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- Neighborhoods:
- Gramercy Park, Midtown
At a Glance
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83% ambiance
“like this place, always consistent,serve large pieces, and large rolls, prices are decent also, not much of an atmosphere, u can show up in a tshirt and wont feel out of place.”
0% dessert
“My boyfriend and I spent over a $100 for food alone (we did not order drinks or dessert - just an appetizer and sushi) and walked out of the restaurant dissatisfied.”
50% drinks
“(don't bother for a table, the sushi bar is just as pleasant).”
71% food quality
“The sushi was AMAZING.”
50% menu variety
“Now, the problem with Yama is that if you know good sushi, you will be very disappointed because other than size of the rolls (which were just large, uneven cut chunks of fish) a place like Yama has no redeeming qualities -- lines to get in, a dull interi”
70% overall
“Sushi was overall very good, nothing spectacular, but I liked the overall no-nonsense and casual atmosphere of the place.”
0% return potential
“Even given all that, I would still go back except now the service is so bad.”
62% service
“The service is great.”
86% value
“Huge portions”
100% wait time
“great food - long wait”
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Tips for Yama
July 14, 2010
Average at best. I live in the neighborhood and wanted to try a new place for lunch. I had the sashimi for one. Very disappointing. The pieces of fish were both large and tasteless. To my surprise, they served surimi with my sashimi. Need I say more.
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Heart
April 09, 2010
Best Sushi in NYC. I've lived in NYC for 17 years and have tried many sushi places, from Nobu (I'd put a "Boo!" in Nobu) to the local low-end joint. Yama is hands down the best. For a humorous but insightful review of Yama, go to this site: lgreport.blogspot(dot com)/2010/01/lg-report-restaurant-review-best-sushi and you'll see why this place rocks. I shouldn't be telling you this since it will only increase my waiting time but it's just a great place....enjoy!
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Heart
August 06, 2009
Recycled fish. Ordering take-out from this restaurant without looking at the food before I left was a big mistake. If I had opened the bag while still inside the restaurant I would have immediately asked to speak to their manager, the sushi I received (if you can even call it that) wasn’t at all what I had asked for, nor did it look like it was prepared for human consumption. The rolls were small, the fish looked as if it had been cut by a three year old and to make matters worse, there were chunks of what looked like recycled fish thrown on top of the rolls. The fish was greasy (not at all fresh) and the rice looked as if the had put some type of sauces on to of it. I wouldn’t be surprised if they took these rolls off someone else’s plate after they mutilated it. I think it is truly insulting that they would hand me such terrible quality food, I was absolutely disgusted at what I saw. I’m amazing that this place hasn’t been closed down because of health complaints; I could only imagine what this food would do to someone’s stomach. This place doesn’t deserve a single star.
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Heart
March 06, 2009
Best sushie!. Love this place! Great service. Amazing sushie. Creative rolls no one else has.
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Heart
August 18, 2008
I'm a Regular--and its so good I hate to promote it. I have been in love with Yama for quite a long time now. The sashimi/nigiri sushi comes with quite a big piece of delicately cut fish - custom that I've heard is from a particular region in Japanese. The fish is always fresh and I have never been disappointed with it. The eel here is also quite delicious, they prepare it extremely well, with minimal bones. I oftentimes get my sushi to-go on the way home and savour it there, but the cramped style within the restaurant is just part of its personality. Lunches are as busy as dinner, and its much easier to get a table, with the same menu plus the lunch specials. Yes, you can hear the conversations all around you because of its tiny-proportions, but so many a times people have joined into my table's conversations, and it's all in good fun. Its not a restaurant for romance, its a restaurant for good food. The waitresses and sushi chefs are not all Japanese, but then again, are they ever in today's sushi restaurants? Its getting fewer and fewer. Actually, I know the origins of most of the staff, and I can't at the moment think of any particular Japanese staff member.
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Heart
May 19, 2008
mediocre. I have been a devout fan of Yama and have ONLY eaten sushi here for years - my last visit here, however, I realized that the quality of the food as well as the service is diminishing. The sushi presentation is, without a doubt, unique and interesting compared to an average sushi restaurant - but the space is VERY small and cramped. If you sit at a table you can hear your neighbor's conversation. My boyfriend and I spent over a $100 for food alone (we did not order drinks or dessert - just an appetizer and sushi) and walked out of the restaurant dissatisfied. This past weekend we tried Matsuri and this is our new favorite sushi spot - the food, service, and ambiance was great!
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Heart
May 07, 2008
Bland and expensive. I?ve been to Yama a couple of times but I think the appeal of it being hard to find over shadowed the fact that this place has very poor service, bland fish, and mediocre rolls that are not at all creative. This place is also completely over priced for the quality and for the location (in the lower level of the building). Prices reflect the fact that the rolls are big but only because it?s filled with rice, not fish. I will not be returning for this tasteless, expensive sushi.
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Heart
April 04, 2008
Great Sushi, Great Service, Hard to Find.
Just went there yesterday with my wife. I couldn't find the place so I called them. someone came outside and actually looked for me. The service is great..the sushi is awesome. very fresh.
i also had the fried green tea ice cream.. it was the best i've had. the center it was nice and frozen while the outside was puffy. some places i've been to over cook it and the center turns out too melted.
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Heart
November 21, 2007
Absolutely wonderful Sushi. I had to create a citysearch account just to refute the recent complaints about Yama. I eat sushi at least once a week and Yama is still the best sushi I've found in New York for the price. The quality of the fish is extremely high, and the size of the pieces is unbelievable. Go to Yama if you appreciate good fish and well prepared rice; that's where it is best--in nigiri and sashimi. Many other places make flamboyant Americanized rolls, with elaborate sauces and presentation, but that's not true Japanese sushi, and it masks the flavor of the fish. Yama is authentic, and the quality of the fish can't be beat unless you're willing to break your pocketbook.
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Heart
October 26, 2007
horrible service for average sushi.
Okay, I used to be a BIG fan of Yama, but something been happening with the place this past year or so. I agree with the other poster that said that we should removed outdated reviews 'cause Yama is definitely not the way it was.
Yes, the sushi is a big chunk of fish, but you are paying for it, they just don't cut it up in little pieces like the other sushi restaurants. But you are still paying for it. And the fish is just not as fresh or buttery or whatever as it used to me. I feel like they are using a lower grade sushi, but I don't know for sure.
Even given all that, I would still go back except now the service is so bad. Well, waiting for a table has always been a pain. They don't take reservations and you can't call and leave your name on the waiting list. You have to physically be there to put your name on the list and wait 45 to 1 hour for a table. I am sorry, but the food is NOT worth the wait.
Once you get in, they are just nice to you and get upset if you ask them too many questions. They rush you the whole entire time so you can't even enjoy your meal. And of course when you see the bill, you just want to run out of the restaurant anyways.
Never again, I hope more people update their reviews so maybe
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