HITO YATAI — Restaurant in Citrus Heights

A hidden gem for sushi foodies.

This restaurant is tucked away like a Carmichael pearl waiting to be discovered. I’d liken Hito Yatai as a place for those who crave not just food, but an experience. After more than five visits, including an omakase, it’s clear this is not your typical takeout sushi joint—this is a place for craftsmanship.

Take the “Mini Don,” for example: a bowl of delicate textures and flavors where the briny pop of ikura and the creamy richness of uni come together like a fleeting indulgence. Each bite feels luxurious, leaving you wishing it lingered just a bit longer. The iwashi nigiri, with its unctuous sardine and velvety oiliness, is transformed into something truly decadent. I’ve had the suzuki (sea bass), hirame (flounder), aged chutoro, and blue fin tuna nigiri—lots of varied offerings for fish. For those less inclined toward raw fish, the “Osaka-style” okonomiyaki, a hearty cabbage pancake, is comforting and savory.

From tempura to sashimi, I’ve enjoyed the thoughtfulness of my meals at Hito Yatai. Even the presentation feels elevated. The assortment of physical plates feel like a kaleidoscope of ceramic and glass styles—very artful. Speaking of tempura, the chrysanthemum tempura deserves its own applause: light and airy, yet a crunch that gives way to a floral clover-like flavor. It’s served with a dashi dipping sauce (though I personally prefer a splash of soy for a stronger kick).

One of the restaurant’s greatest charms for me has been the unprinted menu—conversations, not paper, guide your choices. I’ve spoken about my cravings with Chef Cam who will craft something from the stock of fish and offerings. This approach fosters a sense of trust and anticipation—every visit feels personal and thoughtfully tailored.

While this is not the place for those seeking volume-focused sushi (e.g., AYCE), every bite reflects artistry and quality that enthusiasts will appreciate. The portions invite you to savor the extraordinary flavors. The staff are dedicated to authenticity and freshness.

If you’re a foodie who finds joy in the subtleties of higher-quality sushi and a curated dining experience, I recommend...

Oh wow! So glad I found this place on Yelp. Somehow I missed it when they opened almost two years ago. I tried takeout omakase once during Covid when it was still Shige, and although I've heard the ownership has changed from a few incredibly talented sushi chefs I know, I didn't pay much attention and missed this gem.

We just returned from Japan and I really wanted something that was similar to the food there: seasonal fresh ingredients not heavily seasoned or sauced, and just letting the true flavors of the ingredients shine through to bring out the most umami flavor. There isn't anything like that as far as I know... and I searched on Yelp blindly not thinking anything would even remotely be close. There are a few spots with good sushi of course, but really lacking in other dishes and can be quite a drive or hassle (Roku in Roseville or Kru in Sac).

It was a bit unassuming when we first walked in and we really had no idea what to expect. The pictures of the kinmedai and hotate nigiris looked real legit and hence we decided to give this place a try, and really had no idea what to expect.

Chef Cameron and Chef Nick were both amazing. I had some wonderful nigiris and I loved all the other kitchen dishes I have tried as well. The staff were all wonderful and attentive. I definitely plan to come back to try their omakase, and I will be taking a ton of kitchen foods to go lol. This place will be added to my rotation for sure!

Everything was excellent, and considering we just came back from Japan doing lots of good eating including Sukiyabashi Jiro (you would know if you ever watched the documentary), and not only was Hito Yatai on par, everything was delicious! The ingredients were fresh, the taste and preparation was all well executed.

Their sake is incredibly priced as well. They also have off menu sakes.

Now only if they will open on Sundays and get a hard liquor license haha! One can dream right?! I can't...

Hito Yayai opened up recently near my house and my bf and I decided to try it out yesterday for the first time. The food exceeded our expectations, we got 3 sushi rolls, the rainbow, dragon and dream fish. The dream fish was the best out of the 3 and the best roll I’ve probably ever had, the other two rolls were delicious as well. We also tried 2 different types of nigiri, chefs choice so he made two rolls for us and brought them out personally and told us what they were. Both were very good. I also ordered a white peach sparkling yuzu and it was wonderful!

Now the only issue I have about this place is how long it took for each thing to come out, check included. It’s a small place and there was only one woman working the front while we were there, she was delightful, but by the end of the night had so many people to help that it seemed she couldn’t keep up with it. When we initially finished our 3 rolls and wanted to try some nigiri it took me 10-15 minutes to even get her attention because she was busy with other people and never even really looked in our direction. Then it took another 15-20 minutes to actually get the nigiri which we finished in 5 seconds because it’s only the one piece. It was incredibly hard to get her attention for the check and after I finally did get her attention (she charged me immediately because I got a notification) we ended up waiting another 10 minutes for my card, but she had seemed to forget about bringing it back and I could see it just sitting on the back counter so we had to stand up and go ask her for my card back so we...