09/19/09

If you like sushi from Giant Eagle you will love this!

by aroundtheglobe2xs

Expensive bland sushi, The Applebees of sushi. Philadelphia roll isn't a specialty roll, but thats about as adventurous as they get.

Lets be realistic. If your a foodie and have already done the hibachi thing 50 times, then this restaurant is a pass. If your well versed in the art of Sushi, this is a pass also. If your a suburban housewife looking for something other that McDonalds or Dennys then this is the place for you. (although I believe this is located in the suburbs)

Maki was terrible, Nigiri was decent, Hibachi looked the norm and I heard their Udong noodles are good but haven't tried it. The staff seems a little young, and we had to request our server stop by. Overall the service was decent.

Update: went back for the udon; it was pathetic, small bowl lacking flavor and veggies for 8 bucks.

Trendy spots like this only appeals to the limited pallet patron and will most likely die off in a year or two.

• Pros: NADA
• Cons: Bad sushi, Bad service, BAD udon, $$$$$$$

05/13/09

Give it a pass

by MikeTrick

We've eaten here about a half-dozen times. The greeter is _always_ disinterested and lethargic. Waitstaff are generally OK on the first drink but then disappear. We had kept coming back because the hibachi chefs are OK (some variability, but enough standardization to give a reasonable experience). This time, the lack of interest from both the greeter and the manager was overwhelming. Three of us (including a four-year-old) arrived to a nearly empty restaurant. When asking to be seated to wait for the remaining party of four, that was "against the rules". Sitting at the bar with a four-year-old was "against the rules". The restaurant was empty! The manager grudgingly agreed to seat us but "No ordering food" (and, it seemed from his attitude, he would prefer if we did not enjoy ourselves until our party was complete). This is an understandable attitude on a busy weekend, but not on a quiet night when a little enthusiasm for our custom might have been in order! Overall, between the required 15% tips, the extra tip jar on the chef's cart, the disinterested greeters, and the overall view of "what the heck are you bothering us for", I think there are much better places in the area.

• Pros: Convenient parking
• Cons: Disinterest in customer experience

11/12/08

Better Places in the city

by CVCCC

This place is a bit disorganized. Once we came and it took 20 minutes befor things got going because they waned to fill the table. Next time the meals were all mixed up. Another time it took forever to get our drinks. Why do we go back, not sure but probably because it's close to home and not ever crowded. The food however is good, nice portions and prepared well. Management needs to get more involved with the customers. The only time we see a manager is if we need something corrected. If I knew the owner, I'd like to tell them that they are dropping the ball here. This could be one of the better places in the 'Burg with the right management. Make sure you have at least an hour or more for dinner.

• Pros: Clean, good food
• Cons: Poor service (not the chefs), bad management

11/08/08

Love the Hibachi Tables!!

by Leffakis

Went to Yakoso at the recommendation of my daugher, decided to have a family birthday party the first time. It was great, prices where right, the food was fresh and the quality was good for the price. Sushi is excellent! Love the Pittsburgh Roll!! It has become a tradition now with family to go for large occasions, sit at the Hibachi table its large enough for all of us to have a great time at the same table, enjoy good food and the show the chef puts one. We usually do lunch, which makes it much less expensive. Service it good and the staff is always friendly. I am usually rather picky about Asian restaurants as they use alot of MSG and my daughter ends up with a severe headache after we eat. No so here, she loves it all! Thank you for making our family occasions a really great time....

• Pros: Great Sushi!!
• Cons: None so far.

10/17/08

Terrible service

by NMZ0703

Myself and 3 friends decided to make the worst decision ever. We ate at Yokoso at the Waterfront. This may take awhile so let me start at the beginning. We were lucky enough to have one of the worst servers ever. She decided to take the orders of the 4 other individuals at the table (who I will get to in a minute) first and made us wait 15 minutes while she made small talk with her friend who was sitting at the table. The chef, whose knife play was lackluster, flung an entire bowl of butter at the floor where it stayed the entire night. The four individuals seated with us were highly highly intoxicated and loud at one point spilling shots all over the table and grill area. There actions disrupted the entire restaurant and brought stares from everyone in the dining room. Now comes to the end of the meal. At this establishment the gratuity is added to the bill for parties of 4 or more. We demanded that be removed due to the terrible service. My friend spoke with the manager, who we thought removed the tip from our check. WE THOUGHT WRONG. The manager was supposed to void the check and re-ring it without the tip. The moronic manager voided the drunk's bill but instead of my friend's. This piece of info we discovered as we arrived at home. So my friend and went back to the dump not demanding anything extraordinary, just the bill corrected. We found out the bill was corrected after we left. Please do not eat here. Nakama or Ichiban are 50 times better than this place and reliable people work there.

• Pros: Eventually you get to leave !!!
• Cons: Not enough space to list ......

08/14/08

AVOID

by sarbear3490

AVOID AT ALL COSTS-WAITRESS FRAUDED MY CC AND ADDED IN BIG TIP!! MANAGER REFUSED TO BELIEVE ME!! ACTED AS IS IT WAS MY FAULT!!

• Pros: Food was decent, chef was nice
• Cons: Awful waitress and manager who will fraud you

07/03/08

food is good but

by bhouseex

decent place. food is really good but be careful. there are some behind the scenes things going on here. the employees spend lots of time in the back behind the dumpsters. there are some things that customers have found that have been discusting.

06/19/08

Gratuity in a Japanese Steakhouse

by drocks

Yokoso is a great place to bring your family or your friends. True it can be a bit pricey compared to a normal restaurant, however it's a different experience and compared to other Japanese steakhouses the prices are less. As far as the gratuity that is added for parties of four or more, it is due to people never tipping. The server has to tip out nine percent of their sales regardless if people tip or not. Fifty percent of the tip is automatically divied up between the chef the bus and the bar. The server DOES do just as much as any other server in any other restaurant, don't be fooled by the chef coming and cooking at your table. The server still does the same amount of work. They bring the drinks the soups salads appetizers and are in charge of making sure that everything comes out properly. I've read all the reviews and I just don't think people get that. The sushi is excellent here and I highly reccomend the Spider Roll. There are so many choices on the Sushi menu that there is something for everyone!!! Check it out!

• Pros: Good atmosphere, great sushi, great staff
• Cons: drink prices are too high

05/17/08

The only place we eat sushi!

by angelawaller

I am definitly partial to Yokoso on the Waterfront not only because i love the sushi but it was also where my now boyfriend and I had our first date almost a year ago. It was the best date either of us had ever been on. The bartenders always take great care of us and make us feel welcome. They know our names, what we eat, drink, everything. Not only is it the best place we have found for sushi but the atmosphere tops it all off. we try to go at least once a week and will continue to do so. Great job Guys!! Thanks for your awesome service!

• Pros: service, sushi, friendliest bartenders in pittsburgh
• Cons: they need to get versus so we can watch the hockey games!!

03/06/08

One Bad Experience Can't Say it All

by maskedcamper

I have been to Yokoso enough times that I have lost count, and each time has always been nothing less than enjoyable. Meals can be a little pricey, but there is an option to order only a few things for a much lower price (and every time someone in my group has done this, the waitress has brought the soup and salad that is only supposed to be included with the meal for them as well). The tip is included if you are in a group of four or more, but I think that is so the chefs do not get ripped off; it's more for them than the waitress. As for the tip jar the chef keeps on his cart, it is standard practice for a tip jar when performing an extra service; which I feel that a hibachi chef is, and is not unsanitary (the food nor the chef even touch it!). And, if it bothers you that much, you can always choose NOT to sit at a hibachi table.

The food here is always delicious and the shows that the chefs put on are something to behold. Come hungry, because you will need all the room that you have to finish your meal (I have not yet done it).

• Pros: Good Food, Flexible Menu, Good Service
• Cons: Always leaving unbelievably full!