Yama Sushi

Ate there last night. Am sushi lover who eats it regularly in San Diego and NYC. Fish quality was OK, but although website mentions Japanese-​born sushi chef, the only foreign language spoken behind sushi bar was Spanish.
Efrain, who seemed to be in charge, had decent knife skills, but the others were grossly deficient. Cut rolls cut to random size, with pieces so variable in size no sushi chef I know would allow them to be served. Inadequate amounts of nori used in wrap rolls, so that they fell apart when handled. Rice did not feel as if it had been properly prepared, seasoned, or handled. Didn’t see any wasabi used between fish and rice.
I would not go back, especially with prices somewhat high, even for Vail ($ 20 for two pieces of toro nigiri style).

Good sushi, variety of options, loved the wine and cocktail list. This place is overpriced but it is Vail. I would come back here liked the vibe and décor.

Loved it. Small place but really great fresh sushi. Also I loved the simple cucumber salad

Great little sushi restaurant. Lots of personality with a variety of appetizers, tempura, sushi and drinks. Our friends chose the food and everything was spectacular! Bree was great and never let our drinks or plates be empty. She was very happy and pleasing to talk with. Very welcoming and fun place for dinner. You have to get the scallops, they were absolute heaven. Don’t miss this hidden gem in Vail!

This actually has good sushi for you know being in the mountains and landlocked. I always enjoy anything I order here. It is tiny, and it is pricey. But their shishito peppers are awesome. I very much like this place. It’s totally different than most any other restaurant in Vail.

This place is terrible considering its high prices and lack of interest in providing guests with a pleasant dining experience.
Despite having a reservation for 4 people at 6:00pm, we were shown to a tiny corner table for 2 people in the front window. When I protested, I was told that all other tables were booked and that the table was for 4 people. I would have left but my family was hungry and wanted to stay. My daughter spent the entire meal seated on a radiator in front of the window with no backrest while parties at three other tables that could have accommodated 4 people finished and left and the tables sat empty for most of our dinner. We were never given the option to move.
The food is decent but massively overpriced. A miso soup is $ 5 and it compared unfavorably with the miso soup that is included for free with dinner at the local sushi restaurant in my town. The appetizers are mostly rip offs of dishes from Nobu and other high end sushi restaurants but are poor imitations. Charging for sushi by the piece is another means to deliver very little food while charging exorbitant prices. Our dinner averaged $ 60 per person and we drank water, skipped dessert, and left hungry.
The callousness of the restaurant was further exhibited as we left. We canceled a reservation at Yama that we had for later in our vacation. We received no apology but rather a «oh well» attitude. I guess they are counting on guests who accept whatever table scraps they give them.
Though Vail lacks many sushi restaurants, I suggest that no matter how much you crave sushi you only go to Yama if you are interested in being overcharged by a restaurant that is not interested in your comfort or dining experience.

Ok first off the food was good but, after we finished dinner and dessert we asked for another round of wine to which were told that the table we were at was no longer available. I have NEVER had a restaurant rush us out so quickly. When you spend this amount of money ($ 400+) you should expect better service. Unacceptable. I will never go back to Yama.

I am formerly a sous chef and have worked under some great chefs; such as ted cizma and corwin kave. I my self have made food for mario Batali and Eric ripert. Not braging, just letting you know, I know good food. Because when I tell you, this was one of the absolute best meals I have ever had, I want it to sink in. I was blown away! The food, the flavors, the presentation, the drinks, the service, all amazing. Our server brenn was absolutely amazing, as were the chefs and bartender. We had a lot of food, and it all was to die for, but the soft shell crab was my favorite. I haven’t had that much fun having a meal in a very long time. Huge smile on my face when I was done and If I could have hugged all the staff I would have. If you are in vail, do not miss yama! Thanks again guys! I will be back many many times.

We stopped here for dinner while walking around the village. The décor, very modern and chic but small. I think they can account for about 20 – 30 people at a time. We had no worries since there were only another couple at the time.
Server greeted us and took us to our table of choice. We glanced at the menu and it’s a typical sushi menu of course but not an extensive one. We ordered the Baked Alaska, hamachi kama, and yellow tail sushi. We were quite pleased with the Baked Alaska but on the salty side. Love king crab, a bit pricey $ 9 for one but you’re on vacation m, so we splurged a bit. The hamachi Kama was cooked to perfection, tender inside and crunchy outside, probably the best one we have had in Colorado. It’s not on the menu, but we asked for it and they accommodated which was great! The sushi was fresh as well. Enjoyed the food but on the pricey side which is why only 4 stars.

The rolls are not your typical sushi rolls — very good with interesting blends of fish and other ingredients. We also had the salad and the rock shrimp which are good but nothing special.
This place is tiny. Make a reservation and be sure to ask for a table away from the restrooms which open up to the dining room.

I have dined here multiple times over the last few years. Overall, a nice pocket of Vail and a different taste compared to everything else in the area. Management is superb and I look forward to trying Yama again.

My husband and I ate here for dinner. We ordered 3 rolls and a special for the evening. The rolls were basic and pretty bland– not worth the price they charge. We had spicy tuna, spider roll and CA roll– those are hard to screw up. The spider roll completely fell apart and the only thing we could taste in spicy tuna was the cucumber. The CA roll was well done.
The tuna poke special, the waitress and the bar are the only reasons we are rating this a 3.
For the price, we will probably not head back.

Awesome! Luckily, we got a seat at the bar as we didn’t have a reservation. Sushi was super fresh!

We had an hour wait on a busy Saturday night so we put our names in and walked around Vail for awhile. The meal was great and came out in a timely fashion. We had — miso soup, sushi and rock shrimp tempura. My sushi was a custom request — salmon avocado and cucumber and they did it without complaint. We had a little trouble hearing due to the house music but it wasn’t bad. My mom loved the ginger beer, which apparently is really soda, not beer. We’ll definitely go back.

We love sushi and the sushi here at Yama is incredible. They used to have scallops that were to die for but I think they’re off the menu now.
If you’re looking for a cheap meal, this isn’t the place for you but if you don’t mind paying for incredible food in a quaint, romantic restaurant… check out Yama!

I hate going to a place where the business thinks «their crap doesn’t stink» and that’s the feeling you get the moment you walk in. This place is small and cramped and I don’t think ownership cares if you stay or if you go, the waitress certainly didn’t. Any request we made of her was met with a frown and seemed to bother her. In the end she did complete our simple requests but why do it with an attitude and not a smile.
With all that said the Sushi was excellent and tasty but I can better sushi in too many other places and can wait till I leave Vail to get it.
I probably would not go back unless the group I was with insisted on having over priced sushi served by a bad attitude waitress.

Yama Sushi was a saviour for me and sister from a bitterly cold night in Vail Village. We had been food shopping at Safeway in West Vail and after a very loooong trip on the red route bus, we were famished and frozen. A quick search on the Unilocal app and Yama Sushi popped up as the topped rated sushi place in Vail Village
A brisk 5 minute walk from the Vail transportation centre brought us to the welcome sight of Yama Sushi’s front door. The interior is classy though the presence of a full length mirror in the spacious bathroom so you can watch yourself sitting on the toilet is a little odd!
We were in need of sustenance by the time we arrived and that might have led to a teeny tiny bit of over-​ordering! We had spicy coated edamame, a nice variation on the normal version. We also had a fresh zingy seaweed salad
For sashimi, we had nice salmon but the scallop lacked a little bit of sweetness. We also opted for the Randy Roll, consisting of smelt egg, snow crab, avocado and cucumber, toped with tuna, yellowtail, salmon, smelt roe, crab legs, avocado and shrimp
Our last choice was a large pile of rock shrimp tempura, warm, crunchy morsels of delight
Yama Sushi was yummy. And warm, which was very important on that bitterly cold night

Not only was this the best sushi I’ve ever eaten, but this was the best meal I’ve ever eaten. We started off with these grilled, crispy, and fairly mild Japanese peppers with a sweet sauce and kosher salt. From that point on we were all in heaven.
The Kumamoto oysters and oysters with uni were two of my favorite bites of the evening. All of Yama’s house specialties prepared by the newest executive chef were complex, fresh, and flavorful. That combined with an array of simple but delicious nigiri, sashimi, and maki rolls made the meal complete.
The colorado striped bass, octopus, and seared scallop dish were a few other shining stars of the evening. All of this was topped off with what seemed like a never ending flow of sake, sapporo, and tequila (yes, tequila… with orange and cinnamon. Yum!). This dining experience set in a fun, energetic, and modern spot in the middle of Vail Village was unforgettable. I cannot wait to return and see what other delicious creations Yama has to offer.

Best Food IN VAIL! Chef Atsushi AKA Ted makes the most stunning sashimi with such complex flavor profiles. Working at Forre & CO Fine art gallery in Vail, I appreciate the artistry that it takes when making sushi. Every client that asks where to dine it is Always my first choice for Vail. Not only the best food but the most beautiful every time. The staff is fabulous and fun!
See you there!

Best sushi I’ve had in a really long time. I wasn’t expecting much because it’s in Colorado, and being from California, I’m a bit of a sushi snob. However, this was exceptional. The service was great, the presentation was awesome, and the sake was delicious.
The three rolls are to die for: Summer in Vail, Beach Break, Blondie.
I can’t wait to go back over the 4^th of July!