YaYa's Euro Bistro — Restaurant in Salina

Our food experience here was probably a 5 star average. The appetizers were all very good. We had crab cakes, and some kind of chicken flatbread pizza-type dish. Both were very good, but our favorite was the complementary bread with baba ganoush!

The entrees were all very good. For the price, I would not order the ribeye again. It was cooked perfectly, and had a nice smokey flavor, but overall was not quite as flavorful as other ribeyes I've had. The food here is very pricey in general, and I question it's sustainability in Salina, but I'll hope for the best.

We had to wait about 30 minutes to get into the restaurant, which is fine and normal. After we were seated, it took about 10 minutes for us to even get water. The hostess walked by and had to ask if we had been served, we told her no, so she notified someone. A few minutes later, a manager or floater walked to us and got us our water. A few minutes later after we drank most of our water, our waitress came by and got our order for drinks. The alcoholic drinks took at least another 10 minutes to arrive. We ordered and the food was delivered in what I considered a timely fashion. We then got our checks and put the cards in, and waited and waited and waited until finally someone in our party got up and flagged down another waitress walking by. Our waitress came back and apologized saying she thought someone else got our checks for us. Overall, we were at our table for an hour and fifty minutes, watching multiple people get seated after us, and leave before us (so I take it this is not the average experience).

With the prices of Yaya's, we expect excellent service, which we did not receive, so we will likely not be back, at least for a while.

I do want to say props to the shorter dark haired hostess though, as she stayed very busy, was the first to get things going at our table, and was busy cleaning when I walked to the restroom and out of the restaurant. Thank you!

Overall, I could recommend this place on food quality alone, and hope, and believe, you would get better service.

Update: We went back and the food was great. Our server was EXCELLENT this time. He recommended buttercake for dessert and it became a new favorite. Updated from 3 to 5 stars after...

Ok... I went here for 3 consecutive nights and skipped and then back again. Service was equally good, with 3 having great customer interactions. Tyler, there was not much interaction since I only had a 1/2 Ceasars salad.

Overall... a Gem in Salina, for a small town cutting edge Ultra Modern and fresh. Facility is much larger than it shows. Could easily fit in in any large city modern urban area.

They bring bread out with Bobba Ganoush is heavenly!

Monday - Jessica awesome service Meal... Bills Chicken - absolutely awesome salad where you add your protein and swirl in heaven. I added the grilled chicken. To die for is the butter cake...only order and share with 2 or 3, I ate on this for 4 days. I also had the Brushetta... another trip to heaven. Ok, yes, I over ate!

Tuesday - Tyler excellent service Came in late...only had 1/2 Caesars salad. Great service, and the salad was excellent.

Wednesday - Regan amazing service Wild mushroom ravioli with filet tips... absolutely amazing. Great taste and flavor.

Saturday - Ash...Awesome service and conversation Had the salmon salad, which was absolutely wonderful. Salmon was cooked medium per the chef recommendation. Absolutely delicious.. Great flavor!

Sunday - the Bar Pepperoni pizza...superb.

I have made this my eatery of choice!

11.4.2024 had Obed as our server. Very impressive young man, very attentive.

Chopped Mediterranean vegetable salad with feta, kalamata & Castelvetrano olives, tomatoes, cucumber, artichokes, lemon vinaigrette with chicken. ...

I rarely leave reviews, but my recent experience at YaYa’s (and first time there) was so exceptional that I had to share — and it’s all thanks to Amanda, my incredible server.

From the moment I sat down, Amanda made me feel like a VIP. I was incredibly nervous since it was my first time at a "fancy" restaurant, but she was warm, welcoming, and incredibly knowledgeable about the menu, even helping me by explaining some of the items I didn't quite understand. Her recommendations were spot-on — from the appetizers to dessert, everything was perfection. (Side note: if she tells you to try something, just do it. She knows what she's talking about.)

What really set Amanda apart was her attention to detail. My drinks were never empty, my table was always clean, and somehow, she managed to anticipate my needs without ever being intrusive. She struck that rare balance of professional and personable — like catching up with a good friend who just happens to run the best table in the house.

It’s clear she genuinely cares about her guests and loves what she does. She made my dinner not just a meal, but a memorable experience.

YaYa’s itself is a gem — cozy atmosphere, delicious food, and an excellent vibe — but Amanda is the reason I’ll be returning again and again. If you’re planning a visit, do yourself a favor and ask for Amanda. She’s the heart...