If you're looking for a spot to celebrate a special occasion or just a delicious dinner date , Yakiya is your spot. They have a couple of locations but I believe this one is the original. We were deciding between Yakiya and Ominiku and decided on Yakiya as I heard the seafood at Ominiku isn't that great and it sort of is a bite off of Yakiya... Serves a set course meal comprising of a few small bites (seafood, veggies) with the main courses being high quality marbled beef. ALL the food was very good so I will review some highlights. Super Saiyan Standouts: -raw bite of A5 wagyu and ponzu jelly was a "sent me to gastro heaven" gift to my taste buds. -Chawamushi with snow crab ikura shittake: PERFECT silky texture and robust flavor (subpar places often have grainy lifeless chawamushi) -A5 chuck rib: can't go wrong with the highest quality beef! Surprises: -palette cleanser (yuzu) and tomato salad . The menu was really thought out in terms of the course and progression of the meal. -the whole grain crackers and the house made red miso dip! Holy cow, didn't think I would enjoy this "snack". The miso was perfectly balanced. -The surprise dessert "bite" at the end was fun. Service: -excellent. Our server, Sunny, was delightful! She timed everything well, was friendly, and gave me time to snap up some food pics. -attentative: staff acknowledged our 16yr anniversary :) My only recommendation is to perhaps extend the dining experience a tad form 90min to 100-105min. When you're enjoying some drinks, the time may feel a little rushed. Bottom line: life is short, spend it eating at places like Yakiya! You are getting bang for your buck here!

Finally tried Yakiya after hearing amazing reviews, and it did not disappoint! The endless courses of wagyu beef were a true delight, and the handcrafted cocktails were top-notch. Our server provided excellent customer service, making the evening even more enjoyable. The presentation and plating were impressive, and the price was very reasonable for the number of courses - I was full by the 7th course. The only area for improvement is the timing of the courses - there were a few lengthy pauses that extended our dinner to about three hours. Overall, a fantastic dining experience that I highly recommend! I will be trying their new location in Pasadena soon! Yakiya #WagyuBeef #FoodieFavorites #LocalEats

Tasting menu has 18 dishes, each dish is a small bite, but enough to fill you up and let you out of the wall! I think one of the best is the appetizer, a raw wagyu beef with yuzu jelly fish roe sauce is very refreshing, not a trace of fishy flavor of beef. There was also a smoked raw beef, the smoky flavor was very fragrant and the meat was fresh and nice. The most gimmicky veggie dipped in his homemade miso was also very tasty! After the main event of the barbecue, my favorite is his lemon salt and onion sauce, one can not eat enough to ask the store for a few more copies. The meats were all very good and there was no stepping on any toes. The best part of the meal was the beef bone marrow bibimbap, which was so good that I couldn't stop eating it, but my hands couldn't stop picking up the rice. The only thing I found a bit unfortunate was the Wagyu Sukiyaki at the end, the meat was good but it was too mushy to be put at the end of the meal. The chocolate for dessert was very interesting, luckily the waiter reminded me to keep my mouth closed before I start biting, otherwise a packet of matcha sauce would have spewed out!

Never disappointed Food alway fresh Representation is beautiful and creative They change menu and price by season Service Monday night 3 people working not to bad Ambiance clean Highly recommend

I was gitty with excitement when I was looking for a tasting menu and found out there's a high end tasting menu restaurant specializing in beef. Like, are you joking me? We started out with their raw meat dishes consisting of carpaccio and tartar followed by various cuts and preparations that were to die for! Every course was presented and served elegantly while the staff did a great job explaining what we ate and timed everything perfectly. I am 100% coming back for a special occasion and was blown out of the water with how much I loved my experience here.

Wow what an experience! Everything from the dishes, ambiance, and the service was superb! I would definitely recommend this restaurant for any special occasion. It is basically omakase for Japanese BBQ. The set course is $128 pp. Overally, we paid about $200 pp after sake and tip. Presentation on every dish was 5 stars! Even the palette cleansers and the in-between meat dishes were well curated and very delicious. The service was 10/10. Every dish was served very timely, and he set time aside for photos prior to cooking the meats. Each piece melted in our mouths. I loved every dish but the highlights were: - Waygu spoon with cavier - Bone marrow fried rice with filet mignon - Bluefin tuna tarlette - Japanese waygu with poached egg - Beef tongue (The lemon scallion was chef's kiss) Also, they had an extensive alcohol menu. We had opted for sake this visit, but I would love to try some of their mixed drinks the next time around.

Yakiya reminded me of Omaniku but better in terms of the courses and service. When you do omakase, sometimes the courses blend together and it's not memorable anymore but I love the courses at yakiya was different. The ox tail soup was a really nice addition. I heard they don't have it at the Pasadena location. The restaurant itself is beautiful and elegant. The service was excellent. Some restaurants have good service but always seemed little fake and pretentious but everyone we encountered here was genuinely nice and actually deserved a 20% tip. Our waiter was so pretty and sweet. Each course came out timely. I hate waiting around so I loved how as soon as I finish, a new course was on my table. Highlight of the meal was the A5 wagyu and I loved the smoked beef raw dish. Beef tartar with cavier was also memorable. One extra star for the Japanese toilet!!

My first visit to this chic restaurant. The decor is upscale and sets the mood for your dining experience. Excellent choice for a romantic night out or if you want to impress your guest(s). Menu is prix fix. Worth the splurge $$$. Seriously, everything was fantastic! Presentation of the food was creative and delicious. Our server was exceptional! We didn't have to ask for anything ... because he anticipated our every need. Water was filled, plates cleared , napkins folded ,new utensils and cooked our various grilled meat throughout dinner service. He made effort to engage our party in conversation and made us feel very welcome. So pleased that a restaurant of this caliber is near my neighborhood . Please enjoy pics from our meal. In my opinion, this restaurant is Michelin star worthy .

I had a really great time with a big group and would highly recommend booking an experience here! Ambience: very intimate, yet casual. The restaurant was clean with an intimate vibe. Service: exceeds expectations and our hosts paid great attention to details along with making sure we all have an enjoyable experience.

The experience as a whole was everything! I love the modern ambiance of this establishment. It's clean, chic, and elegant. The service was also exceptional. The entire staff as a whole gave off welcoming vibes. They were all friendly, attentive, and professional. This establishment only serves pre-fixe course for their patrons. Thus, everyone will be served the same exact menu. There is no need to contemplate on what to order! First, everyone will get a wash cloth to wash your hands as soon as you're seated. Then, a shot of sweet yuzu will be given as a palate cleanser. From there, you'll get to try a lot of bite-sized wagyu hors d'oeuvres, veggies, and salted rice cracker. You'll also get a warmed egg custard with shiitake and crab before a small soup of beef and daikon in oxtail broth. After all these are served, you move on to the meats (cap, ribeye, and short rib). Our server asked if medium rare was okay and cooked all the meats for us. All you have to do is enjoy the food! After the meats, they bring out a bone marrow with rice. They mix the bone marrow in the rice with kimchi, seaweed, and some sauce. Then it's served in a bowl with a piece of filet mignon. After we were done eating, they cleared our tables and did a quick wipe down before the desserts were served. The popping ball concept was interesting, and the sorbets were refreshing and delicious! I also noticed that if you were here for a special occasion, they would provide something extra special for you! I saw the table next to me getting a complimentary glass of something and an extra dessert. I think those touches make any special day extra special! Yakiya has definitely won my heart. I can't wait to come by to celebrate a special day!