Yamato — Restaurant in City of Edinburgh

Now my favorite Japanese restaurant in Edinburgh. Very authentic. It is expensive since as someone who absolutely loves sushi and sashimi, I could spend £50-110 just by myself in this restaurant. But the fish is generally very fresh and tasty. Would highly recommend the chef’s sashimi platter as it’s one of the few fairly-priced things on the menu with a good portion (in my opinion) and you get a decent selection of seafood that will satisfy you. However, there might be a slight difference in the taste sometimes as the first time I ordered it it was amazing, but the second time was not as impressive/fresh. Would also recommend Kanpai Sushi as I think they’re owned by the same people, though Kanpai is slightly more expensive and sushi portions are smaller. (The yellowtail sushi & salmon sashimi from both restaurants are heavenly tho)

P.S. recently went back after a year of being away, the size and quality of my favorite chef’s selection sashimi platter has dropped significantly while the prices certainly went up…not only there’s fewer selection of fish but each piece was smaller and tasted a lot less fresh (salmon especially, when a year ago their salmon was close to perfection, seen in the first photo; last second photo of sashimi was taken a year later) compared to what I remember…we also tried the miso black cod this time which tasted nice but the portion again was basically enough for one. My friend only had two slices of sashimi and felt like gagging. I was left quite disappointed after telling her this was the best Japanese restaurant in town and bringing her for dinner. The experience we had that day was only mediocre. I understand the impact of inflation and such on the industry but obvious decline in food quality will eventually drive your most loyal customers away. I sincerely hope the issue will be addressed and maybe adjustments made to bring the restaurant back...

I lived and worked in Japan for a few months so believe me when I say places like this give Japanese food a bad name. The menu here is really bizarre. They’re doing a grab bag of dishes simplified (ruined?) for local tastes instead of focusing on one thing. This is not washoku - there’s no harmony or coherence in what’s offered. When food did arrive (oysters, tuna tataki, a mini unadon, karaage, agedashi tofu) everything was disappointing. The fish and seafood did not taste fresh, there was no offer or suggestion of rice and miso soup to round out the meal (there actually isn’t rice on the menu… odd). The waitress suggested we think of it as Japanese tapas… no. There should be teishoku suggested to diners: cohesive meals that are filling and satisfying. Not the currently offered bewildering set of classics aside fusion dishes (fried Brussels sprouts were there) that have one foot in a Japanese Wetherspoons, the other in haute cuisine.

Above all the place is confusing. If it’s a high end sushi place, the chef should be preparing the best fish and serving you a selection of dishes. If it’s yakitori or something similar, you should have that experience. Instead, here you have 5a wagyu donburi beside oysters? What is this? Highball drinks (nice to see them, very nostalgic for me) are dressed up unnecessarily and overpriced. I really hate to leave negative reviews but this restaurant needs to rethink its menu into something more cohesive and stop charging so much. Places like this feed into the idea that Japanese food is...

Yamato in Edinburgh offers a stylish and modern interior, featuring bamboo lighting, a sleek black wood bar, and a shared dining concept. The space is sectioned with wooden dividers, creating a semi-private feel, though the gaps in the panels make it easy to see and hear neighboring tables. I could over hear very clearly the full conversation of the table next door so if there are two tables chatting, it might get rather sound complex. Seating near the entrance is also a drawback, as cold air rushes in whenever the door opens.

Kinkakuji Cocktail – A mix of sweet and citrusy yuzu notes, but the sweetness overpowered the drink. While strong and undiluted, it felt unbalanced.

Snow Crab Vulcan – Overwhelmed by raw onion, with too little crab and a tart sauce. A missed opportunity that could have been improved with a better balance of ingredients. Agedashi Tofu – Served in four pieces, with a light batter and a flavorful sauce. A solid dish. Chawanmushi, the Egg-based Dish with Prawn & Mushrooms – Lacked flavor and needed soy sauce to enhance the taste. Dragon Roll – An eight-piece roll with crispy tempura prawn, well-balanced and enjoyable.

Service was attentive and fast,10% service charge added to the bill. Prices for sushi rolls were on the higher side.

Overall, the ambiance is appealing, but some seating choices and dish compositions as well as price points for dishes could be improved for a better...