Sushi Yoto — Restaurant in Pasadena

Overall terrible experience. I sat down and immediately asked to order without any questioning of if we’ve been there before or not even a hello much less. This was our first time and will surely be our last. I NEVER leave bad reviews or complain at restaurants but this experience really was bothersome. first things first the server did not speak a word of English which is fine but she gave no effort to try and help it seems. I asked her to come back in a moment to give my wife and I a moment to look over the menu. She came back in about 15 minutes, I had a simple question of the menu and she seemed to have gone blank. Immediately she ran for another manager or possibly the owner that was sitting at the bar. He tiredly came over and seemingly not wanting to be there as well. I simply told him I wanted to order coconut shrimp for my wife along with two small hand rolls, and that myself would order the AYCE. I understand the rules she would eat her food and I would eat mine since I ordered the AYCE. however he immediately began badgering me as if I was going to share any part of her coconut shrimp or other items from her plate… obviously she can’t eat from mine plates as I ordered the AYCE but he got quite stuck on saying I was forbidden to have any of her coconut shrimp which I found odd since that isn’t part of the AYCE. Anyways, we abide by the rules, he set but I want to be clear my wife had no intentions of eating from my plate. I was very turned off by the this interaction however we still try to enjoy our evening. The sushi itself was mediocre. The shrimp tempura was soggy inside the rolls and not enjoyable. The raw tuna felt warm and the sushi rice seemed hard. The restaurant was ran by managers that don’t care and it shows in the employees as the employees are allowed to be on their phones constantly even while they are busting tables. After taking my order, the manager decided to sit In the booth right next to me Eat his personal feast with the other server that didn’t help in another employee from the back. I waited for my ticket for about 25 minutes while he finished his food and so many employees, walked past my table without any type of help as it seems, their only responsibility was to serve their one and only table then go back immediately to their phones. At the same time, all the other employees were at the sushi bar, eating and lounging glued to their phones. On the other side of the sushi bar were the same thing the sushi workers were wearing baseball caps and watching their phones on which look like the food preparation area. The place was gross, Employees are terrible, but that’s in due to bad management. I will never come back to this establishment and I recommend others don’t either. I was drawn here due to a TikTok that my wife showed me and we were very excited. Super let down, this place was overhyped. So many other...

We went during lunch and ordered off the lunch menu instead of the AYCE. I guess no one does that and it must have thrown off the entire staff.

The host didn't ask us, in fact I'm not sure she spoke a single word to us, she just sat us with the AYCE menus. I had to go back to ask for a regular menu, and she still didn't say anything to me, she just gave me the menu.

The lunch menu is a pretty good deal. You can get 2-3 basic rolls for $10-13, respectively. I got a sashimi bento box that supposedly came with 5 pieces of sashimi (chef's choice), and some other stuff, the menu was unclear but I figured they're all the same so I didn't mind. The waiter took our orders, then came back and asked 3 of the 4 of us if we wanted soup or salad because I guess he didn't realize our orders came with that. Our soups/salads arrived and my sashimi arrived...by itself. I'm thinking ok I guess the rest is coming later. The sashimi was a white fish that was actually pretty good. There were two pieces of salmon that I quickly realized were smoked salmon, not sushi salmon. Chef's choice so I guess they're allowed to give me whatever... Then the two pieces of tuna were completely tasteless. Worst fish I've had in a while.

Everyone else's food arrives and still no bento so I asked and he looks confused but says he'll take a look. Then I see the entire wait staff go up to the front to look at the menu. Eventually when the rest of party was almost done, I finally got my bento. The tempura was decent. The tempura sauce was in a bowl that was too big for the bento tray. The rice looked like it was just scooped from the rice cooker, and I had already finished my fish by that time so it was just white rice. There was a single fried egg roll that tasted a little soggy.

The California roll and gyoza were fine, mediocre at best.

Our waiter was polite and everything but made no effort to acknowledge his mistake or to...

If you are craving high quality sushi with fresh cuts of soft buttery fish then Sushi Yoto is the place for you!

My bf and I came to try the new AYCE sushi on Fairmont and to celebrate Valentine's Day early and we left perfectly satisfied!

8pm on a Saturday night had a 40 minute wait to enter, but here's a tip: If you are a party of 1 or 2 people and ASK TO BE SEATED AT THE BAR then you will skip the line and be seated immediately which we did ;)

The interior design inside is very modern and edgy with a hip bar where you can watch the sushi chefs and check out the delicious fish in the display cases. Our food was usually served directly to us at the bar which was super convenient!

For the appetizer our faves were spicy garlic edamame, grilled mussels, shumai, and crab puff (appetizers are served in 3 pieces each so don't order too much or you may get full fast). Robata grill fave was the baby octopus. Extremely soft and nice charred flavor. Sushi (fish with rice) or sashimi (just fish) faves were salmon, yellowtail, & white tuna. Dessert faves were sesame seed balls, tempura oreo and green tea ice cream.

Our server, Riki, was seriously the best. He always had a genuine smile and very attentive to take our orders no matter how much we ordered he was happy to keep entering them into the iPad. I also loved the spicy garlic oil that goes on the edamame so I asked to take some home and they filled two little containers for me. I was so grateful and we left him a big tip!

Total for 2 people came out to $68 without tip.

We would come here once or twice a year and 100% invite family and friends. This is the best sushi spot in Pasadena hands down and I see them staying for years to come.

PS. Single bathroom only so there may be a wait....