Yamato Cafe Japanese Steakhouse

i was looking for something different, and found this place in a shopping center near goodwill. The server, Emma, was very helpful, answering my many questions with a great attitude and lots of good information. i ended up getting a combo of the sushi and sashimi. and the gyoza? which were very very good!
the soup was good, just the right amount of flavor! the salad was simple but very fresh and crisp. the main course was beautiful! a lovely plated group of tasty morsels! the california role was excellent, and the sushi was fresh and excellent. Emma stopped by often and answered more questions about the different pieces. i was stuffed, and she gladly brought me a to go container and i ordered food to take home to mom! Thanks to Emma, mom got a great meal, just perfect for her! Emma, mom thanks you too!

It’s pretty good for Athens. Sushi is «ok» Hibachi is «good». Miso soup very hit or miss

Good for Athens. Nice staff. The food is always good, and the prices are fair. I typically get Yakiniku or a steak Bento dinner. Their miso soup is ok. I’m not a sushi aficionado, but some friends I eat there with say it’s above average.
I’ve never had an issue with quality or service. They have accomodated a 25+ group I was with easily without any issues.

This place is a hit and miss but pretty much the only place in Athens, TN where I can go get sushi. Their sushi is descent obviously it’s not going to be the best as Athens is no where near the ocean. I am not a fan of their miso soup or gyoza pot stickers. However, their beef or shrimp bento box is good. Service is okay if the server actually speaks English that is. This isn’t a bad place so that’s why I gave it 3 stars.

While the food was rather good, the service was not. I came in to eat while visiting a family member with my mother, and the doors were not handicap accessible as one remained locked and no one could be seen to assist us. We were seated and both ordered hibachi that was full of flavor and came out less than 10 minutes after we ordered. I also liked that they bring out a bottle of very good ginger dressing and shrimp sauce to use at your discretion. However, once we received our food, little was to be seen of our waitress except for her caring for the new tables that came in. After approximately 30 minutes of waiting for her to come get our debit card after being brought the bill, we had to call out to her. If you are looking for a good meal, but you are not in a hurry or handicapped, this is the place for you.

I have mixed feelings about this place, but I’ll get to the pros and cons in a minute. Let’s start out with a general overview: they serve sushi, hibachi, bento, and other basic Americanized Japanese fare. The hibachi is cooked in the kitchen instead of an open grill as seen in many Japanese restaurants, which doesn’t bother me… just don’t come expecting a show. The restaurant is small but well-​decorated, and it typically stays pretty busy.
Now, on to my observations…
The Good: They have one of my favorite variations of ginger dressing, and they serve it in a squeeze bottle placed on the table, meaning you can dress your salad with as much gingery goodness as you so desire. They also have a pretty solid sushi selection. I’ve had better sushi elsewhere, but I’ve never been disappointed by any rolls I’ve ordered at Yamato and the prices are very reasonable. If you just need a sushi fix and don’t want to make a long trip to find it, you’re perfectly safe coming here.
The Bad: The hibachi here is just not good to me. I’ve had it a handful of times and am always so hopeful that it will somehow improve, but it just doesn’t. I’ve ordered both vegetable hibachi and chicken hibachi on separate occasions, and found both to be kinda squishy in texture and absolutely drowning in extra sweet teriyaki sauce. On a strange side note, I have found that eating the leftovers cold actually improves both the texture and the taste, and I prefer it that way rather than fresh off the grill. I typically love hibachi, but I just don’t love this. It’s a bummer, but not a deal breaker since the sushi really is pretty good.
The Ugly: I once had a really crappy experience with the owner… I think her name is Lynn. I came in and placed a to-​go order: a Yamato roll and a side of rice. Lynn told me it would be 10 minutes and directed me to have a seat in one of the chairs by the register. I had a bird’s eye view of the sushi counter, so I watched the sushi chef prepare my Yamato roll and package it in a to-​go container. 20 minutes later, I was still waiting for my side of rice (which they scoop out of a large metal pot used to keep big pre-​made batches warm). I finally caught a waitress to ask how much longer my food would be because Lynn disappeared shortly after I placed the order. The friendly waitress went to the back and retrieved Lynn, who came up to the register and without so much as a smile snapped, «I told you ten minutes! Have a seat!» Umm… what? I politely told her I’d been waiting for nearly half an hour by this point, and she turned to the kitchen and came back a couple minutes later with my to-​go container of rice. I asked for a small cup of soy sauce because I loathe the flavorless packets that come with takeout orders, and I seriously thought her head might explode. She told me there was a charge for sauces (they sell 2 oz portion cups of shrimp and steak sauce for $ 0.35) and I told her I’d gladly pay her for 2 oz of soy sauce. She glared at me as she held the cup just out of my reach and said, «This time. Next time, YOU PAY.» I think she was talking about the soy sauce, but she also might’ve been threatening my life. This bizarre exchange hasn’t stopped me from eating there, but I always keep one eye on the sushi and one on the door in case she comes to exact her revenge.
I’m being generous with a 4-​star review because good sushi in Athens is borderline miraculous. If I was only rating the hibachi, it’d squeak by with a 3. As for the service, life-​threatening soy sauce scuffles aren’t on Unilocal’s rating scale yet, so I can’t really quantify that aspect of my dining experience. Good luck, I guess?

This place has great sushi and hibachi. The price is right for the atmosphere. Everything always tastes fresh and the service has been great every time.

My go-​to sushi spot. Athens is not known for its extensive variety of restaurants so it was a pleasant surprise when this little Japanese jewel came to town. The hibachi steak and chicken are great and the grilled zucchini is definitely a favorite of mine. I even get it as a side order if I decide to go with just sushi instead of hibachi. My favorite sushi rolls are the American Dream roll paired with a simple Boston Roll. Sushi has always been fresh and good quality with a large selection to choose from. The lunch Bento Box is also a nice treat if you are looking for a mix of sushi and hibachi together. It includes choice of onion or miso soup and a salad. The ginger dressing (white sauce) and shrimp sauce add a great flare to any and all the dishes. Seriously, I put it on everything! It’s that good. I’ve never been disappointed with this place and eat here about once a week. The staff are friendly and service is good. This place is popular and can get very busy during peak dining hours, causing it to get really noisy at times. This doesn’t bother me but I know some diners are sensitive to loud restaurants.

My hubby and I wanted something different, and he loves sushi, so we tried this place. For a Japanese steakhouse in a smaller market, it was quite nice! My hibachi food (the Imperial Dinner) was delicious (love me some shrimp sauce!), and his sushi was nice and fresh. My husband, however, did not think that a piece is fake crab meat and a cooked shrimp belonged on a sashimi platter. Just a personal preference I guess. Overall a good meal and worth a stop.

I tried several of sushi rolls, salad, and the hibachi vegetables. It was really good. The Yamato roll aka Las Vegas roll is so different from anything I have tried in the past that you kind of crave them again. I would happily send a friend there.

Best Asian flair in Athens. Sushi is great especially their tempura rolls. I typically order the Yakiniku and Chicken which always arrives with sautéed vegetables that are obviously fresh. I really enjoy their Onion soup and their fried bananas! The staff and owner are super nice and once when I was with a large group they delivered fried bananas free of charge. Definitely worth a stop.

I like this place, it’s clean and most of the staff is friendly. The food is pretty good and the shrimp tempura roll it’s my favorite, very good sushi.

Best Japanese steak house we’ve ever had in Athens… awe our little town is growing:)