What is it?

Yama is a cozy Japanese restaurant located on the southern border of the Gramercy Park neighborhood. The restaurant is situated in the basement of the Washington Irving House (of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" fame). Yama is probably best known for its fresh, large cuts of sushi.

Decor/Ambiance

The restaurant is pretty hard to find if you aren't looking for it. It is located in the basement and the sign is pretty inconspicuous. The best way to go is to walk north on Irving Place and then make a left on 17th (before crossing the street). It will be the second structure on your left. Most of the time however, you won't have any trouble finding it as there will be a fairly large crowd outside waiting to get in.

Once inside, you will be greeted by a sense of comfort. The ceilings are pretty low and the overall feeling of the restaurant is that of a family home. The lighting is dim, but bright enough for you to see and enjoy your meal. The tables are situated quite close to each other, but it only adds to the coziness of the experience. As a matter of fact, there was many a time where I got into conversations with other dinners. The décor can be considered conservationalist with an occasional vase on the shelves.

Food

The menu reads like any average Japanese restaurant with nothing really original that stands out. You’ll find sushi combinations, teriyaki plates, various a la carte sushi, maki and such. Of course, everyone who comes in orders the sushi because that’s the very thing they are celebrated for. No matter what sushi you order, you’ll be greeted with gigantic cuts of fresh fish which just melts in your mouth. When I say fresh, I really do mean fresh. The point of having sushi sometimes is NOT to taste/smell that fishy taste. The sushi at Yama accomplishes this very well, probably due to adequate refrigeration (the sushi is often very cold).

Generally speaking, the sushi I enjoy the most are the maguro (tuna), the toro (fatty tuna belly), the sake (salmon) and the amebi (sweet shrimp). Naturally, it depends on your own tastes. Yama prepares all their fish equally well (as confirmed by friends who enjoy other sushi). A nice way to end the meal is with their tempura ice cream (fried ice cream). You choose one of the many flavors of ice cream, which is then wrapped very carefully in a coat of pound cake that is subsequently lightly battered then fried. The result is a nice combination of warmth and cold in your mouth of which you can’t help but smile about.

Service

The service is sometimes sporadic, but the waiters/waitresses are very courteous and efficient. As long as you make sure you tell them exactly everything you want when you see them, you’ll have a great stress-free time. It’s also nice to see that they are as equally slow with the bill, leaving me with the impression that they are just very busy and trying to do the best that they can.

Final Words

Yama is pretty inexpensive considering the size and quality of the sushi. It’s definitely possible to get very full and satisfied with about $20 a person. This is a place you can take a date or friends. One tip is that if you want to avoid the long lines, go early (they open at 5:30PM for dinner). Anytime after 7:00PM, especially on weekends, you can expect a wait.





Recommended: Yes

Kid Friendliness: Yes
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations There are two other branches of this restaurant also located in the downtown area.
Best Suited For: Romantic Evening