Great Ramen!!! Well worth a visit. Atmosphere is clinical but portions are generous and flavorful. Wine list and beverage variety is very good. Will be back again!
Been going to Yamato for years and decided to put a review up. The food is authentic and some of the best sushi that I have had. My favorite dishes are the Kara Age and Gyu Tataki. Cristina ( the owner ) is very warm and is fully committed to delivering an outstanding experience each and every time. In a world where faux Asian food is popping up everything, this is truly a gem and best kept secret in Illovo.
After a long week in the office we decided to venture out and try Yamato Illovo on Friday last week. Nestled in the heart of Illovo, Yamato is one of the few authentic Japanese restaurants left.
We ordered various dishes to try out. I must say I was super impressed with Cristina the owner for being so accommodating towards me as I am allergic to fish🙊.
We had the Pork Gyoza (Japanese potstickers), Kara Age (fried chicken strips), deep fried crispy chicken with sweet soy and chilli sauce, special Wakame Ramen and Miso Ramen, Tuna California Rolls, Orange Salmon Rolls and last but not least, Tempura Prawn Maki.
We left the restaurant full and happy with a big smile on our faces.
The food was so fresh and full of Japanese flavours. A must for those seeking a good Ramen noodle🍜. They even have deep fried Haagen-Dazs ice cream for those that are adventurous 😎.
Food: 9/10P.S- We went back for diner :)
It is quite a decent place with quite decent sushi. The lunch special were pretty awesome to be honest and the sushi was well prepared (with the exception of the maki where it was overflowing with the rice. The appetizers were a way to prevent the long wait for the main food. But generally speaking, the lunch weren't that pricey.
I love yamato, Its unassuming.
, Its not trendy, its authentic and its all made with care.
Its not overpriced.
The service is decent.
Its tiny.
Great noodles. Decent ramen. Nice okonomiyaki, nice agedashi dofu,
We're spoilt for choice. So many good Japanese restaurants around, i mean momo soko is right there. Yamato is more authentic I guess.
I'm afraid it will fade away but i hope it doesn't
A great Japanese food experience. We took the agadashi tofu, wasabi parcels, tuna maki, vegetable tempura and the salmon platter deluxe. It was a grand feast. Most delicious.
What an incredible dining experience , today with so much of everything just been the more Of the same. It was amazing to find such a beautiful authentic place. What an fantastic host the owner was amazing to us. Introducing us to an incredible Japanese hot pot, where you dip the meat into raw egg. Sounds weird can’t tell you how delectable it was. The sushi was out of this world , green tea ice cream... special , special , special!!!!!
I have never had a bad meal at this very authentic Japanese restaurant.The food is always fresh,flavoursome and delicious.The place is sometimes sedentary but I actually enjoy that because itis peaceful and calming.I highly recommend it
This is my favourite Asian restaurant by far, since I love and respect Japanese food and culture, it is a good place to experience Japanese home-cooked style of food that is eaten by Japanese people almost daily. I struggled to find an Asian restaurant that served Japanese cuisine other than sushi, so I was very pleased that I found this place that serves a wide variety of Japanese cuisine. The staff are very friendly and the food is delicious. I hope this helps anyone interested in going to this restaurant. :)
Not bad for Japanese in South Africa. So far, best place. Haven't tried sushi yet so will update the review lost another visit.
The food choices are authentic with a mix of Korean and some Chinese elements.
Cashew chicken and tofu Chigae were both very good.
Nice ambience tucked away next to Beefcakes.
Staff not so great and needs more training but the owner was there which made a difference.
A restaurant where I can gladly say, "WOW". Authentic dishes and a lovely environment make for the perfect winter location. I have absolutely enjoyed myself and I have finally found a place where no-one stares at me weirdly as I slurped my ramen. Also this restaurant serves hot oil, which you do not see often in South Africa, but everywhere in Japan.
Good quality food, feels authentically Japanese. Would definitely go back, peace and calm environment, ramen was fantastic and sushi was very fresh
What a hidden gem in Illovo Muse! What struck me upon my first visit to Yamato was the kind welcome I received by all the staff I encountered. The service was excellent and I loved the intimate, cosy surroundings. Being vegetarian, I know the unusual nature of my love for sushi! 😁 whilst I cannot comment on the seafood sushi options, I can vouch for the quality of the vegetarian ones. The menu variety is outstanding and there are so many options to choose from, regardless of your dietary requirements! I was also impressed that the "fine print" on the menu specified that the soups contain fish broth and the ramen soup has other non-veg ingredients - very conscientious on behalf of the owners. I definitely will return for more.
The place is very cosy and nice. The sushi is awsome the staff are very nice and friendly. The food selection is quite satisfactory. Worth to try
Have been going to Yamato for years. Always superb. Authentic Japanese fare. Try the crab stick salad and kimchi. Sushi is outstanding and never disappoints. The ten don and fried noodle and rice dishes are out of this world. Well worth a visit!!!
We had the gyoza of pork , korokke of beef for starters. And for mains the miso cha-shu ramen and the chicken niumen. We loved it. Everything tastes very fresh. The service is good , and a nice ambiance.
We will definitly come back. Especially the gyozas were great.
Best Japanese restaurant in South Africa. Food consistently good and ingredients always fresh. Very good Japanese home cooking. Highly recommended
Yummy, went for supper last night with my husband. All the dishes were good, miso soup, seaweed salad, sizzling tofu steak, delicious sushi like I've never had. Very relaxed, very authentic Japanese. Will be back.
This little pearl is tucked away in the shopping centre only for those in know to find.
The food is delicious and well presented. The portions are standard but with a slightly higher price tag due to the freshness.
I would recommend the dumplings and ensure to have the chilli sauce with it.
The restaurant is small and gets very busy during lunch time so ensure to get there early to secure yours spot.
This is not for your buffet sushi type of experience but rather those who enjoy the finer things of life and are happy to pay that extra bit for it.
This is our second time here. Everything was perfect the first time, when we stuck to nigiri and sashimi; the quality of the fish was excellent. There were some inconsistencies this time, particularly the underseasoned rice and slightly soggy nori on the maki. Salmon was great both times; tuna was great the first time, only good the second time. Portions are a decent size, but it is still quite pricey. Friendly service.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
Last night, after having a sushi craving for about two weeks, I popped in Yamato. As it was my first visit, I didn't know quite what to expect but although I was one of the only two tables in the restaurant, I was very impressed with their offering. Another point that I liked about them is that they are open on a Monday.
To start off, for a little sushi spot with very little ambiance, their wine list was surprisingly comprehensive. I ordered a bottle of Springfield Life From Stone Sauvignon Blanc (which is a favourite) and settled in.
Whilst trying to sift through their huge menu options, the chef sent over a complimentary grilled tuna offering which was delicious! From there, it was onto beef Gyoza (portion of five) and then sushi, sushi, sushi.. Handrolls, salmon sashimi (portion of 6) and salmon roses - all were excellent size portions and delicious!
Service: Apart from the fact that the staff could do with a little bit of training in customer service and that I felt like, having the waitress slumped against the wall next to my table hovering over me whilst I tried to make my choice a bit much, she got the order correct and was polite enough.
I walked away from the evening feeling surprisingly impressed with the quality of the food, and I will return for one of their hot pot offerings soon.
*Recommendation: If Yamato can assist their staff with some customer experience training and sort out their interiors to match the upmarket Illovo location, I think that they could really do quite well! The food was good.
Favorite restaurant for sushi and cold noodle dishes. Word of warning, if you want ramen or other hot dishes, please request that they reduce the level of salt used. The food is more salty by standard preference of Japanese clienteles. Always love coming back for good sushi, not light on the pocket but definitely well worth it.
Very quiet with good staff and excellent food. The food is very well made and authentic and the sushi is made with the best quality fish.
Definitely one of the best experiences I've had at a restaurant.
I just love this restaurant. All I can say is that it is the best Japanese iv ever eaten. Most authentic experience iv had.
Starters we shared crab rice wraps which were amazing, dim sum and prawn tempura they were both so delicious and had a natural taste not too westernised with too many flavours.
We then proceeded to oreder sushi.. was just simply so incredible. . Iv been off sushi 4a while cause I haven't had proper tasty fresh sushi in ages but tonight's experience just made me start to crave and love it again fresh soft sweet rice.. mm can eat it all over again
Lastly we ordered the prawn fried noodles. .. unbelievable so full of flavour fresh crispy beans and bok choi with sweet prawns and stir fried noodles the best iv had. We felt so stuffed after..great service and efficient and friendly
Will be back totally love this place.. slightly obsessed
An authentic Japanese cuisine experience.
Before visiting Yamato, I had yet to come across a Japanese restaurant that makes authentic ramen. The ramen is absolutely incredible and is definitely worth the visit. Although we went mainly to taste the ramen, we decided to order the gyoza dumplings and they were probably the best I've had in Johannesburg which was a great surprise. Yamato is, however, quite pricy and the service can be lacking at times but I do suggest you try it out. Will definitely be returning.
Excellent and most authentic Japanese food in Joburg! It's a little pricey but worth it for the traditional dishes. The gomae and seafood dishes are to die for.
Charlotte Beatrice Nalubega Luzuka
+5
Their soup game is on point! From their pork ramen to their miso soup! Heaven!
The sushi rice was a bit over cooked... Hoping it was only today's experience. Defo coming back for ramen again and for that alone I rated it a 5.
Also nice to try out some Japanese beer.
The best Japanese is the city by far. Authentic flavours reminding me of our visits to Nippon. The bold soba noodles are a dream. The savory egg custards, chawanmushi, are a firm and dedicated favourite. Wash it down with plum wine, umeshu on the rocks.
Authentic Japanese Cuisine. Absolutely Loved it. You are not a real sushi fan if you have not been here. The food was delicious and the service was great. Guarantee that I will be back.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
Part 1: Authentic Japanese Food
This restaurant is in a very ideal location close to different businesses and they serve quick tasty wholesome food for the business person's lunchtime rush.
This is the closest I've gotten to the food I loved in Japan, not surprising as the restaurant is operated by Japanese people. Very authentic!
I ordered lots of tempura that day, which is well made and served with the tempura dipping sauce, daikon radish and ginger. It's a beautiful accompaniment to tempura anything, where I suggest you add all the daikon and your chosen amount of ginger to taste. I even ordered more tempura just to get more of that sauce, which is my most fondest taste bud memory of Japan.
My proper main was the nabayaki udon which is just udon noodles in a tasty broth with chicken, mushrooms, some veg and an egg. Very tasty! My partner had the kake udon which is just udon and broth (sparked further memories of the Japan kake flavour sensation). We also had some tonkatsu (breadcrumbed pork) which was not quite the same as what we had in Japan, but still very delicious nonetheless.
Regardless of the similarities of the dishes to our Japanese food adventure, everything is still authentic and obviously with some "artistic" license, as I'm sure from region to person etc in Japan meals are prepared slightly differently.
I would recommend this restaurant to anybody who would like to experience authentic Japanese food. So definitely give their food a try and leave the sushi eating for another time. It is rather pricey, but they do have daily specials at good prices so you can get to try a range of foods for the fraction of the bigger sizes on the menu.
One of the most authentic Japanese restaurant in Joburg. Simple and warm ambience with minimalist decor. Very welcoming and friendly waitstaff. It was good to see that the patron is checking on each table. There sushis are one of the best that I've had in Joburg. Authentic taste of Japan in your plate. What I like most about Yamato is their selection of traditional Japanese cuisine. Last night I tried the Tonkatsu and miso soup and both were amazing. Will definitely go back to try out more.
Good food, the service is sweet, nothing spectacular but consistent. The wine list isn't remarkable but there are some decent choices at decent prices. If you want sushi or true Japanese cuisine I think you'd be hard pressed to find better. The atmosphere is a little strained but if your table company is good you won't care and they don't raise eyebrows at a bit of revelry.
Expect Authentic Japanese food, an institution in JHB which never fails to impress. The sushi is some of the best this landlocked city has to offer, always fresh with perfectly cooked and seasoned rice. The traditional dishes and home made noodles are superb. Service is friendly and informed and the owner and her mother are always present to ensure quality of your meal and experience.
Yamato is my favourite sushi restaurant in Johannesburg. What Yamato lacks in authentic decor, it makes up for in spades with the deliciously fresh sushi. Personal favourites include: mamma maki, salmon sashimi and rainbow rolls. By far the freshest and highest quality sushi I've had in Johannesburg. Also particularly good are: avocado salad and curry spring rolls.
Tucked away in Thrupps, Yamato a traditional Japanese Restaurant serves an array of exquisitely prepared and plated food; from hot or cold noodles to sushi. Although service is immaculate, it can be slow. At times the ambiance is quiet, the quality of food makes it worth it.
Pop in for a quick lunch during the week to sample their extensive sushi menu. Playing it safe opt for their vegetarian California Rolls, Salmon Fashion Sandwiches and Salmon Sashimi.
Looking forward to sampling their more traditional style authentic Japanese dishes despite the expense.
Excellent Japanese restaurant best Sushi and great Miso soup and tempura veg . Wines are slightly over prised and the service could be more professional .
R350 -R400/ head
I love this Japanese restaurant. It is authentic whilst being upper market. They serve cold saki, Japanese beer and hot saki as well as a great range of wines. The food is splendid and flavour full. The dishes are presented exquisitely and the service is on point. Average price per person (if you order starters, main, alcohol and dessert) is around R350 - R400.
Yamato is my favourite Japanese restaurant in Gauteng. They make a mean Ramen and the Crispy Chicken is out of this world. The service is a bit slow but I think that it attributed to preparation time required for the food. The waitress that serviced up was very polite and checked in with us regularly.
Softly spoken, casual atmosphere yet one of (I think) 2 authentic Japanese restaurants in Johannesburg. Food is absolutely superb. Speak to the waiter and ask for recommendations. I think possibly better to go with a big crowd and try lots of different things. Seriously good experience.
What a lovely surprise! We were a table of 4 and we had such a lovely meal. It started with a Seaweed salad, Pumpkin tempura and Avo Maki and Endamame beans (with warm Sake on the side). After these we couldn't decide what to order next so we asked for some recommendations. So we were brought a Steak Yofu and dumplings. The flavours were just incredible and excellent recommendations. Lastly, another recommendation, we had the Crispy Chicken and Oyster Sauce Beef with rice and egg on the side. Wow.. I highly recommend this restaurant and keeping the choices a surprise is a fantastic change to a normal eating out experience!
After numerous recommendations from friends and colleagues, I decided to try it. I was not disappointed. The sushi was fresh and made to perfection. The highlight was the beef stir fry. We were the only occupied table which made us feel a little awkward. Eventually other tables arrived and the mood lightened.
If you want authentic Japanese food, look no further! It's hard to pick a favourite, I've eaten the sushi (so yummy), and had the udon and ramen bowls (you must try one)!
The restaurant is small, but nicely decorated with a friendly staff. The menu is slightly more expensive for sushi, but it's worth it.
I was sad the last time I was here, as they were out of green tea ice cream and I really wanted to try it. Nonetheless, it's a lovely place for a dinner out and I highly recommend it.
Have been to Yamato a few times in recent weeks and the food has been consistent. Consistently delicious! The Pork dumplings are my favourite, I confess just the thought of them makes me salivate. We have also of late been skipping the sushi menu in favour of some of the other more traditional Japanese dishes, like Agedashi Dofu (deep fried tofu), Oshinko (pickled veggies) and Buta Kakuni (pork belly). The Buta Kakuni is slowed cooked making it beautifully soft, melt in your mouth yum. If you are a big group and a red meat fan, I can recommend ordering Sukiyaki. This dish allows you to cook sliced rib eye, veggies and tofu in stock at your table to your liking. Shabu-Shabu is also a great option, you cook your meat, veg and tofu in a kelp soup. I am so looking forward to my next visit to Yamato and my next order of what I think are the best pork dumplings in Gauteng!
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
Yamato is an authentic Japanese restaurant offering delicious sushi and interesting Japanese dishes. The menu is huge and a tad confusing, it is very busy and has pages and pages of food options. We went on a Sunday night at 8pm and they close at 830 on Sundays so we had limited time to order.
They are very expensive but I guess they are located in Illovo :)
They served a complimentary appetiser of pickled calamari which was a lovely touch and delicious. For starters I ordered a portion of salmon fashion sandwiches- they were very yummy. For mains my boyfriend and I shared the Chicken Niumen and the Cha-Shu Ramen. The Chicken Niumen consisted of a broth, with chicken, noodles and spring onions. It was tasty but the chicken was a bit bland and it was impossible to eat. The Cha-Shu Ramen was out of this world, the pork was cooked to perfection, the flavours were spot on and I felt revitalised after eating it, definitely a must try.
The service was amazing, the owner was hands on, informative and very friendly. I will definitely be back for more hot noodles.
I love this place for authentic, interesting Japanese food. From a vegetarian perspective, the menu is useful as it spells out exactly what is pure vegetarian and what isn't (as this style of cuisine has a lot of hidden fish pastes etc)...Also be sure to speak to the owner, as she has recommendations that aren't on the menu.
The pumpkin tempura california rolls were incredible, as was the miso soup. Although the manager is amazing, the service of the other waiters brings the place down. They were slow and non-responsive. Don't let it put you off though, just go when you want a leisurely date or evening with friends where you can savour the company and the food.
Relatively good quality sushi, but the service is lacking and the prices are too high.
As a regular I have to compliment Yamato on their consistent quality of authentic Japanese cuisine. We frequent this restaurant often and always enjoy the food. Great sushi, dumplings, stir fries, noodles and a very wide, unusual and excellent wine selection. The service can be improved somewhat - both front and back of house can be a bit slow at times but they are always friendly and the orders are always correct. The atmosphere can be a bit cold and sterile when the restaurant is not full but once bustling it has a better feel. Some patience will be rewarded with awesome food. Highly recommended.
Ashleigh Morgan Henning
+4
Beautiful little space.. Small sitting but great sushi, wontons and soups. Friendly and attentive staff. First time having saki, out of their square container. Expensive menu but worth it for the good quality. Green tea ice creme is bitter but fruit platter is fresh and sweet. Booking or early arrival for a table is essential.
Very good authentic sushi.
Sake actually served in authentic masu, with salt on the side.
They would have a higher rating if the chef had (and or was prepared to share with me) some otoro.
Also, I have yet to try a shabu - shabu here, so rating is subject to change.
Can't believe a jewel like this is hidden away. When we eventually found it, it was also a lot smaller than what we expected. But all worthwhile as the food is fantastic. These guys are no fakes and they understand sushi like no other in Jo'burg.
Worthwhile visit if you want to experience the 'real thing'
Hidden away in the back of the Thrupps center in Illovo, this cosy Japanese eatery offers a more intimate setting than its sister restaurant, Japa in Rivonia. Quality sushi and seafood options are popular, but try some of the cook-at-the-table hot pot options for a fun group dining experience. Service is friendly and efficient, if a little harried on busy nights.
What this restaurant lacks in atmosphere it makes up with delicious sushi & one of my favourite dishes, the 'special miso soup'. This is more of a run in, order, eat & leave kind of place (or grab take aways). There are often buses of Japanese tourists that arrive for dinner - which while it says quite a lot for the quality of the food, it may not be the ideal location for a romantic dinner. Even on evenings that they don't have dining tourists it is a very cold environment & not helped by the average service.
Yamato's reputation of top quality and fresh ingredients, delicious sushi and tasty dishes has not changed over the years.
If it's value for money you are looking for, you have come to the wrong restaurant.
Yamato is for people who like authentic (as close as possible in S.Africa) top quality Japanese cuisine.
This must be one of the best in Johannesburg.
Before I found Japa in Rivonia, Yamato was certainly ranked among'st the Japanese restaurants in Jo'burg.
Inside the restaurant, it's a quite very basic Japanese outlook. Sushi is very popular in restaurants in Jo'burg, however, very few serve Sushi as authentically as Yamoto. You should also try the Japanese Rice wine if you are adventurous enough.
All in all, no nonsense Japanese cuisine - go there for the food and food only. :)
If you like Japanese food, do make a point of finding Yamato. I say "find" because it's a little difficult to locate. Yamato is near Thrupp's and you can park there, but then it's hidden in the back of a smaller complex next to the Thrupps Centre.
When I go to a Japanese restaurant, I make a point of ordering the special things I can't get elsewhere, thus I asked for the Zaru Soba Noodles (the dried pasta is available in a few shops in Joburg, but not many) and the Green Tea Ice Cream with Sweet Bean paste.
Yamato's sushi is carefully constructed and beautifully plated. The restaurant itself reflects the Japanese aesthetic of small, simple, and cleanly arranged.
Yamato is a "yes" for me when I want a quiet, nourishing meal made of the very best ingredients.
They were so helpful. We did not have Reservations but they managed to accommodate us. The food was amazing. Enjoyed the freshness of the springroll. The presentation of the food was done well. We had the set menu A. Was well worth it.
Food is truly delectable and authentic. Not your run of the mill sushi restaurant. Really a cut above. The sushi is beautiful and much better than most other sushi restaurants and the rest of the menu was great as well.
The service was somewhat lacking though. Our various dishes were delivered to the table at strange and inconvenient intervals, empty plates and glasses weren't removed timeously and started cluttering the table and where we were seated we constantly had Uber Eats drivers wait for collections right next to our table, watching loud TikToks on their phones.
Good food, good atmosphere, excellent service. At the time of writing this review, they have no liquor license so you can byob
Nice casual asian dining. Extensive menu of Asian - not only Japanese - cuisine.
The fish was nice and fresh. Whatever we tried was really tasty.
Quickly popped in for a meal.
Great ramen and dumplings. Sushi was also really good.
The waitresses were literally running to ensure they were able to attend to the tables.
Well worth it.
Very authentic feeling sushi place. Great quality and sized portions of sushi at affordable prices. They had Gluten free soy sauce, which I needed and appreciated.
The owner told us they just moved to this location on October 1, 2022. The environment was very clean and nice. I would recommend giving them a try.
Fantastic Ramen. Super tasty and loaded with green onion, sprouts and cha Sui slices.
Must say after living in Asia for 20+ years I was sceptical about finding good Ramen in Joburg. However pleasantly surprised.
Staff were great too. Will come back again.
Delicious food,great service and lovely atmosphere. Will definitely be back again. I had the Lunchbox (a) which consisted of a miso soup, gyoza, spring roll, fried chicken, stir-fried veg and rice. Everything was devine. My husband had the bento box and also everything he ate, was super yummy and packed with flavour. The food makes every cent so worth it.
We visited Yamato as all the other restaurants in the Arch were jam packed during the Christmas light event and I must say I am so glad that it turned out that way 😃😃
As a lover of all things related to Asian cuisine, this was an absolute gem of a find. We had a few dishes: Sho-Yu ramen, tempura prawn, noodles and others and each of them were cooked to perfection. I’ve been after a proper ramen for ages and this hit the craving properly. You’ve earned a permanent patron. I will definitely be back soon.
Wow, what a great restaurant! There is a very extensive menu and the food was absolutely fantastic.
Odunayo “Ohdeebee” Ajike
+4
Lovely cosy restaurant tucked in Illovo. I had the ramen and I loved it!!! The interior decor is also so lovely and the owner was very attentive to my group's needs.
The food was great. Service was very good. I really liked the miso soup
Very kind waitresses, the most amazing Japanese food you can get in Joburg and a very kind owner! Can’t wait to go back to try some more of their dishes!
An error has occurred! Please try again in a few minutes