4. Restaurants

Yoko’s Japanese Restaurant

2878 Se Gladstone St, Portland, OR, 97202
  • (503) 736-9228
  • Store is closed

Yoko’s Japanese Restaurant Menu

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  • Jam B.

    ok when i first moved to portland i didn't understand that it was okay for white people to serve culture-specific food. now i get it--there are only white people here. i think that that probably altered my opinion because after about 2 years of living in portland i think this place is actually pretty delicious. it's really a beacon of light in a town of sea of mediocre sushi (the highest rated sushi place pulls the gimmick that it's so big that you can't fit it in your mouth--C'MAHN). okay guys, sorry about before. you're great. i love you. don't change.

    (4)

  • linda s.

    enjoyed dinner once again at Yoko s last night, but was annoyed with the appearance of the sushi chef, I just couldn't grasp why he was allowed to display his hair in the manner in which it was. I am sorry, but all of the other guys were groomed, but this guy looked like a droopy eared dog. How can he be allowed to be in that position preparing food and his hair dangling around his face. Not sure I would have dinner there again just because of how irritated I was every time I looked up and saw him. Not sure the health department would approve.

    (4)

  • Todd V.

    Went on a Thursday at 5:45 and were seated right away. Of the few Japanese places we've been yet in Portland Yoko's has the best atmosphere--cute, well decorated, small but not crowded. There are some really nice looking sake cups in little shelves on the wall, and of course the aquarium is cool. I liked that they served their sashimi and nigiri sushi in ori, the real Japanese trays. The music was a little loud but just the right volume to drown out nearby conversations while keeping ours audible. On to the food. Wakame salad: Maybe the word wakame gets some mileage in America, but this was actually not wakame! Just regular seaweed, and almost certainly not handmade--had a slightly funny taste to it and our tongues turned green while eating it. It was really good on first bite, but got heavy and chemical-flavored quickly. Maybe good to split between four people if you're really really in the mood for some non-wakame wakame. A nice side of dressed cucumbers comes with as a plus. We'll be going for the cheaper cucumber sunomono salad next time. Veggie tempura udon: Another loser. Huge mound of tempura, which was very unfortunately overbattered and underseasoned. The soy-based broth was heavy but low on flavor. It could be that it was made in the store from very basic ingredients like soy sauce, mirin, etc. Still, edible Dynamite roll: Very good! Next time we go we will just focus on the rolls and skip the other stuff. Total for those three things: $24.50. Not cheap but not terrible. Three rolls would probably be about the same price or a little more. Despite some average offerings I'd like to go back and try more off their roll menu. Maybe sit at the bar next time.

    (4)

  • Page B.

    I love the Batman roll. I love the specials. I love the Taka's tuna. The seaweed salad is fantastic. Their nigiri is top-notch. Thanks to Cbar, the wait is a lot more tolerable than it used to be. That said, I didn't come to Yoko's to spend money waiting in a bar. The service is always spotty, though there are only 5-6 tables inside and the 9-10 seats at the sushi bar. Whatever, generally in a sushi bar I am busy feeding my face. I love their sushi, so whateva.

    (4)

  • Julie D.

    So after reading the yelpers reviews I was pretty excited to check Yoko's out. I warned the hubby that we might encounter a wait and to be prepared. We got there and were seated in about 5 minutes. We got to sit right near the giant salt water fish tank. We ordered 5 minutes later. We had: -wakame salad and cumber with ginger (AWESOME DRESSING..so yummy and gigantic) -Miso soup -edamame (steamed and still warm, dusted with a little bit of salt) -the thai roll -the poki roll -a soft shell crab roll with salmon -and a octopus roll with tempura green beans. When the food came out we looked at each other and both said "we ordered to much food." We managed to polish everything off and even have room for green tea mochi! SO FREAKING GOOD. Just amazing.

    (5)

  • Suzanne F.

    Best Darn Sushi I have ever had, bar none! I dream about this place, and while I pride myself on adventuresome dining, I will predictably return to Yoko's again and again. There's been a wait each time we have eaten here, which is fine. We just go next door to C-Bar and have a drink. It's worth the wait. Upon entering the restaurant there is a very well maintained salt water tank with an incredible array of animal life. I know how difficult it is to keep up with these tanks and this is one of the healthiest I have seen. It is a good sign indicating the care lavished upon food here. We had several specials including spider rolls, a roll with salmon skin, and spicy tuna rolls. The special spring rolls were OUTSTANDING and filled with prawns and vegetables. We also enjoyed a salad of wakame, cucumbers and slivered carrots. This food is swoon-worthy. We have had fun conversations with folks next to us at the sushi bar, tho' we haven't spoken to the sushi chefs. They are so focused and concentrating so hard on the food...which is what I want to see! To top it all off, I think the logo for this place is about the most humorous I have found. Without giving too much away, let me just say an inflated blow-fish with enlarged lipsticked lips is pretty gosh-darned attractive! Highly favored by me and I am a frequent flyer to this terrific spot! It WILL, however, spoil you to all other sushi from this time forth.

    (5)

  • Dylan H.

    When I first moved down here everyone was telling me that Mio Sushi was the best ever! Well that may not have been totally true. The best Sushi I have been able to find in Portland is at Yoko's. Now I am hesitant to even tell you about it but I believe they are deserving of your patronage. The staff is great and the sushi chef does an amazing job presenting you with your order. There is typically a wait so get there early, check in then go to the C bar for a few pops before your table is ready. The dining area is small and is not good for groups over 4-6 people... and that might be pushing the limits. The larger your group the longer the wait. This is just another great little spot on Gladstone.

    (4)

  • Jen C.

    This is a cool little sushi bar tucked away in SE...the restaurant itself is charming, no frills, quaint, plays good music. Sushi is fresh and well-priced, but none of the rolls really wowwed me. Actually, some of them were a bit bland. The nigri was really fresh and tasty however. I also wasn't a fan of the long wait in between the appetizer and main course. Had to have been 30-40 minutes plus. I wish I had brought a board game with us that's how long it seemed.....

    (2)

  • Kathleen B.

    Finally, the elusive bowl of ramen we have been searching Portland for. All I want is my udon or soba in properly flavored broth, with delicious tempura with little floaty unidentified things in the soup. Yoko's has it! This is the real deal for ramen lovers; their veggie ramen rocks and I will be back many times. Sushi rolls were also delicious; I go mostly veggie on rolls, since raw fish doesn't appeal to me, and they had some creative, tasty veg rolls. The wait was long, so either go early or don't go starving. You will end up eating the menu or your wallet.

    (4)

  • Andrea V.

    I really don't know how it could be better. I have always choked down sushi and pretended I liked it. At Yoko's, I found out what I was actually missing. Amazing rolls. The only fish fresher than this is still swimming. Great service, and according to my friends, they have spiffed up the interior a bit lately. The only drawback is that they are so popular that the second they opened the door at 5 pm on Friday, those of us lying in wait in our cars filled the place within 5 minutes. Try the seaweed salad, its fab.

    (5)

  • James A.

    Great sushi and good daily specials, and Takas Tuna is mind blowing as well as the Poke. The place is small and table and bar seating is limited. Crowded most of the time and the list gets shut down an hour before closing. Customer service can be spotty and I have had really bad service there. Once we were the last on the list and waiting for about 20 min or so and another couple walked in who were friends or whatever and they crossed us off the list and told us they were done for the night. I was livid to say the least. Then there are other times where it works out just fine. The foods good but you take a gamble on the service. Also the table in the back near the bathroom is by far the worst seats in the house. One other thing from what I hear they charge gratuity on take out orders. Bonkers.

    (4)

  • Scott B.

    Portland has had really good sushi for a very long time. Yoko's! It's small, cozy and everything is delicious. My top place for sushi in PDX.

    (5)

  • John M.

    There used to be only a couple of decent sushi options in Portland; now there are multitudes. Yoko's stands out among the very best. The only downside is it's small. But that probably keeps the quality consistent, too. If you go, you're in for a wait unless you get there right when it opens. But there are three good watering holes nearby, and Yoko's staff will call you on your cell when your table's ready. So make an evening of it.

    (5)

  • Nick R.

    My wife's rolls were good. The chicken terriyaki bowl was fine. The service was a little slow, but friendly. This place is small.

    (3)

  • Susan C.

    My fave portland sushi joint. Though it's a cramped little restaurant, we like to arrive right as they open to be seated (yes, wait is atrocious otherwise). They cater well to children with their kids menu- big boat (literally, served on a boat) of food for about $5.95 if I remember correctly. Delicious sushi - well worth the wait and cramped tables.

    (5)

  • Audra G.

    My favorite sushi bar, bar none, nothing is better than Yoko's! Fresh, good service, can't go wrong! It is small though and seating is limited, expect to wait if you want dinner.

    (5)

  • Emily G.

    I went to Yoko's on a recommendation and loved it. I will also recommend this place to my friends. They take your cell phone number down on the wait list, which is great because you can head nextdoor and grab a beer or cocktail (or sake!) while you wait for your table or seat at the sushi bar. The fish was fresh and cut well, the rice was perfect and the cheeks were the best I've ever had. Only wish they had a couple items like escolar and quail egg.

    (4)

  • Halle W.

    Great sushi at a pretty good price. Don't come for the service.

    (4)

  • John B.

    Price: 3 stars (a bit pricey for what it is) Service: 3 stars (waitress was a little short and they forgot a roll, but she cleared it up right away) Food: 5 stars (killer sushi. Sashimi was excellent) Vibe: 4 stars (small, intimate. A little uncomfortable to have people who are waiting for your table staring at you) Overall: 4 stars. I can imagine this place sucks at peak times, but the food is great. Maybe to go?

    (4)

  • celeste m.

    Forget Saburo's -- come to Yoko's. Or actually, don't come to Yoko's -- those of us who do really don't want the word to get out. The sushi is consistently great, and the service pleasant. Sitting at the bar will get you in faster. Oh, and bonus points for not giving anyone in the party food poisoning, which always seems to happen whenever we visit Saburo's. The restaurant is small and the wait can be long, but at least you can step next door for a drink.

    (4)

  • Krit U.

    The best sushi in town! (what do I know, I'm not a Japanese LOL) Anyway, for me it is. A little more expensive than I can afford sometimes, but Yoko's is like an occasion place I go every once in a while as a reward for myself. Enjoy it every time.

    (5)

  • Kevin J.

    Pros: takas tuna, poki roll, batman roll, walla-walla roll Cons: the wait (get there early), the wait staff (usually on the slow side and can forget items you order) Overall though, one of the best sushi restaurants in Portland, and don't be put off by two white dudes making your food, they're just as skilled as any Japanese sushi cheff I've ever been served from. Enjoy!

    (5)

  • Jennifer G.

    DELICIOUS!!!!!!!! Had the dynamite roll, shrimp, red snapper, crab and octupus. It was all fresh and delicious. No fishy smell or taste. Pure deliciousness.

    (5)

  • Scott L.

    Great, fresh sushi and some innovative rolls (Takas Tuna, anyone?). Portions are generous. It's a small space, so expect a wait at almost anytime of day- it's always worth it.

    (4)

  • Hilary F.

    I hesitate to write a review about Yoko's for fear more people will further swamp the place. But it is in fact, AWESOME. Try the halibut cheeks if they have it, the soft shell crab appetizer, the seaweed salad and any of the rolls/sashimi/nigiri. Oh and sit at the bar. Everything is good. I liked to wait at C-Bar next door (which has now moved away). I have yet to be able to finish a beer there before Yoko's calls my name for a table. So the wait really isn't that bad or I just drink slowly.... I confirmed Yoko's is in fact still OPEN. OPEN. OPEN. Yay! It was scary there for a minute when I thought it could be closed. So glad that is not the case as this is a real neighborhood gem.

    (5)

  • Amy B.

    Very homey little neighborhood sushi place-my favorite in Portland. Good food and a nice atmosphere-very casual and relaxed. The wait can sometimes be long but you can put your name on the list and wait next door at the C-bar or take a walk around the neighborhood.

    (5)

  • Daisha C.

    Yoko's sushi is simply amazing. My husband and I discovered it when we were living a mere 2 blocks away! We went in noticing that it was small and off the beaten path. My husband is a vegetarian while I myself am NOT! So, finding a good sushi place that caters to both diets is a great find! The staff is very friendly and the quality of the fresh fish and variety of rolls are exceptional! We love this place. Although it is very easy to spend a lot of money. We go hungry and always leave satisfied... Check it out , but show up early!

    (5)

  • Abe I.

    It is really good. It is true. Everybody seems to say so, and this time they were all on to something. It is a ghetto little hole-in-the-wall place with very few tables, no room to wait so everyone spills over into the C-bar next door, and it is the best sushi I have eaten in Portland. I went, sat right next to the aquarium, highly entertained by the funny fish, with a buzz on from my 2 drink wait. My friend ordered, being a regular here, some old standbys and then some rolls I have never had before, but it was all so good. Definitely a destination if you are looking to eat good sushi.

    (5)

  • Dr B.

    The best place to get sushi in Portland. Try the poke, they aren't trying to fool you with a bunch of trim, it's the real deal. Love this place.

    (5)

  • Christine C.

    I love this restaurant - it's a matchbox in size and I always sit at the bar. One day I got there before they opened and stopped in at the C-Bar next door ('love this place, too, w/their 21 beers on tap!) to have a sip. Fifteen minutes after Yoko's opened, my daughter and I walked over, and the place was fully seated :-). I put my name in and gave them my phone # - happily! And went back to have another beer at the C-Bar. I couldn't wait to eat, among other things, the creamy scallops or the wild configuration of deep fried rice cake w/avaocado, tuna, scallions and sauce hmmmm...it's not traditional but it is DELICIOUS!

    (5)

  • Paul B.

    While not a connoisseur like a few of my friends, I do enjoy really good sushi and Yoko's is one of my favorites and less than a mile from my house. The inside is rather small, so it is not ideal for large groups but if you are going with a few friends then it is an excellent meal spot for any night of the week. The sushi chefs are always friendly and while the wait staff is continually busy, I have never found them to be rude or remotely impolite. Yoko is also on hand some nights and will every so often chat with you, if you make an effort. The Batman and Poki rolls are house specialties, and they are fantastic. If I could have one sushi roll for the rest of my life the Batman roll would be it; unagi (freshwater eel coated with a light barbecue sauce) and avocado combined together make for a splendid taste.

    (5)

  • Kristen B.

    Ok. So I'll admit. The food is good. But that's only part of the dining experience. The waitstaff is pretentious and jerky. Don't be prepared to be greeted like you're leaving a tip here...and be prepared to have expectations of a tip after said service. I love the food, but have wandered to find my rolled-up rice elsewhere since the waiters tend to act like they have something better to do. I live in the neighborhood and was super excited when I saw the menu...only to notice an emerging pattern with the way that they treat their customers here. It's not prompt, it's not courteous, but damn you to hell if you don't leave an 18% gratuity. Great food, disappointing attitudes...it's South East Portland! Smile a little and enjoy it!

    (3)

  • Nita G.

    Yoko's is my favorite sushi joint in Portland. They win out over my second-favorite because of their secret weapon: Takas Tuna. Just go there and order it and you'll understand. The wait can be long and the hours of business are brief but it is well worth the wait.

    (5)

  • Leisa H.

    the taka's tuna. a lightly fried pillow of rice topped with an unreasonably sized mound of spicy tuna topped with about half of a perfectly ripe avocado. for the love of god somebody kill me now because my mouth is certain to never experience anything more delicious and perfect than taka's tuna. an-y-thing. anything.

    (5)

  • A R.

    One of the most impressive sushi places I've been to in Portland. We went prepared for the long wait, so that was no problem at all. They take your phone number down so you can have a drink at one of the two bars next-door. As promised by other reviewers, well worth the wait! The rolls were incredible, very unique and lovingly prepared. The Batman was my absolute favorite, but out of the 4 rolls we ordered, not one let us down (Walla Walla, Dynamite, and Smokin'). At less than $10 a roll, this place is not expensive at all, especially considering the quality, generous portion, and intricacy of the food (even the miso was delicious and only a humble $1.50). Also, as we sat at the bar and there was only two of us, our order was handed to us already split in two, a sweet considerate gesture on behalf of the sushi chef :) We were stuffed and happy, and our bill less than $40 (drinks included).

    (5)

  • Eric H.

    Walking distance and some of the freshest, truest, sushi in town. Just pleased it's where it is. Put your name on the list, and work up an appetite at C Bar or Ships Ahoy.

    (4)

  • Lily S.

    Again, you're an a-hole if you don't like this place. What in the fongdong is the matter w/ you if you don't dig on Yoko's Sushi? This is the best damn sushi in all of Portland. And I've been to every single sushi house there and beyond (beyond meaning the Tron, Hillsboro, etc). You will not find better quality sushi anywhere else but here. My favourite thing to order is Taka's Tuna, which is a small fried rice patty topped w/ spicy tuna, avocado, and green onions. It is heaven. $7.50. Everything else on the menu is equally as good. I highly recommend going here. Note: It's a fairly small place and the wait is usually quite long, but that's what the C Bar next door is for. You can wait out your time there and be entertained by the bartender. Also, be sure to write your name in the correct column of the waitlist otherwise you're going to be sitting at the bar for a damn long time. Trust me when I tell you this.

    (5)

  • Erin G.

    OK. Let me start off by saying, the service (as has been mentioned numerous times) is horrendous. The waiter was on the phone while he mouthed "how many" to us and then pointed at some bar seats. He was still on the phone when he plunked some menus down between us. He came by once and said "Have you guys decided" after about two minutes. We told him we had some questions about the rolls (As I've mentioned in my other Yelps, I have a shellfish allergy), and luckily the chef behind the counter piped in and told me he'd make sure to use a clean board and could alter the rolls anyway we wanted. SWEET! We placed out order and that was the last we saw of the waiter. Well, we saw him rushing by, but never talked to us again until he came by at the end of the meal to say "Can I bring your check?" Uhm, Sure? And maybe some more water? Or those beers we asked for at the beginning? So why does this place get four stars? Amazing sushi. The chefs really were wonderful, very sweet. It is definitely worth a try, just be prepared to have to flag your waiter down for everything. Or just do like I will every time I come here and sit at the bar.

    (4)

  • Adam G.

    Tucked over on the east side of Portland, Yoko's has a hipster dive bar atmosphere for sushi. It is a small, slightly, ramshackle sushi restaurant which is characterized by the juxtaposition of bamboo slat walls and a large colorful aquarium filled with exotic fish. (Don't worry, you aren't picking your dinner, they are just there for looks while you wait) For sushi selections you can't really go wrong, but if you have to try anything I would go for the Poke roll which is fantastically fresh sashimi grade tuna, seared albacore tuna roll. I also think they have some of the best selections in terms of variety on their tempura based rolls, so try a couple of those too. Yoko's, however, is the smallest of the restaurants reviewed. So if you are looking for parties of more than four, Yoko's is probably not your best bet. On the other hand, waiting for a table at Yoko's is not a big deal because they share a wall with The C-Bar which is a swanky little bar that serves cocktails as well as Yoko's sake selections and appetizers. So get your name on the list at Yoko's, and they'll come get you when your table is ready.

    (4)

  • sean b.

    Creative rolls, reasonable prices, top quality fish, chill atmosphere, and diverse clientele. There may be a wait, but you can hang at the cocktail bar next door after being put on the list, and they will buzz the bar when you are ready to be seated. Hamachi sashimi is my litmus test for Japanese restaurants, and Yoko's hamachi and other fish cuts are excellent. You might be shocked that whities are rolling your sushi rolls. I wasn't. It's Portland. But these guys are good. And they are nice enough to skip the waiter and ask you if you want another. Not elegant enough for a 50th anniversary dinner, but a great date spot. Been to Yoko's atleast 10 times...will visit again soon.

    (5)

  • danielle l.

    i wanted to give yoko's 3.5 stars, but i just can't bring myself to round up to four. if you're looking for a decent sushi menu that is big on authenticity, don't even bother (but do try ichidai). if you're looking for something more inventive and sweet that just happens to have rice and seaweed in it, this is probably your place. the takas tuna, as others have stated, is delectable. the thai roll is good, too, if you're into it. decent miso, the cucumber salad is not traditional, but it's a hefty serving and the dressing is more than appetizing. if you like tuna, you must, must, MUST try the seared albacore. this is what makes yoko's worth the visit. as others have stated, yoko prepares much of the sushi herself, and she is a fantastic chef when it comes to both integrity and presentation. i've heard the gentleman who prepares with her is her new husband (?)... he is not nearly as skilled in preparation. i'm always pleased when yoko or one of the other few chefs prepare my sushi, but that one gentleman making fall-apart-when-you-touch-it rolls every time almost kills my desire to eat here. it's a very small, well-decorated, trendy restaurant, with loud and crazy music, and less than dependable service (i've had very good and very bad experiences with wait staff). because it is so small and "hip," there's usually a wait at any given time, so go down a little early, put your phone number on the list, and head next door to c-bar for a drink while you wait (or if you're more into dives, like i am, cross the street to check out ship ahoy). all in all, yoko's suffices.

    (3)

  • Devon D.

    The sashimi is excellent, sushi is delicious and inventive, and they have an extensive sake menu (yay!!). I like that the restaraunt is small and intimate, and they seem to have better taste in music than a lot of eateries. The only downside for my first experience was getting the feeling the servers weren't too stoked to be dealing with non-regulars.

    (4)

  • Kevin C.

    For those who like Saburos and sick of the long wait, you can try this place. Definitely one of the most innovative Japanese restaurants for their sushi rolls and sashimi combos. My favorite is Batman roll, mm, the most succulent sushi cut roll I have ever had (so far) When you are feeling adventurous, give it a try!

    (5)

  • Michelle H.

    While service may be mediocre, this is my favorite place to eat sushi in Portland. Very tasty rolls and the tempura is good too! It can get crowded, however. When we lived in Westmoreland, we'd eat here regularly because it was so good. During warm weather, you can eat outside and bring the pooch...

    (5)

  • Andrew G.

    Pretty easily my favorite sushi in town. Service is good, ambiance is great. The Superman painting in the bathroom cracks me up every time. But I come here for the killer sushi. The Taka's tuna is amazing, the nigiri is super fresh every time, and the rolls are clever and inventive. Plus Yoko is awesome. My only complaint, bring back the Baby Moons!

    (5)

  • Sara M.

    This is definitely one of the best places to get Sushi ANYWHERE. I am so grateful it is close to my house.

    (5)

  • Jennifer B.

    can't really think of anything that's wrong with this place. the price is not out of hand, the food delicious. the staff friendly, the seating comfy, and the neighborhood fun. only slight problem is the wait when they're busy, which is always, but just schedule in some drinks across the street at the bar and you're good.

    (5)

  • Branden T.

    Excellent place. The waiters were good but the ramen broth was incredible. We'll be back.

    (4)

  • Edible S.

    so gangster.. the best sushi in portland. ya i said it. its so fecking good- pick a roll any roll

    (4)

  • shanklin g.

    You walk into some sushi joints in Portland and you are hit instantly with attitude. That is not the case with Yoko's. The place is cozy and the sushi is good. This is a great place to catch up with a couple of friends and eat some really well prepared rolls or nigiri. The prices are more than fair and you can hang out at the bar next door if there is a line. Yoko's will give you a call when your table is ready. Doesn't get much better than this...

    (5)

  • r. h.

    While visiting Portland I happened upon this great spot based on a recommendation I got while waiting in a 2-hour line at another sushi restaurant. What a happy circumstance! I only had to wait a half hour on a Saturday night, and I got an amazing meal. I had the chirashi, which was a huge bowl of 8 or 9 different types of fish/shrimp/tentacled sea creatures. I highly recommend it. I especially loved the yellowtail which melted in my mouth! My friend seemed to love the sushi combo, and we had delicious edamame to boot. The gentleman making the sushi behind the counter was experienced, lightning quick, and fun to chat with. He really knows his fish. Overall, I definitely recommend going here for some great fresh sushi. If I lived in Portland I would probably develop a healthy addiction to Yoko's.

    (5)

  • Jess L.

    The tempura ROCKS. The other stuff is delicious too (Taka's tuna FTW!), but the tempura is seriously where it's at.

    (5)

  • Gina H.

    not a fan. i am from california so maybe i just hold sushi to a different standard. this place was just not that good. the service was rather slow as well.

    (1)

  • jeroen v.

    Damn this place is good. I am picky about my sushi and, to me, the fish here is very fresh and prepared well. Adventurous roles and eclectic music selection round out a great place. Probably the best sushi in portland.

    (4)

  • Leah S.

    Went to Yoko's one night when the wait for Saburo's was 1.5+ hrs. We walked right in, were seated immediately, and pleasantly surprised by the amazing sushi! The staff is friendly and the saltwater fish tank is gorgeous! Can't wait to go again.

    (5)

  • Carissa W.

    Yoko's is an island-like sushi joint in quiet a SE neighborhood. The decor is a piece-meal assortment of bamboo mats and Japanese knick-knacks that could come from a yard sale in Nagasaki, including a twenty-foot fish kite that looks plucked from a parade earlier this century. But the real fish is as fresh as can be, and the rolls are a delightful mix of old standbys and Yoko's originals. Try the seaweed salad and some of their own concoctions--like the Spicy Thai Roll with peanut sauce and broccoli. Yoko's has only 5 tables and a bar, and thus always has a line.

    (5)

  • stephanie m.

    I should preface whatever I am about to say that I am not an avid fish eater, so my experience with this place has to do with vegetarian rolls and maybe a little shrimp. Therefore, those of you who want to take me seriously can, and those who don't, well it's a free country. Anyhow, I agree with all the naysayers out there. The rolls are GIGANTIC, and that has a lot to do with the fact that they engross the roll in rice. It is true that they put a lot of "stuff" inside their rolls, but they are just too much. It's pretty hard to mess up a veggie roll, and the ones I had were too much and they didn't taste that great. They weren't fun to eat because I had to eat them with my hands (screw the chop sticks, you won't stand a chance with these rolls). It takes so long to eat what you order that the rice gets all hard and crusty and then you have 'starch hands" as I like to call it when you leave. My husband is an avid fish eater and he ordered lots of fish. He said some was ok, some was a little suspect, and to their credit some was pretty good. Overall, though, the consensus was not so good. The only thing it's got going for it is that it's cheap, but when you get that much fish for so little money, you've got to wonder where the fish came from...

    (2)

  • Kristin W.

    I will not go back to Yoko's. Out of the four sushi places I've been to in Portland, this one's been the worst. They don't do takeout (never heard of a restaurant not doing takeout before), they have LAME sushi options - plus expensive for what's in them, and their non-sushi menu is flavorless AND too salty (didn't know that was possible). I recommend passing on this place.

    (2)

  • Laura G.

    umm toni? seriously? where do you get off being so prejudice? leave comments about race to yourself.

    (4)

  • sarah c.

    So this is in response to Corey T's review from 5/17. First off, unless you are the first person at the door when they open, theres gonna be a wait for your food. Think about it, the place fills up, everyone has their order in so you wait for everyone that was there before you to get their food. Duh. My husband and I were seated at the sushi bar when Corey gets out of her seat, approaches the bar and begins yelling over us to the sushi chefs about how long it has taken for her food and that its " not even that busy in here!", etc etc. Basically being very nasty. Ok thanks lady, really want you ragging next to my head while Im trying to enjoy my company! Go sit down and discuss it with the server, you dont need to ruin everyone elses good time. Because she was being SO inappropriate, the sushi chef did indeed ask her if she would like to leave. Meanwhile the server is continually apologizing to her. But instead of leaving she proceeds to eat her (and likely her guests meal) and then guess what?? doesnt want to pay for it. Surprise, surprise. Wants to speak to the owner, etc. Again being rude and hideous, gets into an argument about paying for food that we all have to wait for. Her meal was comped and she was asked to leave and not return. As she leaves, she yells out "Im giving you a bad review!" Guess what Corey? Im giving you a bad review for public yelling in a tiny restaurant! Everyones dinner was affected by you so I'm thinking the next time you want sushi, you should drag yourself and your mini backpack down to Safeway! Foodwise, Yokos was amazing as usual. Best sushi in Portland even when the customers aren't.

    (5)

  • sarah a.

    yoko's is always fresh, consistent and terribly delicious! yoko's made going to the gym a lot easier since coming here would be my just reward. also...infinitely better than saburo's!!! the wait at yoko's is always bearable while saburo's...not so much. the white guy - is there still a white sushi chef there? - and yoko - hell yes for a chick sushi chef, i mean i eat a ton (literally) of sushi a week and have never encountered another - totally out-do their west(ish)side neighbor and they don't even have to super-size anything! i miss their delishious albacore!

    (5)

  • Ben S.

    For a long time Yoko's has been my favorite in Portland. The food is just always top-notch. I agree with some of the complaints about the waitstaff, but if you sit at the bar and get to chat with Yoko or Jim it is awesome. Great fish tank. Small place, long wait... all true. My picks: poki roll, seared albacore, taka's tuna, anything Yoko recommends. She even made me onigiri one time!

    (5)

  • ToniAnn M.

    What a completely bizarre experience! It's in what I consider to be a mostly residential neighborhood, it's tiny, they play horrible music that only the 2 WHITE guys making the sushi can appreciate, & it's pretty good. Huh, who knew? I'm sure if whoever is reading this, has read any of the other reviews I've written, you know that I am on a quest for a great sushi place. You know, that place. The one you always want to go to when you get the craving for sushi. The place where they recognize you when you walk in because you're there so often they confuse you with regular staff. This place isn't it for me..... but it is somewhere I will go back to.......... (until I find THAT place)

    (3)

  • Rachelle S.

    Great sushi consistently! Prepare yourself for the wait (don't go starving) and you will be rewarded when you are finally sat. Friendly service, good quality sushi with great music playing. It's one of my go-to's for sushi in Portland

    (4)

  • Todd M.

    I live in Westmoreland and have been a regular at both Saburo's and Yoko's now for about 7 years... We sort of found Yoko's by accident and have been very happy everytime we've gone since. Like the other reviewers said.. it's small... 7 tables and a few seats at the bar small. Yes, there's usually a wait ( which goes by super fast at the cbar while enjoying a great drink and some pinball - especially now that smokers have to do it outside ) The sushi is just fantastic... I've been to just about every one in town, and Yoko's is definitely in my top 5... Service has always been good.. very friendly and personable staff who are always trying to keep the sushi and sake flowing .. never rushing the tables, but somehow managing to keep the flow of humanity moving along every night so the waits aren't too long. Price... always good.. sushi overload for 2 (..for me that usually means salmon, tuna, spicy scallop, shrimp, and eel nigiri... 4 or 5 of the house rolls, edemame, and 2 large ichibans for 2 people )... usually comes to about $60 bucks or so. Bottom Line.. great neighborhood sushi joint, although not a destination sushi restaurant. Put this one in your lineup and give it a try next time you're tired of shelling out 140 for sushi in the pearl... or waiting for 90 minutes at saburos.

    (5)

  • Jessica R.

    Experience: This place is not meant for yelpers to be at. It is located in a neighborhood that was crazy quiet outside on a Friday night and also seemed to be more like the one sushi place in the neighborhood. We got there at 8:30 and got seated pretty fast due to only having a party of two. Seated at the sushi bar was also this couple next to us who were celebrating their one year anniversary. I was kind of confused as to why they would come to a place like this for an anniversary, which also deceived me into thinking that it might actually be good. Throughout the whole dinner this couple made me very uncomfortable due to the unfortunate fact that they were moaning after every bite of sushi they had and kept complementing how good it was. It made me feel as if we were in their bedroom more than at a restaurant. The food: We only ordered from the sushi bar that night and we ordered broiled mussels, soft shell crab roll, taka's tuna, dynamite roll, and salmon nigiri. Portions were small and the sushi was not that great. There was nothing special about it and it did not make me moan like the couple next to me. The highly recommended taka's tuna was not that stunning either. The crispy rice on the bottom was overdone. There was way too much rice and the crispy area was too thick. I had spicy tuna on crispy rice at a regular Japanese restaurant in Hawaii and this was far from it. The dynamite roll was the most disappointing item ever. Usually, a normal/standard dynamite roll should make you feel like you are eating something "dynamite," but there was minimal ingredients to this one. Safe to say the worst dynamite roll in my life. Overall, I am never coming back here again. The weird vibe in the restaurant and around the quiet neighborhood really creeped me out. Price wise, I could have gone to saburo's and paid the same amount and left with leftovers as well as greater satisfaction.

    (1)

  • Jennifer G.

    Food was so yummy, but service made us feel like it was a burden for us to be there. Disappointed.

    (3)

  • Ruby C.

    Yeah, not really... So OVERRATED. the fish was ok but the rice was hard and the fried chicken thing was way too fried in old grease... Plus we had to wait an hour .. BAD service Should 've gone to Blue Fin on Mississippi.

    (2)

  • Rachel T.

    Maybe they were off tonight. Our Dynamite roll was not dynamite... :( However, Yoko had decent service with knowledgeable staff. I only gave it 3 stars because our wait was more like 40 minutes when they told us it would be 20, the rolls were extremely rice heavy, & the miso was very very salty (and I usually like salty stuff). That being said, it still gets 3 stars because everything was overall tasty & the portions were good for the price. Plus the seared albacore helped their rating a lot!

    (3)

  • John B.

    Best sushi in Portland- that I've ever had, actually.

    (5)

  • Shelley B.

    I experienced the absolute worst service I've ever received in my life. I've been a server for 12 years and generally have a lot of compassion for a server having a bad night. But this went well beyond any kind of reasonableness. Sad because the food was absolutely incredible. It took 1 1/2 hrs to get the first of the food we ordered because she "lost our ticket". I understand that this happens. I've done it before. So what do you do when this happens? You own your mistake, apologize, and take the order again. And you always comp something they ordered. She blamed it on the chef and then winged it. When food finally came, it actually belonged to the also angry table next to ours that was seated 45 minutes after us. We hadn't touched it, so she gave it back to them. Pretty unprofessional! The first part of the food we actually ordered came 45 minutes later. The second round came 30 minutes after that, which was pretty awkward. The 3rd never came. There were 5 of us, and everyone felt weird eating while their friend was still waiting. And when the food came, she just put it on the table without telling us what each roll was. She didn't fill our waters, and pretty much hid in the back since everyone was bummed. No one was being stern with her, so it's not like she was avoiding a rude customer. We were just waiting and waiting and waiting while she avoided us because she couldn't own her mistake. This just made the whole thing snowball. We FINALLY got the bill, and she charged us for 3 rolls that we never got. The table next to us had the same thing happen. And then we had to ask the chef to find her so that we could figure out how to divide it. And then we had to chase her down to run the cards. Hey owner: fire this girl and I will delete this and replace it with a 5 star review next time. From what I can tell from other yelp comments, this was not an isolated incident. Your other employees work too hard to have one bad server bring you down.

    (1)

  • Tonneli G.

    Show up early ( they open at 5pm ) that way you won't have to wait in line... Also if your lucky and have a party of 2 you can sit by their lovely salt water aquarium. Also I get the roll with the spicy tuna and crispy rice- its what happiness is made of!

    (5)

  • Jessica A.

    Our favorite sushi place in town! Nothing beats their seared albacore! Make sure that you go with some time, the service is not extremely fast and we always wait before.. but a drink at the c-bar next door is not a bad waiting option either.

    (5)

  • Colleen S.

    Oh, Yoko's. We want to love you more but your front of the house is a disaster. We live in the neighborhood and have been going here at least 2 times a month within the last 7 years. The sushi and food is excellent. The downside? The service is terrible. One server cannot take care of 5-6 tables plus 9 sushi seats well, especially with the kind of wait list they run. Yet, that is all the staff they ever have plus a busser. We go for the sushi but unfortunately know the likelihood of being asked if we want a second drink or a refill on our water is very rare. This is a classic example of a place that is strong in the kitchen but a complete shit show in the front. Can you guys shape it up? You'd be killer if so.

    (3)

  • Michelle B.

    Yoko's isn't much to look at, but the waitstaff is terrific and the food is incredible! I got there right at 5pm on Monday, so it wasn't busy, I can't attest to the service during peak hours - but the waitstaff I encountered was extremely friendly, attentive and professional. The sushi was outstanding - the freshest I've had in a long time and it was great to watch them prepare it. (I sat at the bar.) I'm definitely looking forward to coming back.

    (5)

  • Jaben C.

    I stopped here on the advice from yelp. That was some great sushi! I tried maguro, tuna takas, and a big roll. Honestly the takas was good, but not what I was expecting. I actually had a hard time fitting it in my mouth. I would have preferred to have twice as many and having them half as big. I left wondering when I could comeback with some friends. I mean I wanted to try a bunch of stuff and I could barely finish my 3 items... On a side note: the miso soup was quite lovely.

    (4)

  • Sophia T.

    I know my pops likes Japanese and after a 3 day haul across the country, I wanted him to have a yummy meal. He was not disappointed. We were lucky and didn't have to wait too long for bar seats. He had Ruben's roll and chicken teriyaki and was overwhelmed with the amount of food. He liked it. I got a salad which I didn't expect and yakisoba. I didn't love this dish (disclaimer: I'm vegan and picky and obviously there aren't that many vegan dishes) because the veggies were overcooked and it was too saucy for my taste. Honestly I haven't had this dish all too often so I don't know how it's supposed to taste. I'll still enjoy it for lunch I'm sure. The staff was nice and accommodating. A good neighborhood spot in any case.

    (3)

  • Keturah W.

    The only reason I'm not giving Yoko's 5 stars is: its a little cramped and the service can be pretty slow. BUT the sushi is well worth dealing with the small space and sometimes sucky service. I'm a huge fan of sushi, and I'm very picky. Their sashimi is one of the best deals in Portland, in my opinion. You get a good amount of fish for the usual price. Normally with sashimi you get 5 pieces of fish for 15-25 dollars. Yoko's sashimi is a bowl full of sashimi. I'd say at least 10, nicely sized pieces. They have some pretty bad ass specials. A few of my favs: Kunama's (not positive on the spelling) treasure, salmon & tempura chili roll, a poke salad (forget the name, but it's BOMB). I love all of their rolls. The batman, the walla walla, and the dynamite are some of my favs. Also, I love their taka's tuna. Mmmm typing this review makes me what to go to Yoko's right now! Go early if you don't want to wait. Or you can put your number down and go have a drink at C Bar while you wait for your table.

    (4)

  • Bec B.

    I heard good things about this joint. So I drove out of my way ( I live near Beaverton) to check it out yesterday. I ordered the combo sashimi with shrimp tempura. It was good but nothing phenomenal. Have I had it better in Portland area? yeap. way better. I am asian. So I rate asian restaurants based on popularity among other asians. My son and I were the only asians in there. We asians may not identity ourselves as foodies, but we are passionate about asian food. Most of the asian cultures are centered around food ( unlike America) and many of us take it seriously. Some of the best restaurants in the world are found in Asia..just go ask Anthony Bourdain. His favorite places to eat are in China, Singapore, and se Asia. Instead, what I found was just another overrated hipster joint. Portland, focus on the food first. Not the image.

    (3)

  • Yan L.

    Unfortunately, the sushi here was hardly fresh. I got the 8 piece assortment set, and all the fish tasted frozen. There was just no taste; most of the pieces of nigiri tasted like I was eating water. Not the texture but the taste. I know this doesn't really make much sense, but this is just what I felt as the food was in my mouth; it tasted like water. On the other hand, my wife got an Unagi don which was delicious. The rice was nicely done and the eel grilled to perfection. I was a bit envious. I'm a bit hesitant about coming back here to try the other donburi, especially if there's going to be a wait, but I might think about it. The decor wasn't especially nice either, and the place felt run down.

    (3)

  • Aris C.

    About 6 months ago I wrote a fairly scathing review of Yoko's. It was a hard thing to do because I really loved this place. I am extremely happy to now edit my initial review and change my 1 star rating to 4 stars (small room for improvement). My initial complaints were all based around the terrible customer service I had received on multiple visits over the course of a year and a half. Things like being ignored by the wait staff, getting the wrong food, and general rudeness. It seems as though they have made some very positive changes to the waitstaff and/or provided some customer service coaching, because the past few times my girlfriend and I have gone to Yoko's it's been a great experience! The food is amazing, and now the service is catching up to the quality of the food. Way to go Yoko's, keep it up!

    (4)

  • reggie d.

    best sushi in town, period. If you want good sushi go here

    (5)

  • Switch T.

    Hands down, the best sushi on the west coast. For the last 10 years I've been looking for someplace better and I haven't found it. The dishes are creative, flavorful and always fresh. I usually like to set expectations pretty low, but Yoko's has been consistently amazing.

    (5)

  • Erin N.

    Tiny, always busy, but consistently delicious and excellent service once you have a place to sit. I'm veggie so I go crazy for places that have maki options more exciting that the usual kappa/avocado/oshinko. Have taken sashimi-loving friends here who were super impressed with the other options and I trust their judgement on such things :)

    (5)

  • Meghan C.

    As a basic sushi joint, Yoko's is super solid. Fish is super fresh. Rice is good and not overly vinegary. Unfortunately for me, the menu is a little weird and is missing many items that I want from my go-to basic sushi joint. None of the maki have fresh salmon in them (only smoked). Most of the special maki have cream cheese in them, which I find totally repulsive. And lots of broccoli on the menu. I don't think I've ever seen broccoli in maki before I came here...basically, I just didn't like the combinations that they offer here. That being said, the Poke Roll was AMAZING. Between that and nigiri, I was happy with my sushi. And the prices are totally reasonable for the freshness of the fish. The place is tiny, but you can put your cellphone number down and chill at C Bar while you wait.

    (4)

  • Amy F.

    My favorite sushi in Portland. I really like the dynamite roll, the Batman roll, Takas Tuna and the Poki Roll. Get there early because it fills up fast and then there can be a wait. I always eat my fill there and I like the quality of the fish although I tend to go for the special house rolls here because they are really making some unique flavor combinations. The Walla, Walla is a great flavor combination with a tempura walla, walla onion. Ummm, so tasty. However, if you are really in to tantalize your taste buds make sure you don't miss the Smokin' roll with Salmon, Shrimp, Broccoli, Garlic and then lightly fried in tempura batter. Amazing!

    (5)

  • stacey k.

    Thanks to others or their great reviews because it brought us In. The food is really good here is a small hole in the wall. Maybe 5-7 tables. A short wait at 6.30 on a sat to sit at the bar. Te sushi was fresh and the saki good. Ate sashimi and a few inventive rolls. Everything was good. The service is fine. Will definitely go back.

    (4)

  • Berni F.

    Delicately spiced food and a wide selection of sake. I enjoyed the chicken and egg donburi. My wife had the tempura shrimp noodle soup. Both were first class. However, be prepared for slow service when it's busy.

    (4)

  • Brice B.

    [The setting: a crowded Tuesday night at Yoko's. The waitstaff looks a little harried, but nothing serious. I am seated at sushi bar along with beautiful wife.] Me: It's my birthday dinner! Wife: Yay! Me: Hey sushi chefs, do you do omakase? Chefs: Yeah. Me: Great! Let's do it! Waitress: Can I get you a beer and take your order? Me: Yep. We want omakase, is that cool? Waitress: Did you tell the chefs? Me: Yep. Waitress: Cool! I'll take those menus from you. [15 minutes elapse. Food is not present. I ask waitress if we did something wrong, she says no, sorry we're busy.] Me: Sigh. [15 minutes elapse, no food. We decide to make our exit] Sushi chef: You needed to check a box. It's not our fault. You are in the wrong. Me [To Self]: Fuck you. Fin. Mistakes were made. Maybe even by me. That does not forgive being a jerk. A sushi chef at a bar that seats 10 should probably have noticed two patrons without food for 30 minutes and investigated, busy or not. I was polite enough not to inform them of my opinion in the matter. The least they could have done was return the favor.

    (1)

  • Sherry S.

    Tiny and intimate, mixed with some really cool reggae and retro music, and finally some awesome sushi chefs that make dreamy food. Digging that recipe! All these scary reviews I read of mean servers and a wait that lasts forever.. NOT what we experienced one bit. However, I do my research and was waiting at 5pm to get in the door. I also was especially warm to the hard workers, but they seemed to be naturally nice. Maybe I hit a good day, or maybe they got rid of the mean servers? All I know is I had some of THE best sushi I've had in forever. We went hog wild in ordering too. We were sitting at the sushi bar which also is helpful as you are directly in touch with your personal chef. ;) I took the advice of the reviews and got a couple of their specials like the Taki Tuna (hot rice patty on the bottom, tons of avocado on top of that, complete with another ton of poke tuna). That is some great stuff. On to the unagi which was warm and sweet, the way it's supposed to be. Next up was the wasabi fish eggs.. Watch it!!! They are so hot I almost choked on my sushi.. Yikes! But, I mean this in a good way. I also read on here that you cannot get uni.. au contraire.. it was on special and once again fresh and delectable, melt in your mouth. I could keep going but I think you catch my drift. I will say that they are more expensive than some other places, but they also seem to match that up with size of the order, as well as just how fresh it all is. Not only discovered some new sushi choices, including poke here in Portland, I also found a champagne sake!!!! Right up my alley! It's like starting over... over and over.. Thanks Yoko! youtube.com/watch?v=_PHK…

    (5)

  • Malarie K.

    Since my last review I have seen an awesome improvement with this place. The sushi is obviously still amazing, but the service has tremendously improved. It seems like the owners are definitely more present and the employees are much quicker at responding to customers. I'm glad to see this place responding to customer frustrations. It is once again my favorite sushi spot in town.

    (4)

  • Stuart S.

    One of the best sushi restaurants in Portland. Always fantastic food and a regular go to. Their specials are especially fantastic. Sadly have yet to get good wait staff in the past 3 years I have been going, please Yoko, get someone who knows the basics. This review is purely based on your great food otherwise it would be a 2 star!

    (5)

  • Quynh b.

    My favorite sushi spot in Portland. Everything I've had is so good. I especially like Tuna's Taka (or whatever it's called) and the Poki Roll. So good!!! I can order multiples of just those two and would be happy. One time they had uni on their special and it was delicious and fresh too. My only gripe is the service. Super slow. Takes forever to get your food. However I noticed sitting at the bar is faster and you get more attentive service from the sushi chefs.

    (4)

  • Sara C.

    I'd been recommended to come here by at least 4 different people on 2 separate occasions, so I was completely stoked and ready to wait in line. After waiting for an hour and enjoying their fishtanks in a cute little neighborhood, we were seated and ordered an $80+ meal for our family. The service was really sub-par by any standard (forgetting an order we placed, having to order twice, checking up on said order to see if it went through the 2nd time because it was taking so long) and we ended up taking half of the plates home as the quality was just, again, sub-par. I dont know if it was an off night or what- but it was really, so. incredibly. disappointing. I would LOVE to visit this place again but unfortunately am not willing to wait in line and pay what I did for just OK sushi. Sorry, Portland, I just don't get it.

    (3)

  • Steve M.

    As it's no secret that I'm a sucker for sushi with cool names, a friend of mine brought me here to try "the Bat Man roll" for my birthday and while it was pretty good, there were a couple of surprises that I couldn't have anticipated. We'd been forewarned of the wait, and happily discovering that this is one of those places were you can leave your cell number and they'll call you (most likely at the bar next door) is always welcome. While the aforementioned Bat Man roll was pretty good, it was overshadowed by the nigiri (which was amazingly fresh, delish, and of the awesome). The nigiri was so good in fact that only two things could have overshadowed it (and hence my 5 stars) The first is, OMFG. Aside from sushi with cute names, I also have a weakness for agedashi tofu that borders on the perverse. I mean, I really really really like it. If you've got a vegetarian with you (or even if you don't), ORDER IT. It is hands down the best agedashi tofu I've ever had (and yes, my mouth is watering again as I write this). Second, they're incredibly nice! We sat at the bar (which I'd definitely recommend), and we got to have a few words with the chefs (who took time out from being incredibly busy to chat) and they were really friendly. If you haven't been yet, GO and if you've been before, go back and try the tofu!

    (5)

  • Richard F.

    I am as much of a sucker for sushi as I am for sandwiches. When I feel like spending some money, then it's sushi! Visiting with my uncle - we came to this little corner place on his recommendation and sat at the bar which is always agonizing since they are making food in front of you! The first items we had was the house special of Tuna Takas, which is kind of hard to describe, but it's pretty much a bread bedding topped with what looks to be cucumber, spices, tuna, roe, and some garnishes and they couldn't be any more heavenly. Too bad you only get 2 :( Which is okay, because we ordered 2 plate of it! On the special menu for the evening was a lemon-citrus salmon roll which had a nice kick with it. Almost nothing needed my usual combination of soy and wasabi since that would just have done an injustice to the food. I can't wait to visit Portland again to come back here!

    (5)

  • Katherine H.

    I will never go back to Yoko's. Pro: The sushi was good! Not unbelievable or particularly memorable, but no complaints. Cons: THE SERVICE WAS UNBELIEVABLY BAD! We were mere minutes from just walking out when our food finally arrived. Our waitress didn't introduce herself until 15-20 minutes after we'd been seated. It took between 45 minutes to an hour to get our order which was only 4 sushi rolls, during which time no one checked on us except during the aforementioned time when our waitress introduced herself. We weren't even offered drink refills until after we were finished eating (and then they were out of Coke). We ate our entire meal without napkins because there were none on the table and no one came to see if we needed anything. Bad, bad, bad.

    (2)

  • Tiffany R.

    While the service wasn't the quickest, the food was delightful. The unagi (eel) melted in my mouth and sufficiently mixed with all the other favors of the Batman Roll. Also tried the Poki roll and a few others, which were okay. Nothing to note, but the Batman Roll made the trip worth it. Nice to see my favorite namesake lives on to win the hearts.

    (3)

  • Bao P.

    The food was fantastic as always, but service was really, really slow. Yoko's is a popular place, and as usual, it was packed that night (Tue Aug 6), but there were only 2 servers/runners. I came in with a date and sat at the bar, and not even once did either came to us to ask for our orders, refill out glasses, or take our payment. If my date did not ask our server to take our order, give us the check, and take the cards, I am not sure we would have even been acknowledged at all. I have come to Yoko's many times, but this time the service really got on my nerves. It was a little bit embarrassing since my date was in a hurry; luckily, he was also incredibly sweet and patient. At least the sushi was fantastic. I will still come back again, but I would really appreciate if the service could be improve.

    (3)

  • Kate D.

    It is dangerous that this place is within walking distance (although it would be a long walk). So much good sushi, and I even when I order a million things with a big group of friends I want to eat it all. It is so worth standing outside in the rain and cold before they open (5pm). You won't be waiting alone! I like to go with a group, so then we can each order one or two different rolls and share. They bring a huge platter with all the rolls, and then everyone gets super quiet because look, there's delicious sushi! Obviously sushi is not a budget meal, but I can get full here on $15 sharing various rolls with friends. That is a pretty good deal for really tasty food.

    (5)

  • Nat F.

    This is definitely my favorite sushi restaurant in Portland. It's worth the wait - just have a drink next-door at C Bar and have them call you when you have a seat. The quality of the fish and the freshness of their rolls is impecable. If you love horseradish as much as I do, make sure to try the wasabi-roe nigiri: so much excitement for your nose! If you don't need sauce all over your sushi to be able to eat it then this is the place for you!

    (5)

  • Gia M.

    This is by far my favorite sushi place in Portland! The sushi is always fresh. They have very unique sushi items they put together, such as their fresh tuna split and stuffed with real Dungeness crab, the Poki Roll & Tempura Halibut to die for! However, the reason I gave it four stars rather than five, is because the service can be very slow. Also, tally your bill. They have been know to over charge me on numerous times (they keep a bar tab separate than their regular tab) and I had to bring it to their attention. That is not pleasant, but once they charged me close to $10 extra for an item I never ordered! So watch your bill closely when you receive it. I tend to now add up each item on my smartphone, so that I know how much I am suppose to be billed for. I leave a tip, but this does leave a bitter taste in my mouth.

    (4)

  • M K.

    This place is somewhere between 2 and 3 stars for me. I actually went there alone on a weekday, in the early evening. They weren't even very busy yet, and the service was pretty slow. The fish tasted alright, but I was disappointed in the portions for the price. Not the smallest I've had, but definitely 'small' in my book. Unfortunately, I left there without feeling like I wanted to return or bring a friend in the future. There are too many other good sushi places in town, and others that I've yet to try. For anyone that believes this is the best sushi they've ever had, I feel sorry for them!

    (3)

  • Amanda W.

    Holy yum, Batman! And by Batman, I obviously mean one of the delicious and cleverly named signature rolls at Yoko's! I had been curious about this joint for a while and will admit that the batman roll is the true reason I wanted to check this place out. I was not disappointed with any of it. Agedashi tofu? Delish. Sake selection? Impressive. Room in my belly to try every roll on the menu? Sadly, no! T_T Plan on going here on a Friday or Saturday night? Be prepared to wait...a very long time. But also be prepared to leave your cell # and head next door for some drinks and pinball while you wait. It's genius really. Yoko's is worth whatever wait you must endure. Seriously, holy yum!

    (5)

  • Joshua B.

    I've gone to so many sushi restaurants I'm pretty inured to the claims that a new place will somehow be "great". But I went here with some Portlandites (Portlandians?) on a recent trip and a few things prompted me to bump up the review to 5 stars. One - seared albacore tuna nigiri. Warm and buttery, crisped edges - heaven. Not sure why this isn't on the menu at any places in Seattle I've been - it's great. Two - Taka's Tuna, which is a small fried rice patty topped w/ spicy tuna sashimi, avocado, and green onions. It is pretty unique, but you have to have a big mouth to get it all in there in one bite (I knew my big yapper would come in handy one day). Three - The dessert that was ice cream wrapped in cake then deep fried. We all shared it, but just a few bites was perfect. Much better, IMHO, than mochi. We had two kids in our party of 7, and mine loves edamame, shrimp and the adegashi tofu, so it wasn't too hard to keep him entertained. They have a few choices for kids, including noodles, so unless your kids a Japanese food hater it's pretty cool to bring them here. Note that the other reviews are right - make sure to get here right when it opens or be prepared for a massive wait.

    (5)

  • Erin D.

    I love Yoko's. It is my favorite sushi restaurant in Portland. My partner and I go here almost weekly...and trust me, we don't have much money. We go broke for Yoko's. Things we consistently order: 1) Taka's Tuna - so good. I get it every time. Fried rice patties with avocado topped with spicy tuna CAN'T be wrong. 2) Spicy albacore roll - this is sometimes on the menu and sometimes not. Usually they can make it though. It's amazing. Seared albacore, tempura asparagus, and spicy sauce. Simple but the interplay between texture and taste is awesome. 3) Seared albacore nigiri 4) Gonzo roll + cream cheese 5) Poki roll 6) Miso - I don't know why, but I love it here. Only downsides: the wait can sometimes be long. We try to arrive close to opening (5pm) and the wait's usually not bad. If you get there too late the wait can be interminable. Furthermore, sometimes the service is slow. They usually only have one waitstaff person waiting all the tables. I usually like the bar. Yoko's is not too out of the box (like Bamboo) but it has wonderful quality sushi made with great ingredients and that works fine for me.

    (5)

  • Angela G.

    I wish I could eat here everyday. Of course, I also wish I had a personal sushi chef to follow me around. I expect neither of those things are going to happen though. I agree with other reviews suggesting getting there early if you don't want a long wait as it is a small place and fills up quickly. But the food is so worth it. Yummilicious! The Batman roll is my current favorite. I can't wait to go back and try some of their other specialty rolls.

    (5)

  • Wendy R.

    Yoko's is by far my favorite Japanese Restaurant. Their Sushi rolls are creative and different. They do have standard rolls, but the creative rolls are definitely worth a try! And you can't pass up the Smokin' Roll! Everytime I take new friends here, I always order two since they end up loving it. But honestly you can't go wrong regardless if you choose to order Sushi or an alternative Japanese dish. One suggestion is to get there early! They are a smaller Restaraunt and tend to fill up very quickly and at times there may be a wait for a table. But even if you do have to wait for a table, it's definitely worth it. :) The restaraunt is run by a husband and wife, and I have always received amazing service from their staff. Big big thumbs up!!

    (5)

  • Megan L.

    I love this place! I have been going to this place for years, but new to Yelp and when I go to a place so often...I forget to post a review! The staff is friendly, the food is delicious and the ambiance is great! They have a great menu...sushi, chicken teri and many other yummy choices! If there is a wait...no problem. Write your cell number on the wait list and enjoy a frosty one at the C-bar next door! which is fabulous too! Enjoy your dinner!!

    (5)

  • Ivana T.

    This is my favorite sushi restaurant! Every time I go there I order the agadashi tofu and the seared tuna! For sushi I always get the emperor roll, gonzo roll, and the spider roll. The waiters are really nice and I always have a good time.

    (5)

  • Rachel w.

    I love this place! I'm addicted. Taka's Tuna is delicious and so is everything else.

    (5)

  • Nathaniel M.

    Fun hideaway sushi joint in SE. I'm not a huge sushi guy, as in I won't actively search it out, but when I have it I like it. Part of my problem is that, since I'm no connoisseur, I ordinarily let other people order then I sample and enjoy without knowing what the hell I'm eating. So even though I've been to Yoko's twice, the only thing I know we had for certain was the seaweed appetizer which was WAY better than it sounded. I recommend giving that a try without learning too much more, because it's not a costly app and I'll bet you like it. At our last meal we ordered two of their current specials, one of which was called the Gonzo Roll which was raw fish (don't know which one...sorry) served with avocado and a fried rice patty which strongly resembled a McDonald's hash brown. It tasted good, but it wasn't out of this world. The atmosphere in this restaurant is super small which might turn off some people, but I thought that made it fun and intimate. While there are benches outside, I do not believe they serve any food or drink outside and the benches are only for waiting patrons since the restaurant does fill up fast. This is a good option for sushi if you're like me and live within walking distance. However, if given the choice I would go to Saburo's in Sellwood.

    (3)

  • Kiersten D.

    Living nearby and always craving sushi, my husband and I will ready here occasionally. It is true about the service. It is terrible and you never feel welcome and it always seems like they are being put out. We always get our check before we finish eating and get dirty looks when we ask for more sake or even dessert. God forbid we want to spend money! We have also noticed that the "todays specials" card you get hasn't changed really in the 5 years we've lived here. Last occasion we stopped in I noticed the specials on the wall behind the sushi bar were the same as last months. There really is no creativity among these guys. Also the agedashi tofu sauce on this last visit tasted burnt. As others have said, it is just not worth the wait to go here especially when there are so many other better places to go. No matter how close yokos is, I well always go to bamboo from now on.

    (1)

  • Dirk L.

    The portions are ridiculous, but the actual rolls and sushi is not the special. If I go again I will just order nigiri.

    (3)

  • Christine L.

    I don't understand why there's so much buzz about this place. Maybe it's for people who aren't really experienced with what fine sushi tastes like? Finally tried it last night...a huge disappointment. Service was the typical mediocre Portland-style service. Miso soup = above average Sunomono salad = below average Sushi assortment = rice wasn't up to par and I just didn't like the flavor profiles of their sushi. Veggie gyoza = avoid this -- tough and chewy I'll stay loyal to Ichidai for better quality fish and craftsmanship.

    (2)

  • Jay L.

    Read this, everything else after is mere supplementation. The food is alright/average at best, but the front of the house service is what really brings this place down to a 1 star. Your money should be saved, or spent elsewhere, where you are able to spend the same, but receive a much better experience. Now, if you decided to stick with me past that first paragraph, then you obviously are intrigued. If you don't believe me, look at the other reviews that my fellow yelp-ers have left. The simple fact is that this is a neighborhood joint, its is the only food (sushi-specific) establishment in a area where mainly dive bars exist; thus it does have a small following. I am never the kind of person to judge a book by its cover, I am always willing to give the benefit of a doubt, and to give everything a second (or even third) try. However this place has exhausted time and time again. To sum it up, the servers (if any are ever actually there) are beyond rude, angry and down right depressing. Best example? On my first time there, I asked if I could have another side of spicy mayo (obviously because I had just ran out of mine). What was the response by the server? "I'll just wait till you run out of what you have there". By "there", I assume she meant the penny-sized glob of spicy mayo I had remaining. I was both shocked and taken back by her response, but thought that she was ballsy and thought nothing of it. The frustrating part however was when I did get the spicy mayo that I request.......After I had paid my check, and our sushi platter was empty. You could imagine what I was thinking. "NUFF SAID. I could go on and on about how you are treated like unwanted guests there. But the fact is that if you establish yourself as a regular who is a good-tipper, then you'll be fine (I've witnessed this, and the table next to me even told me they received better service once they came here more often and tipped in cash). I really wish I could finish this review with something witty or interesting. However I think the simple following words sum up how others and myself feel about this establishment: Don't go there.

    (1)

  • Kirby M.

    Honestly, not worth the wait. The menu is pretty limited and they were out of pretty much everything we'd ordered by the time anyone came by to take our order (around 7 pm on a Wednesday which I feel is kind of early to be completely out of a ton of stuff). Once we got the food, part of the order was missing, and the other part was not made as we'd requested verbally and in writing on the order form... Anaphylactic reactions are such a buzzkill. The food itself was actually pretty forgettable--nothing special, really. There are so many other great places to eat in Portland that I don't feel like I'm missing out by skipping this place altogether in the future.

    (2)

  • Chad S.

    I love Yoko's food, but the service is barely passable. I would easily give them 5 stars based on the fish, but they really need to give some of the wait staff a kick in the ass so folks spending nearly a bill on their dinner can get an occasional refill or in some cases just place their order. Yoko's: Food = ***** Service =

    (3)

  • Michael H.

    Yoko's is THE reason that made me sign up for Yelp. My inner selfish child said: Don't tell anyone! Keep it all for me! Let me wax dramatic: Put before a firing squad (one so kindly inclined to offer me a culinary exit upon leaving the world) I would ask for sashimi. And since it would matter, I would ask to have some Chirashi from Yoko's. In at least thirty visits, they have never fallen below excellent. And sometimes they rise to sublime. What more do you want from people who make you food? If you need a museum-grade backdrop, go somewhere else. If you're into the kind of scene where the wait staff have been trained to act like you're lucky you made it across the velvet rope, go somewhere else. If you want really good raw fish, with the pickled details, the touches of subtle seasoning mastery where called for, a laid back environment, and a really brilliant array of music tastes represented on different nights, then come HERE! Oh, if it can even be called a downside (more just simply part of the reality of a small extraordinary place) you will wait for a table. And that's how it should be. Enough people know what GREAT is, and they simply got seated before you!

    (5)

  • Don B.

    I was really surprised by the quality of the sushi at Yoko's. I'm not going to say that it's the white guys behind the sushi bar, the location, or anything else that caused me hesitation or even made me enter with low expectations.. I'll just say that I walked in not knowing what to expect, and came out stoked to have consumed some great fish. I'm really picky when it comes to my fish, and I can comfortably say that what I was served at Yoko's was way more fresh than I'm used to getting at other random P-town sushi joints (at least the ones that fall outside of my usual preferred rounds). The rice wasn't perfect, but it was good enough. The cuts were made with care, the size of the portion was just right, and, again, as far as what I'm concerned is the number one attribute - the fish fresh. The space here is tiny, but somehow I managed to slide right in and grab a seat at the counter. I was solo, so that helped, I'm sure. A masu of sake, some mackerel, salmon and albacore nigiri, and a salmon skin hand roll came to about $30, which by no means is cheap. But for good fish I'm willing to dip into the discretionary income. The setup of this little sushi closet affords a cozy, communal feel. I'd balk at any attempt to draw together a group of people at this joint, but as a pair, or a 4-top at most, I'd happily return. I love surprises. Especially good ones.

    (4)

  • Libby S.

    Hands down the best sushi I have ever had. Takas Tuna is a must. We are also huge fans of the poki roll. The fish melts in your mouth! The only downside is that I seem unable to enjoy sushi anywhere else. It really is the best.

    (5)

  • Nichole S.

    Several people spoke very highly of this sushi place so I went several times and it is not great. First off they seem to be understaffed because my order took so ridiculously long I thought about taking it to go. In fact I asked but it seemed to confuse them so I just canceled the rest of my order. They need help someone who can roll sushi fast and waiters to help bring checks and fill waters. the sushi wasnt horrible but the flavors of the fish didn't shine through. Everything was kind of muddled I think great sushi starts with the rice and yokos isn't winning any awards in my book

    (2)

  • Abdul F.

    I went there last night (a Monday) There were 5 parties of 2 people ahead of us, and yet the wait was 2 hours. Why? Because a group of about 8 people somehow got put ahead of us. How? It later became obvious. They knew one of the staff. The menu is overpriced for what the place is. It is not a high-end, gourmet sushi place but a "sushi bar" more on the lines of the places that charge 1.50 a plate during happy hour. We order. It takes us AN HOUR to get our food! No explanation and no warning from anyone. So from the time we signed up to the time we got our food, THREE HOURS had passed! How can it take so long? Oh look! they made ALL of the sushi for the table of 8 before making ANY of ours. The same table of 8 that signed up AFTER us but got called in BEFORE us! Again, this is all without anyone coming over and warning us about wait times! It was an unprofessional, overpriced experience.

    (1)

  • Jesse N.

    Been living in Portland for almost 2 years now, and have tried a lot of sushi places..none of which have been very good. Tried Yoko's for the first time recently with my girlfriend, and we both agree that it is one of the best sushi places in Portland. We were a little scared that we'd have to wait a long time based on the reviews here, but we walked in and were seated right away (we went about half an hour after they opened.) Also unlike other reviews, I have no complaints about the staff. The sushi was super fresh! We had a large assortment of fish, and the Veggie Wedgie. Everything was great and we will definitely be going again. :) My only complaint is that their vegetarian menu is very limited.

    (4)

  • Robinton H.

    My favorite sushi place. So much better than saburo's (though it has its own merits) It small and there's a wait, I found service good by portland standards, (which is to say average) The fish is perfectly prepared and tastes so fresh. We usually go heavier on the nigiri, but they have some pretty damn good rolls.

    (5)

  • Lynn A.

    I gotta give it 5 stars...BETTER than Bamboo Sushi. The sushi... Resounding YES! Nice size rolls, rolled tightly and not too rice-heavy. Thin, fresh nori (seaweed paper). Very fresh fish in sizable chunks. Soft, fresh, rice. Surprisingly, I never would have ordered it, but, the Spicy Octopus roll was fantastic. Others: Spicy Tuna, better than most other sushi restaurants in Portland. Unagi - Perfect! It didn't have the gross fatty skin some sushi places leave on, and the piece of eel was large and cooked perfectly. Tuna for Nigiri was fresh and plump. Dynamite roll was great: chopped salmon, shrimp, scallop + avocado & cucumber Creamy scallops: perfect - not too saucy. Only complaints: California Rolls and some other rolls are made with Krab (not CRAB), which I just plain won't eat. Upside - it's clear from reading the menu, so, you get to choose if you want it. They DO have at least one Dungeness Crab choice. Would have liked server to offer water and beverages more frequently. Service/Friendliness of staff: Excellent. Wait on a Sunday: about 10-15 mins Time to get the food: Reasonable Atmosphere: Very relaxed, not a hipster or fancy place. It's just great sushi.

    (5)

  • Birdswerds z.

    I miss you Yoko's. And dang it, now I'm vegan. Taka's tuna, I will miss you most of all.

    (5)

  • Martha R.

    So far, this is the best sushi that I have had in Portland... of course, I won't stop here in my quest! Pros: The seaweed salad is awesome. I'm dreaming about it again (for the thousandth time right now). The rolls and the sushi are top notch. Sizable pieces all around... almost too big at times... but there's nothing wrong with that! Cons: Service was pretty lame. Our waiter was quite absent, and I'm not even sure how he did that considering that the place is so small. Didn't really ask how things were, and didn't ask if we wanted another beer when our first bottle was empty. Not smart. Comments: The place is pretty small, but it didn't take too terribly long to get a table. There were three of us, we went over to the C bar (too uppity for me - how long can it take to order one beer?) and ordered one beer... and shared, and by the time that we finished up our table was ready (seriously short wait - loving it). If only the C bar had more friendly staff, then I would be all about Yoko's because I'm sure the next time the wait won't be that short and I'll be stuck with the snobbery of C bar for longer than 10 minutes. But since the sushi is so damn good, I know that I'll be heading back one day very soon.

    (4)

  • Liana A.

    I've been a fan of the food since Yelp turned me onto the spot I could walk to. I have no complaints about the food, but I will NOT be going back. I just had to many bad and slow service experiences. Sitting there with the concern that I was forgotten, or never had my order put in. I spent my last visit watching the couple who got seated before me seeing them in the same despair. This is after my last visit where the table next to me (larger group) got their drinks and appz. first even though we put out order in first. Finally tipped the scales.

    (2)

  • Chris B.

    Update. The fish has gotten even better, meaning better cuts from the market with slightly fattier yellow tail and Salmon really rounding out the experience.

    (5)

  • Cait P.

    We love this place for sushi in PDX. The wait is way more manageable than some other places (and you can hop next door to C Bar for drinks while you wait) and the price is spot on.

    (4)

  • jopa l.

    I have had both good and awful food here, so choose wisely. There is kind of a smelly, dirty feeling sometimes when i go in, as if the place is not properly ventilated and not often cleaned. I live nearby and the whole "sometimes we do take-out and sometimes we don't" thing is particularly annoying, does it depend on who answers the phone? Now, I understand the place is small but please just have some kind of consistent policy. Overall i do not recommend the joint, but I don't argue with friends who choose it.

    (2)

  • Carly J.

    I would never leave a bad review for one bad experience, but after my experiences over the last few years I just want to get this off my chest. This place is in our neighborhood. We could walk here every week if we wanted. But the service can be so bad. For example- I had a more pleasant visit to the DMV this morning with my toddler than my failed dining experience with them last night. I really don't blame it on the servers, they are all nice, capable folks. The service issues come from the top-the owner/manager doesn't need to worry about how slow things are or how unresponsive they are are to issues because people keep coming through the door. So be it. The food is decent, the business keeps things fresh. But in the end there is nothing at Yoko's that can't be enjoyed elsewhere.

    (2)

  • Kate Z.

    While most of the scuttlebutt on Yoko's includes a comment on the wait, and yes there will be a wait, we were asked if we wanted a drink while we were waiting. Also they'll call you on your mobile if you want to duck into a nearby watering hole. The Sushi was amazing! Spicy tuna and Dynamite rolls stood out. A couple of bummers, the table by the bathroom, the miso was tepid and they left off out scallop but charged us for it. Also the kids- yeah Yoko's isn't Black Angus on a Saturday night ala 1986, but it is cramped in there so kids are a little squirrelly. I think they deserve a second chance.

    (3)

  • Geoff C.

    Favorite sushi in SE Portland. Expect high quality sushi, good service, oh and to wait 40-50min before seating (no worries you can enjoy a cold brew at Ship Ahoy or C bar next door). Just dont come here because it's already too busy ;).

    (5)

  • Lily O.

    Went there on a Tuesday night although service was a bit slow everything was wonderful broiled mussels were outta this world!!! Sushi portions were very large on the verge of too big for one bite wish I could say the same for the saki. I'll be going back soon!

    (4)

  • Rosy D.

    Very tiny, but was seated next to a very entertaining fish tank, staff was attentive, sushi was great although not huge portions. There steak was amazing, best hands down

    (4)

  • Hawthorne A.

    Yoko's is a little sushi restaurant, specializing in rolls. I like this place, it's always fun and delicious. The space is tiny so sometimes the wait can be a bit long but they give you the option to leave your phone number so that you can grab a beer at the bars nearby.

    (3)

  • Everett S.

    I think this is the best Sushi spot in PDX. I keep going to other places and saying how great they are but when I return to Yoko's it's always so darn good. Service is always great, if you sit at the bar, the chefs will chat with you. I can't remember what's good because it's been a while since I've been there, but I remember everything being good.

    (5)

  • Brooks S.

    By far the best sushi this town has to offer. It gets pretty packed so it's best to go early, right at 5 for a seat at the bar, otherwise be ready for a wait. But, pinball fans that can't make it early will love that the hostess will call you at the neighboring bars when your table is ready. Always friendly conversation at the bar, and for the few extra bucks, the quality of the fish here will blow you away.

    (5)

  • Harley P.

    amazing sushi quality. I'm an Asian (Taiwanese) and I'm a sushi lover. I have tried about 30 to 50 sushi restaurants in the Northwest. So far, I give Yoko's sushi 5 stars for the following reasons: 1. Their ingredient is fresh. If you want to experience the freshness, try straight up salmon sashimi or Oregon roll. 2. They do population control. They only serve a certain amount of customers so that they keep their service refine. 3. Their menu is creative. Look at all their rolls! They don't just serve typical American Japanese food; instead, they serve creativity. for that, as a sushi critic, I give Yoko five starts.

    (5)

  • Olivia T.

    Sometimes I think to myself, where da heck have I been? There are so many good restaurants in Portland and even though I've lived here for more than 10 years, I still didn't try every single restaurant in this city. Yoko came into my life this year and I'm pretty happy with our encountered. My dining companion and I ordered sushi and I thought we ordered way too much. They brought us this giant circular tray with all sushi in it. I have to say, Yoko's done Nigiri style of sushi the right way. Fresh salmon, tuna, and even for the Unagi (eel) which was cooked, I could taste the freshness of it. However, for rolls, they were just ok. They were delicious, but not mind blowing. Thank gawd we got there about 5:30 ish, as soon as we got our seats, people started coming in and some people waited in line. I will come back, Yoko. I still have to try your other offerings.

    (4)

  • Forrest S.

    I just recently discovered Yoko's in my quest for good, reasonably priced sushi in Portland. A lot of places have decent rolls, tempura etc., but not many places have really high quality fish. Yoko's has all of the above, and if you are willing to wait, it is well worth it. I came here around 8 on a Friday, so I knew I was going to be waiting for an hour or so, but no biggie, it's was a good date so an extra hour of conversation is always a good thing. If you get bored, go next door for some drinks and wait for the phone call. The staff wasn't rude, nor were they overly attentive, with that "please give me a tip" attitude. Our server was very polite, and didn't rush us in spite the fact we were committing the cardinal sin of being there at closing time. It's a pretty small place, so I wouldn't recommend it for big groups or if you are in a hurry. We had the batman roll which was great with it's melt in your mouth unagi. A delicious, spicy tuna roll, with its fresh and flavorful tuna, and a dynamite roll. Add in soba noodles with tempura, some yellow tail and heavenly salmon nigiri (of which I wish I could have eaten 20 more of), we both left very happy and very full. I will be coming back here to brave the long wait to sample some more of their offerings. 4.5 stars that are well deserved.

    (4)

  • Liz G.

    I don't usually ever write negative reviews, I tend to give places the benefit of the doubt and think they had an off night. But this is the worst restaurant in Portland, I have been here twice and hated it both times. We came in toward the end of the night half an hour before close. The service was bad, last night it took a half an hour for them to seat us, not because there were not tables available, but because it took them that long to clean 3 small tables off. I have worked in restaurants before and I know the difference between staff who are slammed and staff who are more concerned with starting their breakdown work than serving the customers who were still waiting. The rolls are overpriced and low quality for how much they charge. The first time I had the Spicy Tuna and the Salmon Skin roll, I disliked both of them. I thought maybe I just ordered the wrong ones so I got a plain tuna roll, salmon and cream cheese roll, and a dynamite roll. The tuna roll and salmon roll were mediocre and they were out of the dynamite roll, which they didn't tell me until the end of the meal. My husband had the chicken teriyaki donburi and liked it. The worst thing was the wait for the food. My husband's order came a half an hour before my sushi. I normally don't care about food coming at different times as I have lived in other countries where that is the norm, but that was excessive. Plus I was clearly pregnant and starving, I don't expect special treatment at all but I was really unhappy and hungry and they ruined my night. If the server would have told me the wait was that long for sushi, I would have ordered some udon and been happy with it. But they literally served the entire restaurant before me, including making way more complicated rolls for other tables before making my simple order. The majority of the restaurant had eaten their food, paid, and left before they served me my crappy tuna roll. Needless to say, I will not ever come back here again. They seriously could have told me about the wait, or given me some edamame, or done anything to make up for the fact that they were so horribly slow. But the fact that they acted like this was business is usual is unacceptable. Combined with the fact that this place is so ridiculously overpriced ($7 for 2 pieces of hamachi nigiri, really??) I would either brave the wait for Saburos (which is ten times better than here), or save the time and money and go pick up sushi at Safeway, the quality is about the same.

    (1)

  • Rachelle B.

    The thing about Yoko's is... it's an event. Plan to wait. Get on the list, go next door to C Bar and have a drink or three. Be nice to the staff. The world does not revolve around you, and there is a line of people waiting to take your place every night of the week. Now about the food: Yoko's has access to some choice cuts of fish, so the portions are generous and unbelievably good. Taka's tuna is a favorite, as are the agedashi (tofu) and hamachi (yellowfin collar). My husband must have the scallops every time we visit. And sake by the masu is heartwarming any time of the year. Sushi cravings being what they are, Yoko and her staff often see our names on that list and we always leave happy.

    (5)

  • Annalisa P.

    no takeout!

    (2)

  • Korin W.

    Had a hankering for sushi Saturday evening, searched Yelp, and decided we had to try Yoko's. There was a wait for a table but we got there just before the big rush. We only waited 12 minutes or so, and we waited next door at C bar (which was legit). The fish was fresh and delish! The special roll we ordered, which had BBQ eel, was giant - and therefore off putting. Still enjoyed picking out the eel and avocado :) I understand the 'roll' on top of the fried rice looking-McDonald's-type patty is suppose to be good, but I didn't care for it. Overall really delish and GREAT atmosphere!! The only issue we really had was the service... We had a very small table and could barely hold all of our ordered food and drink, which was an issue because our server never cleared a single item off of our table. We cleared each empty plate, cup, etc and had to place it on the floor next to us. Also, our sushi came before our miso soup... WTF!? Our server was intoxicated and oblivious to our needs let alone our table. So our server blew chunks, but I know we'll be back....just as long as we don't have the same server :)

    (4)

  • Erin M.

    Maybe I just have California on my mind, but this sushi joint reminds me of southern Cali like crazy. There's that 20-something sushi chef with his baseball hat on backwards. There's the tiki-style decoration. There's that fake blonde in her plaid shirt with her date in the west coast choppers sweatshirt. There's the chill, albeit slow waiter who doesn't even care. It just feels so.... CA. But, the food is damn good.

    (3)

  • Mikhail H.

    To be honest I think this restaurant is overrated but I never complain about going here with friends because they do have good food - just not great food. I guess I am spoiled with my fav sushi places where I get amazing food AND a good atmosphere. Here they put wasabi randomly in rolls sio I get a pop of it without being prepared which is a bit different and I forget everytime - considering my husband hates wasabi he will not eat here ever because of that. The restaurant is super tiny and I feel like I am eating in the lap of the person next to me which is uncomfortable. I definitely get that in this particular area this is seriously the only sushi restaurant but their roll choices are few and far between so I never even bother since nearly all their rolls have smoked salmon or use krab which I loathe. I also feel like the service here is pretty nonexistent and when you pay they are so over you...and prettymuch want you out the door since they always have a line since, again, the restaurant is tiny.

    (3)

  • Lille P.

    Love Yoko's! Their poke is the best in town, and all of their fish is always fresh. I don't mind the long wait, and I love the casual ambiance. My only gripe is that they always seem to be out of tako, and their rice could use some improvement. If they started using Tamanishiki, I would probably give them 5 stars!

    (4)

  • Katie R.

    I used to love this place.... lately super disappointed. Went here a few weeks back to impress some guests I was entertaining from out of town, because I honestly believed that they were the best mid-range $$ sushi joint here in P-town. I ended up dismayed. My guest ordered sashimi, and was quizzed by the waitress as to whether or not he really wanted the rice that typically comes with the meal. Sort of like "Are you sure you want rice with that?" what the hell? Additionally, I ordered a few rolls, which came out w/ everyone else's food, and one order of Unagi. 20 minutes after we finished eating our meals respectively, the Unagi hadn't showed up. I asked the waitress if we could just cancel it, since it was taking so long, but she insisted since it was on it's way, and that we'd eat it or take it to go. I don't know about you, but nothing grosses me out more than leftover sushi. Isn't that a health hazard or something? Overall, my disappointment with this place is purely over the service. The food is okay, but honestly, I don't want to have to battle the service staff over what I want for my meal. It defeats the point of eating out, doesn't it? And this is the second time I've had a shitty experience. I owe them one more opportunity to reconcile themselves but after that, I'm moving on. Or maybe I already have....

    (2)

  • Bluebear P.

    i've never had a bad experience here...... you may have to wait a few minutes longer than other places, but it's well worth it......the food is delicious and it's a great, family owned, neighborhood establishment. can't go wrong!

    (5)

  • Adam B.

    Great food, reasonable prices for sushi and in a nice neighborhood. Be prepared to wait a little, but there are a few bars on the street that you can wait at, and the wait is worth it.

    (5)

  • Traci R.

    Early dinner at Yoko's at least once a week right at opening time became somewhat of a ritual for me. I've never once waited in a line to be seated doing it this way. I don't think I could bear delaying my gratification to chow down what is easily the best sushi I've ever had. Yoko's has some of the most creative tasty rolls--the Batman roll--easily being my favorite. I cringe when I go to other sushi places that have either mediocre quality and/or ridiculously expensive prices. The service at the bar is speedy enough. The music playing on the speakers is always BOSS! I've had to pull out my phone and activate my Soundhound app plenty of times just to capture the details about the great music I was listening to. I've become a War music fan thanks to the owner of Yoko's! This place was truly one of my personal haunts in Portland.

    (5)

  • Dian K.

    Not sure what's so great about this place, I guess I don't get it. If you want non-authentic sushi rolls (original creations), then go here. I think it's too sweet and just not my kind of thing. I prefer the regular sushi stuff, like Saburo's.

    (3)

  • Chris O.

    Very good sushi. I love sitting at the sushi and watch them make the rolls. I want to try them all!

    (5)

  • Jason B.

    Best sushi in Portland, maybe Oregon

    (5)

  • Nicholas R.

    This was one of my go to spots for sushi since it is literally around the corner from my house. I have never been soo disrespected by an employee before. Wanted to take some new friends to Yoko's so that they could experience this little joint. we sign up on the wait list and see that there is an hour wait to get. We decide to sit in the lobby tto decide what to do. As we are figuring out what our options are a server comes along and asks us were we are on the list. We let him know that we just put our name down and at the bottom of the list. He then condescendingly explains to us how there are only 7 tables at the location, then counts each name ahead of us, and tells us it can be hours. The tone and manner he said it in was unprofessional. We knew it would be a while because there's a warning on the sheet saying its 1+ hour wait. There were others in the lobby when he kicked us out and their exact words were "wow, that harsh". We got up and left and probably will never go back. Its funny how he only came to us about our position on the list since we were the only young people there. I have been to numerous restaurants in Portland and have never been treated like that way. I will make sure to tell all of my friends and anyone who ask that Yoko's has some of the worst service in Portland

    (1)

  • Angie R.

    Best sushi in Portland, even beats Bamboo! Try the crispy rice tuna creation and the mussels with crab! Amazing, and in such a cute, non-busy area.

    (5)

  • Mike B.

    Absolutely the best sushi I have ever had! We got there less than a half hour after they were open, and it was a full house.

    (4)

  • Andrew B.

    The best sushi I've had in Portland. The Nigiri is so fresh it's still flippin! Try the dynamite roll if you aren't totally in to raw fish but still want some amazing flavor. The table service isn't always the best...actually it kind of sucks, but the sushi chef is always gracious despite being busy. Get there early if you don't want to wait.

    (5)

  • Jeff W.

    Best way to explain this place was 'Phish and The Dead decided to open up a Sushi Bar". Prepare for a wait, be nice to the folks there, and they give you a ring inviting you on in. (time for some social apps guys). The interior is very cozy and the vibe is all about being mellow to enjoy the rich colors and flavors of the food you receive. Very fresh fish that has brought me back several times to this neighborhood hot spot.

    (4)

  • kelly s.

    Pretty long wait, but I felt it was worth it. All the rolls and sashimi were fresh and flavorful. Roll combinations were inventive. Reminded me of Bklyn a little so I felt a bit back at home. Not the best you'll ever eat or anything, but definitely worth the wait. WORD TO THE WISE: GO WHEN YOU CAN DEAL WITH WAITING A BIT.

    (4)

  • John B.

    Okay - first, let me say I'm a HUGE, HUGE fan of this place. Secondly, let me say that I lived in Japan for three years, so sushi, I know. The C-Bar/Yoko's routine has been a regular pilgrimage of mine for many years and watching Yoko's gain popularity has been a bitter-sweet process. Their sushi really is the best in town - the quality of the fish is unparalleled. The sushi rice is good, but I have yet to find REAL sushi rice anywhere in Portland. If you've had it, you know what I'm sayin. Something that's hard for me to describe - somehow this too-small place just really captures the essence of the small Japanese sushi bar, then adds the Portland funk with eclectic music choices and a totally bad-assed wait staff. After all that goodness, let me also say that this place is NOT for everyone. From out of town? It may not go well for you - this place is for locals. My first four or five trips didn't go so well on the service side, but I kept coming back again and again for the quality of the food. If you keep at it, they get to know you and the service is second to none. Secondly, the selection of fish is limited. I'm a huge fan of uni, but you'll never see it there. Outside of the sushi, three must tries: agedashi tofu, broiled yellow-fin collar, and the dynamite.

    (4)

  • Jennifer A.

    This is one restaurant that I forget how much I enjoy the food until I'm there. Everything is well presented and clean. The fish is fresh and enjoyable. I have never eaten a piece of fish there and thought "hmmmm, that one should have been thrown out." The spicy octopus roll and the sashimi plate are both dishes we get every time. If you like extra spicy; try the Japanese fried Chicken, my lips are still burning and sinuses clear, three days later. My only issues are that there are less tables than customers and service is generally curt because they are so busy. If you like fresh fish, and I know you do, go here. If you like old fish, go somewhere else!

    (4)

  • Katherine M.

    I eat here at least once a month. I get all my favorites which are of great quality! Love the sushi chefs, very friendly bunch. But if you order salad or soup, there's a 2 in 5 chance she'll forget it. Poki Roll rocks! It's definitely worth the price you pay. I'll see them again next month. : )

    (5)

  • Nick B.

    yoko's is one of my favorite restaurants here in town. sure it's a little small, sure the service is sometimes a little rushed, but when your restaurant is at capacity you have to move things along quickly. and there's a reason it is often at capacity, they have excellent sushi. my favorites are the poke roll, batman roll, and just about any of their nigiri. the rice is cooked very well, and the rolls are tidy and well-made, with great portions. i only wish they had cocktails! will be back soon....

    (5)

  • Barbara J.

    My son and daughter-in-law asked me to dinner and said we had to get there early to get a seat. We were first in line tonight and did not have to wait. We were served a nice assortment of sushi, which was delicious and probably the best I have had.

    (5)

  • Brandon B.

    As do many others, I too love Yoko's. I've been many times and only wish I could go more often. The food is excellent. Priced accordingly. ALWAYS FRESH! You get what you pay for, especially in the sushi world. Must try dishes: Halibut Tempura Poke Roll- best roll I've ever had Seyuri (sp) unfiltered Saki (the little pink bottle) Service to me is as it should be for this type of establishment. Minimal. You want something, ask for it. There is always a server nearby. Sit at the sushi bar, not only is it fun to watch the chefs, but you'll get your food in no time. If you want to be waited on hand and foot go to BlueHour. Don't go hungry. Yoko's is small, and popular. Sign in on the sheet at the front then go next door and grab a drink and play some pinball at C-Bar. You'll be eating sushi in no time.

    (5)

  • Tanna P.

    This is my favorite sushi spot ever!! I love the batman roll! I usually go right at 5 when they open so I don't have to wait. In the past I would go later and wait at C bar if I want to break the bank and spend a lot, but on the cheaper side prior to sushi I go to Ship Ahoy instead and wait for Yoko's to call me. My boyfriend and I never get out of Yoko's without spending at least $80 which is kind of expensive for one meal but then again it's so hard to limit yourself there everything is good!! I always get the Batman roll, Philly roll, seared Ahi Tuna, Takas Tuna, fresh salmon, smoked salmon, the list goes on..... It's too bad for the people who have had a bad experience here :( When one of the wait staff walks by, I usually just say "excuse me" if I need something and they are always on top of it. They have always been pretty friendly to us and the groups that we have brought in so I can't say I have ever had a bad experience here. They have street parking. They usually serve food 5-8ish, I guess sometimes 9 is they have enough fresh fish, it's been a long time since I went late. Keep on rockin' Yoko and Family!!!!

    (5)

  • Christopher S.

    Sushi by white people who like reggae music. Both interesting and good. The rolls were quite tasty. The noodles, not bad.

    (4)

  • Ash. A.

    There are two things I really like about Yoko's sushi: 1. That the owner, Yoko, prepares pretty much everything herself And.... 2. Because of that fact, it taste like love was put into every bite. Although there are many good sushi places in Portland, like Bamboo Sushi, not many of them have the taste of home like this place does. If you can imagine, the food taste like it would if your momma was a Japanese sushi chef. The ahi tuna was fresh and tasty, and the eel roll is worth going back for alone. Also, the saki menu is really great. Just ask your server for a suggestion and you can't go wrong.

    (5)

  • Kim S.

    This is the best sushi in Portland - delicious, reasonably priced, and laid back. The Poki roll - holy cow, it's like a California roll with raw and seared tuna on top with an amazing sweet ginger sauce drizzled on that. And the wait doesn't even matter cuz the food's so darn good. Only recommendation is stop charging $6 for Edamame - really?! They're steamed bean pods and should be cheap and fast as a "Thank You" to your patron's for waiting an hour to be seated and then waiting another 30 for their food.

    (5)

  • Jason L.

    This used to be my favorite place for sushi. I haven't been for a long time so decided to go back and take a friend who is new to town to try it out. I don't know what happened but from the service to the food this place went downhill. I'm hoping it was just a bad night. The chef was a jerk when we walked in. Don't ask to sit outside. Apparently all the tables are for looks only...and you're supposed to know that. I don't expect a lot but to get short, rude answers is unnecessary. After that, the server screwed up our order and didn't even apologize. The food wasn't great either. The fish was so bad I couldn't even finish some of it. And finally, perhaps my biggest irritant when dining out - servers with bad attitudes. One thing I can't stand is when the server comes over with his/her arms loaded with food, stares rudely at me and says "where should I put this?", now implying it's my job to clear room on the table. After clearing room for him, the server dropped the food off and walked away without explaining the items. I called him back and said "can you tell us what each of these are." To which he replied "it's the sushi you ordered" and walked away. That's ok, saves me money on a tip. Yoko's, I'm not sure what happened but there are several good sushi places in Portland. If you're going to degrade the quality of your food and have staff with bad attitudes I wish you luck trying to make it.

    (3)

  • Marisha C.

    I love love love Yoko's!! The sushi is delish. I am so glad this is within walking distance. If you get there early when they open you won't have the great wait. I have seen some of the other reviews about the wait staff. I haven't had those issues fortunately. The place is tiny, but you can sit at the sushi bar and Yoko may be in the house which I think is pretty darn cool: female sushi chef's are not common. The dynamite roll is one of my favorites. But, really, everything is good, you can't go wrong. I am so glad people wait in line at Saburo's and aren't crowding up my neighborhood spot, but this is truly better than Saburo's. Sooo good, the best sushi, I could eat here every night!

    (5)

  • Karen E.

    We went here, with a party of 8, for a birthday dinner and things couldn't have been more perfect. Having to accomodate that large of a group in such a small place had me super worried they would even try to seat us. "No problem" was the phrase of the night. Music to my ears. The pluses that I hadn't noticed before- when you sign your name up on the list, if you put your cell phone # down on the list you can wait at the C-Bar next door. You don't need to have your entire party present at the table once it is ready. We had two late comers and they were fine with seating us without them and let us order their food for them as well. As usual all the fish is super fresh and melt in your mouth perfect. For having a larger crowd it didn't seem to take any longer than usual to get our sushi either. Excellent service and food and bonus points for handling our larger table. Fan for life now!

    (5)

  • Brandon T.

    This is my favorite place to go in Portland period. Amazing sushi. Great quality fish. Just try the chirashi. The atmosphere is great. You just have to be... you know... a human. As a server/bartender myself I know that yelp is basically like youtube. A bunch of bitchy haters just trolling. That is why this place gets 5 star reviews and 1 star reviews. Jobs suck. Waiters are just people. I have gone there alone and made friends with the sushi chefs. I have brought dates and had great service. I have gone there plastered and been humored. The place is amazing! 5 stars! Ignore the haters unless of course you suck. If you suck stay at home. The place always has a wait for a reason. Enjoy the wait at the C-Bar. It is a wonderful tradition!

    (5)

  • Kevin B.

    Here's the one liner: Very nice sushi with a giant side of Fuck You attitude. Hey caucasian a-holes that run this place and work the sushi line: here's a hint for you--you are not Japanese. And even if you were, can you please drop the hipper-than-thou B.S.? This is another Portland eatery that loves to make people feel bad about themselves in order to pray at the altar of their food. Gargantuan wait times for tables and downright surly attitudes from the staff really put a damper on what would otherwise be decent sushi. Ok. I get it. There's not a lot of great sushi in Portland so maybe these guys feel like they're entitled to be professional shit disturbers, but I feel like any business, even ones that are confident in the quality of their product, should show a little gratitude towards their audience. Yoko's bitterly declines to do that. And god forbid you want to order something to go. I tried to do this as a surprise for my wife shortly after the birth of our second child and the hostess/waitress made me feel just about as welcome as smallpox. She said that any order I would make would have to wait for about 2 hours and that I would automatically have to pay 20% in gratuity. Don't mind the gratuity but the wait time was obviously a passive aggressive way of telling me that they don't like to do to go orders. Big note to Yoko's--get a nut sack and just say you DON'T DO TO GO ORDERS. Hey but whatever. Sushi is good if you can actually get it. If you'd like something just as good if not better go to Bamboo on 28th. They don't have reservations either but at the very least they're polite about it and they have a fantastically delicious product.

    (2)

  • Rachel K.

    Chocolate and Peanutbutter, Pizza and Root Beer, --- fantastic combinations! Yoko has the Poke Roll -- perfect combination of seared and raw tuna with a poke sauce to die for! (They should bottle and sell that stuff). Wonderful, fresh fish, delicious spicy octopus roll and the salmon nigiri-- plan and simple is utterly devine -- and the true test of a good sushi restaurant. and you can wait next door at the C-Bar and Yoko's will call you when your table is ready ! How great is that? Have a sake or cheap PBR while you wait, seated in a warm place unlike that OTHER popular place down the road on SE Bybee where you wait in line -- rain or shine.

    (5)

  • Brad F.

    The best sushi in Portland. Fresh and unique menu items. I could eat at Yoko's every day!

    (5)

  • NessaBelle H.

    yoko's = yummy! But be prepared to wait! its a tiny place and it's really popular, so... you get the picture. The staff is kind of aloof (surprise!) and I dont think anyone who works there (maybe besides Yoko, herself) is Japanese, so, theres that. The food is good tho, don't miss the halibut tempura, seared albacore, hamachi collar, and the poke is pretty amazing too!

    (4)

  • Jasmine M.

    I love this place! Yoko's has great food, great service, and a fun and relaxed atmosphere. Their wait is often very long, but I go next door to the C-bar and get drinks while I wait for them to call my cell and seat me. It's a small place, so be prepared to get cozy with the neighbors, and I don't recommend coming here if you have a group bigger than 3 or 4. Their fish is always fresh and I can taste the amazing quality. They have unique rolls, so they're not traditional Japanese food, but who cares when the food tastes so good? Their Poki is amazing, and I've never had food that didn't rock my world when I go to Yoko's.

    (5)

  • Sasha R.

    I hate to say it, because I think it's a bit absurd to wait too long for any restaurant in Portland, since there are so many good ones, however Yoko's is actually worth the wait. And wait you will. We joined the ranks of visitors who attempted to try Yoko's at least 3 or 4 times before we actually committed to settling down and sticking it out one rainy Sunday evening. As it always goes, just as we were almost no longer able to stay around any longer, the nice man in a knit hat gave us the rights to a corner table and we were "in". It took no time at all for us to decide what we wanted ( we ended up ordering more than we may have because the wait had made us famished, so go Yoko's for knowing how to increase biz) and each roll was filled with fresh, interestingly seasoned wonderful sushi. We have thought about going back many times since our first visit, but have been too hungry to risk it. However, if you have the willpower and time Yoko's will not let you down!

    (4)

  • Jesse F.

    Best sushi we got in Portland. Still the undefeated champ, but the service is eh.

    (4)

  • Sheena D.

    I am shocked at some of the reviews on here, this place is amazing and I have been going here a long time. The staff is very friendly and very BUSY, and you know why? because the food is amazing there for they are always packed. Yes there is a long wait but it is so worth it. Best gyoza I have ever had, everything really is good. I love the atmosphere and how the sushi chefs are ligitimatly concerned whether you are enjoying your food or not. HIGHLY recommended.

    (5)

  • k w.

    After a suitable period of mourning for our favorite now-defunct sushi spot, Kappaya, my partner and I decided to start the hunt for a new haunt. On a friend's suggestion, we began and ended our search at Yoko's. At 8 p.m. on a Saturday night, we walked in and were able to snag a table immediately. The restaurant is small, but doesn't feel crowded; it's more homey/cozy (and that's from someone who detests "family style" seating arrangements.) Our server was over in less than a minute, and was incredibly friendly and helpful throughout our meal. She directed us to sake that was perfectly to our taste, and after letting her know that we're both vegetarian, she pointed out the items on the menu that were available sans fish. She then suggested that we could either substitute veggies for fish in any of the rolls on their menu, or we could let her know what we liked, and the chef would be happy to prepare something custom-made to our taste. Yes! Our first round of sake, edamame and miso arrived quickly, but we were given plenty of time to enjoy them before our main course/sushi rolls arrived. All of the portions were large, the ingredients fresh, and the combinations were imaginative and super-tasty. Prices were just slightly higher than we were used to, but the portion size definitely warrants the cost -- we had left-overs even though we both left feeling pleasantly stuffed; something that usually doesn't happen when we indulge our sushi cravings. Total bill for four types of sushi, two miso soup, edamame and two orders of sake was around $55 -- more than reasonable for dinner for two including drinks. Add two new regulars to your roster, Yoko's; we're hooked.

    (4)

  • Shawn C.

    Pros: great little neighborhood sushi bar. Makes you feel like you might be in Japan - but the Japan of fading punk Portland hipsters. So it's a bit like the world of Neuromancer, but cute and non-threatening, even intimate. The food is pretty good. I'm not a fan of the rolls. I've tried many, but they are a bit big a sloppy for me. The unagi is the best in town. The poke tuna, also very nice. If you are going to critique the cuts, measuring them against a sushi chef, walk away now. If you are going to critique presentation, though, then pull up a stool. They do a great job of decorating a plate. I love the Zen saki in a masu. It's a nice saki and you get to drink it out of a little cedar box. Whimsical, perhaps, but I'm still entertained by it. Cons: the service is terrible. I've been there many times, so it's not an in-the-club thing. We have learned to sit at the bar. When we've sat at the tables we always end up annoyed. I agree with another reviewer who said "lay off the chronic". They are nice guys. They are just far too stoned to cope. It is really hard for them to ask you how you're doing. Or bring you another saki. They are like teenage boys who interpret the job at the lowest level. "You said do the dishes. That doesn't mean wipe off the counters or put the condiments in the refrigerator." The thing that annoys me the most: the waiter (the tall skinny one) will bring you 2 plates or 2 bowls or 2 anything. He will set them at the edge of the table in front of himself and walk away. Who does this? Why would you not pass them out to each of us? I feel like one day he's just going to point to where they keep the plates then slack off to the back to smoke the pipe again. There is one girl on their waitstaff and she is an exception. She knows what she's doing. Maybe the boys don't share with her. Do I still keep going back? Oh, yes. I like this place. I sit at the bar. And when Yoko is there it is a special treat. She is delightful and the food is better when she makes it.

    (4)

  • Hollyanna M.

    Word to the wise: The wait at Yoko's is always long. Arrive mere moments after the doors open and you are still likely to wait an hour. To make the wait easier, leave your cell phone number on the sign up sheet and head next door to C Bar, where the bartenders are happy to serve you a cocktail and offer you a sympathetic sigh. Once inside the tiny sushi shack, peruse their extensive sake menu and order a number of rolls to share family-style. Yoko's is known for having creative, artful creations and that is where they really excel. If you just stick to the things you know like California rolls and spicy tuna, you may be disappointed. Try the Rainbow Roll (pretty!) or the popular Batman roll made with eel and cream cheese. Whatever you do, don't skip the Taka tuna. I nearly cried when I had it for the first time. What was the crispy fried thing underneath the mound of fresh tuna and avocado? I didn't know. I didn't care. It was messy and delicious and I loved it.

    (4)

  • Heather R.

    Reading bad reviews of a sushi bar which only reference wait times as the main offender makes me pity the impatient. When out for great sushi, you are going to wait. Sometimes a while if it's a busy/good place. Drink your sake and order appetizers which are quick to come out (i.e. seaweed salad or edamame). Wait, drink, converse, and enjoy yourselves. This is not sushi-train or McDonald's. It's fabulous! (a couple of their rolls are larger than ideal, which is why I only gave 4 stars)

    (4)

  • John K.

    I'm not an expert on sushi, but I've enjoyed Yoko's as much as any I've had any place else. The thing I really love here is the tempura halibut. It is the most amazing piece of fried fish I've ever had - infinitely light, yet flavorful. This probably offends the purists, but it's the thing that really makes the wait here worthwhile (for me, at least).

    (4)

  • Emily B.

    Phenomenal. My husband and I are sushi lovers and Yoko's never disappoints. Freshest we've had in Portland and cozy little ambiance.

    (5)

  • Heather V.

    Best sushi in Portland thus far. Everything is very fresh and a high quality of food. Slower service if impatient, well worth the wait.

    (5)

  • John M.

    One of my favorite Sushi bars but I've been sent (like a kid being sent to Principal's office) to the C Bar almost every time to wait for a call lol I've had great service, delicious rolls and miso soup at a reasonable price....

    (4)

  • Matt P.

    Excellent sushi! The seafood was super fresh, the sake is served traditionally (cedar box). My girl fiend and I went, ordered 3 rolls off the specials menu and a sake for about $40, very pleased with the price for the quality. Be prepared for the wait, this place is tiny so they take your phone number and you can go to the bar next door and have a drink while you wait.

    (5)

  • Dan C.

    I have visited this restaurant twice in the last several months. My first experience was good. In fact, I thought this was some of the best sushi in the Portland area. On my second visit this weekend, we arrived and put our names on the list. When approached by one of the waiter's. We stated that we would be sitting at C-Bar and asked if they could call us when our table was ready since both of our cell phone's were dead. We then very rudely told that "we don''t do that." This should have been the first red flag, but I said to myself, that I am sure they get that request all the time, and its probably a big hassle for the staff trying to turn tables in the restaurant. Fast forward 15 minutes later, we checked on our table and told that it would be another 30 minutes. Again, i'm cool with that. We were having some drinks next door and trying to have a low key evening. No rush. So, we get back to the restaurant 20 minutes later. Our table was ready and we sit down. It took 15 minutes for the waitress (Crystal) to take our drink order. Upon receiving our beverages, she asked us if we would like to order. We said we would like to start off with a couple of rolls and were immediately told that "we don't do that here. look at the line outside". Again, I am ok I understand that its a busy restaurant with a small seating area. Fast forward 15 minutes later. After numerous attempts to get our waitress' attention, we decided enough was enough and left after paying for our drinks. I understand the realities of the restaurant business and the need to turn tables especially in such a small and busy place, but I have never been treated so rudely by the wait staff in a restaurant. Its a service business. We dine out for the experience (food and service). If you wanted to be treated like crap, then you might want to try Yoko's. I'll take my money elsewhere.

    (1)

  • Alissa R.

    "In the hands of an able cook, fish can become an inexhaustible source of perpetual delight." Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin I LOVE sushi... no really. Not Like, Not Lust... true LOVE. Buuuuuut I don't give love easily. When done correctly, sushi, for me, is a little slice of heaven wrapped in rice and seaweed. For the longest time, I thought that Saburos was THE place to get great (and inexpensive) sushi. Thankfully my coworker informed me I was incorrect and needed to try Yokos... the sushi challenge was on. First off, gotta give a shout out to C-Bar, which provided wonderful cocktails while we patiently waited for a table to become available next door at Yokos... alcohol always makes the wait more bearable. Then, once seated, the Sake list was quite impressive as was the specialty roll menu.... all were DELISH!! I could rant and rave about how amazingly tasty everything was (faves were the Poki roll, walla-walla roll, Takas tuna, Salmon nigiri... i could go on) but I'm just going to declare Yokos FTW... best inexpensive sushi in PDX!!!

    (5)

  • Kim H.

    I love this place and spend way too much money here but I can't resist. My favorites are the Agadashi Dofu, Poki roll, the Gonzo roll and Chokaisan Junmai Daiginjo Sake which is made with yeast from flowers.

    (5)

  • Kim T.

    Went here on Friday night and managed to snag a table without any wait, although this definitely seemed out of the ordinary, we just got lucky. Follow Leisa H.'s advice and order the Taka's Tuna, you will not be disappointed! I made a big mess of mine because I'm not very coordinated, but enjoyed eating it in pieces just as much, the tuna was melt in your mouth delicious. We also had the dynamite rolls which were my favorite out of everything else we ordered.

    (5)

  • Mike T.

    Very fresh sushi. Good presentation but a little expensive. I would stop back if I have friends that want fresh sushi but would not consider this place a regular spot.

    (3)

  • Kayt d.

    After reading so many terrific Yelp reviews for this place we stopped here for a pre-movie dinner last Friday night. We only had to wait about 5 minutes before we were seated right next to the aquarium. (Cute fish!) My "uh oh" radar went off when I saw a lot of items on the menu that contained "krab". And what's with the young white guys behind the sushi bar? I have a feeling we're not in San Francisco anymore.... But, I kept an open mind about all this (think of the terrific Yelp reviews!) and ordered a handful of ngiri and several specialty maki rolls. None of them were particularly good or memorable. The fish tasted a little "off" and there was altogether too much rice in the maki which made them all look the same. At first we wondered if we mistakenly got 5 of the same roll. The service was acceptable. Our waiter forgot the seaweed salad we ordered and served us two of a particular roll when we only ordered one. The Japanese food in Portland gets better than this, right? Right? *worried look*

    (2)

  • angie w.

    If you like dirty restaurants (try not to go into the bathroom), splintered wooden plates to eat off (Ew! and Eek!!), dirty countertops, sticky chairs, long waits, horrible service and unfriendly sneering sushi chef's who can't be bothered with your questions, then Yoko's is your kind of place. I only gave it 1 Star because in order to leave a review, you have to at least leave a star. This is seriously a nasty, nasty place, in more ways than one. Go to Masu or Hiroshi instead. You will be treated wonderfully and served clean (non-splintered) plates full of delicious food.

    (1)

  • Drew M.

    We live in SE, and before we had a child my wife and I visited Yokos once every two weeks. The atmosphere and music is great, and the food is REALLY good. The price is what you would expect for great food. When there is a line to get in, we like going C bar next door, and when it is your turn for a table, Yokos will call you on over. Very cool!

    (4)

  • Cody W.

    Second favorite place to eat sushi in Portland. I think the rule for good sushi places is proximity. Like if you're located in Pioneer Place, then you probably make mediocre sushi (Todai). But if you're located on a random street like Gladstone (Yoko) or 28th (Bamboo Sushi), then you're batting 1.000. I was introduced to this restaurant by two friends, and I was very impressed by the spread. All the sushi tasted great and was reasonably priced. The only downside is the size of the restaurant and the wait. But since there are three bars within two blocks, things could definitely be worse.

    (5)

  • Nori S.

    Has a lot of unique rolls. Uses fresh ingredients but too much sauce and toppings. Nigiri is meah.... Rice is clumped up too much.

    (3)

  • j. a.

    Taka's tuna & poke roll. My favorite restaurant in Portland. Hands down.

    (5)

  • heather d.

    Taka's tuna and walla walla roll are sooo good. The wait goes quickly if you head next door for a drink. Bathroom is a little sketchy.

    (4)

  • Steph A.

    Went here for dinner with my friend/"Portland guide". The fish was extremely fresh! I thoroughly enjoyed the miso, sesame seaweed salad, edamame and sake. If only I had 2 stomachs... We also ordered several scrumptious rolls, hotate, tuna and yellowtail nigiri. Deeeeelicious.

    (4)

  • Racquel R.

    I love everything about this place. Best sushi in PDX. Cutest sushi guys, fresh fish, great specials. It's the sort of place that is really pleasant to actually be inside of. Th wait can be long, so maybe sit at the bar, or come expecting to wait a little while. It's worth it. I'm hungry just thinking about it.

    (5)

  • Kira M.

    Since there was no 3.5 star, I had to go with the three star just because I didn't think Yoko's was quite worthy of four stars. You may call me a sushi snob here, but people come to these reviews to decide where to spend their hard earned money. when a place is given four stars, in my opinion they would expect more than this place has to offer. What we ordered: spicy tuna roll, soft shell crab roll, poke roll, dynamite roll, and the Yoko's special roll. Okay the tuna here was delicious, melt in your mouth delicious. If you came here and got strictly the poke or spicy tuna roll you would turn your nose up at this review! The dynamite roll was made with a lot of mayo and didn't impress me at all, in fact I couldn't even eat it! Something about the flavor was honestly just kinda gross. The soft shell crab tasted WAY too fishy for my taste, I have never had soft shell crab that tasted so much like the ocean. The Yoko's special was a roll we ordered because we thought it would be, you know, special! Definitely not, just shrimp tempura with broccoli, that's it no imagination needed. The place is small but reminds me more of a sushi track restaurant then an upscale sushi place though prices mostly reflect the latter. All in all I say don't get your hopes up with the wait and hype, you've had or will have had better somewhere else.

    (3)

  • Brittany G.

    It was our first time at Yoko's got there right at 5pm and there was a line, so definitely get there early if you go for dinner on a Saturday night. We had the Dynamite roll, Spicy Octopus roll, and Albacore Nigiri. For having so many reviews I had high expectations, and the rolls fell short. They were bland visually and flavor wise. However, the Albacore Nigiri was delicious!! It had a peppery crust, and loved it! I think our mistake was ordering rolls and not sushi, so next time maybe it will meet our expectations of a four star 250+ reviewed sushi place.

    (3)

  • Christine W.

    AGADASHI TOFU - I really hope I spelled that correctly. THE BEST AGADASHI TOFU I HAVE EVER TASTED. I don't know what it is but their tofu and that sauce that they make is divine. I will come back.... just for this. That good. This place is tiny and surprisingly good so obviously there is a wait. Depending on day and time and the number in your party, you may be seated quicker or not. It has a cute little fish tank at the entrance - I think I even spotted a nemo! Poke roll - if you love poke (which I do, I do, I dooooo!), then you will love this. Even for the raw fish skeptics, I honestly think you guys would enjoy this. Definitely order this to try! Taka's tuna - another sushi dish I would recommend. The rice is fried to be crunchy and the tuna is placed on top, and sandwiched right in-between these two is avocado. Pretty good dish. It's something I have not really seen at other sushi places so might be worth seeing and eating! Perfect crunch with a perfect squish, if that makes sense? Seared salmon - this is something I order at new sushi places. My way of, I guess,.. getting a feel for the restaurant. It's a thing! Like, how I order Thai tea at new Thai restaurants. I'm sure you have your thing as well :) but mine are these. I believe they were good! Sake - what's to say. Goes down smooth. Definitely going to find my way back to this sushi hut!

    (4)

  • Elina N.

    A nice Restaurant with delicious Sushi. I like the service, but I don't like the way waiters dress. They should dress more appropriately.

    (4)

  • Hayden N.

    Looking to try a new sushi joint, I had high expectations after reading reviews for Yoko's. I met up with a couple friends for dinner on a Wednesday night around 7:30pm. They had gotten there before me and put a name on the list, it was 45 minutes before we were seated...on a weekday. It made sense because its a small establishment. The servers were friendly. Very accommodating when my friend asked for a separate order form because he needed to his own tab with an itemized receipt. I ordered the poke roll, batman roll, salmon skin roll, and Taka's tuna. I dropped one of my chopsticks, it took awhile to get the waitress attention for a new set. When the food came out, we didn't have plates and nowhere to put soy sauce but it was another ten minutes for the waitress to come by to request it and I asked for spicy mayo at the same time. Typically, I don't like asking for multiple things at once because servers tend to forget but I didn't want to wait another ten minutes to get the sauce. The poke roll was the best out of all the rolls I had ordered--the tuna was fresh and buttery, just delectable. Taka's tuna was interesting, pieces of marinated tuna and avocado atop a piece of fried rice. It was very tasty, but I felt the ratio of rice was too much. We were very disappointed in the salmon skin roll, there was more salmon meat than skin and it lacked that crunchiness you expect. The price for the salmon skin roll is steeper than most places for a simple roll. My other friend also ordered a batman roll, we agreed...the contrast of the Unagi and cheese cream was too mushy, it needed another texture in the roll. The rolls fall apart easily. However, they probably have one of the best spicy mayo because its actually spicy! It was an even longer wait after we had finished eating for boxes and to get our bill. We figured that the wait wasn't because of the small space but due to the turn around time, servers are slow here. Not that we were in a rush but, with less tables, you would think service would be more efficient. The waitress said they don't split checks but that was nice of them to separate our bill. Oh Yoko's, this was more of 3.5 stars for me.

    (3)

  • Nigel L.

    Incredibly fresh tasting fish that was both filling and unconventional. I'm a sushi snob; it's one of the few areas I can exercise some level of fluency and competence in discerning between what is good and crap. The Yellowtail was marvelous and had some wasabi kick added to it. I was skeptical of the Yoko roll: Broccoli and Tempura had all the makings of grocery-store grade slop, but this roll was fantastic! Great crunch and texture that made for an amazing combination! Dynamite and Walla Walla Rolls were also very good and accented flavors of avocado and onion nicely. It is clear that Yoko is committed to this endeavor and for that she deserves my kudos. I will certainly return.

    (5)

  • Ellise P.

    Really good fresh sushi! This place is a hit. Often crowded and I've had mixed experiences with food taking a long time to come out. Still worth the wait, but the servers could communicate a bit more if it's taking a long time.

    (4)

  • Sarah R.

    I was surprised that I enjoyed Yoko's. Maybe it was my hunky husband and his fascination with the fish tank. The place is small so be sure to go as a twosome, four at the most. If you go on a Friday or Saturday plan to wait. Put your name & number on the list then walk next door for your wait and a drink as there is NO place to wait and not be in someone's way. You can only slim yourself up next to that fish tank so much before it bursts. We started with miso soup and a salad. Soup was souper average, salad was swimming in a not so great dressing. By swimming I mean bottom 1/3 of bowl was ALL dressing. Also I feel like there should be a salad disclaimer on menus before you pay $5+, "We use the basic iceberg bagged blend." This way you'd know to save your money! The sushi was average (plus). The walla walla roll was interesting with fried onions and the poke roll was good. The nigiri was also good. Overall I think the place was fine. If you live nearby it could make sense. If you're on the west side I can think of a place you might pay more and get more... But this ain't an advertisement and I ain't getting paid.

    (3)

  • Jenna C.

    Yoko's is so good! Try the seared albacore or any of Yoko's specials. The wakame salad is delicious and comes with cucumber in a special sauce that is so good. I love the small, mom and pop feel, and watching Yoko roll sushi is mesmerizing!

    (5)

  • Megan S.

    In the year since I first went to Yoko's (last January 2014), this spot has become my Sushi go-to. I just love it. It's in an out of the way spot, but has some nice bars near by for a quick drink while you wait. "Wait?!" you ask. Oh yes. It's a small place with excellent sushi.There is a wait. But it's worth it, and while the place is small, it never feels cramped, and they get people in and seated as quickly as possible. It's pretty incredible. And the sushi is just delightful -- fresh fish, and Yoko is often on-site making the rolls. Sit at the bar -- you might think that a table is better, but watching them make their rolls is pretty delightful. Also -- this place is SO reasonable.

    (4)

  • Monica A.

    One of my favorite sushi places in town. Fresh fish and love the variety. It's small and low key. Get there early or you might have to wait. Even though it's a little early for dinner, I generally get there as close to opening as possible. I love the poke (not poke roll- which is also good) which is a lot of tuna - well worth the price. Last time we were there--we ordered way too much food. Poke bowl, two rolls, and 4 orders of nigri and karage pretty much finished us off. My eyes are always bigger than my stomach. Their food is so good though that I always finish everything. People, Sushi is only good the same day.

    (5)

  • Anna S.

    I think I finally found a sushi place in Portland that I would both want to and could afford to revisit. The rolls here are pretty big, which is kind of a turnoff for me, but the fish is still fresh and delicious. The salmon sashimi here is incredible. Oily but not fishy, just right. Servers know their sake, and sushi chefs are approachable. I highly recommend the... something treasure. Kekunis Treasure? It's tuna with dungeness crab meat on top, drizzled with chili oil. Super tasty! If you want to spend big bucks on a revelation-worthy omakase, there are probably other sushi spots in Portland who do that better. However, when you're craving that comfort kind of sushi, but don't want to hate yourself afterwards (I'm looking at you, conveyor belt sushi), Yoko's is a great mid-priced meal. I preferred it over Saburo's.

    (4)

  • Gloria L.

    The service was so nice and the food tasted amazing. There was a bit of a wait, but that's to be expected on a Saturday night. The place is also on the small side. My mother came to visit from out of town and she is very particular about her food and she loved the place!

    (4)

  • Olivia P.

    The poki roll was the best thing to get. It was excellent. Surprisingly I did not like the batman roll. I love eel but don't like cream cheese in my sushi. The service was meh- the servers were sort of distracted. Nice fish tank. Biggg bill for Portland.

    (3)

  • Michael P.

    If you enjoy being ignored by hipster waiters, this is the place for you. The waiter plopped our menus on the table and walked away without saying a word or making any eye contact. They brought us our soup and salad well after the main course was delivered and only because we had to remind them. There was no apology, just a blank face and a barely audible, "oh." - food is mediocre, tuna was very good, the tuna was the only highlight of the experience - the wait staff was absolutely laughingly terrible at waiting tables portlanders really seem to enjoy restaurants with minimal hospitality?

    (2)

  • Lindsay D.

    Food-wise it's 15 stars, a little pricey if you're on a budget but it's worth the splurge if you can!! Small, quiet atmosphere (they usually have funky or funny music playing). Great for a date night or a weeknight excursion into great food. PS: If nothing else, order the Seared Ahi Tuna, melt in your mouth amazing!!!

    (4)

  • Heather C.

    Maybe I went on a bad night. (Are Wednesdays bad nights?) I really wanted to like this place because of all of the reviews that I have read. We were seated right away, and we placed the order easily. Things fell apart after that. Overall, it just didn't feel clean, and we sent a glass back because it was dirty (i.e., lip marks). The tempura was OK. The salmon sushi was good, but the specialty rolls just weren't that great. By the end of the meal, we paid a lot of money, didn't feel like we had a very good meal, and went home smelling like cooking grease. I would almost like to go again to see if something can redeem this visit, but there are too many other good places nearby to risk my chances.

    (2)

  • Nyki A.

    My boyfriend and I came here because we were craving sushi, and wow was that craving satisfied! Even though there was a 20 minute wait, the rolls were definitely worth it! The shrimp tempura in my Booji roll was still warm and crunchy and I actually liked the California roll (real crab). The portions were bigger than I expected (8 rolls) and definitely made the price make sense. The only reason I didn't give 5 stars was because the AC was out and it was like a sauna in the small dining area. Still, best sushi I've had! Plus, our waiter was personable and really helpful when we asked what he suggested.

    (4)

  • Julie C.

    I came to visit Portland from the East Coast (Boston). I've always had an inkling that the West Coast has better sushi ... This place proves me right. Some of the best sushi I've ever had. I took away a star because the service was lacking (it was an especially busy time). I highly recommend!

    (4)

  • Juan A.

    Fantastic place. I work in sushi and it took me one meal here to know its my new favorite Japanese restaurant. The quality and freshness of the fish are excellent; and I can definitely appreciate the variety and special rolls. Cozy and cutely decorated. I'll definitely be coming back!

    (5)

  • Bubba Y.

    What a delight. Dropped in to Yoko on a Monday night. Didn't want to cook, this was a neighborhood joint we'd wanted to try. No disappointment. Started with a tasty soft shell crab, nicely crisp and tasty. Went forward with a couple of spicy roll options and some unagi. Ooooh - the unagi was the best I've had in a long time. Finished off with a nice fatty tuna nigiri and an salmon nigiri. All well done, well presented. Taking a star off only because the almost $60 price tag seemed a bit steep but this is certainly a place we'll be coming back to.

    (4)

  • Renae W.

    Awesomely friendly staff, amazing sushi and spectacular prices! One of the best sushi restaurants east side of the river!

    (5)

  • John H.

    The sushi master is a big white dude with a beard... Uncommon to say the very least, but as far as the food is concerned, you can look forward to a well-prepared "Japanese" meal with perhaps minor alterations to more "traditional" sushi rolls (I'm using "traditional" very loosely here). Although, being that most rolls in today's sushi menus seem to be Korean adaptations of sushi rolls created to fit the American palate, perhaps having an "American" as the sushi master is actually more appropriate. hmmm. Anyway, you'll have a good experience here, both with food and service.

    (4)

  • Erin H.

    My favorite sushi restaurant in Portland. Takas Tuna is bananas good. Love their inventive rolls. It's a small place, so go early, or wait it out at the bar next door.

    (5)

  • Kal C.

    Yes, Yoko's, we know you're good. You know it, too. Busy, busy, busy. Small seating area at the front with a sign in sheet. You can put your number down and they'll call you to let you know you're up. People are willing to wait. The sushi chefs are awesome guys. Highly recommend the sashimi selection, but you HAVE to get the poki roll. Amazing doesn't begin to describe this roll. It took me quite a while to get my check, but it wasn't a huge deal.

    (4)

  • Blaire O.

    Finally, I've found my japanese place after 10 years in portland. The fish was so fresh, it melted on my tongue. The seaweed salad is exploding over the sides of the plate. The food was fast, the chefs are nice, and it's the nigiri was outstanding. I'm might come back tonight!

    (5)

  • Joe M.

    After being well rested from the international beer festival, it was time to regain my energy. This Japanese spot has been on my list to try for a while so off my friends and I went. It was mostly crowded when we arrived, but there were enough spots at the sushi bar for us to sit. The lady working behind the counter didn't skip a beat and made one fascinating sushi roll after another. Watching her complete one order after another was certainly a worthwhile experience alone. I felt very famished so I went with the chicken yakisoba. Honestly I wasn't expecting a huge plate, but when the plate arrived my eyes almost popped. It was enough to feed at least 3 people and the price couldn't be beat. The veggies were sauteed just enough to maintain their colorful texture. They have the right amount of crisp and bite with no saggy limp. It took a while to find the noodles since they pile quite a bit of chicken and veggies on top. The sauce is a little sweeter than I liked however. The daily special consisted of tuna with crab meat on top. I enjoyed the sample that my friends ordered prior to eating my main entree. I'm no sushi expert but I did enjoy the crab that paired with the tuna. I tried one of the rolls and I was pretty impressed with the fresh ingredients that was used. We talked with the sushi lady and she has been working at the restaurant for 15 plus years. The quality and presentation of her sushi rolls definitely made the visit much more unique. I had a friend telling me the wait list would be quite long at times and I could see why. As time went by, the restaurant became less crowded but outside was still pretty busy. This is definitely a great place to come with a group to try what Yoko's has to offer. The price is reasonable and if your lucky to sit at the sushi bar, the visit is well worth it!

    (4)

  • Pat R.

    McDonald's is more welcoming. The service was disappointing. I felt like I was a burden as a customer. Servers were obviously checked out for the day and treated surrounding customers similarly. They weren't apologetic for my family's 1.5hr wait either. I try to be positive with these reviews, as I'm also in the food industry. But our server obviously didn't care about our patronage. The food was fine once it was out. But it wasn't pleasant after a long, fun, family day only to end with being treated like we weren't appreciated.

    (2)

  • Stephanie R.

    Jennifer was sweet and had great reccs for food and drinks. Small, intimate place but had many options to choose from.

    (4)

  • LA I.

    Hands down, best sushi in Portland. It's small and friendly with an awesome vibe. The sushi is orgasmic!

    (5)

  • Brooke G.

    I loved this cute little Japanese restaurant and so grateful that another yelper and friend suggested it for our meal out. We ordered a sampling of sushis, including many recommended in the review. Oh my word, the portions are awesome! We got out of there for about $24 each, were stuffed and enjoyed a drink. I love a place with great food and that is a good value. Do note, the house wine is actually really good.

    (4)

  • Kelly H.

    Decided to try this place based on Yelp reviews. Spot on! Hubs and I got the Taka's tuna, spicy thai, dragon roll (I think), and the unagi (it has a name too but I forget). Our favorite by far was the Taka's tuna, some strange fried rice patty underneath melty fresh tuna bits, it's not a roll, you eat this bad boy like a sandwich, but so so good! Spicy thai was our next favorite, but all was very fresh and prepared well. We also got miso which was delicious! We went right at 5:00, they opened the doors maybe at 5:10 and there was a considerable line behind us but we all got seats and it remained pretty quiet until we left about 6:30, no one was waiting in line for long. Prices are extremely reasonable, ambience is fine, restaurant is pretty small. I don't care much for showy restaurants honestly, would rather the food stand on its own, and this place did.

    (5)

  • James F.

    Yes! By far my favorite sushi in Portland. Broiled muscles and albacore sashimi are simply amazing! Great selection of Sake as well. Also, I don't know how much music I have Shazamed here, but it seems as I find something new that I like every time I visit. I Love Yoko's!

    (5)

  • Matt C.

    Very much not impressed with this place. Service was really slow and unfriendly. And I honestly can't stand over-the-top nice guy service. I like common sense, straight up service. But this place lacked even common sense good service. It took 1 hr to bring out our order (there were four of us and we each ordered 2 rolls, nothing fancy). When they brought it, it was on a big platter and they didn't explain what anything was, they literally brought the platter to our table, set it down, and walked away as quickly as possible! It was busy but if you don't have time to at least say "enjoy your meal" then you should probably hire another server! They also complained about splitting up our checks. But the most important part - the sushi. Meh, I've had much better. It hit the spot, but it's not worth going out of your way for. The Bat Man roll was tasty. My friends ordered a hamachi nigiri - the portion was small and they said the fish wasn't great. Overall, for one or two people on a non-busy day this place could hit the spot if it's convenient, but I wouldn't recommend it overall.

    (2)

  • Dan H.

    Yoko Ono broke up the Beatles. Everyone knows that but for some reason we are afraid to say it. If Yoko Ono made the kind of sushi that Yoko's makes the Beatles might still be making music today. Rest in Peace John and George. Sue and I came here for dinner tonight. She wanted to take me out and how could I turn down sushi? I enjoy sushi, but don't get out for it all that often. She lives in this part of town so I met her at her place and we headed over. Happily we got in and got a table. She mentioned how this place is usually packed. It is quite small so get there early for immediate seating. I'm guessing weekends are pretty crazy here. We started out with a couple of boxes of sake. For an appetizer we had the seaweed salad which was phenomenal. Great dressing on that and quite a nice sized portion. We also ordered 3 different rolls. A spicy tuna, the Oregon roll and the Dynamite roll. All were presented very nicely and all were very good. Good quality and good service. That goes a long way with this Yelper.

    (4)

  • Angela M.

    The food here is incredible! It's my go to spot for sushi. I haven't tried anything that I haven't liked and I may or may not be a seaweed salad addict. The only reason this place won't get 5 stars from me is because of the really bad service we've received the last three times we have been there. The first time, they actually lost our food ticket, delivered half our order, and charged us for the entire order that was never delivered. The second time, service was exceptionally slow, and the last time we couldn't get our servers attention. It's odd to have bad service at such a small place. There are only about 10 tables.

    (4)

  • Haley Y.

    Yoko's is a cozy restaurant and within walking distance from my house. Great place to grab a quick bite solo at the bar, or a fun place to take friends and family. The Thai roll and veggie roll they call the weggie is delicious. The facilities are small so there is usually a short wait during dinner time, but the food arrives pretty quickly. (If you sit at the bar make sure you don't drink your neighbors water, yes this happened to me)

    (4)

  • Andrew D.

    How have I not written about this place? I've literally been here at least 20 times. Everytime I go I always order a set of items and then throw in a few new ones too. Agadashi Tofu - I love their tofu here! It's crispy tofu pieces in a really good soy? sauce that isn't too sweet, its just right. Seared Tuna - Yum! It's one of my sister's favorites, and rightly so. The outer seared part is also seasoned with pepper which gives it an extra kick. Halibut Tempura - Yum! They always have fresh fish, and my mom's favorite is halibut so this has become a regular menu item that we order. The fish is never overcooked (which is my pet peeve when it comes to battered fish). Emperor Roll - It's not usually on the menu. They had it as a special a few years ago and we've ordered it ever since. It's a tempura tuna roll with spicy tempura on top. It's good, not my favorite but everyone else loves it. Spider Roll - Just like every other sushi restaurant, nothing special, but my sister loves crab so we always order it. There is always a wait, so I like to just write my name down and either go over to the bar at the corner and grab a drink or explore SE Portland. I just went on Friday, and will keep coming back!

    (5)

  • Anthony K.

    Went in for the first time with a date last night as we wanted to try something new, something off the beaten path. The night search took us to Yoko's. This place is not your traditional sushi spot. HOWEVER! They killed it. They have a variety of unique options that you will not find anywhere else. We started off putting our name on the list, yes there was a wait. Wasnt sure initially if it was because of the size of the place or that it was just super good. I think it was a little bit of both. The interior has a hawaiian/japanese feel playing some nice music and interesting decor. For first course we got an order of edamame which was Giant in comparison to most places. The pods seemed to have been steamed a little longer than usual but we were starving so we scarfed it down. 2nd we had our sushi. Taka Tuna, Poki, Yellow tail Nigiri and a few other options. They were all incredible. We had a chance to meet the owner and chat with him into the closing bell. We will look forward to going back. Price- middle to higher Food- middle to higher quality Bill was over $80 for two but we had enough to leave full and ordered some hot sake and three large beers.

    (4)

  • Natalie P.

    I usually don't give 5 stars but this place is outstanding. I've gone twice in the past 2 weeks and both were great experiences. The service is great, they don't bug you or forget you. Sitting at the sushi bar is a must, the sushi makers ( is there a specific name for these guys?) are busy but will talk to you and explain what the rolls are if you ask. But the food....oh the food....first time, I had the veggie gyoza which came out piping hot and so perfectly crunchy. The miso soup has so much flavor and depth you don't want to stop but you know you have to or else you won't be able to experience the next round of food. The rolls....the batman roll if you like eel is a definite order, BBQ eel mmmmmm. The walla walla roll has a perfect texture with the tempura onions inside, it gives the roll UMPH. And the tuna taka! What is this masterful creation?? It's so unbelievably odd and delicious, crispy fried rice, avocado, spicy tuna and jalapeño curls....perfect crunch, creaminess from the avocado and tuna and then the spice from the jalapeño hits your palate and twirls all those flavors and textures together, it's that party your mouth people talk about! You gotta try it, promise you won't regret it ;) But seriously go there...like now!

    (5)

  • Madame M.

    You may wait an hour for a table but it's worth it. They had the most velvety Yellow Fin Tuna and the best Mussels I have had in years! It was truly an enjoyable meal. Good company with delicious sushi makes for a perfect evening. Also, their fish tank serves as relaxing entertainment while waiting for a table.

    (4)

  • Tahnee S.

    Best sushi in portland!!! Consistently great quality fresh fish, and excellent friendly service. I love this place! The Takas Tuna is my favorite thing on the menu!

    (5)

  • Kate G.

    my friends and i had such a fantastic dinner at yoko's last night, im still beaming! everything was fresh, and the service was prompt. the waitress even joined in a little when my slightly tipsy friend started cracking corny jokes. im only partially kidding when i say we ordered 1/2 the menu- everything i ate was top notch. the items that really stand out are the salmon skin rolls and the spicy octopus rolls. THEY WILL HAUNT ME UNTIL I GO AGAIN. when we got the bill, i was shocked- it was incredibly reasonable for the insane amount of food we shamelessly scarfed down. a bummer was that the wait time was pretty long, but we just hopped across the street to the bar and had a beverage while we waited to get called. it was fine, and obviously very, very worth it. the other bummer was they were out of salmon, but... we were the last people to be seated before the closed, so that's understandable. besides those 2 situational matters- nothing bad. 4 stars, can't wait to have those rolls in my mouth again.

    (4)

  • Nicole B.

    Cozy little neighborhood sushi restaurant! We went around 5:30! No line! We got 3 rolls, since we were hitting up C bar after. 3 Rolls for 2 people were plenty! There are 8 pieces per roll! I didn't experience a long wait or anything. The sushi did not blow my mind or anything either. I like that Yoko's is within walking distance! My significant other thinks it's 4 stars. Not sure why. I personally would not wait in line if there was a line. We left C bar around 7ish, and I didn't see a line. Could be that it was pouring rain! I would try it again, since Yoko's is in my hood!

    (3)

  • Leslie E.

    I came here by myself, not really knowing what to expect other than that the wait can be very long but the food is worth it. Correct on both counts! As many other reviewers have said before me, the wait is LONG!!! I think i arrived between 6-7 pm, and the wait ended up being about an hour(!!!). But do not be dissuaded, it IS actually worth it. If you are going to wait in their small entryway seating area BRING A BOOK and expect to get "cozy" with the knees of the person next to you. You can also leave your phone number on the wait list and go to C Bar or go for a walk or whatever, so long as you can get back in a timely manner once called. I was seated at the sushi bar and overwhelmed by the amount of choices i ordered WAY too much. I do not think there was a single thing i did not love! Unfortunately i can't remember the names of things that i ordered, but there was a spicy octopus roll that i adored, which was tender and delicious. I also like how a couple of their special rolls have broccoli in them, very non-traditional but delicious!

    (5)

  • Kim I.

    My friend's introduced me to this place a few years back and I have not stopped going since. It's a tiny little spot and there is usually a wait right when they open, but it's worth going. If the wait is long, you put your cell down and they will give you a call. There are a few bars around the area so waiting isn't so bad. The Taka's Tuna is my favorite. Fresh ahi tuna on top of delicious fried rice with sesame oil and fresh avocado...Drool. A special they often have is the Hawaiian Ahi Tuna Salad. It's fresh mix of tuna, wonton crisps, mangoe and avocado. Their Chicken Karagé is to die for as well. I prefer this place over Saburos, which I used to frequent. Yokos is my fave sushi joint other than Bamboo Sushi and Sushi Hana for the cheap conveyor belt sushi!

    (5)

  • Justin S.

    Nice atmosphere, good service, and great food. The sushi and teriyaki chicken were awesome and the portions were generous. Excited to find this place so close to my home.

    (5)

  • Josh B.

    A cool little spot. The fish is fresh and the portions are well sized. We sat at the sushi bar and were surprised to see a women as the sole sushi chef on a busy Saturday night. Never seen a women sushi chef but she did an outstanding job and even though we had to wait about 30 minutes for a table we got some quality sushi coming out to us very quick. Value here is good and I cant think of a better place for this price point. They also have a really kick ass fish tank you can watch while you wait...

    (4)

  • Anson K.

    Decided to finally tryout this restaurant as I kept reading about how fresh the fish is. First we arrived to about a 10 minute wait on a Monday evening. It's definitely a small restaurant and as one of the previous comments have mentioned, it's better to go with a group no larger than 4. We were seated at the two seater near the fish tank, which is nice to look at while waiting. Problem with that is it seems to be a table that is hard to grab the waiters attention. We ordered the Wakame and Sunomono salad to start with but it supposedly got lost in the order and never came until we brought it up...after finally getting the attention of the waiter. I'm just going to say that it was a fluke sitting in the two seater. The Wakame salad was great but cucumber salad was a little bland. We also ordered a few of the standard rolls as well as the specialty Taka roll. Personally, I wasn't fan of the specialty roll but the standard roll was awesome. Overall, I don't think it was worth the price but the fish there is delicious. I'd say it's a "you should try it at least once" place just to get a taste of the fresh fish....and awesome fish tank.

    (4)

  • Sid E.

    After great day at meadows we stopped by this place on our way home. I have not experienced any disappointing sushi or Japanese food in the Portland area and this placed had great promise being Zagat rated. Unfortunately, I left underwhelmed by the food and it was definitely not worth the wait. First mistake was ordering the sushi when the menu was dominated by donburi. Don't get me wrong the food was not aweful, it was simply lackluster to my standards. Plus they did not have everything on my usual standard faire when it comes to sushi: uni, ikura, hamachi, saba, unagi; they didn't have the first two. The the highlight was the creamy hotate, it was surprisingly good. Service was okay they seemed a little overwhelmed but they stayed attentive. Price was reasonable but not for the quality. You can get better for more at places on the otherwise of the river. Lastly, I usually would give a place a second chance but the disappointment of the meal has made me very timid in coming back. It would have to be on a slow day to try their donburi. I'll stick to the Beaverton area for sushi.

    (3)

  • Carrie P.

    Went here for the first time this week. A solid 4 stars. I'd give it 5, but our waiter never came back to refill our waters and my husband drank all my water because he put too much wasabi on his plate. We started with the veggie gyoza which was really crispy and good. The 4 of us got an assortment of rolls. I had the Stop Drop and Roll (dungeness crab, avacado, cucumber), and the Spicy Thai (shrimp, cilantro, carrot, peanut sauce). Both were delicious. Others at our table had the spicy tuna, veggie weggie, and takas tuna...no complaints at all. Restaurant is small, so get there early. I will be back!

    (4)

  • Vi S.

    My boyfriend and friends decided to get sushi for dinner. This was my second dining here. Surprisingly there was not along line for this small place. We seated ourselves immediately. We started with the fried gyoza, which was hot and crunchy. Then minutes later, our first order of rolls came out. We placed 7 different rolls; Poki roll,spicy tuna, dynamite, walla walla roll, California roll, tempura asparagus, and crunchy salmon. I must say the Poki roll was my favorite for the evening. Everyone in my group enjoyed our food and our total bill came to about $70 plus tip. The service was friendly and the atmosphere for chill. The price was fair for the quality of the food. I would come back again.

    (4)

  • Georgie K.

    This is is one of my favorite sushi places in PDX. Some of their rolls are so fresh and perfect. My favorite is the dynamite roll! The service is pretty good. It's small and some of the seating is inadequate and does not work for dinning. I love the sushi and fried udon noodles with veggies. The veggies get perfectly cooked into an amazing dish. Their seaweed salad is not my favorite. It's $8.00 and half of it is cucumbers. The rest of the menu is pretty delicious. It's a great place to unwind and eat yummy sushi. The last few times I have gone there has not been a long wait to be seated.

    (4)

  • Tall C.

    This place is dope! I was skiddish when I first looked at the menu prices, because I immediately thought "Inner East side" prices...but nooo. They give you the super serving sizes here. It will fill you up...and like most of the other reviews on here said, the food is delicious and fresh. Service was very good for how packed it was in there (oh yeah..it's pretty small, so get ready for asses passing by your face while you're eating). Quality AND quantity?? Poppin music playlist too?? You don't get that in the Inner East too often. Definitely a return visit.

    (5)

  • J W.

    This is the best sushi in Portland. Fantastic flavor, nice and fresh. Intimate, fun, relaxed atmosphere. Wonderful wait staff, so nice and accommodating. It's hard to find waiters and waitresses in Portland that are really nice and these guys really are and so good at their job. Thank you Yoko for your awesome food and great restaurant!

    (5)

  • Latasha M.

    I was going to start this review with "It must have been an off night.", but after reading all the negative reviews I realize that I am not alone in my experience. Most of them start and end with the same story. So I'll leave my summary and my story... I live near by Service was terrible Felt like a burden Food just ok Went home smelling like a grease bucket I live near by and have wanted to check this place out for a long time. Today (Saturday) at about 5:30, I had a very short wait to sit in a cramped spot next to a hot wall at the bar. I didn't complain about the spot and it turned out to be the least of my problems with Yoko's. It took a long time to order. I'm guessing the folks working the sushi bar were the owners. The guy asked my order and when I said I wanted the shrimp tempura/sashimi combo he called over a horribly awkward and cold server. It started with a bland cucumber salad and a miso soup. The rest came quickly on a HUGE bento box that the server thrust at me. I didn't know what to do and he finally told me to move my soup and salad to set it on the tray in front of me. With little room I moved my stuff over and he put it down and walked away without any info on what I was eating. From what I could tell the sashimi was smoked salmon wrapped around micro greens, octopus, an overly seasoned seared yellow tail and some ahi. The shrimp tempura was three shrimp and a bunch of veggies. there was a drowned second salad and enough rice for three. In between talking about customers and making sushi the guy behind the bar asked how I was doing. The server that did not take my order (there were two wich seemed adequate for the number of seats in the place) asked a long while later while setting the table for the seat next to me. When I couldn't eat anymore I set my chopsticks down and flipped through my book for several minutes before the guy who took my order asked if I wanted more water and I asked to box up my food. He came back with a box Me: Do you have a utensil I can use to scoop this into the box? Him: What do you mean? You want the sauce? Me: Sure I'd like the sauce, but I don't know the best way to get this (my food) into that (the box). Him: Good point, heres a fork. I ended up leaving some of it and not getting anything to take the sauce. I just felt like a burden and really wanted to leave. It seems the owners don't really care about the experience they give their customers. There are similar stories as far back as 2008. There are so many other choices out there and I'm really bummed my rare choice to treat myself to something was there.

    (2)

  • Breylan D.

    Yup, I'm a fan. Yoko's is great because you know it's fresh, they make it to order, so it's not one of those sushi-train places, but it's also not as expensive as going to Bamboo Sushi. The servers are nice, and the portions are ridiculous. Only four stars because it takes **forever** to get seated, and then even longer to get your sushi once you've ordered. This is a very small family establishment - so don't come expecting to eat right away.

    (4)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :5:00 pm - 9:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : No
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Dinner
    Parking : Street
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : No
    Good for Groups : No
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
    Outdoor Seating : No
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : No

Yoko’s Japanese Restaurant

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