Easily the best sushi bar in town. Request the chefs special and be prepared to try something new and delicious. Most of the chefs are pretty good at rewarding the adventurous and the quality of fish is untouchable anywhere else. These guys can offer you items that the theme joints can't even imagine.
(5)
C M.
Hey, this place is real. I have lived 26 yrs in JPN, being in sales in US for 12 yrs and have been to so many sushi places. I have no limit on budget. I have just happen to stop in this city Baton Rouge LA and read the review of Yelp, then decided to eat at Yama. First of all, its super clean. Second, service is great. And the sushi that they serve is 5 stars easily. More importantly, they have good customers here. Great sushi and great environment, great on everything. I lived in OC Cali for 10 yrs but the price is half of what OC will charge. Very professional, sushi masters. The owner chef = Mr. Ooi from JPN is a true craftman. 6 stars to him. You have to go to YAMA. Im glad that we decided to spend a night in Baton Rouge on our way to New Orleans. If you are in New Orleans, it's worth of 1 hr drive. You will meet the real sushi. Nice Sake selections, too.
(5)
Emily C.
The dining room has been expanded! They have pretty much doubled the size of the dining room, so I imagine the wait time is much more reasonable now on a busy night. Also, try the Rachel Roll. It's not on the menu, but they usually list it as a special. I can't remember all of the ingredients, but it is topped off with cavier which swells the price to $20, but it's worth it.
(5)
The Chef J.
Being a chef myself but not of the sushi/asian kind. This was recommended from a friend. (thank you) unlike other people I don't judge on simple rolls. I just ask the chef "Omakase". The sushi chef's face lit up. Since this was the chef's choice I gave him some hints on what I like. something with crunch, spicy, and Toro (fatty tuna), fresh scallops, and 1 hand roll. So the first course was a Tuna/crab meat crunch "salad" this was very good, the crab meat taste like it came directly from the sea, the tuna was fresh and cold like it should. Second course was a flash tempura fried scallops with a soy broth I'm still trying to find out what it is! The scallops were fresh and the crunch factor was there. the 3rd course was a 7 fish sashimi, yellow tail, tuna, toro, salmon, flounder, Japanese snapper. all great and all fresh the toro melted in my mouth like it was butter. the final course was a spicy hand roll with razor thin jalapenos and spicy tuna with some tempura flakes... best part of the meal. This was very worth the time, and price it was only $30 to most people that is expensive, i beg to differ. the owner was present and can see and noticed I was a chef by how i described the food. he was happy and I was too. the only gripe i had was nothing really. service was great from greeting, seating, drinks, food and check presentation. I would give 4.5 cuz I rarely give 5s. I would definitely come back!
(5)
Liz H.
Lovee the sushi here! Chicken katsu = yummy!
(4)
C K.
I'm confused. I've only been here twice -- the first time, I thought -- this isn't bad for the South, and the wasabi salad is really good. Rolls are okay, very Americanized -- which was annoying... but I liked it enough to go back a second time. This time I ordered the wasabi salad again and the fish just wasn't fresh.. the rolls we got were, again, very Americanized.. they tasted more Mexican than Japanese with all the extra ingredients like cilantro and jalapenos. I don't expect much from sushi in the South.. but given that it was very fishy tasting and smelling this time (and way more expensive than sushi in California that is much better quality), I don't plan on going back... also, it creeps me out when there are more people in the restaurant using forks and fingers than chopsticks. I know that sounds stupidly pretentious, but c'mon, at least TRY to make an effort...
(2)
Stevie H.
This is a really awesome sushi place. Very fresh and they have great service. Only complaint is that it's a little pricey when compared to other places with equal quality and lower prices. I will still go back.
(4)
Kevin P.
Overall: Very delicious across the board. Definitely the best sushi place in Baton Rouge. There should be NO reason why Ichiban has 4 stars and this place has 3.5. Their sushi is better than that of Ichiban and Hello Sushi across the board. They are definitely comparable to the sushi restaurants I've been to in Japan and Taiwan. Price: Higher than average ($6 for basic rolls, $13 - $17 for special) but it is well worth the money. Please see my review of Tokyo Cafe to see why you should be willing to pay more for sushi... seriously. Service: Excellent. The Head Chef is very knowledgeable (trained in Japan), friendly, polite and often gives treats if you are a regular. The waiters and waitresses are very attentive and friendly as well. Fish: Ordered my standard - uni (sea urchin), amaebi (sweet shrimp), albacore (didn't see escolar on the menu), tuna, salmon. The quality of their ingredients are by far the best and freshest in town, and it is very authentic. Albacore was seared on an open flame. The amaebi came with the fried head and was slightly crisp with no fishy taste (perfect). And the uni was extremely fresh with the perfect taste and texture. The toro (fatty tuna) was melt in the mouth of course... All sashimi was sliced properly and served at the optimum temperature (no big cold chunks of meat like Ichiban) Rolls: I ordered their blue crab spring roll (jumbo lump louisiana blue crab in Vietnamese style roll paper with cucumber avocado and carrots). With the japanese mayonnaise it was phenomenal - extremely fresh and melted in the mouth... The New Orleans roll was excellent... Usually I don't do crawfish in sushi, but the other things in the roll really complemented the flavors of the crawfish very well. All blue crab and crawfish are Louisianan and extremely fresh. Tiger Roll had generous pieces of fish in each bite. Again, so fresh it melted in the mouth - with excellent complementing flavors from the fish eggs and other ingredients. Bottom Line: YOU NEED TO TRY THIS PLACE IF YOU LIKE SUSHI AND ARE IN BATON ROUGE.
(5)
Steve M.
I have been here many many times. Have never been disappointed. I don't eat rolls so I can't comment on them as others have here. I always order nigiri or sashimi. I have never had a bad piece of fish and has always been cut perfectly to suit me. The rice has always been perfect which is my major evaluation point for a sushi place. I also love the little cucumber salad they give you with an entree. It is a very popular place, particularly for lunch. Before they expanded it was next to impossible to get a table at lunch. Even after they expanded I have went many times where we were going to have quite a wait. Definitely worth the wait if you have the time.
(4)
Lois R.
If you're looking for good sushi in BR, this is the place for you. It's more expensive than I'd like, but everything is fresh and the service is good.
(5)
Corey G.
What a find. Visiting Baton Rouge on business and co-worker took us to this restaurant. It's in a strip mall type building, but it doesn't disappoint. The staff was very nice and cool. The selection is vast & it was hard to pick rolls, because they all looked yummy. We had a party of four and we ordered six rolls (plus a round of 4 large Saporro's which we shared). WE also had a first-timer to sushi. He was a buddy from New Hampshire. Tried to not scare him too much. All and all I think he liked it **although he had issues w/ the chopsticks** ;)
(4)
Mandy V.
This place has some fresh fish. I would give five stars for that alone. I really enjoyed the dynamite and V roll. The V roll is packed with different fish. It's $20 which took me by surprise, but it can feed 2, and when you think about the price of sashimi it makes sense. I feel like $20 was fair but I think $18 would have been more competitive. The roll is drizzled with spicy mayo and eel sauce so if you are like me and prefer to taste the fish, order the sauce on the side or don't get the sauce at all. The dynamite roll was $6 so of course it was smaller but still tasted great. I also liked that they start u off with a complimentary cucumber/crab salad and finish with complimentary pineapple. They have both Kirin Ichiban and Sapporo beer. The small sake was only like $4. As for the service, our waitress was great at answering our questions. She was quick with our order. The sushi came out promptly. We were outta there in like 30 minutes.
(4)
Alissa A.
From looking at the outside when arriving, I did not have high hopes. However, when we walked in I was pleasantly surprised by a modern and clean atmosphere. The restaurant is much more spacious than it looks from the outside too. Our waitress was very attentive and kind. Everyone at my table ordered sushi and it received mediocre reviews. The eel sauce was too BBQ-y for my taste and the rolls were too large. Ingredients were fresh and tasty. Not my favorite place but not shabby either!
(3)
Angela H.
The best I've had in BR so far. Loved the New Orleans Roll...The cucumber/crab salad and fresh pineapple slices for dessert were on the house. Although a little pricey, it was worth every penny.
(5)
Brandy D.
From the front door to watching the Chefs prepare your meal is an amazing experience! Great customer service & Best sushi ever!
(5)
Gina B.
I wish I would have had a better experience but it was frustrating. I ordered take out and got the following: Tempura udon: 4 shrimp, 1 sweet potato slice, 1 broccoli and 1 onion tempura were good, wish the udon noodles would have been in a bigger take out container. They were jammed in with minimal broth. Rock and roll sushi: large and ample but skimped on the avocado. Tasty tho Edamame: decent The side dish of cucumbers and crab was yummy. The disappointing factor is that I ordered tempura ice cream. The hostess said it was in the bag and when I got to my hotel it wasn't. I called to see if they would credit my card and the manager told me he couldn't because he didn't have a full keypad. I was irritated on the principle because I wasn't about to leave my hotel just to pick up an item they forgot in my bag, then my other food would be cold. Not being able to be credited back on my card is asinine. The manager did offer to come after closing and credit me back in cash. Bringing me $5, so at least he redeemed himself there to give 3 stars. It prolly would have been a 4 star rating for me if this incident wouldn't have been so problematic. Seriously, who can't credit back a credit card and recharge the correct amount?!
(3)
megan s.
I really don't know how this place got all these good reviews. One, the waitress that helped us was very impatient, almost rude. Their sushi is overpriced; $5 for a CA roll with imitation crab. Ridiculous. We ordered their New Orleans roll , it did not look appetizing at all and we ended up returning it. We had to speak with the manager to make sure we were able to and he was not happy. The one star would have to go to the beef teriyaki. That was actually pretty good but that's it.
(1)
M M.
The sushi was very good quality. The tuna was really red. The service was very good as well. Only real complaint was it took a little to long for the food to come out.
(4)
Brian R.
Some of the best sushi in town. Not the best location or decor but the food is top notch. Only Ichiban can touch the quality of sushi this place offers. Pricey but you get what you pay for.
(5)
Nicole H.
Amazing food and good service, but it's always such a long wait to get your order. The Tiger Shrimp app is amazing and the Alaska roll is a favorite. The six-three roll has the freshest tuna and crab...it's a must try! Each time we visit everything is always fresh and friendly service. Worth the wait.
(4)
C J.
I eat there as often as I can whenever I am in town. Oui the chef was actually a traditionally trained Japanese chef, sit in front of him, talk to him, he loves and understands the art of sushi and he is willing to share. Of course, they also serve the Americanized bullsh*t sushi rolls with mayo all over if that's what you prefer.
(5)
Michelle M.
I've eaten here many times and loooove it! It's one of my favorite sushi places. However, tonight I got the Hawaiian Seafood Salad, which was good, but certainly not worth the $27 (including tax).
(4)
Brittany H.
This place is perfect for girls night! A few of my girlfriends and I went here last week and I have nothing but awesome things to say! The sushi tasted so fresh, the service was fast and super polite!
(4)
Nikkie N.
I've eaten here a few times & all occasions were fabulous ! Their pricing is ridiculously high, but honestly, you can't expect to pay any less for the grade of sushi they serve. One roll will fill you up which is great for the pricing. If you're a variety type of person, my suggestion is to go with a group & split the rolls ! Oh, when you sit down your server should greet you with a side of cucumber salad! It's just your typical cucumber, crab meat, sesame seed, & vinegar type of salad. Delicious & even better, on the house! Moving on to menu items I've had: Korean Spicy Tuna - I loved this! It's a plate of spicy tuna (which is SUPER spicy) served with sliced cucumbers, garlic, & jalapenos and seaweed paper. You basically build your own hand roll! It was delicious, but as I've mentioned before, it was overwhelmingly spicy! I eat a ton of spices too and I can handle a good bit, but this was a little to spicy for me. I wish it was toned down a bit so that I could enjoy more of the flavors. I didn't find this menu on the item and asked my server about it. She said is started off at 20$ but if you wanted to add more (I'm guessing spicy tuna?) the price would gradually increase. Fair pricing, definitely would have filled me up if I didn't share it. Edamame - basic edamame, was a little to mushy for my taste, but doesn't matter still good. I think it was 3.50$ Beef Miso - 14$ for a bowl of udon noodles with soup, 3 skewers of beef, & some vegetable tempura (1 of each: onion, broccoli, carrot, sweet potato). I thought it came with a soup & salad but the server brought neither out. We didn't ask for it since we were full and would waste it. But be mindful of the description if this interest you! The soup broth was flavorful & tasted very clean (if you know what I mean). The beef skewers were tasteful and tender. We didn't care for the fried veggies because it was fried. Pink Lady Roll (13$) - snow crab, crunchy, avocado, spicy salmon, & crab stick soy wrapped! I can't even remember if this roll had any rice to it, which I love. I don't like too much rice because it's filling. If I can skip out on the rice altogether, that's a plus. The chefs cut this roll into 10 huge pieces. Doesn't come with a sauce, doesn't need one, but if you're a sauce person, I'd recommend spicy mayo. Atlantic Salmon - I love this but the portion size is small. I can't justify spending 15$ on an appetizer that is this puny. I mean, unless I'm really treating myself to something nice. It's fresh salmon topped with mandarin oranges, I think some type of nut, & drenched (in a good way) in ponzu sauce. It is really really YUMMY but really really expensive! Every element of this appetizer works well together. Order it if you're treating yourself out. Skip it if you're low on cash. V-Roll - I forgot all the things that make up this roll. But it's huge & it'll feed you twice. There's a great variety of fish and flavors in this, so if you're eating alone, just order this roll for 17-18$. One of the best, if not the best, sushi joints in Baton Rouge. If you're coming to order crunchy rolls or something similar/simple, just head on over to Waka House or Albertsons for a cheaper version. If you know your sushi & want it as fresh as it comes, go to Sushi Yama and enjoy what they have to offer. PS: Another plus, they send you off (dessert) with sliced pineapples ON THE HOUSE ! =D
(5)
Chloe E.
Complimentary cucumber salad, great rolls, great sushi, amazing pineapple sake and complimentary pineapples make great for a unique sushi spot in Baton Rouge! It's always packed!
(5)
Nate A.
I've been to pretty much every sushi place in BR but this place has hands down the best quality/taste sushi around! BUT it's one of the most expensive sushi restaurants in town which I don't mind paying because the sushi is just that good!
(4)
Bridgette D.
The best sushi and highest quality service. I would strongly recommend this restaurant. The wait staff is very friendly and the restaurant is extremely clean and organized. Sushi is top of the line!
(5)
New Orleans C.
went for the first time on valentines day 2014 was awesome! went back on a regular day and the sushi portions got substantially smaller & not fresh like on valentines and was way over priced..I haven't been back..i do read reviews before eating at new places and this one failed this time!
(1)
Jake R.
Tiger Shrimp are my favorite. My go-to sushi place in Baton Rouge. Reasonably priced and great service.
(5)
David F.
Some of the best sushi around. Unfortunately, the service is usually among the worst around. If you experience bad service, don't bother trying to talk to the management... quite inept. One too many bad experiences there. We will be looking for a different sushi place.
(2)
Nick X.
First off, Sarah G., if you are going to rate a sushi restaurant based on its gyoza, seaweed salad, and crawfish rolls, then you should stop wasting your money and just head straight for the closest chinese buffet. Sushi Yama is easily the best sushi restaurant in town. The fish is as fresh as I've had anywhere and of great quality. Try their yellow tail collar as its one of the most underrated and lesser known cuts of fish and, more importantly, are always available at yama, unlike some other sushi places. We regularly get the Korean Tuna. It's basically a spicy tuna handroll that you wrap yourself with added chunks of jalapeno and garlic. It's a big enough appetizer style dish for 4 and is a terrific off menu item. The owner and head chef, Oi, is one of the most knowledgeable sushi chefs in town and have trained several others that are now head chefs themselves in other sushi spots in Baton Rouge. Have a seat at the sushi bar, order a large sapporo and hot sake, tell Oi to make you whatever he feels like and enjoy a wonder evening!
(5)
Jen L.
Solid lunch specials but not a good choice for lunch since we were there for almost 2 hours. While none of my sushi or rolls were great, they were OK and the nigri sushi lunch special is a bargain considering how much you get. I liked my food but our server was not so great. She threw down our chopsticks and our straws and would disappear for great lengths of time. Good thing I was having a lunch meeting and we could continue carrying on business because it took forever.
(3)
Taylor W.
The best sushi in town. The king cake roll and New Orleans roll are the best. And we love the complimentary cucumber before and pineapple after. Prices are a little high but it's worth it.
(5)
Stacy S.
I like this place. I've been twice. Once with friends for a special occasion dinner and once alone just to satisfy a seaweed salad craving. (They have extra large servings of seaweed salad compared to what I'm used to getting on the West Coast.) The prices are good. Both times the service was good. On my second visit, I sat at the bar and ended up talking with the owner, who was exceptionally nice and kind. I tend towards vegetarian or cooked seafood sushi and the Acadiana (crawfish) roll here is great! It's out of my way, but I'll be back when I can.
(4)
Tri L.
Take this from someone who used to be a chef at a few sushi restaurants around Baton Rouge, Sushi Yama is the best sushi found in Baton Rouge. You cannot judge a place by its crunchy or California rolls.... The special rolls is where its at.
(4)
Kate N.
My favorite sushi joint in Baton Rouge. Quick, friendly service. Clean and spacious. Fresh fish is why this place is so great! I cannot recall most of what we ordered so I'll just name the ones that stuck out in my memory! Appetizer: -Sashimi Seaweed Salad: DELICIOUS! -Tuna Tataki: Very nice slices of Tuna! Special Rolls: -King Cake Roll: MY ALL TIME FAVORITE. I forgot what's on it but it's colored like a king cake..assorted fish and colored tobiko on top. Will definitely come back every time we are in Baton Rouge!!
(4)
Sarah R.
This place has its ups and downs. The up is: Great, prime pieces of fish. The freshest raw fish you could ever have!!! It was melt in your mouth. The down is: the Price.... OMG! I think I paid half my arm to eat the lunch I had. When I go to a SUSHI restaurant- I order sushi. Why else would i go there? I'm not going to order some shrimp or edemame or gyoza appetizer... I can either make that at home or get it at some chinese/ japanese buffet. pfff! My experience at Sushi Yama was one i'll never forget (mainly because of the price). When i arrived, the hostess seated me and a waitress immediately was available to greet me, she brought me the cucumber salad. Nothing too special about it- typical cucumber, crabstick, sesame seed and vinegar salad. Pretty good.. I ordered a Spicy Tuna roll (my fave) and a special roll- cant remember the name of it- but it was HUGE! The Diameter of the roll was probably the size of my small fist. I knew when i saw it, there was no way that was going in my mouth in one delicate bite. I had to tear into this thing.... I felt horrible tearing it apart, everything falling out and such. Nonetheless, delicious!!! I usually always go with sort of average rolls for my first time... Mainly because I want to know the quality and the presentation of the food. If you mess up on a Spicy tuna roll... then you should find a different job. Or even a California Roll.... its simple, americanized, cant-mess-it-up roll and if you do, then I probably wont return. Overall, I was throughly impressed with the rolls. Very, very delicious. The neighboring tables ordered other rolls that looked amazing, topped with ponzu sauce, towering toppings, crunchy toppings.... all of it looked amazing and mouth watering. I will most likely return once me bank account recoups- But this will be the spot when i need to treat myself. The freshest fish available! Definitely reccommend it but be ready to pay an arm and a leg......
(4)
Cindy C.
After several months of sushi cravings, my friends and I decided on Sushi Yama. I'm from the Bay Area, so my expectations were low for sushi in Baton Rouge. However, I was pleasantly surprised. It wasn't the greatest, but it wasn't bad either. Gyoza Dumplings: Nothing special. You can get a bag of these dumplings for way cheaper at the Oriental Market on Lee. George Roll: spicy tuna, cucumber, and snowcrab with crunchy batter on top. This roll definitely had a mushy middle because of the spicy tuna. The roll was topped off with snowcrab and sprinkled with the yummy crunchy batter! Salmon Mango Roll: Crabmeat, cucumber and mango; tobiko and fresh salmon on top. I never really thought of having fruit in my sushi, but it was actually pretty good. However, this roll came with neon green wasabi tobiko and regular neon red tobiko. This roll was quite colorful! New Orleans Roll: Spicy Crawfish and avocado; topped with spicy tuna, snowcrab, and wasabi tobiko. This one was reallllly good. Out of all the rolls, I would definitely order this one again! The bill came out to be $60 total so each of us paid about $20. It's pretty expensive, but it's sushi, and it's Baton Rouge. Overall, the sushi was good, but it made me crave even more sushi, especially sushi from California. I've been too spoiled and it seems the sushi here can't satisfy my cravings! But if you're originally from Baton Rouge, then Sushi Yama is the place to go!
(3)
Cindy N.
Sushi Yama is my favorite go-to for sushi! I come here very often and I am always pleased.
(4)
Libby M.
Simply the best place for sushi in Baton Rouge hands down. The parking is so convenient and they've updated to have an even bigger dining room.
(5)
Elizabeth Q.
Best Baton Rouge Sushi! Fresh, fresh fresh! On par with best in USA! Ask Oy to fix you one of his special creations. You will not be disappointed!
(5)
Rob U.
Excellent sushi that is as good as I get at home in the NY/NJ area. Had the nigiri sushi dinner and a shrimp tempura roll. Fish was exceptionally fresh and tasty and the roll was great. Talked to the chef who was trained in NYC. This place has great sushi - just go!
(5)
L K.
This place has the very best sushi in Baton Rouge. I cannot emphasize how awesome the service is and how fresh and flavorful the food is. I LOVE THIS PLACE. It is my go to for every celebratory time in my life. I love sitting at the bar, drinking hot green tea and watching the chefs create their masterpieces.
(5)
Sarah G.
the other yelpers must be smoking crack--not the best sushi ive had (ever OR in the South) and the rolls are slutty (read: loose). my green tea was served pre-steeped (just handed a mug--no teapot, nothing) and no refill was offered. the gyoza and seaweed salad were good although not memorable. as for sushi proper, the eel and scallop were aight but the crawfish/Acadian roll was seriously unappetizing. alas, my two weeks-long sushi craving is still unfulfilled...le sigh
(2)
Josh K.
There are many (too many) Japanese restaurants in Baton Rouge. This is the ONLY semi-authentic sushi diner in town. The owner, Mr. Oi, is from China but worked on his skills in Osaka, Japan, for several years. If you are Japanese-savvy, you will see subtle differences from other "also-run" Japanese. Try to sit in counter and have some conversation with him. Ask him for today's special, or "omakase." You will see some art work, not typical sushi rolls.
(5)
Charlie A.
"You have to go to Sushi Yama" "They have the best sushi in town" "It's where the 'sushi people' go" Yeah, whatever. So I finally decide to check out Sushi Yama for lunch. I seat myself at the sushi bar and stare at the bright bleak walls until I am greeted by a super friendly and cute waitresses with a plate of cucumbers. I hate cucumbers. They are literally the worst thing ever. I take a small bite anyway while I look over the menu and it was like enjoying my least favorite thing for the first time ever. I don't know what they did to them, but they were awesome. I order the Nigiri Sushi Bento Box and a water. The first thing to come out was a small bowl miso soup. It was alright, a little bland but definitely better than those instant miso soups. My bento box comes with another salad, this time with lettuce and possibly homemade ginger dressing (I forgot to ask). Everything about the bento box is fantastic, even the 4 pieces of California Roll (arguably the lamest of all sushi rolls) was great. I finish the box and I'm still hungry, so I order a spicy tuna roll, no cucumber, my go to sushi roll. Every time I eat at a new sushi place I make sure to try the spicy tuna roll. I can now say that Sushi Yama has the best damn spicy tuna roll I have ever had. My total was about $23 + tip, which is a little bit more than I like to spend for lunch, but damn was it worth it.
(5)
Al L.
Very good raw fish, some unique flavorings, and a nice place to grab lunch or dinner. I ordered a bowl of chirashi for dinner. This is basically a bowl of rice with various toppings, often sashimi fish. The meal was $23, which was OK considering the amount of food you get. With it came 14 pieces of sashimi, a cooked shrimp (I don't count this as sushi / sashimi), a piece of cooked eel, 3 pieces of tamagoyaki (Japanese sweet omelette), and a few pickled palate cleansers all served over a bed of sushi rice. You also get a cup of miso soup and cucumber salad. The cucumber salad had too much vinegar IMO, and I couldn't really eat it... Miso soup was fine. There were 5 kinds of sashimi fish: tuna, yellowtail, amberjack, sea bass, and salmon (should be 15 pieces, but apparently it depends on how large the pieces were cut to). Each fish was very flavorful with good texture for sashimi. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the fish. The fish was a little below room temperature, but that was fine. I thoroughly enjoyed the fish in my meal. The cooked eel was a good addition. It had some sweet eel sauce on it, which added additional complexity to the meal. The tamagoyaki was not my favorite. I am used to the egg being light, fluffy, and sweetened, but at Sushi Yama, it as only the sweet that was right. The consistency was too meaty, like fried tofu, and not spongy like it should be. The pickled vegetables were plentiful. There were mushrooms, carrots, radish, and ginger to name a few. The ginger is definitely more common accompanying sashimi fish, but the others were a colorful addition to the dish. Chirashi, like many Japanese dishes is meant to be vibrant in color, in contrast to the rice below. I did feel that there was again too much vinegar from the amount of pickled items in the dish. The rice already contains a small amount of vinegar, and the pickled vegetables made the flavor too heavy made the last bites of the meal unbalanced. I thought the fish was great, but could do without all the extra vinegar.
(3)
Sophia T.
I love this place! The only things I ever order are Korean sushi and beef tataki now. I have ordered other things when I've been with bigger groups, but nothing to write home about. I occasionally order the chicken katsu bc my bf loves it, but I've never tried it to comment on it. I have never ever had a bad experience here. The Korean sushi is a must try! They give you all of the ingredients for you to make your own hand roll. I get spicy tuna and spicy salmon. The salmon is cut into big chunks and so freaking good. It's not that spicy, but they give you fresh jalapeño slices for you to put in, so that gives it a kick! Along with the jalapeño, you get garlic, cucumber, and of course the seaweed wraps. Get ponzu sauce on the side to dip it. You won't regret it! On to the beef tataki. I love beef tataki from anywhere. But their ponzu sauce makes theirs even better!
(5)
Kevin N.
Came as a recommendation and glad it did. It was honestly some of the best sushi I've had in a very long time. Who would have expected to find it in Baton Rouge, Louisiana!?! Check this place out. The Mardi Gra roll is not on the menu so you have to ask for it. It's incredible!
(5)
Keri L.
I am giving the food 4 stars because it was truly delicious and fresh.i had a soft shell crab roll that was subtle and flavorful and perfectly textured. However, I was creeped out by the very uncozy, overly-bright, too-loud rectangular box of a dining room room. I would pick food up from here in the future, but I wouldn't return here for a nice dinner simply because it's not a pleasant room. Also, a better drink menu would be helpful.
(4)
Krystal A.
Some of the best quality sushi the city has to offer. This place was packed from the moment we got there to the moment we left. The shrimp dumplings were delightful, the cucumber salad was a good way to start the meal, the sushi was fresh and plentiful. Overall, great food. We ordered the new orleans roll, spicy tuna roll, and crunchy roll. We finished it all. Delicious.
(5)
Joshua F.
The absolute best sushi experience I ever had. Cucumber salad before your meal and sliced pineapple after. Very clean restaurant (not a spec of dust anywhere). Sushi bar is so clean it looks brand new. Will be back again.
(5)
Jessica E.
While this may not be my perhaps favorite sushi place in Baton Rouge, this is hands down the best place quality-wise sushi that you will get in the Capital City. The fish is fresh, the sushi chefs are experts at their craft, and really the food is to die for. I see a lot of reviews on here about how great their special rolls are-- which have sauces slathered on top, are loaded up with snow crab, or are deep fried. Don't get me wrong, those rolls are good. But if you want the absolute best fish you can get, you are missing out with how great their actual sushi and sashimi offerings are. My absolute favorites are the flounder and the red snapper. Sushi Yama's sushi rice is also great-- it doesn't stick together when you put the sushi in your mouth. Rather, it collapses and accents the fish, like great sushi is supposed to. Not to mention, the seasoning of their sushi rice is great, and I like how the rice is at least room temperature if not a little warm. If I want to have a "roll" night where I eat rolls with tons of sauces and creams, I'd probably go somewhere else because other places are less expensive. But if I want the best true sushi and sashimi in Baton Rouge, Sushi Yama is a must. As well as the flounder and snapper sushi.
(5)
April R.
Hands down the best sushi in Baton Rouge. I love the rolls, but my kids cannot get enough of the Tiger Shrimp. Thank goodness these picky toddlers like something here so Mom and Dad can get their raw tuna and sake fix. The pineapple at the end is a great way to finish the meal. Also, ask for Katie - she is an excellent server!
(5)
Meghan K.
I had only been here one other time and it was right when it opened. It's crazy how many sushi spots are in one tiny area. I saw three last night. I've never been to Sushi Masa, but Ichiban is some stiff competition. I'm still not a big fan of the location or decor, but food and service was pretty spot on. It was nice how they bring out a complimentary cucumber salad and fruit for after your meal. I enjoyed both. The salad was good and the pineapple was perfectly ripe. I could've had a couple more slices! My children split a chicken fried rice plate, which was huge. They seemed to enjoy it and almost polished it off. I have had better. My husband and I split the Alaskan, crunchy, and volcano. He wasn't in the mood for raw fish rolls ( I was craving some salmon and spicy tuna). Maybe next time! I enjoyed the Alaskan. The crunchy was different than a crunchy you would get at another sushi restaurant. It wasn't my favorite, but I ate it. The volcano roll was interesting. It came out luke warm, which was strange. I'm guessing it sat under the heat lamp for too long. It was a little rich for me, but edible nonetheless. The prices for some of the things on the menu seemed a little expensive for what you were getting. I was looking at a salad and it was $20! Sorry, but I'm not spending that much on a salad, EVER. I'll go back and try out the rolls that I didn't get this time.
(4)
SJ L.
Best sushi in town by far, a little pricey but you get what pay for. My favorites are off the normal menu and on special menu. But never had something I didn't love and crave once I left Pineapple sake they make there is great too
(5)
Erika G.
Absolutely obsessed with this place! I go here so often that they now know me by name. The sushi is was fresh and quality, my favorite is the salmon roll and I also love to stake terykie and the shrimp tempura. The atmosphere is great although it can get very packed at times. Also I tried to apply for a job there and I think they lowkey discriminate against black people because none work there so yeah other than that hey are great!
(5)
LyAnn W.
Absolutely the best. Tuna Lover is my favorite but I also love the lobster roll and the salmon appetizer. They amaze me each and every time.
(5)
Chris Y.
Hands down best sushi in Baton Rouge. I'd put this up against any sushi I've had while traveling the pacific, New York, or LA. Hell-- best sushi in Louisiana. Always fresh, and appropriately priced.
(5)
J P.
Amazing. I travel a lot. This place is priced-right; which is to say it is not cheap but it has a high value in food quality. New Orleans roll and "Sexy" roll are excellent as is the sashimi quality. Well worth the reviews. The peach sake is subtle, not too sweet and definitely not a "peach vodka" type drink. It's more subtle. The cold sake is killer. Highly recommended. Open area so somewhat loud if they are full but still good for business and even families.
(5)
Brad V.
Nice atmosphere, and good service. Prices are maybe a little high? I don't really think so, but my wife did. Honestly, for the quality it is worth 2-4 bucks extra a roll. This is the best sushi restaurant in BR I have tried. I have couple left to go to, but with my experience for sushi I cannot imagine it much better in this town. Sure, you could find a fancier place (and this is by no means trashy), but I am going on taste. If you're in the mood for sushi I have no qualms recommending this place.
(5)
Michael T.
Tis a shame really. Sushi is tasty, fresh and prepared well. Service is fast and friendly, place is clean and while be it a tad crammed (Kudos for being packed on a Thursday) however The prices of their rolls versus portions and value just isn't there. Keep in mind this place is in a strip mall, your getting served water in a plastic beer mug. Sure, in the better area of Baton Rouge and possible this is the consideration or the overhead cost of keeping 5 sushi chefs on staff. Now, it may seem as if I am being nit-picky or cheap here but I assure you I have no issue paying higher prices in most cases and have tried probably a hundred different sushi places all over the country. Regular rolls range from 6-10, with your standard rolls sitting around that $7.50 range. Special Rolls - 75% of them are all 15$+, some even 20$+. I wanted to try those but I wasn't fixing to fork that out for a place I have never tried. 3 rolls - 2 regular and 1 special and a water = 30$ Again, not to sway away from the quality of food or service, just off-putting how clearly overpriced the sushi menu is.
(3)
Monica V.
You don't go to Sushi Yama for the ambiance; you go for the sushi. It's always fresh, delicious. You can't go wrong with the Low Carb Roll. Snowcrab, avocado, soy wrap, topped with tuna and salmon (no rice). It's so light and refreshing. All of the rolls are great, but since I've tried them all so many times, I wish they would create some new ones.
(5)
Kimberly S.
I went tonight while in Baton Rouge for work. My meal was very good, but I definitely ordered too much food. I had a house salad, an MJ roll, and a Philadelphia roll. The house salad was on a dinner plate. I was definitely expecting a small little bowl. The dressing was very ginger-y and tasty. It is mayo based, which isn't my favorite type of ginger dressing. The salad greens were mixed greens as opposed to the usual chilled iceberg in these starter salads. The MJ roll was FANTASTIC. It was huge. This was the only thing I really needed to order, and it would have easily filled me up. The yellowtail was very fresh, the tempura shrimp was still warm from the frier, and the jalapeno and cilantro gave it a nice kick. The Philadelphia roll was not my favorite. The smoked salmon was too smoky for me. Also, I generally prefer a Philadelphia roll with cucumber as opposed to avocado to add some crunch, but this was pretty one note with the texture. Altogether, my meal was $31. Next time, I would order less food, and I think I would leave even happier! PS. The complimentary cucumber salad was great as well as the pineapple to finish! There is nothing better than ending the meal on a sweet, healthy note.
(4)
David S.
Best sushi restaurant in Baton Rouge, hands down. Free cucumber salad appetizer is excellent. Lots of off-the-menu rolls you gotta try!
(5)
Rami Q.
This is one of my top 3 Sushi spots in the greater Baton Rouge area. Sushi and other dishes served are always fresh and even on a busy night they are very timely. Good service and always greeted with a smile. A must try would be the Atlantic Salmon dish, this dish will change your life. Compliment your meal with a nice bottle of Pineapple Saki as well!
(5)
Cindy B.
I cannot say enough good things about this place! I found my new favorite sushi place here in Baton Rouge. I don't have pictures because we jut couldn't wait to dig in. Our server was great and everything came in a timely manner. Once you're seated you're presented with this cucumber, snow crab and sesame salad which is light and refreshing. We started with miso soup and edamame. Our entrees were the Okinawa roll, rock n roll and spicy tuna roll and the tempura like chicken. So fresh and delicious! Afterwards our server brought the check and fresh pineapple to end the meal. It's the small things like the cucumber and pineapple that make you feel like they care about their guest. The only place I will get sushi from now on and recommend everyone check this place out.
(5)
John C.
Easily the best sushi I've had in Baton Rouge. Great rolls, and everything was so well prepared with minimal sauce so it was mostly the fish you could taste. It is expensive but if you're treating yourself or someone else, you've got to go! My favorite thing I had here was the Monroe roll. So good and really creative since it's a roll wrapped entirely in fish. Also the pineapple sake was amazing and our server, Tuvy, was SO NICE. I'd definitely recommend asking for her, she made our night really special. Anyway, definitely worth a try, you will not be disappointed!
(5)
Megan R.
Even the humble salmon avocado roll is made with the biggest butteriest hunks of salmon you've ever eaten in your life. And the $2 side salad is a plateful, with fresh veggies and a wonderful ginger dressing. Will be back!
(5)
Scott F.
Excellent service. Extremely attentive from the moment you walk in. Bar service is quick and well poured. The V-roll and Yama Rolls are huge and fresh. The prices are fair and on par with the amount of food you get. The roll selection is large enough to get a full spectrum of offerings but not so large you can't make a decision. Tables are close together but not shoulder to shoulder. 4.5/5.
(4)
Prisha P.
What an amazing experience did we have here. We sat at the sushi bar. It was the Chinese New Year so sushi chef Oye sent a bottle of sake to us.. great start already to our dinner. For apps we had miso soup and yama pizza which is tuna, avocado layered on a tortilla chip.. absolutely tasty! We ordered the Pink Lady Roll and Rock N Roll and both were soooo good. The fish was so fresh! I have been to many sushi places around town and this one is probably the best because i like the home town feel to it.. everyone seemed to know all the staff and the service was really good. Looking forward coming back!
(5)
Jodie C.
Best Sushi in BR. The V Roll is great. When I am in the area I always stop for lunch.
(5)
Megan R.
Even the humble salmon avocado roll is made with the biggest butteriest hunks of salmon you've ever eaten in your life. And the $2 side salad is a plateful, with fresh veggies and a wonderful ginger dressing. Will be back!
(5)
Krystal A.
Some of the best quality sushi the city has to offer. This place was packed from the moment we got there to the moment we left. The shrimp dumplings were delightful, the cucumber salad was a good way to start the meal, the sushi was fresh and plentiful. Overall, great food. We ordered the new orleans roll, spicy tuna roll, and crunchy roll. We finished it all. Delicious.
(5)
Joshua F.
The absolute best sushi experience I ever had. Cucumber salad before your meal and sliced pineapple after. Very clean restaurant (not a spec of dust anywhere). Sushi bar is so clean it looks brand new. Will be back again.
(5)
Jessica E.
While this may not be my perhaps favorite sushi place in Baton Rouge, this is hands down the best place quality-wise sushi that you will get in the Capital City. The fish is fresh, the sushi chefs are experts at their craft, and really the food is to die for. I see a lot of reviews on here about how great their special rolls are-- which have sauces slathered on top, are loaded up with snow crab, or are deep fried. Don't get me wrong, those rolls are good. But if you want the absolute best fish you can get, you are missing out with how great their actual sushi and sashimi offerings are. My absolute favorites are the flounder and the red snapper. Sushi Yama's sushi rice is also great-- it doesn't stick together when you put the sushi in your mouth. Rather, it collapses and accents the fish, like great sushi is supposed to. Not to mention, the seasoning of their sushi rice is great, and I like how the rice is at least room temperature if not a little warm. If I want to have a "roll" night where I eat rolls with tons of sauces and creams, I'd probably go somewhere else because other places are less expensive. But if I want the best true sushi and sashimi in Baton Rouge, Sushi Yama is a must. As well as the flounder and snapper sushi.
(5)
April R.
Hands down the best sushi in Baton Rouge. I love the rolls, but my kids cannot get enough of the Tiger Shrimp. Thank goodness these picky toddlers like something here so Mom and Dad can get their raw tuna and sake fix. The pineapple at the end is a great way to finish the meal. Also, ask for Katie - she is an excellent server!
(5)
Kimberly S.
I went tonight while in Baton Rouge for work. My meal was very good, but I definitely ordered too much food. I had a house salad, an MJ roll, and a Philadelphia roll. The house salad was on a dinner plate. I was definitely expecting a small little bowl. The dressing was very ginger-y and tasty. It is mayo based, which isn't my favorite type of ginger dressing. The salad greens were mixed greens as opposed to the usual chilled iceberg in these starter salads. The MJ roll was FANTASTIC. It was huge. This was the only thing I really needed to order, and it would have easily filled me up. The yellowtail was very fresh, the tempura shrimp was still warm from the frier, and the jalapeno and cilantro gave it a nice kick. The Philadelphia roll was not my favorite. The smoked salmon was too smoky for me. Also, I generally prefer a Philadelphia roll with cucumber as opposed to avocado to add some crunch, but this was pretty one note with the texture. Altogether, my meal was $31. Next time, I would order less food, and I think I would leave even happier! PS. The complimentary cucumber salad was great as well as the pineapple to finish! There is nothing better than ending the meal on a sweet, healthy note.
(4)
David S.
Best sushi restaurant in Baton Rouge, hands down. Free cucumber salad appetizer is excellent. Lots of off-the-menu rolls you gotta try!
(5)
Rami Q.
This is one of my top 3 Sushi spots in the greater Baton Rouge area. Sushi and other dishes served are always fresh and even on a busy night they are very timely. Good service and always greeted with a smile. A must try would be the Atlantic Salmon dish, this dish will change your life. Compliment your meal with a nice bottle of Pineapple Saki as well!
(5)
Kevin N.
Came as a recommendation and glad it did. It was honestly some of the best sushi I've had in a very long time. Who would have expected to find it in Baton Rouge, Louisiana!?! Check this place out. The Mardi Gra roll is not on the menu so you have to ask for it. It's incredible!
(5)
Cindy B.
I cannot say enough good things about this place! I found my new favorite sushi place here in Baton Rouge. I don't have pictures because we jut couldn't wait to dig in. Our server was great and everything came in a timely manner. Once you're seated you're presented with this cucumber, snow crab and sesame salad which is light and refreshing. We started with miso soup and edamame. Our entrees were the Okinawa roll, rock n roll and spicy tuna roll and the tempura like chicken. So fresh and delicious! Afterwards our server brought the check and fresh pineapple to end the meal. It's the small things like the cucumber and pineapple that make you feel like they care about their guest. The only place I will get sushi from now on and recommend everyone check this place out.
(5)
John C.
Easily the best sushi I've had in Baton Rouge. Great rolls, and everything was so well prepared with minimal sauce so it was mostly the fish you could taste. It is expensive but if you're treating yourself or someone else, you've got to go! My favorite thing I had here was the Monroe roll. So good and really creative since it's a roll wrapped entirely in fish. Also the pineapple sake was amazing and our server, Tuvy, was SO NICE. I'd definitely recommend asking for her, she made our night really special. Anyway, definitely worth a try, you will not be disappointed!
(5)
Monica V.
You don't go to Sushi Yama for the ambiance; you go for the sushi. It's always fresh, delicious. You can't go wrong with the Low Carb Roll. Snowcrab, avocado, soy wrap, topped with tuna and salmon (no rice). It's so light and refreshing. All of the rolls are great, but since I've tried them all so many times, I wish they would create some new ones.
(5)
Charlie A.
"You have to go to Sushi Yama" "They have the best sushi in town" "It's where the 'sushi people' go" Yeah, whatever. So I finally decide to check out Sushi Yama for lunch. I seat myself at the sushi bar and stare at the bright bleak walls until I am greeted by a super friendly and cute waitresses with a plate of cucumbers. I hate cucumbers. They are literally the worst thing ever. I take a small bite anyway while I look over the menu and it was like enjoying my least favorite thing for the first time ever. I don't know what they did to them, but they were awesome. I order the Nigiri Sushi Bento Box and a water. The first thing to come out was a small bowl miso soup. It was alright, a little bland but definitely better than those instant miso soups. My bento box comes with another salad, this time with lettuce and possibly homemade ginger dressing (I forgot to ask). Everything about the bento box is fantastic, even the 4 pieces of California Roll (arguably the lamest of all sushi rolls) was great. I finish the box and I'm still hungry, so I order a spicy tuna roll, no cucumber, my go to sushi roll. Every time I eat at a new sushi place I make sure to try the spicy tuna roll. I can now say that Sushi Yama has the best damn spicy tuna roll I have ever had. My total was about $23 + tip, which is a little bit more than I like to spend for lunch, but damn was it worth it.
(5)
Keri L.
I am giving the food 4 stars because it was truly delicious and fresh.i had a soft shell crab roll that was subtle and flavorful and perfectly textured. However, I was creeped out by the very uncozy, overly-bright, too-loud rectangular box of a dining room room. I would pick food up from here in the future, but I wouldn't return here for a nice dinner simply because it's not a pleasant room. Also, a better drink menu would be helpful.
(4)
Al L.
Very good raw fish, some unique flavorings, and a nice place to grab lunch or dinner. I ordered a bowl of chirashi for dinner. This is basically a bowl of rice with various toppings, often sashimi fish. The meal was $23, which was OK considering the amount of food you get. With it came 14 pieces of sashimi, a cooked shrimp (I don't count this as sushi / sashimi), a piece of cooked eel, 3 pieces of tamagoyaki (Japanese sweet omelette), and a few pickled palate cleansers all served over a bed of sushi rice. You also get a cup of miso soup and cucumber salad. The cucumber salad had too much vinegar IMO, and I couldn't really eat it... Miso soup was fine. There were 5 kinds of sashimi fish: tuna, yellowtail, amberjack, sea bass, and salmon (should be 15 pieces, but apparently it depends on how large the pieces were cut to). Each fish was very flavorful with good texture for sashimi. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the fish. The fish was a little below room temperature, but that was fine. I thoroughly enjoyed the fish in my meal. The cooked eel was a good addition. It had some sweet eel sauce on it, which added additional complexity to the meal. The tamagoyaki was not my favorite. I am used to the egg being light, fluffy, and sweetened, but at Sushi Yama, it as only the sweet that was right. The consistency was too meaty, like fried tofu, and not spongy like it should be. The pickled vegetables were plentiful. There were mushrooms, carrots, radish, and ginger to name a few. The ginger is definitely more common accompanying sashimi fish, but the others were a colorful addition to the dish. Chirashi, like many Japanese dishes is meant to be vibrant in color, in contrast to the rice below. I did feel that there was again too much vinegar from the amount of pickled items in the dish. The rice already contains a small amount of vinegar, and the pickled vegetables made the flavor too heavy made the last bites of the meal unbalanced. I thought the fish was great, but could do without all the extra vinegar.
(3)
Sophia T.
I love this place! The only things I ever order are Korean sushi and beef tataki now. I have ordered other things when I've been with bigger groups, but nothing to write home about. I occasionally order the chicken katsu bc my bf loves it, but I've never tried it to comment on it. I have never ever had a bad experience here. The Korean sushi is a must try! They give you all of the ingredients for you to make your own hand roll. I get spicy tuna and spicy salmon. The salmon is cut into big chunks and so freaking good. It's not that spicy, but they give you fresh jalapeño slices for you to put in, so that gives it a kick! Along with the jalapeño, you get garlic, cucumber, and of course the seaweed wraps. Get ponzu sauce on the side to dip it. You won't regret it! On to the beef tataki. I love beef tataki from anywhere. But their ponzu sauce makes theirs even better!
(5)
Scott F.
Excellent service. Extremely attentive from the moment you walk in. Bar service is quick and well poured. The V-roll and Yama Rolls are huge and fresh. The prices are fair and on par with the amount of food you get. The roll selection is large enough to get a full spectrum of offerings but not so large you can't make a decision. Tables are close together but not shoulder to shoulder. 4.5/5.
(4)
Prisha P.
What an amazing experience did we have here. We sat at the sushi bar. It was the Chinese New Year so sushi chef Oye sent a bottle of sake to us.. great start already to our dinner. For apps we had miso soup and yama pizza which is tuna, avocado layered on a tortilla chip.. absolutely tasty! We ordered the Pink Lady Roll and Rock N Roll and both were soooo good. The fish was so fresh! I have been to many sushi places around town and this one is probably the best because i like the home town feel to it.. everyone seemed to know all the staff and the service was really good. Looking forward coming back!
(5)
Jodie C.
Best Sushi in BR. The V Roll is great. When I am in the area I always stop for lunch.
(5)
Meghan K.
I had only been here one other time and it was right when it opened. It's crazy how many sushi spots are in one tiny area. I saw three last night. I've never been to Sushi Masa, but Ichiban is some stiff competition. I'm still not a big fan of the location or decor, but food and service was pretty spot on. It was nice how they bring out a complimentary cucumber salad and fruit for after your meal. I enjoyed both. The salad was good and the pineapple was perfectly ripe. I could've had a couple more slices! My children split a chicken fried rice plate, which was huge. They seemed to enjoy it and almost polished it off. I have had better. My husband and I split the Alaskan, crunchy, and volcano. He wasn't in the mood for raw fish rolls ( I was craving some salmon and spicy tuna). Maybe next time! I enjoyed the Alaskan. The crunchy was different than a crunchy you would get at another sushi restaurant. It wasn't my favorite, but I ate it. The volcano roll was interesting. It came out luke warm, which was strange. I'm guessing it sat under the heat lamp for too long. It was a little rich for me, but edible nonetheless. The prices for some of the things on the menu seemed a little expensive for what you were getting. I was looking at a salad and it was $20! Sorry, but I'm not spending that much on a salad, EVER. I'll go back and try out the rolls that I didn't get this time.
(4)
SJ L.
Best sushi in town by far, a little pricey but you get what pay for. My favorites are off the normal menu and on special menu. But never had something I didn't love and crave once I left Pineapple sake they make there is great too
(5)
Erika G.
Absolutely obsessed with this place! I go here so often that they now know me by name. The sushi is was fresh and quality, my favorite is the salmon roll and I also love to stake terykie and the shrimp tempura. The atmosphere is great although it can get very packed at times. Also I tried to apply for a job there and I think they lowkey discriminate against black people because none work there so yeah other than that hey are great!
(5)
LyAnn W.
Absolutely the best. Tuna Lover is my favorite but I also love the lobster roll and the salmon appetizer. They amaze me each and every time.
(5)
Chris Y.
Hands down best sushi in Baton Rouge. I'd put this up against any sushi I've had while traveling the pacific, New York, or LA. Hell-- best sushi in Louisiana. Always fresh, and appropriately priced.
(5)
J P.
Amazing. I travel a lot. This place is priced-right; which is to say it is not cheap but it has a high value in food quality. New Orleans roll and "Sexy" roll are excellent as is the sashimi quality. Well worth the reviews. The peach sake is subtle, not too sweet and definitely not a "peach vodka" type drink. It's more subtle. The cold sake is killer. Highly recommended. Open area so somewhat loud if they are full but still good for business and even families.
(5)
Brad V.
Nice atmosphere, and good service. Prices are maybe a little high? I don't really think so, but my wife did. Honestly, for the quality it is worth 2-4 bucks extra a roll. This is the best sushi restaurant in BR I have tried. I have couple left to go to, but with my experience for sushi I cannot imagine it much better in this town. Sure, you could find a fancier place (and this is by no means trashy), but I am going on taste. If you're in the mood for sushi I have no qualms recommending this place.
(5)
Michael T.
Tis a shame really. Sushi is tasty, fresh and prepared well. Service is fast and friendly, place is clean and while be it a tad crammed (Kudos for being packed on a Thursday) however The prices of their rolls versus portions and value just isn't there. Keep in mind this place is in a strip mall, your getting served water in a plastic beer mug. Sure, in the better area of Baton Rouge and possible this is the consideration or the overhead cost of keeping 5 sushi chefs on staff. Now, it may seem as if I am being nit-picky or cheap here but I assure you I have no issue paying higher prices in most cases and have tried probably a hundred different sushi places all over the country. Regular rolls range from 6-10, with your standard rolls sitting around that $7.50 range. Special Rolls - 75% of them are all 15$+, some even 20$+. I wanted to try those but I wasn't fixing to fork that out for a place I have never tried. 3 rolls - 2 regular and 1 special and a water = 30$ Again, not to sway away from the quality of food or service, just off-putting how clearly overpriced the sushi menu is.
(3)
Mandy V.
This place has some fresh fish. I would give five stars for that alone. I really enjoyed the dynamite and V roll. The V roll is packed with different fish. It's $20 which took me by surprise, but it can feed 2, and when you think about the price of sashimi it makes sense. I feel like $20 was fair but I think $18 would have been more competitive. The roll is drizzled with spicy mayo and eel sauce so if you are like me and prefer to taste the fish, order the sauce on the side or don't get the sauce at all. The dynamite roll was $6 so of course it was smaller but still tasted great. I also liked that they start u off with a complimentary cucumber/crab salad and finish with complimentary pineapple. They have both Kirin Ichiban and Sapporo beer. The small sake was only like $4. As for the service, our waitress was great at answering our questions. She was quick with our order. The sushi came out promptly. We were outta there in like 30 minutes.
(4)
Alissa A.
From looking at the outside when arriving, I did not have high hopes. However, when we walked in I was pleasantly surprised by a modern and clean atmosphere. The restaurant is much more spacious than it looks from the outside too. Our waitress was very attentive and kind. Everyone at my table ordered sushi and it received mediocre reviews. The eel sauce was too BBQ-y for my taste and the rolls were too large. Ingredients were fresh and tasty. Not my favorite place but not shabby either!
(3)
Angela H.
The best I've had in BR so far. Loved the New Orleans Roll...The cucumber/crab salad and fresh pineapple slices for dessert were on the house. Although a little pricey, it was worth every penny.
(5)
Brandy D.
From the front door to watching the Chefs prepare your meal is an amazing experience! Great customer service & Best sushi ever!
(5)
Brittany H.
This place is perfect for girls night! A few of my girlfriends and I went here last week and I have nothing but awesome things to say! The sushi tasted so fresh, the service was fast and super polite!
(4)
Chloe E.
Complimentary cucumber salad, great rolls, great sushi, amazing pineapple sake and complimentary pineapples make great for a unique sushi spot in Baton Rouge! It's always packed!
(5)
Nate A.
I've been to pretty much every sushi place in BR but this place has hands down the best quality/taste sushi around! BUT it's one of the most expensive sushi restaurants in town which I don't mind paying because the sushi is just that good!
(4)
Bridgette D.
The best sushi and highest quality service. I would strongly recommend this restaurant. The wait staff is very friendly and the restaurant is extremely clean and organized. Sushi is top of the line!
(5)
New Orleans C.
went for the first time on valentines day 2014 was awesome! went back on a regular day and the sushi portions got substantially smaller & not fresh like on valentines and was way over priced..I haven't been back..i do read reviews before eating at new places and this one failed this time!
(1)
Nikkie N.
I've eaten here a few times & all occasions were fabulous ! Their pricing is ridiculously high, but honestly, you can't expect to pay any less for the grade of sushi they serve. One roll will fill you up which is great for the pricing. If you're a variety type of person, my suggestion is to go with a group & split the rolls ! Oh, when you sit down your server should greet you with a side of cucumber salad! It's just your typical cucumber, crab meat, sesame seed, & vinegar type of salad. Delicious & even better, on the house! Moving on to menu items I've had: Korean Spicy Tuna - I loved this! It's a plate of spicy tuna (which is SUPER spicy) served with sliced cucumbers, garlic, & jalapenos and seaweed paper. You basically build your own hand roll! It was delicious, but as I've mentioned before, it was overwhelmingly spicy! I eat a ton of spices too and I can handle a good bit, but this was a little to spicy for me. I wish it was toned down a bit so that I could enjoy more of the flavors. I didn't find this menu on the item and asked my server about it. She said is started off at 20$ but if you wanted to add more (I'm guessing spicy tuna?) the price would gradually increase. Fair pricing, definitely would have filled me up if I didn't share it. Edamame - basic edamame, was a little to mushy for my taste, but doesn't matter still good. I think it was 3.50$ Beef Miso - 14$ for a bowl of udon noodles with soup, 3 skewers of beef, & some vegetable tempura (1 of each: onion, broccoli, carrot, sweet potato). I thought it came with a soup & salad but the server brought neither out. We didn't ask for it since we were full and would waste it. But be mindful of the description if this interest you! The soup broth was flavorful & tasted very clean (if you know what I mean). The beef skewers were tasteful and tender. We didn't care for the fried veggies because it was fried. Pink Lady Roll (13$) - snow crab, crunchy, avocado, spicy salmon, & crab stick soy wrapped! I can't even remember if this roll had any rice to it, which I love. I don't like too much rice because it's filling. If I can skip out on the rice altogether, that's a plus. The chefs cut this roll into 10 huge pieces. Doesn't come with a sauce, doesn't need one, but if you're a sauce person, I'd recommend spicy mayo. Atlantic Salmon - I love this but the portion size is small. I can't justify spending 15$ on an appetizer that is this puny. I mean, unless I'm really treating myself to something nice. It's fresh salmon topped with mandarin oranges, I think some type of nut, & drenched (in a good way) in ponzu sauce. It is really really YUMMY but really really expensive! Every element of this appetizer works well together. Order it if you're treating yourself out. Skip it if you're low on cash. V-Roll - I forgot all the things that make up this roll. But it's huge & it'll feed you twice. There's a great variety of fish and flavors in this, so if you're eating alone, just order this roll for 17-18$. One of the best, if not the best, sushi joints in Baton Rouge. If you're coming to order crunchy rolls or something similar/simple, just head on over to Waka House or Albertsons for a cheaper version. If you know your sushi & want it as fresh as it comes, go to Sushi Yama and enjoy what they have to offer. PS: Another plus, they send you off (dessert) with sliced pineapples ON THE HOUSE ! =D
(5)
Gina B.
I wish I would have had a better experience but it was frustrating. I ordered take out and got the following: Tempura udon: 4 shrimp, 1 sweet potato slice, 1 broccoli and 1 onion tempura were good, wish the udon noodles would have been in a bigger take out container. They were jammed in with minimal broth. Rock and roll sushi: large and ample but skimped on the avocado. Tasty tho Edamame: decent The side dish of cucumbers and crab was yummy. The disappointing factor is that I ordered tempura ice cream. The hostess said it was in the bag and when I got to my hotel it wasn't. I called to see if they would credit my card and the manager told me he couldn't because he didn't have a full keypad. I was irritated on the principle because I wasn't about to leave my hotel just to pick up an item they forgot in my bag, then my other food would be cold. Not being able to be credited back on my card is asinine. The manager did offer to come after closing and credit me back in cash. Bringing me $5, so at least he redeemed himself there to give 3 stars. It prolly would have been a 4 star rating for me if this incident wouldn't have been so problematic. Seriously, who can't credit back a credit card and recharge the correct amount?!
(3)
megan s.
I really don't know how this place got all these good reviews. One, the waitress that helped us was very impatient, almost rude. Their sushi is overpriced; $5 for a CA roll with imitation crab. Ridiculous. We ordered their New Orleans roll , it did not look appetizing at all and we ended up returning it. We had to speak with the manager to make sure we were able to and he was not happy. The one star would have to go to the beef teriyaki. That was actually pretty good but that's it.
(1)
M M.
The sushi was very good quality. The tuna was really red. The service was very good as well. Only real complaint was it took a little to long for the food to come out.
(4)
Brian R.
Some of the best sushi in town. Not the best location or decor but the food is top notch. Only Ichiban can touch the quality of sushi this place offers. Pricey but you get what you pay for.
(5)
Nicole H.
Amazing food and good service, but it's always such a long wait to get your order. The Tiger Shrimp app is amazing and the Alaska roll is a favorite. The six-three roll has the freshest tuna and crab...it's a must try! Each time we visit everything is always fresh and friendly service. Worth the wait.
(4)
C J.
I eat there as often as I can whenever I am in town. Oui the chef was actually a traditionally trained Japanese chef, sit in front of him, talk to him, he loves and understands the art of sushi and he is willing to share. Of course, they also serve the Americanized bullsh*t sushi rolls with mayo all over if that's what you prefer.
(5)
Michelle M.
I've eaten here many times and loooove it! It's one of my favorite sushi places. However, tonight I got the Hawaiian Seafood Salad, which was good, but certainly not worth the $27 (including tax).
(4)
Jake R.
Tiger Shrimp are my favorite. My go-to sushi place in Baton Rouge. Reasonably priced and great service.
(5)
David F.
Some of the best sushi around. Unfortunately, the service is usually among the worst around. If you experience bad service, don't bother trying to talk to the management... quite inept. One too many bad experiences there. We will be looking for a different sushi place.
(2)
Nick X.
First off, Sarah G., if you are going to rate a sushi restaurant based on its gyoza, seaweed salad, and crawfish rolls, then you should stop wasting your money and just head straight for the closest chinese buffet. Sushi Yama is easily the best sushi restaurant in town. The fish is as fresh as I've had anywhere and of great quality. Try their yellow tail collar as its one of the most underrated and lesser known cuts of fish and, more importantly, are always available at yama, unlike some other sushi places. We regularly get the Korean Tuna. It's basically a spicy tuna handroll that you wrap yourself with added chunks of jalapeno and garlic. It's a big enough appetizer style dish for 4 and is a terrific off menu item. The owner and head chef, Oi, is one of the most knowledgeable sushi chefs in town and have trained several others that are now head chefs themselves in other sushi spots in Baton Rouge. Have a seat at the sushi bar, order a large sapporo and hot sake, tell Oi to make you whatever he feels like and enjoy a wonder evening!
(5)
Jen L.
Solid lunch specials but not a good choice for lunch since we were there for almost 2 hours. While none of my sushi or rolls were great, they were OK and the nigri sushi lunch special is a bargain considering how much you get. I liked my food but our server was not so great. She threw down our chopsticks and our straws and would disappear for great lengths of time. Good thing I was having a lunch meeting and we could continue carrying on business because it took forever.
(3)
Taylor W.
The best sushi in town. The king cake roll and New Orleans roll are the best. And we love the complimentary cucumber before and pineapple after. Prices are a little high but it's worth it.
(5)
Stacy S.
I like this place. I've been twice. Once with friends for a special occasion dinner and once alone just to satisfy a seaweed salad craving. (They have extra large servings of seaweed salad compared to what I'm used to getting on the West Coast.) The prices are good. Both times the service was good. On my second visit, I sat at the bar and ended up talking with the owner, who was exceptionally nice and kind. I tend towards vegetarian or cooked seafood sushi and the Acadiana (crawfish) roll here is great! It's out of my way, but I'll be back when I can.
(4)
Tri L.
Take this from someone who used to be a chef at a few sushi restaurants around Baton Rouge, Sushi Yama is the best sushi found in Baton Rouge. You cannot judge a place by its crunchy or California rolls.... The special rolls is where its at.
(4)
Kate N.
My favorite sushi joint in Baton Rouge. Quick, friendly service. Clean and spacious. Fresh fish is why this place is so great! I cannot recall most of what we ordered so I'll just name the ones that stuck out in my memory! Appetizer: -Sashimi Seaweed Salad: DELICIOUS! -Tuna Tataki: Very nice slices of Tuna! Special Rolls: -King Cake Roll: MY ALL TIME FAVORITE. I forgot what's on it but it's colored like a king cake..assorted fish and colored tobiko on top. Will definitely come back every time we are in Baton Rouge!!
(4)
Sarah R.
This place has its ups and downs. The up is: Great, prime pieces of fish. The freshest raw fish you could ever have!!! It was melt in your mouth. The down is: the Price.... OMG! I think I paid half my arm to eat the lunch I had. When I go to a SUSHI restaurant- I order sushi. Why else would i go there? I'm not going to order some shrimp or edemame or gyoza appetizer... I can either make that at home or get it at some chinese/ japanese buffet. pfff! My experience at Sushi Yama was one i'll never forget (mainly because of the price). When i arrived, the hostess seated me and a waitress immediately was available to greet me, she brought me the cucumber salad. Nothing too special about it- typical cucumber, crabstick, sesame seed and vinegar salad. Pretty good.. I ordered a Spicy Tuna roll (my fave) and a special roll- cant remember the name of it- but it was HUGE! The Diameter of the roll was probably the size of my small fist. I knew when i saw it, there was no way that was going in my mouth in one delicate bite. I had to tear into this thing.... I felt horrible tearing it apart, everything falling out and such. Nonetheless, delicious!!! I usually always go with sort of average rolls for my first time... Mainly because I want to know the quality and the presentation of the food. If you mess up on a Spicy tuna roll... then you should find a different job. Or even a California Roll.... its simple, americanized, cant-mess-it-up roll and if you do, then I probably wont return. Overall, I was throughly impressed with the rolls. Very, very delicious. The neighboring tables ordered other rolls that looked amazing, topped with ponzu sauce, towering toppings, crunchy toppings.... all of it looked amazing and mouth watering. I will most likely return once me bank account recoups- But this will be the spot when i need to treat myself. The freshest fish available! Definitely reccommend it but be ready to pay an arm and a leg......
(4)
Cindy N.
Sushi Yama is my favorite go-to for sushi! I come here very often and I am always pleased.
(4)
Libby M.
Simply the best place for sushi in Baton Rouge hands down. The parking is so convenient and they've updated to have an even bigger dining room.
(5)
Elizabeth Q.
Best Baton Rouge Sushi! Fresh, fresh fresh! On par with best in USA! Ask Oy to fix you one of his special creations. You will not be disappointed!
(5)
Rob U.
Excellent sushi that is as good as I get at home in the NY/NJ area. Had the nigiri sushi dinner and a shrimp tempura roll. Fish was exceptionally fresh and tasty and the roll was great. Talked to the chef who was trained in NYC. This place has great sushi - just go!
(5)
Cindy C.
After several months of sushi cravings, my friends and I decided on Sushi Yama. I'm from the Bay Area, so my expectations were low for sushi in Baton Rouge. However, I was pleasantly surprised. It wasn't the greatest, but it wasn't bad either. Gyoza Dumplings: Nothing special. You can get a bag of these dumplings for way cheaper at the Oriental Market on Lee. George Roll: spicy tuna, cucumber, and snowcrab with crunchy batter on top. This roll definitely had a mushy middle because of the spicy tuna. The roll was topped off with snowcrab and sprinkled with the yummy crunchy batter! Salmon Mango Roll: Crabmeat, cucumber and mango; tobiko and fresh salmon on top. I never really thought of having fruit in my sushi, but it was actually pretty good. However, this roll came with neon green wasabi tobiko and regular neon red tobiko. This roll was quite colorful! New Orleans Roll: Spicy Crawfish and avocado; topped with spicy tuna, snowcrab, and wasabi tobiko. This one was reallllly good. Out of all the rolls, I would definitely order this one again! The bill came out to be $60 total so each of us paid about $20. It's pretty expensive, but it's sushi, and it's Baton Rouge. Overall, the sushi was good, but it made me crave even more sushi, especially sushi from California. I've been too spoiled and it seems the sushi here can't satisfy my cravings! But if you're originally from Baton Rouge, then Sushi Yama is the place to go!
(3)
C K.
I'm confused. I've only been here twice -- the first time, I thought -- this isn't bad for the South, and the wasabi salad is really good. Rolls are okay, very Americanized -- which was annoying... but I liked it enough to go back a second time. This time I ordered the wasabi salad again and the fish just wasn't fresh.. the rolls we got were, again, very Americanized.. they tasted more Mexican than Japanese with all the extra ingredients like cilantro and jalapenos. I don't expect much from sushi in the South.. but given that it was very fishy tasting and smelling this time (and way more expensive than sushi in California that is much better quality), I don't plan on going back... also, it creeps me out when there are more people in the restaurant using forks and fingers than chopsticks. I know that sounds stupidly pretentious, but c'mon, at least TRY to make an effort...
(2)
Stevie H.
This is a really awesome sushi place. Very fresh and they have great service. Only complaint is that it's a little pricey when compared to other places with equal quality and lower prices. I will still go back.
(4)
L K.
This place has the very best sushi in Baton Rouge. I cannot emphasize how awesome the service is and how fresh and flavorful the food is. I LOVE THIS PLACE. It is my go to for every celebratory time in my life. I love sitting at the bar, drinking hot green tea and watching the chefs create their masterpieces.
(5)
Liz H.
Lovee the sushi here! Chicken katsu = yummy!
(4)
Knick M.
Easily the best sushi bar in town. Request the chefs special and be prepared to try something new and delicious. Most of the chefs are pretty good at rewarding the adventurous and the quality of fish is untouchable anywhere else. These guys can offer you items that the theme joints can't even imagine.
(5)
Kevin P.
Overall: Very delicious across the board. Definitely the best sushi place in Baton Rouge. There should be NO reason why Ichiban has 4 stars and this place has 3.5. Their sushi is better than that of Ichiban and Hello Sushi across the board. They are definitely comparable to the sushi restaurants I've been to in Japan and Taiwan. Price: Higher than average ($6 for basic rolls, $13 - $17 for special) but it is well worth the money. Please see my review of Tokyo Cafe to see why you should be willing to pay more for sushi... seriously. Service: Excellent. The Head Chef is very knowledgeable (trained in Japan), friendly, polite and often gives treats if you are a regular. The waiters and waitresses are very attentive and friendly as well. Fish: Ordered my standard - uni (sea urchin), amaebi (sweet shrimp), albacore (didn't see escolar on the menu), tuna, salmon. The quality of their ingredients are by far the best and freshest in town, and it is very authentic. Albacore was seared on an open flame. The amaebi came with the fried head and was slightly crisp with no fishy taste (perfect). And the uni was extremely fresh with the perfect taste and texture. The toro (fatty tuna) was melt in the mouth of course... All sashimi was sliced properly and served at the optimum temperature (no big cold chunks of meat like Ichiban) Rolls: I ordered their blue crab spring roll (jumbo lump louisiana blue crab in Vietnamese style roll paper with cucumber avocado and carrots). With the japanese mayonnaise it was phenomenal - extremely fresh and melted in the mouth... The New Orleans roll was excellent... Usually I don't do crawfish in sushi, but the other things in the roll really complemented the flavors of the crawfish very well. All blue crab and crawfish are Louisianan and extremely fresh. Tiger Roll had generous pieces of fish in each bite. Again, so fresh it melted in the mouth - with excellent complementing flavors from the fish eggs and other ingredients. Bottom Line: YOU NEED TO TRY THIS PLACE IF YOU LIKE SUSHI AND ARE IN BATON ROUGE.
(5)
Steve M.
I have been here many many times. Have never been disappointed. I don't eat rolls so I can't comment on them as others have here. I always order nigiri or sashimi. I have never had a bad piece of fish and has always been cut perfectly to suit me. The rice has always been perfect which is my major evaluation point for a sushi place. I also love the little cucumber salad they give you with an entree. It is a very popular place, particularly for lunch. Before they expanded it was next to impossible to get a table at lunch. Even after they expanded I have went many times where we were going to have quite a wait. Definitely worth the wait if you have the time.
(4)
Lois R.
If you're looking for good sushi in BR, this is the place for you. It's more expensive than I'd like, but everything is fresh and the service is good.
(5)
Corey G.
What a find. Visiting Baton Rouge on business and co-worker took us to this restaurant. It's in a strip mall type building, but it doesn't disappoint. The staff was very nice and cool. The selection is vast & it was hard to pick rolls, because they all looked yummy. We had a party of four and we ordered six rolls (plus a round of 4 large Saporro's which we shared). WE also had a first-timer to sushi. He was a buddy from New Hampshire. Tried to not scare him too much. All and all I think he liked it **although he had issues w/ the chopsticks** ;)
(4)
C M.
Hey, this place is real. I have lived 26 yrs in JPN, being in sales in US for 12 yrs and have been to so many sushi places. I have no limit on budget. I have just happen to stop in this city Baton Rouge LA and read the review of Yelp, then decided to eat at Yama. First of all, its super clean. Second, service is great. And the sushi that they serve is 5 stars easily. More importantly, they have good customers here. Great sushi and great environment, great on everything. I lived in OC Cali for 10 yrs but the price is half of what OC will charge. Very professional, sushi masters. The owner chef = Mr. Ooi from JPN is a true craftman. 6 stars to him. You have to go to YAMA. Im glad that we decided to spend a night in Baton Rouge on our way to New Orleans. If you are in New Orleans, it's worth of 1 hr drive. You will meet the real sushi. Nice Sake selections, too.
(5)
Sarah G.
the other yelpers must be smoking crack--not the best sushi ive had (ever OR in the South) and the rolls are slutty (read: loose). my green tea was served pre-steeped (just handed a mug--no teapot, nothing) and no refill was offered. the gyoza and seaweed salad were good although not memorable. as for sushi proper, the eel and scallop were aight but the crawfish/Acadian roll was seriously unappetizing. alas, my two weeks-long sushi craving is still unfulfilled...le sigh
(2)
Josh K.
There are many (too many) Japanese restaurants in Baton Rouge. This is the ONLY semi-authentic sushi diner in town. The owner, Mr. Oi, is from China but worked on his skills in Osaka, Japan, for several years. If you are Japanese-savvy, you will see subtle differences from other "also-run" Japanese. Try to sit in counter and have some conversation with him. Ask him for today's special, or "omakase." You will see some art work, not typical sushi rolls.
(5)
Emily C.
The dining room has been expanded! They have pretty much doubled the size of the dining room, so I imagine the wait time is much more reasonable now on a busy night. Also, try the Rachel Roll. It's not on the menu, but they usually list it as a special. I can't remember all of the ingredients, but it is topped off with cavier which swells the price to $20, but it's worth it.
(5)
The Chef J.
Being a chef myself but not of the sushi/asian kind. This was recommended from a friend. (thank you) unlike other people I don't judge on simple rolls. I just ask the chef "Omakase". The sushi chef's face lit up. Since this was the chef's choice I gave him some hints on what I like. something with crunch, spicy, and Toro (fatty tuna), fresh scallops, and 1 hand roll. So the first course was a Tuna/crab meat crunch "salad" this was very good, the crab meat taste like it came directly from the sea, the tuna was fresh and cold like it should. Second course was a flash tempura fried scallops with a soy broth I'm still trying to find out what it is! The scallops were fresh and the crunch factor was there. the 3rd course was a 7 fish sashimi, yellow tail, tuna, toro, salmon, flounder, Japanese snapper. all great and all fresh the toro melted in my mouth like it was butter. the final course was a spicy hand roll with razor thin jalapenos and spicy tuna with some tempura flakes... best part of the meal. This was very worth the time, and price it was only $30 to most people that is expensive, i beg to differ. the owner was present and can see and noticed I was a chef by how i described the food. he was happy and I was too. the only gripe i had was nothing really. service was great from greeting, seating, drinks, food and check presentation. I would give 4.5 cuz I rarely give 5s. I would definitely come back!
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Knick M.
Easily the best sushi bar in town. Request the chefs special and be prepared to try something new and delicious. Most of the chefs are pretty good at rewarding the adventurous and the quality of fish is untouchable anywhere else. These guys can offer you items that the theme joints can't even imagine.
(5)C M.
Hey, this place is real. I have lived 26 yrs in JPN, being in sales in US for 12 yrs and have been to so many sushi places. I have no limit on budget. I have just happen to stop in this city Baton Rouge LA and read the review of Yelp, then decided to eat at Yama. First of all, its super clean. Second, service is great. And the sushi that they serve is 5 stars easily. More importantly, they have good customers here. Great sushi and great environment, great on everything. I lived in OC Cali for 10 yrs but the price is half of what OC will charge. Very professional, sushi masters. The owner chef = Mr. Ooi from JPN is a true craftman. 6 stars to him. You have to go to YAMA. Im glad that we decided to spend a night in Baton Rouge on our way to New Orleans. If you are in New Orleans, it's worth of 1 hr drive. You will meet the real sushi. Nice Sake selections, too.
(5)Emily C.
The dining room has been expanded! They have pretty much doubled the size of the dining room, so I imagine the wait time is much more reasonable now on a busy night. Also, try the Rachel Roll. It's not on the menu, but they usually list it as a special. I can't remember all of the ingredients, but it is topped off with cavier which swells the price to $20, but it's worth it.
(5)The Chef J.
Being a chef myself but not of the sushi/asian kind. This was recommended from a friend. (thank you) unlike other people I don't judge on simple rolls. I just ask the chef "Omakase". The sushi chef's face lit up. Since this was the chef's choice I gave him some hints on what I like. something with crunch, spicy, and Toro (fatty tuna), fresh scallops, and 1 hand roll. So the first course was a Tuna/crab meat crunch "salad" this was very good, the crab meat taste like it came directly from the sea, the tuna was fresh and cold like it should. Second course was a flash tempura fried scallops with a soy broth I'm still trying to find out what it is! The scallops were fresh and the crunch factor was there. the 3rd course was a 7 fish sashimi, yellow tail, tuna, toro, salmon, flounder, Japanese snapper. all great and all fresh the toro melted in my mouth like it was butter. the final course was a spicy hand roll with razor thin jalapenos and spicy tuna with some tempura flakes... best part of the meal. This was very worth the time, and price it was only $30 to most people that is expensive, i beg to differ. the owner was present and can see and noticed I was a chef by how i described the food. he was happy and I was too. the only gripe i had was nothing really. service was great from greeting, seating, drinks, food and check presentation. I would give 4.5 cuz I rarely give 5s. I would definitely come back!
(5)Liz H.
Lovee the sushi here! Chicken katsu = yummy!
(4)C K.
I'm confused. I've only been here twice -- the first time, I thought -- this isn't bad for the South, and the wasabi salad is really good. Rolls are okay, very Americanized -- which was annoying... but I liked it enough to go back a second time. This time I ordered the wasabi salad again and the fish just wasn't fresh.. the rolls we got were, again, very Americanized.. they tasted more Mexican than Japanese with all the extra ingredients like cilantro and jalapenos. I don't expect much from sushi in the South.. but given that it was very fishy tasting and smelling this time (and way more expensive than sushi in California that is much better quality), I don't plan on going back... also, it creeps me out when there are more people in the restaurant using forks and fingers than chopsticks. I know that sounds stupidly pretentious, but c'mon, at least TRY to make an effort...
(2)Stevie H.
This is a really awesome sushi place. Very fresh and they have great service. Only complaint is that it's a little pricey when compared to other places with equal quality and lower prices. I will still go back.
(4)Kevin P.
Overall: Very delicious across the board. Definitely the best sushi place in Baton Rouge. There should be NO reason why Ichiban has 4 stars and this place has 3.5. Their sushi is better than that of Ichiban and Hello Sushi across the board. They are definitely comparable to the sushi restaurants I've been to in Japan and Taiwan. Price: Higher than average ($6 for basic rolls, $13 - $17 for special) but it is well worth the money. Please see my review of Tokyo Cafe to see why you should be willing to pay more for sushi... seriously. Service: Excellent. The Head Chef is very knowledgeable (trained in Japan), friendly, polite and often gives treats if you are a regular. The waiters and waitresses are very attentive and friendly as well. Fish: Ordered my standard - uni (sea urchin), amaebi (sweet shrimp), albacore (didn't see escolar on the menu), tuna, salmon. The quality of their ingredients are by far the best and freshest in town, and it is very authentic. Albacore was seared on an open flame. The amaebi came with the fried head and was slightly crisp with no fishy taste (perfect). And the uni was extremely fresh with the perfect taste and texture. The toro (fatty tuna) was melt in the mouth of course... All sashimi was sliced properly and served at the optimum temperature (no big cold chunks of meat like Ichiban) Rolls: I ordered their blue crab spring roll (jumbo lump louisiana blue crab in Vietnamese style roll paper with cucumber avocado and carrots). With the japanese mayonnaise it was phenomenal - extremely fresh and melted in the mouth... The New Orleans roll was excellent... Usually I don't do crawfish in sushi, but the other things in the roll really complemented the flavors of the crawfish very well. All blue crab and crawfish are Louisianan and extremely fresh. Tiger Roll had generous pieces of fish in each bite. Again, so fresh it melted in the mouth - with excellent complementing flavors from the fish eggs and other ingredients. Bottom Line: YOU NEED TO TRY THIS PLACE IF YOU LIKE SUSHI AND ARE IN BATON ROUGE.
(5)Steve M.
I have been here many many times. Have never been disappointed. I don't eat rolls so I can't comment on them as others have here. I always order nigiri or sashimi. I have never had a bad piece of fish and has always been cut perfectly to suit me. The rice has always been perfect which is my major evaluation point for a sushi place. I also love the little cucumber salad they give you with an entree. It is a very popular place, particularly for lunch. Before they expanded it was next to impossible to get a table at lunch. Even after they expanded I have went many times where we were going to have quite a wait. Definitely worth the wait if you have the time.
(4)Lois R.
If you're looking for good sushi in BR, this is the place for you. It's more expensive than I'd like, but everything is fresh and the service is good.
(5)Corey G.
What a find. Visiting Baton Rouge on business and co-worker took us to this restaurant. It's in a strip mall type building, but it doesn't disappoint. The staff was very nice and cool. The selection is vast & it was hard to pick rolls, because they all looked yummy. We had a party of four and we ordered six rolls (plus a round of 4 large Saporro's which we shared). WE also had a first-timer to sushi. He was a buddy from New Hampshire. Tried to not scare him too much. All and all I think he liked it **although he had issues w/ the chopsticks** ;)
(4)Mandy V.
This place has some fresh fish. I would give five stars for that alone. I really enjoyed the dynamite and V roll. The V roll is packed with different fish. It's $20 which took me by surprise, but it can feed 2, and when you think about the price of sashimi it makes sense. I feel like $20 was fair but I think $18 would have been more competitive. The roll is drizzled with spicy mayo and eel sauce so if you are like me and prefer to taste the fish, order the sauce on the side or don't get the sauce at all. The dynamite roll was $6 so of course it was smaller but still tasted great. I also liked that they start u off with a complimentary cucumber/crab salad and finish with complimentary pineapple. They have both Kirin Ichiban and Sapporo beer. The small sake was only like $4. As for the service, our waitress was great at answering our questions. She was quick with our order. The sushi came out promptly. We were outta there in like 30 minutes.
(4)Alissa A.
From looking at the outside when arriving, I did not have high hopes. However, when we walked in I was pleasantly surprised by a modern and clean atmosphere. The restaurant is much more spacious than it looks from the outside too. Our waitress was very attentive and kind. Everyone at my table ordered sushi and it received mediocre reviews. The eel sauce was too BBQ-y for my taste and the rolls were too large. Ingredients were fresh and tasty. Not my favorite place but not shabby either!
(3)Angela H.
The best I've had in BR so far. Loved the New Orleans Roll...The cucumber/crab salad and fresh pineapple slices for dessert were on the house. Although a little pricey, it was worth every penny.
(5)Brandy D.
From the front door to watching the Chefs prepare your meal is an amazing experience! Great customer service & Best sushi ever!
(5)Gina B.
I wish I would have had a better experience but it was frustrating. I ordered take out and got the following: Tempura udon: 4 shrimp, 1 sweet potato slice, 1 broccoli and 1 onion tempura were good, wish the udon noodles would have been in a bigger take out container. They were jammed in with minimal broth. Rock and roll sushi: large and ample but skimped on the avocado. Tasty tho Edamame: decent The side dish of cucumbers and crab was yummy. The disappointing factor is that I ordered tempura ice cream. The hostess said it was in the bag and when I got to my hotel it wasn't. I called to see if they would credit my card and the manager told me he couldn't because he didn't have a full keypad. I was irritated on the principle because I wasn't about to leave my hotel just to pick up an item they forgot in my bag, then my other food would be cold. Not being able to be credited back on my card is asinine. The manager did offer to come after closing and credit me back in cash. Bringing me $5, so at least he redeemed himself there to give 3 stars. It prolly would have been a 4 star rating for me if this incident wouldn't have been so problematic. Seriously, who can't credit back a credit card and recharge the correct amount?!
(3)megan s.
I really don't know how this place got all these good reviews. One, the waitress that helped us was very impatient, almost rude. Their sushi is overpriced; $5 for a CA roll with imitation crab. Ridiculous. We ordered their New Orleans roll , it did not look appetizing at all and we ended up returning it. We had to speak with the manager to make sure we were able to and he was not happy. The one star would have to go to the beef teriyaki. That was actually pretty good but that's it.
(1)M M.
The sushi was very good quality. The tuna was really red. The service was very good as well. Only real complaint was it took a little to long for the food to come out.
(4)Brian R.
Some of the best sushi in town. Not the best location or decor but the food is top notch. Only Ichiban can touch the quality of sushi this place offers. Pricey but you get what you pay for.
(5)Nicole H.
Amazing food and good service, but it's always such a long wait to get your order. The Tiger Shrimp app is amazing and the Alaska roll is a favorite. The six-three roll has the freshest tuna and crab...it's a must try! Each time we visit everything is always fresh and friendly service. Worth the wait.
(4)C J.
I eat there as often as I can whenever I am in town. Oui the chef was actually a traditionally trained Japanese chef, sit in front of him, talk to him, he loves and understands the art of sushi and he is willing to share. Of course, they also serve the Americanized bullsh*t sushi rolls with mayo all over if that's what you prefer.
(5)Michelle M.
I've eaten here many times and loooove it! It's one of my favorite sushi places. However, tonight I got the Hawaiian Seafood Salad, which was good, but certainly not worth the $27 (including tax).
(4)Brittany H.
This place is perfect for girls night! A few of my girlfriends and I went here last week and I have nothing but awesome things to say! The sushi tasted so fresh, the service was fast and super polite!
(4)Nikkie N.
I've eaten here a few times & all occasions were fabulous ! Their pricing is ridiculously high, but honestly, you can't expect to pay any less for the grade of sushi they serve. One roll will fill you up which is great for the pricing. If you're a variety type of person, my suggestion is to go with a group & split the rolls ! Oh, when you sit down your server should greet you with a side of cucumber salad! It's just your typical cucumber, crab meat, sesame seed, & vinegar type of salad. Delicious & even better, on the house! Moving on to menu items I've had: Korean Spicy Tuna - I loved this! It's a plate of spicy tuna (which is SUPER spicy) served with sliced cucumbers, garlic, & jalapenos and seaweed paper. You basically build your own hand roll! It was delicious, but as I've mentioned before, it was overwhelmingly spicy! I eat a ton of spices too and I can handle a good bit, but this was a little to spicy for me. I wish it was toned down a bit so that I could enjoy more of the flavors. I didn't find this menu on the item and asked my server about it. She said is started off at 20$ but if you wanted to add more (I'm guessing spicy tuna?) the price would gradually increase. Fair pricing, definitely would have filled me up if I didn't share it. Edamame - basic edamame, was a little to mushy for my taste, but doesn't matter still good. I think it was 3.50$ Beef Miso - 14$ for a bowl of udon noodles with soup, 3 skewers of beef, & some vegetable tempura (1 of each: onion, broccoli, carrot, sweet potato). I thought it came with a soup & salad but the server brought neither out. We didn't ask for it since we were full and would waste it. But be mindful of the description if this interest you! The soup broth was flavorful & tasted very clean (if you know what I mean). The beef skewers were tasteful and tender. We didn't care for the fried veggies because it was fried. Pink Lady Roll (13$) - snow crab, crunchy, avocado, spicy salmon, & crab stick soy wrapped! I can't even remember if this roll had any rice to it, which I love. I don't like too much rice because it's filling. If I can skip out on the rice altogether, that's a plus. The chefs cut this roll into 10 huge pieces. Doesn't come with a sauce, doesn't need one, but if you're a sauce person, I'd recommend spicy mayo. Atlantic Salmon - I love this but the portion size is small. I can't justify spending 15$ on an appetizer that is this puny. I mean, unless I'm really treating myself to something nice. It's fresh salmon topped with mandarin oranges, I think some type of nut, & drenched (in a good way) in ponzu sauce. It is really really YUMMY but really really expensive! Every element of this appetizer works well together. Order it if you're treating yourself out. Skip it if you're low on cash. V-Roll - I forgot all the things that make up this roll. But it's huge & it'll feed you twice. There's a great variety of fish and flavors in this, so if you're eating alone, just order this roll for 17-18$. One of the best, if not the best, sushi joints in Baton Rouge. If you're coming to order crunchy rolls or something similar/simple, just head on over to Waka House or Albertsons for a cheaper version. If you know your sushi & want it as fresh as it comes, go to Sushi Yama and enjoy what they have to offer. PS: Another plus, they send you off (dessert) with sliced pineapples ON THE HOUSE ! =D
(5)Chloe E.
Complimentary cucumber salad, great rolls, great sushi, amazing pineapple sake and complimentary pineapples make great for a unique sushi spot in Baton Rouge! It's always packed!
(5)Nate A.
I've been to pretty much every sushi place in BR but this place has hands down the best quality/taste sushi around! BUT it's one of the most expensive sushi restaurants in town which I don't mind paying because the sushi is just that good!
(4)Bridgette D.
The best sushi and highest quality service. I would strongly recommend this restaurant. The wait staff is very friendly and the restaurant is extremely clean and organized. Sushi is top of the line!
(5)New Orleans C.
went for the first time on valentines day 2014 was awesome! went back on a regular day and the sushi portions got substantially smaller & not fresh like on valentines and was way over priced..I haven't been back..i do read reviews before eating at new places and this one failed this time!
(1)Jake R.
Tiger Shrimp are my favorite. My go-to sushi place in Baton Rouge. Reasonably priced and great service.
(5)David F.
Some of the best sushi around. Unfortunately, the service is usually among the worst around. If you experience bad service, don't bother trying to talk to the management... quite inept. One too many bad experiences there. We will be looking for a different sushi place.
(2)Nick X.
First off, Sarah G., if you are going to rate a sushi restaurant based on its gyoza, seaweed salad, and crawfish rolls, then you should stop wasting your money and just head straight for the closest chinese buffet. Sushi Yama is easily the best sushi restaurant in town. The fish is as fresh as I've had anywhere and of great quality. Try their yellow tail collar as its one of the most underrated and lesser known cuts of fish and, more importantly, are always available at yama, unlike some other sushi places. We regularly get the Korean Tuna. It's basically a spicy tuna handroll that you wrap yourself with added chunks of jalapeno and garlic. It's a big enough appetizer style dish for 4 and is a terrific off menu item. The owner and head chef, Oi, is one of the most knowledgeable sushi chefs in town and have trained several others that are now head chefs themselves in other sushi spots in Baton Rouge. Have a seat at the sushi bar, order a large sapporo and hot sake, tell Oi to make you whatever he feels like and enjoy a wonder evening!
(5)Jen L.
Solid lunch specials but not a good choice for lunch since we were there for almost 2 hours. While none of my sushi or rolls were great, they were OK and the nigri sushi lunch special is a bargain considering how much you get. I liked my food but our server was not so great. She threw down our chopsticks and our straws and would disappear for great lengths of time. Good thing I was having a lunch meeting and we could continue carrying on business because it took forever.
(3)Taylor W.
The best sushi in town. The king cake roll and New Orleans roll are the best. And we love the complimentary cucumber before and pineapple after. Prices are a little high but it's worth it.
(5)Stacy S.
I like this place. I've been twice. Once with friends for a special occasion dinner and once alone just to satisfy a seaweed salad craving. (They have extra large servings of seaweed salad compared to what I'm used to getting on the West Coast.) The prices are good. Both times the service was good. On my second visit, I sat at the bar and ended up talking with the owner, who was exceptionally nice and kind. I tend towards vegetarian or cooked seafood sushi and the Acadiana (crawfish) roll here is great! It's out of my way, but I'll be back when I can.
(4)Tri L.
Take this from someone who used to be a chef at a few sushi restaurants around Baton Rouge, Sushi Yama is the best sushi found in Baton Rouge. You cannot judge a place by its crunchy or California rolls.... The special rolls is where its at.
(4)Kate N.
My favorite sushi joint in Baton Rouge. Quick, friendly service. Clean and spacious. Fresh fish is why this place is so great! I cannot recall most of what we ordered so I'll just name the ones that stuck out in my memory! Appetizer: -Sashimi Seaweed Salad: DELICIOUS! -Tuna Tataki: Very nice slices of Tuna! Special Rolls: -King Cake Roll: MY ALL TIME FAVORITE. I forgot what's on it but it's colored like a king cake..assorted fish and colored tobiko on top. Will definitely come back every time we are in Baton Rouge!!
(4)Sarah R.
This place has its ups and downs. The up is: Great, prime pieces of fish. The freshest raw fish you could ever have!!! It was melt in your mouth. The down is: the Price.... OMG! I think I paid half my arm to eat the lunch I had. When I go to a SUSHI restaurant- I order sushi. Why else would i go there? I'm not going to order some shrimp or edemame or gyoza appetizer... I can either make that at home or get it at some chinese/ japanese buffet. pfff! My experience at Sushi Yama was one i'll never forget (mainly because of the price). When i arrived, the hostess seated me and a waitress immediately was available to greet me, she brought me the cucumber salad. Nothing too special about it- typical cucumber, crabstick, sesame seed and vinegar salad. Pretty good.. I ordered a Spicy Tuna roll (my fave) and a special roll- cant remember the name of it- but it was HUGE! The Diameter of the roll was probably the size of my small fist. I knew when i saw it, there was no way that was going in my mouth in one delicate bite. I had to tear into this thing.... I felt horrible tearing it apart, everything falling out and such. Nonetheless, delicious!!! I usually always go with sort of average rolls for my first time... Mainly because I want to know the quality and the presentation of the food. If you mess up on a Spicy tuna roll... then you should find a different job. Or even a California Roll.... its simple, americanized, cant-mess-it-up roll and if you do, then I probably wont return. Overall, I was throughly impressed with the rolls. Very, very delicious. The neighboring tables ordered other rolls that looked amazing, topped with ponzu sauce, towering toppings, crunchy toppings.... all of it looked amazing and mouth watering. I will most likely return once me bank account recoups- But this will be the spot when i need to treat myself. The freshest fish available! Definitely reccommend it but be ready to pay an arm and a leg......
(4)Cindy C.
After several months of sushi cravings, my friends and I decided on Sushi Yama. I'm from the Bay Area, so my expectations were low for sushi in Baton Rouge. However, I was pleasantly surprised. It wasn't the greatest, but it wasn't bad either. Gyoza Dumplings: Nothing special. You can get a bag of these dumplings for way cheaper at the Oriental Market on Lee. George Roll: spicy tuna, cucumber, and snowcrab with crunchy batter on top. This roll definitely had a mushy middle because of the spicy tuna. The roll was topped off with snowcrab and sprinkled with the yummy crunchy batter! Salmon Mango Roll: Crabmeat, cucumber and mango; tobiko and fresh salmon on top. I never really thought of having fruit in my sushi, but it was actually pretty good. However, this roll came with neon green wasabi tobiko and regular neon red tobiko. This roll was quite colorful! New Orleans Roll: Spicy Crawfish and avocado; topped with spicy tuna, snowcrab, and wasabi tobiko. This one was reallllly good. Out of all the rolls, I would definitely order this one again! The bill came out to be $60 total so each of us paid about $20. It's pretty expensive, but it's sushi, and it's Baton Rouge. Overall, the sushi was good, but it made me crave even more sushi, especially sushi from California. I've been too spoiled and it seems the sushi here can't satisfy my cravings! But if you're originally from Baton Rouge, then Sushi Yama is the place to go!
(3)Cindy N.
Sushi Yama is my favorite go-to for sushi! I come here very often and I am always pleased.
(4)Libby M.
Simply the best place for sushi in Baton Rouge hands down. The parking is so convenient and they've updated to have an even bigger dining room.
(5)Elizabeth Q.
Best Baton Rouge Sushi! Fresh, fresh fresh! On par with best in USA! Ask Oy to fix you one of his special creations. You will not be disappointed!
(5)Rob U.
Excellent sushi that is as good as I get at home in the NY/NJ area. Had the nigiri sushi dinner and a shrimp tempura roll. Fish was exceptionally fresh and tasty and the roll was great. Talked to the chef who was trained in NYC. This place has great sushi - just go!
(5)L K.
This place has the very best sushi in Baton Rouge. I cannot emphasize how awesome the service is and how fresh and flavorful the food is. I LOVE THIS PLACE. It is my go to for every celebratory time in my life. I love sitting at the bar, drinking hot green tea and watching the chefs create their masterpieces.
(5)Sarah G.
the other yelpers must be smoking crack--not the best sushi ive had (ever OR in the South) and the rolls are slutty (read: loose). my green tea was served pre-steeped (just handed a mug--no teapot, nothing) and no refill was offered. the gyoza and seaweed salad were good although not memorable. as for sushi proper, the eel and scallop were aight but the crawfish/Acadian roll was seriously unappetizing. alas, my two weeks-long sushi craving is still unfulfilled...le sigh
(2)Josh K.
There are many (too many) Japanese restaurants in Baton Rouge. This is the ONLY semi-authentic sushi diner in town. The owner, Mr. Oi, is from China but worked on his skills in Osaka, Japan, for several years. If you are Japanese-savvy, you will see subtle differences from other "also-run" Japanese. Try to sit in counter and have some conversation with him. Ask him for today's special, or "omakase." You will see some art work, not typical sushi rolls.
(5)Charlie A.
"You have to go to Sushi Yama" "They have the best sushi in town" "It's where the 'sushi people' go" Yeah, whatever. So I finally decide to check out Sushi Yama for lunch. I seat myself at the sushi bar and stare at the bright bleak walls until I am greeted by a super friendly and cute waitresses with a plate of cucumbers. I hate cucumbers. They are literally the worst thing ever. I take a small bite anyway while I look over the menu and it was like enjoying my least favorite thing for the first time ever. I don't know what they did to them, but they were awesome. I order the Nigiri Sushi Bento Box and a water. The first thing to come out was a small bowl miso soup. It was alright, a little bland but definitely better than those instant miso soups. My bento box comes with another salad, this time with lettuce and possibly homemade ginger dressing (I forgot to ask). Everything about the bento box is fantastic, even the 4 pieces of California Roll (arguably the lamest of all sushi rolls) was great. I finish the box and I'm still hungry, so I order a spicy tuna roll, no cucumber, my go to sushi roll. Every time I eat at a new sushi place I make sure to try the spicy tuna roll. I can now say that Sushi Yama has the best damn spicy tuna roll I have ever had. My total was about $23 + tip, which is a little bit more than I like to spend for lunch, but damn was it worth it.
(5)Al L.
Very good raw fish, some unique flavorings, and a nice place to grab lunch or dinner. I ordered a bowl of chirashi for dinner. This is basically a bowl of rice with various toppings, often sashimi fish. The meal was $23, which was OK considering the amount of food you get. With it came 14 pieces of sashimi, a cooked shrimp (I don't count this as sushi / sashimi), a piece of cooked eel, 3 pieces of tamagoyaki (Japanese sweet omelette), and a few pickled palate cleansers all served over a bed of sushi rice. You also get a cup of miso soup and cucumber salad. The cucumber salad had too much vinegar IMO, and I couldn't really eat it... Miso soup was fine. There were 5 kinds of sashimi fish: tuna, yellowtail, amberjack, sea bass, and salmon (should be 15 pieces, but apparently it depends on how large the pieces were cut to). Each fish was very flavorful with good texture for sashimi. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the fish. The fish was a little below room temperature, but that was fine. I thoroughly enjoyed the fish in my meal. The cooked eel was a good addition. It had some sweet eel sauce on it, which added additional complexity to the meal. The tamagoyaki was not my favorite. I am used to the egg being light, fluffy, and sweetened, but at Sushi Yama, it as only the sweet that was right. The consistency was too meaty, like fried tofu, and not spongy like it should be. The pickled vegetables were plentiful. There were mushrooms, carrots, radish, and ginger to name a few. The ginger is definitely more common accompanying sashimi fish, but the others were a colorful addition to the dish. Chirashi, like many Japanese dishes is meant to be vibrant in color, in contrast to the rice below. I did feel that there was again too much vinegar from the amount of pickled items in the dish. The rice already contains a small amount of vinegar, and the pickled vegetables made the flavor too heavy made the last bites of the meal unbalanced. I thought the fish was great, but could do without all the extra vinegar.
(3)Sophia T.
I love this place! The only things I ever order are Korean sushi and beef tataki now. I have ordered other things when I've been with bigger groups, but nothing to write home about. I occasionally order the chicken katsu bc my bf loves it, but I've never tried it to comment on it. I have never ever had a bad experience here. The Korean sushi is a must try! They give you all of the ingredients for you to make your own hand roll. I get spicy tuna and spicy salmon. The salmon is cut into big chunks and so freaking good. It's not that spicy, but they give you fresh jalapeño slices for you to put in, so that gives it a kick! Along with the jalapeño, you get garlic, cucumber, and of course the seaweed wraps. Get ponzu sauce on the side to dip it. You won't regret it! On to the beef tataki. I love beef tataki from anywhere. But their ponzu sauce makes theirs even better!
(5)Kevin N.
Came as a recommendation and glad it did. It was honestly some of the best sushi I've had in a very long time. Who would have expected to find it in Baton Rouge, Louisiana!?! Check this place out. The Mardi Gra roll is not on the menu so you have to ask for it. It's incredible!
(5)Keri L.
I am giving the food 4 stars because it was truly delicious and fresh.i had a soft shell crab roll that was subtle and flavorful and perfectly textured. However, I was creeped out by the very uncozy, overly-bright, too-loud rectangular box of a dining room room. I would pick food up from here in the future, but I wouldn't return here for a nice dinner simply because it's not a pleasant room. Also, a better drink menu would be helpful.
(4)Krystal A.
Some of the best quality sushi the city has to offer. This place was packed from the moment we got there to the moment we left. The shrimp dumplings were delightful, the cucumber salad was a good way to start the meal, the sushi was fresh and plentiful. Overall, great food. We ordered the new orleans roll, spicy tuna roll, and crunchy roll. We finished it all. Delicious.
(5)Joshua F.
The absolute best sushi experience I ever had. Cucumber salad before your meal and sliced pineapple after. Very clean restaurant (not a spec of dust anywhere). Sushi bar is so clean it looks brand new. Will be back again.
(5)Jessica E.
While this may not be my perhaps favorite sushi place in Baton Rouge, this is hands down the best place quality-wise sushi that you will get in the Capital City. The fish is fresh, the sushi chefs are experts at their craft, and really the food is to die for. I see a lot of reviews on here about how great their special rolls are-- which have sauces slathered on top, are loaded up with snow crab, or are deep fried. Don't get me wrong, those rolls are good. But if you want the absolute best fish you can get, you are missing out with how great their actual sushi and sashimi offerings are. My absolute favorites are the flounder and the red snapper. Sushi Yama's sushi rice is also great-- it doesn't stick together when you put the sushi in your mouth. Rather, it collapses and accents the fish, like great sushi is supposed to. Not to mention, the seasoning of their sushi rice is great, and I like how the rice is at least room temperature if not a little warm. If I want to have a "roll" night where I eat rolls with tons of sauces and creams, I'd probably go somewhere else because other places are less expensive. But if I want the best true sushi and sashimi in Baton Rouge, Sushi Yama is a must. As well as the flounder and snapper sushi.
(5)April R.
Hands down the best sushi in Baton Rouge. I love the rolls, but my kids cannot get enough of the Tiger Shrimp. Thank goodness these picky toddlers like something here so Mom and Dad can get their raw tuna and sake fix. The pineapple at the end is a great way to finish the meal. Also, ask for Katie - she is an excellent server!
(5)Meghan K.
I had only been here one other time and it was right when it opened. It's crazy how many sushi spots are in one tiny area. I saw three last night. I've never been to Sushi Masa, but Ichiban is some stiff competition. I'm still not a big fan of the location or decor, but food and service was pretty spot on. It was nice how they bring out a complimentary cucumber salad and fruit for after your meal. I enjoyed both. The salad was good and the pineapple was perfectly ripe. I could've had a couple more slices! My children split a chicken fried rice plate, which was huge. They seemed to enjoy it and almost polished it off. I have had better. My husband and I split the Alaskan, crunchy, and volcano. He wasn't in the mood for raw fish rolls ( I was craving some salmon and spicy tuna). Maybe next time! I enjoyed the Alaskan. The crunchy was different than a crunchy you would get at another sushi restaurant. It wasn't my favorite, but I ate it. The volcano roll was interesting. It came out luke warm, which was strange. I'm guessing it sat under the heat lamp for too long. It was a little rich for me, but edible nonetheless. The prices for some of the things on the menu seemed a little expensive for what you were getting. I was looking at a salad and it was $20! Sorry, but I'm not spending that much on a salad, EVER. I'll go back and try out the rolls that I didn't get this time.
(4)SJ L.
Best sushi in town by far, a little pricey but you get what pay for. My favorites are off the normal menu and on special menu. But never had something I didn't love and crave once I left Pineapple sake they make there is great too
(5)Erika G.
Absolutely obsessed with this place! I go here so often that they now know me by name. The sushi is was fresh and quality, my favorite is the salmon roll and I also love to stake terykie and the shrimp tempura. The atmosphere is great although it can get very packed at times. Also I tried to apply for a job there and I think they lowkey discriminate against black people because none work there so yeah other than that hey are great!
(5)LyAnn W.
Absolutely the best. Tuna Lover is my favorite but I also love the lobster roll and the salmon appetizer. They amaze me each and every time.
(5)Chris Y.
Hands down best sushi in Baton Rouge. I'd put this up against any sushi I've had while traveling the pacific, New York, or LA. Hell-- best sushi in Louisiana. Always fresh, and appropriately priced.
(5)J P.
Amazing. I travel a lot. This place is priced-right; which is to say it is not cheap but it has a high value in food quality. New Orleans roll and "Sexy" roll are excellent as is the sashimi quality. Well worth the reviews. The peach sake is subtle, not too sweet and definitely not a "peach vodka" type drink. It's more subtle. The cold sake is killer. Highly recommended. Open area so somewhat loud if they are full but still good for business and even families.
(5)Brad V.
Nice atmosphere, and good service. Prices are maybe a little high? I don't really think so, but my wife did. Honestly, for the quality it is worth 2-4 bucks extra a roll. This is the best sushi restaurant in BR I have tried. I have couple left to go to, but with my experience for sushi I cannot imagine it much better in this town. Sure, you could find a fancier place (and this is by no means trashy), but I am going on taste. If you're in the mood for sushi I have no qualms recommending this place.
(5)Michael T.
Tis a shame really. Sushi is tasty, fresh and prepared well. Service is fast and friendly, place is clean and while be it a tad crammed (Kudos for being packed on a Thursday) however The prices of their rolls versus portions and value just isn't there. Keep in mind this place is in a strip mall, your getting served water in a plastic beer mug. Sure, in the better area of Baton Rouge and possible this is the consideration or the overhead cost of keeping 5 sushi chefs on staff. Now, it may seem as if I am being nit-picky or cheap here but I assure you I have no issue paying higher prices in most cases and have tried probably a hundred different sushi places all over the country. Regular rolls range from 6-10, with your standard rolls sitting around that $7.50 range. Special Rolls - 75% of them are all 15$+, some even 20$+. I wanted to try those but I wasn't fixing to fork that out for a place I have never tried. 3 rolls - 2 regular and 1 special and a water = 30$ Again, not to sway away from the quality of food or service, just off-putting how clearly overpriced the sushi menu is.
(3)Monica V.
You don't go to Sushi Yama for the ambiance; you go for the sushi. It's always fresh, delicious. You can't go wrong with the Low Carb Roll. Snowcrab, avocado, soy wrap, topped with tuna and salmon (no rice). It's so light and refreshing. All of the rolls are great, but since I've tried them all so many times, I wish they would create some new ones.
(5)Kimberly S.
I went tonight while in Baton Rouge for work. My meal was very good, but I definitely ordered too much food. I had a house salad, an MJ roll, and a Philadelphia roll. The house salad was on a dinner plate. I was definitely expecting a small little bowl. The dressing was very ginger-y and tasty. It is mayo based, which isn't my favorite type of ginger dressing. The salad greens were mixed greens as opposed to the usual chilled iceberg in these starter salads. The MJ roll was FANTASTIC. It was huge. This was the only thing I really needed to order, and it would have easily filled me up. The yellowtail was very fresh, the tempura shrimp was still warm from the frier, and the jalapeno and cilantro gave it a nice kick. The Philadelphia roll was not my favorite. The smoked salmon was too smoky for me. Also, I generally prefer a Philadelphia roll with cucumber as opposed to avocado to add some crunch, but this was pretty one note with the texture. Altogether, my meal was $31. Next time, I would order less food, and I think I would leave even happier! PS. The complimentary cucumber salad was great as well as the pineapple to finish! There is nothing better than ending the meal on a sweet, healthy note.
(4)David S.
Best sushi restaurant in Baton Rouge, hands down. Free cucumber salad appetizer is excellent. Lots of off-the-menu rolls you gotta try!
(5)Rami Q.
This is one of my top 3 Sushi spots in the greater Baton Rouge area. Sushi and other dishes served are always fresh and even on a busy night they are very timely. Good service and always greeted with a smile. A must try would be the Atlantic Salmon dish, this dish will change your life. Compliment your meal with a nice bottle of Pineapple Saki as well!
(5)Cindy B.
I cannot say enough good things about this place! I found my new favorite sushi place here in Baton Rouge. I don't have pictures because we jut couldn't wait to dig in. Our server was great and everything came in a timely manner. Once you're seated you're presented with this cucumber, snow crab and sesame salad which is light and refreshing. We started with miso soup and edamame. Our entrees were the Okinawa roll, rock n roll and spicy tuna roll and the tempura like chicken. So fresh and delicious! Afterwards our server brought the check and fresh pineapple to end the meal. It's the small things like the cucumber and pineapple that make you feel like they care about their guest. The only place I will get sushi from now on and recommend everyone check this place out.
(5)John C.
Easily the best sushi I've had in Baton Rouge. Great rolls, and everything was so well prepared with minimal sauce so it was mostly the fish you could taste. It is expensive but if you're treating yourself or someone else, you've got to go! My favorite thing I had here was the Monroe roll. So good and really creative since it's a roll wrapped entirely in fish. Also the pineapple sake was amazing and our server, Tuvy, was SO NICE. I'd definitely recommend asking for her, she made our night really special. Anyway, definitely worth a try, you will not be disappointed!
(5)Megan R.
Even the humble salmon avocado roll is made with the biggest butteriest hunks of salmon you've ever eaten in your life. And the $2 side salad is a plateful, with fresh veggies and a wonderful ginger dressing. Will be back!
(5)Scott F.
Excellent service. Extremely attentive from the moment you walk in. Bar service is quick and well poured. The V-roll and Yama Rolls are huge and fresh. The prices are fair and on par with the amount of food you get. The roll selection is large enough to get a full spectrum of offerings but not so large you can't make a decision. Tables are close together but not shoulder to shoulder. 4.5/5.
(4)Prisha P.
What an amazing experience did we have here. We sat at the sushi bar. It was the Chinese New Year so sushi chef Oye sent a bottle of sake to us.. great start already to our dinner. For apps we had miso soup and yama pizza which is tuna, avocado layered on a tortilla chip.. absolutely tasty! We ordered the Pink Lady Roll and Rock N Roll and both were soooo good. The fish was so fresh! I have been to many sushi places around town and this one is probably the best because i like the home town feel to it.. everyone seemed to know all the staff and the service was really good. Looking forward coming back!
(5)Jodie C.
Best Sushi in BR. The V Roll is great. When I am in the area I always stop for lunch.
(5)Megan R.
Even the humble salmon avocado roll is made with the biggest butteriest hunks of salmon you've ever eaten in your life. And the $2 side salad is a plateful, with fresh veggies and a wonderful ginger dressing. Will be back!
(5)Krystal A.
Some of the best quality sushi the city has to offer. This place was packed from the moment we got there to the moment we left. The shrimp dumplings were delightful, the cucumber salad was a good way to start the meal, the sushi was fresh and plentiful. Overall, great food. We ordered the new orleans roll, spicy tuna roll, and crunchy roll. We finished it all. Delicious.
(5)Joshua F.
The absolute best sushi experience I ever had. Cucumber salad before your meal and sliced pineapple after. Very clean restaurant (not a spec of dust anywhere). Sushi bar is so clean it looks brand new. Will be back again.
(5)Jessica E.
While this may not be my perhaps favorite sushi place in Baton Rouge, this is hands down the best place quality-wise sushi that you will get in the Capital City. The fish is fresh, the sushi chefs are experts at their craft, and really the food is to die for. I see a lot of reviews on here about how great their special rolls are-- which have sauces slathered on top, are loaded up with snow crab, or are deep fried. Don't get me wrong, those rolls are good. But if you want the absolute best fish you can get, you are missing out with how great their actual sushi and sashimi offerings are. My absolute favorites are the flounder and the red snapper. Sushi Yama's sushi rice is also great-- it doesn't stick together when you put the sushi in your mouth. Rather, it collapses and accents the fish, like great sushi is supposed to. Not to mention, the seasoning of their sushi rice is great, and I like how the rice is at least room temperature if not a little warm. If I want to have a "roll" night where I eat rolls with tons of sauces and creams, I'd probably go somewhere else because other places are less expensive. But if I want the best true sushi and sashimi in Baton Rouge, Sushi Yama is a must. As well as the flounder and snapper sushi.
(5)April R.
Hands down the best sushi in Baton Rouge. I love the rolls, but my kids cannot get enough of the Tiger Shrimp. Thank goodness these picky toddlers like something here so Mom and Dad can get their raw tuna and sake fix. The pineapple at the end is a great way to finish the meal. Also, ask for Katie - she is an excellent server!
(5)Kimberly S.
I went tonight while in Baton Rouge for work. My meal was very good, but I definitely ordered too much food. I had a house salad, an MJ roll, and a Philadelphia roll. The house salad was on a dinner plate. I was definitely expecting a small little bowl. The dressing was very ginger-y and tasty. It is mayo based, which isn't my favorite type of ginger dressing. The salad greens were mixed greens as opposed to the usual chilled iceberg in these starter salads. The MJ roll was FANTASTIC. It was huge. This was the only thing I really needed to order, and it would have easily filled me up. The yellowtail was very fresh, the tempura shrimp was still warm from the frier, and the jalapeno and cilantro gave it a nice kick. The Philadelphia roll was not my favorite. The smoked salmon was too smoky for me. Also, I generally prefer a Philadelphia roll with cucumber as opposed to avocado to add some crunch, but this was pretty one note with the texture. Altogether, my meal was $31. Next time, I would order less food, and I think I would leave even happier! PS. The complimentary cucumber salad was great as well as the pineapple to finish! There is nothing better than ending the meal on a sweet, healthy note.
(4)David S.
Best sushi restaurant in Baton Rouge, hands down. Free cucumber salad appetizer is excellent. Lots of off-the-menu rolls you gotta try!
(5)Rami Q.
This is one of my top 3 Sushi spots in the greater Baton Rouge area. Sushi and other dishes served are always fresh and even on a busy night they are very timely. Good service and always greeted with a smile. A must try would be the Atlantic Salmon dish, this dish will change your life. Compliment your meal with a nice bottle of Pineapple Saki as well!
(5)Kevin N.
Came as a recommendation and glad it did. It was honestly some of the best sushi I've had in a very long time. Who would have expected to find it in Baton Rouge, Louisiana!?! Check this place out. The Mardi Gra roll is not on the menu so you have to ask for it. It's incredible!
(5)Cindy B.
I cannot say enough good things about this place! I found my new favorite sushi place here in Baton Rouge. I don't have pictures because we jut couldn't wait to dig in. Our server was great and everything came in a timely manner. Once you're seated you're presented with this cucumber, snow crab and sesame salad which is light and refreshing. We started with miso soup and edamame. Our entrees were the Okinawa roll, rock n roll and spicy tuna roll and the tempura like chicken. So fresh and delicious! Afterwards our server brought the check and fresh pineapple to end the meal. It's the small things like the cucumber and pineapple that make you feel like they care about their guest. The only place I will get sushi from now on and recommend everyone check this place out.
(5)John C.
Easily the best sushi I've had in Baton Rouge. Great rolls, and everything was so well prepared with minimal sauce so it was mostly the fish you could taste. It is expensive but if you're treating yourself or someone else, you've got to go! My favorite thing I had here was the Monroe roll. So good and really creative since it's a roll wrapped entirely in fish. Also the pineapple sake was amazing and our server, Tuvy, was SO NICE. I'd definitely recommend asking for her, she made our night really special. Anyway, definitely worth a try, you will not be disappointed!
(5)Monica V.
You don't go to Sushi Yama for the ambiance; you go for the sushi. It's always fresh, delicious. You can't go wrong with the Low Carb Roll. Snowcrab, avocado, soy wrap, topped with tuna and salmon (no rice). It's so light and refreshing. All of the rolls are great, but since I've tried them all so many times, I wish they would create some new ones.
(5)Charlie A.
"You have to go to Sushi Yama" "They have the best sushi in town" "It's where the 'sushi people' go" Yeah, whatever. So I finally decide to check out Sushi Yama for lunch. I seat myself at the sushi bar and stare at the bright bleak walls until I am greeted by a super friendly and cute waitresses with a plate of cucumbers. I hate cucumbers. They are literally the worst thing ever. I take a small bite anyway while I look over the menu and it was like enjoying my least favorite thing for the first time ever. I don't know what they did to them, but they were awesome. I order the Nigiri Sushi Bento Box and a water. The first thing to come out was a small bowl miso soup. It was alright, a little bland but definitely better than those instant miso soups. My bento box comes with another salad, this time with lettuce and possibly homemade ginger dressing (I forgot to ask). Everything about the bento box is fantastic, even the 4 pieces of California Roll (arguably the lamest of all sushi rolls) was great. I finish the box and I'm still hungry, so I order a spicy tuna roll, no cucumber, my go to sushi roll. Every time I eat at a new sushi place I make sure to try the spicy tuna roll. I can now say that Sushi Yama has the best damn spicy tuna roll I have ever had. My total was about $23 + tip, which is a little bit more than I like to spend for lunch, but damn was it worth it.
(5)Keri L.
I am giving the food 4 stars because it was truly delicious and fresh.i had a soft shell crab roll that was subtle and flavorful and perfectly textured. However, I was creeped out by the very uncozy, overly-bright, too-loud rectangular box of a dining room room. I would pick food up from here in the future, but I wouldn't return here for a nice dinner simply because it's not a pleasant room. Also, a better drink menu would be helpful.
(4)Al L.
Very good raw fish, some unique flavorings, and a nice place to grab lunch or dinner. I ordered a bowl of chirashi for dinner. This is basically a bowl of rice with various toppings, often sashimi fish. The meal was $23, which was OK considering the amount of food you get. With it came 14 pieces of sashimi, a cooked shrimp (I don't count this as sushi / sashimi), a piece of cooked eel, 3 pieces of tamagoyaki (Japanese sweet omelette), and a few pickled palate cleansers all served over a bed of sushi rice. You also get a cup of miso soup and cucumber salad. The cucumber salad had too much vinegar IMO, and I couldn't really eat it... Miso soup was fine. There were 5 kinds of sashimi fish: tuna, yellowtail, amberjack, sea bass, and salmon (should be 15 pieces, but apparently it depends on how large the pieces were cut to). Each fish was very flavorful with good texture for sashimi. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the fish. The fish was a little below room temperature, but that was fine. I thoroughly enjoyed the fish in my meal. The cooked eel was a good addition. It had some sweet eel sauce on it, which added additional complexity to the meal. The tamagoyaki was not my favorite. I am used to the egg being light, fluffy, and sweetened, but at Sushi Yama, it as only the sweet that was right. The consistency was too meaty, like fried tofu, and not spongy like it should be. The pickled vegetables were plentiful. There were mushrooms, carrots, radish, and ginger to name a few. The ginger is definitely more common accompanying sashimi fish, but the others were a colorful addition to the dish. Chirashi, like many Japanese dishes is meant to be vibrant in color, in contrast to the rice below. I did feel that there was again too much vinegar from the amount of pickled items in the dish. The rice already contains a small amount of vinegar, and the pickled vegetables made the flavor too heavy made the last bites of the meal unbalanced. I thought the fish was great, but could do without all the extra vinegar.
(3)Sophia T.
I love this place! The only things I ever order are Korean sushi and beef tataki now. I have ordered other things when I've been with bigger groups, but nothing to write home about. I occasionally order the chicken katsu bc my bf loves it, but I've never tried it to comment on it. I have never ever had a bad experience here. The Korean sushi is a must try! They give you all of the ingredients for you to make your own hand roll. I get spicy tuna and spicy salmon. The salmon is cut into big chunks and so freaking good. It's not that spicy, but they give you fresh jalapeño slices for you to put in, so that gives it a kick! Along with the jalapeño, you get garlic, cucumber, and of course the seaweed wraps. Get ponzu sauce on the side to dip it. You won't regret it! On to the beef tataki. I love beef tataki from anywhere. But their ponzu sauce makes theirs even better!
(5)Scott F.
Excellent service. Extremely attentive from the moment you walk in. Bar service is quick and well poured. The V-roll and Yama Rolls are huge and fresh. The prices are fair and on par with the amount of food you get. The roll selection is large enough to get a full spectrum of offerings but not so large you can't make a decision. Tables are close together but not shoulder to shoulder. 4.5/5.
(4)Prisha P.
What an amazing experience did we have here. We sat at the sushi bar. It was the Chinese New Year so sushi chef Oye sent a bottle of sake to us.. great start already to our dinner. For apps we had miso soup and yama pizza which is tuna, avocado layered on a tortilla chip.. absolutely tasty! We ordered the Pink Lady Roll and Rock N Roll and both were soooo good. The fish was so fresh! I have been to many sushi places around town and this one is probably the best because i like the home town feel to it.. everyone seemed to know all the staff and the service was really good. Looking forward coming back!
(5)Jodie C.
Best Sushi in BR. The V Roll is great. When I am in the area I always stop for lunch.
(5)Meghan K.
I had only been here one other time and it was right when it opened. It's crazy how many sushi spots are in one tiny area. I saw three last night. I've never been to Sushi Masa, but Ichiban is some stiff competition. I'm still not a big fan of the location or decor, but food and service was pretty spot on. It was nice how they bring out a complimentary cucumber salad and fruit for after your meal. I enjoyed both. The salad was good and the pineapple was perfectly ripe. I could've had a couple more slices! My children split a chicken fried rice plate, which was huge. They seemed to enjoy it and almost polished it off. I have had better. My husband and I split the Alaskan, crunchy, and volcano. He wasn't in the mood for raw fish rolls ( I was craving some salmon and spicy tuna). Maybe next time! I enjoyed the Alaskan. The crunchy was different than a crunchy you would get at another sushi restaurant. It wasn't my favorite, but I ate it. The volcano roll was interesting. It came out luke warm, which was strange. I'm guessing it sat under the heat lamp for too long. It was a little rich for me, but edible nonetheless. The prices for some of the things on the menu seemed a little expensive for what you were getting. I was looking at a salad and it was $20! Sorry, but I'm not spending that much on a salad, EVER. I'll go back and try out the rolls that I didn't get this time.
(4)SJ L.
Best sushi in town by far, a little pricey but you get what pay for. My favorites are off the normal menu and on special menu. But never had something I didn't love and crave once I left Pineapple sake they make there is great too
(5)Erika G.
Absolutely obsessed with this place! I go here so often that they now know me by name. The sushi is was fresh and quality, my favorite is the salmon roll and I also love to stake terykie and the shrimp tempura. The atmosphere is great although it can get very packed at times. Also I tried to apply for a job there and I think they lowkey discriminate against black people because none work there so yeah other than that hey are great!
(5)LyAnn W.
Absolutely the best. Tuna Lover is my favorite but I also love the lobster roll and the salmon appetizer. They amaze me each and every time.
(5)Chris Y.
Hands down best sushi in Baton Rouge. I'd put this up against any sushi I've had while traveling the pacific, New York, or LA. Hell-- best sushi in Louisiana. Always fresh, and appropriately priced.
(5)J P.
Amazing. I travel a lot. This place is priced-right; which is to say it is not cheap but it has a high value in food quality. New Orleans roll and "Sexy" roll are excellent as is the sashimi quality. Well worth the reviews. The peach sake is subtle, not too sweet and definitely not a "peach vodka" type drink. It's more subtle. The cold sake is killer. Highly recommended. Open area so somewhat loud if they are full but still good for business and even families.
(5)Brad V.
Nice atmosphere, and good service. Prices are maybe a little high? I don't really think so, but my wife did. Honestly, for the quality it is worth 2-4 bucks extra a roll. This is the best sushi restaurant in BR I have tried. I have couple left to go to, but with my experience for sushi I cannot imagine it much better in this town. Sure, you could find a fancier place (and this is by no means trashy), but I am going on taste. If you're in the mood for sushi I have no qualms recommending this place.
(5)Michael T.
Tis a shame really. Sushi is tasty, fresh and prepared well. Service is fast and friendly, place is clean and while be it a tad crammed (Kudos for being packed on a Thursday) however The prices of their rolls versus portions and value just isn't there. Keep in mind this place is in a strip mall, your getting served water in a plastic beer mug. Sure, in the better area of Baton Rouge and possible this is the consideration or the overhead cost of keeping 5 sushi chefs on staff. Now, it may seem as if I am being nit-picky or cheap here but I assure you I have no issue paying higher prices in most cases and have tried probably a hundred different sushi places all over the country. Regular rolls range from 6-10, with your standard rolls sitting around that $7.50 range. Special Rolls - 75% of them are all 15$+, some even 20$+. I wanted to try those but I wasn't fixing to fork that out for a place I have never tried. 3 rolls - 2 regular and 1 special and a water = 30$ Again, not to sway away from the quality of food or service, just off-putting how clearly overpriced the sushi menu is.
(3)Mandy V.
This place has some fresh fish. I would give five stars for that alone. I really enjoyed the dynamite and V roll. The V roll is packed with different fish. It's $20 which took me by surprise, but it can feed 2, and when you think about the price of sashimi it makes sense. I feel like $20 was fair but I think $18 would have been more competitive. The roll is drizzled with spicy mayo and eel sauce so if you are like me and prefer to taste the fish, order the sauce on the side or don't get the sauce at all. The dynamite roll was $6 so of course it was smaller but still tasted great. I also liked that they start u off with a complimentary cucumber/crab salad and finish with complimentary pineapple. They have both Kirin Ichiban and Sapporo beer. The small sake was only like $4. As for the service, our waitress was great at answering our questions. She was quick with our order. The sushi came out promptly. We were outta there in like 30 minutes.
(4)Alissa A.
From looking at the outside when arriving, I did not have high hopes. However, when we walked in I was pleasantly surprised by a modern and clean atmosphere. The restaurant is much more spacious than it looks from the outside too. Our waitress was very attentive and kind. Everyone at my table ordered sushi and it received mediocre reviews. The eel sauce was too BBQ-y for my taste and the rolls were too large. Ingredients were fresh and tasty. Not my favorite place but not shabby either!
(3)Angela H.
The best I've had in BR so far. Loved the New Orleans Roll...The cucumber/crab salad and fresh pineapple slices for dessert were on the house. Although a little pricey, it was worth every penny.
(5)Brandy D.
From the front door to watching the Chefs prepare your meal is an amazing experience! Great customer service & Best sushi ever!
(5)Brittany H.
This place is perfect for girls night! A few of my girlfriends and I went here last week and I have nothing but awesome things to say! The sushi tasted so fresh, the service was fast and super polite!
(4)Chloe E.
Complimentary cucumber salad, great rolls, great sushi, amazing pineapple sake and complimentary pineapples make great for a unique sushi spot in Baton Rouge! It's always packed!
(5)Nate A.
I've been to pretty much every sushi place in BR but this place has hands down the best quality/taste sushi around! BUT it's one of the most expensive sushi restaurants in town which I don't mind paying because the sushi is just that good!
(4)Bridgette D.
The best sushi and highest quality service. I would strongly recommend this restaurant. The wait staff is very friendly and the restaurant is extremely clean and organized. Sushi is top of the line!
(5)New Orleans C.
went for the first time on valentines day 2014 was awesome! went back on a regular day and the sushi portions got substantially smaller & not fresh like on valentines and was way over priced..I haven't been back..i do read reviews before eating at new places and this one failed this time!
(1)Nikkie N.
I've eaten here a few times & all occasions were fabulous ! Their pricing is ridiculously high, but honestly, you can't expect to pay any less for the grade of sushi they serve. One roll will fill you up which is great for the pricing. If you're a variety type of person, my suggestion is to go with a group & split the rolls ! Oh, when you sit down your server should greet you with a side of cucumber salad! It's just your typical cucumber, crab meat, sesame seed, & vinegar type of salad. Delicious & even better, on the house! Moving on to menu items I've had: Korean Spicy Tuna - I loved this! It's a plate of spicy tuna (which is SUPER spicy) served with sliced cucumbers, garlic, & jalapenos and seaweed paper. You basically build your own hand roll! It was delicious, but as I've mentioned before, it was overwhelmingly spicy! I eat a ton of spices too and I can handle a good bit, but this was a little to spicy for me. I wish it was toned down a bit so that I could enjoy more of the flavors. I didn't find this menu on the item and asked my server about it. She said is started off at 20$ but if you wanted to add more (I'm guessing spicy tuna?) the price would gradually increase. Fair pricing, definitely would have filled me up if I didn't share it. Edamame - basic edamame, was a little to mushy for my taste, but doesn't matter still good. I think it was 3.50$ Beef Miso - 14$ for a bowl of udon noodles with soup, 3 skewers of beef, & some vegetable tempura (1 of each: onion, broccoli, carrot, sweet potato). I thought it came with a soup & salad but the server brought neither out. We didn't ask for it since we were full and would waste it. But be mindful of the description if this interest you! The soup broth was flavorful & tasted very clean (if you know what I mean). The beef skewers were tasteful and tender. We didn't care for the fried veggies because it was fried. Pink Lady Roll (13$) - snow crab, crunchy, avocado, spicy salmon, & crab stick soy wrapped! I can't even remember if this roll had any rice to it, which I love. I don't like too much rice because it's filling. If I can skip out on the rice altogether, that's a plus. The chefs cut this roll into 10 huge pieces. Doesn't come with a sauce, doesn't need one, but if you're a sauce person, I'd recommend spicy mayo. Atlantic Salmon - I love this but the portion size is small. I can't justify spending 15$ on an appetizer that is this puny. I mean, unless I'm really treating myself to something nice. It's fresh salmon topped with mandarin oranges, I think some type of nut, & drenched (in a good way) in ponzu sauce. It is really really YUMMY but really really expensive! Every element of this appetizer works well together. Order it if you're treating yourself out. Skip it if you're low on cash. V-Roll - I forgot all the things that make up this roll. But it's huge & it'll feed you twice. There's a great variety of fish and flavors in this, so if you're eating alone, just order this roll for 17-18$. One of the best, if not the best, sushi joints in Baton Rouge. If you're coming to order crunchy rolls or something similar/simple, just head on over to Waka House or Albertsons for a cheaper version. If you know your sushi & want it as fresh as it comes, go to Sushi Yama and enjoy what they have to offer. PS: Another plus, they send you off (dessert) with sliced pineapples ON THE HOUSE ! =D
(5)Gina B.
I wish I would have had a better experience but it was frustrating. I ordered take out and got the following: Tempura udon: 4 shrimp, 1 sweet potato slice, 1 broccoli and 1 onion tempura were good, wish the udon noodles would have been in a bigger take out container. They were jammed in with minimal broth. Rock and roll sushi: large and ample but skimped on the avocado. Tasty tho Edamame: decent The side dish of cucumbers and crab was yummy. The disappointing factor is that I ordered tempura ice cream. The hostess said it was in the bag and when I got to my hotel it wasn't. I called to see if they would credit my card and the manager told me he couldn't because he didn't have a full keypad. I was irritated on the principle because I wasn't about to leave my hotel just to pick up an item they forgot in my bag, then my other food would be cold. Not being able to be credited back on my card is asinine. The manager did offer to come after closing and credit me back in cash. Bringing me $5, so at least he redeemed himself there to give 3 stars. It prolly would have been a 4 star rating for me if this incident wouldn't have been so problematic. Seriously, who can't credit back a credit card and recharge the correct amount?!
(3)megan s.
I really don't know how this place got all these good reviews. One, the waitress that helped us was very impatient, almost rude. Their sushi is overpriced; $5 for a CA roll with imitation crab. Ridiculous. We ordered their New Orleans roll , it did not look appetizing at all and we ended up returning it. We had to speak with the manager to make sure we were able to and he was not happy. The one star would have to go to the beef teriyaki. That was actually pretty good but that's it.
(1)M M.
The sushi was very good quality. The tuna was really red. The service was very good as well. Only real complaint was it took a little to long for the food to come out.
(4)Brian R.
Some of the best sushi in town. Not the best location or decor but the food is top notch. Only Ichiban can touch the quality of sushi this place offers. Pricey but you get what you pay for.
(5)Nicole H.
Amazing food and good service, but it's always such a long wait to get your order. The Tiger Shrimp app is amazing and the Alaska roll is a favorite. The six-three roll has the freshest tuna and crab...it's a must try! Each time we visit everything is always fresh and friendly service. Worth the wait.
(4)C J.
I eat there as often as I can whenever I am in town. Oui the chef was actually a traditionally trained Japanese chef, sit in front of him, talk to him, he loves and understands the art of sushi and he is willing to share. Of course, they also serve the Americanized bullsh*t sushi rolls with mayo all over if that's what you prefer.
(5)Michelle M.
I've eaten here many times and loooove it! It's one of my favorite sushi places. However, tonight I got the Hawaiian Seafood Salad, which was good, but certainly not worth the $27 (including tax).
(4)Jake R.
Tiger Shrimp are my favorite. My go-to sushi place in Baton Rouge. Reasonably priced and great service.
(5)David F.
Some of the best sushi around. Unfortunately, the service is usually among the worst around. If you experience bad service, don't bother trying to talk to the management... quite inept. One too many bad experiences there. We will be looking for a different sushi place.
(2)Nick X.
First off, Sarah G., if you are going to rate a sushi restaurant based on its gyoza, seaweed salad, and crawfish rolls, then you should stop wasting your money and just head straight for the closest chinese buffet. Sushi Yama is easily the best sushi restaurant in town. The fish is as fresh as I've had anywhere and of great quality. Try their yellow tail collar as its one of the most underrated and lesser known cuts of fish and, more importantly, are always available at yama, unlike some other sushi places. We regularly get the Korean Tuna. It's basically a spicy tuna handroll that you wrap yourself with added chunks of jalapeno and garlic. It's a big enough appetizer style dish for 4 and is a terrific off menu item. The owner and head chef, Oi, is one of the most knowledgeable sushi chefs in town and have trained several others that are now head chefs themselves in other sushi spots in Baton Rouge. Have a seat at the sushi bar, order a large sapporo and hot sake, tell Oi to make you whatever he feels like and enjoy a wonder evening!
(5)Jen L.
Solid lunch specials but not a good choice for lunch since we were there for almost 2 hours. While none of my sushi or rolls were great, they were OK and the nigri sushi lunch special is a bargain considering how much you get. I liked my food but our server was not so great. She threw down our chopsticks and our straws and would disappear for great lengths of time. Good thing I was having a lunch meeting and we could continue carrying on business because it took forever.
(3)Taylor W.
The best sushi in town. The king cake roll and New Orleans roll are the best. And we love the complimentary cucumber before and pineapple after. Prices are a little high but it's worth it.
(5)Stacy S.
I like this place. I've been twice. Once with friends for a special occasion dinner and once alone just to satisfy a seaweed salad craving. (They have extra large servings of seaweed salad compared to what I'm used to getting on the West Coast.) The prices are good. Both times the service was good. On my second visit, I sat at the bar and ended up talking with the owner, who was exceptionally nice and kind. I tend towards vegetarian or cooked seafood sushi and the Acadiana (crawfish) roll here is great! It's out of my way, but I'll be back when I can.
(4)Tri L.
Take this from someone who used to be a chef at a few sushi restaurants around Baton Rouge, Sushi Yama is the best sushi found in Baton Rouge. You cannot judge a place by its crunchy or California rolls.... The special rolls is where its at.
(4)Kate N.
My favorite sushi joint in Baton Rouge. Quick, friendly service. Clean and spacious. Fresh fish is why this place is so great! I cannot recall most of what we ordered so I'll just name the ones that stuck out in my memory! Appetizer: -Sashimi Seaweed Salad: DELICIOUS! -Tuna Tataki: Very nice slices of Tuna! Special Rolls: -King Cake Roll: MY ALL TIME FAVORITE. I forgot what's on it but it's colored like a king cake..assorted fish and colored tobiko on top. Will definitely come back every time we are in Baton Rouge!!
(4)Sarah R.
This place has its ups and downs. The up is: Great, prime pieces of fish. The freshest raw fish you could ever have!!! It was melt in your mouth. The down is: the Price.... OMG! I think I paid half my arm to eat the lunch I had. When I go to a SUSHI restaurant- I order sushi. Why else would i go there? I'm not going to order some shrimp or edemame or gyoza appetizer... I can either make that at home or get it at some chinese/ japanese buffet. pfff! My experience at Sushi Yama was one i'll never forget (mainly because of the price). When i arrived, the hostess seated me and a waitress immediately was available to greet me, she brought me the cucumber salad. Nothing too special about it- typical cucumber, crabstick, sesame seed and vinegar salad. Pretty good.. I ordered a Spicy Tuna roll (my fave) and a special roll- cant remember the name of it- but it was HUGE! The Diameter of the roll was probably the size of my small fist. I knew when i saw it, there was no way that was going in my mouth in one delicate bite. I had to tear into this thing.... I felt horrible tearing it apart, everything falling out and such. Nonetheless, delicious!!! I usually always go with sort of average rolls for my first time... Mainly because I want to know the quality and the presentation of the food. If you mess up on a Spicy tuna roll... then you should find a different job. Or even a California Roll.... its simple, americanized, cant-mess-it-up roll and if you do, then I probably wont return. Overall, I was throughly impressed with the rolls. Very, very delicious. The neighboring tables ordered other rolls that looked amazing, topped with ponzu sauce, towering toppings, crunchy toppings.... all of it looked amazing and mouth watering. I will most likely return once me bank account recoups- But this will be the spot when i need to treat myself. The freshest fish available! Definitely reccommend it but be ready to pay an arm and a leg......
(4)Cindy N.
Sushi Yama is my favorite go-to for sushi! I come here very often and I am always pleased.
(4)Libby M.
Simply the best place for sushi in Baton Rouge hands down. The parking is so convenient and they've updated to have an even bigger dining room.
(5)Elizabeth Q.
Best Baton Rouge Sushi! Fresh, fresh fresh! On par with best in USA! Ask Oy to fix you one of his special creations. You will not be disappointed!
(5)Rob U.
Excellent sushi that is as good as I get at home in the NY/NJ area. Had the nigiri sushi dinner and a shrimp tempura roll. Fish was exceptionally fresh and tasty and the roll was great. Talked to the chef who was trained in NYC. This place has great sushi - just go!
(5)Cindy C.
After several months of sushi cravings, my friends and I decided on Sushi Yama. I'm from the Bay Area, so my expectations were low for sushi in Baton Rouge. However, I was pleasantly surprised. It wasn't the greatest, but it wasn't bad either. Gyoza Dumplings: Nothing special. You can get a bag of these dumplings for way cheaper at the Oriental Market on Lee. George Roll: spicy tuna, cucumber, and snowcrab with crunchy batter on top. This roll definitely had a mushy middle because of the spicy tuna. The roll was topped off with snowcrab and sprinkled with the yummy crunchy batter! Salmon Mango Roll: Crabmeat, cucumber and mango; tobiko and fresh salmon on top. I never really thought of having fruit in my sushi, but it was actually pretty good. However, this roll came with neon green wasabi tobiko and regular neon red tobiko. This roll was quite colorful! New Orleans Roll: Spicy Crawfish and avocado; topped with spicy tuna, snowcrab, and wasabi tobiko. This one was reallllly good. Out of all the rolls, I would definitely order this one again! The bill came out to be $60 total so each of us paid about $20. It's pretty expensive, but it's sushi, and it's Baton Rouge. Overall, the sushi was good, but it made me crave even more sushi, especially sushi from California. I've been too spoiled and it seems the sushi here can't satisfy my cravings! But if you're originally from Baton Rouge, then Sushi Yama is the place to go!
(3)C K.
I'm confused. I've only been here twice -- the first time, I thought -- this isn't bad for the South, and the wasabi salad is really good. Rolls are okay, very Americanized -- which was annoying... but I liked it enough to go back a second time. This time I ordered the wasabi salad again and the fish just wasn't fresh.. the rolls we got were, again, very Americanized.. they tasted more Mexican than Japanese with all the extra ingredients like cilantro and jalapenos. I don't expect much from sushi in the South.. but given that it was very fishy tasting and smelling this time (and way more expensive than sushi in California that is much better quality), I don't plan on going back... also, it creeps me out when there are more people in the restaurant using forks and fingers than chopsticks. I know that sounds stupidly pretentious, but c'mon, at least TRY to make an effort...
(2)Stevie H.
This is a really awesome sushi place. Very fresh and they have great service. Only complaint is that it's a little pricey when compared to other places with equal quality and lower prices. I will still go back.
(4)L K.
This place has the very best sushi in Baton Rouge. I cannot emphasize how awesome the service is and how fresh and flavorful the food is. I LOVE THIS PLACE. It is my go to for every celebratory time in my life. I love sitting at the bar, drinking hot green tea and watching the chefs create their masterpieces.
(5)Liz H.
Lovee the sushi here! Chicken katsu = yummy!
(4)Knick M.
Easily the best sushi bar in town. Request the chefs special and be prepared to try something new and delicious. Most of the chefs are pretty good at rewarding the adventurous and the quality of fish is untouchable anywhere else. These guys can offer you items that the theme joints can't even imagine.
(5)Kevin P.
Overall: Very delicious across the board. Definitely the best sushi place in Baton Rouge. There should be NO reason why Ichiban has 4 stars and this place has 3.5. Their sushi is better than that of Ichiban and Hello Sushi across the board. They are definitely comparable to the sushi restaurants I've been to in Japan and Taiwan. Price: Higher than average ($6 for basic rolls, $13 - $17 for special) but it is well worth the money. Please see my review of Tokyo Cafe to see why you should be willing to pay more for sushi... seriously. Service: Excellent. The Head Chef is very knowledgeable (trained in Japan), friendly, polite and often gives treats if you are a regular. The waiters and waitresses are very attentive and friendly as well. Fish: Ordered my standard - uni (sea urchin), amaebi (sweet shrimp), albacore (didn't see escolar on the menu), tuna, salmon. The quality of their ingredients are by far the best and freshest in town, and it is very authentic. Albacore was seared on an open flame. The amaebi came with the fried head and was slightly crisp with no fishy taste (perfect). And the uni was extremely fresh with the perfect taste and texture. The toro (fatty tuna) was melt in the mouth of course... All sashimi was sliced properly and served at the optimum temperature (no big cold chunks of meat like Ichiban) Rolls: I ordered their blue crab spring roll (jumbo lump louisiana blue crab in Vietnamese style roll paper with cucumber avocado and carrots). With the japanese mayonnaise it was phenomenal - extremely fresh and melted in the mouth... The New Orleans roll was excellent... Usually I don't do crawfish in sushi, but the other things in the roll really complemented the flavors of the crawfish very well. All blue crab and crawfish are Louisianan and extremely fresh. Tiger Roll had generous pieces of fish in each bite. Again, so fresh it melted in the mouth - with excellent complementing flavors from the fish eggs and other ingredients. Bottom Line: YOU NEED TO TRY THIS PLACE IF YOU LIKE SUSHI AND ARE IN BATON ROUGE.
(5)Steve M.
I have been here many many times. Have never been disappointed. I don't eat rolls so I can't comment on them as others have here. I always order nigiri or sashimi. I have never had a bad piece of fish and has always been cut perfectly to suit me. The rice has always been perfect which is my major evaluation point for a sushi place. I also love the little cucumber salad they give you with an entree. It is a very popular place, particularly for lunch. Before they expanded it was next to impossible to get a table at lunch. Even after they expanded I have went many times where we were going to have quite a wait. Definitely worth the wait if you have the time.
(4)Lois R.
If you're looking for good sushi in BR, this is the place for you. It's more expensive than I'd like, but everything is fresh and the service is good.
(5)Corey G.
What a find. Visiting Baton Rouge on business and co-worker took us to this restaurant. It's in a strip mall type building, but it doesn't disappoint. The staff was very nice and cool. The selection is vast & it was hard to pick rolls, because they all looked yummy. We had a party of four and we ordered six rolls (plus a round of 4 large Saporro's which we shared). WE also had a first-timer to sushi. He was a buddy from New Hampshire. Tried to not scare him too much. All and all I think he liked it **although he had issues w/ the chopsticks** ;)
(4)C M.
Hey, this place is real. I have lived 26 yrs in JPN, being in sales in US for 12 yrs and have been to so many sushi places. I have no limit on budget. I have just happen to stop in this city Baton Rouge LA and read the review of Yelp, then decided to eat at Yama. First of all, its super clean. Second, service is great. And the sushi that they serve is 5 stars easily. More importantly, they have good customers here. Great sushi and great environment, great on everything. I lived in OC Cali for 10 yrs but the price is half of what OC will charge. Very professional, sushi masters. The owner chef = Mr. Ooi from JPN is a true craftman. 6 stars to him. You have to go to YAMA. Im glad that we decided to spend a night in Baton Rouge on our way to New Orleans. If you are in New Orleans, it's worth of 1 hr drive. You will meet the real sushi. Nice Sake selections, too.
(5)Sarah G.
the other yelpers must be smoking crack--not the best sushi ive had (ever OR in the South) and the rolls are slutty (read: loose). my green tea was served pre-steeped (just handed a mug--no teapot, nothing) and no refill was offered. the gyoza and seaweed salad were good although not memorable. as for sushi proper, the eel and scallop were aight but the crawfish/Acadian roll was seriously unappetizing. alas, my two weeks-long sushi craving is still unfulfilled...le sigh
(2)Josh K.
There are many (too many) Japanese restaurants in Baton Rouge. This is the ONLY semi-authentic sushi diner in town. The owner, Mr. Oi, is from China but worked on his skills in Osaka, Japan, for several years. If you are Japanese-savvy, you will see subtle differences from other "also-run" Japanese. Try to sit in counter and have some conversation with him. Ask him for today's special, or "omakase." You will see some art work, not typical sushi rolls.
(5)Emily C.
The dining room has been expanded! They have pretty much doubled the size of the dining room, so I imagine the wait time is much more reasonable now on a busy night. Also, try the Rachel Roll. It's not on the menu, but they usually list it as a special. I can't remember all of the ingredients, but it is topped off with cavier which swells the price to $20, but it's worth it.
(5)The Chef J.
Being a chef myself but not of the sushi/asian kind. This was recommended from a friend. (thank you) unlike other people I don't judge on simple rolls. I just ask the chef "Omakase". The sushi chef's face lit up. Since this was the chef's choice I gave him some hints on what I like. something with crunch, spicy, and Toro (fatty tuna), fresh scallops, and 1 hand roll. So the first course was a Tuna/crab meat crunch "salad" this was very good, the crab meat taste like it came directly from the sea, the tuna was fresh and cold like it should. Second course was a flash tempura fried scallops with a soy broth I'm still trying to find out what it is! The scallops were fresh and the crunch factor was there. the 3rd course was a 7 fish sashimi, yellow tail, tuna, toro, salmon, flounder, Japanese snapper. all great and all fresh the toro melted in my mouth like it was butter. the final course was a spicy hand roll with razor thin jalapenos and spicy tuna with some tempura flakes... best part of the meal. This was very worth the time, and price it was only $30 to most people that is expensive, i beg to differ. the owner was present and can see and noticed I was a chef by how i described the food. he was happy and I was too. the only gripe i had was nothing really. service was great from greeting, seating, drinks, food and check presentation. I would give 4.5 cuz I rarely give 5s. I would definitely come back!
(5)