I've gone by the Rotunda many many times over the years and I've always wanted to know what it is like. So when my man and I were deciding where to go one night I suddeny remembered, as I had only passed by it earlier, "we should definitely go there" I announced with great eagerness. I was excited as they serve Thai, Chinese and Japanese. I didn't realise though that it was 2 restaurants, one upstairs and one downstairs. There was a waiter on the spiral staircase in the middle of the restaurant and both myself and Ian thought he said that the Japanese restaurant was upstairs so I was a little disappointed to find out it wasn't. We were in Oriental and downstairs was called Teppanyaki where the chef's cook in front of you. Anyhoo we Ian ordered Chinese and I had Japanese which felt weird but the dishes were delicious. At least we know for next time to stay downstairs for Teppanyaki. read more

Yen - Japanese Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

The Yen is a Teppan-yaki and Oriental restaurant at the Rotunda building near the SECC. Teppanyaki is Japanese for "cooking on the iron table" (or some variation) and is cooked right in front of you by a skilled chef on an iron skillet. It's about being entertained as well as being fed, so it's a fun experience. The meal consists of several courses: a sushi sampler, miso soup, salad, a meat or fish of your choice, fried or boiled rice, another selection of your choice with veggies (courgette, beansprouts and onion, generally), and finally a pancake and ice-cream dessert. It's pricey, but you get a lot of food for the money, and a fun experience to boot. Since I've had teppanyaki countless times overseas where it is vastly more popular, I couldn't help but expect Yen to live up to those same standards, and unfortunately it didn't. However, since it's one of very few in the area, as a new experience it is pretty excellent. If you fancy having an expensive date or big birthday celebration, teppanyaki is a great way to dine and have fun at the same time. Also be aware that for large groups you have to pay a deposit when you book. The staff can be quite stern about this, and if you don't arrive ahead of time they can be a little unpleasant. I'd also shy away from the steak as a main course option unless you like your steak well-done. The seafood is especially good, and it's something a little different. All in all Yen makes for a good night out for first-time teppanyaki goers, and is fun for all ages. read more

Yen - Official photo from http://www.yenrotunda.com - Japanese Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

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So if you need a quick meal before a show, they got a deal here. Food comes out fast. Folk are friendly. And it's basically good and ok. But I don't think this is a destination place...just if you're in the area for an event. read more

Overpriced, which is expected considering its one of the few places where you can get dinner near the slightly remote Glasgow Exhibition Center hotels. However, if I'm going to pay £13 for starter sushi and tiny bowl of soup it can at least taste good! sushi was far from fresh and soup was oily broth with wilted vegetable (yes just one vegetable variety, bok choy). Service was ok but nowhere near enough to redeem the food quality. Will stick to hotel restaurant next time. read more

Yen - Chicken gyoza soup and sushi - Japanese Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

I have only gone here a couple times with work colleagues. The organisation had just moved to the restaurant wasteland that was the Broomielaw. Yen was the only place to eat - except for the dire City Inn. We opted for the Chinese restaurant bit and for a lunch it was satisfactory but not anything to return for. I went back once more on the insistence of another colleague and again was underwhelmed. Never visited the performing chef bit - that could possibly sell me on this place. I would probably not travel here to eat and its location makes it a bit trek for anyone not working for the BBC or STV. There is a lot better in Glasgow - I would head there instead read more

A few weeks ago I was most excited to be going to see Katy Perry in concert at the Hydro. My mum and I decided to book a table at Yen to eat before going to the concert, they were on my Hot 100 list and I thought this was a great opportunity to try them out. I prefix everything I am about the say by the fact that I understand that I visited on a busy night but let's be honest 4/5 nights a week it will be the same environment with concert goers booking tables. Located in the rotunda which felt a bit like a department store for restaurants and is best described as a pack em' in style place. It was ridiculously noises, it felt like Pizza Hut on a Saturday afternoon and not a nice relaxed atmosphere, it actually felt really awkward and from the minute I entered the restaurant I just wanted to leave. There isn't really much more to say about it that's that. We dealt with no fewer than 5 members of staff and the only one to engage us in any kind of chat or show any kind of warmth was the host. We weren't even asked if we enjoyed the meal when we were finished the plates were just cleared away without a word. It also took 15 minutes before someone came to take our order, even for drinks. As I wanted to get out ASAP I asked for my starter to be delivered with my main. I went for the Yaki Gyoza which was grilled Japanese chicken dumplings containing pak choi, mushrooms & spinach. For my main I decided to try the Japanese wok fried noodle dish which consisted of soba noodles, mixed vegetables, a Japanese sauce and I opted to include chicken. The food arrived reasonably quickly as you would expect in that kind of set up - it was average, perfectly edible and tasted nice enough but again I just wanted to finish it and leave so didn't relax and enjoy it. My Mum wasn't crazy about her food and commented that it was greasy and overly sweet. The bill was brought pretty swiftly we paid and left immediately. My Mum never even managed to leave the building before she was sick in their bathroom...and no she wasn't drinking! On a positive note Katy Perry was fabulous! read more

I dined here on a thursday afternoon with 7 colleagues from work. The menu was 2 courses for £9.95. I had the special spring rolls followed by shredded crispy chicken with fried rice. The food was delicious and the crispy shredded chicken the best I've ever had - beautifully crisp and the chicken lovely and moist on the inside. Portion sizes were great too. The service here was spot on. You'd order a drink and before you'd taken the next bite of your meal your drink would be with you. Considering we were a table of 8 we were very well looked after - but not so much so that we were being hassled. They kept a very good eye on us. The only problem was a slight language barrier - they struggled to understand us and vice versa at times... but we'd get there in the end! Everybody commented on how delicious their meal was. Most of my colleagues had been here before, but it was my first time - I was impressed. I would recommend - and it is of course a perfect location to dine before you head over to any concerts/events at the SECC. read more

Haven't been here for years, but decided to pop in as we had a craving for chinese food after leaving the iMax (which, incidentally, has got to be the best place to see Jurassic world!). We had the mixed starters - ebi katsu, Thai fishcakes, chicken satay and spare ribs. the ribs were totally delicious, and I'm a sucker for good satay sauce! For my main, I had barbeque duck which was really well-cooked, in a sweet rich sauce with pak choi. You have to order your noodles/ rice in addition so it does start to get quite expensive. I imagine it's had the Pacific quay monopoly for a while, and can get away with charging a bit more due to the busy SECC/hydro/science c read more

I randomly ended up at Yen with a friend last week after attempting to find somewhere to eat near Pacific Quay. The outside of the rotunda is quite nice but not so great inside. The menu is quite random, serving a wide variety of Asian food with no focus on one particular cuisine. Not a fan of such a mixed menu and it was cut down because it was a pre-theater menu. After listening to the most random music ever (one of the best songs that played was a remixed version of mamma mia by ABBA that sounded like it was sung by Eiffel 65), we opted for Japanese and ordered sushi and yaki soba. The food was served very promptly and was better than expected but was quite over priced and the staff were quite abrupt. After a bottle of wine we had quite an enjoyable night and because it wasn't busy we weren't rushed out but I probably wouldn't go back in a hurry. Although, there aren't too many more options around the area. read more

A nice looking building with a disappointing (but not bad) interior. Staff friendly and attentive and a good selection on the menu. Sadly the food dosnt live up to the hype. It's not bad, I would go back, but it's just standard Thai. Can't speak for the ground floor, but 1st floor is slightly above average at best. Go and try for yourself, you won't have a bad meal, it should just be slightly cheaper. read more

This is a very nice restaurant which is ideal for eating in before going to the secc. The restaurant itself is very homely and welcoming. The waiting staff are polite and efficient although they do have a tendancy to hover over you while you are eating which can be a little irritating. The food is expensive but nothing short of amazing. A great place to eat out for a special occasion. Watching your food being cooked in front of you is all very exciting. The chefs here are amazingly talented and very entertaining. I'd highly recommend trying the lobster tail which is absolutely mouth watering! read more

Yen - Japanese Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

This is Glasgow's only teppanyaki restaurant and it is amazing! You are seated around a hotplate and the food is cooked freshly to order right in front of your eyes. Beware when the egg fried is cooked, you'll get a little piece of egg flicked at you to catch in your mouth. Sounds corny but it's actually quite fun!! The food is authentic Japanese and is well priced. Staff are friendly and helpful. The location is great - right beside the BBC and the SECC. A great place to eat before going to a concert or a show at the SECC. The Rotunda building which house the restarurant is also very grand. read more

I eventually managed to edge my way into Yen one day and actually use the car park which is strictly reserved for patrons but oh so tempting for easy and free access to the SECC. So close but yet so far. Anyway, the restaurant, I thought, was fun! I like Japanese food alot, I adore miso soup and love the way Japanese food is just little small bites of different things. I would definitely go here again, and recommend you review readers to as well. Do not wear things that get dry cleaned only because the smell of the cooking clings and does not stop clinging ever, to hair, clothes, the lot. I will say it is a little expensive but this is only a compensation for the fabulous experience. read more

Please do not ever eat here! If you respect food even just slightly avoid yen at all costs. I can say nothing positive about this restaurant. Bland over-cooked food, pushy servers all pulled together by the worst music of the nineties. Upon being seated we were instantly asked to pick a beverage, i know this was an attempt at hospitality but give me a second to acclimate before pestering me about a beverage. When our food arrived the waiter literally threw the rice on our plates. My starter was removed from the table before I had finished. And to top off the whole experience my gf had a large black hair in her main course! Eat elsewhere! read more

Went here before the amazing 'Black watch' at SECC, they know well they have a monopoly on the after work crowd from that side of the river... I had the yaki soba from the tri-nation menu,(Chinese/Thai?Japanese??!!) and if 'hell's kitchen'/Gordon Ramsey on channel 4 has taught me anything, a packed menu is a dreadful one... there was a spectacular layer of grease at the bottom of my dish, thankfully I burnt my tastebuds on the flavorless spring rolls to not have to taste much... and at £20 a head for slop, I will never be going again... save yourself. read more

I really enjoyed my time at Yen restaurant. Food great, atmosphere great, service great. Going back there in a week or so for my nephew's birthday. Should have a fab time. read more

Not bad. The wait staff is friendly. The meal is certainly acceptable, just not the best I've ever eaten. The chicken satay is too much for one person: get it to share. The dipping sauce was really good - a coconut peanut sauce. The sea bass was ok, came in a decent sauce, and they offer the choice of having bones removed for you (which was mostly, but not 100%, effective). The prawn dish with soba noodles was good. The chili salt fries were a near miss; exotic but not terrific. read more

this is my only 5-star rating for a glasgow restaurant - if you haven't tried this - believe me its an artistic extravaganza & an experience not to be missed !!! fantastic old building tastefully transformed into exciting venue - yen is located on river clyde - SECC / BBC & STV studios science centre / good hotels - all within easy reach - mouth watering as I write :) read more

About the only decent place near the Crown Plaza for food. By the way the One Restaurant at the Crown Plaza sucks! We searched for food options within walking distance and ate here twice. A Beni-Hana type place on the ground floor and mixed asian food on top floor. Tempura was not bad as well as the starters. read more

We visited Yen because we had a voucher for it. The food was OK, nothing special. We will be sticking with Sapporo Teppanyaki in Merchant City in the future. read more

February 2011 This is more than just dining -it's an experience ! Lovely friendly and helpful staff, great decor and atmosphere,and the high spot is the chef cooking onthe hotplate in front of you,and inter-acting in a n unobtrusive but friendly way. The deft skills and tool -rattling techniques are mesmerising, to say nothing of the flicking into the mouth of small food, -a really entertaining and enjoyable experience.-great if dining with a group of friends. The menu is quite varied, with plenty of choice for all tastes. I would definitely go again ,and would recommend theYen to everyone.I can't think of anything negative to say about it . read more

Visited Yen yesterday as we heading to the SE CC for a gig and heard people saying it was a great place to eat. We hadn't booked a table and were informed by staff that we must be out of our seats by 1830 which gave us over an hour which we thought fine. We ordered from the set menu which was mostly chicken dishes apart from chilli beef or you could pay more for prawns/beef in these dishes, so my wife ordered mandarin chicken and I ordered beef yaki soba noodles. Our starters arrived quickly, spare ribs in sauce and prawn cocktail and were ok though nothing special. Our main course arrived about 10 mins after we had finished our starter, my wife's mandarin chicken was bland, just meat with a sauce poured over the top so the meat was tasteless and my yaki soba was just mush that tasted of fish stock granted it had seaweed over the top but it was the first time I have ever eaten beef that tasted of fish - very strange! When we had finished we declined the usual tea/coffee, ice cream etc and no sooner had we stated this then another waitress arrived with the bill and asked us to leave. It was only 1815 by this time and the room was 3/4 empty very abrupt! The decor was nice, fresh and pleasant but the staff seemed unfriendly and overall the high prices did not equate to the quality of the food or the general atmosphere. Have had far better for less cost in the city centre and doubt that we will be returning to Yen any time soon. read more

My two daughters and I visited for a pre-theatre. Staff were unfriendly and officious. Food served super quick to the point that we felt rushed. Lots of staff storming and stamping around looking stressed and like they wanted tables in and people out asap. As we ate the last mouthful of each dish the plate was whisked away. Perhaps they believe this is good service but not at all relaxing, rather a stressful meal and we were glad to leave. Food less than average. read more

Good night out. Food cooked in front of you which was fun and unusual but portions were really paltry and was hungry not long after. Good location away from city centre and pretty accessible by train. read more