Yamato in Edinburgh, City of

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!

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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 best Japanese restaurant in Edinburgh, with fresh ingredients and elegant interior decor. I will definitely visit again.

fresh amazing Japanese food, good service, Highly recommended 💕

I thanked Chef/cook for his magnificent effort. Don’t ask me name of the dish, I chose a picture of it from menu. A bottle of saki was fair enough for couple. Bonapeti

The food and service were perfect.

A few days ago, I went to Yamato with my family for the third time after being recommended by a friend. It is as delicious as ever, the environment is elegant, the food is fresh, and the service is very considerate. It is rated as the No. 1 Japanese restaurant in Edinburgh. Highly recommended!

Best Japanese restaurant in Edinburgh. Great food and service.highly recommended!

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.

Tasty food, one of my favorite Japanese restaurants.

One of my favourite restaurants in Edinburgh! A lot of the dishes remind me of what you’d find at Zuma. The quality of the ingredients is top tier, there’s a varied menu which includes halal options and the cocktails are incredible. The staff is lovely and even the ambience and decor is amazing. Although most people have a relaxed vibe, you could definitely dress up if you’re going to celebrate something. The prices are completely worth it. I love this place and really couldn’t recommend more!

My favourite Japanese restaurant in Edinburgh!

Exceptional Japanese cuisine, very professional and smiling service. The only small criticism is a slightly noisy atmosphere when there are people. Nothing to complain about, I really recommend it.

What a wpnderful place! Compared to dishes served in Japan, the Yamato can keep up with the quality and professionalism. Well done! And the food and beverage knowledge of the waiters is stunning. This dinner made my day!

Best sushi in town. Very high quality no one else can compete with. We are recurrent customers, and we are never disappointed.

I've only ordered on Deliveroo, but the food is SO good. The staff is so lovely over the phone when I've had to call to change something. Thank you! 🥺

One of the best options for Japanese food in Edinburgh. The quality of the ingredients is very good, and so is the execution. There are a few nods to fusion, so the purists might be disappointed, but in the end quality prevails, and there's plenty of traditional and classical choices. Last time for example we had, among other things, really excellent nigiri sushi with melt-in-the mouth scallops, otoro, and grilled otoro, as well a humbler but still succulent mackerel. They also serve high grade Wagyu. Service was smiling, polite, and efficient. Prices are fair for what you get.

Best sushi in town! The rice is probably the best I’ve had at any Japanese restaurant. Kind and attentive staff.

This and Kanpai are the two best sushi restaurants in Edinburgh

Excellent service. Food delicious some dishes needed a little more flavour-the ginger and wasabi helped

love it!!!! best japanese in edinburgh - great quality from sashimi / uni to a5 truffle wagyu to small bites and wine selection - you have to try them all!

This was one of the best meals I had during my time in Edinburgh - and maybe my best ever Japanese meal out! The food is fantastic, real authentic, meticulously crafted sushi with high quality ingredients. The staff are all super friendly and happy to help. I would suggest ordering a load of different things to try as much of the menu as possible! Highly recommend any of the Wagyu beef dishes as well as the sushi rolls. Will be back here as soon as I can - I'm still dreaming about this food!

Perfect for special occasions. Excellent service, friendly staff with a welcoming atmosphere. Great food with interesting presentation. Well worth a visit even if in Edinburgh for a short time.

We were very disappointed by the mediocre quality of the raw materials and the poor variety of the menu offered. Quality - price ratio not appropriate according to us and our standards (we could still be the ones who are wrong about this). Excellent service and environment, waiters all kind, friendly and professional.

Excellent food and nice calm atmosphere at lunch time! My fussy eating toddler ate the ramen and broth so enthusiastically like I’ve never seen before. I could taste the broth was full of goodies and so delicious I finished it all too. They marinated and grilled the eel themselves as it’s quite rare to find other restaurants do that. The quality of food this place delivers other Japanese restaurants in Edinburgh just can’t compare. Ooo the other dishes…we cleared all the plates and bowls, that said it all. Service was great and my toddler was given a small rice ball with dried fish flakes, again my fussy toddler liked and ate it, something about the seasoning that was done so well. Will be back for sure.

Beautiful restaurant, great service, very attentive. The food was delicious and reasonably priced for the quality. Salmon sashimi, rainbow roll and chocolate mochi were the highlights for me

Limited vegetarian options but that was expected. The options available were lovely, and surprisingly filling. My friend and I both had great meals for under £30 each. IThe staff members were fantastic!

It's not common to find good Japanese food outside of Japan but the good reviews made us try this one. It was the right decision. We ordered mostly nigiris. The quality of the fish and the preparation were brilliant. The tuna and Scottish salmon were of the highest quality. I have to mention too the kindness and professionalism of the Spanish waitress (forgot to ask the name) who recommended many things to try and places to visit in Edinburgh.

Food was sensational. Not that busy during a Friday lunch service. The waitress was excellent at explaining what each dish was and the suggested and traditional way of eating it. I would highly recommend!

Absolutely delicious! Every single dish we ordered (and we ordered a lot) was beautifully presented and tasted fresh. The wagu beef roll was exquisite. The staff are wonderful and polite, and the atmosphere is authentic and intimate. Would highly recommend.

The best Japanese place in Edinburgh! Been here a few times and it never disappoints. The new Japanese brunch is a good, new menu also. Portions could be very slightly bigger, but other than that it’s 👌

I was greatly impressed with my first visit to Yamato. Staff was super attentive and the atmosphere was really relaxed and smart. The food was great too and I ate one of the best Takoyaki I have ever tried, and I've tried a few. Also, their crispy rice rolls were very good. I will be back for more.

In my opinion the clear reigning champion of Japanese restaurants in Edinburgh. The nicest and attentive staff, the perfect atmosphere and the most amazing food (wagyu beef steak tataki from the special menu is mind blowing!). Recently updated menu pulls you back to try new dishes each visit, can’t wait to try their ramen for lunch this weekend! 🤩

Food quality was excellent and authentic. We definetly will come back

Good quality is great, but the portion sizes are small verging on silly for the price. Go elsewhere, much more value for money places in the city!

Got a quick meal as they were very busy but it was a dream. Karaage fantastic, bluefin and wagyu must try, all sushi is a diferent level. And the cherry on the top was Sarah service that was fantastic. Altho is very price it will be for us the place to go for sushi. We will have to try next time ramen that is available only on weekends

The environment, food, and taste are all top-notch in Edinburgh, but too expensive

Hard to say too many good things about this place. Cool and breezy decor, attentive and helpful service, reasonable price ... all of that is absolutely true but this place is all about the food. And my, what is that like. This is some of the best sushi I have ever had, and certainly the best I've had outside Asia. Anyone interested in really good Japanese food of any and all varieties should just come here and work their way through the menu - you will not be disappointed. Or bankrupted - while it is not exactly cheap, it's easy to pay more for a lot less and we came away pleasantly full without having broken the bank. But let's be clear - this is not about cheap eats but rather a dining experience of the very highest order - which also happens to be reasonably priced. And I'm talking about money again. So I will shut up - just come and sample some of the finest Japanese food you will have the pleasure of enjoying in this country.

Went for my birthday meal. Really good quality, although I would say smaller and pricier than other places but it’s worth it for the vibe as it’s pretty and really good.

Lovely pre-theatre dinner. Fabulous prepared and presented sushi

Bustling restaurant with a London vibe. Lightning fast service. Impressive selection of Japanese dishes and some surprises. Only dropped a point due to the close proximity of some of the tables. It makes hearing your dining partner a challenge, whilst trying not to overhear your neighbours. The brown rice tea is delightful.

Wow. This is probably one of the best, if not the best, sushi we’ve ever had (and we eat a lot of sushi!). Everything was so incredibly fresh and prepared with love. It was delicious. We had a mix of sashimi, nigiri, rolls, seaweed etc. all of it was 10/10. The wagyu beef nigiri was unbelievably good - would 100% recommend spending the money to try this.

Impeccable sushi. Hot food is very good too . Sushi is on par with , if not better than the sushi I ate in Japan over the past few months. Staff are always welcoming and sake recommendations are always on point

Probably the best sushi in town. Everything was fresh and the quality was incredible. The atmosphere was friendly and I really liked how the restaurant looked like. Our waitress, Sarah, was incredible. She was very polite and knowledgable of the different sakes. I have tried so many different sushi/asian restaurants in Edinburgh and I can tell this to be the most authentic one I have ever been. There are so many more things I am yet to taste, but the sushi was very fresh and the miso soup was warming and very tasty. We also had a sushi roll which didnt disappoint either. Next time I will venture to other more authentic dishes or the ramen but everything looked really well made and presented. I will be coming back after their holiday break. Its a restaurant not to be missed. Really liked it.

Outstanding japanese dishes. Matcha and black sesame are quite unique and impressive.

Mangiato in due sere su tre , alto livello, alta qualità, alto servizio. Brava Sara, cameriera simpatica e professionale.

The service and atmosphere of the restaurant is great. However, the sushi and most other dishes lack the quality of a good sushi restaurant.

Great food, great service and great staff, what more could you want. If you want a great atmosphere and some high quality Japanese food I highly recommend Yamato. Compliments to the chefs.

I was missed a Japanese food lots. I was happy to had a great meal here. All food was fabulous. And every staff was very friendly. 100% I'll come back here when I visit in Edinburgh. Thank you so much for a great time.

My partner and I dined at a marvelous restaurant on Christmas Eve, where the waitstaff warmly welcomed us. The food was incredible, providing us with a beautiful experience. We look forward to returning when we revisit Edinburgh. ❤️

We had seen a few good reviews of Yamato, and decided we would give it a try for the brunch. We were certainly not disappointed! The service was wonderful. Very thoughtful, respectful, attentive, and cheerful. The food was spectacular. We went for the Sunrise In Tokyo and the Mount Mitake. We also had the salmon Maki, which after eating as a starter, also became a 2 portion dessert! Both main meals were absolutely incredible. The flavours, presentation, and taste was sublime. Between the incredible service and wonderful food, I would give this place 10 stars rather than 5. Absolutely spectacular. If you're in Edinburgh or elsewhere in Scotland, it is well worth the travel. It's also worth every single penny. Thanks again Yamato!

A very beautifully decorated restaurant with friendly staff and good quality and unique food. Their lobster tempura special was amazing.

The food is beautifully crafted with delicate flavors, and Sara, our fantastic server, adds a friendly touch. The atmosphere is just right for a memorable dining experience. Highly recommended!

Eventually visiting one of the renowned Japanese food in Edinburgh, Yamato is greeting me near Bruntsfield neighborhood. Overall I can say it’s a proper Japanese restaurant with impressive dishes. Prawn tempura and rainbow sushi set are good. The special dish for me is the eel bbq rice served in a cute pot. the portion, however, might not be satiable individually. Another dish, and I saw many tables order, is the soft crab rolls. Personally the texture and taste are nice. Personally speaking, rice in Nigiri is more flavorful than rolls. The dessert is also interesting as we try icecream. Matcha and black sesame are quite unique and impressive. The staffs are attentive equipping with service mind. The prices are a little bit higher than other restaurants but it’s worth visiting (especially birthday) if you want a satisfactory and memorable Japanese food.

We’ve been itching to try Yamato after reading so many rave reviews… now here comes my rave review! What a place. The second you walk in you can tell it’s going to be good. The decor is lovely, the fresh fish sits for all to see and the extensive Sake options almost drown you! We tried things we knew we love and also delved more into authentic Japanese food, everything was a delight. The crisp sushi roll (tuna, avocado, lumpfish caviar, fried rice) was genuinely one of the best sushi rolls I’ve ever tried. The spicy tuna maki and spicy salmon maki were both so fresh and tasty. The tempura squid was soft with a perfect crispy batter. We tried three nigiris: Scottish salmon, bluefin tuna and scallop. Again, all delightfully fresh. We ticked Chawanmushi off our list, it was packed with flavour. For dessert we had the white sesame ice cream, it was nutty, smooth and perfect. We also ticked sake off our list, finally! We went for the Yamato Shizuku. It was £11.90, we shared it across the evening and it was very fairly priced for the amount you get. Service was attentive and friendly throughout. Our table was constantly being cleared then topped back up with many of Yamato’s delights! Definitely pushing for number one spot as Edinburgh’s top Japanese restaurant in my eyes.

Best Japanese restaurant in Edinburgh. Food is incredibly fresh and the service is very attentive. Hard to find a place that does proper sushi and Yamato didn't dissapoint. Will definitely come back for the brunch menu.