Yakitori Yurippi — Restaurant in Sydney

With limited true yakitori options in Sydney, Yakitori Yurippi has always been the closest match to a yakitori joint that feels like you could be in Japan. Now they've moved across the road into a bigger, fancier digs - it loses a bit of that original vibe for something a bit more cleaner, more polished. The menu has the options that mark it as a true yakitori joint, with yakionigiri (grilled rice balls), different cuts of heart, soft cartilage, bonjiri (chicken butt), and making the distinction of having chicken oyster rather than only having breast and thigh - the level of detail that you would expect at any yakitori restaurant in Japan. If you're after range and that real experience, this is the vibe. Pricing? You're not getting japan prices obviously and with the new fitout and hospitality pressures in this day and age the prices are a little above average so it's not a cheap night. Coming here with an appetite it came to over 355 for 3 people at maybe a dozen skewers each plus sides no alcohol, you could probably knock a fair part of that bill off if you're not a big eater and avoid the special items (tsukune is never cheap but whats the point of yakitori if you don't get a pair of those), the prices are not unreasonable. Pain point for me is the lay out - I'm used to tight knit spaces in Japan but for a brand new fitout it should have allowed more room for people to manoeuvre between tables, I bumped into several folks to get to my table, then at the tables was sitting back to back with others who you constantly hit into (luckily I was by myself on one side and realised after some hurtful bumping that I could scoot over but if we had 4 people that would have been a terrible experience)... so pick your table wisely if you have any choice in it. They seem to be regularly booked out so if bookings are available you will want to take advantage of it, and they limit your seating to 90 minutes which might not be ideal if you're celebrating. As far as yakitori in Sydney goes, this is definitely top tier and highly recommended to try. If you want higher quality the only real choice is Chaco Bar in the cbd (where the difference in price represents the upgrade to premium Sommerlad chickens as well skill level) but you do really pay more for that. If you have any shopping to do and are driving, sometimes the woolworths parking on the other side of the block is convenient so that you can shop and dine with a 2 hour free parking limit, otherwise street parking can be scarce early in the evening...

THE GOOD: • The service is prompt and friendly • The food is delicious • Lively atmosphere

THE NOT-SO-GOOD: • The seating is jam packed next to each other. My wife’s bench seat backed onto and touched the bench seat behind her. You and the wait staff needed to turn side ways to squeeze between and past the two seater tables that segregated the ‘standard’ seating area. • $300 for 3 people is not good value for this type of venue • According to the date/time dockets, we made our first order at 17:58. When we placed an additional order 40 minutes lates at 18:36, the waitress asked “Is this your final order”!!! • A chicken wing (only one thankfully … or hopefully) had blood in it (see picture) • The miso soup was underwhelming in flavour • Limited number of paper napkins on your table – the type that disintegrate when you start using it • No seat back on your seat gets uncomfortable after a while (maybe that’s intentional to make you move on)

SUMMARY: Yakatori Yurripi seems to me be a young hip type izakaya serving yakatori sticks and a few sides, rather than your traditional type Japanese restaurant (in terms of atmosphere). We ate on a Tuesday at 6pm and it was almost full when we arrived. You write your drinks order and record the food quantities on the order form on your table and hand it to wait staff. The food and drinks start coming very soon after. The food is tasty (IMO best were: wagyu short rib, chicken thigh and shallot) but I have to say that yakatori is inherently ‘one note’, we would usually order a greater variety of food types when at other Japanese restaurants.

While we enjoyed the food, I wouldn’t recommend or visit here again. I don’t want to squeeze between and past tables or have that happen to me, because the owner wants to jam them in to maximise revenue. $300 for three people (including 2 alcoholic and 2 non alcoholic drinks) is not good value, given the majority of the food we ate being grilled chicken sticks, and the fit out of this venue is basic. I’ve spent the same amount for three at the fabulous Rengaya at North Sydney. It’s sumptuous and spacious interior and seating is polar opposite to Yurippi. It would be a good place to have some beer and chow down on some sticks, then get out quickly like the establishment expects (but doesn’t convey until you get there), but the prices are...

We’ve been to Yakitori Yurippi many times before and always loved the food, the atmosphere, and the friendly staff. Unfortunately, our visit yesterday was very disappointing.

We had a 5pm booking for one hour, but arrived about 10 minutes late. We completely accept that this was our fault, and we were prepared to leave at 6pm as planned. Based on our past experiences, we knew 50 minutes would still be plenty of time, and we ordered everything straight away without delay. However, the staff immediately emphasized that we had only 50 minutes and told us to “keep in mind,” and that because we were late, we had to order everything at once. A bit strict, but still understandable.

What felt unnecessary was that during the 50 minutes, several staff came to our table repeatedly — probably around 10 times — just to pick up and check our menu, then put it back down. It was distracting and made us feel uncomfortable.

The real problem came towards the end. About 10 minutes before 6pm, we still hadn’t received four dishes (eight skewers). A staff member, who seemed to be the manager or owner, told us we could have a few more minutes since the food was delayed. But then there was more confusion — one staff member took our menu away, and another came back later looking for it. Finally, with only five minutes left, all four dishes arrived at once. Nobody told us we had to finish immediately, but it was impossible not to feel rushed. My partner and I tried to eat quickly, but my 62-year-old mother needed more time, especially with the chicken soft bones. Shockingly, the manager directed a staff member to clear our plates while literally standing there waiting for my mother to finish. The moment she put down her unfinished skewer, the plate was taken away without hesitation.

On top of that, the food itself didn’t taste the same as before — the chicken wings especially — and even the beer was served in warm cups instead of the frozen ones they used to use.

Overall, this experience was beyond disappointing and far from what Yurippi used to be. We honestly suspect that management or ownership may have changed. Sadly, we won’t be returning, and we suggest anyone considering this restaurant think twice...