Yamaya Japanese Wagyu & Grill

Yamaya Japanese Wagyu & Grill is a Japanese yakiniku specialist in the Torrance area. Ventilation is not bad, but expect to get smelly. The dimly lit dining room is clean and tidy. Servers are friendly, professional and accommodating. Corkage is US$ 25/btl. Food is fresh and of great quality. While side dishes such as Moyashi Namui (US$4.8) and Green Salad ($5.8) are refreshing, the different cuts of wagyu are simply delicious! Highly recommend the crunchy Chef’s Cut Tongue (US$42.8), the juicy Premium Short Ribs (US$ 34.8) and Outside Skirt (US$ 29.8).

The best meats of any Japanese BBQ I've ever been to. Real wygu meats, and the others are still very top notch. I'm so happy to have found this place nearby! The best meats without a stuffy atomophere.

Really liked the food. The happy hour menu was priced so you can enjoy many items. The meats were marinated well, and you get the experience of grilling your own food. The atmosphere is typical. The location is convenient if you live in the local area. The only reason this is a 4/5 is because the ventilation didn’t seem all that well (perhaps just our table?). It was smokier than what I’ve typically experienced. I’d still recommend this place to a fellow patron because the food was tasty.

Yamaya is an outstanding place to try Japanese style beef. I had lunch here, we tried the washu beef combo and one of the specials (a rib eye called "supersteak"). Everything was super fresh. The service were helpful and attentive. The best part, was lunch wasn't too expensive (although I saw dinner could be much more).

Amazing quality of meat. Warm and professional service. The best Japanese grill place!!

Walked in without reservation on a Saturday. Thankfully they sat me. Good meat. Good price. Ventilation needs to be better. They may be slightly understaffed but was a good overall experience.

All dish Taste incredibly delicious just way too expensive

Very good food and excellent service - make sure to plan enough time it's a very social type of dinner!

They now offer several lunch specials! Please note that their timings are a little different from their Yelp hours: Lunch: Last seating is at 1:30 PM Last order is at 1:45 PM Store Close: 2:30 PM Dinner: Last seating is at 8:30 PM Last order is at 8:45 PM Store Close: 9:30 PM

We enjoyed the Washugyu set we ordered (+ rice add on) -- it was the perfect amount of meat for us. Good marbling on the meat, and it melted in our mouths. Service was great, our waiter was especially nice. I also liked that there was jazz playing in the background, but not too loud that it was disrupting our dining experience. We walked in on a Saturday night, and got lucky as it wasn't busy. Looking forward to coming back the next time we're in the area.

While a bit pricy, the meat cuts here were absolutely delicious. It was easy to grill them and they came out perfect! Very chill ambiance and a strong fan above to get rid of the smoke.

I always have a great meal here. Everything I've tried has been delicious. My favorite dish is the chef's cut tongue. I like being able to cook the meat to my preferred doneness. It's easy to make a reservation here on Yelp. Service is always excellent with the caveat that it can get busy occasionally. Free parking, no problem.

Waygu is high quality. The chef cut triangle and square bite size pieces which were plated with artistry. The sauce and truffle salt complimented the meat. We were able to grill each piece to our preferred doneness. The chef was kind and helpful in making our first time visit a pleasant experience. I recommend ordering the add-on of seaweed soup, salad, sesame oil bean sprouts & rice to fill out the meal. The ice tea (oolong or green) is refreshing. Lunch time on a Thursday was very quiet. Using the link in YELP was easy to make a reservation.

We were craving some Japanese Yakiniku and my wife found this hidden gem in Torrance. The meet quality was great! Super tender and tasty Japanese cuts. We got the two person Japanese meat set for $79.99 and added a motsu nabe. Everything was delicious and the service was 5 stars! It's a nice restaurant with spacious booth seating. The manager and waiter weee really nice to us and we look forward to going back again soon.

Food and service is awesome! Best Wagyu BBQ that is worth the money and not super expensive.

Definitely try the MIYAZAKI WAGYU PLATE. Everything here was excellent. Considering the quality of the meat, the price is very reasonable. The service was also good.

Torrance's best kept secret gem Japanese bbq spot! It's been a while since I've been here, just enough to fall in love with it again! The quality of meat here is amazing. Best meats I've had since being in Japan. Service is great, ideally get a reservation if you can! We only waited about 15 minutes with no reservation but depends on the day and time! It's a very casual bbq spot with amazing quality of meat. For our date night we got the $70 washugyu special + kurobuta sausage. Honestly - the set is a great deal, and the meat quality of eaxch was so amazing. It came with a NY strip steak + truffle daily which was the best I've ever had. The galbi + wasabi combo was also amazing. It almost tasted sweet! And melts In your mouth. The kurobuta sausage was also a highlight as it seems it's homemade and has a refreshing taste, but all the deliciousness of a kurobuta sausage. Can't wait to come back here! You certainly will leave with a very full belly!

A little pricey but food and service is top notch. I went with coworker who is a first timer and he was impressed. Had a little chat with the staff which made our experience even greater. This place reminds me of my time in Japan. I love that each table has privacy and the staff are always ready to serve. This is my once a month to go place for great food, good vibes and drinks. I highly recommend'

Amazingly good meats! True A5 and you can cook the way you like it... melts like butter!! First time and will come back again. Highly recommended

Good place for bbq but dont go here and ask for the nabe (even though its on the dinner menu). You will be discouraged from ordering nabe unless you get bbq too. If you only want to get appetizers and drinks you will be ask to kindly leave. lol! I did let server know we just wanted nabe before he sat up. I understand its a busy night but Im a paying customer too. Probably wont be back there because of this experience.

We went on an early Wednesday dinner and we had an amazing time! It is our first time trying Japanese A5 wagyu and we came to the perfect place. Masa-san, the manager and the chef, took care of us and gave us a 5-star experience. He explained how to cook the wagyu perfectly and to marinate the top round before grilling. You can tell he is passionate about his business and the meat that they served, which is top grade. My husband and I enjoyed the Miyazaki A5 set and the extra top round we ordered because it was really good. There was also a fresh wasabi that the chef made especially for the restaurant and I am not a big wasabi fan but I enjoyed the wasabi along with the wagyu and top round as it was not overpowering, it was actually pretty tasty and complements the meat. Service was pretty quick and the ambiance is relaxing. This is the first time we ate in a grilling restaurant that we did not smell like smoke or grill after. The other sides like edamame, salad, clear soup, and bean sprouts were truly delightful as well. If you are craving for top grade meat that does not break the bank, this place is the real deal. We will be back for sure.

落ち着いた空間で美味しいお肉の食べ比べができるお店。私のオススメはご飯セット付きのパウンドプレート、カルビ、豚トロとハラミです。 I'm loathe to review the reviewers rather than the restaurant, but I think it is always worth being reminded that this restaurant is staffed by only two people and that advance phone calls solve most issues. Note: this place is easily $$$ per person. Few yakiniku places have a server who will explain in detail how the muscle groups of each cut impact the flavor and texture. Many yakiniku places tend to be raucous with an emphasis on speed. Yamaya is the opposite. This is a Japanese restaurant well-suited to introverts with smaller appetites and specific preferences. This is the kind of place for people who like making reservations, deciding their meal plans in advance and sticking to schedules. In other words, most reviewers' reactions to the restaurant says as much about each reviewer as it does about the restaurant. There are Japanese restaurants in Torrance that appeal to many types of people - the Shinsengumi franchise is a great example. Then there are niche places like this that aim for specificity. The former can be found in many parts of Los Angeles. The latter is more rare and thus garners more of my appreciation.

A tasting experience that transports you to Japan. The highest quality beef that is far superior than any beef sourced from any farm on this side of the planet. Beautifully marbled meat with a depth of flavor my brain is having trouble trying to find the words to explain. You can even learn about the cow you are eating and are provided the lineage dating back several generations upon request. We ate a 3 year old cow named Toda Mariko, whose parents were award winning cattle from the Yoshi Torinaga Province known for their tender succulent meat. They bathe their cows in filtered warm sake and let the drink the finest Japanese whiskey that must give the meat its incredible flavor. They massage the cows twice a day and sing to them just before they bring them in their stalls to sleep to reduce their stress and keep their hormones from tainting their delicious flesh. Definitely a treat one should not deny themselves. A must try dining experience.

Came here and tried one of the BBQ special. Meat quality is good but not great for $80. The portion is small as well. Service is fast and efficient. I'm very picky when it comes to meat. I'd go other places for the same price.

1st time here. The meat was delicious and high quality as the reviews boast. The service was fantastic! The temperature inside was perfect without a draft and the vents got rid of the smoke wonderfully. Definitely will go back and recommend.

Overall decent. The price is a bit high for the service, portion, selection, and "quality of meat." This is coming from someone who (1) lives in the area and eats Wagyu from different restaurants in Torrance/ Gardena, and (2) a frequent goer of pricy restaurants. I did not take pictures of the meat - since the plate was small, I got too hungry and ate it. Expect $20-50 for 10oz ish of meat.

Very delicious! Great service also. Very detailed. I would definitely recommend coming here and will be returning.

Really enjoyed coming here. Meat is high quality and the fan system kept us smoke free. We went at first seating for lunch and enjoyed no wait with our reservation and excellent service.

My boyfriend and I love Yamaya! It reminds us so much of the Japanese bbq spots in Japan! We usually like to go in a big group so we can order more. And it actually is better cost-wise when there's more people. We dined with 3 of our friends last night at Yamaya and everyone was so impressed by the quality of the meat! Completely melts in your mouth! The truffle salt and wasabi really elevated the experience as well! Every time we've gone, there's usually just one server. He might also be the owner. He's very respectful and kind and knowledgeable about the food! For 5 people, it ended up being $90/person. We always can't wait to come back!

I really loves this place! The sake bottles went well with the meat selection. They have a very unique wasabi that I mixed with my rice. Combined with the meat and truffle salt, it was delicious. The restaurant is very clean, service was amazing, and food was unbelievable!

The food is great. No question about it. Our family love this restaurant so much. Our kids would just crave for wagyu and we always know where to go. Service is 10/10!

Came here for my brother's birthday, it was amazing! All the cuts of meat were top quality and tasted so good. Service here is extremely friendly & helpful, the owner made some great recommendations! Great experience overall, cant wait to come back.

Food here was amazing. Ordered the wagyu combo along with pork jowl and beef tongue kalbi. The wagyu melted in our mouths. Everything was top quality and the meat quality was definitely some of the best I've had. I would rank this spot higher than spots like kang ho dong and the like. You most likely need to make a reservation during peak meal times and there's plenty of parking in the lot

Just had dinner at this truly hidden gem in Torrance. The Miyazaki Wagyu Plate was superb! A5 Wagyu.. so tender and juicy, literally melts in your mouth. The clear broth soup that is served with the meal was a great first start to the meal. Unlike other clear broths that I have had, this was much tastier, seasoned well and made you anxious to see what came next. Masa, the one man show, was extremely courteous, helpful with suggestions, and an absolute joy to talk too. We will definitely return! Masao & I, thank you for a delicious meal ... a new restaurant to add to our list of favorites.

Wow what an amazing meal! This place a delightful, bare bones cook your own fine meat to your precise liking. Excellent customer service and soju and sake. We came here for a birthday, and will definitely be returning. I highly recommend this restaurant.

Went to lunch and had $49 yakiniku lunch that was great! Also had hamburg steak lunch. Loved how they give you mentaiko and otsukemono on side. I think Yakiniku

First visit to Yamaya was during the height of Covid when they did not allow indoor dining. I was happy to discover this spot offering outdoor Japanese BBQ experience over coals. As of September 2021, the restaurant had reopened indoor dining, and our party was able to grill our high quality meat over a gas grill. I personally preferred the outdoor dining experience because it was more fun, but it does gets cold outdoors after sunset. I felt slightly rushed when dining indoor because the meat was ready faster than we can devour them, and I ended up burning a few of my meat due to the charred grilled. Oops! Yamaya did slightly raised their prices in the last few months. Nevertheless, service and quality of meat is awesome. I usually will stop by the fridge and buy a piece of beef tongue to-go also. Since seating is limited at the restaurant, please make sure you make reservations before coming.

Ambiance: traditional Japanese bbq, indoor standard gas grill and outdoor stone charcoal grill setup Service: very friendly and patient with questions, provided useful suggestion Food: simple menu items and combo serves the best value and variety of meat, they serve WASHUGYU from Oregon and WAGYU from Japan Seaweed Soup - *** seaweed and bean sprouts Pickled Cold Dish - *** mix of pepper, onion and celery Fried Chicken (Kara-age) - *** average taste, a bit soggy Dry Aged Striploin Steak - **** chewy and juicy, recommend Premium Short Rib - ***** so soft and juicy, highly recommend Flank Steak - **** chewy and tasty, recommend Flap Meat - **** fatty and juicy, recommend Price: small to moderate portions and reasonable prices, about $45 per person for a decent meal

Fast friendly service, nice quiet atmosphere, excellent food! Ample free parking. Located in Rolling Hills Plaza

As soon as we walked in we immediately felt unwelcome. The host/server did not acknowledge us, still we gave it benefit of the doubt and waited patiently. After a couple minutes he said "walk-in ?" We said yes and he waved us away and said come back later. I mean what the actual hell? Mind you there was only 2 tables filled....We tried to hear him out and he said come back later didn't even specify when and said he has a big party coming and he can't sit us..Listen to me we are very reasonable, but he came at us like we bothered the shit out of him. He said he'll take our name and number down and he'll let us know by 6:30pm...we came at 5:30pm. I'm writing this at 10:00pm and no one called or text from this place. There's so many ways to approach a customer about you lacking help or being busy, but to brush us off and wave us away like some fucking fly is ridiculous. My boyfriend felt like it may have been a racial discrimation considering he is black, but let's just hope that's not the case. Either way save your time and go somewhere where you're wanted, don't ever beg to eat especially where you feel unwelcome.

Yamayaさんは肉へのこだわりがすごい 特に牛タンは薄切、厚切共に美味しい！ ハラミも美味いので、最後に食べます。 Yamaya is very particular about meat. Beef tongue is especially delicious both thinly cut and thickly! The skirt steak is also delicious, so I eat it at the end.

If you like some quality beef, this is a good place for you. The service is good but don't forget to make reservations.

Typically we go to Tamaen Japanese BBQ, but we didn't have reservations Saturday night and they couldn't accommodate us so we went here instead. They were able to seat us and service was a bit slow after we said we needed some time to order/ review the menu, but after we flagged them down and got our order in, they were on top of it! The meat was super tender and the service ended up being very good - what more could you ask for? Prices were also reasonable so I would definitely recommend checking this place out if you haven't been. Also, they have an outdoor patio area as well if you don't feel comfortable sitting inside.

If you are in the mood for BBQ for lunch, this place is perfect! A lot of Japanese BBQ Places are not open in lunch time, but Yamaya is. Their meat is a great quality, and the server is so friendly and knowledgeable about meat. Seating is relaxing, and cozy.

Wow! Why haven't I been here before?! This small Japanese bbq restaurant has the best quality meat and helpful staff. As a first time visitor they were helpful showing us how to order and what plates to get. It was so delicious. Definitely coming back.

I literally come just for the motsu-nabe (Japanese for intestine hotpot). It's the only place I know of that serves this type of nabe! It's so savory, comforting, and delicious but it's definitely a dish that you'd have to be comfortable with eating. The broth is amazing and it's great on any day although I tend to crave it more when the weather is cold. The meat quality here is also very good. You really can't go wrong with eating here! Highly recommended. I've come many times and the quality is always consistent. Friendly waiters and the ventilation is pretty good. I usually leave without smelling like grilled meat. :)

Went on Friday, May 27, 2022. Reservation for 2 at 1pm. Not sure if it's needed but I thought it helps in case they run out of certain cuts as their disclaimer states. I took a friend here to celebrate her graduating medical school. First thing I notice is the place was casual, kind of like going into a Denny's or IHOP, nothing fancy - which I suspected to be a good sign! It's all about the food. I didn't get our server's name but I think he's also the owner/manager. Super welcoming and accommodating! You know how there are people who: 1) work just to work and get by, 2) work hard but just for more money, & 3) work to help you sincerely with your best experience in mind? I could be wrong but I felt that our server was type #3. He was a great host. We ordered the A5 Miyazaki Wagyu plate (the one going for about $99-$100, served 2 people) and added the combo (rice, pickle, soup... we didn't get our Kara-age though but we forgot about it ourselves too lol). We also ordered the tongue kalbi. Our host explained clearly what it was and gave us a quick heads up it might not be what we're used to (I thought he was referring to lengua or the kbbq sliced tongue as a comparison). We decided to try it anyway. Turned out to be super delish! On the chewy side but also on the juicy side. For sure, it wasn't tough and had a nice, beefy flavor. Now the A5 wagyu... good lord in all beef heaven THAT. WAS. GOOD! Buttery melty meaty beefy cuts. We even cooked 2 pieces well-done just to see how it holds and it's still juicy and tender. Came with fresh real wasabi and truffle salt. Now of course, the main dish is the star but equally important are the supporting dishes: rice, pickles, and soup. Soup came first and consisted of seaweed in a broth. It's NOT miso soup (thankfully). This soup is clear and quite... "cleansing" I think is a good word. It's a soup that feels like it's preparing your body for the amount of wagyu fat about to be consumed while whetting your appetite. It actually tasted just as good cold (had some leftover after finishing the wagyu and it washed it down nicely). The pickles came next. One consisted of vinegared sliced cucumbers(?) topped with a creamy avocado. Great to cleanse the palate and cut the fat so you can eat more. The other was like cooled seasoned beansprout. This one reminds me of one of the Korean side dishes, but lighter in seasoning. Finally, the rice. We know that meat and rice is a match made in heaven. This rice was nice, soft, and fluffy. No starchy texture, and great to infuse some of the wagyu fat drippings into. Now, I can eat an X-large dominos pizza in one sitting. Between the two of us, the wagyu plate+combo and the tongue kalbi were quite fillings it is. We ate around 1:20pm. We didn't need to eat dinner. If you haven't tried this place yet, try it at least once! Definitely worth the price!

Top quality A5 beef. Open for lunch. Amazing quality meat and great service. Good value overall too.

I love this place! I wish there are more places to have motzu nabe. We made an appointment via yelp. We're there 15min earlier but didn't wait too long. The server took us inside of the table as soon as he cleaned it up. Although he was the only server that night, the service was relatively quick. He had knowledge of all the menu, was very kind as well. We ordered wagyu beef and rice set + motzu nabe. For 2 people, $150.00 (including tip) was pricey but I was very satisfied. Wish I could come here more often!!! I'd like to bring my husband and other friends. :-) Highly recommend this place.

If you're looking for quality meat and service, try Yamaya. Delicious food and quality ingredients. Definitely check out the cut choices on the chalkboard, and dinners for 2, carefully prepared for you.

We were invited to a birthday celebration. The food was top notch especially the Wagyu, very tender. First Class! Service from Masa the Manager, he is superb, he knows so well what customer satisfaction is all about, and he went above and beyond to create a memorable experience. Great ambiance. Will return. Highly recommended, must try!! Five Star

Grilled meat for lunch? A5 wagyu for lunch? ~14 oz of A5 wagyu for lunch? HECK YEAH. Came here for lunch with the fiance during our trip exploring LA - his choice. While some meals are fully cooked and served to you, this place had an option to grill your own meal. Think Korean BBQ, except with fancy A5 wagyu. The kind you don't want to accidentally burn. LOCATION / SERVICE Plenty of parking in an unassuming plaza of Asian restaurants... who knew they would have amazing food? Service was great! It was our first time coming here and they were really nice about explaining how to cook the each slice of meat. We're no strangers to grill your own meat, especially at KBBQ, but with fancy meat one can be intimidated! They were also good about explaining the different sauces, and suggestions on how to enjoy the beef with the sauce and sides. They were also really good about refilling our waters. FOOD For lunch we ordered the A5 Japanese Wagyu set for $165 - we were told this was enough for 2 people. It came with different cuts of A5 wagyu, veggies, shredded green onions, and some rice on the side. Our meal started with a salad and miso soup, nice way to start a very meaty meal. They give you some beef fat to grease the grill before cooking each slice of beef. I would watch the wagyu carefully when you cook it - the thin slices don't take long to cook and you don't want to risk burning it. As a Filipino I've had meat and rice my whole life... but this is on a different level. My first bite... I wanted to cry. No seriously. I had low expectations and they were blown away - the beef was so tender and flavorful without dipping it into sauce. Juicy, comes to mind. Served on top of hot rice, it's heavenly! I would usually top my rice with the wagyu slices so it can soak up the meat juices. I think the beef gave each slice extra richness too. While good on its own, they do provide you with soy sauce, yakinuku sauce, wasabi, and salt. Dipping it in the soy sauce and yakiniku sauce would elevate the flavors. My favorite method of eating the wagyu was to spread a little wasabi and salt on the slice - it gave a nice emphasis on the beef flavor and the wasabi gave it a nice fragrant kick. Who knew wasabi would be so good on beef? One particular cut of meat they had suggested you roll it up with some shredded green onions - it was really good! Not something I would have tried without the tip. The free green tea that comes with a Yelp Check-In is awesome! They give you a pitcher of freshly brewed iced green tea, with one free refill. It's freshly brewed with tea leaves and the flavor is great with the meal. OVERALL It's one of my more expensive meals... but totally worth it for the quality and value! The portions were just right, we were satisfied but not stuffed. Made it easier to savor the aftertaste. Besides, A5 wagyu is expensive to begin with and it can really be hit or miss whether you cook it at home or have it at a restaurant. My first time having A5 wagyu was at a local, high-end steakhouse in Seattle. Can't recall if it was Japanese A5 wagyu, but I remember it was a disappointment. I never bothered with A5 wagyu again. Then I came here and now my views on wagyu have been changed. I really do think it comes down to how it's cut / prepared, and this place does a phenomenal job. I'll be back for a special occasion... it's expensive to eat hear all the time, but it's definitely worth the cost.

The best Yakiniku (Japanese style high quality BBQ) Clean and not smoky in there! Awesome service. Must try!!!

Recommended. A little Japanese BBQ restaurant. Easy to find parking. Meat quality is good. Japanese servers!

I have been a patron of Yamaya for several years now and it's unquestionably one of my favorite steakhouses (and restaurants in general). It's a blessing to go each time. Of course, the A5 plate is superb, but so are the rest of the quality of the meats + cuts. I have recommended many of my friends here and each of them has thanked me profusely for doing so. Masa is a very hard worker and personable owner, so special thank you to him for giving us such a treat.

Recently moved into the area and noticed Yamaya while driving around. My husband loves Wagyu so he rushed in to try it. He ordered a Wagyu dry aged NY strip, and got two bento boxes to eat while we waited (chicken and beef). It was good but it was not the best Wagyu we have ever had. Also, the beef bento was delicious, the chicken not so much, tasted overly oily and lots of skin. We were happy to find something with Wagyu close and we will be back but we will also be searching for other butchers as well.

Best beef place in greater los angers area. I have been to most of Japanese bbq place in los angels oc area. This place is the best so far . I have already been to this place 3 times and decided to write a review. I drove one hour single trip here to eat . Highly recommended.