Yanagi

Reviews 10

A

A Private User

My fiance and I are sushi fanatics and weve returned nearly weekly to Yanagi since they first opened. The few comments I see about bad service must be unique events - weve been served repeatedly by each of the staff and everyone is super attentive and overtly polite, without over-doing it. If I come in alone, theyll ask about my fiance and several waiters remember our preferred drinks. Some remember our (unintentionally impolite) habit of snacking on the ginger before even ordering - theyll sometimes bring out a larger side plate of ginger as soon as we arrive. There are several unique rolls, including one served flaming, and one that seems to be everyones favorite - the red dragon roll. I love the sashimi - very fresh. Some appetizers with unique sushi options are served in martini glasses. Service is amazingly quick, with a rare exception during really crowded times - but thats limited to happy hour on weekends. The ambiance is certainly on the better end, with candle-lit tables and a nice layout. It would be a great place to take a date. Theres also an effort to keep it casual enough to feel comfortable coming as you are. You can choose to sit at their reasonably-sized bar or their sushi bar (where weve occasionally been slipped free samples of other menu options - now some of our favorites). My only criticism would be a plus to many people: their flat screen TV (with volume down to maintain ambiance) is always on sports; some variation to match their diverse patrons would be great. In all, this is one of our favorite sushi joints in Austin.

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DA

Dan Rodriguez

We arrived upon opening of the restaurant for Dinner service. Weve tried a few Sushi restaurants in the local area and havent found one that really hits a homerun. Needless to say, Yanagis food is definitely no where near a home-run and in fact is closer to a poor attempt at a bunt. My wife and I shared the Yanagi Boat, which came with (all chefs choice) 8 pieces of sushi, 12 pieces of sashimi and 2 choices of rolls. The sushi were sliced very thin and were inadequately small. We received the typical salmon, tuna, white tail, and shrimp. Nothing out of the ordinary, however for $52 we were expecting a bit more of a unique selection. The sashimi was probably the worst we have ever had in and near Austin. It tasted like it had been frozen for 2 days, thawed out, and then served. It had an EXTREME fishy flavor that lingered in our mouths until we ate the lemon out of our water. The rolls were a step up from the sashimi but a step down from the Sushi. Very small and a hint of musty fish flavor. Not impressed and very disappointed with this food. Our server was awesome and we tipped him very well for doing an excellent job. We are not the complaining type, so we quietly paid for our meal and left--never to return.

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TA

Tasha Coffman

I have frequented Yanagi over the years (5+, maybe more) and will continue to. The staff has always been pleasant, the food is consistently good and they are kid friendly. I also recommend happy hour as they have some great deals on food and drinks. We dont live close anymore but we are willing to make the drive for the consistent service and delicious food. As for food, I love the Las Vegas roll! My 4 year old likes the chicken katsu platter and we recently tried the japchae (sp?) which was a lot more food than anticipated but shared among our table and was a hit with the kids. The bathrooms are consistently clean but while the restaurant is kid friendly, I honestly dont recall if there is a changing table in the restroom; unfortunately, I dont think there is unless its in the handicap stall like some places. Overall, I recommend it.

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OS

Oscar Trapp

Sushi is something that my daughter and I have for lunch at least once a week. Yanagi has friendly service, but the price is a little on the high side for the quality of food. The sushi was slightly cold and light on flavor. I know many like cold, but at this price level, it should be served at the appropriate temperature, otherwise the texture is wrong and it reminds me of grocery store sushi. Missing from the menu were several classic rolls, although they have many regional rolls, named for local areas, such as the Austin roll. The portions were fine and the service good. Unusually, they do not serve complimentary green tea, it is $3 a cup.

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MI

Michelle Louie

We tried 3 rolls, 2 of which were specialty rolls. They were just okay, but then we compare all sushi to the little dive we used to go to in Spokane (of all places) owned and run by a well-regarded Seattle sushi chef and his wife who quit the big city restaurant rat race to find a quieter life. That man was a genius and an artist. So what we consider good sushi is different from other people. This place was clean and the service was attentive. They are kid-friendly. The teriyaki sauce is really mediocre; dont order it. For the sushi, the fish was fresh. The preparation and presentation were also just okay.

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WI

William Hopkins

Passed this place for a while and never made it inside before today, man, I have been missing out. Stopped in for lunch and found out it was happy hour from now 12-4pm on Saturday. Great selection on happy hour menu. Everything we had was good and fresh. A few of the items could have a more flavorful sauce, so I docked them a star for that. Other than that, great experience. Max took great care of us. Highly recommend this spot for good, reasonably priced sushi and japanese food.

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CA

Caitlin Amthor

Yall listen to me...listen close...BULGOGI BULGOGI It is the most amazing discovery I have found since the Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit when I moved to Texas from Cali. It is beef marinated in Korean BBQ sauce and it blew my mind. It tasted amazing, our waitress was so kind and asked me how I liked trying it for the first time. They serve good sake too and the sushi is amazing (says my bf who tried some and is a self proclaimed sushi expert). We will definitely be going back very soon.

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SH

Shannon Lawson

Good food, good value, so-so service. I had the sushi+roll combo for lunch. It was plenty of food at a reasonable price. Quality was generally good, so no complaints there. Although the hostess/waitress was friendly, she missed a few things. I didnt get the salad that was part of the combo. I didnt get a napkin. I didnt get ginger and wasabi. On the plus side, tea refills were timely (a big deal in my book). I will probably go back, and hopefully the service will improve.

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SA

Samantha Marshall

Ive eaten here with my boyfriend for date night several times and its always good. The fish is fresh, the rolls are creative, and the sushi boats are beautiful! They also have a great happy hour, both drinks and sushi. The sushi boats are fun to order if you have a group. We had a table of 4 and shared 2 boats, which they made into one large one, and we all shared and it was delicious and fun. Very friendly service too.

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RO

Rob Patrick

Awesome sushi!!! Never too crowded. Prices are great, and even better during happy hours! Hot dishes include Bulgogi, clay pots, and other Asian fare, great for those who arent looking for raw fish. The calamari is best in Austin, tempura style long cuts of lightly fried squid, always tender, with the best sauce for dipping. This is one of our favorite restaurants in the south Austin vicinity, outside the city.

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