Umami Japanese Barbeque

When I was going to UVU, I came to this restaurant a lot because the meat was always so good. It wasn’t over-marinated, and you could really taste the beef. It used to be my favorite place.

Since I moved north, I haven’t been here much. After three months, I came back — and it was the worst experience I’ve had here. All the marinated meats were way too strong, and something tasted off, either the meat or the marinating sauce. The beef short ribs even tasted sour. Overall, the meat quality has gone downhill and was either too salty or just bad.

While cleaning another table, two servers spilled sauce on my wife’s leg. All they said was “oops” — no apology. Later that night, I felt sick, threw up once, and had to use the bathroom a few times.

This used to be the best restaurant in Utah for me, but after this visit, I won’t be coming back.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

Great food, fresh meat, with a calming atmosphere. It's definitely worth coming every once in a while when you feel like eating lots of meat with friends and family.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 4

It used to be my favorite place to go for years, but the quality of food has been declining pretty quickly recently. Many of the meat are not fresh any more and taste bad. I throw up and got food poisoning from the bad meat. Will not recommend anyone to go anymore if they aren’t going to improve their quality.

Our waitress was very nice. She tried her best to make it right for us. Hence that’s why I gave five star for the service.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 1

Service: 5

This is a perfect place for dinner and a movie. Located right outside the doors of a modern movie theater, Umami provides a conglomerate of cultural flavors under the title of Japanese BBQ. They offer what I recognize as a Korean BBQ setting, but with item that are chosen by the consumer from an open buffet. Most of the large selection of meats are pre-seasoned or marinated, so there's no need to add salt or pepper while you cook them at your table. Consequently, if the food doesn't taste good its your own fault cause you're the one cooking it, which is an adventure all on its own. They had only one flavor of sushi rolls, but this was accompanied by kimchi, miso soup, cinnamon glazed pineapple, and a host of other choices. We used to go to a different Korean BBQ place in Orem, but we're going to come here from now on. The food tastes better, and there's a bigger selection. But be careful. If you do dinner and a movie, you won't have room left for popcorn and a drink at the theater. By the way, the staff were superb!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Oh my Dear.... it is good!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

This was a really fun family and birthday experience. Not really keen to the idea of paying to cook my own food. (But thats completely on me. I was just invited.) Everyone in my party had a a great time and really enjoyed themselves.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

A unique experience! The food is amazing. There is a large assortment of meats to choose from and all of them are amazing. You'll be glad this is a buffet.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

I loved this place. Great service, great food, and great atmosphere. Their steak is one of their best foods, and the marinated meats taste so good!

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 5

They have changed the price and menu to make it not really worth the price. Saturday is dinner price all day and to get all of the food it cost over $30 per person.
We also had a bug in our food. They did not do anything about it and honestly just looked annoyed we mentioned it. No compensation, or effort to make it better. We likely will not go back which is too bad.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 2

Service: 2

Recommended dishes: Cooked Meats, Salad Bar

Definitely not worth the price, but you're really there for the atmosphere and experience, so it was worth going once with my partner. I liked the selection of meats and the whole process was easy to understand and felt more personable. The mochi ice cream was okay, nothing special.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 3

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Meat Selection

A welcome change to Korean BBQ style restaurants where you go pick your own portions of meats to cook at your table. Flavors were great and atmosphere is nice.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 4

Recommended dishes: Meat Selection, Meat Section, Meat Bar, Umami's -Noodles Shrimp Salad

1st experience in a restaurant setting like this. I liked it. And it was pretty delicious. Also unique restaurant style. 👌🏽

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Salad Bar, Meat Selection, Meat Section, Bulgogi, Mango, Fruits Assortment, Sushi Bar, Meat Bar, Rib-Eye Shrimp Bacon, Pineapplea and Garlic Shrimp

This is my Wife and I's favorite restaurant, we try and come every month!

Food: Love the meat options, plenty to choose from and all good quality. The meats are all thin cut enough that they cook quick and come marinated.

They recently added more side options, which is good to see, we mostly come for the meat😂 but everybody like some good sides while their food is cooking

Service: All the employees are very nice and helpful, always quick to refill your drinks and get you anything you need, this isn't by any means a "fancy" restaurant, but all the servers do an exceptional job.

Price: I have no complaints with the price, especially considering it's all you can eat. They just updated their pricing recently, offering a cheaper/smaller menu for those on a budget, or a more expensive option which includes the more expensive cuts of meat. We always opt for the more expensive option as like I said before we focus on the meats (and I feel like I get my money's worth) though even the cheaper menu still has plenty of good options.

Love this place!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

I came here on my birthday and I stood and waited at the kiosk to be greeted and two people were served and given their stuff and I wasn’t given a hello. I waited for another five minutes and still was not greeted by anybody. Terrible customer service. Would have liked to try the food. Understaffed overpriced rude.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

Updated 2025: The service is still quite slow, even with the newly added service buttons at the tables. Meat choices are great and buffet items are delicious with potato and mac salads, gyoza and curry.

2019: Food was absolutely delicious! The qualms I might have are with the service. They were slow to greet and seat us when we 1st arrived even though there were only a few patrons there. Some tables were given a hot rag to wash their hands before eating while others were not. I expected slightly better service considering how sleak and organized the restaurant seemed. Overall, would come back with slightly lowered expectations.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 4

Recommended dishes: Yakiniku