Cancel

Open app

Search

Yaya's Cookbook

4.1 (586 reviews)
ModerateAsian Fusion, Thai
Closed • 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

Yaya's Cookbook Photos

Business Info

YAYA'S COOKBOOK ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Loud
Casual
Trendy
Happy hour specials

You might also consider

More like Yaya's Cookbook

Recommended Reviews - Yaya's Cookbook

Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
Yelp app icon
Browse more easily on the app
Review Feed Illustration

Reviews With Photos

Whole crispy fish - $38 portion
Lisa B.

It's very popular, I'll give it that. I'm not quite sure why. The food was, meh? We stopped in early on a Friday evening, and it's obviously popular for its happy hour. We got a table outside. The service was good, and our server did a good job. The best thing we had was the crispy brussels sprouts, which we got a second order of since it was our favorite. We shared a crispy bronzino fish, that did not look or taste like bronzino, and was not really large enough to share between people, despite being $38 for the largest portion. We also shared a dragon type sushi roll, where the sushi rice was way overcooked. Same thing for the Vegetable Gyoza, where it was over steamed, so soft and mushy. The rice that came with the crispy fish was also over done, and soft and mushy. That's pretty much a no-no in any kind of Asian cooking. We got an order of papaya salad, which though supposedly mild had quite a kick. All in all, the atmosphere was good, but we were three people, and none of us would be interested in going back. There seem to be a lot of Asian restaurants in this area, so I think you can find better.

Surf & Turf roll
Ashley W.

First of all Yayas never ever misses! This is my absolute favorite place to go in Short Pump.

Bulgogi and fried rice
Whitney B.

Yayas has always been great since the first time I've visited. They consistently have given me great service and great food!

Pork Gyoza
Hannah S.

Yaya's Cookbook is one of my absolute favorite local Thai restaurants. My daughter & I ventured out there for Lunch this week & per usual we were not disappointed. The food was delicious. The service welcoming & attentive & the ambiance was boisterous but not overwhelming. We were seated in the Back dining area, which was quieter than the main dining room & we found being seated in this area worked well for us as we just wanted to relax, hang & talk. Every dining experience I have had at Yaya's has been enjoyable & this experience was no exception. I definitely recommend checking them out if you like Thai food & Sushi options. Their menu is quite expansive and overall very budget friendly.

Dried beef
Kathleen D.

I really enjoyed my experience at Yaya's last Thursday. We popped in around dinnertime before a nearby comedy show and sat at the bar. It's well-decorated for the holidays and feels cozy. Do note you'll probably need to keep your coat on sitting at the bar, as the door opens right on it without a buffer. Bartenders were so nice. They were out of our first choice for a cookie shot, so we ordered the peppermint patty shot. Well-named, very good. We also ordered two of their holiday cocktails, the drunken beef app, and later, pork fried rice to go (me, on a whim ha). The fried rice lasted me three meals and was soooo good. Prices were reasonable given the quality. I'd definitely stop back sometime!

Vicky V.

The Thai food and cocktails are still really good! However, the quality of the sushi has went downhill

Orange Chicken and Yaya's Roll
Candace

I come here often (I love to stop in after a good movie). The YaYas roll is my absolute favorite. The Orange Chicken is also really good and when I recommended to a friend, they also really enjoyed it. This place is popular and can get very crowded. Ordering delivery will run you the risk of your order sitting out for an hour (happened to me twice, but I love that roll!) Don't order out, eat in and enjoy the ambiance.

Jambalaya Roll
Beau M.

Yaya's has always been a favorite when I travel through Richmond. Today I had a Sidecar cocktail and the Dumplings as an appetizer. I normally order the Drunken Noodles, but I wanted something lighter. I was going to do one of the basic sushi rolls, but my server, Sydney, recommended the Jambalaya Roll. I'm glad I followed her recommendation. Delicious and a beautiful presentation. Sydney was very attentive and kind with a contagious smile, which is hard to find in Richmond sometimes. The staff at Ya Ya's is great, and the food/drinks are incredible.

Candy cane shooter!
Rita R.

A few friends and I came here after the movies for drinks. This was my first time here and I really appreciate that they let us come in despite the fact they were about to close soon so thank you guys! First of all I love the Christmas decor adorable! I had the margarita which was just how I like it, and shout out to the bartender for not watering it down as some places do. They also have Christmas themed shooters I had the candy cane which was not only visually appealing but absolutely delicious! I hope to come back and try the food, I was spying on the table next to us and whatever they had looked and smelled amazing! I'll be back!

Sushi with a fun drink
Michele F.

I finally made it to Yaya's and I can't believe I waited so long to try it. Some friends and I met for dinner on a Saturday night. We arrived before 5pm and got seated right away. I got a Rainbow roll and a Philly roll, and washed it down with a delicious drink that had a flower in the ice cube, so cool! The server was friendly and even though the restaurant was busy, she checked in with us often. By the time we left, the amount of people waiting to be seated was huge so it's best to get there early like we did.

Yaya's Roll - 10/10
Wolf P.

Excellent choice for Thai classics and sushi options with a unique spin. We tried a variety of dishes and they were all delicious. The cocktails aren't too complex but complement the food extremely well.

Miss Me Mexico - mezcal cocktail - $11 during HH! SO GOOD.
P.K. S.

one of the best (asian) meals and cocktails i've had in rva! everything from the sushi to the brussel sprouts to the thai curry was fantastic. every dish we had was flavored extremely well and was served hot and fresh. the service was also excellent - malaya was attentive and super friendly! my only complaint was the space is super small and a bit crowded - i got there at 4:15 and by 5pm it was packed and people were waiting in line to be seated which made the already tight space feel even more claustrophobic. the wait staff kept eyeing our table and made us feel rushed. however, the food quality and taste made it all worth it!

Drunken Noodle sub flat noodle for rice noodle add chicken
megan d.

How have I missed this gem right in my neighborhood??? I visited yaya's for the first time on a Friday night where I typically avoid Shortpump. We met for our girls night gift exchange and happy hour around 5pm. We were greeted by two amazing host and a bartender who welcome us with such an awesome spirit. Also.... You wanna talk about Christmas spirit??? This definitely needs to be on your stop for Christmas bars in RVA! The decor is the cutest! We were sat and our server greeted us immediately with a Christmas inspired drink menu and ready to explain their menu to us as two of us were first timers. When in doubt I always order a Espresso martini with tequila and this did not fail me. I also enjoyed the Spanish mule and hot tea at the end with a shot of Burbon. I definitely thanked the bartender when I left. We had sushi as our apps and quickly found out why YaYa's is top rated in RVA for its sushi. When I say FRESH! We had the chicken tempura and the jambalaya rolls. For dinner some ordered rolls again which from the chatter at the table the YaYa roll with the flame cooked Filet Mignon on top is an instant Yes! I have a tree nut allergy so Thai and Asian food can be Tricky. I had the drunken noodles that I subbed the flat noodle for a rice noodle and added chicken and did level 3 spice. This was so delicious I've gone back twice this week for this order. The service and the food were amazing and I am most likely going to become a regular here! Can't wait to sit in the swing seats at the sushi bar. I highly suggest you add YaYa's to your RVA eats!

Chicken drunken noodles, Thai deviled eggs, spicy shrimp roll....margarita and a Mean Girl!!!

See all

Photo of TnK E.
1
6
25

3 days ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 2
Love this 1
Oh no 1

4 days ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

7 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

10 months ago

Helpful 3
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

4 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Beau M.
117
30
165

1 month ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

10 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1

8 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

9 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

10 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Rupa B.
1
53
31

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

2 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Jerry G.
0
124
84

6 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

8 months ago

The best Thai fried rice I have ever had! The sushi is simply amazing as well .... Happy hour on the weekend as well

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

29 days ago

The food staff and atmosphere is why we continue to come back. I love the popcorn chicken and crab fried rice WE LOVE YAYAS!

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Erica C.
0
268
79

9 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

7 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 month ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

8 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 months ago

Staff has knowledgeable about vegan options. Food is always good here and the service and ambience my family and I love.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 months ago

JT is the best, best recommendations, service, and person- he needs to run this place!!!!

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1
Photo of Neal C.
1
11
12

5 months ago

I ordered the curry duck. The sauce was incredibly rich, fragrant, and delicious. The portion was also generous - highly recommend.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 8
Thanks 1
Love this 5
Oh no 1

2 months ago

Great food and atmosphere. One of our go-to spots for lunch and dinner. I like to try something new every time I go.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

7 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 months ago

I did not like the sushi. the sushi taste like fish like seriously fish!!!! who makes sushi that taste like fish completely gross.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Jen W.
12
37
37

1 year ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

7 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

Page 1 of 15

Yaya's Cookbook Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Yaya's Cookbook

Will you be open on Christmas?

Do y'all do reservations

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

You might also consider

Verify this business for free

People searched for Asian Fusion 697 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

Verify this business

Liu's Kitchen - Peter Chang's Seafood in Stone Pot

Liu's Kitchen

3.8(763 reviews)
0.3 mi
•$$

Oh yeah. The real deal…read more Got takeout here and it exceeded my expectations. Had tried these dishes before at Peter's Fredericksburg location years ago. I got these for the road: Dry-Fried Eggplant Crispy with a touch of savory spice plus cilantro, really good. Grandma Noodles Wavy noodles in a savory brown sauce with dried pepper and cilantro. Spicy but good spicy. Much better than the last time I had them, they hadn't congealed yet. When I mixed everything together it was great. Pork in Spicy Garlic Sauce Oh yeah. Even with just one spice pepper, this rocks. This is what I remember enjoying from years back. Tender shredded pork in a spicy sauce with garlic and multiple kinds of peppers. Would definitely go back if in the area. Parking was easy in the strip mall next to Walmart. Ordering online was easy and pickup was friendly and quick.

The lamb was great, but they only give 3 lamb lollipops for $35. It wasn't worth it…read more The rest of the food was not great. We ate the combination fried rice. It had too much soy sauce and you couldn't taste anything else. The white rice was dry and undercooked. I feel like this is an utter travesty. I was at least expecting good rice. The golden mountain had great flavor but I think it was a mistake to eat it at home. It was mushy by the time we ate it. You can taste the spite in general Tso's chicken. It's like they don't want you to order it. The flavor is just sweet without any complexity. I've had better flavored general Tso sauce from grocery store brands. It was also mushy by the time we ate it. I would never order this again from them.

Photos
Liu's Kitchen - Inside

Inside

Liu's Kitchen - Three Peppers with Beef

Three Peppers with Beef

Liu's Kitchen - 4. Scallion Bubble Pancake (1)

See all

4. Scallion Bubble Pancake (1)

Yaya's Cookbook - asianfusion - Updated October 2026

Loading...
Loading...
Loading...