Yama Kitchen Pasadena - Pasadena (TX)

5 /5 Schinitz Murdock: This is the second time I came here with my family. I always have to write a review on my second visit because the first time was a tryout. We got seated right away by the host when we arrived. The server came straight to our table. Ask for Eli/Elijah; hes great and very fast too. Food came out within minutes. They kept coming back to our table as soon as we finished our plates so we could order more. Bang for your buck experience. Their hot bar buffet is clean, not a typical messy one you see at regular buffet places. Overall experience was great. I would add this to my list to recommend to my friends.

1 /5 EAT SLEEP TRAVEL: We were excited to try Yama Kitchen which was considerably closer to us than our normal spot. However, Pasadena sure knows how to ruin things. Service - nothing short of Terrible. Her manners, wait times, lack of help, etc. To start, this was our first visit to Yama. We were seated promptly and once the server came we asked for recommendations. From the rolling of the eyes, to not even looking at us while speaking, it was as if we did something before we even began. We order our items to BBQ, and we learn we dont have anything to cook with. We wait again to be acknowledged and piss her off some more asking for the tools to grill. It gets better, she handed us a pair of Tongs. Nothing more, we learn later we needed a pair of scissors. Can you guess how well that went over? She walked past ignoring our next order, sliding it across the table. Besides all this, the food over all was bland. Only a few items worth mentioning that had a great marinade and flavor. The garlic shrimp & coconut shrimp was delicious! The rolls and sushi were ok at best. That was about it. Dont think there was a cut of meat that we enjoyed. If you think this is what it should taste like, you might want to try other spots further away. Because youre missing out. This was a big miss across the board. Its a shame for such a nice spot. We wont be back.

5 /5 Daniel Ngo: ​This place is a absolute must-try! The food was incredibly good—fresh, perfectly seasoned, and offered a fantastic variety selection of meats and sides. What truly elevates this restaurant is the service, which was simply amazing. Our server, Kim, was particularly attentive, friendly, and funny. Plus, the entire place was spotlessly clean. High-quality food, superb service, and a great atmosphere. Well definitely be back!

5 /5 Giovanna Brady: This restaurant is absolutely the best!!! We went with family and we had sooo much fun!! The food was absolutely delicious, the meat was well seasoned, and we even saw Pikachu! He came out and made us all laugh. My kids loved it, and they can’t wait to go again. Place was clean, servers were great and the manager was so sweet and kind, he came a couple times to make sure we were satisfied. We all agree that we will come back again!