Yoko's Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar

We love Yoko's! Best sushi in town & a spot that's sure to impress. Pro tip: put your name and number in the ipad waiting list then hop next door for some pinball.

First time here and they didn't disappoint... their steamed muscles were 😋 and we absolutely luv'd the miso soup!!

Cozy place. The space can get loud with all the people talking and the rock music playing in the background. Good selection of sushi rolls. If you sit by the bar, it’s fund to watch the colorful place being served. Will definitely come back for more.

We have enjoyed Yoko's sushi for almost 20 years. The fish is always fresh, and the combinations are delicious. We love Taka's Tuna, Hamachi nigiri, Thai roll and Samon nigiri. I recommend arriving early, sitting at the sushi bar and watching Yoko work. Try some of the affordable sakes available. We've enjoyed every one we tried.

Yoko's Japanese Restaurant & Sushi in Portland is a small, unassuming restaurant that serves some of the most delicious and fresh sushi I've ever had. The restaurant is located in a quiet neighborhood, and it has a cozy, intimate atmosphere. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable, and they are always happy to make recommendations. I've tried a variety of dishes at Yoko's, and I've never been disappointed. My favorites include the Takas Tuna, Salmon Nigiri, and the Creamy Scallops. I also recommend the Apple Yeast sake, which is a perfect pairing for the sushi.

Yoko's has been a long standing Portland Sushi restaurant with a reputation of quality sushi at a fair price. It is one of my friend's favorite sushi spots in town and it just might be yours soon too. The restaurant is nestled in a vibrant SE Portland neighborhood close to Reed College, my Alma Mater. Parking can be found on the side streets in the local neighborhood or if you're lucky right in front on the street. Just note, there is no take out and it is a first come first serve restaurant. I recommend getting there early else you'll be on the wait list for the table to turn over. The shop itself is fairly small. There is the landmark aquarium at the entrance, it's been there since I first went here 20 yrs ago, with a few seats for those waiting their turn. Yoko herself is usually found working behind the sushi counter so grab a seat there if you want a special experience. Her take on sushi is a fusion of traditional and PDX ingenuity. The food here is fresh and absolutely delicious. I usually go for the Chirashi bowl but there are many other great special sushi rolls and items that are worth trying. Make sure to check out the Specials board at the entrance to see what's in season. You'll not be disappointed. Overall prices here are fair and service is good. If you are ever on the lookout for trying a new sushi place make sure to stop in and try Yoko's.

Yoko’s is our favorite place for sushi. It will be a top 10 places we miss if we ever move from portland. Taka’s tuna is a must! Poki’s roll, yellow tail sashimi, seared tuna sashimi, kanami’s treasure, salmon nigiri, creamy scallops, unagi nigiri and miso soup.

So far been here a few times and it nails the atmosphere for a neighborhood restaurant while serving high quality sushi. It's always packed, always delicious. We never mind waiting an hour to get a table.

I absolutely love this place. Since the first time I went I am always thinking about it and wanting to go back. The fish is super fresh and delicious, portions are generous with reasonable prices, and the staff are great! I have no complaints other than the typical wait time being pretty long. However, it's not so bad if you go across the street and grab a drink and play pinball!

Visited on a Sunday before opening and found a line already forming. We got in 2nd to last in the first wave but were lucky enough to get our food first--some others weren't so lucky and had to wait. One thing to note: the sushi chef handles the paper orders directly before making the rolls, which might be a concern for those particular about sanitation. The staff was very friendly, portion sizes were fair, and prices were on the higher side. Overall, the experience was decent, though nothing stood out apart from the Poki Roll--it was absolutely amazing!

When Tanuki closed up, I had been looking for a punk rock sushi bar. Thankfully nestled in SE Gladstone is Yoko's and it scratched that punk rock itch. The wait wasn't too bad and while hanging out there's a fishtank near the entryway. The location is fairly small but the wait wasn't bad. Our server was a tattooed up homie and the music was nice and loud. I had found my new Tanuki! Sunomono Salad with Dungeons crab had to be the greatest thing ever and when I go back again, I'm getting this. Other dishes were also quite good, but this one I'll say was very nicely prepared and fresh. They had Yuzu beer in a can for beverage which paired nicely with it. Short visit and a quick meal, I would definitely say its got authentic flare and flavor. If you're in the area make a stop by.

It's great. Go there a lot. Sit at the bar. Best review of ALL TIME in all of Yelp is on this restaurant. Search 'professional shit disturbers' and you will find it. Comedy. Great sushi though but people have opinions and blah, blah, blah.

I am sitting here while writing this review. I'm from Portland, Oregon. And a sushi. Slut. For anybody who lives in Portland or visiting, Yoko's is the only place. Large portions, perfect rice, excellent and friendly service. But don't expect to just walk in and grab a table. No reservations taken here. You need to stand in line with all the rest of us. Sometimes 40 minutes to an hour before the doors open. Especially summer time. In the long line you can count the people to get an idea if you're going to eat in the first round. My review is all about patience and worthy anticipation. Stand in line early. It's worth it.

I came here after seeing it on Tiktok and it was definitely worth it. A cute little shop with decades of history, Yoko's is very homey inside and the ambiance is cozy, inviting, and a bit intimate. I came right before their dinner rush, so it wasn't very busy; I got seated at the bar and had a great time watching the sushi chefs do their job. I first ordered the agedashi tofu as an appetizer and although it tasted great, it was not what I was expecting at all. It was a huge portion (perfect for take-home) and the sauce was very gelatinous. I believe because I'm used to smaller portions and a more liquid sauce, I wasn't the biggest fan of this (it practically filled me up before I could have a bite of any sushi haha); but I wouldn't say it was bad!! When the sushi came out, they were plated beautifully and very generous portions too. Everything was so fresh and the flavor of the fish was amazing. Overall, I think it's an amazing place and I would love to come back another time to try different dishes!

Yoko's is a cute local Japanese restaurant. It's fairly small so I opted to come early to beat the dinner rush and I'm so glad I did. We came early and it was already packed and up until we left there was still a waiting list. That's how you know it's good! Fish here is fresh and love the options between the sushi/kitchen items. The Wakame salad was nice and they give a large portion for the appetizer to share. Had to get the Taka's Tuna based on reviews and it did not disappoint - it's dense so you probably can split at the table. I probably ordered way too many rolls with the bowl but all were nicely made. Great to see octopus in the bowl as an chef option. As others have said, service here isn't the swiftest but were easy to flag down.

Yoko's was super delicious! The service wonderful and almost all the sushi was high quality and tasty. The interior was so cute and really reminded me of an authentic sushi restaurant. The only reason I am giving it 4 stars is because none of us were a fan of the eel. It was pretty disappointing. But everything else was incredible! The crispy rice was my favorite!

Waited for a table for 30+ minutes even though there was an unoccupied table that was still unoccupied when we returned (doubtful anyone was seated and left already). Waited to order while we watched the worker take another table's order first that came and sat after us. Waited for our food order of Edamame, Kara-Age, Beef Yakisoba, Creamy Hotate/Creamy Scallop Nigiri, Sake Nigiri, Ruben's Special Roll, and Spicy Albacore Roll to arrive, with the first item being Edamame at 8 when we were sat around 7:30 and last the sushi at 8:20. Food was alright but not worth all the waiting.

After having read so much about this "legendary" restaurant for so many years, I was thrilled to finally be able to attend. We arrived about ten minutes prior to their opening time, and there was already a pretty long line of people waiting to get in. We were seated as soon as the restaurant opened, though. Service was not good...at all. We were ignored for quite some time, and were finally able to order after my dining companion got the waiter's attention. After we ordered, a plate of sunomono we didn't order was brought to our table, and promptly taken away when we said we didn't order it. Several minutes later, a dish of edameme was brought to our table, and when we again said that we didn't order it, the waiter asked if we wanted it anyway, and he left it with us, free of charge. Disappointingly, all of the "crab" items on the menu use "krab" (fake crab). This detracts from what would otherwise be much better food. I know that crab is expensive, hard to obtain at times, and takes a huge amount of prep, but I'd much rather that the fake crab be left off of the menu as it seems to bring down whatever it's used in. Nigiri fared about the same. The fish portions seem to be too large for the amount of rice, which makes for an unbalanced experience. While I appreciated the wasabi in the nigiri (tucked between the fish and the rice), my companion found it to be too large of an amount for her liking. Their signature tuna dish, what I was most looking forward to, wasn't super great. There was a spicy background note to the tuna itself, which was what I enjoyed the most. It was tough to eat, though, since the crispy rice patty was so large. Overall, it was just OK, but nothing I'd go out of my way for again. The slow service repeated when it came time to pay the bill. My companion had to try much harder than should have been necessary to get the waiter's attention so we could pay and be on our way. Overall, Yoko's was pretty much run of the mill as far as Portland sushi establishments. There are far worse, but there are also far better.

Got there right at opening, sat right away. The sushi menu is outstanding! It's a small place, so give the kitchen time to get your food out. I am still in love with Bamboo, but this is a whole different experience. The rolls have a creative concept, and there is a damn good reason to wait in line for a table. The decor is a little funky, the music is funky, heck, the staff can be a little funky. The food though, it's exquisite. Go there early, wait in line, be blown away with just about anything on the menu.

Yoko's on Gladstone has been a favorite of mine for over 2 decades. Always satisfying. I'd eat here more often if it wasn't always so busy. This Yoko's is independently owned. Still owned by Yoko after 35 years and her daughter is regularly working with her. It's tiny and loud, always... we are comfortable with that that! The specials are amazing, always! There is always one server so that slows things down, but we are Yoko veterans and are always patient. We go next door to play pinball or go to Ship Ahoy if we want a beverage or two while we wait. It was recently remodeled and there is a new private label Yoko's 35 year anniversary Saké that is out of this world! Many sushi restaurants have copied Yoko's specialty menu items which says a lot The negative comments seem like uptight people who have never worked anywhere as a solo server, and come in a rush.

Was visiting a friend in the area and we were debating between sushi and Korean food. The website said the wait would be an hour and a half but we decided to stop by just in case. Luckily we got on the list and it only took about 10 minutes before we got a seat. Depending on my mood, I can be picky about sushi, but after seeing people getting their food, I was impressed. We decided to have the cucumber salad and edamame, which were great starters. I didn't want to get too much sushi so we settled on the Walla Walla sushi to see what would happen and omg it was delicious. We knew it was good because we were silent the whole meal, too busy noshing on our sushi LOL. My stomach was too full to try anything else but I was obsessed with the huge serving plates and the gigantic sizes of their sushi, so you know I'll be back! Highly recommended!

Came here spontaneously as I was visiting Portland. BEST DECISION EVER! The sushi was so fresh and prepared so beautifully. Got to try so many delicious rolls for amazing prices. We were seated at the bar and it was so cool seeing the sushi made right in front of us. Super intimate and perfect for date night! The only con is that the wait time was long-- but worth it! I don't remember which is which but we got the Salmon Chili Roll, Oregon Roll, Batman Roll, Spicy Tuna Roll, Poki Roll, and Broiled Mussels!

Food is so yummy! I've been going here even since I was little, and the food has been amazing every time. Would highly recommend to any sushi lovers!

As long as this place is open, we will always come!! this is our go to as sushi lovers. So fresh, so tasty, and reasonably priced. We're always satisfied with the food. The must-haves are the Takas tuna, the hamachi nigiri, and the salmon nigiri. Only downside is that the spot is small and depending on where you sit the music they play is LOUD. One time they were playing Cher covering Abba album and it was absolutely blasting. It was bordering on unbearable, but also was very funny. Servers don't seem to wanna meet your eyes so you might have to stick up for yourself. Don't expect a tranquil vibe here it's all very rock n roll and you just have to be ready for it and go for the fish!

Really good food. The only kitchen item we had was the Agedashi-Dofu. The sauce tonight was not very sweet, which we preferred. It's a good dish. We had a variety of salmon and shrimp rolls which were also good. It's very popular- we got a table at 5:00 when they opened and by 6:00 it was full and people were waiting inside and outside. I think they may have been short-handed (as so many Portland restaurants are) and they were a little slow, but definitely a good sushi joint compared to most others and a casual atmosphere in a charming inner-Southeast neighborhood!

I had the halibut- was amazing ! Wish they were open for lunch! Nice location and ambiance.

It's almost 5 stars...overall a great experience. I was solo and sat at the bar early on a Saturday. I ordered an Asahi and some sake, both came with a frosted glass - love it!! I ordered miso soup and edamame to start. Miso soup should be complementary, but chips and salsa get a charge these days, so yeah. The edamame was a bit much for one person, I wish they had two sizes. They were both amazing! I ordered scallop and salmon nigiri, plus the taka's tuna. The fried rice patty on the taka tuna was the star! I would have ordered a roll in addition - but the taka tuna requires order of 2. It was more than enough food with what I ordered. I had to finish with some tempura ice cream, pleasantly surprised with the inside.

We didn't talk to a human to check in, we had to talk to a machine. It wasn't obvious whether we were even going to be served at all. After half an hour, we left. Half an hour after that, I get a message that the table is ready. Had I been able to know it was going to take an hour, we could have cancelled early and left right away. Instead, our time was wasted on a Friday night where half their tables empty.

I'll start off by saying the food was really good, it's just the service that left a lot to be desired. We got there at 5pm but they didn't open until 5:09. They were crowded and we were placed in a corner table and they seemed to have forgotten about us. Many nearby tables got their drinks and appetizers before we even got a chance to place our drink order. Appetizers came out quickly but the sushi rolls took forever. We didn't get our main order until 6pm and 3 couples around us had finished their meal, paid and left. They never came by around to refill our water and waiter was not friendly. Granted they were busy and some folks seemed to get fair service. The food tasted great, sushi was fresh and appetizers hot....otherwise a 1-2 star experience. Will likely just order takeout next time. Slow and unfriendly service made it unlikely we will eat there again.

Hmm, the only thing this place has going for it is the location. That's the only reason why I can think that it was packed (besides the fact that it's tiny). Where to start.. oh yeah.. terrible service. The table next to us arrived after and their order was taken well before mine. The waiters clearly dgaf about the customers. Sushi is mid. Never again.

Classic menu & great professional chefs that KNOW EXACTLY what they are doing...very fresh, very good !

Sushi is very good, but service is always abysmal. The servers do anything they can to avoid eye contact. Drinks are empty for ages. Understaffed is an understatement. The iPad that you check into gives you no estimated waited times so you have to just hang out for an hour plus even if you're first on the list and tables are empty until the kitchen can catch up. Just a tiny bit of communication and customer service would go a long way.

Lately most of my conversations with my Portland friends have started with "Have you heard of Yokos?" This hidden gem is the best sushi restaurant in Portland. Yep. No lie. The best! The tuna is bright red and the salmon beautiful. We love sitting at the bar to watch the amazing knife work of the chefs as they slice through each piece of fish. The sake list is very affordable with detailed descriptions and a great variety. Yokos does not take reservations. If there is a wait, sign your name on the list, then go have a beer at Ships Ahoy, C Bar or Holy Ghost.

After an initial half hour wait to get in, we were greeted by a very pleasant staff. The establishment is clean and well maintained. The decor is what you would expect from a sushi restaurant. I was somewhat disappointed to see the staff was not Japanese and some of the fish at the bar looked s little on the dry side. I am an admitted sushi snob. Having been raised in Japan, my standards are very high. That being said, I was pleasantly surprised by the food. We started off with the soft shell crab which was a disappointment. It was undersized and flavorless. The Poke had a bit too much soy sauce but was good nonetheless. The sushi, Hamachi, Unagi, Sake and Ebi were all made to perfection. Would I go here again? Absolutely! Highly recommended!

My favorite sushi place in Portland. We went tonight and sat at the bar. Really lovely. Great food and service. Better than the fancy sushi places in Portland by far. Customer of 25 years.

Yakisoba is way too salty. Sushi is not too bad. Service is not good. Had to wait a long time to order the food after get seated. Again had to wait a long time to get food served. Not recommended.

I was super excited to try a new to us sushi spot for my bday.... My daughter and I waited for 1.5 hrs in 98° heat, to be seated at the end of the bar where we were blasted with the exhaust from the fish cooler, though we kept a positive outlook, it took another 45 min to get our awful sushi! We left feeling confused and honestly a little hurt! We were so excited to try this place and were blown away with the lack of service and utterly surprised at the quality of sushi... if the sushi had been ono, maybe we could have forgone the ridiculous wait and inconsideration.... and to add injury to insult, no kind birthday wish was the candle for our experience. We love sushi and its a a big part of our life, this was absolutely the worst experience we have had!

Yokos is our favorite Portland Sushi spot. An intimate spot with super fresh seafood and fun specials. Highly recommend!

Been having sushi cravings throughout this shelter in place order...I've tried going to a bunch of places to satisfy my craving, but each time they were closed, or were booked up for the evening. I live over 20 mins away from Yoko's and made the trek here 3 times with no luck. On this 4th day, I tried calling in to place an order...I must have tried 20+ times in the course of an hour as soon as they opened. Growing frustrated, I decided to drive by Yoko's and place an order in person. Once I got there, it was a little over an hour after they had opened, and the staff member told me that they wouldn't be taking in more orders since they were sold out for the night (which was the excuse the other 3 times I've tried going). Fortunate for me, they decided to accommodate me and boy was I excited. I ordered $28 worth of food and was really impressed with the quality of fish when I visually inspected it. The fish portions were slightly above average for this town (although no one is going to be as generous as Saburo's). All in all...I was very pleased with my meal. The wasabi packs a punch here. I used a very small amount for my first bite and ended up tearing up from the unexpected potency. Overall great quality and decent value. I've had better sushi in Portland, but those places have come at much higher price points than Yoko's. For the value and quality that Yoko's provides...I think they've earned the top spot for casual sushi in my rotation.

I would start of by saying that the food is great. My biggest issue is that they are open for a short window 5-9pm. They are very busy. Twice now I have arrived about 4:45 and there is a line formed. Despite this, both times they have not opened the doors until closer to 5:15. It just feels so disrespectful to your patrons who have come out and stood in line not to bring them in on time. Obviously, if there is a line at 4:45, you should probably open earlier (say 4pm on Friday through Sunday), but that is their call.

We have been going to Yoko's since 2003 and it is absolutely delicious! We usually go to celebrate a family members birthday . You definitely should try Taka's Tuna. It is a crispy rice cake topped with a huge amount of chopped up mildly spicy tuna. A must have if you visit Yoko's! They also have the the best agadashi tofu I have found in Portland!

Awesome sushi spot with a wide variety of options! Got an Assorted Sashimi ($20) plate and steak teriyaki don ($20). Assorted Sashimi featured almost 20 pieces of fish, so a really great value! Steak Teriyaki offered a great grill flavor, but was a bit uneven on some of the end/less fatty pieces. Asked for a side of teriyaki sauce to help brighten the flavor. This spot doesn't do to-go, so I had to wait a bit as a table of 1. Had an available table of 2 be given to a group that came in after me, which was a bit frustrating, but they're a small spot trying to accommodate and maximize, which I understand, I just wish this was communicated to me by the staff. Overall, would recommend!

My partner and I decided to try this restaurant for dinner, greeted upon entry by the staff at the sushi bar with a casual direction to seat ourselves wherever we liked. It quickly became evident that there was only one server managing all the tables, and despite the hustle, he unfortunately never made it to ours. After a thirty-minute wait in a space that felt a bit too cozy and crowded, noticing others also scanning the room hopefully for service, we chose to leave. The experience was further colored by our observation that the sushi chefs didn't quite match the traditional image we expected. Opting not to wait any longer without even an initial greeting or drink order taken, we left in search of dinner elsewhere. Our evening took a turn for the better at Shoko Sushi, where the authenticity of the staff and their service greatly enhanced our dining experience. Would highly recommend Shoko over Yoko

This is a terrible place to go. They take your number and don't give any indication of how long the wait will be. I saw numerous groups go in come out and get a text to be seated. I waited 1.5 hours and couldn't give two shits to wait any longer. No thanks!

Let's get one thing clear...we love Yoko's. Best sushi in Portland. I've been going there for 20+ years. We got there 20 minutes before they opened. 2nd to top in line. We were hoping to get some take out (on top of our order) for a friend that has cancer. Sushi agrees with him and we wanted to get a special treat. We explained this to the gent at the door. He was very sweet and said they could do it. We gave the gent our order marking the takeout items. The sushi chef asked for our order because we were sitting at the bar. I tried to explain that we were getting some take out items for our friend and he was instantly irate. Telling us they could not do take out with a VERY angry demeanor. We said it was fine and we didn't want to make him upset. We left shaken. And almost in tears. He could have nicely told us that he couldn't accommodate the request but was so mean about it. They are always busy and I'm sure they don't need the business but it would have been better if he just could have explained it nicely. Do better Yokos.

Yokos is a real double whammy - excellent atmosphere and fresh, delicious sushi. The local neighborhood vibe of this joint is a major plus; it's far nicer than the sterile atmosphere at places like Bamboo. Plus, the sushi is divine. I highly suggest the Salmon Chili Roll. I'm also a fiend for nigiri - the hamachi and salmon preferred, but all are welcome. The place no longer does takeout following their new remodel. This is a good thing. Eating there has become a bit of a weekly habit because we love the small, intimate space to have sushi and Sapporo and prepare for the coming challenges.

Yokos is a tried and true amazing sushi spot in portland. I hadnt been in forever but everything was just as great when I went this last week. I had the Salmon Chilli Roll which was delicious and we always make sure to get the Batman roll! I think their seaweed salad is a great starter (very shareable). I kind of love that this spot is still the same little small sushi spot it always has been. Sometimes there can be a little bit of a wait but its well worth it!!!

I've been to Yoko's three times now, and every time have been an absolute ordeal to even get a table. The restaurant is very small and the wait times are loooong. It would be worth it if the food was out-of-this-world amazing, but it's the same quality I could get at many other places in town without the markup. I would save the headache of trying to eat here and go to another sushi restaurant. There isn't anything here that you won't find at other establishments.

Found this little hole in the wall, and I am about it! The sushi is good sized and taste really fresh. The only downside is that you do have to order early because they do sell out. Currently they are only doing take out due to the pandemic.

Food is always great service not so. 5 empty seats at the bar and they called me 2 hours later and were quite rude. We supported them all through covid and now when they are lame they blame it on us??? Wtf

Yoko is an amazing chef and this is a great sushi spot for both locals and tourists. It is a smaller venue but the food is amazing, the sake is worth it and there are great local bars around the area for after dinner.

We went on a Friday evening, so it was very busy and a 45 minute wait. But once we sat down, it was worth it. (And you can put your name and number down, go get a beer somewhere, then come back when they call you on the phone!) really enjoyed the food and the service is very responsive

Ahi Tuna was delicious and the Poke roll is a must! The service is always kind and helpful!

Great Sushi! Very fresh, and tasty! Also, wonderful atmosphere and service! Would return!

A TIP: If you want to come here for dinner you need to arrive just before 5pm. It's the only way to guarantee a table without a wait. If you arrive at any time past that you're going to have to wait and the later it is, the longer the wait. Review: My husband loves Yoko's and we go here every year for his birthday. If you want quality, amazing sushi then this is the place. The food is ALWAYS good. The only thing that fluctuates is the service and contributes to why this restaurant as 4 stars on Yelp instead of 5. I will always recommend people coming here.

Had the most amazing dinner at Yoko's! If you love fresh fish, inventive rolls and amazing sushi rice, this is the place for you. We had a party of four. We split 6 rolls and 5 orders of nigiri. Everything was delicious but we especially loved the salmon with shishito pepper roll and the tuna ponzu roll. Would highly recommend!!

Got in line 5min before opening and got a table. Only ordered four rolls and it took over an hour to get two rolls. Waitress did not even let us know what rolls they were. Two hours passed and finally got one more roll. The bill then came charging for the roll they never served. No real apologies. So sad since this place had great reviews.