I've been in here a few times for late night cocktails and small bites. I haven't had a bad thing yet. The cocktail menu is lovingly crafted by the in-house bartenders. They're more than happy to explain their methodology and engage you in conversation. It's a fairly small location and the skewers are grilled right in front of you. A very neat spot in the Virginia Highlands were stopping in
Jessica G.
Great experience here trying the Yakitori tasting which included one of each of the meats and veggies and a dessert one for 9 total plus a salad and rice pilaf for $65. We had one each and it was def enough food. We like the chicken a lot, steak was just ok {maybe bc we prefer med rare and having well cooked in general just wasn't our jam} , lobster was a large piece tempura style and super yummy. Veggies were all awesome. We didn't need our shishedo pepper app since they were part of the veggies skewers oops lol. Mushroom and squash and also tomato were all so good. The tuna ball app was huge and came with crispy wonton chips -also very good. Service was outstanding. Our server was so helpful and made great recommendations and points to help up select our food and accommodate our toddler and his food. We got the kiddo two chicken skewers {sans onions } and some rice. Ambience was a bit different than expected--but it matched the VaHi vibe and felt a bit more low key and casual than the Kinji other spots {kinji room MF} Doors open to the street, which is inviting however we got a whiff of smoke while eating since the spot is pretty quaint and has a clear view to outside. Some tables out on the street, bar seating, and table/booth options as well. Overall def worth checking out and pretty awesome if you are trying to eat clean and simple.
David Hahn
Came in the other night and had a great time. Service was fantastic, drinks were great, and the food was really authentic. Plus that bartender James is really cute!
rod lindsey
I wanted to like this place and I ended up loving it. The food is great (according to my foodie friends), it’s beautiful, and I cannot say enough about the staff. They are awesome.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Yakitori, Takoyaki
Brad Inglesby
Beautiful new restaurant - love the menu and this place has the BEST cocktails!!“I’ll have a traditional” is my go-to drink, at least to start off ;)
Andre Martinez
This place is already over priced and not that great but the eel and gulf shrimp were good and worth it, however they cut those and anything else good off the menu. They don't serve plum sauce with the chicken which is the first time I've seen that a yakitori spot. They don't have any pork that I saw. I won't be
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 4
Emily Gardiner
We had such a wonderful experience here! Great food, drinks and service. Perfect for a date night because the space is small. The gyoza and steak bowl was our fave. Definitely will be going back soon!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Yakitori
Neely Conway
The food and cocktails are amazing. It’s nestled in Virginia Highlands, in a cozy spot right in the corner of the neighborhood. You can sit at the bar and watch the chefs work their magic while listening to good music and sipping on a craft cocktail. Sebastian, who oversees the bar, is amazing and if you have a chance to get to know him you should.Because what really makes this place so special are the people. They make you feel like a regular even when it’s your first time. The restaurant is small so you get an intimate experience in the middle of a busy city. It’s a whole vibe.Plus, the daddies in the kitchen are fire.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Andy S.
Food was very good, service was over worked (she had whole restaurant and had to make cocktails herself. Also you must like very loud head banging music.
David Yakubov
i come here all the time. it’s a great spot with some of the best cocktails in the city. great atmosphere and you can eat as much or as little as you’d like.
Drinks were fantastic. Angela is an amazing bartender. Drinks were amazing.Kid-friendliness: Not
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Andrea M
The bartenders and staff make you feel as if you are the only guest they have. Perfectly balanced craft cocktails, delicious food and the coziest atmosphere ever. We love it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jeff S.
I came into Yakitori Kona on a whim. I came out here by mistake and wandered around a for a minute. When I realized where I was (an area I visited as a 23yr-old on a bar-hopping venture), I instantly remembered some fun stories that I simply cannot share here. However, as I wandered around, I found myself gravitating towards the Japanese-esque decor. I really quite like the dark-alley look that the bar exudes while being a prominently placed corner bar. Oddly enough, with the interesting variations between high-end and back-alley bars and restaurants in this little corner of Atlanta, the general public seems to range from absolute vagrant to college students to business people. It's a really interesting combination of people from many different backgrounds- which speaks to Atlanta's population. Anyhow, the bar itself is dark, but has easy-going rock, pop, and "oldies" playing at a medium level while the cooking equipment gives off quite a bit of sound since they use wood charcoal for their stove and a professional kitchen hood (fan and exhaust). The back walls and all above the bar are lined with bottles of interesting liquors, shochus, wines, and all manner of things of niche value. The dark-stained countertops and tables add to the darkened theme. The low lighting lanterns keep everything you NEED to see we'll-lit and they have plenty of light behind the counter. The drinks are their specialty. They use "clear ice" that they chop into usable blocks for drinks. I had the "Live A Little" (rum, lime, bananaberry, and goat cheese foam) as my final drink before departing. So we'll start at the end. I quite liked this drink and was surprised at how mild it actually was while still being intoxicating. The garnish of a fresh, juicy, and sweet blackberry was delicious. The mint leaf was mostly for looks, but if you drop it into your drink and muddle it around a bit, you get a nice little lift to the flavor. I also finished my meal with the "crunchy hand roll" which was fresh, super crunchy, and very flavorful with the fresh fish inside it. I had their pork belly, dark chicken meat, and shishito pepper skewers as my main dish. They were very good- with soy sauce. Otherwise, they were just mediocre. The salty soy sauce brought out the meatiness of the pork belly and the rich charcoaled meaty flavor of the chicken very well. I can't really recommend their dipping sauces at all. I tried the meat with the spicy Korean ketchup, and the other two, but honestly- all of them made my shishito peppers and chicken taste like cheap hotdogs fresh off the grill (not something you want). I started my meal with the Takoyaki (with which the sauce - on it -worked very well) and they used Kewpie mayonnaise + what I'm assuming was a type of barbecue sauce. It had a tiny little spicy kick and the octopus inside was cooked almost perfectly. 90% of the octopus popped when biting into it. They could have (maybe) been a bit more piping hot- for those looking for the ones that basically burn your mouth into oblivion, but honestly, they were the perfect temperature for popping the whole thing in your mouth instead of taking bites. I did both. Both are good ways to eat takoyaki. Prior to my meal, I ordered the "Highfalutin Sour" (Michter's Rye, lemon, pecan orgear, Strega, and Angostura Bitters) which was sour, sweet, but with a nice bite. It was a good start to a good small-bites-meal. I SPENT $129 (including tip) on just me. So, this place is kind of up-there on being expensive considering the type of foods they serve. However, everything was good (aside from the dipping sauces), the customer service was good, and the bar crawlers were the type you can have conversation with, without having to worry. Definitely give Yakitori Kona a shot. They're new, they're aiming for quality, and I think they deserve their corner spot.
Tara A.
We went in around 8pm and got a spot at the bar easily. The service was great and informative. My friend got a smoked cocktail that she loved. We started with a tuna appetizer that was pretty good, but our favorite was the plate with 6 skewers. Everything on it was delicious. We got in and out within an hour.
James W.
Very delicious food and cocktails. Really cool space/vibe. Any of the grilled vegetables, dark meat, lobster are all amazing and the Kona salad is absolutely superb.
I've been in here a few times for late night cocktails and small bites. I haven't had a bad thing yet. The cocktail menu is lovingly crafted by the in-house bartenders. They're more than happy to explain their methodology and engage you in conversation. It's a fairly small location and the skewers are grilled right in front of you. A very neat spot in the Virginia Highlands were stopping in
Great experience here trying the Yakitori tasting which included one of each of the meats and veggies and a dessert one for 9 total plus a salad and rice pilaf for $65. We had one each and it was def enough food. We like the chicken a lot, steak was just ok {maybe bc we prefer med rare and having well cooked in general just wasn't our jam} , lobster was a large piece tempura style and super yummy. Veggies were all awesome. We didn't need our shishedo pepper app since they were part of the veggies skewers oops lol. Mushroom and squash and also tomato were all so good. The tuna ball app was huge and came with crispy wonton chips -also very good. Service was outstanding. Our server was so helpful and made great recommendations and points to help up select our food and accommodate our toddler and his food. We got the kiddo two chicken skewers {sans onions } and some rice. Ambience was a bit different than expected--but it matched the VaHi vibe and felt a bit more low key and casual than the Kinji other spots {kinji room MF} Doors open to the street, which is inviting however we got a whiff of smoke while eating since the spot is pretty quaint and has a clear view to outside. Some tables out on the street, bar seating, and table/booth options as well. Overall def worth checking out and pretty awesome if you are trying to eat clean and simple.
Came in the other night and had a great time. Service was fantastic, drinks were great, and the food was really authentic. Plus that bartender James is really cute!
I wanted to like this place and I ended up loving it. The food is great (according to my foodie friends), it’s beautiful, and I cannot say enough about the staff. They are awesome.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Yakitori, Takoyaki
Beautiful new restaurant - love the menu and this place has the BEST cocktails!!“I’ll have a traditional” is my go-to drink, at least to start off ;)
This place is already over priced and not that great but the eel and gulf shrimp were good and worth it, however they cut those and anything else good off the menu. They don't serve plum sauce with the chicken which is the first time I've seen that a yakitori spot. They don't have any pork that I saw. I won't be
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 4
We had such a wonderful experience here! Great food, drinks and service. Perfect for a date night because the space is small. The gyoza and steak bowl was our fave. Definitely will be going back soon!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Yakitori
The food and cocktails are amazing. It’s nestled in Virginia Highlands, in a cozy spot right in the corner of the neighborhood. You can sit at the bar and watch the chefs work their magic while listening to good music and sipping on a craft cocktail. Sebastian, who oversees the bar, is amazing and if you have a chance to get to know him you should.Because what really makes this place so special are the people. They make you feel like a regular even when it’s your first time. The restaurant is small so you get an intimate experience in the middle of a busy city. It’s a whole vibe.Plus, the daddies in the kitchen are fire.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Food was very good, service was over worked (she had whole restaurant and had to make cocktails herself. Also you must like very loud head banging music.
i come here all the time. it’s a great spot with some of the best cocktails in the city. great atmosphere and you can eat as much or as little as you’d like.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Drinks were fantastic. Angela is an amazing bartender. Drinks were amazing.Kid-friendliness: Not
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The bartenders and staff make you feel as if you are the only guest they have. Perfectly balanced craft cocktails, delicious food and the coziest atmosphere ever. We love it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I came into Yakitori Kona on a whim. I came out here by mistake and wandered around a for a minute. When I realized where I was (an area I visited as a 23yr-old on a bar-hopping venture), I instantly remembered some fun stories that I simply cannot share here. However, as I wandered around, I found myself gravitating towards the Japanese-esque decor. I really quite like the dark-alley look that the bar exudes while being a prominently placed corner bar. Oddly enough, with the interesting variations between high-end and back-alley bars and restaurants in this little corner of Atlanta, the general public seems to range from absolute vagrant to college students to business people. It's a really interesting combination of people from many different backgrounds- which speaks to Atlanta's population. Anyhow, the bar itself is dark, but has easy-going rock, pop, and "oldies" playing at a medium level while the cooking equipment gives off quite a bit of sound since they use wood charcoal for their stove and a professional kitchen hood (fan and exhaust). The back walls and all above the bar are lined with bottles of interesting liquors, shochus, wines, and all manner of things of niche value. The dark-stained countertops and tables add to the darkened theme. The low lighting lanterns keep everything you NEED to see we'll-lit and they have plenty of light behind the counter. The drinks are their specialty. They use "clear ice" that they chop into usable blocks for drinks. I had the "Live A Little" (rum, lime, bananaberry, and goat cheese foam) as my final drink before departing. So we'll start at the end. I quite liked this drink and was surprised at how mild it actually was while still being intoxicating. The garnish of a fresh, juicy, and sweet blackberry was delicious. The mint leaf was mostly for looks, but if you drop it into your drink and muddle it around a bit, you get a nice little lift to the flavor. I also finished my meal with the "crunchy hand roll" which was fresh, super crunchy, and very flavorful with the fresh fish inside it. I had their pork belly, dark chicken meat, and shishito pepper skewers as my main dish. They were very good- with soy sauce. Otherwise, they were just mediocre. The salty soy sauce brought out the meatiness of the pork belly and the rich charcoaled meaty flavor of the chicken very well. I can't really recommend their dipping sauces at all. I tried the meat with the spicy Korean ketchup, and the other two, but honestly- all of them made my shishito peppers and chicken taste like cheap hotdogs fresh off the grill (not something you want). I started my meal with the Takoyaki (with which the sauce - on it -worked very well) and they used Kewpie mayonnaise + what I'm assuming was a type of barbecue sauce. It had a tiny little spicy kick and the octopus inside was cooked almost perfectly. 90% of the octopus popped when biting into it. They could have (maybe) been a bit more piping hot- for those looking for the ones that basically burn your mouth into oblivion, but honestly, they were the perfect temperature for popping the whole thing in your mouth instead of taking bites. I did both. Both are good ways to eat takoyaki. Prior to my meal, I ordered the "Highfalutin Sour" (Michter's Rye, lemon, pecan orgear, Strega, and Angostura Bitters) which was sour, sweet, but with a nice bite. It was a good start to a good small-bites-meal. I SPENT $129 (including tip) on just me. So, this place is kind of up-there on being expensive considering the type of foods they serve. However, everything was good (aside from the dipping sauces), the customer service was good, and the bar crawlers were the type you can have conversation with, without having to worry. Definitely give Yakitori Kona a shot. They're new, they're aiming for quality, and I think they deserve their corner spot.
We went in around 8pm and got a spot at the bar easily. The service was great and informative. My friend got a smoked cocktail that she loved. We started with a tuna appetizer that was pretty good, but our favorite was the plate with 6 skewers. Everything on it was delicious. We got in and out within an hour.
Very delicious food and cocktails. Really cool space/vibe. Any of the grilled vegetables, dark meat, lobster are all amazing and the Kona salad is absolutely superb.