Yakitori Hino

This is authentic Japanese cuisine... How do I know? Well, everyone, including the customers, was speaking Japanese. Fortunately, so did my native born Japanese friend. The only word I know in Japanese ends in "Roboto" from an 80's pop song. Without my friend, I may not have had the courage to discover this culinary treasure. We were the first customers there this beautiful Easter night. The place is tiny and dark. The waitress greeted us in Japanese and seated us at the counter. We were handed an electronic menu from which to order. We came that night for the meat skewers and my friend ordered for me. The menu is in English with photos and descriptions. You order on the electronic pad, and the order is cooked fresh in front of you. On this night, it was cooked by the very gifted owner of the restaurant. Each skewer is cooked and immediately served to you, and if you like it, you can push the menu button on the pad and order another one or some other choice. Which is good and bad, as we kept ordering because it was so good and bad because we kept ordering because it was so good. I never eat offal, but tonight I did... wow... delicious. We kept ordering, and the kind chef kept cooking. Customers came in, and it seemed everyone spoke Japanese. It's not the most fancy restaurant but for a solid, authentic feel and fresh authentic food. This very understated restaurant is worth the visit, whether you are an American English speaker or a Japanese speaker. Domo Arigato...

Honestly, probably the worst service I’ve received so far. First we were moved from a perfectly good table in the front to a table all the way in the back. Once we ordered, we received everything within 10-15min of each item. We were never asked if the food was good or if we were missing anything. We spent 50mins and our food order was still not complete. I canceled the remaining skewers, paid, and left. No sort of apology was given by staff or any sort of management. I’d look for other skewer type restaurants before eating here.

One of the best late night places. I love the baby scallop special! You cannt get the smell and taste of the authentic japanese skewers on the charcoal from any other places. Beef tongue here have been amazing as usual. A rare find here is the chicken skin which is also amazing.

Went on a Monday night and was able to be seated right away. Place is small so I can see how it can be busy fast. Staff were friendly and interactive. I like the iPad idea to order, had some technical issue but it happens all the time with technology. Overall, I liked the quality of the food but it menu felt very limited no pork options and the beef selection was only two. Food was also a bit pricey. Enjoyed the food very well and had a great experience overall.

Incredible food, this place is a hidden gem. Everything is so tasty from the sake to the apps. Every yakitori is excellent- loved the eel, chicken thighs, and sweet eggplant

Some of the best yakitori I've had in San Diego so far. Must tries are the bacon wrapped enoki and karaage chicken. My husband loved the takoyaki soup, I was extremely satisfied with everything I ordered. Happy hour specials are pretty 🔥. Service was attentive but not overly so. All in all I totally recommend.

I had such a fantastic dinner here, everything we ordered was fresh, filling, and delicious. The hostess and staff team were warm and welcoming — I’ll be back ❤️

They ask customers not to post anything positive, so here I am with a glorious one-star review! This is the best yakitori I've been to though, and that's not just in San Diego. My default items to calm my yakitori addiction are chicken hearts, chicken veins, pork neck, beef tongue, shishamo, and shiitake. I always have to get the takowasa too to go with my nigori. However, back to the one-star review, don't try this place because it will crowd the space and prevent us regulars from coby without having to wait.

I know at one point they wanted bad reviews on purpose, yes I said it. I also know the reason why. Which whatever. I still finally decided to head up to Hino, and go there anyway. The place is nice, sorry. The food is quite good, sorry. The servers were pretty kind too, even chased me down when I forgot something when I left. So Sorry. Good parking. Sorry Depending on the time, you could end up staying a bit longer than you should, but I enjoyed my dining experience there. It is for sure top 3 from the options out there SORRY I am going to put exactly what it deserves

Honestly I'm surprised by how mixed the reviews are here given our experience was pretty good! While this isn't somewhere you would go for the hospitality (you order off an iPad) the food was solid. This place is perfectly unassuming and one of those go-to hole in the wall spots. We sat at the bar and ordered a handful of dishes - seared beef tataki, asparagus bacon, fried chicken karaage, gyoza and harami beef - and it honestly felt like each dish just kept getting better. Meats were cooked and seasoned really well but of everything we had, the chicken karaage by far took the cake. Perfectly crispy skin covered the most tender and juicy chicken. I don't often walk away from a meal singing the chicken's praises but this was probably some of the best I've ever had. I know there's mixed reviews here but I say give this place a try! Not every place you eat needs to be Michelin star service. Sometimes all you need is a really good meal at a really good price and I think this place delivered.

The specials and food keep haunting me in my dreams. It's like they put drugs in the food. I keep finding myself craving this place. Don't go unless you want to develop an addiction. I can't stop and won't stop - Chicken nanban - shime saba - pork sausage - basically everything will send you to outer space

I don't recommend this place. It delivers big flavors and warm service. We tried many dishes and their yakitori, which was fresh, well-seasoned, and worth the hype. The staff are friendly and attentive, but be prepared for a wait: the tiny dining area has only a handful of tables, and on busy nights our order was overlooked once, stretching the ticket time. If you're dining with a large group or in a rush, maybe go elsewhere.

What's with the good reviews? This place sucks. Skewers are undercooked and all of us got the runs and ended up having the squirts back to back in their unhygienic toilet. Then, we couldn't even use toilet paper as they were out. Bad skewers, rotten chicken and the batter for their kushikatsu was as aromatic as rotten liver left out for a week uncooked. Wowzers how can you even call yourself a legit Yakiroti spot? Take yourself to the Carls Jr in the same plaza. At least the beef there is fresh and more wholesome than this so called yakitori joint using fake frozen beef from China....and how the heck do you even use skewer sticks repeatedly from the table next to us? I respect frugality but this is spreading germs.

I keep coming here over and over again the past 8 years even tho the food SUCKS. Why do I keep torturing myself. Dont come here.

Honestly I was really on the fence about this rating because quite a few things went wrong with this experience. This is the type of restaurant where you can go alone sit at the bar and order from an iPad, minimal interaction and comfort being just with yourself, which is exactly what I wanted when I came in. But then they told me that if I wanted one of anything, I'd have to tell them because the iPad could only do twos or more. Anyway, I didn't feel like talking so I decided to just go with two of everything. Another thing was that they were out of rice, which is crazy because it's an essential, but that meant that all rice dishes were off the table, they were also out of eel, which was annoying because I really wanted some. Other than that there were a few other minor nuisances which comes with any restaurant. But for the price which came with this experience, you'd think it would be a lot more seamless and pleasurable. The food was good, the oysters were especially delightful, and the chicken really surprised me. The beef tongue was a bit too chewy for my taste, it's supposed to be a lot softer, the duck breast was alright as well. The scallops unfortunately were a bit underwhelming, and everything else was alright. Otherwise, the atmosphere was really nice, I really like the way the restaurant is set up as one long bar and just a few more private booths, and the location is quite good as well. I'll definitely have to come back to make sure this was a one off experience and make sure that the rating is well deserved.

Came here after the gentleman at Taisho said to try out their sister restaurant (since they were packed til 9:30pm haha) We came over to Hino and were quickly seated at the bar. The service was extremely friendly and I really enjoyed our experience here. We got some appetizers to try and skewers to share. Overall we had a great experience and would definitely come back again!

Very fun experience, make a reservation first as this is a small, intimate place. Staff works really hard to get everyone their food and drinks. I really appreciate it. This is an izakaya where you will be ordering many small plates like skewers and drinks from an iPad. My favorites are the eel and duck skewers. I also usually drink a lemon sour or an Asahi, but they also have sake flights. If you want a bottle of sake there's plenty to choose from too. You can ask for recommendations. Different specials are on the menu every time I visit. This time there was A5 Wagyu steak tataki with onion in ponzu sauce for $19 a plate... absolutelty delicious. I got 2 plates of that and I would've gotten more but I have a medical condition where I can't have too much iron at once... a real bummer. Anyway, always a fantastic and comfortable experience here, but be prepared to spend a lot because everything is fire!

I understand why they have such bad reviews now! Can't believe it took over an hour to get our skewers... and when we asked our waitress about it, she was like "everybody's waiting, not just you." What kind of attitude is that?? This is my second time here- their food is okay, saltier than I would like. BUT there are better yakitori options in San Diego so why come here?

If you're looking for a slice of authentic Tokyo in town, Yakitori Hino is it! This place captures the spirit of Japan's classic yakitori stalls, with a cozy, narrow room and an open kitchen that draws you into the action. Sitting at the counter, you're right in the middle of it all, watching as the chefs grill everything from chicken to unique treats like firefly squid and charred eel. Every skewer is grilled over bincho charcoal, adding a deep, smoky flavor you can't find anywhere else. The small plates are another win. We started with the spicy jellyfish and monkfish liver with plum sauce, both offering a bold yet balanced taste. The menu also has comforting soups, deep-fried bites, and hearty rice bowls, rounding out the experience. I'll definitely be back for another round--highly recommended

My friend and I have been trying to eat here forever and finally got reservations. The ordering is through a tablet but we unfortunately they didn't have any pork yakitori skewers available and they didn't have the spicy jelly fish and some other appetizers we were hoping to order. The skewers are ordered by 1 stick so you have the option to try different skewers. This is a more izakaya type of place so your skewer comes out like one at a time so it's definitely not a quick bite to eat spot. Overall, the meatball skewer was really good and flavorful along with the egg yolk dip. I also got beef, gizzard, liver and beef tongue. Those were delicious as well. Just the orders come out very slow.

Overpriced yakitori skewers, overly salty, and poor quality. We used to love coming here before COVID, but now, 1 skewer is around $6. Bar seating was reserved/filled, so we were seated at the tables near the back of the restaurant where you kind of get a whiff of the restroom... We ordered: - Chicken Thigh: tender but way too salty - Grilled Beef: hard to chew and bland - Chicken Wing Skewer: better than thigh and beef, crispy skin, but still too salty - Unagi Rice Bowl ($20): small portion of unagi, flavor was good but not worth for what you get Service was also meh, limited interaction with tablet ordering and didn't refill much-needed water.

Love this place, 1st time here I never disappointed. Just simple, Japanese style Yakitori style. Oysters just perfect! The drinks are very solid. The workers here, oh god, I love them, they are working their best to give the best quality food for you. Also they are very friendly too. Still, a best place to chill and hangout. ! Perfect place for date

Solid low key Yakitori spot with a variety of apps, skewers, and bowls. We especially loved the grilled saba. The day we went, there was a disproportionate number of chicken skewers and few beef or seafood options. We tried a large number of skewers and all were delicious. Definitely on the pricey end but worth it. Will be back.

Yakitori Japanese skewers Convoy Imported Japanese coal Reservations is recommended Try to sit in front of the coals for a good experience There is parking Opens late Order though a touch screen Be patient as it is cooked slow Veggies options but it is more for the meats Japanese bar

Just want to note that at the time of my review, the chef was soon leaving to open his own yakitori place. I've been notified by multiple patrons that it's nowhere near what it used to be now. I have not been back since the chef left.

I came here with a friend who had dined here before. We ordered right away cause the food takes a while to cook. But every single thing we ordered, from the skewers to the rice bowl, was delicious. Make sure to check out their specials for the day! They have a nice parking lot. We went for dinner on a Sunday evening with a reservation. The place was pretty packed but the dim lighting made for a very peaceful meal. Would definitely recommend for a dinner date.

Came here after work and put in my order on the iPad. After 30 minutes I asked the chef where my food was. He started flexing his muscles with direct eye contact. I've never been more intimidated in my life. I left immediately but the chef started flexing in the parking lot. I still have nightmares. Please don't go here.

Food 5 out of 5. Price 3.5 out of 5. Low key yakitori spot the lighting is dim which makes it a Good place for date. Just two people. The duck and the chicken wings were charcoal grilled to perfection. Get soju and beer and couple yakitori With some apps I say it's a goodnight.

Blown away. Trust. Just go. And realize this place is the real deal and a gem. Timing of the food was perfectly paced and the vibe is perfect for 2. Our server was perfect and created a lovely experience for us. New fave spot. 10 stars forever.

The food here was great and ordering was easy and fast. There is actually quite a bit of seating though the restaurant isn't big. We felt like we were back in Japan and will be definitely be back.

Crazy how many options are available. Ordering through the iPad makes it fast and easy! Friendly and fast service. Loved it!

Definitely do not go here. Food was unacceptable to the average American palate. Bites were small so you kept having to order and wait and spend time talking to your friends and family rather than eating. Vibes were uneventful food was too simple.

Came back here again to see if the food quality dropped so i can limit the amount of food i will end up ordering. It didn't. Please fix this, or i will end up getting diabetes. -Thanks

This the honestly the best Yakitori spot in all of San Diego. The service was so great and the food was amazing. The restaurant made me feel like i'm back in Japan. It's one of the best iykyk locations.

I really enjoyed the yakitori here and it reminded me of being back in Japan. We didn't wait very long to get seated and ordering was mostly digital so super easy. Food was delicious and timely. The restaurant is slightly small but a decent amount of seats.

What happened to you guys? :( I've been coming here for years, its my bf and I favorite yakitori place in SD (tastes better than Piss Alley in Japan too). But our last experience has forced my hand to come out of yelp hiding and write a bad review as is the norm for this restaurant. Yakitori was already expensive to begin with, we'd easily spend $80 just to get full from skewers and sake. First yall took away Dassai 50 which was the BEST sake money can buy. For those who don't know, Dassai 50 is a Junmai Daiginjo (highest grade of sake) but didn't bleed your wallet. Normally $20/bottle and tasted amazing compared to everything else on menu which tasted too "alcohol-y" almost like vodka. Ok, whatevs not end of the world. But then our most recent visit, yall sneakily raised the prices. And I say sneaky because the menu had same price, but instead of 2 skewers, you only give ONE now. We were very confused when the food came out because we were used to getting too and saw price didn't change on the menu. So you literally pay $4 for one yakitori skewer now. WTF. This is way way way too expensive for yakitori. We left still hungry because we couldn't justify spending more money for such little food. For that price, you can get a lot more food at a nice STEAKHOUSE. What sucked even more was that yall changed to a ipad system and have the audacity to show TWO skewers in the picture which is misleading. We finally did a double take and noticed small text that said how many skewers were there and small button to change amount of skewer when ordering. This is Dark UX pattern (google it), intentionally misleading customers with design of menu. I'm appalled by this behavior. Whats really weird is that none of their sister restaurants (Taisho and Yakyudori) employ this pricing model. They still offer 2 skewers for that price. I feel like Hino is doing this on purpose to scare away people so it can go back to that lowkey hidden yakitori spot for Japanese people. I remember when we first went here, it was so easy to get a table and there were mainly japanese people eating here. Now theres a bit of a wait on weekends (waited 1hr one time), and lots more people. The word finally caught on about this "secret" spot. Or maybe since its all on an ipad, they change the price for certain people....it just sucks cause yall were one of our favorite restaurants and its still the best tasting yakitori but the price point doesn't make sense anymore. PLEASE CHANGE IT BACK, this is unbelievably sad.

Friday, 5.27.22 | Dinner Experience Some of our friends (J&C) suggested trying out this place. Upon arrival, I'm glad we still decided to go through with eating here, because the yakitori was decent. I was very surprised to see bad reviews about a decent spot. But then again, I'm sure everyone has different experiences under their belt. I have never visited Japan (but I do want to!) and it's been ages since I've been to a yakitori spot this year. We had placed a reservation for 4 - which would be the max amount of people to have a intimate conversation while getting the food bought to you. We were not seated at the grilled, but our booth was quite close to it. Any more than a party of 4, will be slightly difficult as the only seating that has more than 5 is right at the front of the yakitori. I feel like it's not that intimate plus I may get hangry watching the food being grilled in front of me. Some context on yakitori (source is from Allrecipes.com): Yakitori can be literally translated to "grilled chicken," from the Japanese words yaki (grill) and tori (chicken). Yakitori consists of bite-sized pieces of meat (usually chicken) served on a bamboo skewer. In restaurants, chefs often prepare dishes table side or at a central grill surrounded by bar seats. Traditional yakitori will always be prepared over binchotan, a Japanese white charcoal. This heat source burns very clean so it doesn't add flavor to the chicken skewers; all charred flavor comes from contact with the hot grill. The grill burns low, around 200 degrees Fahrenheit, so the meat cooks slowly. A chef will constantly stand at the grill rotating the meat and allowing it to be just kissed by the flames below. So if that previous paragraph was too long for you to skim through, basically yakitori is not a fast to make dish. The chef monitors the cooking constantly for the meat on the skewers, checking the moisture level and adjusting with the house sauce (tare) before it's served to you. For those who sit at the booths/tables, there is a plate that they bring out specifically to place your skewer orders on there. After you finish your skewer, there is a skinnier holder for you to drop your finished skewers in, located on the innerside on top of the table. During the wait, is the time to socialize and catching up. Interesting part to me, was that you could order from the iPad on what you wanted. You will need to order water and napkins, but the menu is always there for you to easily place an order. The employees who worked there was pretty accomodating, coming when called to answer any questions, and there is a central plate which they leave on your table to put your yakitori orders on. If you are hungry, it may be wise to order some appetizers or if you're wanting a bite, get the eel bowl and some wings. I may be slightly biased as I've been minimizing the amount of carbs for the week, so eel bowl was AMAZING. The eel was super tender and it was worth it for ~$18. Fried wings were ~$7.50, came in 4 pieces. Other sides that we ordered were the fried mountain yam (~$7.50) and the cold tofu ($3.50). I thought the yam was alright, but liked the cold tofu which was refreshing. They serve complimentary cabbage. In the yakitori, the ones that stood out to me were the chicken thighs, the shisamo, and the eel. -The Chicken Thighs (Momo) (~$3) were SUPER moist and tender and just that light salt which made all the difference. I've been eating chicken stir fry most of the week for lunch and dinner, that when I ate this, I was thinking "Can you just like pack this for me every lunch and dinner, and hopefully I lose weight that way?" We ended up ordering 6 sticks in total. -The Shisamo (Saltwater Smelt) (~$2.25) is a Japanese delicacy and is grilled or fried whole and served with its roe intact. Definitely order a side of mayo with it. The way to eat it, that our friends K&K showed us was to dunk the head in mayo and to eat that portion first before resuming to eat the rest with mayo. I thought it was delicious! -The eel (~$6.75). Need I say more? The eel was just amazing. I mean, myself and girlfriend K both ordered a eel bowl each and inhaled it. We also ordered the arabiki (~$3.25), gizzard(~$2.25), hatsu(~$2.25), and grilled hotaru (~$3). The arabiki was a japanese sausage. A gizzard is a muscle found in the digestive tract of a chicken. Grilled hotaru is grilled baby squid. I'm open to trying things, but in the end, I was more of the fan of the other three which stood out more. Our meal per person came out to around ~$38 without drinks. They didn't have pitchers, but a sapporo by the cup was around ~$5.50. I thought our food came out faster, but may also have been because we ordered apps. The previous times I have been to other yakitori places pre-covid it was also a wait! Overall the couple K&K we went with, we had a good time and would come again. We mainly spoke English, and the little bit of japanese we knew such as arigatou-gozaimasu.

Great service, FANTASTIC food, and nice atmosphere. Showed up with a baby and no reservations and the staff were incredibly kind and patient. Will definitely be back.

The chef angrily flexing his muscles telling us we got the items that we were never served. We, a group of people, ordered 2 chicken hearts skewers along with some other items. After 1.5 hours, we finished eating and noticed we never got the chicken hearts skewers, so we kindly asked the waitress to check our order. The waitress came back saying they think they have served them. After us explaining that we never gotten them, the waitress went to the chef and helped us confirm the order again. This time, the chef came out angrily trying to flex his muscles, telling us they served them. We tried to explain the situation again, but the chef did not give us any friendly responses. Not sure whether his original idea was or was not to THREATEN us, but we certainly felt that he was from his angry words, facial expression and body language. To protect ourselves from potential being hurt, we choose to stay quiet, pay our bill and leave the place as soon as possible. 1. There were a group of us. Surely at least one of us would notice if any of us had gotten any chicken heart skewer. We are not trying to lie just to get 2 chicken hearts skewers. 2. We were not trying to make a big scene over 2 chicken hearts skewers. We didn't have any sort of intention to do that. However, the chef's unfriendly and rude overreaction really made us feel being threatened. There are many places in San Diego where you can get better yakitori and better services with similar price. If you can avoid this restaurant, we highly recommend you to AVOID it. No one deserves to be treated like this! If there's an option that I can give ZERO stars, I would have given zero stars for this restaurant.

DON'T COME TO THIS RESTAURANT. IT IS A SCAM. Worst Japanese food in the city, hands down. The meat was raw and chewy and the portions are tiny. My wife asked for a salad and they just gave her a cabbage! Extremely rude staff. They made fun of us for how we looked. I asked for a bowl of ramen and they said they'd make one for a million dollars. Outrageous. We will be taking our business back to Sushi Diner.

I had high hopes for this place given its "secret" yakitori status to try to stay lowkey and not become a tourist spot. While certain skewers were definitely good, the overall flavor of the dishes were meh, nothing to write home about. I order the Omakase Yakitori w/ the Sake and some extra skewers to get a total of: Beef Tongue, Pork Belly, Chicken Skin, Chicken Gizzard, Chicken Thighs, Baby Scallops, & Liver. I would like to go back to try it again, but I may have to explore other Yakitori spots to satisfy the crave. @phidingthefam

Went on a Monday night and was able to be seated right away. Place is small so I can see how it can be busy fast. Staff were friendly and interactive. I like the iPad idea to order, had some technical issue but it happens all the time with technology. Overall, I liked the quality of the food but it menu felt very limited no pork options and the beef selection was only two. Food was also a bit pricey. Enjoyed the food very well and had a great experience overall.

I really like this place. I haven't been here in what feels like years and I think they improved their menu and service. Prices are also pretty great. Before, I remember them having a pretty basic menu but recently it looks like they have expanded it and added items that are very interesting. I hope they keep this new menu and keep adding things as the season changes. They use a tablet system now to order which some people love or hate, personally I loved it because I can see what I am ordering. The best thing I had here was actually a dessert, it was a hot sweet potato with ice cream, it was super good and for that alone I will come back. Our service the last time we went was impeccable, the waitress was very nice and the cook actually came over to tell us about the food we were eating. I am looking forward to coming back !

Great food and great service! I'm not sure who the previous reviewers were, or if the restaurant changed, but if you understand what yakitori is, you'd get it. Charcoal grilled chicken on skewers, prepared perfectly. Everything chicken and more - we tried nearly all of them!f Everything was perfectly seasoned and grilled, and the saba was melt in your mouth delicious! Unfortunately, I didn't take photos, except for the saba - a prepared mackerel. As a little treat, we also ordered the chawan mushi - kind of like a savory soup custard with shrimp and chicken. We come to San Diego once or twice a year, and will definitely be back next time we're in town!

The food was amazing, waiters were so polite and friendly, and they accidentally gave me someone else's order and let me have it no charge and still made the other persons order. AMAZING

This place was actually horrible, it smells like a brothel and the meat is like all moldy and mushy. Don't even get me started on the service. If you cannot speak japanese they charge you double?!? Do not come here. Ever!

Agree with Jennifer N's post completely. Finally checked out this place since many of my friends talked about a "secret" yakitori spot that has 1 star on yelp but is secretly really good. This place encourages bad reviews because they want to cater to locals and not deal with popularity. Yes, ordering is based on an iPad and super misleading. There's a picture with two skewers on the iPad for $4, but when you place your order, you only get 1, which is ridiculously pricey. Regarding taste- I ordered the pork belly, chicken heart, beef, chicken gizzard, and eel skewers. Also got kaarage as well. The taste of everything was excellent - with each bite, you get so much flavor and can really taste the smokiness too. My favorite skewer was definitely the pork belly, and my least favorite skewer was the beef as it was way too salty. I would say the quality of the meat reminded me of Japan. Would only recommend going to this place if you're looking for QUALITY, but otherwise it's super expensive and I'm sure there's just as good quality skewers elsewhere. Service was ok- food came out a bit slow but we did get what we wanted eventually.

Poor service. The server never stopped talking to her friends/customers. It took 20 minutes for her to give back my credit card and receipt after the check. Rude chef. He never showed any smile to us and he prioritized the Yakitori to his friends/customers. There were many times when our food was out at the last minute because he gave the last ones to his friends even we arrived to the place earlier than his friends. The dinner took us 3 hours to eat. Never coming to this place again.

Extremely bad service. The chef served the wrong food but claimed that we lied about the situation. He threatened us by flexing his arm muscle in front of us.

Our go-to spot whenever we get cravings for yakitori. We try to go on a weeknight for an early dinner just to beat the dinner rush as they get very busy between 7-8. I love the tablet ordering system because you can set your own pace, just be careful to track your spending because those little plates can add up quick! The service is always friendly and the food comes relatively quick. We've been trying to eat our way through the menu and haven't found a dish we didn't like.

Weird vibe, would not suggest going there if you're not from Japan/speak the language. Service was so bad it was (almost) funny....food was ok but not for that price point good lord. The attitude that came along with the price point was also wholly undeserved. Other spots to spend your money on, avoid. If it's on special order it

We came once during outside dining and it was absolutely delicious. We came for a second time as indoor dining is allowed now, and again, we were not disappointed. This time we came with friends and went all out in the menu items! Their special items menu rotates daily, and we were able to try America wagyu, wild boar, abalone, and firefly squid! The eel on their regular menu is our absolute favorite and we ordered two of those. We also ordered jellyfish, hino fried chicken, and fried squid for appetizers, a few cocktails, chicken skins (yum yum!!), eggplant, baby scallop , and geso squid. Everything was amazing !

Noticed this was on Eater 38 SD. Was about to eat dinner then had to skip it for a healthcare emergency. After the emergency case a lot of the restaurants in town were closed. I drove here as it states it was open. As I went to get seated the restaurant was 1/4 full with plenty of staff and they said last call was at 9:45 pm. I arrived at 8:45 pm and was turned down for service. @eater38 didn't get a chance to try the food but a little disappointing to not get the opportunity. Maybe I'm hangry here but the restaurant left me with a sour taste in my mouth.

Came here on a Saturday night, recommendation is to come with an open mind and be kind!

***** this place. My friend and I went here for the first time since we eaT In Convoy all the time. Seeing it was a yakitori place (and me mISsing Japan a lot), it was the PERFECT place for us to go eat dinner, or so we thought. When we first walked in, the restaurant was very small. So small, that we waited for hours just to get a table and we had to wait outside (it was cold and raining that day). There is a sign up sheet, but from what I observed, the staff rarely checked IT. The few times they did, they didn't go down the list. I remember witnessing another customer talking to the waiter to ask how much longer it would be until they are seated (they came before us). I overheard the waiter said 5 more minutes, but the customer ended up leaving since they've been waiting for over two hours and got fed up. When my friend and I finally got seated, we ended up being seated in the very far corner of the restaurant next to the bathroom and away from the rest of the customers. Service was very slow and the staff where not very attentive at all. We even had to pay for water, which was $5 for a bottled water, mind you, which would be understandable if it was a movie theatre, but this IS a restaurant. The only way to get free water was to buy alcohol, which is basically another way for you to spend more money. The food was also either under seasoned or way too salty, and the majority of the menu was in Japanese with barely any english translation, which is not GOOD since we had to play a guessing game to see what exactly we should order. Overall, with the inconvenience of the wait time and the fact my friend and I could barely even understand the menu along with the expensive price tag that doesn't reflect the QUALITY of the FOOD, I do not RECOMMEND this place at all. If anything, Hinotez and Yokohama Yakitori Koubou are far better than THIS PLACE. And, if you're going to spend a lot of $$$ for food in one night, might as well go to Tsuruhashi Japanese BBQ since you'd spend about the same or less on the food.

Genuinely didn't enjoy this place. Like Jennifer N. said, now that the "secret" is out maybe they're trying to drive people away? Nothing was special about the food. The yakitori was all single skewers and very pricey, and the yakitori, while well cooked, was just... salty. Sad, because it's kind of a jerk thing to do - give people a bad experience when they're paying for it just because you want your place to be "special". If it's that important to you then become reservation only and/or let in repeat customers or customers recommended by current customers instead of wasting people's time and money coming here. Really sad to have spent my money here trying different things and expecting each dud to just be a one-off (and then a two-off, then a three-off, etc.). Of course this is all speculation, but I was shocked at how.. stunningly mediocre this place was after hearing all the rave reviews. I feel rather conned.

Consistently excellent, tastes like Japan Customer service is always great, and the quality and cooking of the dishes is excellent, be sure to look at the specials, there's always a new gem to try Reservations are critical, don't expect to walk in and get a seat.