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).

This the first time trying Yamaya. The food was fantastic and hosts was very friendly. Great experience 👍

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.

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

This place is epic, for real! I've eaten here at least three times and have absolutely thoroughly enjoyed myself every time

The plan was to eat at Lunasia across the way, but the wait was a ridiculous 127-158 minutes. Nope. Way too hungry... ... then GodMom suggested we try this place. She said she's been, but it's been awhile, and there probably won't be a wait. She was right. We were seated immediately. Since there was only two of us, we opted out of the grill option (it's more fun with more peeps) and went for their lunch specials instead. I'll be honest and will say I had to look closer at the pricing: $15?! And it included free refills of sides of soup, salad, mentaiko and takana? Talk about bargain eats! But we had a couple of apps first. EDAMAME: Seasoned lightly. Cleansed the palates. Nothing out of the ordinary but a good starter. KARAAGE: Made to order hot! Batter was thin and crispy on the outside and soft and juicy inside. Didn't even need the dip, but does change the overall flavor which isn't bad at all. YAKINIKU BBQ PLATE: My choice for main. Also made to order and came with warm fluffy rice. The meat was cooked tender. Seasoning was amazing. I left that bowl empty! It was really really good! FOOD: 5. SERVICE: 4. VALUE: 5. PARKING: OVERALL: Most of the tables were occupied by the time we got done, so it's a testament on how popular they are. The only thing, maybe, that might need improvement is the vents may need to be a bit stronger. Many opted for the grill and it got a teenee bit smokey inside. But at least I know what to expect should a 2nd visit come around. We might try the grill then. Good first run. Their lunch options and pricing are incredible. Will return!

Food wise, Japanese BBQ is always a premium dining experience and I did enjoy the quality of the food here! However service and add-on fees kind of dimmed the vibe for us. Service is more hands-off than I'm used to and we would've loved more recommendations or help with the grill. There were moments where the fire was FLAMING all of a sudden and we were just like ooops hope nothing burned? Some edges definitely got too burned. Just for the price we're paying some help and guidance would've been appreciated. They also charge for EVERYTHING here-- even lemon slices! Nothing is free!! Extra salt is $1. Extra wasabi $1. 2 quarter slices of lemon $0.50. Are they crazy prices? No. But just feels like a transaction more than a dining experience at this point. BBQ meat like this needs the salt and lemon and wasabi to be fully enjoyed. Would I pay for it again? Yes. Did I like the fact that I had to pay for it? No. We ordered a variety of meats. Everything was good. No complaints about the quality. Wish we got guidance on how to best cook each cut or if high/low heat is preferred. The rice set ($10) comes with 2 rice, 2 soups, 1 salad and 1 bowl of bean sprouts. Definitely a good addition to the meal so it's not just meat. The motsunabe ($48) isn't noteworthy. I'd skip. There was SO MUCH cabbage and not that much intestine. Some pieces of intestine were very chewy. They brought it pretty early on into the meal. If they asked we would've said we prefer it at the end of the meal. The meal was fine but we didn't walk out feeling amazing. Next time if we come back it'll just be to try the lunch special. That looks like what most other people were ordering anyways. Parking is easy and they accept reservations.

I'm very particular with Japanese wagyu and this place blew my expectations. Decently priced and very good service. Just like how every restaurant should be. It's definitely a place I will be coming back to, like next week. I absolutely love how quiet it was and there wasn't a lot of people as well. Thank you Yamaya for delicious food and awesome service!

Love this place! Don't know what to order? Just order their barbecue special. Amazing deal for less than $80 for two people. Four kinds of excellent cuts of meat. Highly recommend adding on their rice set for an additional $9.80. You get a small green salad, a bean sprout salad, two soups, and two bowls of rice. Cook the slices to your liking. My mouth is watering just thinking of Yamaya!

Miyazaki A5 set is worth it! Pretty cheap compared to other similar restaurants for the beef quality! The beef is tender and buttery. Fresh wasabi that they gave is a plus, it even makes the beef taste better. The restaurant is clean and the service is great.

I think that their food is great, but the service was not too good. Not sure why.... I'll try to visit them again in the future.

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.

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.

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!

I love the meat here. The A-5 wagyu really melted in your mouth but one small plate is enough as it gets too greasy after as while. Good service. Would definitely come back again. Good price point and quality compared to a lot of other similar wagyu restaurants in the area

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

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.

Food & Service are both excellent. But really special are the cuts of fresh meat. Absolutely delicious!

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 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

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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!

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.

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

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

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.

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!

First time here! Worth the drive~ house pickle is to die for also their combo meat is good and their wagyu THE BEST! I love they provided wasabi because it was sooo good. And their intestine soup was the bomb! It was a long drive but I will definitely come back!

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.

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.

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.

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.