My visit to Yess Restaurant left me with mixed feelings. I was anticipating traditional Japanese cuisine with raw fish, but the experience fell short of my expectations. Perhaps it's because I'm not fond of vegetable-based dishes, which seemed to dominate the menu, leaving me feeling a bit disappointed. Additionally, the only meat option, pork, was disappointingly dry. Overall, I wouldn't highly recommend it, especially if the price matches the test menu. It didn't quite hit the mark for me. While the decor at Yess Restaurant is sleek and trendy, The overall ambiance felt a bit empty, which detracted from the dining experience. Unfortunately, the lack of customers seemed to impact the professionalism of the waiter. When asking questions, I found the responses lacking in knowledge and confidence, which was disappointing. While the setting may be stylish, the service could use some improvement to match.
Diana C.
I recently had dinner (reservations are a must) here in Downtown L.A.'s Arts District and was blown away by the entire experience from the moment I walked through that giant heavy wood door. With an evolving menu dependent of local California produce and focusing primarily on wood-fired and charcoal-fueled grill and stove cooking, Chef Junya Yamasaki and Team take you on a journey for all of your senses. This is progressive Japanese cuisine at its best! We had: Brown rice sake sangria; Passionfruit/sweet potato shochu & tonic water; Crispy Japanese Eggplant Fritters w/hot chili honey; Blue Fin Tuna Tartar w/cured egg yolk, breakfast radish & potato crisps; Grilled Saikyo Mido Marinated Black Cod, Mochi Rice & Sweetcorn-wrapped in fig leaf; Grilled Matsutake Mushrooms W/ roasted whole baby pumpkin stuffed w/an egg; Grilled Peads & Barnetts Pork Collar, mashed cannellini beans & charred peppers; and Irish Coffee Kakigori (shaved ice served w/coffee & Irish whiskey syrup, dates. & whipped cream)
Colleen Hieber
Very excited to try this spot. The tasting menu was the perfect amount of food, I’m a little full but not stuffed. The food was fantastic - if you’re looking for drown your sushi in soy sauce and wasabi - this is not that. It is simply excellent fish - needing nothing more than a pinch of salt maybe (which they put on the plate - don’t let the other reviews fool you). The Monk’s “Chirashi-Sushi” small plate was one of the best things I’ve ever put in my mouth! Like spring in a bowl, every single bite was perfection. The glass of Muscat was a perfect pairing. The Rockfish & Mussels main was sooo good - get it. And if you go midweek there isn’t a crowd, the service was top notch.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Shaved Ice
Troy Hickerson
The food was spectacular and I love having the tasting menu. Everything is such a well-crafted surprise. Excellent service as well.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
A V
Kind of a little hidden secret in the Arts District. Very unique food tastings, not large portioned but very meticulous prepared dishes. The atmosphere is very minimalist and matches the food. The service was excellent. They could use something to liven up the mood but definitely worth the
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Vermillion Rockfish and Sweet Bream Sashimi, Chirashi Sushi with Grapefruit Legumes Pickled Yukka Flowers Roast Almonds Snow Peas
Bailey Price
very interesting and unique environment which is mostly what you’re paying for. the food is tasty but i wouldn’t say the food itself is worth the price. from what i understand you’re only able to order from the tasting menu which is odd because it would be nice to return just to get the spring rolls and wine or something like that but i understand it’s not one of those places. the service was really attentive and helpful, especially with drink recommendations. the wine list is very extensive and the staff is very knowledgeable. what i really wanna know is how they keep their shoes so white in a kitchen environment. that was the biggest wow factor for me.
Nate Wooding
Food was pretty good, service and atmosphere were great. The food felt pretty simple, and so it was hard to justify the price. I think if there was a dish that had some wow factor that would be nice.
T H.
Ate at Yess restaurant and were very excited to try it as we'd been to the Yess Aquatic truck and loved the fried fish sandwich. Unfortunately, the fried fish is still the only thing they do well. It was rather good, although it was topped with a slaw of flaming hot Serrano peppers which was totally unbalanced. The other set menu courses were just odd in flavor, I get that they are trying some unique ingredients and techniques but nothing "hit." It was all over the place e.g. lots of sour or vinegary flavors but without the balance. They were also out of some of the items on the mains menu (we don't eat pork so that eliminated some of the other options too) so we had to pay $30 extra for the main course which was a strip loin with bone marrow. The beef was extremely tough and not worth the upgrade. The garnish was a bunch of Italian parsley and onion. Nothing special. At $340 for two people we just felt it was very out of step with the quality you would expect for that price point. We ordered two non-alcoholic drinks so I would imagine for cocktails or wine your bill would be much higher. To top it off, we couldn't order their kakigori dessert which we'd heard about and really wanted to try however it is only served with alcohol and they don't make modifications. That was a real disappointment.
Iggy L.
Very nice place inside and servers where great, I ordered the miso black cod and it was great. I tried to order the lamb but they said it was sold out, I got there pretty early, they should have just crossed it out on the menu if it was not available. I ordered the steak instead and the presentation was nice but the meat was tough and very hard to chew. Taste was good though, both deserts I had was also good shaved ice with coffee and the sweet potato.
Chloe A.
This place is hot garbage. The restaurant is called Yesss but it really should be called Noooo. The food quality is a joke compared to anything of the same price level within a mile radius of this place. Truly, on paper, it all sounds lovely, charcoal-cooked meats and fish, aged sashimi, things made by hand. Yet, everything we ordered tasted EXTREMELY bland and pedestrian. They focused so much on the technique they forgot to flavor any of it. Don't order the aged fish. Just skip it. I've never ordered sashimi that tasted completely rotten. I'm not even joking. All my slices tasted so strongly of ammonia that I had to send it back. It wasn't "Oh, this tastes a little off" No, it tasted legit like floor cleaner. The grilled meats one could say are good, but not at the price point they're charging. It tasted like something I could cook at home. And you get a tiny piece of meat. Nothing is shareable no matter what they say. After finishing dinner with a very large tab, we were still hungry. We popped over to Guerilla Tacos next door and to our surprise there were multiple dinners there who, just like us, didn't get full after eating at Yess and came to Guerilla Tacos. I'm sure Guerilla Tacos is enjoying the uptick in customers in the evening. I also want to make a special note that none of the food images that you can find in any food articles that feature Yess are on the menu. I found that extremely disingenuous because the photos show a wonderful sense of creativity in their dishes that will make you want to come here. But when you do, they only have these half-a$$ed dishes that are NOTHING like how they advertise themselves. At that point, they know you're already there and you'll spend the money instead of leaving, at which point they've succeeded in ripping you off. Which is exactly what you can expect when you come here.
First things first, this is one of the most beautiful restaurants I've been to. The aesthetic is very clean and modern, while also sophisticated and rustic. With that being said, my partner and I were very underwhelmed with both the food and service. Our waiter was amazing- he was super attentive and constantly checked in on us. However, there were times where it took 20-40 minutes in between courses to receive our next one. In regards to the food- don't get me wrong the food was good, but nothing worth remembering (especially for the price). If you're interested in a fancy dinner or night out, I would definitely recommend opting in for another place in LA.
Emily R.
Yess should have 5 stars, no question. Every dish was so thoughtful, interesting, and most importantly - delicious. We added a spiny lobster carpaccio which was delicious, never had anything like it. We got the whole rockfish for our main, and it was so flavorful and moist. The turnip "suringashi" was perfectly simple + cozy while also complex with flavor, delicious. The space is beautiful and the service was excellent. What's not to love!?
Ann M.
I've been here a few times. My first visit here they just opened and it was good but my most recent meal was so amazing. I went with a large group and we all loved every dish.
Haley Hanson
The food was gross and I got sick after my time here. It’s cool looking and we were hopeful, but the menu on the night we went was awful.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 2
Joonmo K.
I love the food here. Everything they use is quality ingredients. Ambiance is amazing and staffs are friendly.
My visit to Yess Restaurant left me with mixed feelings. I was anticipating traditional Japanese cuisine with raw fish, but the experience fell short of my expectations. Perhaps it's because I'm not fond of vegetable-based dishes, which seemed to dominate the menu, leaving me feeling a bit disappointed. Additionally, the only meat option, pork, was disappointingly dry. Overall, I wouldn't highly recommend it, especially if the price matches the test menu. It didn't quite hit the mark for me. While the decor at Yess Restaurant is sleek and trendy, The overall ambiance felt a bit empty, which detracted from the dining experience. Unfortunately, the lack of customers seemed to impact the professionalism of the waiter. When asking questions, I found the responses lacking in knowledge and confidence, which was disappointing. While the setting may be stylish, the service could use some improvement to match.
I recently had dinner (reservations are a must) here in Downtown L.A.'s Arts District and was blown away by the entire experience from the moment I walked through that giant heavy wood door. With an evolving menu dependent of local California produce and focusing primarily on wood-fired and charcoal-fueled grill and stove cooking, Chef Junya Yamasaki and Team take you on a journey for all of your senses. This is progressive Japanese cuisine at its best! We had: Brown rice sake sangria; Passionfruit/sweet potato shochu & tonic water; Crispy Japanese Eggplant Fritters w/hot chili honey; Blue Fin Tuna Tartar w/cured egg yolk, breakfast radish & potato crisps; Grilled Saikyo Mido Marinated Black Cod, Mochi Rice & Sweetcorn-wrapped in fig leaf; Grilled Matsutake Mushrooms W/ roasted whole baby pumpkin stuffed w/an egg; Grilled Peads & Barnetts Pork Collar, mashed cannellini beans & charred peppers; and Irish Coffee Kakigori (shaved ice served w/coffee & Irish whiskey syrup, dates. & whipped cream)
Very excited to try this spot. The tasting menu was the perfect amount of food, I’m a little full but not stuffed. The food was fantastic - if you’re looking for drown your sushi in soy sauce and wasabi - this is not that. It is simply excellent fish - needing nothing more than a pinch of salt maybe (which they put on the plate - don’t let the other reviews fool you). The Monk’s “Chirashi-Sushi” small plate was one of the best things I’ve ever put in my mouth! Like spring in a bowl, every single bite was perfection. The glass of Muscat was a perfect pairing. The Rockfish & Mussels main was sooo good - get it. And if you go midweek there isn’t a crowd, the service was top notch.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Shaved Ice
The food was spectacular and I love having the tasting menu. Everything is such a well-crafted surprise. Excellent service as well.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kind of a little hidden secret in the Arts District. Very unique food tastings, not large portioned but very meticulous prepared dishes. The atmosphere is very minimalist and matches the food. The service was excellent. They could use something to liven up the mood but definitely worth the
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Vermillion Rockfish and Sweet Bream Sashimi, Chirashi Sushi with Grapefruit Legumes Pickled Yukka Flowers Roast Almonds Snow Peas
very interesting and unique environment which is mostly what you’re paying for. the food is tasty but i wouldn’t say the food itself is worth the price. from what i understand you’re only able to order from the tasting menu which is odd because it would be nice to return just to get the spring rolls and wine or something like that but i understand it’s not one of those places. the service was really attentive and helpful, especially with drink recommendations. the wine list is very extensive and the staff is very knowledgeable. what i really wanna know is how they keep their shoes so white in a kitchen environment. that was the biggest wow factor for me.
Food was pretty good, service and atmosphere were great. The food felt pretty simple, and so it was hard to justify the price. I think if there was a dish that had some wow factor that would be nice.
Ate at Yess restaurant and were very excited to try it as we'd been to the Yess Aquatic truck and loved the fried fish sandwich. Unfortunately, the fried fish is still the only thing they do well. It was rather good, although it was topped with a slaw of flaming hot Serrano peppers which was totally unbalanced. The other set menu courses were just odd in flavor, I get that they are trying some unique ingredients and techniques but nothing "hit." It was all over the place e.g. lots of sour or vinegary flavors but without the balance. They were also out of some of the items on the mains menu (we don't eat pork so that eliminated some of the other options too) so we had to pay $30 extra for the main course which was a strip loin with bone marrow. The beef was extremely tough and not worth the upgrade. The garnish was a bunch of Italian parsley and onion. Nothing special. At $340 for two people we just felt it was very out of step with the quality you would expect for that price point. We ordered two non-alcoholic drinks so I would imagine for cocktails or wine your bill would be much higher. To top it off, we couldn't order their kakigori dessert which we'd heard about and really wanted to try however it is only served with alcohol and they don't make modifications. That was a real disappointment.
Very nice place inside and servers where great, I ordered the miso black cod and it was great. I tried to order the lamb but they said it was sold out, I got there pretty early, they should have just crossed it out on the menu if it was not available. I ordered the steak instead and the presentation was nice but the meat was tough and very hard to chew. Taste was good though, both deserts I had was also good shaved ice with coffee and the sweet potato.
This place is hot garbage. The restaurant is called Yesss but it really should be called Noooo. The food quality is a joke compared to anything of the same price level within a mile radius of this place. Truly, on paper, it all sounds lovely, charcoal-cooked meats and fish, aged sashimi, things made by hand. Yet, everything we ordered tasted EXTREMELY bland and pedestrian. They focused so much on the technique they forgot to flavor any of it. Don't order the aged fish. Just skip it. I've never ordered sashimi that tasted completely rotten. I'm not even joking. All my slices tasted so strongly of ammonia that I had to send it back. It wasn't "Oh, this tastes a little off" No, it tasted legit like floor cleaner. The grilled meats one could say are good, but not at the price point they're charging. It tasted like something I could cook at home. And you get a tiny piece of meat. Nothing is shareable no matter what they say. After finishing dinner with a very large tab, we were still hungry. We popped over to Guerilla Tacos next door and to our surprise there were multiple dinners there who, just like us, didn't get full after eating at Yess and came to Guerilla Tacos. I'm sure Guerilla Tacos is enjoying the uptick in customers in the evening. I also want to make a special note that none of the food images that you can find in any food articles that feature Yess are on the menu. I found that extremely disingenuous because the photos show a wonderful sense of creativity in their dishes that will make you want to come here. But when you do, they only have these half-a$$ed dishes that are NOTHING like how they advertise themselves. At that point, they know you're already there and you'll spend the money instead of leaving, at which point they've succeeded in ripping you off. Which is exactly what you can expect when you come here.
Restaurantji Recommends
First things first, this is one of the most beautiful restaurants I've been to. The aesthetic is very clean and modern, while also sophisticated and rustic. With that being said, my partner and I were very underwhelmed with both the food and service. Our waiter was amazing- he was super attentive and constantly checked in on us. However, there were times where it took 20-40 minutes in between courses to receive our next one. In regards to the food- don't get me wrong the food was good, but nothing worth remembering (especially for the price). If you're interested in a fancy dinner or night out, I would definitely recommend opting in for another place in LA.
Yess should have 5 stars, no question. Every dish was so thoughtful, interesting, and most importantly - delicious. We added a spiny lobster carpaccio which was delicious, never had anything like it. We got the whole rockfish for our main, and it was so flavorful and moist. The turnip "suringashi" was perfectly simple + cozy while also complex with flavor, delicious. The space is beautiful and the service was excellent. What's not to love!?
I've been here a few times. My first visit here they just opened and it was good but my most recent meal was so amazing. I went with a large group and we all loved every dish.
The food was gross and I got sick after my time here. It’s cool looking and we were hopeful, but the menu on the night we went was awful.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 2
I love the food here. Everything they use is quality ingredients. Ambiance is amazing and staffs are friendly.