lots of good reviews and had to try out Yamato. I ordered Tenzaru and some nigiri sushi for takeout. I called ahead and went to pick up my order. They are currently only doing takeout only and have a nice set up inside for you to pick up your order! The chilled soba tasted delicious and the nigiri sushi was great as well! I've been to a lot of different sushi places in Tucson and Yamato has one of the best nigiri sushi that I've eaten. I definitely want to go back and try more! read more

Yamato - Tuna, Flounder, Salmon, and Squid nigiri (from left to right) - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Doesn't look like much from the outside but the best sushi in Tucson for sure. Very welcoming staff and very friendly. Ordered the gyoza and the egg rolls and they were delicious. Got the spicy salmon roll, California roll, salmon roll, and the tuna roll and they were all delicious highly recommended. read more

This is the best sushi place around. My husband and I used to eat it every week. Amazing service and quality! Hats to the chef, he's awesome! read more

Excellent sushi and great service. The chef's choice nigiri plate was particularly good. The salmon and tuna were standouts.

For a city with no ocean in sight, Tucson has a surprisingly prolific sushi scene. Some restaurants offer the glamour of a great nightlife, while others bait you with some of the best deals in town. Yamato eschews all that in favor of a smaller, more traditional menu with what is arguably the best sushi to be found in this town in the most nondescript, least glamourous location of any sushi restaurant. Went here for my birthday last Saturday night, and I must say it's probably the best birthday meal I've ever had. Good company, good food, and lots and lots of sake bombs -- what's not superlative about that? Everything I had tasted very fresh. The spicy rolls here are easily the best I've ever had. The chef (the only sushi chef that works there) chops all the fish the moment you order, and then mixes it into his own spicy sauce. The result is something much lighter and much more pleasant than the usual mashed/pureed fish you'd expect. We did tuna and salmon, but he'll turn anything into a spicy roll if you ask. The soft-shell crab roll tasted perfect, and the presentation (which you can see in one of the pictures) is very quirky and fun. The cured salmon -- while a bit chewy in texture (because of the curing, obviously) -- was delicious and smoky, perfectly accented with small slivers of shallot and capers. Regardless of how good an entire meal is, it is often the little gestures that end up being the most memorable. Halfway through the meal, he overheard my guest and me talking about uni (sea urchin), which we had only tried once before. We both remembered it being pretty tasty (very much "of the sea"), but also with a slight hint of bitterness. Without any direct provocation on our part, he whipped out a small wooden box and served us a complimentary serving of his uni, and man was it good! Obviously very fresh, it was all ocean-flavor without even a trace of bitterness. It was both an honor and a pleasure to eat something so delicious, and for free as well! A perfect birthday persent. My guest and I finished the night with a plate of the chef's choice sashimi, which was -- just like everything else -- delicious. The chef's knife skills truly shined in this plate. The presentation of the fish was beautiful, and the paper-thin lemon slices that accompanied some of the lighter fishes (I can't remember the names because by this point I was too inebriated) were very impressive, as well as very fitting accompaniments. I don't even think my mandolin can produces slices that thin. The bill was, as expected, pretty expensive, but considering how much I drank and the high quality and authenticity of the food I ate, I have absolutely no qualms. There's just one more sushi restaurant that I have yet to try in Tucson, but as it stands Yamato is my new #1. Sit at the sushi bar, stick to the fish, and cave in when he asks if you're going to have a drink, and you're guaranteed a great time. read more

Wow. A huge thank you to the Yamato chef and staff. I ordered take out. I do not like sushi take out, preferring to eat at the restaurant as a sign of respect for the chef. But we had home bound plans tonight and, yet, were craving some sushi. I opted for Yamato. I ordered in for salmon nigiri, chirashi and spicy scallop nigiri. I arrived 15 minutes later to find the server wrapping the bag. Back home, we found that in addition to our order of sushi -- which was SUPERB -- we also had a nice side salad and miso soup. I have ordered sushi out before and do not recall ever receiving the appetizers. I was quite surprised and impressed that the chef would be this generous with the take out order. And the sushi was amazingly fresh! Frankly, it was a perfect meal. read more

This is the best sushi joint in Tucson, hands down. Hidden among a row of dollar stores and empty shop fronts, Yamato's windows are covered, which adds to the sort of mysterious appeal of this strip mall sushi joint. On entering, you find a completely unpretentious dining room with about 15 tables, and the same old Japanese guy standing behind the sushi bar (which, by the way, doesn't allow for children younger than 12, so make sure they bring their ID's). The food is fantastic, skip the apps and go straight for the fish. And order a lot - it's the freshest and most authentically crafted sushi I've seen outside of San Diego. Try the toro, the spanish mackerel (aji), uni, spicy tuna roll, and the soft-shelled crab. The bill will rise rather quickly, but it's worth it for the quality of food, and the fact that you're supporting a local-one-man-band-stand restaurant. Eat well, and tip big! read more

Yamato - Toro! - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Best sushi I've ever had.. and I've had sushi all over the US. east coast & west coast, Hawaii, everywhere. You HAVE to get the cured salmon. Best thing I've ever put in my mouth. read more

Yamato - Cured Salmon, Negihama, Sunset Roll, Mackrel, and a delicious beer to wash it down. - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

This is now one of my favorite Japanese/Sushi restaurants in Tucson. I agree with many others, it's not the best I've ever had or even among the best. But among the best for Tucson. I tried the charashi bowl and an order of uni first. The charashi was good. Much better then the charashi I tried at Yoshimatsu. However it wasn't great, some of the fish used wasn't as fresh as could be. The uni was good but not great either. I asked when they got their uni shipment before ordering and was told just hours before. I went back to try Yamato again. This time ordering: soft shell crab appetizer, salmon and yellowtail nigiri, negitoro roll, nabeyaki udon, and tonkotsu ramen. The softshell crab was good, but a little over fried. Salmon and yellowtail nigiri, along with the negitoro roll were very good. Fresh and tasty. The nabeyaki udon's broth was very good as well. But the noodles were some what over cooked. A little soggy. The tonkotsu ramen was very good, no complaints. Overall my experience here is good to very good. Which would usually only get 4 stars at most, but being one of the best in Tucson, I'd have to give Yamato 5 taking into consideration local comps. My top three are now Ginza, Yamato, and Kazoku. I think Kazoku may have the edge because of its value. Free miso, edamame, seaweed/squid salad and ice cream. I'll have to try Yamato's sushi some more to make a final decision, it's a close call. read more

See all

Tonkotsu ramen was rich and creamy; well-done with plenty of flavor. Not much noodles in the bowl but the chashu pork belly made up for it. I would come back when I'm craving ramen. Prices for a bowl of ramen is a bit overpriced. $4 more than what you pay in San Diego. Atmosphere was very clean, "Cutesy" Japanese themed decor throughout, and service was A-OK. The plaza that this restaurant is in is very run down and in not the best neighborhood. read more

Yamato - Tonkotsu Ramen - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

See all

Probably the best sushi you'll find in Tucson. I love this place! It's definitely on the pricier side, but I think it's worth it if you want some quality sushi. On this particular outing to Yamato, I started with 2 spicy tuna "temaki" (hand rolls), with an order of the "Saba" (mackerel). The spicy tuna hand rolls are what you'd expect from ordering spicy tuna at any sushi restaurant in the States. They give a very generous amount of finely chopped tuna, mixed with a housemade spicy mayonnaise sauce, served in a hand roll (made with sushi rice of course). The tuna is probably as fresh as you'd expect fish to be at any place given that we are in Arizona, but I've always felt like Yamato's ingredients have been as fresh as possible, and today was no different. The slight sweetness of the rice worked really well with the light but slightly spicy (not very spicy, don't worry for those of you who can't handle spice) tuna. Preceding the mackerel was a small cup of miso soup and a small salad with some sort of soy vinaigrette. The soup tastes like any other miso soup I've had at sushi restaurants (at this point I'm convinced all places uses similar pre-packaged broths they just add water to). The vinaigrette was nice, as it had a note of black pepper that cut to the front with each bite. Perhaps it was a little overpowering, but overall it was fine. The mackerel is served with a side of fruit, lettuce tomato, lemon slices, and finely ground radish. The fruit and veg I could care less for, but it's nice that they give that to you with the order. The mackerel is beautifully grilled. It has a nice smoky charred flavor that you look for in any good grilled protein, seasoned presumably with some salt and pepper. Alone, the fish can be a little salty. But when eaten with some of the sweet radish and a squeeze of lemon, the acid and sugar really balance out the saltiness of the fish well. When ordering this, keep in mind it takes them ~25 minutes to prep, as noted on their menu. Overall, I think Yamato is one of the better, if not the best, Japanese restaurant in Tucson. Definitely a must try! read more

Yamato - Spicy tuna temaki (hand rolls) - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

See all

This place is beyond good, best sushi restaurant in Tucson. Everything is extremely fresh and you can see the quality of the fish and the craftsmanship. I don't understand how this place has bad reviews. My wife and I tried it on a Monday afternoon and was welcomed with an extremely good attitude. It can be a bit pricey but it is completely worth it for the quality of the food for Tucson. read more

First impression: cute, cozy atmosphere! Although The waiter who greeted us was very frantic and after we were seated and were told the waiter would be right with us it took awhile for him to arrive. He kept walking past us and loitering by the cashier. However, the food is very good! A little pricey, but definitely worth it. The fried squid legs with a little bit of orange was perfect, and the miso ramen had the most tender pork pieces. I would probably go again! read more

Loved their food. Got the sashimi combo and it was delicious! Upset that I haven't been here before.

For a small city, this is 4 stars. However, for a decent size city, it is a 3. We ordered: Takoyaki-very disappointing. It wasn't cooked properly, it was way too mushy, plus there is hardly any octopus in there. Skip. Salmon and avocado roll- decent, but tiny roll Tuna and avocado-again, decent, but tiny Cucumber salad-its drenched in rice vinegar, not the best, but still good Curry chicken rice-it tastes ok, but not enough chicken Futomaki roll- tastes ok Overall, don't get sushi in Tuscon unless you're craving for it. You'll be disappointed. read more

Went for a lunch, had spicy tuna don and a squid salad. Not that impressive and the price is not very good compare to the quality of the food. Haven't try their sushi or sashimi yet, so kinda biased review from my only time visit. read more

Yamato - Spicy Tuna Don and salad. - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

【Best sushi you can get in Tucson】 Traditional sushi restaurant. Small but nice and quiet. The sushi chef, He can makes a piece of nigiri sushi in only 3 grips. It take at least decades to achieve this level of techniques. The rice of the nigiri , perfect size, shape, density, and not sticky. Great knife skills. The fishes are not perfectly fresh, but good enough. But here is Tucson, middle of nowhere, What can you say? read more

Yamato - Scallops and sea urchins sushi - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

See all

I usually don't care to give reviews but I HAD TO for this place. So I ordered to go today and the service was nice. The cashier was very friendly and sweet. But then I get home and actually eat the food. The fish did not taste right and as soon as I ate it, it made my stomach very uneasy. And I had the California roll and even that didn't taste good at all. I am very worried that this place is going to give me food poisoning. :/ read more

We moved from southern Cali so we missed all the authentic and variety of foods available there resorting to cooking at home mostly here. Recommended by husband's coworker, we found Yamato's tonkatsu ramen to be very very close to our favorite ramen spot back in Orange County. Definitely a great find and we keep going back for it read more

See all

Sashimi was delicious! If all you want is sushi, this place is great. If you want more than sushi, this place is not it. We ordered the tempura and chicken dinner combo. The chicken had a bland texture (like chalk almost) and tasted like gas. The teriyaki sauce itself seems to have been watered down and dumped on the plate, seeping to the fruits and tempura. The most disgusting part is that they seem to think the combo was worth $17. read more

Food is authentic. But the customer service is trash. Not the true japanese customer service experience.

We came here for dinner since I was craving Ramen, and it did not disappoint. I must've driven by this place more than a few hundred times on the way to work and never realized this gem was in the CVS lot. The Tonkotsu Ramen was one of the best ones I've had in Tucson-- the broth was perfectly rich, and there was generous portions of pork. The Chicken Katsu curry was delicious as well. We also had the Softshell Crab Roll which I highly recommend-- it was one of the best sushi rolls I've had in town, and was just so soft and fresh with the right combination of textures and flavors. I'll definitely be back to try more from their sushi menu! They do have lunch specials. It's a small quaint joint but there was a surprising amount of people for 5 ish pm on a weekday. It took more than 20 min from ordering for any food to arrive. Service was friendly but a little on the slow/inattentive side. read more

When I go to a sushi place, I seldom expect udon and/or ramen. When I saw a nabeyaki udon on the menu, I knew I had to get it as well the sushi. Tried it all and would definitely come back. The service is wonderful. The food quality is amazing. You add both of these together and you definitely have an excellent dining experience. When I come back in town on business, I'll definitely look this place up again. A lot of people were coming in for take out orders but if you come here to eat, the experience is worthwhile. Kampai! read more

Yamato - Nabeyaki udon. Yummy broth and served traditionally in a clay pot. - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

I had the hubby look up a sushi restaurant for us to go to on yelp... and we settled on this place because of the reviews and it was in the area we were headed. It wasn't busy and we were seated right away. The waitress was very quick about getting our drinks and answering any menu questions. The soup and salads were good. And I can be picky about the house dressing's at sushi's places, but this was good. We ordered a couple of rolls and tamago. I was hesitant on whether or not to get the soft shell crab because it was $10, but I decided to go for it. The roll was huge, and very good. It also came out in the shape of a crab which I almost missed, as I had already started nibbling on the claws... (See Pic). Also, I ordered my roll w/o masago, as I am not a fan, and it was not a problem at all. My husband also had the shrimp tempura and beef teriyaki. The teriyaki sauce was sweet, but it also had a peppery kick to it. I really liked it. Overall the service and food were great, but I have to agree with the other reviews that it is kind of pricey. read more

Yamato - Softshell Crab Roll - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

This is my favorite sushi place. Mainly because this is my anniversary place. My boyfriend and I's first date was here and 3 years later we still go back for dates read more

Amazing Chef driven sushi experience! Highly recommend and looking forward to next opportunity to enjoy this fresh clean traditional sushi. So happy we came! read more

Have not eaten here in a months. It used to be good. It had to be one of the worst overpriced sushi meals ever in Tucson. Sad. Very tired fish. Presentation with old fruit added was really bad. We voiced a concern to the wait staff. Shrug of the shoulders. There are way too many options for sushi in Tucson and we will not be back. Maybe it is an August in Tucson deal. read more

If you've never had hole-in-the-wall sushi, this is the place to go. It's the epitome of not judging by its cover. The restaurant is smack dab between two Indian restaurants and a CVS which anchors the strip mall. It has a very plain sign outside, and you'd more than likely drive by before you'd consider eating there. Inside is basic as well, with one small tv hanging up above the sushi bar and Chef Naguro creating his masterpieces dead center. He is very soft spoken, but very deliberate with his words. We let him decide what to serve us and he chose wonderfully. The fish smelled and taste fresh. Having eaten sushi in Japan, there's certain nuances you really should look for with specific types of fish. The mackerel was good and light, salmon had great flavor and perfect texture, fatty tuna tasted exactly as expected and the octopus was amazing. The capers gave the fish a different zest, and the smoked white fin was exceptional. read more

Yamato - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Went there for lunch with a friend (just searching out random sushi places in Tucson). Very happy we found this place. I had squid salad, very nice dish, then three "rolls;" a California, an Unagi, and one roll I just picked at random. All were very tasty. The rice seemed "different" from other sushi places I've been in, somehow fresher, more moist, very nice. All the rolls were excellent. Staff was friendly and helpful (one wait staff person was on duty). We sat at the sushi bar and chatted with the friendly man preparing the food. Enjoyed our time there, will return. read more

Very good sushi. Excellente quality in fish and great hand from the chef. The expirience is very obvious. read more

Yamato - Baked Mussels - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Yamato is one of my go-to places for sushi in the Tucson area. It's located in a small strip mall with a slightly tattered sign and you don't expect it to be as good as it is. But it's so worth it. The tonkatsu ramen, in particular, is fantastic. I rarely will finish ramen to the last drop and here, I do. The pork is tender and well seasoned. My only qualm is that they use a hard boiled egg instead of a poached one. Personally, I enjoy breaking open the yolk in my ramen. The main attraction: the sushi. I almost always get the chefs choice sashimi. The selections the chef makes are always fresh and melt in your mouth. I particularly appreciate the mackerel here. He really shows attention to presentation and quality of what he serves. I have yet to try anything I don't love! read more

Yamato - Interior of Yamato. - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Hooray! I have found my sushi spot in Tucson. The sashimi here was delicious and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I like the fact that it is a low-key place--not pretentious so one can focus on the food and the company you're with. My favorite type of place. Friendly staff and I will surely be back! read more

Just got a to go order and at first I was unsure as they don't have a Vegas roll, however, upon trying their soft shell crab roll, sashimi , shrimp heads and dynamite , I must say I am throughly impressed. Will be coming her again! read more

Most Authentic Japanese Restaurant in Tucson. Take it from a Japanese person. Also brought people in from Japan, they couldn't believe how the food at Yamato tasted so much like Japan. The decor may feel dated, but it adds to the experience. Try it, he's been serving Sushi there for over 30 year's. read more