Yuji Modern Japanese — Restaurant in Atlanta

I was so excited to try this new restaurant. My dog gets groomed on the beltline and I decided when I take her I’ll stop in. So yesterday I did just that. My boyfriend and I sat at the bar about 1140 noon and our bartender was completely dismissive. I guess he was doing a bourbon tasting or something with reps and I know this because I’ve been a bartender for 10 plus years and I can tell. Once we got seated he brought us waters and a menu. I was able to look rarely quickly because we were just getting appetizers nothing to much. It took about 20 min for us to be able to order. Once we ordered he went back to talking to the two people that were doing the tasting with him. He never came back to see if we wanted anything to drink other than the tap water I watched him get out of the sink not the fountain gun but literally the sink. I don’t drink tap water so I definitely wanted something else. Someone else brought our first app out the food was okay. They finally brought the rest of our apps the calamari was way too crunchy way too much breading. The shrimp tempura was undercooked and my edamame was also overcooked. The food wasn’t bad. We still ate once he finally came over to check on us to see how the food was and we asked him about a tequila that was sitting on the bar we asked him if it was good. He stated that he doesn’t recommend paying high amounts for basic tequilas and then proceeded to walk away and continue to talk to the other two people that were at the bar during the tasting with him he didn’t ask us if we wanted it or if we wanted anything other than that. once we finished our food, we asked for the bill I had to yell across the bar to get the Bill because again he was still talking to the two people that were sitting across the bar. mind you there was no one else at the bar But us and the reps so finally I got his attention to get the bill. It was a cheap bill so I pulled my card out and was ready to pay. It took him another 15 Minutes to come back to run my card throughout the 15 minutes I was trying to get his attention While not trying to cause a scene and be loud and yell across the bar. honestly we won’t be back. I was really disappointed because I’ve been waiting for this restaurant to open for some time y’all need to do better. This place is too pricey and too beautiful for...

Yuji is where amazing sushi meets class and sophistication. Of course, I’m a foodie and love sushi—the cooked options—but Yuji had me taking big risks and I’m glad I did. We started with cocktails, the house’s Forever Summer and Yuji Cobbler. Honestly, the flavors were great, but I couldn’t sense the presence of alcohol. And no, it wasn’t a “sneak up on you” kind of drink, because I walked away completely sober. That said, I liked the freshness of the Forever Summer cocktail. It was slightly sweet and well balanced. The Otoro Carpaccio was my first raw challenge, but I was up for it. The texture was creamy due to the fattiness of the fish, but there were some greens that added a different texture. It was lightly seasoned, but perfect, because it allowed the flavor of the fish to shine. I definitely have no regrets and literally cleaned the plate. The snow crab and calamari karaage was incredible! Crispy and packed with flavor, the sauce at the bottom of the plate elevates it all the more, so please mind your manners and try not to lick it. It was the shishito peppers on top for me. Servers kept trying to take the plate, but not until I consumed every last pepper. Our first sushi roll was the Yuji roll, which has shrimp, salmon, and tuna. Again, this raw sushi dish is the reason I’m now craving it. (Ugh!) It was so delicious. The Kyoto roll was good as well, but I wasn’t a huge fan of the baked sauce on top—personal preference, of course. The miso tamago yaki dessert is a full experience within itself. It has the texture of flan, and not overly sweet. If you don’t order it for the fire show, order it simply because it’s melt-in-your-mouth goodness. In all, Yuji’s location on the belt line is perfect for those who frequent it. There is also an outdoor bar area that I hope they’ll make use of when the weather warms up. The ambiance is perfectly “grown and sexy,” so it has date night vibes, but the music was a bit loud the night we visited. Service is great, suggestions were solid. Parking is convenient in the garage as well. All in all, I’m coming back…now that I’m officially a sushi fiend. Try not to get...

I recently dined at Yuji and unfortunately had one of the worst restaurant experiences I’ve had in Atlanta.

I chose to sit outside to enjoy the weather, but immediately ran into issues. When I asked to use the restroom inside (where I had dined before), the manager stopped me and said outside guests must use a bathroom in another building, requiring a pass from the outdoor bartender. I ended up waiting nearly 30 minutes in discomfort before gaining access. For a restaurant of this caliber, the lack of hospitality and flexibility was shocking.

Service outside was even more disappointing. The bartender, Carol, displayed poor sanitation practices (handling money, food, straws, and even a trash can lid before touching chopsticks), and when I asked for utensils, she dismissively placed the contaminated chopsticks on the bar instead. When I asked menu questions, her knowledge was limited and her tone combative. At one point she even said, “if you wanted a fine dining experience, you should have eaten inside,” implying that outdoor guests should accept poor service because it’s “quick dining.” That is unacceptable regardless of format, guests deserve professionalism and respect.

When I attempted to escalate concerns, the indoor manager appeared untrained in handling customer complaints. He was nervous, interruptive, and ultimately said he could not help because “indoor and outdoor are separate entities.” No accountability, no solutions, no ownership of the guest experience.

At that point I chose to leave. Carol offered a half-hearted apology that came across passive-aggressive rather than sincere. I ended the night at Oku, where the food, service, and professionalism were everything Yuji failed to deliver.

Yuji positions itself as an elevated sushi destination, but what I experienced felt closer to a corner-store dining encounter. For anyone seeking high-quality sushi with excellent service in Atlanta, I strongly recommend Oku or Eight Sushi instead. The difference is...