Service: there were only 2 female staff serving food, including grilling meat, and one guy making drinks. Rest of the staff were just around. We ordered a bottle of wine which didn’t even come till we had our second course. The wait staff never bothered to refill our glasses.
Cleanliness: no toilet paper nor hand towels. The counter and floor was covered with water.
Atmosphere: the music was so loud made it impossible to hear the wait staff introducing each dish. Then the restaurant allowed kids to run around. It’s like Chuck E. Cheese.
Food: each dish is overpowered by one flavor, no balance nor layers of flavor. Take the steam egg with a slice of mushroom and crab meat as an example, the steam egg does not possess any flavor of mushroom nor the crab. The one flavor I would get from the steam egg is MSG!! The veggie platter’s miso dipping sauce is way too sweet. Radish dipping sauce for the steak totally ruined the flavor of the meat.
There is one thing I absolutely cannot tolerate is the wait staff use the meat to clean/cost the grill then serve that piece to us!!
Only go if you like to pay for something that’s totally not worth its price, go home extremely thirsty, kids running around, and wait for 15-20 minutes till you are served. Oh and don’t expect anyone to top off your glass!
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 1
Jackie Lee
If you’re craving a dining experience that goes far beyond your typical yakiniku, Yakiya in Pasadena delivers an unforgettable culinary journey. From the moment you step inside, the atmosphere feels refined yet inviting. The highlight, of course, is the expertly sourced Japanese A5 Wagyu and other premium cuts, each presented beautifully and grilled to perfection right at your table. Every bite is rich, tender, and melts in your mouth — a true showcase of quality. What makes Yakiya stand out is the curated tasting menu, which just flows like a story. We started with lighter dishes, moving through decadent Wagyu selections, and finishing with delicate sides and desserts that balance the meal. Pair this with their thoughtful cocktail, sake and wine list, and you’ll find the experience to be both elegant and memorable. For anyone looking to celebrate a special occasion, impress a guest, or simply indulge in one of the best Japanese dining experiences in the San Gabriel Valley, Yakiya is a must-visit. Reservations are highly recommended. come hungry, because you’ll want to savor every course.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
malik
Ok food,great interior and exterior design,prices are a lite over the top,basically not worth the food.if you try it once I don't think you'd ho back a second time
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 3
Veronica Zeng
Went for the smaller yakiniku set ($78 vs $128) and really enjoyed it. It was satisfying without making me feel overly full or going over budget. The food was served at a relaxed pace, which made it a great spot to catch up and chat with friends. If you're looking for a quicker dinner, consider trying their shabu-shabu menu or letting the staff know in advance.
Felix Wong
What a surprisingly pleasant experience! The tasting menu was very thoughtful, every single course was mouthwatering. Beginning from crispy tendon to wagyu/bone marrow stone pot rice. Beef tongue was so good had to order a 2nd round. Ribeye in pouched egg was a perfect match , smooth egg York without over shadowing the beef taste. Lemon sorbet was too sour as a dessert imo. Service was top notch and server was polite and patience for this first timer. High end smokeless bbs grill without going home smell like a steak so your dog won’t go crazy sniffing you. Definitely will go back real soon.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
EJ Neri
The food top tier ! The staff so professional but welcoming. Any high end restaurant I always hope to not feel judge and here it was a welcoming experience that you want to come back again! But the food was out of this world. Best potstickers ever too !!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Max Soi
Took my siblings and cousin here for dinner and we all got the Dine LA multi course dinner. We added on the caviar and ordered some drinks. The cocktails were excellent. I loved that they had a good selection of Wellers.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: A5 Miyazaki Wagyu Ribeye, Chawanmushi, Yuzu Refresher, Wagyu Garlic Rice with Garlic Miso Bone Marrow
Anish Patel
Great experience with some fine dining and quality meats
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
C Jacobson
Great food in very small portions at a very slow pace! Food is excellent and the table service, once you get your food, is great, but OMG, it took a very long time to get the food!! We did the set menu, and it seem all the tables around us were doing the same thing, so you would think things would move faster!! We were seated 20 minutes after our reservation time, about 10 minutes before the waitress showed up, another 10 minutes before the first morsel of food was served. Restaurant is very noisy, so we really didn't hear the waitress when she said what the food was, and then, it was a very slow pace to get the rest of the little dishes -- yes, portions were very small, delicious but very small! Table service was impecable, they kept the water refilled, but at the end, after $200 for lunch and a still hungry husband, I don't think we will be coming back -- after we left Yakiya, we stopped at a chain restaurant for my husband to eat something else, as he was still hungry after we left Yakiya.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 5
Service: 2
Jeremy L
7/29/2025 - Dine LA Week brought us to Yakiya in Pasadena - It is one of the best deals for this kind of multi-course lunch or dinner menu at a nice ambient environment.
The presentation and taste of each dish earns 5 stars except for SRF American Wagyu (Short Rib) that is too chewy, per our excellent waiter, Aeko, sometimes, it is very good depending on the part of the Wagyu. Of course, A5 KAGOSHIMA RIBEYE & POACHED EGG may earn a Michelin star dish.
Adding Garlic Miso Bone Marrow for $15 to Wague Garlic Rice is worth it - the best we have had.
Again, Aeko delivered an excellent service for us.
Yakiya has a free WiFi access as well as a shared huge parking lot for free.
In summary, this DineLA menu will be a perfect fine dining menu if the SRF American Wagyu (Short Rib) can be replaced with either a high-quality sashimi or sushi.
Five star for the food and one star for the service. The whole experience lasted for almost 3 hours. Most of the time we waited for the waitress to come over and take care of us😇The food was good but I expect better service.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 1
Arsen Andreasyan
Great Liquor menu. Everything else was trash. Complete waste of money.
Allisha
I had an incredible experience here. The service was attentive without being intrusive and every dish we had was perfectly executed.
Adrienne Lim
Had an absolutely incredible dining experience at Yakiya in Pasadena with my hubby! From start to finish, everything was outstanding — the food, the service, and the entire atmosphere felt so high-end and luxurious. Even the restroom was top-tier, which says a lot about the attention to detail here.
A huge shoutout to Jordan and Teejay for making our night even more special. Each course was perfectly crafted, and the quality of the meat was unbelievable — it literally melts in your mouth like butter. Every bite was a dream.
If I could give this place more than 5 stars, I absolutely would. We’re already looking forward to our next visit!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Bob Drew
Had an amazing first experience at Yakiya tonight! Stopped by to check out their fantastic bourbon selection, then stayed to sample the delicious a la carte menu at the bar. Each dish was unique with memorable flavors. Servers were attentive and knowledgeable with good recommendations for food & drinks. Classy but relaxed atmosphere. Going back next week to try the prix fixe dinner menu with my wife. If you enjoy bourbon, Japanese whiskey or Asian fusion cuisine, you should stop by.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: A5 Miyazaki Wagyu Ribeye, Roasted Bone Marrow, Yuzu Lemon Dessert, Filled Mignon Bone Marrow Kimchi Fried Rice
Service: there were only 2 female staff serving food, including grilling meat, and one guy making drinks. Rest of the staff were just around. We ordered a bottle of wine which didn’t even come till we had our second course. The wait staff never bothered to refill our glasses.
Cleanliness: no toilet paper nor hand towels. The counter and floor was covered with water.
Atmosphere: the music was so loud made it impossible to hear the wait staff introducing each dish. Then the restaurant allowed kids to run around. It’s like Chuck E. Cheese.
Food: each dish is overpowered by one flavor, no balance nor layers of flavor. Take the steam egg with a slice of mushroom and crab meat as an example, the steam egg does not possess any flavor of mushroom nor the crab. The one flavor I would get from the steam egg is MSG!! The veggie platter’s miso dipping sauce is way too sweet. Radish dipping sauce for the steak totally ruined the flavor of the meat.
There is one thing I absolutely cannot tolerate is the wait staff use the meat to clean/cost the grill then serve that piece to us!!
Only go if you like to pay for something that’s totally not worth its price, go home extremely thirsty, kids running around, and wait for 15-20 minutes till you are served. Oh and don’t expect anyone to top off your glass!
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 1
If you’re craving a dining experience that goes far beyond your typical yakiniku, Yakiya in Pasadena delivers an unforgettable culinary journey.
From the moment you step inside, the atmosphere feels refined yet inviting. The highlight, of course, is the expertly sourced Japanese A5 Wagyu and other premium cuts, each presented beautifully and grilled to perfection right at your table. Every bite is rich, tender, and melts in your mouth — a true showcase of quality.
What makes Yakiya stand out is the curated tasting menu, which just flows like a story. We started with lighter dishes, moving through decadent Wagyu selections, and finishing with delicate sides and desserts that balance the meal. Pair this with their thoughtful cocktail, sake and wine list, and you’ll find the experience to be both elegant and memorable.
For anyone looking to celebrate a special occasion, impress a guest, or simply indulge in one of the best Japanese dining experiences in the San Gabriel Valley, Yakiya is a must-visit.
Reservations are highly recommended. come hungry, because you’ll want to savor every course.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ok food,great interior and exterior design,prices are a lite over the top,basically not worth the food.if you try it once I don't think you'd ho back a second time
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 3
Went for the smaller yakiniku set ($78 vs $128) and really enjoyed it. It was satisfying without making me feel overly full or going over budget. The food was served at a relaxed pace, which made it a great spot to catch up and chat with friends. If you're looking for a quicker dinner, consider trying their shabu-shabu menu or letting the staff know in advance.
What a surprisingly pleasant experience! The tasting menu was very thoughtful, every single course was mouthwatering. Beginning from crispy tendon to wagyu/bone marrow stone pot rice. Beef tongue was so good had to order a 2nd round. Ribeye in pouched egg was a perfect match , smooth egg York without over shadowing the beef taste. Lemon sorbet was too sour as a dessert imo.
Service was top notch and server was polite and patience for this first timer. High end smokeless bbs grill without going home smell like a steak so your dog won’t go crazy sniffing you.
Definitely will go back real soon.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The food top tier ! The staff so professional but welcoming. Any high end restaurant I always hope to not feel judge and here it was a welcoming experience that you want to come back again! But the food was out of this world. Best potstickers ever too !!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Took my siblings and cousin here for dinner and we all got the Dine LA multi course dinner. We added on the caviar and ordered some drinks. The cocktails were excellent. I loved that they had a good selection of Wellers.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: A5 Miyazaki Wagyu Ribeye, Chawanmushi, Yuzu Refresher, Wagyu Garlic Rice with Garlic Miso Bone Marrow
Great experience with some fine dining and quality meats
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great food in very small portions at a very slow pace!
Food is excellent and the table service, once you get your food, is great, but OMG, it took a very long time to get the food!! We did the set menu, and it seem all the tables around us were doing the same thing, so you would think things would move faster!! We were seated 20 minutes after our reservation time, about 10 minutes before the waitress showed up, another 10 minutes before the first morsel of food was served. Restaurant is very noisy, so we really didn't hear the waitress when she said what the food was, and then, it was a very slow pace to get the rest of the little dishes -- yes, portions were very small, delicious but very small!
Table service was impecable, they kept the water refilled, but at the end, after $200 for lunch and a still hungry husband, I don't think we will be coming back -- after we left Yakiya, we stopped at a chain restaurant for my husband to eat something else, as he was still hungry after we left Yakiya.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 5
Service: 2
7/29/2025 - Dine LA Week brought us to Yakiya in Pasadena - It is one of the best deals for this kind of multi-course lunch or dinner menu at a nice ambient environment.
The presentation and taste of each dish earns 5 stars except for SRF American Wagyu (Short Rib) that is too chewy, per our excellent waiter, Aeko, sometimes, it is very good depending on the part of the Wagyu. Of course, A5 KAGOSHIMA RIBEYE & POACHED EGG may earn a Michelin star dish.
Adding Garlic Miso Bone Marrow for $15 to Wague Garlic Rice is worth it - the best we have had.
Again, Aeko delivered an excellent service for us.
Yakiya has a free WiFi access as well as a shared huge parking lot for free.
In summary, this DineLA menu will be a perfect fine dining menu if the SRF American Wagyu (Short Rib) can be replaced with either a high-quality sashimi or sushi.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Five star for the food and one star for the service. The whole experience lasted for almost 3 hours. Most of the time we waited for the waitress to come over and take care of us😇The food was good but I expect better service.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 1
Great Liquor menu. Everything else was trash. Complete waste of money.
I had an incredible experience here. The service was attentive without being intrusive and every dish we had was perfectly executed.
Had an absolutely incredible dining experience at Yakiya in Pasadena with my hubby! From start to finish, everything was outstanding — the food, the service, and the entire atmosphere felt so high-end and luxurious. Even the restroom was top-tier, which says a lot about the attention to detail here.
A huge shoutout to Jordan and Teejay for making our night even more special. Each course was perfectly crafted, and the quality of the meat was unbelievable — it literally melts in your mouth like butter. Every bite was a dream.
If I could give this place more than 5 stars, I absolutely would. We’re already looking forward to our next visit!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Had an amazing first experience at Yakiya tonight! Stopped by to check out their fantastic bourbon selection, then stayed to sample the delicious a la carte menu at the bar. Each dish was unique with memorable flavors. Servers were attentive and knowledgeable with good recommendations for food & drinks. Classy but relaxed atmosphere. Going back next week to try the prix fixe dinner menu with my wife. If you enjoy bourbon, Japanese whiskey or Asian fusion cuisine, you should stop by.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: A5 Miyazaki Wagyu Ribeye, Roasted Bone Marrow, Yuzu Lemon Dessert, Filled Mignon Bone Marrow Kimchi Fried Rice
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