Yoko's Japanese Restaurant

The food was IN-SANE!! Everything I tried was amazimg from the appetizers, the miso soup, noodles, sushi and the lychee saketini 10/10. Hadn’t enjoyed such a good taste of food, like I did here, in a while. Definetely coming again and bringing others to try out this spot! My server was Veronica and she was so kind with suggestions on the menu and attention!!

Yoko’s is authentic Japanese food and the best you can find in Tampa! Amazing owners and staff! The chefs are very creative and will accommodate any requests and discerning palate!! I have been a loyal customer for years and have not found any other sushi that matches the quality or taste of the dishes and rolls at Yoko’s.

Absolutely outstanding experience! The food was fresh, beautifully presented, and full of flavor — but what really made our evening unforgettable was our server, Massiel “Massy.” She was beyond exceptional. From the moment we sat down, Massy greeted us with genuine warmth and treated us like family. She anticipated everything we needed before we even asked, explained the menu with knowledge and enthusiasm, and gave us incredible recommendations that we loved. Her attentiveness, patience, and kindness made the whole dining experience so enjoyable and stress-free. In today’s world, it’s rare to find service like this — Massy truly went above and beyond. We left not only full and happy but also feeling cared for. She is a gem, and the restaurant is very lucky to have her! We’ll definitely be back — highly recommended!

The sushi was quite good, and the service was also pretty good. They offer a few creative roll options, along with a variety of other dishes. The ambiance was a little dark seeing there aren't many windows but overall it was a decent experience.

Yoko’s always has consistently good food. Not many choices other than sushi, and the atmosphere is very basic. The restaurant is always packed as well.

I have yet to experience a disappointing meal at this establishment. The ramen is consistently rich and flavorful, with a perfectly balanced broth and noodles that are cooked to perfection. The sushi is always fresh, showcasing a delightful variety of fish that melts in your mouth. The Bento box is a well-crafted selection, beautifully presented with an appetizing assortment of items that provide an excellent combination of taste and texture. The enticing deals and weekly specials add an extra layer of value that enhances the dining experience. I wholeheartedly recommend this place to anyone looking for a delicious meal.

Randomly stopped by for a late lunch when passing through the area and was so glad we tried this spot! The food was so good and the bao buns were the best I’ve had in Tampa. Ramen didn’t stand out much but was still decent and everything in the bento box was amazing. Will definitely be back next time I want Japanese food!

What an amazing experience with Sierra! We loved her so much the first time that we specifically asked to have her again. She is so incredibly kind and knowledgeable about all the menu items. We loved every dish she recommended, especially the delicious hand rolls, steak appetizer, tempura, and fried Oreos. Sierra was so quick to refill our drinks and check in on us that we will definitely be back for a third visit! 🥢♥️

Ordered takeout from here via UberEats. There was a BOGO promo, so we ordered the spicy crunchy salmon roll and tuna fresh roll. The crunchy salmon roll was not bad but the tuna fresh roll was interesting. They used a rice paper for the roll instead of seaweed. I would have preferred seaweed. Next time, I will probably need to try out other rolls since the ones I tried weren't extra special or tasty. The takeout window was pretty busy but food was ready fast. Can't speak for the ambiance since we didn't eat there in person.

My favorite sushi in Tampa! The staff makes you feel like family. I like sitting at the sushi bar watching them prepare sushi and sashimi platters like works of art. The menu items from the kitchen are equally good.

Yummy! Went to this place on a Wednesday afternoon and it was packed. While it took awhile to get our food, the server constantly checked on us - making up for our wait time. We got the Negamaki to start and it was delicious! For our rolls here's my take: - Lobster Roll: 10/10 might've been my favorite roll! It was light and refreshing and had a vastly different flavor than the rest of our rolls. The greens in it provided the perfect crunch. - Candy Cane: 7/10 this was my least favorite roll however it was my dads favorite - Red Devil: 10/10 I'd rank this one 2nd or third. It wasn't anything too fancy but again refreshing - Kiss of Fire: 10/10 This is tied with the lobster roll for my favorite. It was spicy and sour almost from the jalapeño. It has a strong citrus flavor that sets it apart from many rolls I've tried in the past. Overall the quality of the sushi here is amazing! The only reason I gave it 4 starts instead of 5 is the ambiance. It smelt a little funny in the restaurant and was nothing special on the inside. Would 100% get take out here again!

I ordered uber eats from here, I got the. Red devil roll! It was good but it def would've been better if I ate it fresh in person ! Forgot to take a pick but I did eat it all! Just would be better more fresh for sure

I love this place!! I've been inside to eat twice, have ordered take out multiple times, and have ordered through Uber Eats over 30 times (not an exaggeration - the app tracks the count of orders to your favorites). The sushi is always fresh and yummy. The order is always correct. The take out process is efficient. The apps and entrees are also always yummy, although I usually stick to sushi. I've tried other new sushi spots in the area and always end up regretting it because they aren't Yokos. 5 stars!

Our server Tracy was friendly and attentive. This place was packed for a Thursday night, so I highly recommend making a reservation. It's not fancy, which I like the low key vibes. No roll is here over $20 so it is extremely reasonable. The food was delicious. My only complaint is that the miso soup was mainly broth with little tofu and seaweed- good flavor though. Beer, wine, and sake available. Excellent meal.

Great place for a date. The owners are really nice and hard workers. Food was delicious as always.

It's fine. It's the best semi authentic, Japanese food you can get. There's beer on draft, a decent sake collection and well priced food that's made fresh. I was a bit disappointed by the kaarage appetizer as I think they're using a cheaper part of chicken but overall, I don't regret going

I'm very disappointed in Yokos. The last several times I've gone there, they have skimped on ingredients. I've ordered several special rolls in the past, but this time was the worst for a most basic roll. I felt I needed to write a review. I took my daughter and got a California and volcano roll. The avocado was black in both rolls. I couldn't give this to her. It looked like eel and wasn't even green. I'd be embarrassed to have served avocado that bad. They did make a new one for her after I pointed it out. This roll and all of the other rolls in past have also been cheaply made, using 1/2 the amount of ingredients than other local Japanese places in tampa. I can't believe I'm saying that Publix serves better basic rolls than Yokos. Go to Izakaya Tori, Ninja or Soho Sushi instead. The salmon teriyaki was excellent and properly prepared. I only give Yoko 2 stars because our server was so sweet.

Service was great... there when we needed him but did not hover. We sat at the sushi bar and the guys working the bar were great and very professional. They gave us some yummy cucumbers to start. I had the gronk roll and it surpassed my expectations- so yummy and the fish had the perfect consistency. Sometimes places have lower quality and you can taste it! The hubs had the T.B. Rays roll and he loved it.

I have been eating at Yoko's for years. It is my go to sushi restaurant! The staff is amazing and they treat their regulars like family! I ate there a week ago and had some of the most incredible food!! The chefs will accommodate any requests and palate!

Came for happy hour and enjoyed a variety of rolls and the Katsu. Delicious, fresh, and great service!

Went here on a Wednesday night and it was packed. You know it's good when there's a wait on a weeknight!! Cute little spot in a mini strip mall with plenty of parking. Service was quick and excellent. Food was equally as delicious. Very affordable, good quality sushi. I had the yellowtail appetizer, which was impressively large! And then spicy tuna rolls for dinner. I loved it all. It tasted very fresh and flavorful. Everyone else in my party also enjoyed their assorted rolls. I will definitely be back soon!

Great for families and those wanting a night out. Atmosphere is a friendly vibe. Great selection of appetizers, sushi and entrees geso, vegetable tempura and hama kale are great starters. Sushi is always great and any entree, I like the fried rice come in large portions and delicious. Great family that owns it. Been in the restaurant business for over 30 years.

A friendly sushi restaurant with a cozy sushi bar area and very walkable from much of Palma Ceia. The ambiance is functional, but the sushi is always good and we adore their fried tofu appetizer. The Yakisoba dishes are also yummy. This is the place where my child fell in love with sushi so I have huge affection for this restaurant.

DO NOT EAT HERE. I ordered food here last night (sept 16th) and I was on the toilet for 5/6 hours today. I had horrible food poisoning and had to call off of work because I couldn't go 5 minutes without having to run back to the toilet. Something is very VERY WRONG here. I'm a big sushi lover and eat sushi probably once a week. This is the only place I've come across where I've felt compelled enough to literally WARN other people to not come here and save yourself the trauma of what comes next after eating here.

Solid sushi joint tucked away in South Tampa. Their happy hour specials are fantastic -- $2 off glasses of wine and $2 off specialty rolls! I got the Red Devil roll and it was delicious. Only beer wine and sake, no cocktails. Lots of great options to choose from for food and excited to come back to try their other rolls.

This is the best sushi in Tampa. Our servers are always attentive and it is their professional service that perfectly complements the carefully prepared and delicious sushi. It can get quite busy during peak hours, but we've never had a bad experience.

Date night to Yoko's, what a cute place. I really am a sushi snob, so please take my review with a grain of salt. The rolls were good and I enjoyed them but the nigiri hamachi was warm and I like it more when the slice of fish is on the cooler side. Felt adventurous so I tried an appetizer called the jaletuna, can't say I enjoyed it but it wasn't bad. The service was on it and our food came quick, although I'd say the ambiance was not the most romantic of settings but a great place to have dinner.

Came here with a large group and it was great. All the food was delicious, the service was amazing. The Yoko's edamame is SPICY but SO GOOD. all sushi was incredible. Yam Yam roll was my favorite. Playing was beautiful and I will be back.

If my co-worker didn't suggest this spot, I would have driven right passed it. Tucked away in the corner of a tiny strip mall, it's a Tampa hidden gem. Be sure to drive slow and pull in the parking lot, you won't be disappointed. We arrived a little after 5pm on a Wednesday night and there was only one other table occupied. Within a 1/2 hour, the place was packed. The establishment is immaculate, service is fast, fish is fresh, and the sushi rolls are SOOOOO TASTY!!! We started off with the Tuna Nachos and then ordered the Tuna Fresh, Gronk, and Dragon rolls. Everything was delicious and I will be coined "a regular" very soon!

Yoko's is great! They have a great happy hour (on food and drinks) M-Sa 4-6 and Sunday all day. We got the Great Gaspy, Mexican, Japanese Bagel, and 2 To Tango. Everything was great, and we took advantage of happy hour wine prices. We will def be back!

I came to eat here last week with my family for the first time !! Service was amazing. Food was amazing as well. We was able to try multiple different sushi's. I would be coming back again !! My family enjoyed it !

This has been one of my favorite sushi places in tampa for the last 15 years or so. The fish is always fresh and the service is always friendly. It's a very quaint little place, not very fancy, but the sushi is great.

Hands down best sushi in tampa, the sushi is always fresh. My family has been going here for over 20 years and were addicted!!

My husband and daughter ordered a pick up sushi from here on 4/3 (last Thursday) and they both had a horrible food poisoning. It was our first time trying this place. Never again.

This has become my new Friday sushi happy hour place. Great rolls and ambiance. Yoko edamame is a must have. Must sit a the bar, there is no better way that up close and personal. Friendly staff! Looking forward to next Friday.

This is a really fun sushi place! I saw online that this place makes a roll called the "Candy Cane roll." And it's Genius. I don't know why I didn't think of this. Very simplistic but exploding with flavor. It's a spicy tuna roll topped with red & white tuna, green onions & Sesame seed oil! I make Sushi, eggs & rice & tuna bowls & Asian food at home all the time. I make a spicy tuna bowl with all the same ingredients but somehow never thought to make it into a sushi roll. However, YOKO has. And it's brilliant. And it's so good! :)... It's just a simple spicy tuna roll with black sesame seeds topped with red & white tuna, green onions & sesame oil! Taste just like when you get a spicy tuna rice bowl with sesame oil drizzled over the top. Fantastic. Of course I have to rip it off and start making it at home it's so good. If you like spicy tuna & sesame oil, your going to LOVE LOVE LOVE this roll. It's pure genius. Anyhoo, so I tried a few more of their special rolls and they are all so original, creative & fun! What I love most about this place is they do some traditional Japanese dishes but mostly they just create their own sushi rolls. However, they are not doing it like most folks out there with cream cheese and crap. They are making theirs with FISH upon FISH within FISH. No crappy fillers. And their sushi rice is PERFECT. The yellowtail appetizer with Jalapeño on a bed of thin shred radish, carrot & ponzu is the BOMB. Get it! :)... They made me a giant beautiful super fresh plate of sashimi, sushi & rolls. Everything was amazing. The octopus was thin but giant cuts of super fresh tender octopus, the salmon roe with quail egg was perfection & the Surf roll was super gorgeous with the sweetest pink shrimp on top! WOW! Def ordering that one again. I think the other one was a Thunder roll, it was also super fresh & yummy. We loved everything & can't wait to try more items on the menu. The big cup of green tea hit the spot, the wine & sake list looks amazing & the service was super friendly with smiles all around. Prices were super reasonable! What a super great fun original sushi place! Can't wait to return! Highly recommend!

Since my previous review of Yoko's was removed due to violence and racism, here is a new review: "Hello, We're reaching out to let you know that our moderators removed your review of Yoko's. We typically remove reviews that describe individuals or situations with objectionable terms that go beyond simply reviewing a customer experience with a business. We ask that reviewers avoid commentary that reinforces negative cultural stereotypes, makes light of physical or sexual violence, or otherwise includes unnecessarily graphic or offensive descriptions. In this case, we felt that your content crossed that line, even if you didn't intend it to. Please be aware that any further content you post that violates our guidelines in this manner may be subject to removal without notification. Repeated guideline violations may result in account closure." Flagged Content: I have never, in my lifetime, had a ponzu sauce that contains mayonnaise. Well, until I came to Yoko's and endured it. All of the recommendations were telling me that the food should taste good, yet taste-touch-smell were telling me that something was very wrong. The confusion almost caused me to panic and try to run for the door. But, I'm tough and decided to hold on and "power through" my expensive and unpleasant meal at Yoko's that left me too nauseous to realize that I was still hungry. Thank you, Yelp. Stay awesome.

Was so good Food was fresh! Was busy there so it took a bit longer but other than that was amazing experience.

This past weekend we had dinner at Yoko's and everyone in the family loved it. The menu has a good variety of dishes, from creative sushi to delicious warm meals. Service was outstanding, waitstaff and hostess were attentive and courteous. The restaurant is lively and not too loud, easy to have a conversation and enjoy family time. We will be back.

The salad was browning and the sushi was terrible. The fish you could taste wasn't good quality and wasn't fresh. I felt gross after. Will not be ordering from here again

Great food. BUT Extremely small orders. I spent $80 on dinner and we were still hungry. Two of my kids 4 and 7 shared the Yaki soba. The portion was so small I had to make them more food for them at home. This is very sad to have to leave a bad review because everything tasted good. But the portions do not match the price. I hope they fix these issues. I may try them again soon but I am extremely apprehensive.

Yoko's is great sushi and service! We've been twice now and have sat at the bar. It's fun watching the chefs prepare sushi and talk to them about their recommendations. All sushi is fresh, consistent, and great portions of protein. They are great for take out as well and have a dedicated door for takeout customers. Our waitress accidentally heard the name of the yam roll when we ordered something that sounded similar and she was so nice about it and just swapped it out for us no charge. We'll be back :)

Yoko's is one of our local, go-to restaurants. It's in a great location in a little shopping center on S. McDill. We order out most of the time and it has been one of the places we have tried to support by ordering pick up through the last few weeks of shelter-in-place orders. Yoko's didn't disappoint with our recent order! We had our usual sushi. The classic California roll. A Mexican roll, The Yam Yam that's just like it sounds with sweet potato, and a Hawaiian roll that has panko shrimp with cream cheese and pineapple. They were all delicious. We also shared a pork belly bun, and the curry Katsu chicken. Everything was delicious. I would have preferred to have a bit more curry sauce and thought the sauce to rice ratio was off in the latter but the flavor was great. It was my first time having the curry dish and it was to-go. I think we lost some of the sauce in our to-go packaging. I have had the yakisoba noodles in the past and think it is a better to-go dish. I know more than ever it's important to support our local restaurants and I'm grateful for Yoko's providing pick-up. They meet you in front with your to-go order. They are also offering 20% off all orders! I personally am returning the 20% as a tip because I hope that Yoko's is able to maintain their business and employees during this difficult time. Please give them a try if you haven't!

One of the best sushi spots in town. Had a lot of different sushi rolls. Staff is always friendly and attentive. Highly recommend!

Usually we don't leave north Tampa for Sushi as we have a couple of very good sushi places this way. Yesterday we spent the day in downtown St Pete and decided on sushi for dinner. We wanted to get back to Tampa but my buddy wanted to try a different place than what our group usually does for sushi, so we looked for a place in south Tampa. Looked on Yelp and boom we found Yoko's. I have been here twice before and each time it was good. Last night was no exception. Everything was as fresh as it gets and really made us think that we come here more often. Menu is pretty extensive. The place is of a nice size. They had 4 people behind the sushi bar preparing the sushi and we were served quickly. This is a must go to place.

I was very excited to try this restaurant because it has 5 start reviews and a long wait line, but I was very disappointed with the food. I don't know if it's because it was a Sunday and the restaurant was packed, but the food was not well made. I ordered a Sake roll which is just rice, salmon and avocado. My roll was literally falling apart. I couldn't lift it up without it breaking. It also didn't look appetizing because you can tell it was made in a rush and over a dirty sushi mat. There's avocado spread on random places outside the roll. Only thing that was good about the roll was the salmon itself. It was fresh and tasty. My friends and I got the chicken fried rice to share and the chicken was over cooked. It was dry and chewy. However, the rice was tender and perfectly seasoned. The staff was very nice and the restaurant itself was clean and cozy. They also have good prices and deals. I guess you get what you pay for.

Love the rolls! Love the GF options! Love the sake hot or cold. A huge thumbs up for Yoko's! Happy hour is great too! Prices are fair.

So During Happy Hour 4-6pm They advertise discounts on sushi, I didn't get that applied! Next they charge $10 more for 9 piece Unagi Don which was 26.00 previously! Now they state it's $36.00 and now called Sashimi Dinner. Def bait and switch! Buyer be aware! Each 3 pieces of unagi is 7.25 I feel I got cheated, I brought this up, and they said they raised prices and the happy hour prices aren't valid at this time! Which again false advertising! When I asked about the discounts, they didn't reply. Well it's my last time here! Way to screw over your customers.

Fresh sushi at a reasonable price. Yokos is my go to spot for sushi in south Tampa. If you're planning a date night I would recommend making a reservation a day or so in advance. There tends to be a 10-15 minute wait on week nights, so I'm sure there's a wait on weekends too. On Wednesday nights they do half off wine bottles. They also do a happy hour.

If I could give this place 10 stars I would. I frequent this sushi spot and have never wavered in my support. The best service, fresh sushi and always consistent. The staff is family and I will continue to be a regular. Some of our favorites are miso soup, crab ragoons, edamame, Bao buns, spicy tuna sashimi, nigiri, the rolls you can't go wrong. Gronk, candy cane, volcano, sister, red dragon, Florida. Can't wait to go back!

I haven't been here since before the pandemic. I was super excited to come back. I was so surprised to see that the layout changed but it's still really cute inside. Our server was super sweet and attentive. The food was definitely good but it's not the same as it used to be. I would definitely come back and sit at the sushi bar.

Most underrated sushi restaurant in Tampa! I loved it more before they remodeled, but it still almost always fully delivers. Love Yoko the owner

I visited Yokos on a Thursday night after a wine event I had next door and I was very pleased with my experience! It was recommended to me by a friend so I decided to give them a try. The service was very great, from the host to the waitress; everyone was super nice and helpful. The food was very delicious I got like 5 sushi rolls and for an app I got some sort of calamari (can't remember the name right now lol but it was goooood). I'm a huge spicy Mayo girl and that was probably the only thing I didn't really enjoy ... heavy Mayo base (duh) but a little too much. Other than that I would recommend this spot if you're in the area! Great prices and yummy food :)

Updated review: Sushi - good. Service - good. Feels - i dislike this place. Call me old school, tell me i'm cranky, or whatever you like, but i am just over some barely work-age snot nosed kid leading me to the worst table in the house when a nicer preference is available and i have an advance reservation. Redesigned, this space is austere, harsh, and dominated by a flatscreen over the sushi bar - sports bar meets sushi serenity? Not the vibe i hope for at a pricey sushi haunt. I guess they were trying to social distance, but it feels more cafeteria than cozy spot. Add that to the impudent host and it's a turn off. Owner Yoko - put someone mature at the door. Warm the place back up.

Some of the best sushi in Tampa. Service is always top notch as well. Came over the weekend and tried the Tampa roll, spicy salmon, spicy tuna hand roll extra spicy (personal favorite), and yellowtail roll. Always fresh and delicious!

This restaurant is really a good spot in South Tampa! The service and sushi is delicious. Our waitress (Masiel) was super awesome and kind. We chose here because they have 2-3 veggie rolls which is extremely hard to find. These are veggie rolls with more than one vegetable and just rice (ex: cucumber roll: cucumber & rice). The veggie rolls at Yoko have several vegetables lol (**small victories**). My girl got a normal sushi roll and she loved it. We also really enjoyed the miso soup & ginger salad. The only reason why this restaurant loses 1 start is because the appetizers were not good at all!! We ordered spring rolls and crab Rangoon & They sucked.

Great food and service for both in-person dining & takeout. My family's go-tos are Gronk, Tampa, and Florida rolls.