Yuki Japanese Restaurant, Bar & Karaoke — Restaurant in Jakarta

Yuki’s been slinging Japanese grub since the ‘80s—sushi, udon, rice bowls, the whole playbook, but with a modern twist that doesn’t feel like it’s trying too hard. My old man dragged me here as a kid, back when Uncle Soeharto was still on TV and I was too young to give a damn about flavor. Memory’s fuzzy on that front—so I’m running on the last three, four years of visits, and it’s a hell of a ride.

The place is a time capsule, all dark wood and Heisei-era vibes, like stepping into a Tokyo dive bar before the bubble burst. Smokers get their own room—thank Christ—non-smokers breathe easy, and if you’ve got a posse of eight or more, they’ve got private digs, though it’ll cost you 200k a head minimum so don’t show up broke.

Lunch is where it’s at. Hit the sets or bento—I’m a sucker for the Karaage Bento or the Gyubara Bento, 70k a pop. These trays come loaded: mixed mushrooms, a horenzo salad or agedashi tofu if you’re lucky, a little slab of tamagoyaki. and a couple edamame to chew on. No soup, no drink—deal with it. Portions are generous, enough to shut you up for an afternoon, but the rice? It’s a crapshoot. Some days it’s spot-on, fluffy and perfect; others, it’s a sticky, overcooked mess that clings to your chopsticks like a bad habit. They need to sort that out.

Gyoza’s a win—crisp wings or that lacy skirt of starch clinging to the bottom, pan-fried to a snap. 70k for eight pieces stings a bit, but you can taste the handmade hustle in every bite. Worth it if you’re flush.

Sushi and sashimi? Order by the piece, plate, or go big with a moriawase assortment. Prices won’t gut you—middle of the road, better than the conveyor-belt slop at chain joints. The Maguro Moriawase, assorted tuna at 195k, is my pick—clean cuts, fresh enough to remind you the ocean’s still out there. It’s not blow-your-mind revelatory, but it beats the hell out of most in this town.

Dinner’s a different beast—no lunch sets, obviously, but they’ve got moves. The Spicy Salmon Head Soup and Umakara Niku Dofu are gut-warming bowls of comfort, each packing a whole brick of silken tofu that jiggles like it’s alive. Not fiery—shichi-mi togarashi’s the heat, more a tickle than a punch—but they’ll stick to your ribs.

Got a date? Show off with the Aburi Wagyu Yukhoe—80k for a small that’ll feed two if you’re not greedy. Thin-sliced beef wrapped around a salad, crowned with a poached egg, swimming in sweet soy sauce that’s got some backbone. The waiter torques it up tableside—torches the beef once, lays it out pretty, then hits it again to your specs. Pile some greens on a slice, roll it, dunk it in that sauce—it’s a flavor bomb that begs for rice to tame it. Without the starch, it’s almost too much, but damn if it isn’t a good time.

Dessert? Don’t bother. They’ve got nothing worth a damn—just a scoop of ice cream if you scribble a review, which is why I’m here typing this. It’s a cheap bribe, but I’ll take it.

Service is a cut above. Mbak Vera’s my guardian angel—same table every time, same steady hand keeping the plates coming. The crew’s got a smattering of Japanese in their pocket, enough to nod at “arigatou,” and they’ll walk you through the menu like they give a shit. Peak hours—lunch, dinner—I’ve never paced the sidewalk waiting for a seat. That’s rare as hell in Blok M.

In a neighborhood drowning in Japanese joints, Yuki’s got legs. It’s not perfect—the rice wobbles, the egg could use a soul—but it’s got heart, history, and a crew that doesn’t half-ass it. Here’s hoping they keep the fire lit. Catch you next round.

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Taste 4/5 - it’s solid, not a knockout, held back by that rice roulette. Price 4.5/5 - not a steal, but you’re not crying over the bill either. Service 5/5 - flawless,...

It was a delightful experience having dinner at this establishment. The dining room is located on the second floor and can accommodate more than 50 people. The ambiance and service were satisfactory, with helpful and friendly staff.

One of their signature dishes is the Aburi Wagyu Yukhoe. The presentation was visually appealing and captivating. We ordered the regular portion, which was surprisingly quite large. The small portion consists of 50 grams of wagyu beef, while the regular portion is 100 grams. It arrived uncooked, and the staff kindly torched it to medium doneness as per our request. The dish is served without rice and includes wagyu beef slices, vegetables, a soft-boiled egg, and sweet soy sauce. It was quite flavorful, but I believe it would have been even better if we had requested medium-rare doneness. The wagyu was not as succulent as anticipated, but it was still tender and enjoyable.

Aburi Chu-Toro Avocado Sauce is another highly recommended dish here. I am a great admirer of Chu-toro (fat tuna belly) sashimi, so it was my first time trying the aburi version here. They served it in quite thick slices and an abundance of homemade avocado and leek sauce made with teriyaki sauce. I appreciated all the garnishes on the plate, but I still prefer the raw version to the aburi. The avocado sauce was very thick and creamy, but in a delightful way. The teriyaki sauce was not as robust as I had anticipated, but I enjoyed its flavor.

Abura Somen with beef was very enticing, so we decided to order it. The noodles were made of wheat flour and served thin, similar to Yamien. The abura sauce had a balanced flavor, slightly sweet and savory, and I thoroughly enjoyed the combination of flavors. The beef slices were served with some fatty parts, so the texture was a bit chewy but still acceptable.

For dessert, the Ogura Ice Cream exceeded my expectations. I truly enjoyed it, and its flavor reminded me of the famous M* Para** ice cream. The taste was quite similar, and I...

The overall experience dining at Yuki is 5⭐️!

Food: • Aburi Wagyu Hokyue (4.5/5): This is one of their signature dish, I can tell the beef were fresh and great in quality. The sauce, onsen, torched beef, and the salad were a perfect combination. However, priced at 135k, I think they could be a bit more generous with the beef.

• Gyoza (5/5): Loaded with flavor. Must try.

• Umakara Niku Dofu (5/5): It's a spicy beef and tofu soup with mushroom and egg. The soup was VERY rich in flavor, tasted refreshing. They were generous with the condiments. You should definitely order this.

• Aburi Chu-Toro Avocado Sauce (4/5): The tuna was thick and grilled just perfectly. However I couldn't really taste the avocado? The topping sauce felt more like cheese rather than avocado.

• Tsukune Piri-Kara (3.5/5): Yakitori but shaped like Sate Lilit. Tasted okay. Nothing special.

• Spicy Salmon Gunkan (5/5): Fresh and generous amount of salmon.

• Wakadori Kuwayaki Don (4/5): Fried chicken with what tasted like teriyaki sauce. Taste was great!

Overall, the food we ordered were delicious and freshly-served.

Service (5/5): All the waitresses were nice and helpful. We didnt wait long for the food to be served.

Ambience (5/5): UGH I LOVE IT HERE. Peaceful, not too crowded, just... 👌

Price: $$$

It was a great dining experience at Yuki. I would definitely be back here and if you happen to look for Japanese food around Melawai, Yuki...