Yami in Kingston upon Thames

Good Korean food and very friendly service. Only wish they served more traditional Korean side dishes.

<<BLACKLISTED>> Feels like everyone here just gave up queuing for Treehouse next door and ended up at Yami out of desperation. Really regret coming in here. Worst service in UK. Food: Ordered spicy seafood noodle – barely any seafood, and the only two mussels were unopened. Asked to change, and the replacement had two more mussels, both served COLD. The ginseng chicken soup had no ginseng and the chicken was completely bland. We ordered stone pot spicy pork, made it clear we wanted the stone pot, but the server didn’t write it down and got the order wrong, nvm, but the staff responded with not a friendly attitude at all. No smile, no patience, she didn’t seem to want to even be here. Atmosphere: Ventilation is non-existent. As a BBQ restaurant, the whole place was full of smoke and felt stuffy throughout the meal. Very dark in lights as well. Never coming back, and HIGHLY don’t recommend.

I am EXTREMELY disappointed with the service at YAMI. I found a hair in my food and asked for a refund and the manager was defensive and didn’t apologise. She said she could bring out a replacement and when I asked for a refund she said it was too expensive to take off the bill !! She removed the cokes and didn’t empathise once. If this was another restaurant they would have taken this a lot more seriously.

Taste and value unbeatable, restricted meal time in 1.5 hours.

Fairly reasonably priced for a main about £10. I liked how the food came with free kimchi and picked vegetables. Service was fast and friendly . Vegetable tofu soup had small volumes of vegetables and tofu (only 2 bits of tofu) which felt disappointing. Could do with a few more vegan options.

Excellent Korean BBQ restaurant, delicious marinated beef.

Definitely recommend the egg fried rice. Just hits different. The soy garlic chicken is also good. The chicken katsu is also good but not as much as the soy garlic. Always worth it when we come here. Service is quick. Sometimes when there is barbecue, the restaurant gets smoky and your clothes and hair smell.

I'd give 5⭐️ if I'm Korean, but I'm not and I wasn't prioritised by the waitress. They served customers who came later before me. The only thing that really bothered me was the wall next to where I sit, it was dirty/mouldy. But the food is okay, still gave gratuity.

Despite having 7 people, they only gave us two measly portions of kimchi and threatened to charge us a hefty £4 for cabbage and potatoes. The sauce was lacking in the chicken and there was an inconsistency with the portions even though we ordered the same dish twice. The food was adequately flavoured but lacking in authenticity with minimal ingredients. I would not necessarily return to this restaurant again.

Probably the best Korean on the high street! BBQ on your table is fantastic and staff help cook it correctly.

Always good meals here- very consistent

Good food, the rice cakes were spicy but tolerable (although I do have a high spice tolerance), I love the side dishes that came with the food. Love they didn’t charge extra for them as well. Would love to try their KBBQ sometime. Thank you :)

Food is pretty nice and the staff are cool but best of all you get a free drink from writing a review! 💯

Food was very delicious, the extra veggies they give you with the BBQ meat was perfect. Even though we ordered our own veggies, what Yami provided was more than enough. Reasonably priced also! I think we found our new local Korean BBQ spot now.

Always a solid choice for dinner out with friends. Korean classics served right.

Food is great. Can get a bit busy at peak hours and a little queue is to be expected. Reasonable price. Food takes time to be served though but was expected as the place was full. GRATUITY PAY is not mandatory and is already at the final bill.

Foods was great and service was excellent. I would recommend it to my friends.

🥲Sitting on the bottom with no one paying attention and having a normal attitude Help me cook the meat till it's cooked😮‍💨 Thin portions and tasteless I can only say that the more you do, the worse it gets. It wasn’t the same before. The portion size has become smaller The only good food is fried chicken

A fantastic restaurant and personal favorite, I've been countless times over the past year and my expectations are always met, the foot comes out fresh, hot, delicious and quickly, with complimentary popular side dishes like kimchi, radish, spicy cucumber and sauce. They have a tons of meat/seafood options to choose from on their set menu as well as top favorites of you want to do the at table BBQ. Their appetizers and mains are extremely generous portions and are literally perfect everytime! This is a lifelong spot for me!

The food here was delicious! We got sweet spicy boneless chicken, soh garlic boneless chicken, tteokbokki (rice cakes), kimchi rice. The rice cakes with cheese were my fav bit! The sweet and spicy chicken was also very good. And it came with banchan. The service was lovely but could have done with more staff possibly. We went Friday evening at 6.40 and got a table for 2, but others were turned away around 7.15.

Interesting menu with so many choices and affordable prices. Complimentary side dishes were a lovely touch! Very tasty food and would definitely eat here again. One tiny gripe is that service was a bit slow, but wasn't so bad as to dampen the experience

Mixed feelings about the restaurant. The food was good, although not being regular diners of Korean food, would have been helpful to have the dishes named as they were arriving at the table. One of the party was gluten free, and there was no offer of help or it seemed any real understanding of the dishes. We eat from time to time in a Korean/Japanese outlet in Carlisle, and the staff there can easily recommend GF options. It was VERY busy, so I understand that having special requirements is a pain, but easier just for restaurants to put on their website, menus and social media that they don't want to cater to any diet other than mainstream, then diners could easily avoid them, and save the hassle. Service, due to being busy and only having 2 servers also made service quite slow. However, as I started, the food is good but avoid if you've got any dietary requirements or at peak times as I suspect they're probably better than on our visit.

Unfortunately was underwhelming. The noodles were soggy and the meat we ordered had nothing special about it. It felt as if I could buy something similar at a local supermarket and have the exact same for cheaper.

Terrible service especially the gentleman (I believe he is the boss) who was always in a rush on taking orders and serving the food. Very disappointing dining experience. He didn’t even allow the customers to self cook the BBQ as he said it will damage the equipment. It’s non sense. Will not go there again regardless how good the food is tasted.

I went to Yami to have lunch and dinner for couple of times. Food was alright but not really amazing. My family & my friends have the same problem with this restaurant is the attitude of their manager/owner. We saw that man every time when we popped to the restaurant, he was very rude to us EVERY TIME! (even other customers). Really sad to see him being rude to the people and he blamed the customer. No more Yami because we deserve better for food and customer service.

Ordered the spicy noodles and got served shin ramen which is £1 with an egg but paid £13 for it…

2023 Nov: Today the food was good but service was below what I think they should give. Order taken incorrectly and items missing such as serviettes etc. No bill offered, just come to the service area and they will find your order. OK for some but a negative change just the same. 2017: I like Yami, but recently prices have gone up and a service charge is now added to the bill. I would still recommend them as a great Korean restaurant in New Malden.

Really great authentic korean food, good prices and good portion! If you are a big aficionado of korean food you will not be disappointed

Great food and good service. This restaurant is authentic to Korea. They offer a good selection on the menu and the grill is amazing. Definitely worth a visit to experience true Korean food. It's also located in a good location with a great car park within mins walk. Go have a visit!

Staff here are really welcoming to all and provide lovely service. There’s a wide range of lovely items to enjoy and all where to A very high standard. Prices very reasonable personally.

amazing korean food, reasonable price and so tasty.

Very amazing food and elegant service 👌 will totally recommend

Great and quick service. Pancake is super good. Fired chicken is great, the best Korean fired chicken in Korean town.

The kimchi pancake doesn’t taste like kimchi and makes your mouth oily. It doesn’t taste like anything! Is the meat on the barbecue good? Is the pork marinated so delicious? Beef ribs are thin and shoegy? The stone pot rice is tasteless and I don’t know how to order it. It’s really awkward.

One of my favourite Korean restaurants in London. Highly recommend the barbecue, fried chicken, seafood pancake, beef pot (?) and steamed pork. You can't really go wrong in here but they seem to be particularly good with seafood, so spicy squid stir fry with rice is an excellent choice for a cheaper lunch time meal.

Excellent food and kind staff services with reasonable price. Highly recommend.

We went on a busy Friday night and barbecued. It was brilliant, all the meats were marinaded and the waiter came to the table and cooked them in front of us. Short rib pork was our favourite and we ordered a second portion as well as more Lettuce for wrapping. We will definitely do this again.

There were so many people that the atmosphere was very chaotic.

There was a great selection of delicious Korean food. I ordered the stone-grilled Korean-style pot rice, grilled mackerel, and grilled lamb—all were flavourful and well-prepared. The staff were friendly and helpful, enhancing the dining experience.

the 1 star was for the rude guy who stands behind the bar taking payments (who seems to be the owner of the restaurant) you do not "lecture" your customers for making payment with your "non preferred card payment method" (the payment went through) when you cannot communicate that prior to taking the payment or make your card machine decline certain card payments. It's not the customers' responsibility to read the signs around the restaurant. It's a shame as this was one of our to go Korean restaurants as their food was good but wont be coming here anymore or recommend to other friends (been warned by other friends who came here but being treated rude with them bringing a pram)

Good family neighbourhood restaurant

Korean bbq was great, we got the pork belly slices and soy marinated chicken. Great food at a great price. Service was nice as well. Wasn’t as busy probably cause it was a weekday. Definitely get the soy garlic fried chicken wings.

Best restaurant in New Malden with amazing BBQ and food. It's meat orintentated so don't bother if you're a veg head. Highly recommended

The guy staff who told us to bug off in 2 mins though we hadn’t finished our drinks was one. And, if they voluntarily bring you your bill doesn’t matter if your table is full of unfinished food / still eating, understand that they tryna tell you to hurry up and get out ASAP!!! So, yeah i would have given negative ratings if i could but they lucky most of us bullied customers can’t do that here. P.s. food was alright tho.

Great food, very spicy Amazing prices for the huge portions Service is a bit slow but has a friendly and cosy atmosphere Highly recommend However I had 1 negative experience in the 7 times I've been here, chicken was pinkish in the middle and squishy and the sauce was chunky like jelly But every other time it has been amazing

Great food, lovely selection of meat, very affordable prices. Service is okay but lots of room for improvement

Food is good, I just don't like how they rush the clients to order. The waitress just kicked us out. The service could be better.

The number of times we were told we only had 1hr 30m at our table, it felt like we were an inconvenience, not like customers! We were given the bill while we were still eating and hadn't asked for it. You cannot enjoy a meal with friends when you are constantly being rushed. They may as well put a timer on the table to save them having to tell us we need to vacate the table every five minutes. Have been a regular here for 12 months but in the last few months the service has been shocking and will not be returning.

Food amazing, great variety. If you do KBBQ...this place cooks it for you. Watch out if they don't burn your food but they usually do a good job. Sometimes they don't flip in time so i tend to watch for it. They are super friendly staff and foods great!

Worst service ever. The owner or the manager was extremely rude to us. They put us in a dingy space and everything was dirty and broken. Bathrooms were filthy and smelly. Facilities are inadequate. The place is not child safe at all. Not a single high chair had a harnesses. The waiter was so impatient and would not wait for us to look at the menu. He was hurrying the order and wanted to leave. When we asked him to leave a menu behind he refused and told us we need to go to reception to get one if we wanted it. The waitresses would not give us serving spoons saying they already gave us spoons. They would not give us enough take away containers either. We had to ask them three times and they made such a big deal about it. Do not go to this place ever. Absolutely horrible service.

Very average korean food, definitely have been to better ones in this area. Wouldn't visit again.

Sadly to say We not gonna come here agian. I was regularly customer here in 2 years. 1 of my favourite places. And I was bring alot friends to come here and even my birthday every year i just want to be here to celebrate my birthday or friends birthday here. It's was really nice before ( food or every one working here they are so nice so friendly) but now the last 3 times i came everything it's changed. The staff even see you walking in they didn't said hi or im not feel like welcoming anymore. Even you smile to them they just keep they cold face. I was there earlier, the time on google said they closed at 22.30 but around 8pm they already tidying up even clients still there, just feel like you have to go. About the food. It's was not nice anymore. Too sweet. When you feedbacks to them they didn't said anything or even apology. So disappointed. I never give anyone 1* but so sorry. I have to said and you should change it to get your businesses go up again. Good luck

The pancakes have a slightly fishy smell, the soup tastes bland, and the overall taste is average

Went there lunch year and had a good experiences. But this time we went again for lunch as a group, not many people there during lunch time, food was just ok but service was terrible! Staffs (1 lady and 1 man) were rude from the moment we entered the restaurant, rushing everyone to leave the restaurant even though not busy with only 3-4 tables occupied. There are many good Korean restaurants around the area, would not recommend this one to anyone

This has to be at the top of all the many fine Korean eateries on the High Street . An extensive menu , super kitchen and great service.

In summary, the taste was decent. Korean fired chicken stood out, the black bean noodle was average, and the spicy stir-fried pork with rice was quite good. Nearby was PayByPhone car park or park at the near street.

Stay away from this restaurant!! Service is absolutely appalling.

Food was excellent and service was great. Pre book a table recommend!

Food is very tasty here, especially the seafood pancake, however service could be improved and veggie options are limited.

Decent Korean food, a bit expensive though, 15 for a small ribeye stake is a but much

Best Korean food since I was last in Korea

The dishes are wonderful, bibimbap, fried chicken and the chicken noodle soup are my favourite. The restaurant is a bit small and quite hot in there.

The restaurant most of the time is busy, always good to book or to come earlier before lunch or dinner. We love the fried chicken and bbq. The barley tea is good to help with the digestion. We have been coming back to Yami in the last decade 👍🙂

They market food containing fish sauce as “vegetarian”. Do not go here if you’re vegetarian or vegan.

We decided to give this place a try and the food was okay but the staff were rude and unwelcoming. Lack of smile and service. The price they put in the bill was different from the menu and it was overcharged not recommend this place

Very awful service from Staffs . The way they put food on table were so rudely . overcharged on the bill as well . there are more others good option to try on same Street .

Great service with big portion of food :)

The food was absolutely delicious! The staff were super friendly and kind. We ordered the seafood pancake and the seafood stew and it was definitely worth the price. Everything wasn't too expensive for such delicious food. I cannot recommend this place enough!

Best Korean restaurant in New Malden!!! Super delicious, tasty, large portions. Efficient service. We come here all the time!

I’ve been to YAMI few times before and was always served by the female staffs and they were usually lovely, I went with friends today and the the male staff without the uniform was a bit rude, his tone speaking to us was so condescending, no smile no warm greeting, some of the food we ordered like seafood pancake and stir fry calamari came under 5 minutes of ordering :S will not be returning

I don’t think the staff got any health and safety training. There is also communication problems when ordering the food. Poor equipments too.But the food is delicious.

Had a fantastic breakfast cooked fresh brilliant waiter service was good Eat in

Taste good and not expensive, sure will recommend to others

Very mediocre food, you can get the taste of Korean food. Unfortunately the staffs (the two without uniforms) are lacking of smiles and unwelcoming.

Food is okay, service is bad, worse than bad… one of the waiter is quite rude, his attitude is bad and angry.

Food is average but the attitude of their staffs really makes it not a very enjoyable experience.

poor service, not polite, no smile food is just okay for barbecue they will grill for you but the waiters look like very annoying to serve I'd rather grill the meat by myself waiters are all wok face

Food is okay. Poor service, no smile, not polite many better options in the same street

Congratulations for this restaurant, I was feeling like in Seul. Food the best, all people looking happy and a good atmosphere. Custom service was very friendly by a Korean personnel. I mention one things. I didn't understand why you changed our table to last table on corner? Because we are not Koreans? I get that feeling. Please don't do that, I was living in Korea for many years and never get that experience. Really good food and good experience. I will come again next time with pleasure but will stay in the middle of restaurant. Thank you :)

I'm just disappointed with both toilets being out of use on my visit. Hopefully, this will get sorted as a bit inconvenient. The staff apologised too. The food was good, and my friends loved the takeaway I tool for them

Lovely authentic, well made food, definetly one of the better restaurants in New Malden! We found the service more than adequate and informative about allergies after we asked. Also quick and polite service so no complaints at all. Restaurant was clean and simple with enough space around tables to enjoy conversations peacefully. Would most certainly come again :)

Service dismissive, outrageously expensive for mediocre food. Meat was tough, kimchi flavourless, mushrooms uncooked. The food seemed that it had been out for hours and not made fresh

Yesterday, we visited Yami Restaurant. The food was mediocre and lacked the previous flair. The atmosphere was dampened by the absence of warm smiles, and the manager’s demeanor was particularly unwelcoming. His lack of eye contact during our interaction was off-putting. Such behavior, I fear, could result in the loss of many loyal customers. Yami, once a delightful establishment, has lost its charm. A restaurant manager should exude warmth, friendliness, and knowledge, rather than rudeness and authoritarianism. It seemed as though the manager’s attitude cast a pall over the entire staff, who appeared to be working under duress, worried about potential reprimands. Additionally, the imposition of a 10% service charge labeled as gratuity on our bill was unjustifiable, especially given the notably poor service, with the manager’s performance rating a dismal 0 out of 10. Witnessing Yami’s decline is disheartening, and I sincerely hope the management will address and rectify these issues.

I came last week. The food was amazing 👌🏻 but the service really bad. All rhe staff doesn't look happy with waht they are doing specially the waitress, I asked her multiple times for a diferent table, and even when they had smaller tables and available, they made trouble .

Food is good, service was okay but would appreciate more smiles, I really enjoyed the sweet and chilli chicken, however it was quite expensive for the price as well as the rest of the meal altogether. Overall good, but i was looking for something a bit extra for the price I payed

Food was not bad. Manager was incredibly rude. They got the order wrong and started shouting at us in front of other customers. That is not ok.

As a loyal customer for the past ten years to this restaurant - I have to say this place now is hitting a new low. We went for a quick meal this week and clearly the kimchi tofu we ordered were cooked with leftover and long used frying oil. Also the service has been amazingly bad. It is now not only have no service but also noticeable rude and offensive staff.

We always come here, and it never disappoints. Our ultimate favourites are the tteokbokki with cheese and ramen , kimchi pancake, fried chicken with honey mustard sauce, and bulgogi soup. Great food ,always .

Trendy, food was okay for the price. Service was above average. Nothing that stood out.

We were seated super quickly, but had to flag down another waitress after ours ignored us and took the orders of two tables seated AFTER us. Yeah you guessed it, we happened to be black. I don't know if it was actual racism or just our servers being in a terrible mood and forgetting about us. Shame, since the food was pretty good. After we had our order taken, it was all smooth sailing.... well except when she had to cook the food tableside (we asked if we could do it ourselves and she mumbled something and ignored us lol) and when we complimented the look of the food and thanked her for grilling it, we got a blank face in response. Whew. Would I recommend it? Heh, take it to go.

Love the food here especially the fried chicken, crispy, hot and delicious.

The meat of the galbitang is so thick that you need scissors, but the green onion chicken is the best.

Food is delicious. It's always been very busy when we've eaten here so it's best to make a reservation. Nothing bad to say. Service wasn't out of this world, but I found it pretty good given how busy the place was.

Great place if you're looking for the authentic korean dining experience. We ordered BBQ ribeye and ox tongue, mixed tempura, fried chicken soy garlic, all recommended. The meal came with some side dishes (kimchi, cucumber, and potato salad). The waiters assisted us with the BBQ. Food was served quick too. There's no parking cause its the high street, but there are some side alleys or a nearby waitrose car park.

Everything is absolutely amazing, food is lovely along with the staff and vibes. Don’t just go for Bulgogi, try something new! I love Korean restaurants ❤️.

Went here in a group, it was a good experience. However they have private rooms upstairs which is nice but also means you are excluded from from the atmosphere of the restaurant. The BBQ meat was a bit bland, although they give dipping sauces and kimchi. Kimchi pancake and glass noodles were delicious. Recommend the prepared dishes over the BBQ.

I am sure this is the best restaurant in New Malden👍🏻

Awesome food and amazing service...definitely worth another visit.

Can't fault the place food was good and good service as well

Ordered bosam, vegetable tempura and galbitang (beef soup). Food arrived quickly, hot and very delicious. Strongly recommend these dishes!