Yokoso is one of the few privately owned restaurants at The Waterfront, the other is the newly christened and defunct Fuddruckers, now the Pittsburgh Burger Co. I have a real problem with Sushi snobs, first most don't know what they're talking about, for example, at Yokoso one night I swear this really happened....a lady and her date ordered three rolls each, one of which was a dragon roll, a very spicy roll that basically masks the taste of the fish the roll is made from. Then complained that the yellowfin was not fresh. How did she know? She drowned her dragon roll with soy sauce, then piled on pickled ginger and wasabi, rendering her tastebuds useless. If you want to taste the freshness of the sea, you eat sashimi, and just eat it with a few drops of soy sauce or none at all. Yokoso is one of the top sushi/teppanyaki spots in Pittsburgh. Great feel inside, comfortable atmosphere, big bar area, nice selection of vodkas, great martini menu. I'm not a huge fan of teppanyaki although I've had the salmon here and it's very good. I come here for sashimi and since going vegan, I come for the California rolls, and anything the chef comes up with. We are on a first name basis and he has made me vegan dragon rolls, which are pretty amazing. Great lunch specials and weekend evenings can be busy with a bit of a wait. Bar fills up quickly, so come early.
(4)
Deb S.
Went here today for sushi and I was not impressed. It seemed as though both my server, and the person making my sushi, were incredibly new. The rolls were warm and poorly executed making them difficult to eat. If you have an allergy, speak up! The menu does not accurately reflect what is in every sushi roll.
(3)
Marc D.
Me and 4 others went here and ate around the Hibachi grill and the food and chef was terrible. We've eaten at all the Japanese Steakhouse's in this area and this was the worst. I believe that when people go to these types of restaurant's they want the traditional feeling and taste of the food from Japan. We did not get this from the non Asian chef who didn't season or prepare the food in the proper order or with the proper taste. He made the scallops, lobster and shrimp and put this on our plates first. He then made the rice and veggies and put this on our plates second, oh I forgot that he put noodles on my grandson's plate that wasn't for our group but should have went to the group sharing the grill with us that we didn't know. Last he made our steak, chicken and salmon all of which had no traditional seasoning taste to it. This is not the correct order to prepare the food. Nothing was prepared with the sauces and seasonings that I've gotten from other Japanese Steakhouse's. Usually after the waitress takes our order the chef comes out and gives his presentation and starts cooking but at this place he comes out with a cheat sheet and asks everyone once again if what he has written down is correct, oh yeah did I mention he put noodles on my grandson's plate that should have went to a group not with our group. The chef also coughed on his sleeve 3 times while preparing the food. Last but not least don't tell us that you've been doing this for 17 years when my son in law recognizes you from working in a clothing store in East Liberty that closed down. $235.00 down the drain.
(1)
Javier A.
Yokoso... More like YUCK-oso. We walked in on a busy Saturday night and sat at the sushi bar. It took almost 10 minutes for our server to greet us. I ordered a Heineken, which turned out to the best part of the meal. The wife ordered a glass of Woodbridge Pinot Noir that she said tasted like it had been open for a month. We started off with an order of edamame (which looked and tasted like it was frozen, and then overcooked), and miso soup which was quite bland. For dinner we ordered the Red Dragon roll, the Three Rivers roll and the Polamalu roll. All three rolls were not impressive at all. We left having the same bloated feeling that you get when eating cheap MSG-loaded Chinese food. The server took another long while to pick up our check when we were finished. We won't be coming here again.
(1)
October R.
A co-worker and I took a few clients out for lunch at Yokoso. We were the first ones there, our server was sweet and the hibachi chef had a good sense of humor but I was expecting more pizzaz. The charm of a hibachi grill (at least to me) is the show put on for the guests. He showed off his knife skills and and made the little onion volcano but that was about it. I was expecting some real flare, but the food made up for it. We only ordered from the hibachi menu so I can't attest to the sushi, I ordered the veggies of course, which were all fresh and grilled perfectly and others ordered shrimp and chicken dishes. Everyone was satisfied and had a great time. You could ask, if everything was fresh and tasty then why only giive 3 stars. The answer would be because I've been to other hibachi grills where they put on a great, amazing show and give you more bang for buck.
(3)
Glenn C.
Food was not as good as last time. Lobster was a little tough. Surprising to see another chef drink 2 "blue drinks". I asked what it was and was told liquid marijana that their bartender makes. I wouldn't want to be around someone twirling knives after 2 drinks. They even had him come back out to have a 3rd. Wild 3 couple party.
(3)
Asm A.
Horrible, delayed service, overpriced for tasteless food. I'm not a person that disregards food or says its bad but sadly this place gave me a poor experience. We went because my husband loves sushi. He ordered 4 different types of sushi and said it was "decent" but nothing great. I'm not a sushi fan so I ordered the twin salmon, which is the dinner portion of their lunch teriyaki salmon. It came with japanese soup (bland), a house salad (basically from a bag of iceberg lettuce from the grocery store with some Japanese dressing), and a plate of veggies, fried rice and 2 pieces of salmon. The plate of food tasted like something out of a frozen dinner but worse. The rice was cold, no flavor, salmon was overdone, hardly any teriyaki sauce and the veggies were the only thing I could manage to eat as they weren't that bad. Very upset since that plate cost $20 and wasn't worth a penny. Also, they had us seat ourselves and the waitress took forever to come so the lady at the front took our order.
(1)
Melissa S.
Um, no thank you. I mean, I get that this place caters to big groups/bday parties and drunk people (true story) in the spirit of Benihana, but the hootin' and hollerin' coupled with bad service was too much for us. Since it was just the 2 of us, it seemed we werent as important as the bachelorette party next door. Pat ordered a Kirin that never came and the salmon dinner for two consisted of two sad slabs of pre-frozen salmon and cheap fried rice--the kind that has peas, corn and carrot squares in it. We left sans beer and ended up stopping at Chaya in Squirrel Hill in order to erase the awful memory of our dining experience.
(1)
Muriel H.
This cute little spot nestled at the waterfront was just what I needed after driving 4hrs to Pittsburgh to see my boyfriend. The rolls were quite tasty and for a pretty good price. The Caterpillar Roll was my favorite with its jumbo avocado slices wrapper around the roll. Delish! The blackberry sake was not very good, but then again, I am not a fan of sake....decided to try it. I wish i hadn't. Great hostesses & romantic ambiance. I will definitely return to Yokoso when I head back up north to Pitt! :)
(3)
Nick H.
I went to Yokoso for Valentine's day with my girlfriend for an afternoon cocktail and some sushi before catching a flick at the theater. We ventured into the deserted steakhouse and sat down by the bar around 2:00, expecting to catch a movie at 3:30. The menu was definitely a little overwhelming at first, so we both ordered a drink to review each others' palates for sushi. My girlfriend ordered a banana split martini and was very delighted with her choice. I noticed that they had some different types of Japanese beer on tap. I ordered the Kirin and happened to love its light, refreshing taste. After deciphering the menu, my lover ordered the paradise roll, which was an eight cut roll that included crab, avocado, and shrimp. I ordered the spicy tuna, which was also an eight roll that included yellow fin tuna, avocado, and crab. Both of our dishes were delicious. In a fantasy sushi oasis, I couldn't picture sushi tasting any better. And for everything, we paid around $30.00. So, it was definitely an awesome way to catch a drink and a meal before a movie.
(3)
P M.
Frequent this place due to the friendly service and excellent food. Thx to all the gals for making us feel so welcome! Highly recommend !
(5)
Rosie N.
I have been here before and have had great experiences. On my most recent trip here, the server kept forgetting everything and she actually came out of the kitchen eating food. The manager knew who it was before we even told him her name. He also was not too interested in the information and kind of blew us off. Our chef was awesome and he was very comical.
(3)
Jill G.
Grody! I walked in and was overwhelmed by a really unpleasant smell, but I soldiered on. Then, while at the sushi bar, I see the sushi chef putting fake crab on my plate. I immediately stopped him, confirmed the crab was fake, and got the hell out of there as fast as I could. No, no, no, no, no!
(1)
Nimish P.
Good sushi variety, allows customizations, friendly staff... slightly noisy, but the booths give you enough privacy.
(4)
Rachel M.
Very tasty food, good service, _very_ good plum wine ... . :) All the folks we interacted with were quite pleasant. And the service was quick - though I acknowledge it could have just _seemed_ to be so, and I may've been distracted by the pleasant-ness of the company I kept.
(4)
Christopher T.
Just the facts: The worst hibachi style meal in Pittsburgh. Try Benihana for the food or Nakama for the atmosphere. I live by the Waterfront and frequent all of the restaurants located there.
(1)
Pete R.
Had high hopes for trying a new place. We love hibachi restaurants (kids dig the flames, Mom & Dad enjoy sushi). Had a very, very bad experience here. The sushi was practically inedible. The maki was prepared so large that you couldn't fit a piece in your mouth ... which left you either trying to bite it in half, or cut it with a knife, which totally defeats the purpose. The sushi was placed on waaaayyyyy too much rice, leaving you to pluck the fish off of the huge ball of rice. Our server was friendly, but abandoned us for 10+ minutes at a time on more than one occasion (and even longer at the end of our meal, when everyone was way past ready to leave). For the kicker, when she brought the bill, an 18% gratuity was automatically added. When I asked about this, I was told that it's added for parties of four (4!) or more. I totally understand factoring in gratuities for large parties, but let me tell you ... adding it to a family of four is pure presumption. I have seldom been more dissatisfied with a dining experience.
(1)
Dean J.
I'm a vegetarian, and the vegetarian hibachi/sushi combo just fails to impress. Largish portions, at least. For hibachi, I don't know where else to go. For sushi, both Chaya and Umi come immediately to mind. For a large group, it's hard to beat Yokoso, though, as they have tables that will seat groups of 12-24.
(2)
Carrie L.
Delicious!!! On our Faves list! PROS: Clean (Much more so than Sho-gun of Monroeville, due to being newer) Great Sushi Nice Staff Full Bar Area & Nice Atmosphere CONS: a bit pricey VERY busy on weekends! The potential to get "stuck" sitting with an a-hole is possible due to the seating around the hibachi grills. DINNER SUGGESTIONS: "Steak (Filet) & Shrimp Combo with Mushroom Appetizer" (you'll get the fried rice and veggies plus a nice amount of shirmp and beef, but you'll also get extra mushrooms on your plate which are delicious) If you're looking for this type of food (Japanese Steakhouse/Hibachi), then Yokoso is a great choice. Its not as trendy or conveniently located in Southside as Nakama--which we like, but Yokoso is a lot newer and cleaner than Sho-gun and its still very easy to get to (and park at) considering its just in the Homestead Waterfront.
(4)
JT T.
Perfection location in the waterfront. Habachi grill is always good entertainment with the meal, or on a nice day to sit outside on the patio. Sushi has always been fresh, only complaint is their sushi rolls are to large. Highly Recommened.
(4)
Dana N.
Yokoso is a good hibachi and sushi spot that is located in a convenient part of the city (i.e. the Waterfront) and is also--thank goodness--surrounded by available parking. I have been there during both lunch and dinner--weekdays and weekends--and have sampled the hibachi and sushi. And for the most part, the food is very good. The restaurant recently revamped its menu and I've noticed an overall slight price increase. More noticeable are the changes to their sushi menu, where some rolls have been removed and shifted while new, inventive rolls take their place. Sushi selections are pictured in a large, colorful menu that shows pictures along with detailed ingredients for each roll. And while this is extremely helpful for visual individuals, I still find it slightly overwhelming having to scan over twenty different roll varieties. However, the new additions sound tasty, with both the Yum Yum and Lobster Cali Rolls being two of my favorites thus far. Thus far, I have experienced good, quality service whenever I've decided to stop by for a quick bite or to place an order to go. The wait staff is engaging and friendly and I have never had any delays with my food.
(4)
Elaine L.
I had a particularly good experience but it could be because of the time of day. We came here for a late lunch on a weekday so we got prompt service. We ordered a steak and shrimp hibachi plate and 3 rolls (Dragon, New York, and Pittsburgh). The hibachi plate was pretty good and came with the green onion soup. It was priced reasonably for the quality and quantity. The sushi was delicious too, but I don't have a discerning palate. I'm a fan of the fast-food ish sushi places in Oakland by Pitt, which are cheaper, but I can't confidently tell you that Yokoso's rolls, because it costs a tad more, tastes better. It's definitely got a better selection, though, than the sushi places by Pitt. I'm not sure if that alone is enough to warrant a trip here (if we ignore the hibachi for a second). Overall, the bill wasn't bad at all, especially considering we doggie bagged and got great service. I have a feeling this place might be better for lunch than for dinner. I have no idea what the live Hibachi experience at this place is like, though.
(4)
Cristina A.
I live in Philadelphia and I visited Yokoso this last Saturday for one of my best friends' birthday dinner with a group of about 12 people. The staff responsible for taking reservations messed up our friend's reservation which she made several days in advance and we were told to wait for a table (even though we had a scheduled limo coming to pick us up later). After about 20 minutes of waiting, we were finally seated and told that our server would be right with us. We waited another 15 minutes as servers rushed past us, completely oblivious to the fact that our large table hadn't been approached. Finally one of us ended up grabbing a passing waitress, Jasmine, who was extremely nice and offered to take our order herself. She was very accommodating and quickly took our drink and dinner orders, which is no simple task for a twelve top party. Our hibachi chef Cliff was also amazing, very funny and engaging. If it were not for Jasmine and Cliff, we certainly would have walked out and told everyone to stay away from Yokoso! We ended up making our limo reservation but it was unnecessarily stressful and aggravating. This review is getting 2 stars only because of Jasmine and Cliff's excellent service!
(2)
Teresa T.
We tried to go to Smoke BBQ Taqueria however couldn't find a nearby ATM so opted to look for a place on the Waterfront. We landed at Yokoso and while we thought we would be going in for sushi we ended up deciding to go with hibachi, which ranged from about $16 to $30 depending on the types of meat/seafood you choose ($14 for vegetarian). Our waitress was nice though our hibachi chef was hilarious and very outgoing which made for a pleasant experience. If you do go, I would suggest asking for Colin. You can tell he really loves his job and has been hibachi-ing for 11 years now or so he says. Food was allright though the sauces certainly helped,and the big portions helped with the prices.I do like how they seat you family style.
(3)
Carrie D.
Great place! Awesome sushi and Japanese grill. Great food and service! If you have a larger party, though, call ahead. And parking at the Waterfront is a nightmare sometimes, so I'd advise going early, parking and then enjoy the shopping, restaurants and bars in the area.
(4)
Raquel C.
ok food and my husband and i found it a little pricey. Service was ok.
(3)
Melinda J.
I was a little nervous after reading some of the reviews but it was a really nice experience and the food was very good! Our server Bryn was right on que with everything....EXCELLENT service! Our chef...and I am sorry I forgot his name he was great also..in fact as I looked around, everyone who worked there seemed on there game...managers were out and looking around, servers were moving quickly to get orders and refills...lively place with the drums banging and servers singing for birthdays...I even found myself clapping with them. And larger portions than other habachi places...we will definitely be back!
(5)
Julie M.
Fabulous dining experience. My first time eating sushi and was very impressed and thrilled to have such a great experience. We order 6 different rolls to try a little bit of everything and it was a great.
(4)
Jenny K.
AMAZINGG! I went to Yokoso for my birthday this year and it has exceeded my expectations! My friends and I were surrounded by amazing food, great atmosphere, and an awesome staff. My friends and I ate both hibachi and sushi. The sushi is the freshest fish you will ever eat in the Pittsburgh area. I got the salmon, tuna, yellowtail, and eel sashimi, along with a yokoso roll and mafia roll. My mouth melted every time I took a bite. No matter what type of fish you order here, it is bound to be fresh, so you can't go wrong with whatever you prefer. The rolls are HUGE and definitely worth your money. One of these rolls can be a meal in itself, but because I wanted to save some room for hibachi, I shared with all of my friends. The hibachi on the other hand was downright mouth watering. Our chef's name was Chin and she was soo friendly and sweet. I ordered the filet and shrimp and everything again was amazing. The filet was exactly how I like it to the point. The shrimp was perfectly cooked and the vegetables and rice were cooking to perfection as well. The overall atmosphere of Yokoso was relaxed and perfect for a night out with friends. The restaurant and bathrooms were clean and well kept. I would strongly suggest this restaurant to families, friends, and even kids. Yokoso provides a sense of exciting entertainment that keeps me coming back. I will definitely be back to Yokoso for many times to come!!!
(5)
Rachael M.
If I could give it a 0 star rating, I would. The awful service sent us right back out instead of eating there. We arrived at 7:00 on a Saturday evening, which I know is a busy time. All I wanted was to order a snack from the sushi bar. When we got there, 4 girls were up front in some kind of disarray. We stood there for a few minutes; no one greeted us, told us they'd be with us soon... no acknowledgment at all. The sushi bar was practically empty, so we asked loudly if you could seat yourself. No one replied, so we started walking to the sushi bar. A girl then came running after us, not to greet us, but to rudely state that the bar wasn't self seating and that there was a wait since the staff was behind. We then promptly walked out. I did call the manager, who was very apologetic, but I still won't go back.
(1)
F P.
We've eaten here a number of times. Mostly sushi but once at the teppanyaki tables (or hibachi to you hillbilly yinzfolk). Its always pretty good. But definitely not the best. We like it, though. This time, I ordered something I've been wanting for awhile, a bowl of udon. We also got three rolls, an asparagus salad, some fried rice and a side of brocolli. The last time we were here, we sat down at the teppanyaki tables and ordered the brocolli for our 2 year old. We got pretty much a half pound of "trees" as she calls them and munched them down. Our order yesterday was only about a dozen pieces, which was a disappointment. The udon was okay. I ordered the small, as the waitress said the large was very large. Props on the noodles...big and thick, chewy and firm. There was plenty of tofu inside and it was cooked in a way that gave it the texture and flavor of chicken. I got three large tempura prawns that were cooked perfectly. The broth was a little lackluster. And since I recently started having to watch my sodium, I had to leave the soy sauce alone. The soup was good but I probably wouldn't order it again. The rolls were all good as usual. She got the California roll, the veggie roll and the Rock n Roll (shrimp, cream cheese, cucumber). Their sushi is priced pretty much the same as all the other sushi I've found in town. They have a couple sushi combos, and we've gotten these before, they're real deals. Individually picking the rolls can get pricy, though. Finally, the salad. They have a green salad on the menu for $3.50. Its pretty small for that much money. Or you can get a few other salads for about $5.95. They double the size of the lettuce plus they put some asparagus or some other veggies on it. If you're gonna grab a salad, skip the $3.50 one and get the large size, its worth it. The fried rice was pretty tasty. But for the two of us and the baby, it was overkill. Lots of egg and veggies in it. Their teppanyaki lunches are priced great. You get plenty of food for $9-15 bucks. All in all, their prices are just a little higher than average for teppanyaki/sushi. Not as high as Nakama, plus the quality is better. Their lunch teppanyaki deals are real steals, though. Honestly, I like several other places more but their location makes it easy to do lunch after shopping.
(4)
pracheta t.
we didn't do hibachi, just came for sushi and whomp whomp - not so great. i ordered an avocado roll (bc i only get that or sweet potato tempura and they didn't have sweet potato) and it didn't taste fresh. the edamame was luke warm. its in a great location, they just need to work on their food. hm.
(2)
Chelsea S.
My bf was in the mood for sushi but never strays away from his normal place. i decided we should head to waterfront for dinner to change things up. Our server was Ashley and she was seriously an amazing server. Bobby ordered the yum yum roll, lobster cali roll & volcano roll. The only one I tried was the yum yum but it was delicious! Even though we sat at booth seating, i ordered hibachi chicken which of course comes with a salad, soup, chicken, rice, 3 shrimp & veggies. I enjoyed my dinner and couldn't finish all of it. For a japenese steakhouse, they play a funny (but entertaining) mix of music. We were seated near the sushi bar but still close to the regular bar. We heard everything from snoop doggs 'aint nothing but a g thang' , tlc's 'no scubs' & oasis 'wonderwall' (what a funny mix) bobby brought up how he felt the sushi was 'average' It was tasty, but the plating could've been better. You can have average sushi on an amazing looking plate and get points. I agree, the plating of the sushi was lacking. What boosted this review up was deff the service & the fact that we had a nice date night overall :) **1/2 off sushi on Tuesday
(4)
Charles M.
The service is pretty subpar; we ended up walking out. All the way from Manhattan, we thought to try some nice Japanese hibachi in the neighborhood. However, we were met with apathetic staff, that did nothing to even seat us. The front desk had five hostess/waitress members who did nothing but stare off into space. When asked multiple times how long it will take to get a seat ready, they replied "just 1 more minute". The place wasn't terribly busy, and folks who came after us were even seated before us (though their numbers were less; we were a party of three). When we let them know we were leaving, they still looked as if they were dazed and out of it. Thanks for nothing and wasting about 10-15 minutes of our time, folks!
(1)
Maya T.
Let me start by saying that the the food is incredible. We did hibachi for dinner. I've done hibachi before, and this was hands down the best I've tried. The rice was mouthwatering. The shrimp was delectable. So good. We also had enough food left over to take home for 2 more meals, so it is very worth the price. The reasons for 2 stars less are the service and atmosphere. The atmosphere seemed kind of tense - the employees, especially from the kitchen, seemed to be exhausted and overworked. I witnessed an argument between 2 employees right next to our table that seemed to be, more than anything, fueled by the exhaustion and the tense atmosphere. Also, it took about 15 minutes for the waitress to bring our drinks and food orders. She later apologized, saying that she had to close out 7 separate checks, adding to the feeling that everyone was stretched too thin. Maybe it was just a bad night, but it took a little away from the dinner. Overall, I'd come back for the food. I'm just hoping for a nice atmosphere the next time, where the employees seem more content.
(3)
Kimberly T.
If you are at the Waterfront and craving sushi, this is the place for you! The sushi is made fresh. You can sit at the sushi bar to eat or at a table. They have a lot to choose from. They even have pictures of everything so you see what you are getting. My two favorites are the Three Rivers Roll and the Polumalu roll. They also have hibachi here. You can sit at one of the big tables or order it from your table at the sushi area. Sometimes we order both and share. I dislike how loud the hibachi tables get and I wish there was more separation from the sushi area for the nights you just want a quiet dinner.
(3)
Mike H.
I've eaten here a few times, usually for chicken and shrimp teriyaki off the hibachi but this particular Tuesday I came on a solo mission for half off specialty sushi and I've never been more pleased. I started with the Spider Roll, a combination of of course rice and a seaweed wrap that has soft shell crab tempura, avocado, crab and cucumber add in a little wasabi sauce and eel sauce and you got yourself a combination you never want to stop coming. So much so I was gonna venture off but stayed with this for 3 orders. 15 pieces of sushi and $20 later I couldn't be any happier. The rolls came quick,the bartender served them with a smile and the price well, the price was worth every hard earned cent. For the health conscious keep in mind what I ate was a total of 1000 calories and it surely will keep me full long through the evening. The drinks are a little expensive but that's the price you pay for convenience at any restaurant. They are always generously made and the beer is always cold. The staff always welcomes me with open arms and throws in any extras you may need without a grunt like pickled ginger, wasabi, lemons and sauces. I've been here before and now that I know about this day of the week I'll be coming back a bit more often but next time, with lots of people!
(5)
Jonathan P.
I was on a business trip recently and 18 of us went to Yokoso. I eat at Japanese Steakhouses regularly so it was not a new or special experience. We had two chefs (we had two tables next to each other in their own alcove. All of our party had a great time, the chefs were very good and funny and the portions were properly cooked and very generous. The wait staff was also very good. The restaurant itself was clean, nice and properly lit. Could not ask for anything more.
(5)
Leslie S.
Terrible! My first and last visit here ever. Let's start with the fact that it was my friend's birthday. It was my husband and me, my bff and her husband. Our main plan for the evening was to head to Sing-Sing. Due to getting a late start, we decided to stop here for dinner. It was Saturday night after 8pm so not very busy. We were seated outside quickly. Then we waited. And waited. A waitress passed our table 4 or 5 times without a word. After at least five minutes, the hostess came outside and said that our waiter would be with us shortly, but she could get our drinks. It took her several minutes to bring out all of the drinks, since she didn't bring them all out together. And I still had to ask for my drink, because she forgot. There is some type of "birthday special" which inclues $15 off of a dinner, free cake, and some type of "sparker" and "popper" celebration. And a free gift...."while supplies last", whatever that means. This is good one week prior or after your actual birthday....pending valid ID. Although the menu also says not valid on Saturdays or holidays, my friend inquires anyways, since it is not at all busy. The hostess says that they will honor the birthday special and that the manager "is really cool and will be fine with it". Fine. Waiter Joe finally arrives....dude is clueless. My friend's husband and I get hibachi dinners and my husband and friend get sushi platters. He asks what type of salad dressing we want....ginger or vinegar and oil. All four of us say vinegar and oil, all four come out with ginger. We have to ask the waiter several times for obvious things - Silverware and Napkins, More Drinks, To Take Plates Off Of The Table. You know, things that should come as common knowledge to wait staff. When our meals come, he brings out one plate of sushi and seems confused, stating that they put all of the sushi on one plate.....uh no. We tell him there should be two plates. I mean, two people ordered two separate meals?! He fixes it and returns. Has no idea whose order goes to who....ugh. At the end of the meal, Joe messes up our checks, putting things my friends ordered on our check. Again, we have to wait for this to get fixed. The worst part is that they automatically put 20% gratuity on the bill. I would not have left this dude a dollar if I had the choice. We waited several minutes to get our change. I actually had to go up to the bar and ask a bartender to find my waiter. Joe obviously cannot count either, he gave us $1.50 too much in change. I figured it could come out of his tip.... Here's the kicker....my friend gets none of this "birthday special"...no free cake, no $15 off, nothing. We inquire with Joe, who is still clueless. He has the manager, Jay, come out. My friend explains that, yes, we understand that it is Saturday, however the hostess said that it would be fine. Jay blabbers something about it being Saturday, and they try to exclude Saturdays to drum up business other, less busy days. We state, they are not busy at the moment. And this free cake thing means apparently, according to the manager, that if you bring your own cake, they won't charge you to plate it. His explanation for the ambiguous script on the menu? "The Japanese can't explain things well". Oh, okay. He also says that the birthday special requires four meals to be purchased. Well, there is four of us, we say. He says, no....since they were on separate checks. Jay also says that this is "up the manager's discretion", but still will not give her the discount. My friend says, "Okay that's fine. We just won't be returning". the manager's response is...."Have a nice night" and Walks Away! I cannot even comment on the food....which was fine - not great not terrible - because there were so many other things to distract from the experience. This should have been a nice relaxing dinner with friends and it was blah blah blah. I won't speak for the others (although I know their thoughts), but I feel cheated. One of the worst experiences at a restaurant ever. Will. Never. Ever. Ever. Return. You suck Yokoso!
(1)
Chip R.
I've been here only three times and each time it was on a Tuesday night for the half-off sushi. Beings that this was only the third time I've ever had sushi, I won't pretend to be a seasoned sushi expert. I know, I should get out more, but I really like the sushi here. And for ten bucks, it's a delicious treat. I only wish they had a better beer selection.
(3)
Molly H.
Never had the hibachi here, just sushi. Decent sushi and selection. A lot of specialty rolls that cater to the Pitt Panthers, Polamalu, Pirate and Steel City rolls. It's a little over priced, but most places in the Waterfront are just a bit. They do run specials during the week of half off special rolls which is a deal. The staff is friendly and accommodating. It's not the best sushi in Pittsburgh, but it does the trick. Alcohol Selections are pretty good with a seasonal on tap. Not sure on happy hour prices.
(3)
Judy L.
Great for a quick bite sitting at the sushi bar for some rolls. Friday nights are hopping being near the theaters. Music included arrested Development and breakfast at tiffanys. Decent selection of saki to get over that. I like the pictorial menu of rolls! Less expensive places for sushi, but the quality overall is better than most, at least for the rolls. Servers seem a bit overextended. Would be great for a casual date, although I'm married, just saying we like it here. My husband said I should mention the rolls are so big, it was hard for me to fit them into my pie hole.
(4)
Barry R.
Consistently good selection and fresh fish with a generous side of mediocre service. Nice bar list including Sapporo on tap, spoiled by waiting at the bar to pay the check with the bar left fully unattended on Saturday night for 10-15 minutes. They had alot of fun local house rolls like a Pitt Panther Roll, Steel City Roll, 3 Rivers, Crosby Roll, Polamalu Roll, and Pirate Roll. When I asked the waiter what their favorite specialty house roll was they recommended the "California Roll". Whoah, slow down wild man! I don't know if my tastes are that adventurous! We ordered the Sashimi Platter and Spicy Tuna Tartare which were very fresh and well done when they arrived. There was a long wait and they initially forgot the Tuna. If the service was as good as the sushi I'd give it 5 stars, but as it is, you'll come for the food, and leave for the service.
(3)
Ashlee S.
Still love it here! I swear the white tuna sushi and sashimi were extra good today, and who doesn't love half off specialty rolls! My favorite part was our server, Marissa, she was very attentive, nice, and polite, and laughed with us at our ridiculousness! Haha
(5)
Shawn X.
Really bad service. Waited 20 minutes to take order when most tables are empty. Waitress hanging around doing nothing, and gave ugly faces when we said we were in a rush for movie. Food has nothing to do with Japanese, mostly. Never coming again.
(1)
Maria I.
This was my first time here and I had a good experience. We had Holly as our waitress and she was fantastic! I had green tea and shared spicy tuna tartar with edamame. Both were tasty. I wasn't sure what to order roll-wise and asked for help. Holly suggested Polamalu roll, which I ended up getting. It was good! I noticed there was some wasabi sauce on it, but not any of the green stuff on the side to mix into my soy sauce. It wasn't a big deal for me though. Overall, the atmosphere was laid-back and we had prompt, attentive service. I would come here again.
(4)
Jessica M.
I've eaten here numerous times and every time is fantastic but this time stood out above all the others. Our chef was Collin... I recommend him hands down. He was personable, he had great flair, he didn't do the same tricks that you usually see. You can tell that he has a passion for his job and he takes pride in it. He is very precise in what he does and his food is amazing. If you come here... Request him. He said he's off Monday's, Tuesday's, and Wednesday's. Hands down the best hibachi chef I've ever had and I've been to almost all the hibachi places in the area.
(5)
Kylene W.
Yuck! Went here for lunch and ordered from the hibachi lunch menu and sushi. Idk how or why this place exists. Ordered chicken and shrimps. First of all I got chicken scraps.. dried scraps, and the shrimp was nasty transparent soggy shrimp def from the freezer. They don't give you very much at all esp for the price you pay. They just give you a ton of salty fried rice to deceive you into thinking you're getting your money's worth. Sushi is gross too, imagine eating day old shrimp tempura.. stale chewy panko bread crumbs, no thanks. And they drizzle everything with that wasabi cream sauce to mask the taste of nasty. Sorry Yokoso, or Yuck-ko-so
(1)
Matt D.
Poor service and not that clean. My wife and I stopped in at about a 9:45 PM on a Friday night. It readily became apparent that the staff was more interested in preparing to close for the evening than it was in serving customers still coming in. Our waitress was pretty much MIA. We had a flag down other waitresses to get our waitress when we needed something. It took quite a bit of time to get our meal and when we got it the vegetables were cold. The food wasn't bad but this is definitely a case of poor service killing the meal. The amount of food that was on the floor under our booth was pretty gross. There was rice, broccoli and at least one piece of shrimp on the ground directly underneath of our table. I also had to wipe down my seat before sitting down because of all the rice that was left there. Apparently on top of being too busy to give halfway decent service they were also too busy to make the restaurant halfway presentable. When leaving our waitress didn't even bother to ask how our meal was and it was obvious she didn't care. I definitely won't go back and I left there feeling like the place was kind of ghetto.
(1)
Susan T.
We've been here several times, it's convenient to the movie theater. Here's what I love: Plum wine and Squid Salad - never anything but fantastic. Here's what is A-ok: The sushi rolls. Nothing unique, but consistently ok. Also the atmosphere. It's a pleasant chain. Here's the wild card: Service. It's either fantastic or terrible. Starting with the hostess... who may be warm and friendly or chatting with coworkers or just really, REALLY bored with the whole being-at-work situation. Will we keep going there? Yes... we are movie goers and the Squid Salad is quite good. If Yokoso were in an independent location though...
(3)
Lizzie D.
Yokoso is my favorite place for Hibachi because the food is spot on every time. The chef we had was amazing- thorough, gifted in the art of hibachi and passionate. Yokoso is one of the only hibachi restaurants I know that has separate, isolated seating for big groups of people with a cooking area all to its self! This is nice because sometimes you want to enjoy hibachi without being seated with strangers. The ambiance is very nice- dimply lit with a funky vibe to it. The staff is team "Yokoso" so don't bring up Benihana! :-P It is nice to see staff that truly believe in their work and the quality of work that their company brings to the customer. I give this place 5 stars- it is clean, it is updated, and the food is always wonderful! Even if you had designated hibachi favorites in the 'Burgh, please give Yokoso a try! You won't be disappointed!
(5)
Kelly H.
I cannot believe out of 60 reviews there is no mention of the hibachi chef Cliff. My husband, my 9 year old & my son have eaten here twice now with Cliff as our Hibachi chef & he is nothing short of amazing! Yesterday we went with our close friends & their 2 children. All the kids were shy at first but Cliff does an amazing job at making the kids feel like part of the show. He is such a nice, outgoing guy & made the amazing food he prepared even that much better. My son is very shy but Cliff did an amazing job at getting him to open up & he even ate the shrimp he made after never eating seafood before! (Note:he LOVED it so much cliff requested a few more ounces so he could make him some more) Food is great, service is great, get here now! Need something even more enticing? How about 1/2 % off sushi Tuesday's & their great drinks?!
(5)
Filipp G.
The food gets a 4. The service and policy gets a zero. So the two is richly deserved. The good: - they know how to cook (salmon teriyaki and rolls were very well-prepared) - lunch prices are fair The bad - the wait staff couldn't look more disinterested if they tried - Dinner entrees are pricey and don't have enough substance to warrant high prices...but if you want to split a $20 entree, that will be another $9, thank you...for what??? Washing a second plate? We could have easily eaten off one. Nickel-and-diming of this kind does not endear you to anyone. - Apparently they consider 18% tip to be representative of "fair" service. Not sure what makes this place so special, but "fair" usually stands for "just above shitty" and warrants 10%. (18% usually represents pretty damned decent service that was just short in some little dimension, of being great, hence no 20%.)
(2)
Dale H.
I've been here a few times for lunch and it's always been okay, not terrible, but not fantastic. I was here last weekend for lunch and sat at the bar. We started with a sushi roll to share, we got the Pirate Roll. It was panko-breaded and deep-fried, with salmon, cream cheese, and asparagus inside and topped with an eel sauce and spicy crab salad. I didn't care for the eel sauce (Justin liked it, though!), but the roll itself was delicious. We ordered two meals from the Hibachi Lunch Menu, I got the NY Strip Steak and Chicken and Justin got the NY Strip Steak and Shrimp. They both came with soup or salad to start and also hibachi vegetables and fried rice. The portions were very healthy for lunch. The fried rice was delicious and so, so much better than the last time I was there. The rest of the meal was good, too. The steaks were well cooked and seasoned, but my chicken was slightly dry. I've only ever been here for lunch, and don't know that this is a place I would even come for dinner. The price point goes up significantly, and while the food is good, I worry I would be disappointed with a dinner service. It's never too busy when I'm there for lunch, so I'm not too sure what the atmosphere is like in the evening. The service I've received here hasn't been BAD per say, but it hasn't been great. The staff is always very nice, but aren't necessarily the most efficient. It just seems like everyone is a little sluggish or apathetic. So, all in all, if you are looking for a decent lunch while at the Waterfront, this is a good option. If you work at the Waterfront, they offer a Waterfront discount, you just have to ask. I don't really know the stipulations, but maybe bring a pay stub or something just in case! They also offer half price sushi rolls on Tuesdays, which is a fantastic deal.
(3)
Frederick K.
My favorite hibachi restaurant! Skip the rest and get the best. Ask for Colin. He makes the experience worth while!
(4)
MJ M.
This is a mixed review so I will start with the good. We sat at a table in the sushi bar area and our server Sandra was awesome. She was prompt and attentive. The sushi was tasty and fresh not any complaints on taste. We have had better in other cities. But for Pittsburgh it was good. One person at our table ordered a hibachi dinner and was pleased. Now for the bad we made reservations for 6:45 on a Saturday for a party of 6. We arrive about 5 minutes late due to parking. The three girls at the hostess stand tell us they are waiting for a table to finish and they will push two together for us. We watch them clean a table where they told us we would be At 7:10 we see two empty next to each other and ask when we would be seated. The hostess tells us they are waiting for the party at the next table over from the already two empty tables to finish but they have already closed out their check. The other party is still eating at 7:20. At 7:25 the table we are waiting for is brought their check. Finally at 7:30 we are seated. So 45 minutes after our reservation time we get seated. While the sushi was good the variety was lacking. They have 45 different rolls with the exact same ingredients tuna, shrimp and tempura. Almost every roll had tempura in it whether it was tempura shrimp or crab or tempura flakes! Definitely not pleased with the selection.
(3)
Mel A.
Overall I enjoyed the my meal. The food was great (typically yummy hibachi), but the environment could have been better. You typically expect a Japanese steak house to be a classy slightly upscale environment & this was a very casual Japanese steak house. I also thought their ginger dressing on their salad was a little too sour, unlike typical Japanese steak houses. Also their "shrimp sauce" or "yum yum sauce" which is usually my favorite sauce at other Japanese steak houses was terrible. It was a very thick, too much mayo, not enough spice sauce. I was pretty disappointed by that. I think if they upped the experience quality it would be worlds better.
(3)
Mishel M.
I have been to many sushi restaurants, cheap to fancy. But at Yokoso, sushi is definitely not their strong point. The sushi pieces were mouthfuls of mostly rice, that too little dry . I ordered a Rainbow Roll and The Pitt Roll. Not good. The prices are OK not very reasonable. I dont know about the other items on the menu, but sushi was meh! Only go here if you are absolutely craving for one. But the service was good and prompt.
(3)
Kerri M.
Yeah, it's not the best sushi in the world, but the price is right. I had the Teriyaki Chicken, salad, California Roll, and Diet Coke all for under 20 bucks, plus had leftovers for lunch the next day. Our server was very attentive, esp with keeping my Diet Coke always full. Numerous other staff stopped by our table throughout our time there; not sure if the staff was mgmt. as they did not identify themselves. So many stopped by during our meal that it was comical....not sure if that is the standard or Yokoso was overstaffed that day and the employees were looking for something to do :) There aren't a tremendous amount of fine dining options at the Waterfront, and most of the restaurants are national chains . I don't *think* Yokoso is a chain after a Google search, but I'm not positive. You could def do worse at the Waterfront - overall, a pleasant experience at a reasonable price point.
(3)
rachel m.
I'm beginning to think I'm doomed to either great meals or awful meals and ne'er anything in the middle. Went here tonight and was shocked by how bad the service was. I've been here before and it's been fine, but, tonight was so bad we eventually asked them to box my food up instead of wait for it any longer. The waiter was pretty much M.I.A. and never brought anything we asked for (water, chopsticks, etc.). He even brought my partner's sushi out before the salad and soup that should have come out in the 30 minutes we sat there waiting. After another 25 or so, we gave up on ever getting my (cooked) food and decided to leave. Sadly, although we talked to a manager, he was far from helpful and just said the guy was in training. You'd think he would have helped, but he disappeared as well. I finally went in with a credit card and asked them to just box up what they had and charge me. This took another 15 minutes. Insult to injury, the food was very disappointing. Never again.
(1)
Josh T.
I ate at Yokoso over the weekend for my sisters birthday (nakama was booked) and wasn't very impressed. I am not big into the Japanese Steakhouses but I have ate at Nakama in the past. Enough about that, I ordered sushi (spicy tuna roll) which was very good. The sushi prices are average and the quality is good. For dinner I had the strip steak and lobster tail. I ordered the steak medium and it came out more like well. The chef was very entertaining but I wish he would have focused on how he was cooking my steak instead of flirting with the single girls at the table. The lobster tail fit in the palm of my girls hand so I'd have to say it was on the smaller side but still at market price :) Of course they load you up on soup, veg, and rice hoping you get full. There was a party of 12 with us and everyone finished their meal except 2. The waitress and staff were great, the drinks were strong if that counts for anything. I guess I would go back for a special gathering but it wouldn't be me that choosing to go there.
(2)
M Z.
Good environment and convenient location (from AMC). The sushi was good for the price~
(4)
Willy G.
Hostesses were great and were seated right away. The sushi was very fresh and the show was one of the best I have seen. If you are in the area and want some good hibachi come to Yokoso!
(5)
Lisa E.
We bypass Nakama to come here. Great food, always an available seat without wait, great sushi platters. You can actually order sushi to go from here whereas you can't at Nakama's past a certain early hour. Plus free parking!!!!
(4)
Bob S.
Smell of oil and grease is overwhelming, soup was cold, the salad dressing it not very good and overwhelms the salad. No coffee, and the loud banging of a drum every time some one had a birthday was irritating and distracted from the meal. I had a Manhattan to drink and they poured cherry juice in it. Sickeningly sweet. I've eaten in a lot of Japanese and hibachi restaurants and this is probably the worst overall experience I've had.
(1)
Nellie V.
Sushi is AMAZING!!!!!!!! Hibachi not so much. Smell of oil and grease is VERY overwhelming. Always had good service.
(4)
Monique M.
the sushi was meh. nothing worth your time. also was a victim of my server's racial ignorance at the time of my visit. i will not be going ever again.
(1)
LM R.
horrible service after waiting over an hour for my dinner the waitress served cold steak and chicken that must've sat out from hibachi grill with mushrooms (after specifically requesting no mushrooms due to allergic reaction) also ordered a sushi roll because it was "tsunami tuesday" that was made with cold tempura shrimp (tempura shrimp is normally deep fried). Requested managers and there solution to the problem was to make me wait another 30min for food to be remade and still charged me full price after refusing to remove the mushrooms. The managers also decided to charge me full price for an incorrectly made sushi roll (which fell apart in rice chunks) that should've have been half price because its was 50% off specialty sushi night. This ruined my evening dinner with my loved ones after a long day of work we will never eat here again. VERY POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE
(1)
Dawn T.
I really wanted to give them a 5 star review. My daughter and I visited for the first time and shared sushi and hibachi, which were very good. We didnt like the soup and salad with ginger dressing but that was ok. We weren't there for that anyhow and the rest was very filling. Service was good. I think our bill was close to $60 but I'm not certain as we were given someone else's bill. Apparently someone else paid ours so I never really saw the bill. The waitress seemed really embarrassed and said if I paid the other parties bill I was saving $3. In retrospect I wish I would've had it corrected because I think the price was a bit high for a 2 person lunch. Otherwise everything tasted good and was fresh.
(4)
Deronda M.
So we requested our cook to be Cliff... We got someone else. He was very cool and funny but he overcooked most of the food. I think he got caught up in entertaining us that he didn't realize we were hungry and that the food was already done. I ordered a chicken and teriyaki salmon entree. It was seasoned well but dry because he let it cook too long smh. I probably won't go back unless it's for a birthday because they sing a song, play a drum and throw confetti! I would recommend Saga in Robinson or if you go ask for Cliff because he is one of the best cooks there
(3)
Luke R.
I had always wanted to go here, but never had the chance until a friend of mine asked me out of the blue. We went about noon on a Saturday and the place was relatively empty. We got Hibachi seating and were lucky enough we got to eat alone. We both had the steak and shrimp, and both got sprites to drink. Aside from the Sprite being pretty bland (they did get me a new one), it was a fun experience, and the food was great. I liked it enough I would recommend it and hope to go back.
(4)
Seth R.
So the family and I were out and about thinking to hit another spot to grab a bite to eat before we possibly catch a movie. Well since the wait at the other place was considerable we decided to walk the mall and see what could be offered. Off we went and came across a place that looked nice and offered a favorite of ours SUSHI!!!! As we walked in on the Friday night the air hummed with a vibrant busy spot where people were getting drinks, listening to the banter and pnash of hibachi cooks doing their most awesome, and an appealing sushi bar that was begging us to try their delectable fishy treats. The hosts at the front exceeded our expectations. They were obviously busy and very much hustling but promised a possible thirty minute wait and seat us at the next available table at the sushi bar. True to their words that's exactly what they did! Refreshing considering how often you are told "it'll be thirty minutes" only to wait forty five to an hour. Then the disappointment and hilarity begins. After being seated we grabbed menus and began formulating our plan for sushi bliss. While we were planning our awesomeness a server passed us multiple time. No welcome, no glass of water, be right with you, NOTHING. So here I sit with my family tummy grumbling waiting for that moment to get some great sushi to grub on. So we waited, waited some more, waited some more still ... did I mention we waited... then after forty five minutes of additional waiting at our table, without even a glass of water, we received a text message from the other place and left to spend our money elsewhere. As a courtesy to the manager Eugene I called back to the Yokoso to inform him of our experience. Not to be rude or complain but to just let him know so he could possibly address it and save another family the discomfort. At first he seemed appreciative and wanted us to come back in to enjoy the restaurant. He asked me to call back the following morning to arrange a time and come experience Yokoso at it's best. So in turn I obliged and called back in the morning and the afternoon with no success getting a hold of Eugene. I left my name and number and yet each time I called he was on break and would call me back. Well I'm still waiting for that call back and have avoided posting about this experience because I wanted to be fair and afford them the opportunity to follow through with what that they said they would do. I can't speak to the quality of the food in fact it looked down right delectable but the lack of service to the point NO SERVICE ruined the desire to try them out. Not to mention the fact that when management fails to live up to their word and blows you off it tells me they don't value the customers because hey there will be another one walking down the sidewalk any minute. There in lies the problem though! So this is me telling you the potential diner stay away save yourself the potential for a frustrating experience. Just skip it and go somewhere else where they value their customers and want you to come back!
(1)
Dls D.
I used to love going here. Not so much recently. Poor service, Poor Food. I went there for lunch today and was 'greeted' (I use that term loosely) by a black male who I assume was the manager. He did not even smile. I should have known that that was representative of my upcoming lunch experience. A black male cook was my 'chef.' He has waited on me before and he always messes up my order. I always cringe when I see he will be my cook. (Last time he forgot I didn't want egg in my rice then only remembered it AFTER he put it in. All he said was, "Oops!" Did not even offer to make me some without the egg. I should have said, "OOPS" when I was signing for my credit card and didn't leave a tip saying, "Oops, your pen ran out!" Today, at my table it was just myself and 2 black females. When the cook came out, he did greet everyone; however he ended up talking to the both of them, instead of trying to include me the whole meal. I asked him if I could have my extra order of shrimp as an appetizer (usually means 'before the main meal' in the US) and he said, 'I'm just gonna cook it with the rest." Okie dokie then. Although we were the ONLY table in the place, our waitress was hanging out in back i guess When an Asian woman worker came over to ALSO bullshit with the 2 black females, the cook turned to me and said, "You always come alone. And you're so quiet. You never say anything." Seriously?? I wonder why. (Side Note: I don't think my shrimp was cooked well enough as I don't feel too well right now). Next time, ...well there won't be a next time..
(1)
Tyler J.
The hibatchi food at this location is absolutely WONDERFUL. The chefs are a delight! My family and I go about once every two months or so and I've learned some things. There are a couple servers I will always avoid. But over all its a very great and pleasant place to eat. The only thing we ALL cringe at is that one of the managers is constantly yelling at someone. Whether a server bar tender host or hostess he is ALWAYS yelling and reprimanding in front of customers! These are paying guests (for now) that will most likely never come back.... They almost lost my service quite a few times.... I have seen the same manager sitting at the bar on his phone with a coat and winter hat on as well while the phone rang over and over and the hosts were busy seating people and doing what looked like helping servers deliver drinks etc...for the ENTIRE time I was there attempting to enjoy my meal in a booth with friends. He is just disrespectful to his employees and I'm not quite sure why he is even still a manager at all. He has made my server cry by yelling (and swearing) at her in front of us (and children). I have gone many times when an asian manager was there or a blonde young female recently. They seemed to be polite and helpful. Ive had enjoyable meals there those times. A few good servers and the great food are the ONLY reason we return. The atmosphere is not so pleasant when that certain manager Is there.
(1)
Luke B.
There are two reasons you should ever go to Yokoso: 1) You hate yourself, or 2) your relationship with someone is moving to fast and you want it to end. (take her here, she will hate you.) I ate there last night, and it was so bad I was certain that I was on a hidden camera show. To start, I ordered a roll of sushi for their half price Tuesday special. The roll came out 15 minutes later and it was warm. First time in my life that sushi was served warm (ingredients AND rice), as if it had been put in the microwave. It was disgusting. For the main course, I went with NY strip and shrimp. The shrimp was fine but the strip was chewy and wayyyy over cooked because the "Chef" was too busy being an entertainer. The rice was extremely buttery and gross, and the reason for the extra butter brings me to the "Chef." I have never had the opportunity to describe a chef as "extremely offensive," until tonight. When he first arrived, he noticed all of our dirty dishes from soup/salads were still in front of us. He then starts saying how the waitresses and busboys are useless and how "you get what you pay for, ya know?" He then said how he would "go in the back and get all the migrant workers to come clean up," but he "doesn't speak Spanish". It appears he thinks he is funny. He says how the migrant workers "are only working here so they aren't sent back to Mexico," and follows it up with "they aren't great cooks, but they are great at shoe repair." I sh*t you not. My wife who thankfully wasn't there, is a minority. I can take a joke or a remark (I've taken plenty) but its out of line when its from the person I chose to pay my hard earned money to for a nice dinner. I wanted to get up and leave as soon as he started talking, but I was with a group and didn't want to create a scene. Because nobody takes away our dirty dishes (at a Hibachi table with 7 people,) the "chef" removes them from the table himself, handling dirty dishes and silverware with his bare hands, stacks them on the table behind him, dries his hands on his pants, then starts handling and cooking our meal! It was disgusting. He then shouts across the restaurant to our non-existent waitress, "Hey babe, can you come help these people out." After sitting with an empty beer glass in front of me for 20 minutes, my second drink finally arrives. It wouldn't do it justice to say the glass was cracked. It was straight up broken. There were such large cracks in the glass that chunks of it were missing. I show the "chef," he calls over one of the "useless waitresses" (his words,) somehow the manager gets involved, and he (manager) starts calling out the waitress in the middle of the restaurant while she (the waitress) blames it on the bartenders. (side note: throughout the night, the Manager was taking hits off of a can he placed out of sight at one of the many empty tables. Not certain if it was alcohol, but his slurred speech and total incompetency at his job point a certain direction.) The "Chef" began by cooking the shrimp and placed it on our plates. Before taking my first bite of the meal, he says "hurry up and eat that. I gave you extra and they come around and count the pieces. I don't want to get yelled at so hurry up and eat." That was definitely a first for me! As the cooking progressed, the "Chef" was working on a pile of rice and veggies. He looked towards a pretty woman at a table who was clearly on a date and said "tell me when it's too much" and "tell me when you're getting close" as he squirted soy sauce on the rice. I don't know about you, but that's the imagery I want when someone is cooking my food in front of me. She asked for more butter (on the rice that we all share) and without asking the other 6 people at the table if they wanted an extra half stick of butter in their rice, he slaps more butter on the rice and says she can "have it just the way she likes it." Still no sign of the TV show host that is going tell me it was all a joke. I was so uncomfortable during the whole meal, I could barely look at the chef without cringing. Not surprisingly, the bill took 25 minutes to get and it was wrong. Not once, not twice, three times. The waitress needed three attempts to properly split a check for three people (AND ALL THREE OF US GOT THE SAME MEAL.) She needed help from the manager, who seemed annoyed that he had to do some sort of work in his restaurant. I reluctantly paid for my meal only because I wanted to get the h*ll out of that place. As our group left, the manager glared at us and said nothing. There is zero chance I will ever go there again. Seriously, only go to Yokoso if you hate yourself.
(1)
Ashley M.
I went to yokoso a few weeks ago for a friend's birthday and we had such a blast! The chef was entertaining and we got a ton of food. And the birthday celebration is the best part. They came out with drums and a sparkler and put a party hat on my friends head. It was hilarious and ended it with party poppers. Then they took $15 off my friends check for her birthday! We couldn't have had a better time and I plan on going back soon and especially for birthdays!
(5)
Bria M.
Our waitress was very sweet and checked up on us frequently. The sushi was good and the prices aren't bad! I'd go again
(4)
Dana M.
Awful service before you even sit down at your table! Here was my experience: I called for reservations a few hours ahead of time to have lunch on a Sunday afternoon with a small group of friends. My interaction with the gentleman (if you can call him that!!) was already a preview to our bad experience. He was rude - he never said hello or goodbye - literally hanging up the phone without saying anything and curtly took my information for the reservation. Then when we showed up the greeters had NO CLUE what was going on. Keep in mind that the place was half empty. 5 out of 6 of our party was waiting in the lobby. They asked that we wait for our whole group before being seated. I get it - when restaurants are busy they don't want to waste time if a group is not complete. But the place was empty!!! Then, we asked if we could be seated and we would gladly start our lunch at a normal pace and our friend could just catch up - we shared we weren't even sure she was ordering a meal. The manager (yes, MANAGER) curtly said that once we sit the "clock starts". I'm sorry - but my Sunday afternoon lunch should NOT BE TIMED BY A STOPWATCH. They absolutely refused to seat us. They even went so far as to say that if we did choose to sit, even in the bar area (read: non-hibachi) our friend could join us but she would be NOT be able to order from the menu. Needless to say, we immediately informed them that we would be leaving to have lunch elsewhere.
(1)
Ralph M.
This is my favorite Japanese steakhouse around by far. This is the only place where I actually like there sushi. The hibachi is fire too nothing like a good piece of steak or chicken with some super loud scallops. A must try in my opinion is the mafia roll and some sugar snap peas, I dont know how they do it but those peas are so good it should be illegal.
(3)
Liz A.
We went here for my friends birthday. While our chef was entertaining, the food wasn't too impressive and the service was not good. They said they would sing happy birthday and never did. The hostesses and the waitress ignored our reminders. We were disappointed and I probably will not go again. If I want hibachi I will pay the extra money for nakama.
(2)
Pen S.
Food was mediocre, at best. Service was AWFUL. We were lured in by the smell, but the food did not live up to it. Not even in the same ballpark as Ichiban.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Loud Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Joe D.
Yokoso is one of the few privately owned restaurants at The Waterfront, the other is the newly christened and defunct Fuddruckers, now the Pittsburgh Burger Co. I have a real problem with Sushi snobs, first most don't know what they're talking about, for example, at Yokoso one night I swear this really happened....a lady and her date ordered three rolls each, one of which was a dragon roll, a very spicy roll that basically masks the taste of the fish the roll is made from. Then complained that the yellowfin was not fresh. How did she know? She drowned her dragon roll with soy sauce, then piled on pickled ginger and wasabi, rendering her tastebuds useless. If you want to taste the freshness of the sea, you eat sashimi, and just eat it with a few drops of soy sauce or none at all. Yokoso is one of the top sushi/teppanyaki spots in Pittsburgh. Great feel inside, comfortable atmosphere, big bar area, nice selection of vodkas, great martini menu. I'm not a huge fan of teppanyaki although I've had the salmon here and it's very good. I come here for sashimi and since going vegan, I come for the California rolls, and anything the chef comes up with. We are on a first name basis and he has made me vegan dragon rolls, which are pretty amazing. Great lunch specials and weekend evenings can be busy with a bit of a wait. Bar fills up quickly, so come early.
(4)Deb S.
Went here today for sushi and I was not impressed. It seemed as though both my server, and the person making my sushi, were incredibly new. The rolls were warm and poorly executed making them difficult to eat. If you have an allergy, speak up! The menu does not accurately reflect what is in every sushi roll.
(3)Marc D.
Me and 4 others went here and ate around the Hibachi grill and the food and chef was terrible. We've eaten at all the Japanese Steakhouse's in this area and this was the worst. I believe that when people go to these types of restaurant's they want the traditional feeling and taste of the food from Japan. We did not get this from the non Asian chef who didn't season or prepare the food in the proper order or with the proper taste. He made the scallops, lobster and shrimp and put this on our plates first. He then made the rice and veggies and put this on our plates second, oh I forgot that he put noodles on my grandson's plate that wasn't for our group but should have went to the group sharing the grill with us that we didn't know. Last he made our steak, chicken and salmon all of which had no traditional seasoning taste to it. This is not the correct order to prepare the food. Nothing was prepared with the sauces and seasonings that I've gotten from other Japanese Steakhouse's. Usually after the waitress takes our order the chef comes out and gives his presentation and starts cooking but at this place he comes out with a cheat sheet and asks everyone once again if what he has written down is correct, oh yeah did I mention he put noodles on my grandson's plate that should have went to a group not with our group. The chef also coughed on his sleeve 3 times while preparing the food. Last but not least don't tell us that you've been doing this for 17 years when my son in law recognizes you from working in a clothing store in East Liberty that closed down. $235.00 down the drain.
(1)Javier A.
Yokoso... More like YUCK-oso. We walked in on a busy Saturday night and sat at the sushi bar. It took almost 10 minutes for our server to greet us. I ordered a Heineken, which turned out to the best part of the meal. The wife ordered a glass of Woodbridge Pinot Noir that she said tasted like it had been open for a month. We started off with an order of edamame (which looked and tasted like it was frozen, and then overcooked), and miso soup which was quite bland. For dinner we ordered the Red Dragon roll, the Three Rivers roll and the Polamalu roll. All three rolls were not impressive at all. We left having the same bloated feeling that you get when eating cheap MSG-loaded Chinese food. The server took another long while to pick up our check when we were finished. We won't be coming here again.
(1)October R.
A co-worker and I took a few clients out for lunch at Yokoso. We were the first ones there, our server was sweet and the hibachi chef had a good sense of humor but I was expecting more pizzaz. The charm of a hibachi grill (at least to me) is the show put on for the guests. He showed off his knife skills and and made the little onion volcano but that was about it. I was expecting some real flare, but the food made up for it. We only ordered from the hibachi menu so I can't attest to the sushi, I ordered the veggies of course, which were all fresh and grilled perfectly and others ordered shrimp and chicken dishes. Everyone was satisfied and had a great time. You could ask, if everything was fresh and tasty then why only giive 3 stars. The answer would be because I've been to other hibachi grills where they put on a great, amazing show and give you more bang for buck.
(3)Glenn C.
Food was not as good as last time. Lobster was a little tough. Surprising to see another chef drink 2 "blue drinks". I asked what it was and was told liquid marijana that their bartender makes. I wouldn't want to be around someone twirling knives after 2 drinks. They even had him come back out to have a 3rd. Wild 3 couple party.
(3)Asm A.
Horrible, delayed service, overpriced for tasteless food. I'm not a person that disregards food or says its bad but sadly this place gave me a poor experience. We went because my husband loves sushi. He ordered 4 different types of sushi and said it was "decent" but nothing great. I'm not a sushi fan so I ordered the twin salmon, which is the dinner portion of their lunch teriyaki salmon. It came with japanese soup (bland), a house salad (basically from a bag of iceberg lettuce from the grocery store with some Japanese dressing), and a plate of veggies, fried rice and 2 pieces of salmon. The plate of food tasted like something out of a frozen dinner but worse. The rice was cold, no flavor, salmon was overdone, hardly any teriyaki sauce and the veggies were the only thing I could manage to eat as they weren't that bad. Very upset since that plate cost $20 and wasn't worth a penny. Also, they had us seat ourselves and the waitress took forever to come so the lady at the front took our order.
(1)Melissa S.
Um, no thank you. I mean, I get that this place caters to big groups/bday parties and drunk people (true story) in the spirit of Benihana, but the hootin' and hollerin' coupled with bad service was too much for us. Since it was just the 2 of us, it seemed we werent as important as the bachelorette party next door. Pat ordered a Kirin that never came and the salmon dinner for two consisted of two sad slabs of pre-frozen salmon and cheap fried rice--the kind that has peas, corn and carrot squares in it. We left sans beer and ended up stopping at Chaya in Squirrel Hill in order to erase the awful memory of our dining experience.
(1)Muriel H.
This cute little spot nestled at the waterfront was just what I needed after driving 4hrs to Pittsburgh to see my boyfriend. The rolls were quite tasty and for a pretty good price. The Caterpillar Roll was my favorite with its jumbo avocado slices wrapper around the roll. Delish! The blackberry sake was not very good, but then again, I am not a fan of sake....decided to try it. I wish i hadn't. Great hostesses & romantic ambiance. I will definitely return to Yokoso when I head back up north to Pitt! :)
(3)Nick H.
I went to Yokoso for Valentine's day with my girlfriend for an afternoon cocktail and some sushi before catching a flick at the theater. We ventured into the deserted steakhouse and sat down by the bar around 2:00, expecting to catch a movie at 3:30. The menu was definitely a little overwhelming at first, so we both ordered a drink to review each others' palates for sushi. My girlfriend ordered a banana split martini and was very delighted with her choice. I noticed that they had some different types of Japanese beer on tap. I ordered the Kirin and happened to love its light, refreshing taste. After deciphering the menu, my lover ordered the paradise roll, which was an eight cut roll that included crab, avocado, and shrimp. I ordered the spicy tuna, which was also an eight roll that included yellow fin tuna, avocado, and crab. Both of our dishes were delicious. In a fantasy sushi oasis, I couldn't picture sushi tasting any better. And for everything, we paid around $30.00. So, it was definitely an awesome way to catch a drink and a meal before a movie.
(3)P M.
Frequent this place due to the friendly service and excellent food. Thx to all the gals for making us feel so welcome! Highly recommend !
(5)Rosie N.
I have been here before and have had great experiences. On my most recent trip here, the server kept forgetting everything and she actually came out of the kitchen eating food. The manager knew who it was before we even told him her name. He also was not too interested in the information and kind of blew us off. Our chef was awesome and he was very comical.
(3)Jill G.
Grody! I walked in and was overwhelmed by a really unpleasant smell, but I soldiered on. Then, while at the sushi bar, I see the sushi chef putting fake crab on my plate. I immediately stopped him, confirmed the crab was fake, and got the hell out of there as fast as I could. No, no, no, no, no!
(1)Nimish P.
Good sushi variety, allows customizations, friendly staff... slightly noisy, but the booths give you enough privacy.
(4)Rachel M.
Very tasty food, good service, _very_ good plum wine ... . :) All the folks we interacted with were quite pleasant. And the service was quick - though I acknowledge it could have just _seemed_ to be so, and I may've been distracted by the pleasant-ness of the company I kept.
(4)Christopher T.
Just the facts: The worst hibachi style meal in Pittsburgh. Try Benihana for the food or Nakama for the atmosphere. I live by the Waterfront and frequent all of the restaurants located there.
(1)Pete R.
Had high hopes for trying a new place. We love hibachi restaurants (kids dig the flames, Mom & Dad enjoy sushi). Had a very, very bad experience here. The sushi was practically inedible. The maki was prepared so large that you couldn't fit a piece in your mouth ... which left you either trying to bite it in half, or cut it with a knife, which totally defeats the purpose. The sushi was placed on waaaayyyyy too much rice, leaving you to pluck the fish off of the huge ball of rice. Our server was friendly, but abandoned us for 10+ minutes at a time on more than one occasion (and even longer at the end of our meal, when everyone was way past ready to leave). For the kicker, when she brought the bill, an 18% gratuity was automatically added. When I asked about this, I was told that it's added for parties of four (4!) or more. I totally understand factoring in gratuities for large parties, but let me tell you ... adding it to a family of four is pure presumption. I have seldom been more dissatisfied with a dining experience.
(1)Dean J.
I'm a vegetarian, and the vegetarian hibachi/sushi combo just fails to impress. Largish portions, at least. For hibachi, I don't know where else to go. For sushi, both Chaya and Umi come immediately to mind. For a large group, it's hard to beat Yokoso, though, as they have tables that will seat groups of 12-24.
(2)Carrie L.
Delicious!!! On our Faves list! PROS: Clean (Much more so than Sho-gun of Monroeville, due to being newer) Great Sushi Nice Staff Full Bar Area & Nice Atmosphere CONS: a bit pricey VERY busy on weekends! The potential to get "stuck" sitting with an a-hole is possible due to the seating around the hibachi grills. DINNER SUGGESTIONS: "Steak (Filet) & Shrimp Combo with Mushroom Appetizer" (you'll get the fried rice and veggies plus a nice amount of shirmp and beef, but you'll also get extra mushrooms on your plate which are delicious) If you're looking for this type of food (Japanese Steakhouse/Hibachi), then Yokoso is a great choice. Its not as trendy or conveniently located in Southside as Nakama--which we like, but Yokoso is a lot newer and cleaner than Sho-gun and its still very easy to get to (and park at) considering its just in the Homestead Waterfront.
(4)JT T.
Perfection location in the waterfront. Habachi grill is always good entertainment with the meal, or on a nice day to sit outside on the patio. Sushi has always been fresh, only complaint is their sushi rolls are to large. Highly Recommened.
(4)Dana N.
Yokoso is a good hibachi and sushi spot that is located in a convenient part of the city (i.e. the Waterfront) and is also--thank goodness--surrounded by available parking. I have been there during both lunch and dinner--weekdays and weekends--and have sampled the hibachi and sushi. And for the most part, the food is very good. The restaurant recently revamped its menu and I've noticed an overall slight price increase. More noticeable are the changes to their sushi menu, where some rolls have been removed and shifted while new, inventive rolls take their place. Sushi selections are pictured in a large, colorful menu that shows pictures along with detailed ingredients for each roll. And while this is extremely helpful for visual individuals, I still find it slightly overwhelming having to scan over twenty different roll varieties. However, the new additions sound tasty, with both the Yum Yum and Lobster Cali Rolls being two of my favorites thus far. Thus far, I have experienced good, quality service whenever I've decided to stop by for a quick bite or to place an order to go. The wait staff is engaging and friendly and I have never had any delays with my food.
(4)Elaine L.
I had a particularly good experience but it could be because of the time of day. We came here for a late lunch on a weekday so we got prompt service. We ordered a steak and shrimp hibachi plate and 3 rolls (Dragon, New York, and Pittsburgh). The hibachi plate was pretty good and came with the green onion soup. It was priced reasonably for the quality and quantity. The sushi was delicious too, but I don't have a discerning palate. I'm a fan of the fast-food ish sushi places in Oakland by Pitt, which are cheaper, but I can't confidently tell you that Yokoso's rolls, because it costs a tad more, tastes better. It's definitely got a better selection, though, than the sushi places by Pitt. I'm not sure if that alone is enough to warrant a trip here (if we ignore the hibachi for a second). Overall, the bill wasn't bad at all, especially considering we doggie bagged and got great service. I have a feeling this place might be better for lunch than for dinner. I have no idea what the live Hibachi experience at this place is like, though.
(4)Cristina A.
I live in Philadelphia and I visited Yokoso this last Saturday for one of my best friends' birthday dinner with a group of about 12 people. The staff responsible for taking reservations messed up our friend's reservation which she made several days in advance and we were told to wait for a table (even though we had a scheduled limo coming to pick us up later). After about 20 minutes of waiting, we were finally seated and told that our server would be right with us. We waited another 15 minutes as servers rushed past us, completely oblivious to the fact that our large table hadn't been approached. Finally one of us ended up grabbing a passing waitress, Jasmine, who was extremely nice and offered to take our order herself. She was very accommodating and quickly took our drink and dinner orders, which is no simple task for a twelve top party. Our hibachi chef Cliff was also amazing, very funny and engaging. If it were not for Jasmine and Cliff, we certainly would have walked out and told everyone to stay away from Yokoso! We ended up making our limo reservation but it was unnecessarily stressful and aggravating. This review is getting 2 stars only because of Jasmine and Cliff's excellent service!
(2)Teresa T.
We tried to go to Smoke BBQ Taqueria however couldn't find a nearby ATM so opted to look for a place on the Waterfront. We landed at Yokoso and while we thought we would be going in for sushi we ended up deciding to go with hibachi, which ranged from about $16 to $30 depending on the types of meat/seafood you choose ($14 for vegetarian). Our waitress was nice though our hibachi chef was hilarious and very outgoing which made for a pleasant experience. If you do go, I would suggest asking for Colin. You can tell he really loves his job and has been hibachi-ing for 11 years now or so he says. Food was allright though the sauces certainly helped,and the big portions helped with the prices.I do like how they seat you family style.
(3)Carrie D.
Great place! Awesome sushi and Japanese grill. Great food and service! If you have a larger party, though, call ahead. And parking at the Waterfront is a nightmare sometimes, so I'd advise going early, parking and then enjoy the shopping, restaurants and bars in the area.
(4)Raquel C.
ok food and my husband and i found it a little pricey. Service was ok.
(3)Melinda J.
I was a little nervous after reading some of the reviews but it was a really nice experience and the food was very good! Our server Bryn was right on que with everything....EXCELLENT service! Our chef...and I am sorry I forgot his name he was great also..in fact as I looked around, everyone who worked there seemed on there game...managers were out and looking around, servers were moving quickly to get orders and refills...lively place with the drums banging and servers singing for birthdays...I even found myself clapping with them. And larger portions than other habachi places...we will definitely be back!
(5)Julie M.
Fabulous dining experience. My first time eating sushi and was very impressed and thrilled to have such a great experience. We order 6 different rolls to try a little bit of everything and it was a great.
(4)Jenny K.
AMAZINGG! I went to Yokoso for my birthday this year and it has exceeded my expectations! My friends and I were surrounded by amazing food, great atmosphere, and an awesome staff. My friends and I ate both hibachi and sushi. The sushi is the freshest fish you will ever eat in the Pittsburgh area. I got the salmon, tuna, yellowtail, and eel sashimi, along with a yokoso roll and mafia roll. My mouth melted every time I took a bite. No matter what type of fish you order here, it is bound to be fresh, so you can't go wrong with whatever you prefer. The rolls are HUGE and definitely worth your money. One of these rolls can be a meal in itself, but because I wanted to save some room for hibachi, I shared with all of my friends. The hibachi on the other hand was downright mouth watering. Our chef's name was Chin and she was soo friendly and sweet. I ordered the filet and shrimp and everything again was amazing. The filet was exactly how I like it to the point. The shrimp was perfectly cooked and the vegetables and rice were cooking to perfection as well. The overall atmosphere of Yokoso was relaxed and perfect for a night out with friends. The restaurant and bathrooms were clean and well kept. I would strongly suggest this restaurant to families, friends, and even kids. Yokoso provides a sense of exciting entertainment that keeps me coming back. I will definitely be back to Yokoso for many times to come!!!
(5)Rachael M.
If I could give it a 0 star rating, I would. The awful service sent us right back out instead of eating there. We arrived at 7:00 on a Saturday evening, which I know is a busy time. All I wanted was to order a snack from the sushi bar. When we got there, 4 girls were up front in some kind of disarray. We stood there for a few minutes; no one greeted us, told us they'd be with us soon... no acknowledgment at all. The sushi bar was practically empty, so we asked loudly if you could seat yourself. No one replied, so we started walking to the sushi bar. A girl then came running after us, not to greet us, but to rudely state that the bar wasn't self seating and that there was a wait since the staff was behind. We then promptly walked out. I did call the manager, who was very apologetic, but I still won't go back.
(1)F P.
We've eaten here a number of times. Mostly sushi but once at the teppanyaki tables (or hibachi to you hillbilly yinzfolk). Its always pretty good. But definitely not the best. We like it, though. This time, I ordered something I've been wanting for awhile, a bowl of udon. We also got three rolls, an asparagus salad, some fried rice and a side of brocolli. The last time we were here, we sat down at the teppanyaki tables and ordered the brocolli for our 2 year old. We got pretty much a half pound of "trees" as she calls them and munched them down. Our order yesterday was only about a dozen pieces, which was a disappointment. The udon was okay. I ordered the small, as the waitress said the large was very large. Props on the noodles...big and thick, chewy and firm. There was plenty of tofu inside and it was cooked in a way that gave it the texture and flavor of chicken. I got three large tempura prawns that were cooked perfectly. The broth was a little lackluster. And since I recently started having to watch my sodium, I had to leave the soy sauce alone. The soup was good but I probably wouldn't order it again. The rolls were all good as usual. She got the California roll, the veggie roll and the Rock n Roll (shrimp, cream cheese, cucumber). Their sushi is priced pretty much the same as all the other sushi I've found in town. They have a couple sushi combos, and we've gotten these before, they're real deals. Individually picking the rolls can get pricy, though. Finally, the salad. They have a green salad on the menu for $3.50. Its pretty small for that much money. Or you can get a few other salads for about $5.95. They double the size of the lettuce plus they put some asparagus or some other veggies on it. If you're gonna grab a salad, skip the $3.50 one and get the large size, its worth it. The fried rice was pretty tasty. But for the two of us and the baby, it was overkill. Lots of egg and veggies in it. Their teppanyaki lunches are priced great. You get plenty of food for $9-15 bucks. All in all, their prices are just a little higher than average for teppanyaki/sushi. Not as high as Nakama, plus the quality is better. Their lunch teppanyaki deals are real steals, though. Honestly, I like several other places more but their location makes it easy to do lunch after shopping.
(4)pracheta t.
we didn't do hibachi, just came for sushi and whomp whomp - not so great. i ordered an avocado roll (bc i only get that or sweet potato tempura and they didn't have sweet potato) and it didn't taste fresh. the edamame was luke warm. its in a great location, they just need to work on their food. hm.
(2)Chelsea S.
My bf was in the mood for sushi but never strays away from his normal place. i decided we should head to waterfront for dinner to change things up. Our server was Ashley and she was seriously an amazing server. Bobby ordered the yum yum roll, lobster cali roll & volcano roll. The only one I tried was the yum yum but it was delicious! Even though we sat at booth seating, i ordered hibachi chicken which of course comes with a salad, soup, chicken, rice, 3 shrimp & veggies. I enjoyed my dinner and couldn't finish all of it. For a japenese steakhouse, they play a funny (but entertaining) mix of music. We were seated near the sushi bar but still close to the regular bar. We heard everything from snoop doggs 'aint nothing but a g thang' , tlc's 'no scubs' & oasis 'wonderwall' (what a funny mix) bobby brought up how he felt the sushi was 'average' It was tasty, but the plating could've been better. You can have average sushi on an amazing looking plate and get points. I agree, the plating of the sushi was lacking. What boosted this review up was deff the service & the fact that we had a nice date night overall :) **1/2 off sushi on Tuesday
(4)Charles M.
The service is pretty subpar; we ended up walking out. All the way from Manhattan, we thought to try some nice Japanese hibachi in the neighborhood. However, we were met with apathetic staff, that did nothing to even seat us. The front desk had five hostess/waitress members who did nothing but stare off into space. When asked multiple times how long it will take to get a seat ready, they replied "just 1 more minute". The place wasn't terribly busy, and folks who came after us were even seated before us (though their numbers were less; we were a party of three). When we let them know we were leaving, they still looked as if they were dazed and out of it. Thanks for nothing and wasting about 10-15 minutes of our time, folks!
(1)Maya T.
Let me start by saying that the the food is incredible. We did hibachi for dinner. I've done hibachi before, and this was hands down the best I've tried. The rice was mouthwatering. The shrimp was delectable. So good. We also had enough food left over to take home for 2 more meals, so it is very worth the price. The reasons for 2 stars less are the service and atmosphere. The atmosphere seemed kind of tense - the employees, especially from the kitchen, seemed to be exhausted and overworked. I witnessed an argument between 2 employees right next to our table that seemed to be, more than anything, fueled by the exhaustion and the tense atmosphere. Also, it took about 15 minutes for the waitress to bring our drinks and food orders. She later apologized, saying that she had to close out 7 separate checks, adding to the feeling that everyone was stretched too thin. Maybe it was just a bad night, but it took a little away from the dinner. Overall, I'd come back for the food. I'm just hoping for a nice atmosphere the next time, where the employees seem more content.
(3)Kimberly T.
If you are at the Waterfront and craving sushi, this is the place for you! The sushi is made fresh. You can sit at the sushi bar to eat or at a table. They have a lot to choose from. They even have pictures of everything so you see what you are getting. My two favorites are the Three Rivers Roll and the Polumalu roll. They also have hibachi here. You can sit at one of the big tables or order it from your table at the sushi area. Sometimes we order both and share. I dislike how loud the hibachi tables get and I wish there was more separation from the sushi area for the nights you just want a quiet dinner.
(3)Mike H.
I've eaten here a few times, usually for chicken and shrimp teriyaki off the hibachi but this particular Tuesday I came on a solo mission for half off specialty sushi and I've never been more pleased. I started with the Spider Roll, a combination of of course rice and a seaweed wrap that has soft shell crab tempura, avocado, crab and cucumber add in a little wasabi sauce and eel sauce and you got yourself a combination you never want to stop coming. So much so I was gonna venture off but stayed with this for 3 orders. 15 pieces of sushi and $20 later I couldn't be any happier. The rolls came quick,the bartender served them with a smile and the price well, the price was worth every hard earned cent. For the health conscious keep in mind what I ate was a total of 1000 calories and it surely will keep me full long through the evening. The drinks are a little expensive but that's the price you pay for convenience at any restaurant. They are always generously made and the beer is always cold. The staff always welcomes me with open arms and throws in any extras you may need without a grunt like pickled ginger, wasabi, lemons and sauces. I've been here before and now that I know about this day of the week I'll be coming back a bit more often but next time, with lots of people!
(5)Jonathan P.
I was on a business trip recently and 18 of us went to Yokoso. I eat at Japanese Steakhouses regularly so it was not a new or special experience. We had two chefs (we had two tables next to each other in their own alcove. All of our party had a great time, the chefs were very good and funny and the portions were properly cooked and very generous. The wait staff was also very good. The restaurant itself was clean, nice and properly lit. Could not ask for anything more.
(5)Leslie S.
Terrible! My first and last visit here ever. Let's start with the fact that it was my friend's birthday. It was my husband and me, my bff and her husband. Our main plan for the evening was to head to Sing-Sing. Due to getting a late start, we decided to stop here for dinner. It was Saturday night after 8pm so not very busy. We were seated outside quickly. Then we waited. And waited. A waitress passed our table 4 or 5 times without a word. After at least five minutes, the hostess came outside and said that our waiter would be with us shortly, but she could get our drinks. It took her several minutes to bring out all of the drinks, since she didn't bring them all out together. And I still had to ask for my drink, because she forgot. There is some type of "birthday special" which inclues $15 off of a dinner, free cake, and some type of "sparker" and "popper" celebration. And a free gift...."while supplies last", whatever that means. This is good one week prior or after your actual birthday....pending valid ID. Although the menu also says not valid on Saturdays or holidays, my friend inquires anyways, since it is not at all busy. The hostess says that they will honor the birthday special and that the manager "is really cool and will be fine with it". Fine. Waiter Joe finally arrives....dude is clueless. My friend's husband and I get hibachi dinners and my husband and friend get sushi platters. He asks what type of salad dressing we want....ginger or vinegar and oil. All four of us say vinegar and oil, all four come out with ginger. We have to ask the waiter several times for obvious things - Silverware and Napkins, More Drinks, To Take Plates Off Of The Table. You know, things that should come as common knowledge to wait staff. When our meals come, he brings out one plate of sushi and seems confused, stating that they put all of the sushi on one plate.....uh no. We tell him there should be two plates. I mean, two people ordered two separate meals?! He fixes it and returns. Has no idea whose order goes to who....ugh. At the end of the meal, Joe messes up our checks, putting things my friends ordered on our check. Again, we have to wait for this to get fixed. The worst part is that they automatically put 20% gratuity on the bill. I would not have left this dude a dollar if I had the choice. We waited several minutes to get our change. I actually had to go up to the bar and ask a bartender to find my waiter. Joe obviously cannot count either, he gave us $1.50 too much in change. I figured it could come out of his tip.... Here's the kicker....my friend gets none of this "birthday special"...no free cake, no $15 off, nothing. We inquire with Joe, who is still clueless. He has the manager, Jay, come out. My friend explains that, yes, we understand that it is Saturday, however the hostess said that it would be fine. Jay blabbers something about it being Saturday, and they try to exclude Saturdays to drum up business other, less busy days. We state, they are not busy at the moment. And this free cake thing means apparently, according to the manager, that if you bring your own cake, they won't charge you to plate it. His explanation for the ambiguous script on the menu? "The Japanese can't explain things well". Oh, okay. He also says that the birthday special requires four meals to be purchased. Well, there is four of us, we say. He says, no....since they were on separate checks. Jay also says that this is "up the manager's discretion", but still will not give her the discount. My friend says, "Okay that's fine. We just won't be returning". the manager's response is...."Have a nice night" and Walks Away! I cannot even comment on the food....which was fine - not great not terrible - because there were so many other things to distract from the experience. This should have been a nice relaxing dinner with friends and it was blah blah blah. I won't speak for the others (although I know their thoughts), but I feel cheated. One of the worst experiences at a restaurant ever. Will. Never. Ever. Ever. Return. You suck Yokoso!
(1)Chip R.
I've been here only three times and each time it was on a Tuesday night for the half-off sushi. Beings that this was only the third time I've ever had sushi, I won't pretend to be a seasoned sushi expert. I know, I should get out more, but I really like the sushi here. And for ten bucks, it's a delicious treat. I only wish they had a better beer selection.
(3)Molly H.
Never had the hibachi here, just sushi. Decent sushi and selection. A lot of specialty rolls that cater to the Pitt Panthers, Polamalu, Pirate and Steel City rolls. It's a little over priced, but most places in the Waterfront are just a bit. They do run specials during the week of half off special rolls which is a deal. The staff is friendly and accommodating. It's not the best sushi in Pittsburgh, but it does the trick. Alcohol Selections are pretty good with a seasonal on tap. Not sure on happy hour prices.
(3)Judy L.
Great for a quick bite sitting at the sushi bar for some rolls. Friday nights are hopping being near the theaters. Music included arrested Development and breakfast at tiffanys. Decent selection of saki to get over that. I like the pictorial menu of rolls! Less expensive places for sushi, but the quality overall is better than most, at least for the rolls. Servers seem a bit overextended. Would be great for a casual date, although I'm married, just saying we like it here. My husband said I should mention the rolls are so big, it was hard for me to fit them into my pie hole.
(4)Barry R.
Consistently good selection and fresh fish with a generous side of mediocre service. Nice bar list including Sapporo on tap, spoiled by waiting at the bar to pay the check with the bar left fully unattended on Saturday night for 10-15 minutes. They had alot of fun local house rolls like a Pitt Panther Roll, Steel City Roll, 3 Rivers, Crosby Roll, Polamalu Roll, and Pirate Roll. When I asked the waiter what their favorite specialty house roll was they recommended the "California Roll". Whoah, slow down wild man! I don't know if my tastes are that adventurous! We ordered the Sashimi Platter and Spicy Tuna Tartare which were very fresh and well done when they arrived. There was a long wait and they initially forgot the Tuna. If the service was as good as the sushi I'd give it 5 stars, but as it is, you'll come for the food, and leave for the service.
(3)Ashlee S.
Still love it here! I swear the white tuna sushi and sashimi were extra good today, and who doesn't love half off specialty rolls! My favorite part was our server, Marissa, she was very attentive, nice, and polite, and laughed with us at our ridiculousness! Haha
(5)Shawn X.
Really bad service. Waited 20 minutes to take order when most tables are empty. Waitress hanging around doing nothing, and gave ugly faces when we said we were in a rush for movie. Food has nothing to do with Japanese, mostly. Never coming again.
(1)Maria I.
This was my first time here and I had a good experience. We had Holly as our waitress and she was fantastic! I had green tea and shared spicy tuna tartar with edamame. Both were tasty. I wasn't sure what to order roll-wise and asked for help. Holly suggested Polamalu roll, which I ended up getting. It was good! I noticed there was some wasabi sauce on it, but not any of the green stuff on the side to mix into my soy sauce. It wasn't a big deal for me though. Overall, the atmosphere was laid-back and we had prompt, attentive service. I would come here again.
(4)Jessica M.
I've eaten here numerous times and every time is fantastic but this time stood out above all the others. Our chef was Collin... I recommend him hands down. He was personable, he had great flair, he didn't do the same tricks that you usually see. You can tell that he has a passion for his job and he takes pride in it. He is very precise in what he does and his food is amazing. If you come here... Request him. He said he's off Monday's, Tuesday's, and Wednesday's. Hands down the best hibachi chef I've ever had and I've been to almost all the hibachi places in the area.
(5)Kylene W.
Yuck! Went here for lunch and ordered from the hibachi lunch menu and sushi. Idk how or why this place exists. Ordered chicken and shrimps. First of all I got chicken scraps.. dried scraps, and the shrimp was nasty transparent soggy shrimp def from the freezer. They don't give you very much at all esp for the price you pay. They just give you a ton of salty fried rice to deceive you into thinking you're getting your money's worth. Sushi is gross too, imagine eating day old shrimp tempura.. stale chewy panko bread crumbs, no thanks. And they drizzle everything with that wasabi cream sauce to mask the taste of nasty. Sorry Yokoso, or Yuck-ko-so
(1)Matt D.
Poor service and not that clean. My wife and I stopped in at about a 9:45 PM on a Friday night. It readily became apparent that the staff was more interested in preparing to close for the evening than it was in serving customers still coming in. Our waitress was pretty much MIA. We had a flag down other waitresses to get our waitress when we needed something. It took quite a bit of time to get our meal and when we got it the vegetables were cold. The food wasn't bad but this is definitely a case of poor service killing the meal. The amount of food that was on the floor under our booth was pretty gross. There was rice, broccoli and at least one piece of shrimp on the ground directly underneath of our table. I also had to wipe down my seat before sitting down because of all the rice that was left there. Apparently on top of being too busy to give halfway decent service they were also too busy to make the restaurant halfway presentable. When leaving our waitress didn't even bother to ask how our meal was and it was obvious she didn't care. I definitely won't go back and I left there feeling like the place was kind of ghetto.
(1)Susan T.
We've been here several times, it's convenient to the movie theater. Here's what I love: Plum wine and Squid Salad - never anything but fantastic. Here's what is A-ok: The sushi rolls. Nothing unique, but consistently ok. Also the atmosphere. It's a pleasant chain. Here's the wild card: Service. It's either fantastic or terrible. Starting with the hostess... who may be warm and friendly or chatting with coworkers or just really, REALLY bored with the whole being-at-work situation. Will we keep going there? Yes... we are movie goers and the Squid Salad is quite good. If Yokoso were in an independent location though...
(3)Lizzie D.
Yokoso is my favorite place for Hibachi because the food is spot on every time. The chef we had was amazing- thorough, gifted in the art of hibachi and passionate. Yokoso is one of the only hibachi restaurants I know that has separate, isolated seating for big groups of people with a cooking area all to its self! This is nice because sometimes you want to enjoy hibachi without being seated with strangers. The ambiance is very nice- dimply lit with a funky vibe to it. The staff is team "Yokoso" so don't bring up Benihana! :-P It is nice to see staff that truly believe in their work and the quality of work that their company brings to the customer. I give this place 5 stars- it is clean, it is updated, and the food is always wonderful! Even if you had designated hibachi favorites in the 'Burgh, please give Yokoso a try! You won't be disappointed!
(5)Kelly H.
I cannot believe out of 60 reviews there is no mention of the hibachi chef Cliff. My husband, my 9 year old & my son have eaten here twice now with Cliff as our Hibachi chef & he is nothing short of amazing! Yesterday we went with our close friends & their 2 children. All the kids were shy at first but Cliff does an amazing job at making the kids feel like part of the show. He is such a nice, outgoing guy & made the amazing food he prepared even that much better. My son is very shy but Cliff did an amazing job at getting him to open up & he even ate the shrimp he made after never eating seafood before! (Note:he LOVED it so much cliff requested a few more ounces so he could make him some more) Food is great, service is great, get here now! Need something even more enticing? How about 1/2 % off sushi Tuesday's & their great drinks?!
(5)Filipp G.
The food gets a 4. The service and policy gets a zero. So the two is richly deserved. The good: - they know how to cook (salmon teriyaki and rolls were very well-prepared) - lunch prices are fair The bad - the wait staff couldn't look more disinterested if they tried - Dinner entrees are pricey and don't have enough substance to warrant high prices...but if you want to split a $20 entree, that will be another $9, thank you...for what??? Washing a second plate? We could have easily eaten off one. Nickel-and-diming of this kind does not endear you to anyone. - Apparently they consider 18% tip to be representative of "fair" service. Not sure what makes this place so special, but "fair" usually stands for "just above shitty" and warrants 10%. (18% usually represents pretty damned decent service that was just short in some little dimension, of being great, hence no 20%.)
(2)Dale H.
I've been here a few times for lunch and it's always been okay, not terrible, but not fantastic. I was here last weekend for lunch and sat at the bar. We started with a sushi roll to share, we got the Pirate Roll. It was panko-breaded and deep-fried, with salmon, cream cheese, and asparagus inside and topped with an eel sauce and spicy crab salad. I didn't care for the eel sauce (Justin liked it, though!), but the roll itself was delicious. We ordered two meals from the Hibachi Lunch Menu, I got the NY Strip Steak and Chicken and Justin got the NY Strip Steak and Shrimp. They both came with soup or salad to start and also hibachi vegetables and fried rice. The portions were very healthy for lunch. The fried rice was delicious and so, so much better than the last time I was there. The rest of the meal was good, too. The steaks were well cooked and seasoned, but my chicken was slightly dry. I've only ever been here for lunch, and don't know that this is a place I would even come for dinner. The price point goes up significantly, and while the food is good, I worry I would be disappointed with a dinner service. It's never too busy when I'm there for lunch, so I'm not too sure what the atmosphere is like in the evening. The service I've received here hasn't been BAD per say, but it hasn't been great. The staff is always very nice, but aren't necessarily the most efficient. It just seems like everyone is a little sluggish or apathetic. So, all in all, if you are looking for a decent lunch while at the Waterfront, this is a good option. If you work at the Waterfront, they offer a Waterfront discount, you just have to ask. I don't really know the stipulations, but maybe bring a pay stub or something just in case! They also offer half price sushi rolls on Tuesdays, which is a fantastic deal.
(3)Frederick K.
My favorite hibachi restaurant! Skip the rest and get the best. Ask for Colin. He makes the experience worth while!
(4)MJ M.
This is a mixed review so I will start with the good. We sat at a table in the sushi bar area and our server Sandra was awesome. She was prompt and attentive. The sushi was tasty and fresh not any complaints on taste. We have had better in other cities. But for Pittsburgh it was good. One person at our table ordered a hibachi dinner and was pleased. Now for the bad we made reservations for 6:45 on a Saturday for a party of 6. We arrive about 5 minutes late due to parking. The three girls at the hostess stand tell us they are waiting for a table to finish and they will push two together for us. We watch them clean a table where they told us we would be At 7:10 we see two empty next to each other and ask when we would be seated. The hostess tells us they are waiting for the party at the next table over from the already two empty tables to finish but they have already closed out their check. The other party is still eating at 7:20. At 7:25 the table we are waiting for is brought their check. Finally at 7:30 we are seated. So 45 minutes after our reservation time we get seated. While the sushi was good the variety was lacking. They have 45 different rolls with the exact same ingredients tuna, shrimp and tempura. Almost every roll had tempura in it whether it was tempura shrimp or crab or tempura flakes! Definitely not pleased with the selection.
(3)Mel A.
Overall I enjoyed the my meal. The food was great (typically yummy hibachi), but the environment could have been better. You typically expect a Japanese steak house to be a classy slightly upscale environment & this was a very casual Japanese steak house. I also thought their ginger dressing on their salad was a little too sour, unlike typical Japanese steak houses. Also their "shrimp sauce" or "yum yum sauce" which is usually my favorite sauce at other Japanese steak houses was terrible. It was a very thick, too much mayo, not enough spice sauce. I was pretty disappointed by that. I think if they upped the experience quality it would be worlds better.
(3)Mishel M.
I have been to many sushi restaurants, cheap to fancy. But at Yokoso, sushi is definitely not their strong point. The sushi pieces were mouthfuls of mostly rice, that too little dry . I ordered a Rainbow Roll and The Pitt Roll. Not good. The prices are OK not very reasonable. I dont know about the other items on the menu, but sushi was meh! Only go here if you are absolutely craving for one. But the service was good and prompt.
(3)Kerri M.
Yeah, it's not the best sushi in the world, but the price is right. I had the Teriyaki Chicken, salad, California Roll, and Diet Coke all for under 20 bucks, plus had leftovers for lunch the next day. Our server was very attentive, esp with keeping my Diet Coke always full. Numerous other staff stopped by our table throughout our time there; not sure if the staff was mgmt. as they did not identify themselves. So many stopped by during our meal that it was comical....not sure if that is the standard or Yokoso was overstaffed that day and the employees were looking for something to do :) There aren't a tremendous amount of fine dining options at the Waterfront, and most of the restaurants are national chains . I don't *think* Yokoso is a chain after a Google search, but I'm not positive. You could def do worse at the Waterfront - overall, a pleasant experience at a reasonable price point.
(3)rachel m.
I'm beginning to think I'm doomed to either great meals or awful meals and ne'er anything in the middle. Went here tonight and was shocked by how bad the service was. I've been here before and it's been fine, but, tonight was so bad we eventually asked them to box my food up instead of wait for it any longer. The waiter was pretty much M.I.A. and never brought anything we asked for (water, chopsticks, etc.). He even brought my partner's sushi out before the salad and soup that should have come out in the 30 minutes we sat there waiting. After another 25 or so, we gave up on ever getting my (cooked) food and decided to leave. Sadly, although we talked to a manager, he was far from helpful and just said the guy was in training. You'd think he would have helped, but he disappeared as well. I finally went in with a credit card and asked them to just box up what they had and charge me. This took another 15 minutes. Insult to injury, the food was very disappointing. Never again.
(1)Josh T.
I ate at Yokoso over the weekend for my sisters birthday (nakama was booked) and wasn't very impressed. I am not big into the Japanese Steakhouses but I have ate at Nakama in the past. Enough about that, I ordered sushi (spicy tuna roll) which was very good. The sushi prices are average and the quality is good. For dinner I had the strip steak and lobster tail. I ordered the steak medium and it came out more like well. The chef was very entertaining but I wish he would have focused on how he was cooking my steak instead of flirting with the single girls at the table. The lobster tail fit in the palm of my girls hand so I'd have to say it was on the smaller side but still at market price :) Of course they load you up on soup, veg, and rice hoping you get full. There was a party of 12 with us and everyone finished their meal except 2. The waitress and staff were great, the drinks were strong if that counts for anything. I guess I would go back for a special gathering but it wouldn't be me that choosing to go there.
(2)M Z.
Good environment and convenient location (from AMC). The sushi was good for the price~
(4)Willy G.
Hostesses were great and were seated right away. The sushi was very fresh and the show was one of the best I have seen. If you are in the area and want some good hibachi come to Yokoso!
(5)Lisa E.
We bypass Nakama to come here. Great food, always an available seat without wait, great sushi platters. You can actually order sushi to go from here whereas you can't at Nakama's past a certain early hour. Plus free parking!!!!
(4)Bob S.
Smell of oil and grease is overwhelming, soup was cold, the salad dressing it not very good and overwhelms the salad. No coffee, and the loud banging of a drum every time some one had a birthday was irritating and distracted from the meal. I had a Manhattan to drink and they poured cherry juice in it. Sickeningly sweet. I've eaten in a lot of Japanese and hibachi restaurants and this is probably the worst overall experience I've had.
(1)Nellie V.
Sushi is AMAZING!!!!!!!! Hibachi not so much. Smell of oil and grease is VERY overwhelming. Always had good service.
(4)Monique M.
the sushi was meh. nothing worth your time. also was a victim of my server's racial ignorance at the time of my visit. i will not be going ever again.
(1)LM R.
horrible service after waiting over an hour for my dinner the waitress served cold steak and chicken that must've sat out from hibachi grill with mushrooms (after specifically requesting no mushrooms due to allergic reaction) also ordered a sushi roll because it was "tsunami tuesday" that was made with cold tempura shrimp (tempura shrimp is normally deep fried). Requested managers and there solution to the problem was to make me wait another 30min for food to be remade and still charged me full price after refusing to remove the mushrooms. The managers also decided to charge me full price for an incorrectly made sushi roll (which fell apart in rice chunks) that should've have been half price because its was 50% off specialty sushi night. This ruined my evening dinner with my loved ones after a long day of work we will never eat here again. VERY POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE
(1)Dawn T.
I really wanted to give them a 5 star review. My daughter and I visited for the first time and shared sushi and hibachi, which were very good. We didnt like the soup and salad with ginger dressing but that was ok. We weren't there for that anyhow and the rest was very filling. Service was good. I think our bill was close to $60 but I'm not certain as we were given someone else's bill. Apparently someone else paid ours so I never really saw the bill. The waitress seemed really embarrassed and said if I paid the other parties bill I was saving $3. In retrospect I wish I would've had it corrected because I think the price was a bit high for a 2 person lunch. Otherwise everything tasted good and was fresh.
(4)Deronda M.
So we requested our cook to be Cliff... We got someone else. He was very cool and funny but he overcooked most of the food. I think he got caught up in entertaining us that he didn't realize we were hungry and that the food was already done. I ordered a chicken and teriyaki salmon entree. It was seasoned well but dry because he let it cook too long smh. I probably won't go back unless it's for a birthday because they sing a song, play a drum and throw confetti! I would recommend Saga in Robinson or if you go ask for Cliff because he is one of the best cooks there
(3)Luke R.
I had always wanted to go here, but never had the chance until a friend of mine asked me out of the blue. We went about noon on a Saturday and the place was relatively empty. We got Hibachi seating and were lucky enough we got to eat alone. We both had the steak and shrimp, and both got sprites to drink. Aside from the Sprite being pretty bland (they did get me a new one), it was a fun experience, and the food was great. I liked it enough I would recommend it and hope to go back.
(4)Seth R.
So the family and I were out and about thinking to hit another spot to grab a bite to eat before we possibly catch a movie. Well since the wait at the other place was considerable we decided to walk the mall and see what could be offered. Off we went and came across a place that looked nice and offered a favorite of ours SUSHI!!!! As we walked in on the Friday night the air hummed with a vibrant busy spot where people were getting drinks, listening to the banter and pnash of hibachi cooks doing their most awesome, and an appealing sushi bar that was begging us to try their delectable fishy treats. The hosts at the front exceeded our expectations. They were obviously busy and very much hustling but promised a possible thirty minute wait and seat us at the next available table at the sushi bar. True to their words that's exactly what they did! Refreshing considering how often you are told "it'll be thirty minutes" only to wait forty five to an hour. Then the disappointment and hilarity begins. After being seated we grabbed menus and began formulating our plan for sushi bliss. While we were planning our awesomeness a server passed us multiple time. No welcome, no glass of water, be right with you, NOTHING. So here I sit with my family tummy grumbling waiting for that moment to get some great sushi to grub on. So we waited, waited some more, waited some more still ... did I mention we waited... then after forty five minutes of additional waiting at our table, without even a glass of water, we received a text message from the other place and left to spend our money elsewhere. As a courtesy to the manager Eugene I called back to the Yokoso to inform him of our experience. Not to be rude or complain but to just let him know so he could possibly address it and save another family the discomfort. At first he seemed appreciative and wanted us to come back in to enjoy the restaurant. He asked me to call back the following morning to arrange a time and come experience Yokoso at it's best. So in turn I obliged and called back in the morning and the afternoon with no success getting a hold of Eugene. I left my name and number and yet each time I called he was on break and would call me back. Well I'm still waiting for that call back and have avoided posting about this experience because I wanted to be fair and afford them the opportunity to follow through with what that they said they would do. I can't speak to the quality of the food in fact it looked down right delectable but the lack of service to the point NO SERVICE ruined the desire to try them out. Not to mention the fact that when management fails to live up to their word and blows you off it tells me they don't value the customers because hey there will be another one walking down the sidewalk any minute. There in lies the problem though! So this is me telling you the potential diner stay away save yourself the potential for a frustrating experience. Just skip it and go somewhere else where they value their customers and want you to come back!
(1)Dls D.
I used to love going here. Not so much recently. Poor service, Poor Food. I went there for lunch today and was 'greeted' (I use that term loosely) by a black male who I assume was the manager. He did not even smile. I should have known that that was representative of my upcoming lunch experience. A black male cook was my 'chef.' He has waited on me before and he always messes up my order. I always cringe when I see he will be my cook. (Last time he forgot I didn't want egg in my rice then only remembered it AFTER he put it in. All he said was, "Oops!" Did not even offer to make me some without the egg. I should have said, "OOPS" when I was signing for my credit card and didn't leave a tip saying, "Oops, your pen ran out!" Today, at my table it was just myself and 2 black females. When the cook came out, he did greet everyone; however he ended up talking to the both of them, instead of trying to include me the whole meal. I asked him if I could have my extra order of shrimp as an appetizer (usually means 'before the main meal' in the US) and he said, 'I'm just gonna cook it with the rest." Okie dokie then. Although we were the ONLY table in the place, our waitress was hanging out in back i guess When an Asian woman worker came over to ALSO bullshit with the 2 black females, the cook turned to me and said, "You always come alone. And you're so quiet. You never say anything." Seriously?? I wonder why. (Side Note: I don't think my shrimp was cooked well enough as I don't feel too well right now). Next time, ...well there won't be a next time..
(1)Tyler J.
The hibatchi food at this location is absolutely WONDERFUL. The chefs are a delight! My family and I go about once every two months or so and I've learned some things. There are a couple servers I will always avoid. But over all its a very great and pleasant place to eat. The only thing we ALL cringe at is that one of the managers is constantly yelling at someone. Whether a server bar tender host or hostess he is ALWAYS yelling and reprimanding in front of customers! These are paying guests (for now) that will most likely never come back.... They almost lost my service quite a few times.... I have seen the same manager sitting at the bar on his phone with a coat and winter hat on as well while the phone rang over and over and the hosts were busy seating people and doing what looked like helping servers deliver drinks etc...for the ENTIRE time I was there attempting to enjoy my meal in a booth with friends. He is just disrespectful to his employees and I'm not quite sure why he is even still a manager at all. He has made my server cry by yelling (and swearing) at her in front of us (and children). I have gone many times when an asian manager was there or a blonde young female recently. They seemed to be polite and helpful. Ive had enjoyable meals there those times. A few good servers and the great food are the ONLY reason we return. The atmosphere is not so pleasant when that certain manager Is there.
(1)Luke B.
There are two reasons you should ever go to Yokoso: 1) You hate yourself, or 2) your relationship with someone is moving to fast and you want it to end. (take her here, she will hate you.) I ate there last night, and it was so bad I was certain that I was on a hidden camera show. To start, I ordered a roll of sushi for their half price Tuesday special. The roll came out 15 minutes later and it was warm. First time in my life that sushi was served warm (ingredients AND rice), as if it had been put in the microwave. It was disgusting. For the main course, I went with NY strip and shrimp. The shrimp was fine but the strip was chewy and wayyyy over cooked because the "Chef" was too busy being an entertainer. The rice was extremely buttery and gross, and the reason for the extra butter brings me to the "Chef." I have never had the opportunity to describe a chef as "extremely offensive," until tonight. When he first arrived, he noticed all of our dirty dishes from soup/salads were still in front of us. He then starts saying how the waitresses and busboys are useless and how "you get what you pay for, ya know?" He then said how he would "go in the back and get all the migrant workers to come clean up," but he "doesn't speak Spanish". It appears he thinks he is funny. He says how the migrant workers "are only working here so they aren't sent back to Mexico," and follows it up with "they aren't great cooks, but they are great at shoe repair." I sh*t you not. My wife who thankfully wasn't there, is a minority. I can take a joke or a remark (I've taken plenty) but its out of line when its from the person I chose to pay my hard earned money to for a nice dinner. I wanted to get up and leave as soon as he started talking, but I was with a group and didn't want to create a scene. Because nobody takes away our dirty dishes (at a Hibachi table with 7 people,) the "chef" removes them from the table himself, handling dirty dishes and silverware with his bare hands, stacks them on the table behind him, dries his hands on his pants, then starts handling and cooking our meal! It was disgusting. He then shouts across the restaurant to our non-existent waitress, "Hey babe, can you come help these people out." After sitting with an empty beer glass in front of me for 20 minutes, my second drink finally arrives. It wouldn't do it justice to say the glass was cracked. It was straight up broken. There were such large cracks in the glass that chunks of it were missing. I show the "chef," he calls over one of the "useless waitresses" (his words,) somehow the manager gets involved, and he (manager) starts calling out the waitress in the middle of the restaurant while she (the waitress) blames it on the bartenders. (side note: throughout the night, the Manager was taking hits off of a can he placed out of sight at one of the many empty tables. Not certain if it was alcohol, but his slurred speech and total incompetency at his job point a certain direction.) The "Chef" began by cooking the shrimp and placed it on our plates. Before taking my first bite of the meal, he says "hurry up and eat that. I gave you extra and they come around and count the pieces. I don't want to get yelled at so hurry up and eat." That was definitely a first for me! As the cooking progressed, the "Chef" was working on a pile of rice and veggies. He looked towards a pretty woman at a table who was clearly on a date and said "tell me when it's too much" and "tell me when you're getting close" as he squirted soy sauce on the rice. I don't know about you, but that's the imagery I want when someone is cooking my food in front of me. She asked for more butter (on the rice that we all share) and without asking the other 6 people at the table if they wanted an extra half stick of butter in their rice, he slaps more butter on the rice and says she can "have it just the way she likes it." Still no sign of the TV show host that is going tell me it was all a joke. I was so uncomfortable during the whole meal, I could barely look at the chef without cringing. Not surprisingly, the bill took 25 minutes to get and it was wrong. Not once, not twice, three times. The waitress needed three attempts to properly split a check for three people (AND ALL THREE OF US GOT THE SAME MEAL.) She needed help from the manager, who seemed annoyed that he had to do some sort of work in his restaurant. I reluctantly paid for my meal only because I wanted to get the h*ll out of that place. As our group left, the manager glared at us and said nothing. There is zero chance I will ever go there again. Seriously, only go to Yokoso if you hate yourself.
(1)Ashley M.
I went to yokoso a few weeks ago for a friend's birthday and we had such a blast! The chef was entertaining and we got a ton of food. And the birthday celebration is the best part. They came out with drums and a sparkler and put a party hat on my friends head. It was hilarious and ended it with party poppers. Then they took $15 off my friends check for her birthday! We couldn't have had a better time and I plan on going back soon and especially for birthdays!
(5)Bria M.
Our waitress was very sweet and checked up on us frequently. The sushi was good and the prices aren't bad! I'd go again
(4)Dana M.
Awful service before you even sit down at your table! Here was my experience: I called for reservations a few hours ahead of time to have lunch on a Sunday afternoon with a small group of friends. My interaction with the gentleman (if you can call him that!!) was already a preview to our bad experience. He was rude - he never said hello or goodbye - literally hanging up the phone without saying anything and curtly took my information for the reservation. Then when we showed up the greeters had NO CLUE what was going on. Keep in mind that the place was half empty. 5 out of 6 of our party was waiting in the lobby. They asked that we wait for our whole group before being seated. I get it - when restaurants are busy they don't want to waste time if a group is not complete. But the place was empty!!! Then, we asked if we could be seated and we would gladly start our lunch at a normal pace and our friend could just catch up - we shared we weren't even sure she was ordering a meal. The manager (yes, MANAGER) curtly said that once we sit the "clock starts". I'm sorry - but my Sunday afternoon lunch should NOT BE TIMED BY A STOPWATCH. They absolutely refused to seat us. They even went so far as to say that if we did choose to sit, even in the bar area (read: non-hibachi) our friend could join us but she would be NOT be able to order from the menu. Needless to say, we immediately informed them that we would be leaving to have lunch elsewhere.
(1)Ralph M.
This is my favorite Japanese steakhouse around by far. This is the only place where I actually like there sushi. The hibachi is fire too nothing like a good piece of steak or chicken with some super loud scallops. A must try in my opinion is the mafia roll and some sugar snap peas, I dont know how they do it but those peas are so good it should be illegal.
(3)Liz A.
We went here for my friends birthday. While our chef was entertaining, the food wasn't too impressive and the service was not good. They said they would sing happy birthday and never did. The hostesses and the waitress ignored our reminders. We were disappointed and I probably will not go again. If I want hibachi I will pay the extra money for nakama.
(2)Pen S.
Food was mediocre, at best. Service was AWFUL. We were lured in by the smell, but the food did not live up to it. Not even in the same ballpark as Ichiban.
(2)