Yakikami South Yarra

This place is immaculate. This is the second time we’ve been here and I’m still blown away at how good the food tastes, the freshness and the quality. We came here to celebrate our 5 year anniversary. The staff were very attentive - refilling water, asking everyone if they wanted another drink whether it was the same or a different one. The bartender we asked to make a drink executed it perfectly. We gave him a drink profile we were after and he delivered. We also had shots on the house which we asked to take with the bartender. The Zensai was out of this world. The jelly that was paired with it was the perfect mix of tangy and sweet. The Oysters, were also very nice and fresh. I’m personally not the biggest fan of oysters, but the sauce paired with it went well. Sashimi - unbelievable fresh, delicious. The standout pieces were the scallop, The fatty tuna piece which melted in your mouth and the salmom which was immaculate. Snowcrab - as someone who hates crab and has never had an egg cooked this way before, it was very delicious. seasoned well with sauce, the dish was immaculate. Great balance of meat to egg ratio. There wasn’t a lot of meat to take away from the star of the dish; the egg and there wasn’t too little crab pieces to make you feel like you’re getting your moneys worth. I’m an avid Chinese BBQ skewer lover. The skewers ere are very different to Chinese bbq skewers (which are typically street food). Yakikami has a more elegant take on it, the food was extremely soft, it was packed with flavour but at the same time not overpowering the actual dish you were eating. Chicken wing - amazing Shittake mushroom - fresh, juicy Chicken neck - texture wasn’t my partners favourite, it’s definitely a little different, I was able to overlook the texture as the flavour was great. Chicken inner thigh - super tender and flavourful Chicken meatball - I was pleasantly surprised by this as I wasn’t expecting to like it. It paired well with the pasteurised egg. Duck skewer - I’ve never had duck outside of Chinese bbq style duck, so this was nice to try. The flavour is very nice, the leek paired perfectly with it. Chicken soup - the broth was velvety and smooth. Seasoned very well. I will say it tasted very similar to Dari’s chicken soup you a pick up, but there’s some extra stuff that makes all the difference. Dari’s chicken soups flavour is about 70% the same, but there’s texture of this soup and the remaining 30% is very different to Dari’s soup and is well worth it. Chicken was sous vide or cooked similarly. Extremely tender and not something easily replicated. Pork had a Smokey flavour to it (very subtle), but very much had that traditional char siu flavour Dessert was so good. Presentation was nice and was a great way to end the evening. Full disclosure, we did order a couple extra skewers before we got to dessert. An omakase isn’t about making you completely food, but to experience the journey of taste and artistry the chef has put together. We left Yakikami full and were not complaining. 10/10 experience, we’ll 100% be back

- Chaos Chen -

On the higher-end side, a bit pricey, but absolutely worth it. Every dish is worth trying. Simply amazing. Wine was excellent, and the fish was exceptionally fresh.

- Serene Dang -

The food and drinks were high quality, though definitely on the pricey side. Service started off efficient, but the final course took about 30 minutes to arrive, and we had to ask twice about it, which was frustrating.

- Rossana Azzoni -

Love everything we ordered… we particularly enjoyed: - the grilled asparagus with egg yolk & sauce hidden in the stack - snow crab chawamushi was so smooth that it’s a crime lol - chicken wings was crispy & fragrant - the grilled chicken neck caught us by surprise - grilled meatball with egg yolk - their wagyu skewer and accompanying green sauce - unagi temaki - one of the best I’ve eaten The dry sake complements our meal really well. The wait staff who served us was very lovely. We were seated at the counter which was great to see all the actions at the grilling station. Thanks heaps team. We’ll be back :)

- Ainz (ainz_gourmet) -

Had dinner at the newly opened Yakikami in south Yarra. The seafood was incredibly fresh, and the yakitori was grilled to perfection — juicy, flavorful, and beautifully plated. The ambience was elegant yet relaxed, and the service was warm and attentive without being intrusive - kids friendly! A couple of my personal favorites weren’t available at dinner (especially the grilled quail and foie gras rice, which is only on the lunch menu), but everything I did try was excellent. I’ll definitely be back to catch the lunch offerings next time. Highly recommended for anyone who appreciates high-quality Japanese cuisine with attention to detail. Overall it was absolutely delightful dinning experience with my family

- Candy Zhao -

Great varied selections, well created excellent food. Staff magnificent and did a good job with allergies too. Highly rate this restaurant.

- Pod -