Yatai Ramen Japanese Izakaya — Restaurant in Plano

My boyfriend and I came in for a late night ramen fix and were excited to see how Yatai was open until 10 pm. We arrived and were seated by 9:15. I ordered the Tan Tan Men, and he ordered the Kimchi Bacon Ramen. Both were really delicious, but I preferred the deep, rich flavor of the kimchi bacon. Our server was very nice, but it was very apparent she was in a rush to take our order because we had only been sitting two minutes before she asked for the first time. We could hear the manager telling her telling to take it now; anyone could because she was almost yelling at the servers. It was near 9:30 when all music was cut, open sign was turned off, and the manager was shouting to hand out checks. Everyone in the restaurant could hear her. The ambiance of the restaurant changed dramatically, and we began to feel unwelcome. I am glad we did not want an appetizer because only ramen was available. We had been asked to pay three times without being asked if we were ready for the check. We weren’t offered refills or desserts of any kind. In fact, our check was given to us right after receiving the entree. We had to check our watches multiple times because if they wanted to close at 9 or 9:30, their hours should be updated. Rather, we just felt unwelcomed and in the middle of a hostile environment as the manager was constantly and loudly badgering the servers. Wanted to rate this place higher, but maybe I would’ve if we came for lunch or an...

Yatai Ramen has much more than ramen, udon and soba. Their extensive menu includes many familiar favourites, like gyoza and edamame, plus a lot of delicious Japanese dishes you should try.

I had "aji fry", two pieces of mackerel, lightly deep fried. The crispy crust was golden brown and the boneless fish was perfectly done, with no oily taste.

About the only thing that seemed missing was a small mound of daikon oroshi, finely grated white daikon radish. Various kinds of tempura and other fries are available and should please even picky eaters.

The takoyaki, octopus "fritters", were as good as any I've had in Osaka. The were served with takoyaki sauce, a drizzle of mayo and sprinkled with katsuobushi, grated bonito. They were light and airy, with a creamy interior and chewy bits of octopus.

Onigiri, rice balls, made a delicious snack. I recommend the mentaiko, spicy cod roe. The sake selection is extensive and has a lot of good choices, many of which are higher end.

I really had a hard time choosing what I wanted to eat here. The ramen and rice bowls all vied for my attention, as did the curry rice. It was too early for dinner, so the fish entrees like miso salmon and grilled saba, and others like nabe oden (a hot pot with fish cakes and vegetables), okonomiyaki (Japanese pancake) and kushiyaki skewers will be dishes I'll be...

Before I give my review, please know that we lived in Southern Japan for 2 years, so I am super picky about Japanese food. We like VERY traditional authentic food. I found Yatai online with good reviews, and after looking at the menu which had a number of items not available at other restaurants, we decided to give it a try. We ordered several appetizers including fried squid, squid salad and pork gyoza. The squid salad was spot on and wonderful. I highly recommend it. The gyoza was OK, not great. The fried squid was quite good. The Miso soup that came with our meals was very authentic and enjoyed. My husband and son enjoyed the Japanese beer offerings, and I had some of the best green tea I have had in years (most places water it down too much). For entrees we had the chicken curry, pork curry, and the beef sukiyaki. While both of the curries were good (but not the specific southern version I am craving), the beef sukiyaki was wonderful and deep with rich savory flavor. Next time we will try the tempura and ramen. Minor things to improve, if we could have had chopstick rests and small plates with the appetizers we shared. Better napkins would be much appreciated. Overall it was very good with a good value for the amount of food and drink we ordered. Service was very good. Please go and...