Yokocho Izakaya — Restaurant in Bend

It pains me to write this because this is my FAVORITE place to eat. On Saturday night (08/30/25) we went here for my birthday dinner. My husband and I brought my mom and younger brother who are not as familiar with Japanese food, so we were helping them out while they picked their food. The server "I" (written on our reciept) was obviously very annoyed by this and stormed away after asking us if we were ready for the 2nd time (we had been there no more than 15 minutes at this point). After this, she didnt check on us to see if things were going okay. She didnt bring us our food, and we sat for 20 minutes after eating without anyone coming to help us. Finally, the hostess who sat us came to get us boxes and our server was back for the bill. We decided to pay over card, and my mom hit "no tip" on their machine, but we were tipping with cash, so we had it on the table. After my mom hit "no tip", our server looked furious and she grabbed the checkbook and the cash tip from the table while we were still sitting there. The entire time, we all thanked her verbally multiple times, each of us. Because we could see that she was bothered. But she stormed away without telling us to have a good night or anything.

I'm so sad. My mom and brother now hate it there and will probably never go back. I tried reassuring them that this was the first experience i've ever had like this. People have always greeted us with kindness there, but this was my first time back since having our baby, so maybe a lot has changed in 6 months.

I've never seen a server grab the tip from the table in front of the customers. Ive worked in the restaurant industry and know how rude that is. Especially if they havent cleared the table at all yet.

Worst birthday dinner ever!

My husband just reminded me that he wasnt even done getting out the entire cash tip. He was still shuffling through his wallet, so she didnt even get the whole thing (we always try to leave 20%) but that feels deserved in my opinion. If she had waited until we were gone, there would have been...

Yokocho Izakaya is an absolute gem and a new must-visit spot in Bend! From the moment we arrived, it was clear that this place was something special. We started with the Wasabi cocktail and the Ya-Cool mocktail, and wow—if you’re a yuzu lover like me, the mocktail will have you falling head over heels! My fiancé loved his cocktail too; the wasabi on the rim was such a fun, unique touch!

Every bite felt like we were right back in Japan, especially the izakayas. The marinade was out of this world! And oh, the mochi izakaya—crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside. Pure bliss! Even the broccoli was a surprise hit; we couldn’t believe how delicious it was!

I’m a huge agadashi tofu fan, and this did not disappoint! The tofu was perfection, and that sauce—simply heavenly. Then came the chicken karaage, which was crispy outside and perfectly juicy inside. The aioli was fantastic and paired amazingly well with the shredded cabbage beneath it.

And then…the Shibuya Toast. It was TO DIE FOR! Even when I was beyond full, I couldn’t stop myself from taking another bite. It’s a must-order! I was literally happy-dancing through the whole meal.

To top it all off, the service and ambiance were just wonderful. They make you feel so welcomed and truly care about your experience. The wall art and decorations are stunning, clearly designed with so much thought. This place brings all the joy and warmth of Japan right to Bend! I’ll be happy-dancing my way back here...

Service was painfully slow. I felt bad that only 2 waitresses were working the entire floor when the restaurant was packed.

I wish management would recognize that the music is too loud and impacts the lovely ambiance they have created. Guests want to be able to hear each other talk.

Food was 3/5. We had two types of ramen - the tonkatsu and spicy tomyum (appeared to be a special advertised on another flyer.) The tonkatsu ramen broth was very sweet and I’m not sure I’m a fan of it. It tasted unlike any other tonkatsu ramen I’ve had. Someone in the reviews says it tasted like they added a Wendy’s barbecue packet to the sauce and I agree! My partner said it tasted like they added Worcestershire sauce. This flavor profile isn’t traditional. I was hoping for the rich, pork broth with savory and umami flavor. Pretty disappointed to be honest.

He ordered the spicy Tomyum ramen. He said there was a lot left to be desired. It wasn’t very spicy but more acidic tasting? Again, a different flavor profile for ramen than we’re used to.

Maybe they’re trying something different for ramen dishes but it just wasn’t our cup of tea unfortunately.

On the other hand, the chicken karaage was amazing! The gyoza were also delicious (Costco gyoza? Tasted oddly familiar)

I’d love to give it another try in the future, but after spending $70 for a disappointing meal, I’m not sure I’ll be...