YESS AQUATIC

THE ABSOLUTE BEST seafood you can get in Los Angeles! If only every part of every city had something like this, the world would be a better place! The rockfish sashimi is pure bliss, and the katsu fish sandwich puts every other fish sandwich on earth to shame!

When you eat fresh fish, you can tell the difference. Even when it’s cooked and in a sandwich. And if you don’t know, then you should try this place. Everything tastes clean and unadulterated, staying true to Japanese cuisine where they often let the ingredients speak for themselves. From what I know, I think the chef catches the fish himself at times. The ridgeback prawn sandwich was good, although I was craving for some sauce or spread, something to add a little oomph. The blackened cod sandwich was nice with geilled flavors. I think overall, portion is small for the price, so just set your expectations right when you come, you’re paying for the quality!

Just walked out of Afuri still hungry. And wanted to try The Shrimp Bahn Mi style sandwich. This so fresh and so clean! I believe this is one of their signature items. I can’t wait to come back and try some others.

First they gave the wrong order after a 20 minutes waiting, the drink tandarin or something similar name 8$ didn’t like it at all . The fish sandwich they said that was rock fish, it was nice but small and 16$ so all together was 25$ for a sandwich the drink I rather water instead super expensive kool-aid.

The vegetarian option was delicious! I went with some work friends, but would definitely go back on my own. I swear some of the best sandwiches I've ever had have been from food trucks in LA. Also, I sprung for the Arnold Palmer, which I noticed was a little expensive for a non-alcoholic drink, but I was really in the mood. It made sense after I got it, though: high-quality and they put fresh mint on top, I loved it.

I really enjoyed the food there. The team behind the window are great chefs. This is not the typical food truck fare. The sandwich buns are incredible and the fish is perfectly crisp. The fries are more like English chips, not crunchy, not soggy, not greasy, and not burned. I could eat those all day. The drinks are quite unique.

Can't speak for rest of the menu, but the fish curry was abysmal, and at $18, a total rip off regardless of quality. Every aspect was poor. The quantity of fish, while cooked properly, was tiny, perhaps 4 or 5 bites, and without flavor of it own. The rice tasted like cold tap water, was overcooked and soggy. The curry was gritty and nearly sour, like a brick of instant curry but without any characteristic sweetness or smooth texture. I don't know if it went off or not. I did not expect fast food style curry but this was so far at the other end it was unpalatable. The pickled onion and cabbage were not to my taste either and I usually enjoy tsukemono very much. I have rarely been more disappointed, especially considering the reputation this place seems to have. I do not usually post reviews but I had to throw this food away and felt cheated. Two stars simply because I only tried one dish.

The flavors explode in your mouth! The quality of the fish is amazing and the preparations are superb and intriguing. Take the curry for example: it is an ingenious combination of Japanese flavors and French Bouillabaisse. The Bouillabaisse side reminds me of the best Bouillabaisse I have eaten on the Marseille coast. The sashimi salad is amazing as well. It is such a fresh mix of so many different flavors that combine beautifully. Some of the dishes are pricy for a food truck, but keep in mind that the fish is strictly sourced from local fishermen and has been processed in a special way so as to retain its freshness and flavor. Overall this is still a great value given the quality of the food.

We had a great experience at YESS! The restaurant is so beautiful and quiet, and the service was perfect. Our server was very mindful of us and never tried to interrupt us (she understood we were two friends who were catching up on a lot that night, haha), but she never neglected us either. They explained the menu well and each dish that we were served. I would recommend the sashimi, the age-tofu and the pork belly for sure. But everything tasted perfect! We were here on a weeknight so parking in the lot next door was super easy ($20 total if you plan to stay more than 2 hours).

Incredible interior design 5 stars. This space and concept have amazing potential unfortunately on this visit the food fell very flat. Because of this, it did not feel like we got a good value for the experience. Still Water carafes have a tiny stone at the bottom - I hope this doesn't result in glass breakage over time. Was fun to look at though We got - The pickles 8$: Small selection of very mild pickles. Almost as if doused in a light hint of vinegar. The radish was the most flavorful. 4/10 The fava beans 18$: Very small dish. Lightly charred and lacking salt. The beans are delicate and tasty but nothing to write home about. Some bean pods had no beans inside: luck of the draw I guess. Felt like price did not reflect the dish well. 5/10 The sashimi of the day 52$: Rockfish has a different texture than I'm used to but was tasty. It definitely has more chew. The plating came with another small helping of shelled fava beans and tiny portion of wasabi. The yellowtail was super thick - maybe the thickest slices I have ever had for sashimi. Was quite tasty. The fish was locally caught from Santa Barbara. Could use more wasabi. 7.5/10 The miso black cod 38$: Best dish of the evening! Flavorful, most tender flaky cod I've ever eaten. Out of everything we got this was a must. Comes with a garnish of radish in a sweet sauce 10/10 The Passion fruit Sochu 17$ was delicious, perfectly sweet. The grapefruit Sochu 17$ tasted like children's amoxicillin (not necessarily in a bad way) Definitely want to see this place flourish since it has so much potential and is local, but I think they may want to adjust some of their menu items to be better. Service was great and it seemed like all the servers help eachother out nicely. Was unsure who our primary server was though. Love the open concept kitchen. I know it is their first week so 5 stars for a great open and space. Great work so far, I wish they best of luck in business and hope they work on improving their dishes.

Delicious and delightful! Outstanding service, dazzling ambience, incredible wood-burning smell as soon as you enter, and truly spectacular food. An all around great experience and a definite 5-star. We had an incredible (Irish) server and enjoyed meeting and chatting with the chef. Everyone was helpful, kind, positive and friendly. We loved our cocktails, bubbly and awesome sake. Each dish we had was delicious and beautiful. Some of our favorites included: pickled veges, black cod, fava beans, vegetable chirashi, sashimi, rockfish papillote and vegetable rice. The open concept kitchen was entertaining to watch and the smells and sights were awesome. Loved the experience and will return!

From the team at the Yess Aquatic food truck comes this new restaurant! Beautiful ambiance- minimal and Japanese. The hostesses were super kind, and the staff walks around and talks with a certain tone, there's definitely some training in making sure there's a delicateness in the way they hold themselves. Tbh, it's almost like something from The Menu movie- so if you're ok with that vibe, you'd be pleased. The food was fine- we started off with some wine and fish katsu and marinated mushrooms, and then continued to the grilled miso black cod and master stock braised pork. The miso was super flavorful, sweet and tender- definitely the way miso cod should be. The other dishes we had were super light. I thought the master stock would actually be packed with flavor and complexity, but that too was pretty light. We skipped out on the kakigori because it's half the size of Tonchin's and again, not sure if the complexity is there yet so for $20, we opted not to do that. The same reason we didn't finish with the onigiri as they suggested, because uh, not sure how much mental gymnastics we'd have to do to appreciate sprouted brown rice balls for $15. That said, so if you love meals that are light, delicate, slightly on the smaller size, then the menu is great! Though if you prefer dishes that pack flavor, flavor profiles that vary greatly from plate to plate and a menu that exhibits more range, then I'd wait for the menu to evolve after a few months. Frank on Eater does a great job with the feature article in representing the food and the space, though I suggest checking it out yourself!

So, I'm not one to want to bring down a new restaurant at ALL! Of course, there's a struggle when you open, and I've actually been on the other side of that. My hope is that the staff and owners will read this, improve, and then of course I'm more than happy to re-review. The issue: The food was bad. That is quite literally it. And I'm so so sorry to write it because I live nearby and wanted to love it! I just truly don't know what happened here. Amuse-Bouche was chilled cucumbers. Maybe lightly brined? It was nice, but I think it's supposed to be just one bite? (Technically) Kind of felt like a kid gnawing on a cucumber but whatever, it was crunchy. Sashimi Plate: $40 for 8 slices. Apparently it's caught/Killed in a way that it doesn't release stress hormone. Cool? Texture was slimy & waxy. Not good- Wasabi was legit though. Served with salt- Would have preferred the traditional Soy. Marinated Mushrooms: Fine? Didn't taste great, lots of woodear. Basically felt like a $2 side dish at a Chinese Restaurant. Didn't finish. Pickles: NOT PICKLED? Basically served carrots. Weird. Didn't finish. Pork Belly: It was pork belly! Nothing else to say. Everywhere else does it the same for half/quarter of the price. Super nice interior, but the staff felt CULTY! Seriously. It was super off-putting. Maybe it's performance art and it'll be some big viral social thing on people paying a bunch for bad food and weird service? $160... I dunno. I feel so bad for writing this, but I definitely don't want others to make the same mistake. The Yellowtail Main next to me looked dry, so I didn't order it. So sorry. I hope they figure it out. It's tough.

Yess was a huge noo from me.. don't get me wrong, staff was super attentive and the ambiance kind of felt like I was in Nine Perfect Strangers (iykyk). One thing to note though: for a more elevated dining experience, I felt the servers were a little green. I had asked our server about a dish on the menu and the way she explained it felt like someone wasn't quizzed on the menu, confidence and knowledge lacking. An improv actor could've explained it better LOL The place had a super clean aesthetic and was very minimal which we loveeee. Now moving onto the subpar food.. The amuse bouche for the night was some sort of lightly salted cucumbers served ice cold. We ordered: Grilled Manganji and Katsuobushi 3/5 The manganji had a nice bite to it, taste is similar to that of shishito peppers in that 1/10 are spicy. The freshly shaved bonito flakes made the dish special but overall the dish was nothing to write home about. Today's sashimi w/ blue fin tuna, yellowtail, halibut and rockfish 3/5 For the price/portion size/quality it's not worth imo. If you've ever been to Sushi Gen or Nana San you knowwwwwww the quality is insane so I suggest going there instead. The highlight was the fresh wasabi and the rockfish paired w/ calamansi and ground sesame seeds!! Grilled Age-Tofu and Eggplant 2/5 Nothing exciting, however I enjoyed the ginger as it added freshness to the dish. Pork Belly Kakuni 3.5/5 Refreshing bite with grapefruit suprèmes but maybe I'm just a hater bc my viet mom AND grandma AND aunties AND uncles could make thịt kho better than thisssss. I know the dish is not trying to be thịt kho bc Japanese cuisine is very light and clean but it came off like it. Grilled Whole Sole 1/5 We got this bc they were sold out of the yellowtail head and collar for the night, but if I could turn back time I would've chosen something else. The fish was severely over cooked to the point where the whole mid section was quite dry. Leaner/white fish is so easy to overcook. I wish they would've pulled it out sooner. Our theory is the whole sole was overcooked to achieve the crispiness of the skin/fins but it compromised the meat to the point that it turned dry AF. Drier than your grandpa's ashy legs that hasn't touched moisturizer in decades. While we enjoyed the flavors and pairing of dressed up grated daikon, the whole fish was just a bummerrrrr. Overall, very simplistic menu options where the fresh ingredients speak for themselves. But to me the place did not live up to the hype. However, it is the perfect dining option if you're in the mood to eat two dinners. Here first and another restaurant after because this meal just left everything to be desired.

Junya and his team provide a truly incredible experience for everyone who walks in the door. If you arrive around sunset, you get to dine as the sun pours into the space while every dish glows as they set it on your table The food itself is simple, elegant and delicious. The pork belly dish is incredible and we order every time we go. Other highlights include the Stone Fruit Salad, Monks Chirashi, todays Sashimi, Pork Steak. Their menu is always changing based off availability of local produce. The sake program is also standout

Yess Restaurant is a welcome and fantastic addition to the DTLA food scene. My wife and I were looking for a new date night spot and found it at Yess. The restaurant has a beautiful minimalistic aesthetic with an open view to the kitchen, which I enjoyed. It was fun to watch the smooth behind the scenes activity. Service was spot on and our server was great in recommending dishes for us to try. A few of the items included the sashimi of the day, the fish was perfect. The Pork Belly Kakuni and Beef Steak with Spring Vegetables. Two additional highlights that I can't stop thinking about were the Smoked Beef Tartare and Monk's Chirashi-Sushi. To me those are not to be missed. I'm looking forward to going back.

I hate to admit it but I've had a lot of fine dining experiences, which gives me a decent amount of knowledge in the experience as a whole. The food was good here and the service staff did a good job. So why two stars?? The owner (who was smiles during all of the service for all of the bar patrons) gave my whole table dirty looks as we walked out of the restaurant. I rarely complain but wow was it nasty. All of us said good bye and thank you and he just gave us dead pan stone cold killer look. We had a great time and we laughed but we weren't obnoxious or anything. Just left a bad taste in our mouths to end on. I hate to be that guy who reviews a business on one specific element but I'm still baffled.

Absolutely beautiful place. The design and all of the thought that went into the small details of curating the space were done really well. The food was good, but a bit underwhelming at times. The pork was a bit dry and rough. The dishes were unique and inventive and the sake was delicious. Overall a good experience that I'm sure will get better over time.

My husband and I are free divers. My husband is a spearfisher. We know something about fresh fish. The fish here is not only fresh. It is IKEJIME. Chef Junya works with local fisherman and trains them to IKEJIME the fish they catch so that the quality of the fish is higher and fresher than any other fish. He is a kind and generous guy who actually pays considerably more for fish caught and treated this way. Chef Junya has a deep respect for the ocean and for harvesting from the ocean in a way that is not only sustainable but also good for the local economy. The restaurant is beautiful and the service is amazing. In terms of food, today we had the "sashimi of the day" and it was worth it. The fish was incredible. I especially liked having the three types of Blue Fin tuna...lean, medium fat and toro. We also really enjoyed the pork belly, halibut fritters and the vegan chirashi. The sake and wine are also very special...natural. We will be coming back for sure. Next time we are planning to try some of the beef. It was amazing to watch it being prepared. Looking forward to coming back.

Holy F WOW! Yo, don't sleep on this spot! My friend took me here yesterday and the food is soooo beyond good. The flavors are so unique and original. Everyone is dressed like the movie "the life aquatic" and employees are so nice. I think the chef is a gourmet chef from London? If my adhd wasn't bad and I remember correctly. He was about to open a restaurant then covid happened. You MUST try this place.

They are an experimental seafood truck that uses locally sourced fish to make their dishes. It's a cute bright orange truck with a couple outdoor tables! they also have the friendliest service! - Ridgeback Prawn Sandwich: seriously the freshest prawns ever. this was served with banh mi ingredients, and the pate was so good - Smoked Saikyo Black Cod Sandwich: we love a good miso marinated black cod, it's smoked perfectly and the meat is so so buttery and tender. Simply amazing! -Crispy Skate Fingerling and Aioli: the special they were having this weekend so we had to try it! The fish was so fatty and fried well, it's so delicious with the aioli For sure going back to try their fish and chip, and excited to see what other seafood they'll experiment with

My wife and I had a great experience and meal tonight. YESS restaurant is modern and spacious. Its ambiance is friendly without being loud. We were greeted nicely and our coats taken and hung for us. Then we were seated at the bar surrounding the open kitchen. It was fascinating to watch how seriously the chef prepares sashimi. The wine list is exceptionally good for sashimi and the small plates on your menu. The servers are attentive and very much enjoyed seeing us enjoy our food. Chef Junya took a moment to step out of the kitchen to spend time to visit with us. Regarding the fish, we'll be back for sure. It is rare to find a restaurant featuring locally caught fish that is treated ikejime in order to maintain phenomenal freshness and quality.

Food was not bad. We ordered todays Sashimi, marinated mushrooms and grilled chicken. The chicken took 30-45 minutes to be prepared which was a little surprising. One of the workers informed us we only had 20 minutes left before we had to leave which would have been plenty of time had they not taken so long to prepare the chicken.

Their fried fish sandwich is pretty much perfect. The nori does a lot to kick it up the couple of notches it needs to get to perfection, but the rest of it is just well-proportioned and oceany and great. Shrimp banh mi is pretty awesome too - you can definitely taste the sourcing of the shrimp! - but it will get soggy fast and really needs to be bigger for the price ($14). "Needs to be bigger for the price" is how I would summarize Yess Aquatic, actually. Their '16oz' (definitely not actually 16oz) cantaloupe juice was $9 - it was like a shot glass. And the fried fish sandwich, while perfect, would best be described as a slider. I liked the attempt at creativity with the barley burnt orange tea, but honestly if no one had told me they meant to burn the orange, I would have questioned why my tea tasted so chemically. The excellent varied tartar/aioli that the skate fingers were served with saved the skate fingers, which have the texture of brains fried in donut dough.

=== Pandemic Pickup === Seaspiracy is having a Netflix moment; I turned it off barely 30 minutes in. Just rubbed me the wrong way. How can there be 24/7 over watch on fleets - unless the captains & industry go full Amazon? Anyhow if this turns off diners to ocean based dining; more for me! Maybe those luxe bentos will be more available now. Anyhow YESS are seafood connoisseurs operating a truck working with local fishermen. STAN! The fish katsu is the best; with nori sheet giving it a nice snap to it. The smoked cod was good; though I found the Romesco sauce a touch too strong. I recommend eating it in the car; likely lost a bit of edge cooling off on the drive home. And it's a bit spendy - considering the dainty sized sandwiches. The epicurean and freshness levels are quite high though. Parking is a major challenge in the area. A recent IG post says the truck is back to its original side of the street location and now with a dining patio: https://www.instagram.com/p/CNf4H8gB8kC/ Order here: https://yess-truck.square.site/?location=11eb32962345b8bc8648ac1f6bbbd01e

I've never sought out gazpacho. It's not that I don't like it, but until I had it from Yess Aquatic, I just never understood why some people love gazpacho. I get it now. Their's is a bright, flavorful, multi textured bowl of refreshing and delicious soup that comes with or without an oyster, and it's amazing. I also got their sashimi salad, which was both beautiful to look at, and very tasty to eat. The fish was fresh, the flavors balanced, and everything was in its right place (except the shiso leaf, but that's my problem, not theirs). I also tried one of their drink specials; mine was a light and delicious pink grapefruit one, that I enjoyed thoroughly. My friends both got the salmon confit sandwich special and they looked ridiculously good. I saw lots of folks around us ordering the fish katsu sandwich; seems like most of the menu would be really really good. I won't ding them a star for it, because the food was so good, but it was pricey. The soup, salad, and drink rang up to almost $50 with tip, so expect that going in, and enjoy some really delicious food.

hear me out: nashville-style fried shark sandwich. something i didn't know i needed, but now don't know how i can live without. yess aquatic is absolutely killin' the food truck game and making a name for themselves in dtla. their food is fresh and fun, indicative of high-quality, locally sourced ingredients and experienced chefs. i could not believe how much i enjoyed the spicy shark sandwich - if it were available every day, well, you know where i'd be. the fish katsu sandwich was also excellent, alongside their fries and grapefruit water. i wasn't even done with my meal before i was planning what i would order next time. if you're in the area or in the mood for a drive, i couldn't recommend them more highly. p.s. keep an eye out for the opening of their restaurant on 7th and mateo - an anticipated addition to dtla's arts district!

Chef Yamasaki doesn't mess around. After Koya in London, his efforts at local seafood here in Los Angeles continue to shine. Everything is extremely fresh, with the fish katsu sandwich being unusually light and fluffy, and the sashimi salad being a perfect portion with a nicely spicy chili sauce dip and a deceptively ample salad hidden underneath. Sautéed fish curry looks good too but haven't tried that yet, hopefully next! And the rest of the weekend specials look delicious, but I need a bigger stomach!

Very good food and staff was nice. The only thing that threw me off was the atmosphere. Had a very strange culty-vibe.

I absolutely loved the vegan chirashi. The prime ingredients and expert preparation make this dish so yummy and special. Exact ingredients vary based on availability but ours had perfect sushi rice mixed with cooked diced carrots and was topped with toasted sesame seeds, toasted sunflower seeds, roasted almonds, blanched green beans, sliced shiitake mushrooms, Japanese pickles, pickled purple cabbage, cherry tomatoes, stone fruits and chopped shiso leaves. Once again...so simple yet so sophisticated based on the freshest premium ingredients. For those who are not vegan, this is such a great compliment to the other dishes. We also had the halibut fritters which are also amazing.

Amazing food, service and zen ambience. The dishes were pure and sublime focused on enriching the essence of the main ingredient. We had the black cod, fava beans, vegetable chirashi, sashimi, rockfish papillote and pickled vegetables , all of which were incredible. Our main server was so helpful and knowledgeable and all the staff were friendly. We loved our experience here and would definitely return.

Always delicious. A happy Yeas aquatic moved in in the neighborhood. I had almost all the items on the menu, and everything's delicious from the drinks to the sandwiches. Their fisherman freshly fishes the fish, and you can follow him on social media, which I find amazing!! They're excellent and the quality of your food.

This was one of the best pieces of fried fish I've ever had. I expect this level of freshness from restaurants along the coast, but not from a food truck in Downtown LA. I was surprised by the freshness of the seafood and delighted by the simplicity of the flavors. My fish katsu sandwich was crispy and flaky. I will definitely be back to try the rest of the menu.

You really cannot go wrong at Yess Aquatic. Fish katsu curry. Ridgeback prawn sandwich. Fried shark sandwich. Fries. All amazing. As long as they're outside of my building I'll be stopping by once or twice a week, but Yess Aquatic is worth the drive from anywhere.

Save your money and just go to Afuri. 23$ for Fish & Chips? Cmon man serious?

Another grand slam from Team Yess. Tomato water, apple pepper, so good. Tried the tom water with chilled Fords Gin as chaser, or was it the other way? This is a whole different level of curated local only fish, and the preparation is top notch. Thanks Yess Aquatic!

Yess Please! What an incredible culinary combination - Japanese comfort meets British gastro-pub. These chef's know how to fry. Hard to say what was the star of the show. The Santa Barbra Ridgeback prawn banh mi was delicate and tangy - super primo ingredients. The Fish Katsu seemed to take me back to my childhood as the perfect fried fish sandwich - just the right amount of tarter sauce with a bun light as air - this was all about the fish. We also had the special, halibut fish and chips - it's a little pricey, but worth every bite. The coating was a little thicker style than I've had before, but it was so crispy without being overly greasy. The halibut meat was juicy and delicious. I might recommend sharing, like we did, since it's a pretty heavy dish. They have several chairs with umbrellas, so no worries about where to enjoy the tasty bites We ordered online in advance, since they list a 30 min. prep time. It was just a little late, but with quality like this who cares.

We've come here every week since we came the first time because we love it so much. So far we've tried the cod sandwich, prawn sandwich, fish katsu sandwich, gazpacho (plus oysters), fish and chips, skate fingers, and sautéed fish curry. All items were delicious! The fried fish (in both the Fish and chips and fish katsu sando) fried skate is very crispy and not greasy. It's probably the best fried seafood I've had. The fish and chips come with a yummy fresh tomato sauce that is so fresh, light, and flavorful. The gazpacho is light and has so many different flavors and textures if you like cold soups, you'll love it! The sandwiches are alll really good. I think it depends on your mood on what you're feeling to decide what you want to get. The seafood is so fresh sourced locally as well. I can't say anything wrong about this place!

A picture of the bright orange truck caught my eye as I was flipping through a magazine. The chef here is operating a food truck as he waits to open a restaurant. There are a handful of tables set up where you can eat. My partner and I ordered the katsu fish sandwich, oyster omelet sandwich, and the fried skate. Everything was fantastic. All the fish tasted fresh and flavorful. The katsu sandwich was everything you'd want from a fried fish sandwich - light crispy batter and tender fish. Add to that the distinct Japanese flavors - seaweed and slaw - and you've got a winner (make sure to get pickles too). I'll definitely be back to try more of the menu. Needless to say, I eagerly await the opening of their restaurant and sake bar (which will be located where the food truck is parked).

This is a great lunch option! Everything is super fresh and delicious. So far we've tried the fish katsu sandwich, prawn sandwich, fish & chips, gazpacho, and the seasonal lobster special. All were fantastic! The side fries and salad were great too! The kombu waters are also very refreshing--mandarin is my favorite. I highly recommend stopping by if you're in the neighborhood or making a trip out of it. It's definitely worth checking out!

Very impressive! Fresh, delicious, all packed in paper (except salad bowls?). Restaurant-level service out of a cool truck.

Terrible ordering experience. Apathetic response. Avoid this place! I am very surprised and disappointed. Wish I could recommend a new seemingly cool spot but I cannot! Stay away