Sushi Yama (Yama Japanese Restaurant)

Yes, yes, I know it sounds crazy, but I had the best shrimp 🍤 tempura roll here. I love sushi, and that is a staple roll for me, but something about this one completely blew me away. The roll looked like any other shrimp tempura at first, but it must have been made with extra love. The shrimp had the perfect crisp and texture. It was so good that it honestly made me think about going back right now, even though the place is over an hour away. I also ordered the spider roll, which was delicious. Everything tasted incredibly fresh. I ordered the Scallop Assassin roll as well, and while it was not my favorite, I do think it is something someone else would enjoy. I ordered online for pickup, so I am wondering if I had a bit of a finger slip when ordering, because it is not a roll I would normally choose. For that reason, I am not knocking off any stars — it just was not for me personally. The service was quick and patient, allowing me time to look everything over and checking back in at just the right moments. I arrived about an hour before they closed for their lunch break, so I was not there very long, but the atmosphere was quiet, and the restaurant looked clean and well decorated. Overall, I am adding Sushi Yama to my list for when I am in the area. There are so many rolls I still want to try. Everything felt fairly priced, which I really appreciate — I cannot stand price gouging.

Excellent experience and highly recommend! The first thing I noticed was the atmosphere. I love the setting. It felt like we were eating in Japan, not some urban DC place. The service was excellent. We felt welcome and well taken care of from start to finish. The food was also excellent. Very fresh fish and the rolls and everything is made very well. Five stars across the board without a second thought. I would definitely return and recommend trying this place.

Sushi Yama is our favorite sushi spot in the greater Fairfax County 🍣 🇯🇵 We have been here often as a family and it’s always a pleasant and yummy experience 🤤 Service is always very good with the staff being extremely friendly and attentive. The 🍣 and 🐟 quality is always on point and the roll selection is extremely good with a wide variety of choices 🙌🏻 Overall it’s a Great Restaurant ✅

Everything was so fresh and the portions were generous. The sashimi was so thick too. The waitresses were also great and attentive!

I just tried this place tonight and it absolutely some of the best sushi around the DMV! I am going to make this place a normal stop on my sushi round up. Everything was amazing quite honestly from the service. The food was top shelf, the atmosphere was excellent. Nice variety and every single item I tried was amazing. I stopped by for lunch. They have super nice lunch menu. When in Vienna working I will be making this a regular stop! Excellent fast service.

Best authentic Japanese sushi in the area. I really enjoyed the speciality rolls. I ordered the Smoky Yama and it was tasted very good with a perfect balance of all the different fish and flavours. I also like how the restaurant is decorated throughout and it really adds to the atmosphere. The waiters and service are friendly and I definitely enjoyed eating sushi here!

Great American-style sushi rolls! Their sushi is packed with ingredients and very filling. I wouldn’t call the sushi authentic by any means, but the fish quality is ok and the specialty roll portions are definitely worth their price. There was no wait on a Sunday evening for my party of 3, and our server was very polite and made sure we were well attended to! I recommend the Bubba Roll, Yellowtail Deluxe Roll, and Scallop Assassin Roll. I haven’t tried their noodles or rice dishes so I’d be happy to visit again for another quick, casual meal out 😋

Friendly service. Not the biggest of menus but it covers all the bases. Super fresh and tasty fish. A lot of places Ive gone have issues with timing the delivery of all the meals when there’s multiple orders at one table. Not the case here. 3 people 3 separate orders all delivered at the same time. Highly recommended. I’ll be back. The Live Scallop is a must try!!!!

I've been coming to Sushi Yama for more than 3 years now and every visit never disappoints. It looks just as other sushi places and I probably would never notice it if my friends wouldn't suggest to go there. The quality of the food is great and fish in rolls is always fresh. My favorite one is Godzilla roll.

I come to sushi Yama a lot for lunch. The sushi is always spectacular. This time I went it was spectacular. Perfect combination of flavors. You really can't go wrong with any of the options but I really liked the yummy Yama , and kimochee rolls. Service was quick and efficient as always and the restaurant had a peaceful ambiance. If you're looking for one of the best sushi restaurants in Vienna look no further.

Great sushi spot in Vienna! I had a wonderful dining experience here for dinner. I ordered the tuna hand roll and spicy tuna hand roll and both were delicious and generous with fish. Sushi and sashimi platter was very fresh. I wish the cuts were cut bigger though. The yellowtail nigiri was probably my favorite of the meal. Customer service was spectacular. The waitresses were attentive and warm. They constantly checked in on us and refilled and cleared our plates promptly. This sushi spot is worth going to!

This is a Vienna favorite, as evidenced by the constant stream of people seen at lunch and dinner hours - this is definitely a family friendly place. Sushi is always fresh and it's cool to see the chefs in action along the bar. My go-to non-sushi dish is the rainbow bulgogi. A solid 4 stars in my book.

Normally we go to Sushi Yoshi (not to be confused w Sushi Oishi!!') but they close at 2pm for lunch, so we went to this similar fabulous sushi joint and we were pleasantly pleased w the very fresh and generous Chirashi dish all served w a yummy salad that had a nutty ginger dressing as well as miso soup. They also had steak teriyaki which was ok but won't knock them as they are truly a sushi joint but one person in our group is not a sushi person. One from our party accidentally went to Yama chen right next door which is strange that two sets of Japanese restaurants have a similar name next door. Service was great and definitely will be back.

Wonderful place, with delicious food, and friendly service. Definitely will be back.

Been coming here for like 15 years and just realized I've never written a review. This place is amazing!!! Consistently great food and great service. Very attentive and friendly staff. We love it here!

One of my favorite places to visit for lunch in Vienna. I've been here multiple times with great experiences, but this past visit stood out to me. I arrived here with a larger group on coworkers (about 14 people). We typically arrive before noon, but it doesn't ever get too crowded. We were seated at 2 different tables of 7 and were brought waters immediately. Shortly after, our orders were taken and the sushi was brought out in a timely manner. Once we finished eating, our plates were cleared from the table and checks were brought out separate. Service is always great, but given we had two big groups you could tell they did everything they could to prioritize us which I really appreciated. As for the food I tend to mix around a bit but my favorite roll is the smoky yama roll. You can even smell it being finished when they torch the salmon on the top of the roll for a smoky flavor. Prices are within reason as two rolls will fill you up for the day post-lunch. Finally, the restaurant is located in an accessible parking lot making it easy to always get in and out of. Please try this place if you're looking for sushi within the Tyson's/Vienna area!

Love Yama! I have been going to Yama for sushi takeouts for years! My favorite rolls are Bubba roll and Sweetie roll. I love that their prices match their quality, and I have never had a bad order from them.

This place is my go-to sushi spot in town. They excel in preparing sashimi and nigiri, and my absolute favorite is their chirashi, which features various types of sashimi served on a bed of sushi rice. The rice they use sets it apart from regular nigiri, and I find it exceptionally delicious compared to other sushi restaurants. Trust me, the difference in the quality of the rice makes a huge impact on the overall sushi experience. While I usually order for takeout, I must warn you that on weekend nights, even if you pre-order, there might be a 5-10 minute wait. However, if you choose to dine in, the wait time is reasonable, and their customer service is excellent.

Been going to Yama for 15 years. It is BY FAR the best sushi restaurant I've tried worldwide. What makes it great is its simplicity and quality ingredients. No extra sauces to mask old fish, or bad flavors, just plain simple quality ingredients.

I love this place because there was a a very wide range of sushi and non sushi options here. There is a huge arsenal of appetizers that are also very good. The staff here who make the sushi are always so joyful and whenever you give them a tip they will all chant, "Thank you!!" I also love this place because you are able to watch them make the sushi if you sit at the sushi bar and the place in general just looks cool.

The food took a long time to come and the food was horrible the fish was rotten !!!!!!!

My favorite local sushi place. They do it well here. If you can sit at the sushi bar and watch the chefs work their magic rolling those magical maki rolls, cut slivers of sashimi, and neatly press those nigiri. I do also really enjoy their sesame dressing on their salad. They do have a peanut dressing but I find the sesame is just slightly different enough to still be the perfect accompaniment to your incoming sushi fix. Their lunch special is so well priced and perfect for catching up with a girlfriend, business meeting, or even enjoying a nice meal by yourself. Dinner is great too. Make sure you have a reservation as it does tend to get quite busy.

Met a friend for lunch. I got the teriyaki bento box. The miso soup was great as usual. Salad with dressing equally delicious. Loved the flavor of the dressing. On the box, the tempura was fresh and good. It included a shrimp, broccoli, onion ring, yam/sweet potato, and a string bean. The salmon was over cooked and the quantity seemed to be less than I remembered. Loved the tofu bites. The sushi was good but I had to ask for wasabi and there was no pickled ginger. The three dumplings were ok.

This place is always packed, and there's a reason: It is amazing. Our go to is the bubba, yummy Yama and pan fried gyoza. It's right up there with the best sushi we've ever had. And they also have subtle touches, like they put the gyoza in styrofoam containers, and then they poke holes in the styrofoam to make sure the gyoza stays crispy and doesn't soften with its own steam. Also, they will hold open the doors for you if your hands are full with a carry out order. Such nice touches!

The sushi here consistently is phenomenal and has a great mouthfeel to it. Often times sushi places will somehow cut corners to pad their bottom line. Too much rice, too thin of a cut of fish, the fish is either cheap or super frozen or not really the cut of fish as advertised. Yama blows every expectation out of the water. Despite the COVID pandemic hitting small businesses and their supply lines hard, Yama rises above and serves quality food. The rolls are phenomenal and the nigiri is fresh. Each cut of fish and seafood tastes as it should, without any off tastes or smells. Even the cooked rolls are fried or roasted well. The sushi rolls aren't swimming in sauces and the quality of the ingredients are able to shine through. At the heart of Yama is simplicity. A tuna roll's main star is tuna, not some strange crunchy topping or a gallon of sauce on top. A salmon nigiri is silky and the rice is seasoned well. Neither part of the dish overpowers the other. The service was prompt, efficient, and they expressed that they hoped to see us again!

This place is very nice and located near the downtown area. It's mostly busy every night, especially during the weekend. Reservation ahead of time is must. I'm really enjoyed their sushi and sashimi combination as well as the roll combination. The sashimi is fresh and very tasty; the roll and sushi are very well prepared and delicious. Highly recommended.

Food was wonderful and price was just right. Spent over $250 to feed 7 people not too shabby. The quality of fish was good and did not smell or taste funny. Picking up the food in the back next to the kitchen can be a little crazy and hectic. They don't offer food delivery service which is a little inconvenient.

I think this place is great for quick, good sushi. I don't think it's out of this world but it's good. The rolls are much larger than usual sushi spots, which I appreciate.

My family and I have been going to Yama since 1999. We've all since grown up and moved far away. However, Yama still is our top choice whenever we end up back in Vienna. The food, service, & ambiance is always top tier. My daughter has even added a curtain to her condo where a door was missing, that reminds her of the curtains towards the restrooms in the restaurant.

Great foods. We're repeating diners all the time for all the events like birthday and holidays.

Food was terrible. The staff was polite and friendly but did not know much about their menu. Ambiance was cozy. Will not go back and do not recommend it.

Yama remains one of my favorite sushi restaurants in Northern Virginia. As of May 2021 they are doing takeout only--and I applaud them for minimizing potential risk to employees and patrons for dining inside during the Covid19 pandemic. My go-to remains the sushi and sashimi combo for two. It comes with miso soup and a salad with the most delicious ginger dressing. I'll often add a Yama house hand roll, which is stuffed with salmon, tuna, and tobiko. I've never had a bad meal. The rice is perfectly prepared and the fish is fresh. The prices are very reasonable. If you're looking for your new 'it's Thursday night and I'm craving sushi' spot, give Yama a shot.

One of my favorite sushi restaurants in northern Virginia! Yama walks a fine line between good sashimi and good rolls. I usually find that most places are better at doing one but lacking in the other. Yama is above average in both area-- cuts of fish that melt in the mouth and rolls perfectly sized and packed with flavor. When I go out to eat sushi, I personally like to have a mix of solid rolls as well as solid nigiri/ sashimi. The Mango Yama and Yummy Yama rolls are my favorites here. The inside is very cozy and comforting. A great place for a date or even family dinner.

Let's call it 4 1/2 stars, brought the salad, asked for a fork...she forgot..I had to get up to get it...Sukiyaki was excellent, rarely available for lunch. $20, good size pot with a lot of 100% edible beef and all the rest (transparent noodles,mushrooms, tofu, cabbage and more in a really good broth). One of the best sukiyaki pots I ever had, and I've eaten a lot..wife had the Bulgogi bento box with a lot of food, she really liked it. Other than the fork issue, good service.

THE most charming place with the best sushi. I have been following "Sushi Bob" since his McLean days and have been going to this place since he opened it. The quality is still top notch though he's semi-retired now. Highly recommend it to anyone who wants great sushi.

It is easy to miss this small sushi restaurant, hidden away in one of the many strip malls along Maple Ave. But DON'T. Don't let the outward appearance or relatively small menu fool you - they do excellent rolls and their raw sushi items are fresh and consistently done well. They also don't try to skimp on the fish. Some places will try to give you smaller cuts on top of a large portion of rice. Not here - the rice portion is small and the cut of fish large. I personally like the smoked salmon, eel and tamago options and their chirashi entrée. Excellent value. Perfect place for a few rolls and a Sapporo (or Asahi, if you prefer).

I don't know how it is possible that this sushi place is not number 1 in Vienna. We lived in Asia for a while and my sushi standards are quite high. This place has never let me down and we order often. We tried all other sushi places in the area - some are good some are worse and all of them at some point would miss the mark. Sushi Yama has never done it. Great quality. Fast service. Nice atmosphere. Give it a try. Yama is worth your time and money.

When I crave sushi, the first thing that comes to mind when deciding where to go is the consistency of how fresh the sushi is. Yama Japanese Restaurant is a casual restaurant with no particular dish that stands out (no surprises, good or bad), but it's the ONE place where I have consistently been served fresh sushi. Yesterday, I had their Pork Katsu appetizer to start, which is ultimately what pushed me to write this review. Breading is thin, perfectly crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, flavorful, without being too salty. OH and their hand roll is YUMMY (we ordered two yama hand rolls and they were delicious). My husband and I always get hot sake, which is served not too hot (just the right temp), and is a good base sake that goes with various dishes from the menu. All in all, this is the ultimate low-risk sushi place, if one day, you crave unpretentious sushi that's fresh and don't want to venture far/try new places.

Good deals on bento boxes, tasty tofu appetizers, soup and salad is a nice extra bit. Water refills timely The white clientele can be rude as one older woman woman commented on how it was loud because of a baby crying. Baby's can't help themselves. You an old white woman can refrain from your insensitive comments

Really great sushi place. Always packed so call ahead for reservations. The fish is great. The staff is always nice and the food is served fresh and in timely fashion. Very casual place.

Went here for first ever date with my current boyfriend. It's a very cute place! The way to order is very easy and the time waiting for food was very fast! I also love the miso soup and edamame.

My favorite sushi place in VA, great quality, 4 chefs, friendly staff, Smokey Yama is my favorite roll.

Love this little sushi spot. I usually come here for lunch & order their bento box which is delicious. It's quite large & comes with wonderful fixings. We decided to order take-out for Mother's day dinner. Waited an extra 45 min from the time they told us food would be ready. They were very apologetic for the wait & we didn't mind. (Times are tough these days!) Wait was so worth it. We ordered the sushi deluxe, chirashi bowl & mackerel nigiri accompanied with 2 soups & salads. Fish was so fresh & generously cut. Rice seasoned to perfection. Can't go wrong with this place. Always a hit for us.

This is my favorite sushi restaurant in the area. Yes, I've been to that other Vienna sushi joint. Yes I've been to that place in McLean. And yeah, they're real good. But when it comes to high quality fish proportioned perfectly on a bed of sushi (rice) ... yeah, Yama hits the spot. Was I raised in Japan on sushi? No I was not. But do I know what I'm talking about based on a lifetime of exploring authentic Japanese sushi restaurants? Also no. But do I know what I like? Yes, and that's Yama. After an excellent opening of salad, a delicious (and surprisingly inexpensive) bowl of miso soup, I'm about ready for an assortment of nigiri and maki. Or sometimes I might be in the mood for a bowl of chirashi. Regardless of what I order, I've never been disappointed. You're greeted as you walk in, you're thanked when you walk out, and you're well served in the middle. What more can you ask for?

After couple of pleasant online orders we tried Yama for dine in and it was disappointing. Food is still good but service is subpar at the best. Wait time was unacceptable and exceeded 30 minutes,after that we had to remind that they missed our soup and salad included in the sushi set.Inattentive and indifferent service,prices are reasonable for the quality,but I will not recommend this place for in-house dining and from now on will only order takeout from this restaurant.

Mediocre sushi here. The bibimbap and udon were decent but the raw fish wasn't very good

I love Yama sushi! They have a great lunch bento that comes with a variety of side items. Salmon teriyaki, assorted vegetable tempura, fried gyoza, fried tofu with sesame seeds, California roll (3 pcs), carrot/green beans, spinach, rice, side salad and miso soup. Great value for lunch. I like to save some for dinner

Ordered here for carry-out lunch and it was absolutely delicious. Carry out was easy and quick, and most importantly, the sushi tasted fresh. Also, the sushi is very fairly priced. I would recommend going here if you're in the area and craving sushi! Can't wait to visit again and try even more rolls.

The food quality here is probably a 4/5. However the value for money (at least for the rolls) is very good so I am giving them the extra point. I have probably been to Yama for take out more than 20 times over the balance of this pandemic. so the sample size on experience is big enough. Yama generally does all of the raw/sushi items consistently well. There is noting super fancy but the price is reasonable and you know you will walk away happy. Given the value for money, Yama has become my default lunch sushi or I need rolls restaurant. They do a better job than all of the competitors in the area for this (Passion Fin, Sweet Ginger, Maru,). If you are looking for someting in that mid-tier this is you place. Everyone has their niche... and sometimes you just need a quick order of rolls. If you are looking to spend a little more or get a little fancier i would go with Sushi Yoshi up the street.

This sushi restaurant's "Best sushi in town" sign doesn't lie. Sushi yama has a great environment and even better food. 10/10, would recommend

Food is fresh, service is friendly. Definitely a place you can take a date or the family, so ambiance is spot on. I've tried just about everything here over the last year or so. Should have rated it sooner, but alas Vienna/Tysons/Oakton folks have a great little sushi joint we can enjoy.

Nice sushi spot in downtown Vienna. Ordered several rolls and seaweed salad to go online. Note: there isn't a place to put when to pick up, but you'll get a notification via email or site on wait time. I guess you can also call ahead, but I went 60 min after my order was processed (that was the time given), and it was ready. Everything was fresh, and I was glad they didn't over do it with the rice either. Would love to try their specialty rolls next time!

Such a good lunch spot. Their lunch specials are a good deal and everything pretty yummy. The staff was attentive and refilled our water several time during the meal. We ordered the pork tonkatsu lunch special which comes with soup and salad, smokey yama roll, and fatty tuna, and a side salad. The side dishes, tonkatsu, and fatty tuna were really delicious. The only reason I took off one star was the shrimp tempura inside the smokey yama was really oily and the tonkatsu sauce pretty sour. But other than that, hubby and I had a great meal.

Ordered a variety of standard rolls. They were not done properly. Spicy tuna was not mixed with any chili oil or sesame oil and only had a drizzle of "spicy mayo" on top. The supposed spice was overwhelmed with the eel sauce unnecessarily coating the roll. Sushi should not be sweet. Please go to So Cal to pick up some tips on good sushi making. Food made us all sick with horrible indigestion. Freshness is not there. I would love a refund for our trouble

Very tasty and beautiful sushi. Very nice staff. Casual place good for families with little kids. Big and easy parking outside the restaurant.

Very cozy place, can get busy but had no wait. We tried several of the special rolls. Loved the Vegas roll and the smoky roll. Prices are average. Friendly service. Would come back.

Even though the earliest Yelp reviews for Yama originate from 2006, this place has been serving up high-quality sushi since the late 90's. The thing I admire about Yama is regardless whether someone visited in 2006 or today, the place is exactly the same. Simple decor, the interior always tidy and clean, and the service friendly without being intrusive. All the elements that anyone could ask for in a neighborhood sushi joint. With regards to the food, Yama serves up some of the freshest and tastiest sushi in the area. I have too many favorites to list here, but some of the standouts are the spider roll, rainbow roll, and tobiko with quail egg. The tempura batter on the soft shell crab that goes into the spider roll is light and not over seasoned, like at some places which gives each bite a nice crunch. And the rainbow roll is a kaleidoscope of vibrant colors as tuna, salmon, and yellow tail tuna are expertly wrapped in a tight roll creating a symphony of flavors. But I guess my unexpected favorite, is the tobiko topped with a raw quail egg. At first, it doesn't sound very appetizing, but to execute this nigiri properly it is all about fresh ingredients. The rice has to be supple and not mushy with just a hint of vinegar. Combine good sushi rice with fish roe that pops and a velvety quail egg, and you have almost the perfect bite. No need for any soy sauce or wasabi. Yama may not have the highest number of reviews of say a place like Tachibana (https://www.yelp.com/biz/tachibana-japanese-restaurant-mclean) or the buzz of culinary darling Sushi Taro (https://www.yelp.com/biz/sushi-taro-washington?osq=best+sushi), but IMHO Yama is among the best sushi restaurants in the entire DMV.