Yamato in Edinburgh, City of

Evan was very engaging, polite and friendly and made the experience great. The food and sake was on point too.

Amazing food and great service. Tasty wines and sakes. Can't wait to be back.

Best sushi in Edinburgh for sure. Ordered Gyoza, Aburi Salmon, Salmon Sashimi, Dragon Roll and Yamato Roll, everything’s amazing!

Authentic 👏🏼 Just like what I had in Japan

The sushi here was excellent! I went with a friend, and everything was incredibly fresh and delicious. We definitely ordered quite a bit for just the two of us, but left with full, happy bellies! Can’t wait to return for more.

One of the best Japanese restaurant I’ve ever experienced. Gyoza was my favourite and dragon roll ofcourse for the sushi. Wagyu nigiri was also amazing. Crew was so kind. Thank you!

Amazing flavors. Sushi is great. Meat options are great too

Absolutely outstanding. Impeccable service and delicious food in a clean and minimalist setting, what more could you ask for? Make sure you make a reservation in advance, as the restaurant was nearly full when we got there. My personal favorites were Black Cod and the sashimi platter. Will definitely come back!

Been here quite a few times and it has never been a disappointment- always super fresh sashimi and sushi with no fishy taste! As good as the ones I can get back in Asia! They did one of our orders wrong but were quick to fix the problem and gave us the wrong order free of charge! We were here for a birthday celebration and they also gave us a little complimentary dessert:)

Phenomenal experience from start to finish! Each dish was absolutely delicious and beautifully presented. The service was also impeccable. I highly recommend this place and can't wait to return.

Terrific place for Japanese food. Service was exceptional and food was superb. Only grumble was the draft every time the front door opened.

I was recommended Yamoto by a friend of mine. I took my mother here who was visiting Edinburgh. She is extremely tough to please when it comes to food. She left Yamoto saying it was one of the top three meals she's ever had. The food is exceptional. My personal favourite wad the crispy sushi roll.

Can't fault the food. On arrival . No information was given We were not told that food may come out at different times. Starters came . Mains came without the opportunity to finish starter. Mains never arrived together. We were rushed to choose a dessert while eating our Mains an given 5 mins to choose. Table next to us were given the dessert list AFTER us. Shoddy service. We did complain an had a reduced bill. Alas. Won't be back

Amazing wee gem of a japanese dining establishment. Our main server, Sara, ran through some of the popular recommendations for us, and they did not disappoint! My partner and I finally managed to get our hands on some bluefin tuna and wagyu, which we haven’t had since our trip to Japan the year before. Our meal was full of nostalgia, and was one of the most authentic and memorable dining experiences we have had. Thank you to everyone who made our time there so genuine and welcoming :)

Photos will not do this food justice. Slick, uncomplicated, professional service. Sapporo on draught (always a win for me), superbly put together menu, sublime food and pricing was on point. Amazing.

Lovely, dog friendly place! I've visited Yamato more than once, and both the service and the food were always great! Our dog also seemed to love it! 😊

The place for seriously so good , the service was efficient and polite , food was outstanding, honestly the best Japanese food experience I’ve had , I would highly recommend the spicy tuna gunkan 🥰if you’ve never had sushi before it’s a must try 🫶🏻

Yamato in Edinburgh offers a stylish and modern interior, featuring bamboo lighting, a sleek black wood bar, and a shared dining concept. The space is sectioned with wooden dividers, creating a semi-private feel, though the gaps in the panels make it easy to see and hear neighboring tables. I could over hear very clearly the full conversation of the table next door so if there are two tables chatting, it might get rather sound complex. Seating near the entrance is also a drawback, as cold air rushes in whenever the door opens. Kinkakuji Cocktail – A mix of sweet and citrusy yuzu notes, but the sweetness overpowered the drink. While strong and undiluted, it felt unbalanced. Snow Crab Vulcan – Overwhelmed by raw onion, with too little crab and a tart sauce. A missed opportunity that could have been improved with a better balance of ingredients. Agedashi Tofu – Served in four pieces, with a light batter and a flavorful sauce. A solid dish. Chawanmushi, the Egg-based Dish with Prawn & Mushrooms – Lacked flavor and needed soy sauce to enhance the taste. Dragon Roll – An eight-piece roll with crispy tempura prawn, well-balanced and enjoyable. Service was attentive and fast,10% service charge added to the bill. Prices for sushi rolls were on the higher side. Overall, the ambiance is appealing, but some seating choices and dish compositions as well as price points for dishes could be improved for a better dining experience.

Lovely food. Great waiting staff.

The dining experience was fantastic! Every dish we ordered was absolutely delicious, and the sashimi was fresh with. The service was outstanding. Highly recommended!

Food was delicious, service impeccable and our waitress was very sweet! Best japanese restaurant we’ve been during our stay in Edinburgh 👌🏻

Visiting from Ireland, this was some of the best sushi we've eaten. We were shocked by how affordable it was.

One of my favourite restaurants in Edinburgh, or anywhere. All the food is on point and the service immaculate. Lovely balance between feeling special yet relaxed.

We hade the tempura platter which was delicious. as was the soft shell crab sushi. However, it was a bit pricey for what you get (especially the tiny bowls of miso soup for £3.90). Would've liked some larger rice or noodle main dishes on the menu rather than just small plates. Service was efficient and friendly, but was irked again with the ever annoying 'optional' service charge on the bill. Enjoyed the food but don't think I'd go back based on prices and limited menu choices.

Amazing foods! Surprisingly good and briliant: 1. Uni is melting when you eat on your mouth! 2. Aubergine! I never know that you can cook aubergine like that, amazingly sweet and nyummy! 3. Wagyu donburi, the meat is on my liking (is that a fat or soft meat?) 4. Salmon nigiri, fresh and high quality sushi! Overall i loves it and would be back again, recommended to try when you are in Edinburgh!

Got a take away and it has been the best sushi that I have eaten in Edinburgh!! So happy because I have been struggling finding a good place in Scotland after having lived in East Asia for two years. A little expensive but well worth the money! Highly recommend the tuna belly and the crispy rolls. Excited to go and try the sushi in the restaurant now!

The food was fantastic and exceeded my expectations. The menu offered a great selection at a fair price considering the quality. Our waiter was both polite and knowledgeable, enhancing the experience. There was a delay due to an issue in the kitchen, which slowed down the service. In a restaurant of this caliber, it would be helpful to provide updates and ensure guests are comfortable during such situations. That said, we will definitely return - one of the best dining experiences in Edinburgh.

Loved visiting Yamato and trying out their food. Although it is expensive, we felt it was worth the price. Their fish is delicious and prepared in a delicate way. We would love to go again one day!

Absolutely beautiful sushi- couldn’t recommend enough!

Perfect service and food! Evan was our waiter and he was so incredibly helpful and kind. Will definitely be coming back.

If you’re heading to Yamato don’t even bother going unless you try the Wagyu nigiri, seriously, OMG. This was hands down the best dish ever. The Wagyu just melts in your mouth, perfectly torched ,rich, buttery taste. Yummm Shoutout to Evan, who made the experience great. Super friendly, knew his stuff, and gave us great recommendations. The sushi here is top-notch, fresh, and beautifully prepared. Pictures don’t do it justice.

Everything we tried on the menu was amazing. Service was friendly and helpful. We ordered several rounds of food, mostly nigiri but also the black cod and several appetizers (the aubergine was probably the best).

Very busy at Sunday lunchtime so worth booking.

Absolutely delicious food and all the staff were so lovely. They were very busy but food came out quickly and at good intervals.

very cute, good food with great service and lovely atmosphere but wouldn't recommend the highball , we got the kirishima and dassai and the dassai was ok, kirishima deadass tasted like tequila with maybe a tiny bit of lemonade and was not fizzy like expected

Now my favorite Japanese restaurant in Edinburgh. Very authentic. It is expensive since as someone who absolutely loves sushi and sashimi, I could spend £50-110 just by myself in this restaurant. But the fish is generally very fresh and tasty. Would highly recommend the chef’s sashimi platter as it’s one of the few fairly-priced things on the menu with a good portion (in my opinion) and you get a decent selection of seafood that will satisfy you. However, there might be a slight difference in the taste sometimes as the first time I ordered it it was amazing, but the second time was not as impressive/fresh. Would also recommend Kanpai Sushi as I think they’re owned by the same people, though Kanpai is slightly more expensive and sushi portions are smaller. (The yellowtail sushi & salmon sashimi from both restaurants are heavenly tho) P.S. recently went back after a year of being away, the size and quality of my favorite chef’s selection sashimi platter has dropped significantly while the prices certainly went up…not only there’s fewer selection of fish but each piece was smaller and tasted a lot less fresh (salmon especially, when a year ago their salmon was close to perfection, seen in the first photo; last second photo of sashimi was taken a year later) compared to what I remember…we also tried the miso black cod this time which tasted nice but the portion again was basically enough for one. My friend only had two slices of sashimi and felt like gagging. I was left quite disappointed after telling her this was the best Japanese restaurant in town and bringing her for dinner. The experience we had that day was only mediocre. I understand the impact of inflation and such on the industry but obvious decline in food quality will eventually drive your most loyal customers away. I sincerely hope the issue will be addressed and maybe adjustments made to bring the restaurant back to its peak.

One of the most legitimate Japanese restaurants in Edinburgh. Descent price for high quality food.

Not our first time at Yamato. A genuine experience, from the polite and efficient service, to the amazing choice of fresh and tasty plates. Highly recommended.

I came here for Christmas day. I'm not a big fan of traditional Christmas food. I've seen this place so many times, and never managed to go. So I was super happy to get to try out out. We ate a LOT. Wagu roll, soft shell crab roll, lobster tempura and prawn tempura were the stand out dishes for me. The tuna sashimi was just melt in the mouth perfect. The staff were so lovely and very helpful. Im very much looking forward to coming back here!

The food was absolutely unbelievable , so fresh, so tasty, service was so quick , Evan served us , he was so helpful and welcoming, I will go there again .

Excellent Japanese cuisine. Always bustling and excellent friendly staff.

Incredible…. I just loved everything!

Pretty authentic Japanese food. We ordered two teishoku (lunch sets) and Yamato roll. Yakisakana (Grilled fish) was a bit sweet, korokke is good. Sashimi is fresh, tamakoyaki(Japanese egg roll) and miso soup are also really good. Will definitely visit again!!

We’ve been here twice and absolutely love the spacious layout of the restaurant—it makes for such a nicer dining experience compared to one of its sister restaurants in town. The service is amazing, and I’d definitely recommend booking a table! It’s hard to get one if you’re late or just walking in. I’m giving four stars for the food because the rice in the sushi was a bit disappointing. The texture and temperature were inconsistent—even within the same plate. Most of it was too warm and too soft, which is surprising since it’s such a basic element. That said, the sashimi is some of the freshest I’ve had in the UK—absolutely incredible! We didn’t try much of the hot food because the sashimi is just too good to resist. We’ll definitely be going back, but I really hope the sushi rice situation can be improved.

Highly recommended, food very good, service as well. When it comes to sparkling wine, you shouldn't fill the glass all at once, but it still tasted good 😄

I made a reservation to arrive at 5 p.m. and I was late. At 5.15,I received a call asking if I was still going. I answered yes and they told me that the seat would be reserved until 6:30 p.m. But when I arrived, they told me that my seat was cancelled and the service attitude was very poor. In the end, they agreed that I was seated around 5:40 and told me to leave before 7:30 because there was another guest. I agreed, but at 6:15, they told me that we were not allowed to order again. It’s still a long time to 7:30. It seemed to drive me away, which made my New Year's Eve dinner not very good. Even if the food was delicious, I didn't care anymore. The communication between the staff in this restaurant is very problematic, causing my dinner to be wrong. It's very bad.:((((((

We had an amazing time here, every aspect of the meal was incredible! The food, service and ambience were all exceptional. We all LOVED every dish we ordered, particularly the miso eggplant, salmon nigiri, otoro nigiri, chawanmushi, and more! We had some delicious sake to complement the meal as well. Some of the best sushi I've ever had, a must-go when in/around Edinburgh!!

Wow. Great food, great ambiance. Authentic Japanese.

10/10 experience! Amazing food and wonderful friendly staff!

We tried Yamato Edinburgh, First of all, it impresses you with its atmosphere and fast and polite service. Besides that, sushi rolls and starters were very delicious. We also tried their cocktails and sake which was my first trying sake and I really liked it.

Amazing food, very fresh. Amazing staff food came quick as ever. Really recommend

Could not be better. Wonderful and helpful staff. Amazingly tasty food. Reasonable price. Great ambiance. Do I need to continue? They were so kind to accommodate me and my family in their last table and made us feel welcome and at home. Food is fantastic. You need to try it but please don't do as I did and book your table in advance. You will not regret it.

Amazing sushi experience with the finest produce. Separate Halal Guided Menu as well which was very helpful.

Unexpectedly after 2 volleyball matches we came here on a Saturday evening without a reservation. Fortunately, a table became available, which was lucky, because it was so busy. Had to wait a while, but it was so worth it! We enjoyed it so much! This is not the last time we will be here!

Hands down the best Japanese cuisine in Edinburgh.

Diversity in dishes available beyond the classic sushi offerings. Everything was of very high quality.

Was looking for a dog friendly fine dining experience & Yamato delivered on all counts. Fabulous food, great ambience and so pet friendly, even offering a quieter place to sit with our dog. Sashimi is of a very high standard with the otoro especially outstanding. Also recommend the grilled donburi & chawanmushi. Faultless in every way and more than worth the journey from Newcastle. Cannot speak more highly of all the staff who paid attention to diners and dog brilliantly. Yamato exceeded all expectations and made our special evening perfect.

Lovely restaurant, courteous staff, delicious food. Some of the best we had outside of Japan. They were also very kind to our dog and engaging with her a lot. We would love to come back when we are in Edinburgh again.

This is our 1st time visiting the restaurant and it won't be the last time. Great service, great atmosphere and great food. ❤️

Yamato has the authentic Japanese food experience. I recommend the Sakura drink to follow the dishes, it's super refreshing. Also the staff was very caring, and the best part the restaurant is dog friendly!!!

A friend of mine recommended me this restaurant and it didn't disappoint. The food and service were outstanding. Hard to find Nasu Dengaku and vegetarian dishes properly made. Staff were attentive and knowledgeable without being intrusive. It's also dog friendly which makes it even better. Will definitely come back.

Had dinner before a show here and really enjoyed it. All the seafood was very fresh tasting with a mix of decently priced rolls as well as more expensive things to try like wagyu nigiri and cocktails.

We love Yamato, it's such a reliable place for delicious, fresh, authentic sushi. We had a lovely evening although we were suddenly told after 1.5 hours that our table was needed. However, the staff were really nice and prepared another table for us where we could finish our drinks. Food and service were brilliant, atmosphere was quite busy and felt rushed (on a Friday evening).

Delicious food and lovely staff!

Since you arrive you notice you have done the right decision. The food was AMAZING, very fresh and tasty. The waitress looked very well after us and were so caring. Really worth it.

The service was really nice and the food was amazing and they have halal options 👍🏼

Recommended to come here and can see why. Felt very relaxed. We were there over lunch so had a special menu and some saki to share. Everything was beautifully presented and very tasty. Good value for money.

Everything is absolutely fantastic!!

This is the most authentic Japanese food I’ve tried outside of Japan, and the quality is just outstanding and it's worth the price tag. Food quality is excellent, staff is very well trained and you get real value for your money, not those fake plastic trees and other instagramable nonsense as in so many other places. Will definitely come back

As a long-time customer of Yamato, I’ve always appreciated the food and service. However, during my recent visits, I’ve noticed a significant decline in the quality of the food. This decline became particularly concerning after my latest experience. I had dinner with two friends today, and both reported discomfort in their stomachs shortly after the meal. Unfortunately, one of them even vomited. Just a few days earlier, another friend experienced severe stomach pain after dining with me at Yamato. These incidents are troubling, especially since these same individuals have dined at Yamato in the past without any issues, and we all shared the same dishes. Given these circumstances, it seems unlikely that the reactions were due to food allergies and more likely related to a decline in food quality. What adds to my disappointment is the high cost we paid for the meal. For a restaurant with Yamato's reputation and price point, it’s deeply upsetting that the result was not just unsatisfactory but also troubling for our health. I hope this issue is addressed swiftly to restore the trust of loyal customers like myself.

First time at Japanese, but with experienced friends. Cozy, almost minimal environment. Scenic and carefully prepared food, delicious. All very fresh fish served in many different ways and always excellent. Service omnipresent but not insistent.

Delicious Sushi and perfect service. Thank you Evan.

Great food, nice atmosphere and super friendly staff. Thank you in particular to Evan for taking such good care of us.

The fish super fresh , I feel like it’s real Japanese food :)

I can finally find relatively normal and qualified Japanese food in Edinburgh. I heard that the owner of this small restaurant is Taiwanese. Although it is still far from the standard of authentic Japanese food, it is already one of the best in this city. Personally, I prefer the sashimi and sushi here, but the rice is too watery and the steak is a bit inferior. In addition, the level of waiters and the quality of catering utensils are quite high.

Excellent food wasn't sure what to expect being first time in Japanese restaurant we ordered a few items asking waiter if it was too much or little he said we could add more later if we still felt hungry but it was surprisingly filling.

The best japanese food we ever had in Scotland, the decor and food is very authentic and the lunch set is a must try as the tamago is amazing and the onigiri is top quality as the sauce compliments the sweet taste of the japanese rice, would definitely come here again.

It was delicious, the staff was lovely and the place pretty

Yamato is a great little Japanese restaurant tucked away in Tollcross. The food quality is fantastic and although it is on the fairly pricer side you get what you pay for when it comes to sushi, sashimi etc. The miso cod dish is good but be aware that there can be a few bones throughout the dish. The tuna crispy rice is another great dish. The portions are of normal Japanese size so if you have a large appetite it’s likely you will leave with a large bill. We had a nice meal here for 2 for £230 in total but we did leave slightly hungry (should have ordered more carby dishes)

A hidden gem in Edinburgh. Arrived after 9pm. Was not so busy. Food was excellent. Sashimi sushi. Tempura. Best gyoza ever. All great. Will go again.

Best Japanese we’ve had in the entire UK. Everything was fresh and very tasty.

Food was nice but the portions were a bit small for the price.

We had a fabulous meal here - the special sashimi was beautifully presented and absolutely delicious, the hot sake was perfect and we were made to feel very welcome - it was a special occasion and I would recommend it wholeheartedly to anyone.

Superb fresh sushi and sashimi. Well presented by friendly, unobtrusive staff. Very busy, so best booked in advance but we will definitely be back.

The food was Amazing! Especially octopus fish cakes Staff was very friendly and knowledgeable about food and drinks. We can't wait to come back! Thank you for making our anniversary so special

Went to Yamato for my partners birthday lunch yesterday. From the minute we stepped in and left the food and service was Impeccable. We were shown to our table and our waitress was really attentive without being in your face eg. Making sure we had water at our table and was topped up. Helping us with our ordering etc. We had a couple of specials from the menu and highly recommend them. They were the wagyu tataki and lobster and wagyu roll. They was so fresh and delicious. We also had the chunmushi, tuna tataki, assorted tempura and a few of the grilled sushi’s which were also really fresh, well presented and delicious. I can see why Yamato has so many highly rated reviews, the atmosphere was very elegant chic and clean which accompanied the food perfectly. We love Japanese food and have tried a number of Japanese restaurants in Edinburgh but nothing comes close to the ambience of this place and the quality of the food. We will definitely return! Oh and also a lovely nice touch at the end with a complementary scoop homemade black sesame ice cream for my partners bday.

Everything was great this place is one of the best sushi places I’ve tried. Highly recommended. Fast prep high quality ingredients and the restaurant design is lovely

Went for dinner on a Wednesday night at 8pm and most tables were taken. The decor is minimalistic and the service was fantastic and always refilling water and checking to see how everything was. Since we never tried sake before, the waitress let me try different types of sake beforehand and her pairing suggestions were spot on. The chef here is a true professional and can really tell how much effort he puts on each dish. I loved the sushi here because even though it was a bit pricey, the sushi truly spoke for itself. The rice was incredibly seasoned and the fish is very fresh. There were several pieces of fish that I've never had before, such as bluefin Otoro and Botan ebi, so it was great trying new nigiris. Highly recommended and will definitely come back.

I lived and worked in Japan for a few months so believe me when I say places like this give Japanese food a bad name. The menu here is really bizarre. They’re doing a grab bag of dishes simplified (ruined?) for local tastes instead of focusing on one thing. This is not washoku - there’s no harmony or coherence in what’s offered. When food did arrive (oysters, tuna tataki, a mini unadon, karaage, agedashi tofu) everything was disappointing. The fish and seafood did not taste fresh, there was no offer or suggestion of rice and miso soup to round out the meal (there actually isn’t rice on the menu… odd). The waitress suggested we think of it as Japanese tapas… no. There should be teishoku suggested to diners: cohesive meals that are filling and satisfying. Not the currently offered bewildering set of classics aside fusion dishes (fried Brussels sprouts were there) that have one foot in a Japanese Wetherspoons, the other in haute cuisine. Above all the place is confusing. If it’s a high end sushi place, the chef should be preparing the best fish and serving you a selection of dishes. If it’s yakitori or something similar, you should have that experience. Instead, here you have 5a wagyu donburi beside oysters? What is this? Highball drinks (nice to see them, very nostalgic for me) are dressed up unnecessarily and overpriced. I really hate to leave negative reviews but this restaurant needs to rethink its menu into something more cohesive and stop charging so much. Places like this feed into the idea that Japanese food is pretentious and fiddly.

Delicious food, highest quality service, and great atmosphere.

Good range to choose from, all sushi tasted great.

The highest quality of food and service

A local friend brought me here to try this Japanese food To be honest, I never imagined that I would be able to eat such high-level Japanese food in Edinburgh. Every dish is special. Several sushi rolls are particularly outstanding, and the grilled Wagyu beef is also a sincere creation. No wonder my friends insist on booking a table The restaurant decoration is comfortable and the seating space feels good Staff are friendly and attentive One of my first favorite restaurants in Edinburgh

Honestly one of the best sushi spots I've been to, the vibe is off the charts, but let's be real it's all about the quality of ingredients and these chaps have it figured out, get into it you won't regret it even if your pocket does

It was a little pricey and the portion was small. But I gave 5 stars because of its creative and aesthetic dishes.

Great Japanese spot in Edinburgh. Sophisticated and provides some amazing food with the sushi prepared fresh you can see why this is a popular spot. The fish is lovely and to a high grade with the salmon being by far some of the best I’ve had. Service was average but can’t fault with how busy the place was. Atmosphere is lovely and would recommend here for a posh dinner with friends and family.

The food is something else, not your usual basic japanese. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable if a bit nervous. We were next to the counter where they grill some of the food. The smell was not very nice. The restaurant is elegant and I liked the partitions and the lighting. Then a big loud group came in and that was the end of a romantic dinner... There is attention to detail, choice, it is worth a visit

Really enjoyed everything at this restaurant. I had my birthday meal there with the kids. They loved it as well :-)

The staff are really nice and the food is good. It was a great experience there.

The Japanese food at this restaurant is really delicious, the sanitary environment is good in every aspect, and the waiters are also very friendly. I will come back if I have the opportunity.