Yamazato

An excellent sushi place off the Little River Turnpike, straddling the line between casual and elegant. Perhaps more old-school than modern, but that doesn't detract from the food and service. Absolutely great place to sit down and chill, or to enjoy a great meal. Doesn't have to be sushi, they also have Thai.

I loved their sushi here! Some of the best I have had in the area! Their poke bowl was delicious too! Cocktails also great, cant wait to be back!

Tried this place after reading the reviews, and it was great! No reservation needed on a Saturday night. We had the Godzilla roll, a spicy tuna roll (forgot the exact name), fried rice, and Pad See Ew—everything was delicious. We’ll be back to try more rolls!

I like this place a lot but the take out portions on beef (KawPow) are so small compare to a spicy eggplant! Smaller than any lunch portions around Alexandria. Please don’t cut on food supply and service quality on take out vs dinning in! Extremely dissatisfied and disappointed about cutting portions! Not when you are paying $18-19 a dish!

A very quiet and relaxing restaurant with great attention to a customer's needs. I haven't been here in over 5 years and the sushi, fried calamari, and spring rolls are as delicious as ever. Everything that I ordered came out perfectly, tasted amazing, and the serving size was just right. The cost is comparable with local sushi restaurants in the area, but it's my personal opinion that the customer service and quality has an edge over others.

I’ve been coming to Yamazato Sushi since 2015, and it’s the reason I even eat sushi today! The food is always fresh, delicious, and priced very well. The service has consistently been top tier all these years, and the prices have stayed reasonable without ever compromising quality. There’s plenty of parking, great drinks, and lots of options even for folks who don’t eat sushi. I absolutely love this place and recommend it to anyone looking for an amazing sushi spot.

My family loves to go there when we are in the area. Food is so good, we get excited and always order more than we can eat 😆 🤣

Food was amazing! Their Chirashi special had big cuts of fish so it was filling and tasted fresh. What a great find!

I would rate this between a 4 and a 5, but rounded my score up. This is a nice neighborhood spot that checks all the marks of doing "the classics" while still offering some specialty dishes. I think the quality of the fish was quite good and even the tempura crispy bits felt like they were fried recently because they were perfectly airy and crispy and not greasy or soggy. Our server was pleasant and the food at lunch hour came out fairly quickly. Sometimes I'm not looking for that 10 seat omakase experience and all I want is a spicy tuna roll. I know this is a strange recommendation, but the lasagna roll is lowkey amazing.

4.5 - delicious sushi and great service. Clean, comfortable restaurant with ample seating. Sushi special pieces were wonderful. My only slight nitpick is that the sushi was slightly too room temperature, but it may be a preference thing. Great to see this local gem is still around and serving good food.

This was a choice of our friends who are living not far from the restaurant and invited us for dinner. So, I didn't know what to expect,but I'm happy for this decision!!! Ambience was kind of usual for sushi/asian eatery,service was nice and smooth. We had a bunch of rolls to share and they were great! My favorites were Kimchi spicy tuna roll,Snowman roll and Tiger fur( this is probably the best) . Will be back,if happen to be around.

I stopped in a half hour before closing. I ordered Salmon sashimi and the sea scallop sushi. The food was delicious the ambiance was great and the service was superb. It was a quick in and out. Not quite 5 stars but it is worth a trip.

Yamazato was a pleasant surprise! I'd driven past it many times but it's in such a random office center, I wasn't really sure if it held much promise. Turns out, it does! Their calamari appetizer was excellent. Various types and very crunchy batter. The gyoza are AWESOME. But only a handful of pieces per order, so maybe get two? Service was polite but food prep took a lot longer than expected. I think that was the only downside. The restaurant was spacious but unfortunately if you're sitting in the back (like us with kids) you may smell some chemicals from the kitchen/bathroom. The sushi was fresh and super delish. I didn't expect that from a place that also serves Thai and Korean food. Well done!

DD and in went here for the first time Saturday afternoon to check out the closest sushi place to my new digs. When we walked into the place, it looked like a legit sushi house with a well stocked bar. Ambiance was mid upscale. We got gyoza, four rolls, a couple of a la nigiri. Gyoza was perfect. Crunchy outside and perfectly juicy and flavorful inside. The sushi did not disappoint. There was a wide selection of rolls and the menu was diverse enough to please non sushi eaters also. They had noodle dishes, teriyaki and poke bowls as well. Each roll had thick meaty pieces of fish and avocado that melted in your mouth. They were perfectly formed and rye rice was tender and moist. The gyoza came out quickly and the sushi followed soon after. The server was friendly, attentive and prompt. We were both very pleased with the whole experience and and will definitely be back.

Service needs a lot of work at this location and that's likely why they are empty most of the time. I was met with hostility and arguments when trying to place a recent order. Yamazato.net has cost calculation issues for online orders, and the site requires you to create a profile just to submit an order -- archaic. Service has also been subpar when dining in. The manager has been rude and resistant to feedback so I won't be returning. Try Akeno, Kyoto, or Sushi Jin for a better experience!

It was Thanksgiving eve, 11/26/24, between 6:30-7:30pm, and like everyone else, the place was clean, the food was good, but my daughter and I barely made it to the parking lot before we were both vomiting profusely. We had Pork Gyoza, the Papaya Salad, and Pork Drunken Noodles. I also had Miso Soup, and Jasmine Tea. My daughter had Thai Tea. We both were very happy, because we thought the food was very well done, but to prove we weren't wrong, I brought home the Papaya Salad and Drunken Noodles for my son. He also threw up profusely within an hour of eating. I called the restaurant to tell them, and told them I had to report it to the Health Department. The person I spoke with at Yamazato said "the Manager or Owner wasn't there, and said it's the same food we always serve, and that I could report it all I want, but that they wanted a copy of the report." I saved some food (refrigerated and bagged) for testing. We thought something had been put in the Food. I am a Food Safety Trainer, and a certified and licensed Food Safety Manager. I am also a 50 year Food Service professional. Our responses to the food was violent and swift. We all fell very I'll very quickly after consuming the food, but immediately felt better after throwing up. Technically with 3 of us falling ill, that is considered an outbreak!

My whole family wanted sushi, so we ended up here. We were seated immediately. Service was prompt with placing our orders but we had to wait a long time for our dinners. Fortunately our appetizers came fast: calamari and gyoza were delicious! Miso soups were eaten fast. We ordered 3 rolls: kamikaze, snow man and summer dragon. Both kamikaze and summer dragon were delicious. Sashimi orders: salmon, yellow tail, tobiko, tuna and mackerel. The sashimi piece were huge! Fish quality was good. They were so good our kids got more salmon sashimi and yellow tails. Our daughter does not recommend the mackerel sashimi. My hubby also ordered their eggplant with pork (Thai). It was served with a side of rice and it was very filling.

Delicious local place. Good ambiance and nice service. Tuna is delicious I order all the time on UberEats and this was my first time in person. Would recommend both!

The service is great! Comfortable ambiance with lots of booths to sit in. We got the eel roll, California roll and spicy salmon roll. They were all excellent. Requested eel sauce on the side and they gave it to us with no problem. I really suggest this awesome place, try it!

First time here tonight; checking out spots near my new home and was Uber impressed! Much better than the sushi spots in Old Town. Service was very fine; nothing to elaborate about our order and she did a fine job. Ambiance is lovely; very comfy booths, lovely sushi bar and super duper clean. Will be back soon, and again after that;)

One of my favorite sushi restaurants in the area. The fish is fresh, delicious, and reasonably priced. The service is great. Pictured: Summer Dragon Roll

We were there last week for carryout. We live about an hour away, and we're coming back from Virginia and decided to stop. There were no other customers, which was a little concerning, considering it was nice inside and in a busy area. But it was late, and a Wednesday, so we didn't think too much of it. We probably stuck out a bit, and requested to order carry-out. It took us a long time to order, and my bf looked up many photos of the rolls, so I'm guessing we looked like we wouldn't know about better...? Anyway, we drove almost an hour home with our order. We got two cocktails while we were waiting, and the bill was around $150... First bite of the salmon (sake) sashimi... It was smoked. We placed several orders for sashimi and nigiri sake, and every single piece was basically lox. I'm not sure if they were *trying* to get rid of it, or if they didn't have actual sake at that point in the evening, and thought we just wouldn't know any better...? I have no idea. Looking at the menu, I see that smoked salmon actually costs more than raw, which makes zero sense to me, as it will keep longer when it's cured and it's not uncommon for sushi places to do this if they feel their fish isn't quite "fresh" enough for sushi, but it's not spoiled. One roll we got had some actual salmon sake in it, and it was fairly decent. The other rolls were surprisingly disappointing... The fish just wasn't fresh tasting at all. I was hoping that because rolls are just... Often junky... Using fillers, covered up with sauces, etc... That the sashimi and nigiri would redeem the rest, but when it was all smoked... Ugh. We paid SO much money and it seemed they were trying to pawn off their end-of-day trash on us. Did they really think we'd not notice cured salmon?? Including pics for proof. Clearly you can even *see* that it's been cured. Every single piece. Absolutely inexcusable. I'm thinking their high ratings and awards are old and they just are relying on those to get by and are now going downhill and cutting corners, thinking people won't notice. Gross and infuriating.

I went to Yamazato Sushi & Spice with my friends last night and I needed to write a review right away. We went around 7:00 and I was expecting it to be super busy, but even though there were enough patrons inside, we were seated right away. The ambiance is quiet but also very relaxed, which is perfect for my friends and I, as I don't like to be yelling at the person right across from me. I ended up getting one of the chilled sakes (Asian Pear flavor) which was crisp and refreshing. I also ended up getting a sushi meal. The name is escaping me, but it's the one just less than the Sushi Deluxe meal. It comes with soup, salad, and delicious nigiri and a California roll. As much as I'm not a fan of California rolls, I love how they wrap the avocado around the inside of the roll. The texture was so smooth and it made it that much more delicious. The shrimp nigiri is never a favorite so that might be the only one I didn't care for, but everything else was delicious. Even the white tuna was good because there was a sear on the side of it which gave it a much more delicious flavor. The sushi chefs are fast here. They are extremely skilled. The host and servers were all very attentive. I am definitely going to come back here. I've had bad experiences at some sushi restaurants in the Northern Virginia area, but Yamazato exceeded my expectations!

Done-in or delivery the service and food are always good. I enjoy the Godzilla roll the most. I've also had the Japanese lasagna and a few of the appetizers. The restaurant ambience is nice. The place is big enough that everyone can have an intimate experience at their booth.

I did carryout order for lunch special sushi. Their tuna rolls went bad and they had tuna discoloration, a sign of spoiled tuna. I even tasted and made sure it went bad. So I called the restaurant on the same date and reported it to the owner. He said he would give me a new one on the next day. I went to the restaurant next day and he denied the food went bad and said our food was fresh and good. And he said I am confused and he gave me a partial discount only for the next order. They lied to me on the phone and made me a liar at the restaurant. If this business breaks promises, don't be surprised. You are not the only one.

This is the worst Japanese restaurant in several respects: 1. The so called special rolls costing 16 and higher are actually regular rolls in size and shapes that cost 6.50-7.50 at other places. They are cheating their customers. 2. The miso soup is in such a small cup, and cost 3. When I asked for more soup. They charged me again for another cup.the first cup they brought over was only half a cup! 3. The waitress was not friendly. Don't go there! They are simply rubbing the customers

Excellent restaurant for chirashi, sashimi and sushi. The fish is always fresh and the beer is cold. Fast, friendly and efficient service in a low key setting. Highly recommended.

Easily one of the best sushi restaurants in the area. I've gone here a few times in person and gotten DoorDash from them and every single time the sushi is amazing. The rolls are a bit pricier than a few of other sushi restaurants in the area but the quality and taste cannot be matched. The service has always been exquisite and the restaurant decor is aesthetically appealing which really helps add to the dining experience. The other night I got Crispy Duck Wontons, and the Eagle and Special D rolls and was not disappointed. The wontons were fried perfectly and the Eagle and Special D rolls were filling. I have leftovers for today. Can't recommend them enough!

I order my miso very specifically and the restaurant not only provides the soup to my liking (without an allergen), but it's so incredibly delicious. Additionally, I appreciate how kind the staff is. One of my favorite miso places in the area.

Eas excited to try sushi at this place, seeing all the certificates... seems like the restaurant has lost it's greatness over years. Pretty bad quality sushi. Ordered a bunch of rolls and a specialty Potomac roll (very greasy and sugary), I don't think there was one roll I truly enjoyed. Tempura quite tasteless as well. Wouldn't come back. There are better options around. Price-wise too expensive for what you get.. Do not recommend. 1 extra star for the beer good tasting Sapporo.

I've been here a handful of times before and it never disappoints. The selection and quality is superb and we were amazed by the white tuna, we had to reorder more during our meal.

Found this place by accident, must say having tried other places similar menu options, ambiance, and the fact that the sushi chefs were both Japanese gentlemen was a cut above the rest within this area. Food was really good, and the nigiri cuts were similar compared to many good restaurants in Chiba, JP. Yamazato would now be my only go-to place for Japanese cuisine in this area, not to mention the superb service received despite arriving 30minutes prior to closing, bravo! Will definitely be back for more!

Amazing service. The owner is the most genuinely friendly guy. The food is just as incredible.

This review is based on who is employed. I've been complaining that the restaurant lost a life long customer because they continued to employ Don Gladden who stole $450 from me as a delivery guy. He's still there if I was told correctly. Shame on the owners. Your reputation is not just based on your food (which apparently has taken a big hit downwards) but also your loyalty to customer service.

Our first experience with Yamazato was a carry out order during the week. Two noodle dishes and two sushi rolls. Drunken noodles were very good and Pad See Ew was just okay. Avocado roll and crunchy Yellow Tail roll were both good. I suspect the crunchy rolls are even better when dining in, but both rolls were good and I would order them again. The gentleman at the front who took payment and gave us our order was very nice. I'm interested in dining in to see how things fare.

Once again left satisfied, this time around we tried there lettuce wraps and was beyond satisfied! Also tried Tropical Monsoon and the Summer Dragon, deliciousness in every bite. The Monsoon had this fresh taste thanks to mango and dragon came with a sauce underneath the roll that was amazing! Thanks again guys!

It had been years since we last visited Yamazato, not because our last experience was bad, but more so due to the many Asian food options closer to home. We were in the area this weekend and thought why not go back? First off, the Lettuce Wraps are a must try! Beware that the dish is quite spicy, but the minced chicken tossed in red onion, scallion, cilantro, and lime juice is simply wonderful, reminding me of one of "larb," one of my very favorite Thai dishes. It also comes with a huge plate of fresh lettuce, so you will have more than enough wraps to go around. When we arrived I also spoke to the chef to see what he recommended for sushi. He recommended the Blue Fin Toro. He also said the bronzini (European sea bass). Of course, I had to try both and I must say that the toro was outstanding. It came served with a dash of gold flakes on top, which I thought was a bit over the top, but the flavor was rich, fatty, and surprisingly balanced for toro. I thought the cut was a Chu-toro, but our server was completely clueless about any of the non-menu items, so I couldn't ask her to verify. In fact, our sever was totally clueless about all of the sushi. I asked her to ask the chef if they had uni and where it was from, and also to find out what the specials where. She came back and rattled off three items (it wasn't even all of the specials that I saw written on the wall when I entered). I then asked her how much the Toro and Bronzini were. She said, I don't know but they are over $20. I said, that doesn't sound right, and she said she was correct. Frustrated, I got up and talked to the chef and he said the Toro was $16 and the Bronzini $7. Ha! Anyway, besides our clueless server, we actually had a nice meal. The lettuce wraps were great and so was the nigiri. Too bad Yamazato is so far from home or we would be back more often.

This was my first time here. It was recommended by neighbors on the Next Door app. I ordered two cooked specialty rolls and a California Roll, all with brown rice. Each roll was delicious and I was glad to have the brown rice option. I'm washing it down with a Sapporo that only comes in the large. I will keep trying more spots based on the list of recommendations received on the app but this one is worth a return trip.

Came in on Sunday around 5:20pm right after they opened. There was only 1 family there and myself. The service was still slow. I ordered 2 drinks at the bar and I don't think the bartender knew how to make them. If they're complicated then don't put it on the menu I guess. My to go order took forever as well. The sushi was good but nothing better than what u get at other places. I feel like they charge a lot here. I won't be coming back

We used to eat here pre-covid and now we're regulars with take out. We usually only get sushi from here so this review is purely on my experience with sushi. I really enjoy their ume shiso roll, tamago nigiri, Eskimo shrimp roll, and shrimp tempura roll. Sashimi and nigiri are pretty decent too. The one fault with their sashimi is that it is super thick cut. You can ask to have it cut thinner (you'll just get more pieces!). I've tried their vegetarian roll and found it too big. I also didn't like the oshinko in it (next time I'll ask to omit it). Overall, solid place for their quality and price. Plus it's close to home. I would definitely recommend to neighbors!

Our go to sushi joint (we live in Annandale). Even we lived closer would still probably order from here. Have only done take out but their process is seamless for online order. Sashimi is fresh and delicious. Prices are reasonable although a bit high for simpler maki rolls. The salad dressing they have tastes homemade and is AMAZING! Is not crowded much from when I have visited so seems like a good environment if you want a non chaotic ambiance. Hostess processing my order always seems cordial and quick to provide pickup. Would highly recommend.

Wow! More people should come here! Such a cute spot with fresh, delicious sushi! We got the yellowtail roll, two shrimp tempura rolls, and a surf clam nigiri. Everything was fresh and crispy, well dressed sushi. The drunken noodle was good! And mango sticky rice could use more coconut milk but it was pretty on point and lightly sweet. The interior was adorable! Waitress and owner was great too.

I order to-go often as it is my local sushi spot. The sushi has great presentation and they separate the hot and cold sushi by container. I also enjoy their Yaki Udon and you can select more of less spicy on the Drunken Noodles. The knocks are there are no substitutes on any of the sushi and I used to think the prices were a bit high, but they have remained the same throughout the pandemic and subsequent inflation period. Also, the staff is nice and attentive for to-go services.

This has become one of my new favorite sushi spots in VA. Yamazato is the way to GO! The service is impeccable and the sushi chefs really know their fish. I highly recommend this place.

Had an excellent experience here tonight. Looking forward to coming back! Sushi was very high quality.

I Wanted to try this place because the pictures on Yelp looks so good! Looks like Yelp was right . Good tasting sushi, nigiri and sashimi. Looking forward to trying more variations!

I go to a lot of sushi restaurants in the DC area, and around the world. Yamazato is one I keep coming back to. The food and the service is always top tier. 10/10 recommend. They Gyoza is phenomenal btw!

Very good sushi. We ordered the Salmon Sashimi and it was fresh and big slices definitely worth the money. We had a couple different rolls and everything is very good. Definitely will be coming back.

Everything is always great. Don't judge a book by its cover and let the location fool you!!

Great food and friendly service. Reasonably priced with a laid back atmosphere. Our go-to sushi spot

Yamazatos is AMAZING. Their sashimi is always thick cut, have amazing rolls, & their thai food is to die for. Always have cravings for Yamazatos when I'm in the area. My favorite is their Sashimi deluxe, drunken noodle, & calamari. Definitely would recommend this place to anyone in the area

With so many sushi restaurant choices in DC area, was difficult to decide. SO glad we chose this restaurant for our first visit. It was the 'little details' that made this a top choice. Aside from cloth napkins and stainless chop sticks, not cheap wooden ones... #1 Green tea. It was not just hot water with a tea bag. It was a pot with tea and roasted rice which gives it a distinct flavor. It was delicious AND I thought the rest would be good too, based on this fine detail, in MY mind any way:) #2 Gyoza Cooked to perfection. Sauce was a tasty compliment Presentation was also nice to see. Not just 6 rolls on a plate. #3 Chef Rolls Like spicy, so ordered Crunchy kimchee tuna Dragon fire Volcano Kamikaze All of them were tasty, but the Kamikaze was my fave Was a perfect blend of taste and texture The crunchy kimchee could have been spicier for my taste #4 GINGER was fresh and not the 'pink, pickled' cheaper version #5 SERVICE Very good! Ben, waited on us #6 PRICES Competitive and certainly worth it! Granted, there are cheaper sushi places around, but it depends on your individual taste and budget. Gave 4 stars for now Want to compare it with more sushi restos in area Will certainly return

I dined in for lunch today. Service was good. Restaurant was clean. I'm not a big fan of Americanized sushi rolls. I ordered some nigiri. I ordered the fatty yellowtail (which was very tough). I ordered the bluefin tuna (this was ok). I ordered the Uni, which was on the board, but it did not taste fresh at all. Finally I ordered the Spicy Crunchy Yellowtail Roll. This was really good actually. Good fish to rice ratio, nice crunch and it tasted really fresh. It just wasn't at all spicy. I drank water with a lemon in it since it was lunch time. My chief complaint is the price. My tab was $70 not including tip. I think that's quite pricy for middling sushi in Annandale.

Sorry for such a late post! Decided to take a pic while eating! We ordered 3 rolls. Kamikazi, special d, and dragon fire. As well as the special sashimi combo. We also ordered a curry to try and well. The food is amazing! Everything tastes fresh, and you can see them prepare everything up front. I'd recommend the dragon fire! That was my favorite! The entire experience was delicious. The manager or owner comes out to check up on you as well! Highly recommend this place! All for a decent price!!! Not as expensive as other sushi places around that dont serve as good food!

The worst service I ever had !!! I ordered home and they mistaken my order when I called they hung up on me !!! After saying they have nothing to do!!! Without even hearing my answer!! I asked to talk with the manager and they say he is not there and hung up on me again!! I Never felt so disappointed and disrespectful In my life!

Hand's down the best sushi around - friends tell me they know the best sushi, we go and it's well, just okay ... so then it's my turn to tell them that I TRULY DO KNOW the BEST and freshest sushi and once they visit Yamazato with me, they're hooked! They have a great atmosphere, well designed with tasteful decor and good lighting. Their staff is friendly, respectful, polite and accommodating - they continuously scan their customers' tables and come in at just the right time to collect plates, refill drinks etc - they all move gracefully and carefully and without interruption to their diners. I love how beautiful the food is on the plate when it arrives - a visual delight - truly a wonderful experience from start to finish. I have been a loyal customer for over 15 years and will be forever.

What can I say? This place is absolutely one of my favorite spots to go! The portion sizes are very generous; fish to rice ratio is on point. Large slices of fish so you don't feel like you're just eating large amount of rice. My favorite item to order is always the sashimi deluxe; large sashimi portions so make sure you come hungry! Their spicy tuna hand roll is by far the largest hand roll I have ever had! Very worth trying. The affordability, portion size, and variety earns them the 5 star. The staff is courteous and engaging. The owner is also very friendly. It's a great place to start your sushi experience and continue it. If you're in Alexandria; Kingstown; Springfield; this is the place to go! I recently moved 45 mins away; and I still make the drive! One of the best in Northern VA!