Yama
“I shouldn't do this but I tend to classify sushi joints based upon how fresh their UNI (Sea Urchin) AND their TORO (Fatty Tuna) are and BY GOLLY are they FRESH.”
“Tucked away in the basement of a historical landmark in Irving Place, what this place lacks in ambience, it makes up tenfold in quality & freshness.”
“I would by far recommend this one over any other location; I'm not really sure why b/c it's loud, cramped and in the basement of a building.”
Yama
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
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One of my favorite sushi spots! The food is so fresh and tastes amazing. The prices are very reasonable too. I usually order one of their lunch specials, which is a good variety. The only downside is it's pretty cramped in there as it's basement-level.
This spot was recommended to me by a friend. Went in for lunch yesterday. They have good lunch specials with sushi and sashimi ranging from $13-$18. Service was very spotty and it took us a while to get a waiter over. He seemed very pissed off and was essentially throwing our dishes at us. He also liked to growl…. We just laughed it off.
We both got the sashimi lunch which comes with soup or salad and rice upon request. It was a good amount of fish which tasted very fresh. They give you a nice assortment as we'll. neither my friend or I were able to finish it all. The only part I didn't like was they gave you a bunch of crab sticks. They were probably fake crab and should never be included on a sashimi plate.
Good spot though, especially for Union Square area. It gets busy during lunch time but I will go back.
Yama is one of my favorite sushi places. I've been eating here for…well, let's just say a really long time. Very little has changed in all these years which is one of the reasons I love it.
There's no fuss with decor or fancy service. I actually prefer the simple Japanese decor and cozy space. Feels more authentic than their younger location on 49th St.
The sushi is good quality and tastes fresh. IMO, better than most sushi places I've been to. As a sushi lover, I'm a fan of the big, long pieces of nigiri sushi. Sure, the fish is cut a little thinner in more recent years as costs have risen, but that's the case for anything. Even so, the prices are reasonable for the quality and portion.
While sushi is what I go for, I also enjoy some of their appetizers. Hamachi kama is one of my favorites…meaty, succulent yellowtail collar with salt. I could almost just have that and some rice for my meal…almost.
I'm going all out with 5 stars because I've never had a bad experience, the food is always good, and I just like going here.
I came here for lunch for two when we were looking for a quick lunch.
It's very small seating – probably seats about 15-20 people maximum – so we were elbow to elbow with the people next to us.
The menu is pretty simple – appetizers, some sushi, some combos, some special rolls (but nothing really popped out to me) – so we ordered the Sushi Zen combo, which is a great deal. It's a salmon scallion roll (6 pcs), half a tuna roll (3 pcs), half an avocado cucumber roll (3 pcs), assorted sushi (ebi, tuna, salmon, yellowtail and one other – I forgot), and two pieces each of assorted sashimi (salmon, tuna, yellowtail). You get a choice of a side salad or soup.
For $15, it's very filling and the sushi is pretty fresh. I might actually come back just for this combo!
Service isn't great because it is slightly packed, but they do listen to you and whenever asked, they do provide whatever you need.
Green tea is offered for free.
Outstanding sushi. We always get the salmon avocado, and the spicy tuna (classics) and the fish is always fresh. The manager is a really nice guy who is always attentive to the guests. The only one downside is that the tables are closely spaced so you feel like you're dining with your neighbors. Overall though I highly recommend this place
Living just steps from Yama, I passed it every day on the way to Union Square and other Westward locales. I passed the location two or three months before trying it, not because I didn't notice it, but because of sheer laziness, cost, and the number of options available. When my wife and I finally tried Yama, it was an epiphany. I love the cellar-type feel of Yama. The service is good, or has been in all my experience there.
I recommend the sushi and sashimi. I swear by the charashi – the best, most fresh options from the bar. The rolls are good but not my favorite. Superb location downtown, off the 4/5/6 and near NYU and the Bowery, adjacent to the East Village. Irving Place is really an under-appreciated little street that has resisted some development, though that's definitely not going to remain the status quo. So visit the beautiful street, grab some coffee, do some stuff, then go to Yama.
Recommended!!
Pretty good sushi place in the city. The cuts are very generous and my sashimi was buttery and fresh. I got the tuna naruto roll and the sashimi set. I enjoyed both very much. I didn't want any carbs so got all fish and it was well worth it. The price isn't bad either, definitely coming back!
I haven't been here in a million years. The basement restaurant in Washington Irving's landmarked townhouse hasn't changed. It looks a little dated but the food is as reliable as ever. We came close to closing time but we felt they still took the time to give us their full attention.
The gyoza was average with a filling that tasted, for lack of a better description, a little mushy and stale. It was edible and better than some but I've had better. My bento was good with flavorful pieces of well done beef teriyaki. If the pieces were not overcooked, then it would have been excellent as it was pretty darn tasty. The shrimp and vegetable tempura consisted of 4 pieces of shrimp and string beans. Nothing wrong with string beans and I actually enjoyed them and wished I could have had a bowl of them with a beer but there could have been a carrot or broccoli to make it more veggie like. The tempura was light and maybe because I didn't eat them right away, the oily mouth feel afterwards albeit slight made me only eat 2 pieces. I did like the fried shumai and 4 pieces of sushi. You get a lot for $20! The chirashi was excellent though and the single factor to make us come back. Yama has changed and hearing Cantonese makes me wonder what happened to the restaurant's namesake who was the sushi master?!