Yamato in Edinburgh, City of

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.

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

This and Kanpai are the two best sushi restaurants in Edinburgh

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!

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.

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!

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!

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!

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

Fantastic sushi, one of the best I’ve had. Lovely atmosphere and friendly staff, would definitely recommend !

Everything we ate at Yamato was delicious. The best for us was the wagyu nigiri which we decided to treat ourselves to. And the chicken karaage which was perfectly cooked and seasoned. I took a photo of the dragon roll but it was actually the least stand out for us - still great but not unlike in other places. Overall everything tasted fresh and the ratio of rice in the sushi was perfect. Service was also great and everyone was lovely. The price was a bit hefty for the portions but because of all the above I left feeling good, not robbed as I usually do. However because of the price I will unfortunately need to limit this place to special occasions only.

Great sushi, with some uncommon options, but does miss (mix) sushi sets, there's only a sashimi one. Quick service but the prices are a bit high. Lost 1 star due to automatically adding a 10% service charge. It should be up to the customer the decision of tipping or not, instead of pressuring the customer into paying the charge by adding it by default.

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 and tbh the 10% service charge was kind of a joke cuz the service was not that good…especially when you eat alone.

Yamato in Edinburgh offers an exceptional Japanese dining experience. The standout dish, uberjen, was a flavorful delight, and the black cod was exquisitely prepared. While the sushi was good overall, the salmon as well. Combined with attentive service and a sophisticated ambiance, Yamato delivers a top-tier culinary experience that sets it apart in the local dining scene.

Good food, fast quality service.

The food is outstanding and the servers are very attentive. We’ve never been to a Japanese restaurant and this was a great one to visit for the first time. Everyone enjoyed their choice of meal and if any of us had to wait for something, they were quick to bring a small complimentary item to make up for the delay. My daughter was even given a dessert for free because her choice didn’t come with one and ours did!

Amazing every time. We ordered full table of food - twice. So fresh and tasty. Try the brussel sprouts!

Excellent food, quality and variety. Attentive service and spacious tables.

El mejor sushi hasta la fecha Una calidad cuidando cada detalle y un producto super fresco Un 10

Highly recommend. Every single dish we had was of high quality, the interior was cosy and the staff helpful.

I love this place, it was soooo good. The food my god was amazing. The waitresses were so very nice. We didn’t wait too long for the food to arrive. Perfect, 5 stars!

Amazing service, great food taste, and a full immersion into Japan

Ideal para los amantes de sushi 🍣 Increíble la calidad, cualquier elección es buena. Añadir una sopa miso para acompañar. El servicio fue fantástico, muy atentos. El ambiente te transmite mucha calma y tranquilidad ideal para comer y pasar una velada romántica.

Absolutely authentic fresh sushi served from a sushi counter by experienced chefs. First time I have had chowanmushi outside of Tokyo and it was excellent. Tempura prawns, teriyaki beef, karage chicken, seaweed salad all perfect. Staff are delightful and setting is contemporary Japanese. I will definitely be back again and again.

Best sushi in Edinburgh by far. Excellent service also.

This place made me love sushi when I used to hate it! I can't wait to come back again

The food is fresh, delicious and customer service is great!

We had to wait 30 minutes to get water for the table then another 20 minutes for glasses despite asking multiple times. Our food came at different times. When some of us had finished with their main courses others were still waiting for their starters. Genuinely this is the worst service I have received in a long time. All food was semi warm on arrival. Will not return or recommend.

Exquisite presentation of many different varieties of fish in a modern setting with attentive service. Sushi was seasoned just right and the entire meal was really great overall. 110% will come again! ✨💙🍣

A nice assortment of fresh fish and tasty hot dishes that was enhanced by the sake, wine and champagne pairings recommended by the staff. The A5 wagyu nigiri was the highlight of the night. Will definitely come back!

Yamato est très fantastique. The service is magnificent. You must try the karaage!!!!

As a sushi lover, when i found out about this place i was so eager to try it out. Eventually we went yesterday for the dinner and honestly i dont have enough words to describe it. The service was really good, all the staff were friendly and very welcoming which made the experience even better. The food was exceptional !! Honestly, i never eaten something this good in ages or even my life. I am very picky when it comes to choosing sushi/ asian restaurants but this simply was up top. My boyfriend and I took, Salmon Sashimi, Eel Nigiri, O'Toro Nigiri, Grilled Scallop Nigiri, Miso Aubergine, Octopus Fried Balls, and 2 trays of sushi rolls, chawamushi, miso soup and wagyu gunkan Everything was simply perfection and i would most definitely recommend this restaurant to everyone. We will definitely visit again !

Incredible food! Best sushi in Edinburgh without a doubt. The seared tuna was sensational as was the soft shell crab and King Prawn tempura. Loved it and will be back again for sure

Loved the sushi and great service and ambience!

The food is very good. It is managed in Japanese style so the environment including the toilet is clean and comfortable.

Absolutely stunning. Never dissapointing! my go to place for a any live celebration as the quality is a quarantee. Thank you so much! Kudos to the Kitchen!

Lovely chawanmushi with truffle and prawns. Good sushi with fresh Scottish fish (salmon was very good). Super rolls, including rolls with tempura prawns through them which were yummy. Reasonably priced for food of this quality. Service was good and the place has a nice ambience (it was nearly but not quite full). Will go again next time in Edinburgh.

Incredible food so glad we had it recommended.

Great food with exceptional service.

Awesome, no words can describe how wonderful is food, environment and service, really good experience.

Zen atmosphere with a really lovely aesthetic. We popped in at 10pm during the festival as maps said it closed at 11pm, and we had a few hot dishes to share and a carafe of delicious warm sake. We had chawanmushi, karaage, edamame, takoyaki and crispy brussels sprouts with yuzu and pine nuts. The food was all amazing, the servers were friendly, and we will be back to sample some sushi and sashimi, accompanied by an Asahi or two one afternoon in the near future

Excellent sushi restaurant. After visiting their sister restaurant Kanpai I had to try this place. I found the service better than Kanpai as they were more friendly. Food was just as good with more attention to presentation. The Hamachi (yellowtail) cheek was the highlight for me alongside the aburi (seared) wagyu nigiri

I loved the sushi here. It is magnificent. Come here in your spare time

Great food - nice preparing of the rice which is so important for the Japanese food. Good service - they called us because we had left some small plant on the table. Nice ambience - cosy atmosphere with good interior. A little bit down by the price - quite expensive for its portion. All dishes look more like small appetizers rather than the mains. It may require about 40 pounds each for full proper supper.

Top class japanese food experience

Als je niet een traantje hoeft te laten om een euro meer of minder, is dit de ultieme sushi ervaring. Alles is net een niveau hoger: de vis, de sojasaus, de wasabi, de service en presentatie. Geweldig verzorgd door de dames van de bediening, neem je geliefde hiermee naartoe!

Amazing experience. The food was exceptional, the staff really helpful and discreet and the atmosphere relaxing. It was our first time eating there but definitely not the last! I recommend especially the seared tuna and the wagyu. Delicious

Started off with a very nice G&T with a hint of cherry. We had 8 courses to share between two of us and everything they served was excellent. A bit pricy but as as expected as the quality was very good.

We had a great meal at Yamato, for a special occasion. The food was excellent. The best sushi we have had in Edinburgh. The highlights were the fatty tuna sashimi which has a melt on the tongue texture unlike other sashimi. The grilled wagyu nigiri was also truly excellent, kissed with a lot of smoky, Maillard flavour, but still rare and melting in the mouth. The sushi rice beneath captured all the juices. The tempura was also excellent. The service was unobtrusive, efficient, and polite. It's on the pricey side, but the food is well worth it. We will be going back someday, for the next super-special occasion.

Best Japanese restaurant in Edinburgh. Sashimi is fresh, love scallop and o-toro most. Wagyu beef is incredible soft and rich-oil, melting in the mouth. Wonderful sushi, I mean everyone,especially beef roll and Yamato roll.Nice service and beautiful environment.

The atmosphere was nice, but the wait was exceptionally long for a very simple order(gyoza took nearly fifteen minutes and they brought one order before the next, ten minutes apart), and the wait staff were very inattentive and one barely understood us or the menu. Also, everything is a la carte, even the rice, nothing is included with anything. The food quality is fine, but definitely overpriced and overall average at best.

This is the best sushi I’ve found in Edinburgh. Far outclassing other options. The sushi omakasi could have a couple more pieces. But the sashimi omakasi was fantastic. Nice pairing with the sake when asked for.

Amazing sushi, fresh and authentic

Definitely the best Japanese restaurant in Edinburgh. The chief is quite considerate and care about every detail of dishes.

Delicious sashimi and tofu was very crispy on the outside.

My experience today at Yamato was excellent. Everything we ordered was very tasty and full of flavour. Their grilled aubergine with miso sauce can be considered a signature. Takoyaki was delicious. With each roll we ordered, we enjoyed it more. Lovely and fast service. Nothing more to say. Definitely worth a visit.

用料優質 壽司的確是愛丁堡最好的 彩虹卷非常驚喜，紫菜和青瓜絲非常青蔥，飯握得巧妙，恰到好處！ 手握壽司也做得非常好吃！ 餃子皮薄煎得香脆，內裡肉新鮮和夠熱。 饅魚飯甜了點和飯不夠熱 吞拿魚前菜一般。 份量偏少和價錢不便宜，但的確是優質的。 👎扣掉一顆星是華人的那位女侍應 看之前評論估計她應是台灣人之類 是可以說普通話的，她堅持說英語可以，但她不懂用英語講客套話：我一進門她問我有沒有訂位，我說no, sorry. 她應該禮貌地回應，她沒有。 我用英語問她有沒有生啤，她只說了"no",正常其他餐廳會說有啤酒但只有瓶裝，我再進一步問她她才說只有瓶裝。 我們order 了一份吞拿魚前菜，來了兩份，跟另一位有禮貌的外國女侍應說我們沒有叫兩份，她仍走來堅持說她下了兩份單，我用英語說可否給我看看整張訂單，她沒有理會我的要求只說是下了兩份，我們說不是，是一份，她有簡單說了是她mistake, 但表情上不覺得她真的認為是她問題。 結帳時她問我要不要卡收據，我用英語說有眼前這張就夠了（意思是那張不用），她又再問我要不要卡收據。我英語不好但去這裡任何西餐館，外國人都會明白我說的英語，到華人餐廳，大家是華人會自然說普通話，她明知大家是華人都要堅持英語溝通，她說日語我會接受，因為是日本餐廳麻，現在這樣好像顯示自己高級點。 餐廳是硬性收取10%服務費的，外國大部份餐廳都是結賬時提問，自願性給取的，硬性收取再加上以外國的餐館服務來說，這個服務是不合格的！

Best sushi we ever had! Completed with warm Sake, in a great Japanse restaurant setting! Definitly coming back our next time in Edinburgh.

I don’t know how can someone leave bad review for this place. Excellent quality authentic Japanese cuisine with awesome service!

The best sushi I've had in my life. It felt like a marvelous food adventure. I am utterly impressed.

Best sushi I've had in Edinburgh.

We ate for £85 ( 2 adults & 1 teenager), no drinks included. We waited for 45 min to get to the main dish and left hungry. We went straight to the supermarket to buy food, because it was by far not enough and we normally do not eat much. Also one of the dishes (tuna) didn’t look at all the way it was presented in the menu. The slices of tuna were extremely thin and nothing like the thick pieces that were shown. We do not recommend this place.

Perfect experience from the start til the end. Real Japanese cuisine prepared by a master. Would definitely recommend !

best Japanese food in Edinburgh, but quite expensive

Delicious excellent service parfait décor sympa et plats originaux .meilleur resto de la ville je pense

The interior design is simple, the food is in a very small size compared to the price. Eel is fair as it soaked in sauce that yiu hardly taste the freshness itself but just soy sauce all around places in rice and eel. The service is very slow and not too welcoming. In 50mins there were only one dish served and forgot the other dishes. I would not recommend this if you want to enjoy fully Japanese food in fresh and serve timely.

Excellent prompt service, food arriving in no particular order which is GOOD. (Not sure why there is a review complaining about this - you get it as it is prepared.) The Vulcan Snow Crab comes with a terrific dressing which we wished was available by the pint. Both soups - Chawanmushi and Dobinmushi - were fantastic. The tempura and gyoza were tasty but nothing very special, and the BBQ eel rice was really excellent but, like some other items on the menu, quite pricey. We'll definitely be back to trawl through the other items on the menu. The place is tastefully decorated and spotlessly clean, but the only minor gripe I have is the lighting. One of us sat in shadows at the table which made it quite hard to make out what it was you were eating, at times. Some better illumination would be advantageous, but it won't keep us from going back.

Incredible late night dinner here tonight. Miso glazed aubergine and takoyaki were delightful. The rainbow roll was very creamy and rich. Shame they were out of some dishes like the seared tuna and black sesame ice cream but it's understandable if it's near the end of a busy evening. Service was great and atmosphere was also nice.

Fantastic restaurant. Sushi, Tempura and Steaks all amazing. One of unexpected stars of show was crispy brussels sprout side dish. Eaten here and at Kanpai a few times and never fails to disappoint.