Yasaiya — Restaurant in New York

Came here for the soft opening last Friday. We waited over an hour for a seat. The staff had no idea how to seat people and allowed customers after us on the list to get seated first. When we finally got to our table, they wouldn't allow us to bring our stroller so I had to hold my 5 month old daughter the entire time while trying to eat hot pot. They did not try to accommodate us at all even though half the restaurant was empty. I understand if it's a busy place that a stroller might be an issue but the space was huge and only half the restaurant was being used.

When I walked over to the sauce section, there was an entire row of sauces which was nice, however the sacha sauce in both available bowls were empty. When I asked the young woman behind the counter to the right of the sauce station about the sacha sauce, she gave me the dirtiest look and the biggest attitude, telling me it's already on the way. Very rude. It's a hotpot restaurant, people will want sacha. I don't understand why she would expect me to be up to date on the refilling of the various sauces there but hey, maybe I need to work harder at being a better customer?

The food was just okay. Decent selection of included veggies, mushrooms, fish balls, etc. The meat did not look good. It was partially defrosted so it did not hold that rolled up shape that good hot pot places will serve their meat in.

When we were at the door, they told us kids would be free but ended up charging for both my nephews. I'm surprised they didn't charge for my 5 month old seeing how clueless and untrained the staff was. They were constantly dropping plates throughout the entire time we were there as if they had no waiting experience. It really seemed like they picked random people off the street and offered them jobs there.

To top this all off, my parents who were the only ones that ate seafood that night, both got severe food poisoning. They've both been barely able to move for the past few days and managed to go see a doctor today. The disappointing food and horrible service wasn't enough. This place had to give our family one last kick in the nuts.

I'd recommend this place if you're looking to spend a lot of money and wait a very long time for very average hot pot, rude staff, and maybe need to lose some weight from...

For comparison, our go to hotpot spot is Spring shabu shabu in Flushing. That place is the Ol' Reliable of hotpot. However, after a few times of fighting the craziness that is driving and parking in downtown Flushing, the motivation is impacted. Thankfully, a friend suggested the recently opened Yasaiya in Little Neck as a good alternative. First of all, they have an ample parking lot in the back (enter on Little Neck Blvd). The place is new so pretty spotless. The dining area is nicely spaced so that you don't feel like you're on top of random people from other dining parties. They have an interesting assortment of broths - the standard dashi, pork bone, spicy pork bone, soy milk (?), mushroom, and tomato (who gets this?). While the price includes the AYCE veggies, noodles, fish cakes, etc., it doesn't include meat or seafood - extra charge (but that's typical). So these hotpot places all really come down to 2 things: variety of the free accompaniments and sauces. So the choice of hot pot ingredients is large, but probably not as large as at Spring - I don't actually eat every single item, but there's clearly more. Some of the items that I kind of missed from Spring are the sausage, more dumpling options, etc. They also had some sketchy looking meat balls (eg, beef, pork, beef tendon) that I just couldn’t get myself to try. The sauces also seemed slightly more limited but all the important choices were there. My dashi broth was tasty, the pork bone broth was pretty rich, but the spicy pork broth was rich but with a strong spice level to cut through the fattiness. So overall a good place for hot pot, especially given the significantly better...

Oh, where do I even begin? My heart (and stomach) are still dancing with joy from my recent hot pot adventure at Yasaiya! Let me tell you, it was an experience like no other.

First off, walking into the restaurant felt like stepping into a warm embrace. The cozy atmosphere, the smell of bubbling broths, and the friendly faces of the staff instantly made me feel at home. And let's talk about those staff members – they were like culinary angels, guiding us through the hot pot journey with smiles and helpful tips.

Now, onto the main event: the hot pot itself. Oh my goodness, talk about a flavor explosion! With every dip of meat, every swirl of veggies, and every slurp of broth, I felt like I was tasting a little piece of heaven. And the best part? The buffet spread had everything my heart desired – from succulent meats to fresh seafood and a rainbow of veggies. It was like a treasure trove of deliciousness!

But what really stole the show for me was the care and attention to detail. The place was spotless, and the ingredients were always fresh and top-notch. Plus, the staff were always there, ready to lend a hand or share a laugh. It felt like dining with old friends – except with way better food!

In all honesty, my experience at Yasaiya was more than just a meal – it was a celebration of flavors, friendship, and all things delicious. If you're looking for a dining experience that'll warm your soul and tantalize your taste buds, look no further. Five stars? Heck, I'd give them...