Yema in Newport

Wow what a treat! Everything about this place was amazing from the decor , staff and the food. Was a real treat! We will definitely be back We tried a large portion of the menu as we were a largish group and every dish was incredible your chef done a fab job! Cocktails were also delicious definitely recommend the pornstar martini! Can’t wait to come back ! Well done on bringing something exciting to caerleon !

Great food, lovely for birthday celebration, however we were charged double due to card issues. We didn’t notice until I checked bank app, £300 charged twice. Called & informed what happened, told would call back Wednesday evening after 5pm no call. Had to get family involved who knows owner of restaurant to get resolved. Asked to pop in to resolve, interrupted evening with friends to sort out. Over 20 mins waiting on owner arriving to sort refund, ordered drinks while we waited. Owner informed me he was embarrassed by what had happened, however when it came to paying for drinks we ordered while waiting told we needed to pay them, £45 later for the privilege of waiting to be refunded £300 that was incorrectly charged over 3 weeks earlier doesn’t sit well with me. Disappointed with the service given the feedback of the business being part of a family community, nothing offered as a gesture of good will. Disappointing, and means while we loved the night we had we will not be back.

From the first step into this hidden gem we had the most amazing experience. Went for a meal with friends to Yema as it had been recommended to us. The welcome we had along with ambience and decor were second to none. Beautiful restaurant. Alan and his staff were beyond courteous and attentive. They helped us with our menu choices to ensure we got the best experience. Many of the items were foods I’d not tried before in the way they were cooked and presented with one word explaining it - WOW! Beyond doubt one of the best meals I’ve ever had. We were told to take our time and enjoy the experience which each of us did. Thank you Alan and team for one of the best gastronomic experiences I’ve had in many years.

Very rarely write a review but this restaurant deserves a few words. First time Yema and Alan and his staff were beyond accommodating. However, this was absolutely eclipsed by the food. Very few places in South Wales where you can enjoy asian food in a restaurant but the food was simply exceptional. Quite possibly one of the best meals I have ever had in a restaurant and the price was reasonable too. Sad to share it as this will make a booking harder in the future but credit to where credit is due. Try it, amazing!!

This restaurant is a one & done for us, won't be returning. Arrived & there seemed to be confusion as to where we would sit. Waited what seemed like an age to be given drinks menu & then to take a drinks order. Had to ask for an explanation as to how menu worked. Food was very tasty. Asked for a second wine, specifically asked for the same as previously ordered, this was not received. Had an inferior wine. When I brought it to the attention of the server, I got the same wine I originally ordered, begs the question why I didn't receive this in the first place. My friend had ordered a gin & tonic, she mentioned to us that it tasted strong. When the bill arrived, it was listed as a double gin. This had not been ordered. My fried is usually the designated driver, if she was the case on this occasion, she would not have been able to drive home - the restaurant needs to consider this.

This was our third visit to Yema, and if we thought we enjoyed the first two this was the best. Let's be clear from the outset - it's not cheap, but you can tell that they are using the best ingredients and trying to achieve something really special. My partner is a real foodie and she finished Saturday's visit by booking for a group for her birthday. We arrived and were shown a lovely intimate table with sight of the kitchen through the clear glass watching the chefs working both the sushi station and the barbeque - the precision with those knives !!! We were promptly served appetisers and crackers whilst perusing the wine list and menu. Now having trust in the venue we had a chat with the head waiter, told him our personal tastes and appetite and let him make the choice. We could have eaten the scallops all night, the steak just melted in your mouth and the batter on the calamari was so light...we even fought over the last piece of broccoli !! :) By the time the Thai green curry turned up (beautiful but we forgot to photograph), we both agreed that we had been over ambitious and that we would "just try it to avoid embarrassment" ...which we kept to until we were scraping the bowl as we picked out a different flavour with every mouthful and the rice that accompanied was so light The staff were attentive without being invasive and the atmosphere was warm and cosy with a buzz, without being too noisy. We'll be back to try new things as the menu continues to change.

My husband & I were on a date night, it was perfect wonderful food & staff were very friendly. The decor has been done to a high standard . The food was delicious & we can’t wait to go back.

Beautiful restaurant, food was exceptional, but the service was very rushed, plates were being taken literally as you had taken your last mouthful.

Visited last Friday and it exceeded our expectations. Everything was spot on from the lovely ambience to the friendly staff and delicious food. A lot of thought has obviously gone into making this a unique eatery unlike any other in the area. Definitely a welcome addition to the village.

Visited Yema last night with 3 London based, extensive business travelling colleagues. They were simply overwhelmed with everything, especially the food and likened it to the London top Pan Asian restaurants. They loved the ambiance and decor, stating it is Soho/Mayfair standard. We asked for a platter of various assortments and the selection, quality , intense taste of all served was as high a standard as anywhere in this sector. Front of house was welcoming, kind etc but needs a little polishing in certain areas, easily overcome with some training. An acceptable wine list with many not available locally. Only 5 mins from the Celtic Manor Resort and 1.5 hours by train from London, watch this space...... Yema is absolutely superb. Yema fits in as a regularly visited outlet aswel as a Special occasion destination.

I was so excited to visit this restaurant - I love Asian food and there is nothing like this for miles! We entered through a beautiful old mysterious door and entered a lovely cosy environment with a relaxed vibe. It was great to see the open kitchen where all the dishes were carefully prepared - we started with some small plates popcorn cauliflower, tempura squid, chicken gyoza & lamb kebab all delivered quickly and with a variety of dips - all delicious served with a nice bottle of wine from a great wine list. We cant wait to return and sample other dishes on the menu which looked fantastic! We gobbled our food down and I forgot to take photos - a great addition to the local area we are thrilled - see you soon.

Visited on the 29th for my partners birthday. The restaurant itself is exquisitely decorated and very welcoming. Service was great Rowan was attentive and personable. The food was out of this world the sushi was another level.

A disappointing experience. We are local and visited with friends and expected an excellent meal, sadly we were not impressed. Service was unacceptable, drinks took ages, starters came for 3 of us but had to wait 10 mins for the last one. Mains were overpriced and had to order sides at an extra cost, service throughout the meal was bad and we felt like we were not important. Bill came to over £300 which would have been fine if we’d enjoyed our visit, an extra bottle of wine in the bill which they did remove thankfully! We would not go back, which is a shame as we had high hopes for a new village restaurant.

Amazed by all the positive reviews. Six of us ate and all of us were unhappy with our meals. One veggie main meal - a Thai curry wit no tofu /protein was pure heat and no flavour. Incredibly basic and £24!!!! Bizarre pricing. Meat was burned or basic flavours, sushi ok, popcorn cauliflower was the only decent (side) dish. We asked for another as the curry was so awful and were told the chef had thrown the batter out (at 7pm?). Again, strange. We were expecting something exceptional for the price and we got something exceptionally bad. We felt very cheated. Around £200 which inc no starters or desserts and one terrible bottle of wine. Some nice decor (although some of it was cheap looking), lively ambience, lovely staff, but cramped and awkwardly arranged tables.

Lovely venue and had a really nice atmosphere inside. Menu had plenty of choice and the quality of the food was stunning. Will be certainly returning.

From the moment you enter through the almost mystical looking antique Asian door, you get the feeling that you are in for a special evening. The first stop is the cocktail bar where you're greeted warmly and invited to sample from the extensive list of irresistible concoctions. Played it safe with the Pornstar Martinis - if it ain't broke... superb!!! Then into the intimate dining area. Everything is beautifully and tastefully appointed - cozy feeling of warmth and exclusivity. The staff are so friendly and welcoming to a person, and that all adds to the lovely ambiance of the place. And then there's the food! Started with lovely complimentary sushi canapés and prawn crackers. Starters were Szechuan edamame and salt and chilli quid which were both as good as we've tasted. Mains were equally impressive: beautifully tender and tasty ribs and an unparalleled Thai Green Curry. The wines fitted the bill perfectly too. The place may be in its infancy but they've hit the ground running and it's very hard to imagine how this place won't soon be one of the finest and most renowned restaurants in the land.

Early days I guess - but very nicely furnished.. Sushi on par with Ivy Asia (bit over salty if you are a sushi-purist) Certainly more expensive than London, Cardiff or Bristol for sushi/sashimi (but I guess it's the only option in Newport) Main issue is the Wagyu - I'm not sure why there is a Rib-eye option on the menu if the Wagyu is also a Rib-eye I'd expect a much smaller portion if its proper Wagyu Whether it is or isn't - the steak didnt wow either of us.. (and we didn't get the accompanying sauce that was advertised with the Wagyu so assumed we had been given the Rib-eye anyway) (But they did knock a tenner off for this) But a couple of starters, 2 beers 3 glasses of wine and the two most expensive options on the menu £200+ in Newport.. it's ambitious.

We visited on a Wednesday night and the place was busy, but that’s to be expected for a new addition during Christmas season I guess. The building has been fully renovated and looks really good! The service was attentive and the food was great! I’d recommend the chicken thigh starter!

Brilliant Pan-Asian food, great for couples, groups and families. We visited for dinner on a Tuesday night. We were offered a choice of seating. We ordered a couple of diet cokes and a glass of Minuty rose! We were brought some prawn crackers, scallop truffle and the yellowtail coriander compliments of the chef. Highly recommend these to start the meal. Super refreshing and tasty. We ordered the edamame beans, vegetable gyoza, cauliflower popcorn and the Wakame salad for starters . The gyoza were cooked perfectly and lovely and hot. The wakame salad was crunchy and had a delicious umami flavour and the cauliflower popcorn was crispy and moreish. For mains we ordered the : -Chefs Deluxe Platter with 3 Maki, 4 Sashimi, 2 Nigiri Or Gunkan, 1 Tartar, 1 New Style- this was served in a large bowl on crushed ice and looked and tasted incredible. -The grilled pork ribs, which had been done on a bbq and the meat fell off the bone and was delicious. (Served with sticky rice) . - The teriyaki salmon with pickled radish and some grilled tender stem broccoli that was cooked until crunchy and tender at the same time. I loved the dressing on them. The salmon was only just cooked so it was perfect for me but you may want to ask for it a bit over if you prefer that. We had some little moons for desert - strawberry, mango and coconut- these are cute little iced desserts which made for a refreshing end to the meal. I order a negroni - really well made . Had a flat white coffee also great and really good coffee. Service was attentive. There were a couple of things they didn’t have on the menu that night but we had plenty to choose from! Can’t wait to go back!

My wife and I ate at Yema for the first time last night, and what a fantastic evening we had. As soon as you walk through the doors you know you are in for a treat. The decor is beautiful, and the gentle background music...

Superb - atmospheric, wonderful food, attentive service! We left the menu selection in the hands of the new manager Philippe, and the most amazing selection of food just kept coming. An absolute treat and it's going to be our regular go-to for sure! Not to...

Attended Yema’s opening night. The food, atmosphere and service was seamless. The food was very fresh and well presented and eat dish was a delight to experience, from the tasty gyoza to tempura prawns to the yellow fin. A great experience that we would highly...