Yosaku in Portland - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

Very varied sushi menu, they make their own soba noodles. We sat right next to the area where the guy was making them so I spent the whole dinner watching that.

Fresh and delicious sushi. Wonderful server. Would come back.

The sushi really was not very good and why we came. The vegetarian sushi was better than the fish as I think it comes to quality of the fish itself, although I will say it was cheaper than expected for sushi.

Great food, but you are tossing a coin on whether you are going to get good service everytime you go here. I go here quite often and it’s one of my favorite restaurants around Portland. That being said there are many reviews and I personally have had terrible experience with some of the staff here. Only the female waitresses seem to know what they’re doing but the men and one of the younger boys are terrible at their job and expect you to tip them 50% it’s very unprofessional and I hope the owner opens his eyes and gets rid of them soon.

Decent Japanese restaurant in Portland.

Good prices but our sushi were falling apart. The fish had a very distinct smell

My daughter came into this establishment with her partner on the 12 of August and was met with harassment from who she believed was the owner. They kicked her out all because she was carrying…. Let me remind everyone that unless there is a no firearms sign posted (which there isnt) opened and concealed carry are legal. The fact that this wasn’t handled professionally and lead both my daughter and her partner to exit the place in tears is what’s giving this a 1 star review. Do better Yosaku….. and also do your research on the laws before you blabber about nonexistent people feeling “unsafe” it’s Maine everyone carries.

Service very poor. I heard about this place good and bad comments. Never had bad experience before love the food but service very bad. Seems like no one care about you. We ask for forks three times no one brought anything we asked for water they ignore it too. Every time we ask for something new person comes and acting that they don’t know what we are talking about. Waitress seems like don’t really know her menu and no recommendation can give. I’m not happy with service and won’t go there again. Also, we were waiting for long time for someone to get our order even though they weren’t that busy and they had a lot of workers walking back-and-forth.

You guys saku, I left this teen kid working for you a $4 tip , and he came out of the restaurant to complain to me about it . He never refilled my cup , never asked me if everything is okay , and could even describe to me what I was ordering, the restaurant is good , but the employee saku

Great sushi, maki, and sashimi Service was ordinary

Love this place, been going for years but recently this new guy, Parker, makes the experience so much better! Should be employee of the week!

Yosaku has a good selection of sushi, appetizers, tempura and other entrees. The wait staff was attentive and friendly.

This is our go to sushi place. It is absolutely great. We are never unsatisfied by the food. Have three different table styles: standard table, bar top and kneeling tables that you remove your shoes and store them under before dining. They also prepare a lot of the sushi in front of the bar and that makes it very fun to sit up there. If you’re in the old port and love authentic Japanese cuisine this place is a must.

Dated Japanese restaurant. Mediocre sushi at best. Dated decor, menu way too big. Crab roll was the redeeming item

Used to be my favorite sushi place but went last week and my waiter(Asian guy-dont know his name bc he never introduced himself) was very inattentive and looked like he was having more fun playing with the other staff than taking care of his section.

This was our second visit and we really enjoyed the food. We love the variety of vegetable sushi. Great udon.

I literally cannot rave about this place enough. Every time we stop in Portland we come here. Lunch specials are awesome and bento boxes are a great way to sample some of their best options. The staff is so kind and nice and will show you how to eat dishes that are more traditional if needed. Seriously go. Best sushi in Maine.

Top notch sushi and staff. Came here for a special event and we were well taken care of. Be sure to not miss out on this great spot.

Incredible experience and ambiance. The pictures do not do it justice! Freshest sushi I have ever had coupled with an extremely friendly staff ensures that you’ll want to come back again and again! Just be sure to come hungry as the portions are very generous!

Perfect mother-daughter spot for sushi . We sat outside near the little waterfall. Even though it was busy we were able to enjoy the calmness of the space. The dishes were quite tasty. I tried a Sake martini and was impressed with the presentation. Cute spot- This will be a favorite for us.

We were tourists but it seems like a local favorite. Incredible service and sushi from start to finish.

Great outdoor seating, service and food! Fish is good but the sushi rice is AMAZING!

We came in for our first time this week and had the best sushi in Portland. Our server was awesome, very knowledgeable and basically ordered for us. She had blonde hair, and we will be requesting her again next time!!

We tried this Japanese place and we love it! We ordered the bento box dinner with beef teppan-yaki, shrimp tempura, fresh nigiri, and rolls. The miso soup was the best we've ever had. The Katsu chicken was a bomb—it was crispy and juicy! The staff wasn't very accommodating, but perhaps they had a long day. If we ever visit Maine again, we will definitely come back to try more of their different dishes.

We got 4 different sushi rolls and all of them were delicious. The ambience was very calm and the service was pretty good.

Great experience! Definitely recommend their house sake

Great place for sushi! Fresh, unique, and great staff. The cocktails looked amazing... will have to try when I go back. Highly recommend.

We stopped by for a quick lunch. Got the vegetables tempura and the sushi & sashimi lunch set. All sashimi is very fresh. Everyone very friendly.

We've been going to Yosaku for a couple of years. Having lived in big cities in the US plus Korea and Japan, we've had our share of good Asian food. This is definitely one of the best Asian restaurants around. The food is consistently decent, and the prices/portions are mostly fair. We don't have a favorite dish but have tried most everything on the menu. The kids' sushi set and tonkatsu set are good for our children. Highly recommended!

Yosaku is my "go to" when I want to feed my sushi/sashimi craving for the bestest!

This gem was recommend by several people and we were not disappointed, varied menu selections, good quality fresh seafood, fair prices and great service!

Best fricken sushi in town albeit one of the best restaurants in town. Wait staff are all super cheerful and the sushi chefs are focused but will also chat you up if you sit at the bar, super fun to watch masters at work:) All the sushi chefs are expert level, every roll I’ve ever ordered has blown my mind. Go on the weekends for the weekend specials cuz there’s bucket list seafood on there! Giant octopus to Uni to broiled green mussels. And everything is SO FRESH. Bar has an amazing sake selection and sitting at the bar usually gets you a free appetizer like salmon skin salad or fatty tuna salad. Any dish that isn’t sushi isn’t skimped on either, I always get sushi but when my friends have gotten soba or anything else it was immaculate! 11/10 best sushi/restaurant in Portland!

What a gem for sushi! The patio outside is adorable, sushi was fresh and fantastic. Service was great too!

Best sushi I've ever had. We asked the chef for omakase, and with the waiter's assistance we had an amazing 3 course meal prepared for us. Everything was perfect. An expensive meal (omakase always is), but worth every dollar. Highly recommend to anyone looking for a top-notch Japanese dining experience.

Went for a father son dinner on a busy Monday night. We started with appetizers. I had the soft shell crab which was good. Sometimes soft shell crabs taste a bit gamey …my son had the steamed shrimp dumplings which were according to both of us amazing. For the main course he had Udon noodles with green onion and beef. The dish was outstanding. I had a selection of sushi that I found found to be fresh and tastey. Atmosphere feels authentic and special. Service was friendly and good. We will be back

I love Yosaku and have been going there for years (work nearby) and checked out the new deck today. It's handsome, but they have now arranged it so only tables of two (we were four) can sit by the fountain, which was always our preferred spot. Also, the roof is handsome, but now it's so loud in there during a crowded lunch rush that you can't hear the person sitting across from you. So I'm not sure how I feel about the new deck, though I like how it looks...

It came to me as I walked through the door. I recognized again how well run and focused that this place of business is. An admirable and professional restaurant. It’s all the time and the fish is good and handled so well. After such a long time away I had the Box. It’s all food groups together but apart in seductive way that simply pleases. Staff on both sides of the Sushi Bar is connected and polite. Appreciative as well. Tables are inside and out right now and lunch is a fairly short service. Dinner is a great option. Most certain that I’ll be back soon. A friendly and useful restaurant.

Wow!! Such a beautiful place...recent expansion was done so well! Kudos !! But the service was SO superior!! The nicest people...kind and really good listeners...which is rare. We loved the food and ambiance so much but... highest praise for wait-staff !! We are from out of town and don't know anyone on staff but were impressed indeed by kindness and responsiveness of staff !!!

Lovely little shop with very affordable prices and great seating options. The sushi was a little less refined than I would’ve preferred when it comes to its assembly, and unfortunately I had a fish bone in my salmon sushi. Honestly though it was a good experience, and I’d certainly go back if invited.

ate outside on the patio which was absolutely lovely! and the food was delicious as well — there were tons of different vegetarian sushi rolls which was wonderful. only thing is there was unfortunately no vegetarian miso soup

Wonderful place. The outdoor seating on a nice day is perfection! The lunch specials are a great deal. The sushi is pretty unbeatable. Lots of options.

excellent restaurant! we go there frequently, always good. Nice outside dining area too!

Yosaku is THE spot for sushi! This place is fantastic and one of our favorite spots to grab the yummiest sushi in town. We first discovered Yosaku last spring, and I’m honestly a bit sad we haven’t gone back more often. The sushi is so fresh and creative — they offer the classics, like spicy tuna and California rolls, but also fun rolls you won’t find anywhere else. The rolls are enormous; 5-6 rolls for two people is more than enough (and honestly, you might have leftovers). They also offer noodles, delicious appetizers, and everything you’d expect at a sushi place. Seriously, the menu is about six pages long. We’ve never tried anything at Yosaku that we didn’t love. My favorite thing, though? The ambiance and the value. Yosaku offers outdoor seating under a beautiful tree, which is lovely during the spring and summer. Their indoor ambiance is just as nice and cozy. The value at Yosaku is unmatched. There are few places in town where you can get delicious, fresh sushi for this price. 4-5 rolls usually cost us $60 or so, a steal for Downtown Portland. Never change, Yosaku.

The food is outstanding and the staff was exceptional. Highly recommend a visit.

While on a trip to Portland we decided to try this restaurant. The greater was very pleasant as well as our waiter. The overall environment was uplifting from the customers and staff to the decor. We were seated and had a waiter with us almost instantly to take our drink orders. We ordered our food and it did not take long for the order to come out. Sorry that I did not take any pictures to post. The presentation was unique and fun. We will be going back here again the next time we are in Portland.

While on a trip to Portland we decided to try this restaurant. The greater was very pleasant as well as our waiter. The overall environment was uplifting from the customers and staff to the decor. We were seated and had a waiter with us almost instantly to take our drink orders. We ordered our food and it did not take long for the order to come out. Sorry that I did not take any pictures to post. The presentation was unique and fun. We will be going back here again the next time we are in Portland.

Great sushi, very reasonably priced. However the service is the belle of the ball. Gabby our waitress was truly amazing. We have had her a few times, she is so attentive and sweet every time. Truly the best. Someone give her a raise!!

the BEST sushi and noodles we've ever had. Coming up here from Boston, maybe that says a lot? Have been looking for this kind of ramen/udon forever and never would have thought I'd find it in Portland, ME! Broth sublime, shaved steak delicious, both sushi rolls were super fresh and tasty. Everyone very friendly, very courteous, and service was prompt and food came out fairly quickly, especially for lunch time on a Saturday. We sat at the sushi bar, which was a neat experience. The sushi chefs were all friendly, they greeted us when we sat down. There were low tables with pillows or seats to lean on, and an area under neath to put shoes. Will definitely come here again the next time we're in Portland!

Only sushi I tried in town, but not sure if need to try anything else. The show stopper was the fatty tuna unagi for sure, but the rest was delicious. And look! It’s not loaded with sauces! This is how sushi should be, great fish that you don’t want to overwhelm with sauces! Must come here! Sat outside in chilly weather, but the outdoor heaters made it no problem! Service could’ve been a bit better, but I assure you the quality of the food makes waiting on service worth it.

I literally don’t see the hype. I was sick to my stomach eating some of their rolls, it was so fish heavy but no flavor at all. The sushi was also poorly rolled, mai tais were WAY too sweet, and edamame was bland. Please do yourself a favor and enjoy the amazing food scene Portland has to offer literally anywhere else.

Had a great time going to Yosaku for the first time. Great atmosphere and service! Can't wait to go back!

Had a delicious dinner here. Our server Cody was friendly and gave us some great recommendations. We had a great time sitting at the sushi bar. If you’re looking for high quality sushi, this is the place!

Poorly constructed rolls containing too much fish in a tired, soulless setting. Service was very good, though.

8 years ago I said ”Best sushi in Portland. It can get expensive though" But it is no longer the king it once was. Today, the food was good but not great. The service was slow and not friendly like it used to be. But worst of all the atmosphere has changed. Our table was pushed up against another with a partial divider. We were stuck listening to a terrible first date that we were essentially at the same table as. I no longer recommend Yosaku.

One of my favorite spots in Portland. High Quality, delicious , and worth it every time. Id go every day if i could. Expect a wait for outside seating, but it is worth the wait.

Food was good, service was nice, but it was very busy. We had to wait a while. If you don't mind waiting I would recommend it for good Asian food.

Attention to detail is unbelievable. Freshest fish you can get, a unique menu and dining experience. You will not be disappointed! This place sets the bar high, good luck eating sushi anywhere else after trying this place out!

As a first time visitor to this restaurant, I will not be returning. The day after ordering and eating the Chicken Katsu-Don, I was suffering from food poisoning which lasted a solid 7-8 days.

Food was good overall. But the young asian man server at lunch time was the worst ever. Never said thank you and even got angry on my family. The worst server

Quick service at the sushi bar on a Monday night, 4 chefs behind the counter. 1/2 a Charpie Shut Out with unagi and shiitake large roll with 5 thinner pieces, Gokudo with mackerel and lemon 6 pieces, and New York Yankees crispy salmon skin 6 pieces - all nicely presented. The mackerel was a generous cut and not oily as expected and the lemon added a brightness to it. As always regret feeling full and having to stop eating.

Loved the menu. Everything we had was very good. Kept ordering until we all overate.

This is a very high quality sushi bar and restaurant with both traditional as well as bar seating and tables. The quality of the sushi and sashimi was excellent. Sorry no photos but it was too delicious to stop = this is a GREAT Japanese place. Its a 5.5 in my book. I will be back very soon! Thank you.

Went there last night..our third time in 10 years..First two times the food was awesome, expensive but worth it..Last night, we noticed that our food and friend's food was not the same. Quality was poor, very poor. Nothing like the first two times being there..Meats were cold and much tougher, tempura had completely different look and tastes, sushi appeared to have been pre-frozen..not worth the money..very expensive..Last two times it looked like all cooks were Japanese, this time, not so..All looked to be Hispanic with exception of one..never again will we our our friends go there..They all (5) said the same about the quality..VERY POOR QUALITY... VERY EXPENSIVE

Monkfish liver was available in the winter.

Nice solid sushi spot … only complaint is they always put the receipt directly on the sushi before serving it. Have asked them to stop because receipt paper has very high levels of BPA and phthalates but they still do it. Hoping management encourages new policy— put it next to the food, not on what you ingest!

Very consistently great food, staff and atmosphere

Very consistent, delicious, warm atmosphere, excellent and friendly service. Yosaku is hands down, in my opinion, the best choice for Japanese food in Portland. My family and I have been going there for all of our birthdays for years and years. NEVER a bad experience. Can't say enough good things...go there!! It won't disappoint.

Food was very good. It was my boyfriend and i’s first time there and we were blown away. service was quick and efficient!

Authentic Japanese food and a friendly atmosphere. The bento boxes and soba noodles are both excellent.

Always fresh fish, great service, and wonderful sushi chefs...

Decent sushi. The prices are very high even for sushi.

Food here is out of this world! Everything tastes fresh and delicious. We sat right next to the sushi bar and the experience was one of a kind. The sushi was the best ever and we are going back asap!

Yosaku in Portland, ME, is a gem for authentic Japanese cuisine. I've been a patron for the last 8 years, and their Teuchi Soba, a gluten-free noodle made from 100% buckwheat flour, is a must-try. Unlike other soba that often contains wheat, Yosaku's commitment to quality is evident. With new ownership, there's been a subtle shift in taste, yet the restaurant maintains its excellent atmosphere and flavors. Their sushi and sashimi selection is extensive, including weekly specials. If you're lucky, you might even get to try their Otoro. For fish lovers, their Hamachi-Kama (Grilled Yellowtail Collar) is a delight, offered at a very reasonable price but in limited quantities.

Best of the best for sushi! Our go-to for a great night out. The best people who take so much pride in their product. One of our favorite all-time spots.

Every dish we had was superb. Amazing fatty tuna sashimi and salmon sushi!

My date and I made reservations for two… we were seated inside… it was an amazing experience. The food was excellent! The service was great and the chief was very nice. If you’re unfamiliar with Japanese-culture; be aware their table and chairs sets are very different than other restaurants! Lovely restaurant overall!

Always lived take out here. Just not tonight. Everything was off.

Great sushi, best we’ve tried in the area. Have been a few times now and the service is always great. Recommend getting a reservation. Love eating on the deck in the warmer months

In a city full of good food, this was the best restaurant I had in my four months living there. The sushi was phenomenal, the drinks were good, and the atmosphere was amazing. I’d highly recommend sitting at the sushi bar if you’re into sushi.

Yosaku is always the number one choice in this household. From the service to the fresh food, immaculate!

I have loved Yosaku in the past, but had the unfortunate recent experience of being asked what my disability was when bringing my service animal, about whom we called ahead and who was wearing his service tag, to dine outside. Furthermore, this question was asked in front of other patrons. I disclosed to the staff member who inquired that such personal information is not something I am required to provide. I appreciate a leader who supports their staff, but this experience was then exacerbated by a manager who misquoted the ADA to our table when following up on our prior conversation. No apologies were offered. We ultimately left without eating. This was our choice; they did not ask us to leave. I think the staff was trying to do the right thing and follow the law, but behaved in a way that made us feel very uncomfortable. A truly sad and sour experience.

We ordered miso soup and was okay, nothing special. My husband had sashimi, and he told me was not great, but okay. I had two special rolls, one with salmon and the other with tuna and salmon. I ate half of one and two pieces of the other. No fresh, no taste. Freshness you can see, actually. I was unpleasant to swallow my food, so I gave up. The dishes are well-served, big pieces of fish. People usually like quantity and good price. I care about quality.

I have been dining at Yosaku and getting takeout here for the past 16 years and it has never failed me. This remains my favorite sushi/Japanese restaurant in the Portland area. Recently I’ve has to stop eating raw fish, but that doesn’t stop me from coming back time after time for the veggie & cooked sushi, or other terrific meals like the udon soup.

I was picking a place to eat sushi, and one of the comments was pleasing the Chirashi, and I tried. YUMMMY😭😭will definitely come back( ~20 minutes wait of sushi bc it’s packed)

We have now been to Yosaku twice and we plan to go each time we visit Portland. The sushi and all the food we tried is excellent and so well done and beautifully presented. The fish is fresh and delicious. The many different appetizers we have tried are all fabulous (potato croquettes, gyoza (dumplings), shrimp and vegetable tempura and grilled fish cheeks). There is a great selection of sake available. The service was always friendly, helpful and great as well. Strongly recommend!

Doing a beautiful job! Great dining experience! Everything was delicious!

I thought we were getting good sushi and sashimi in New York. Queens and Long Island have nothing at all to brag about. This place was leagues ahead. I felt like the very first time I had sushi all over again. A+++

Outside patio was beautiful. The food was delicious, fresh, and bright. Even for a novice sushi go-er, choosing was pretty easy. Portions larger than expected for the price. Highly recommend the lunch special. Service was wonderful.

Outstanding! Best sushi in Portland in my opinion. Always fresh and each dish is always presented beautifully. Worth waiting for a table. When we’re in Maine we never miss going.

Really great sushi dinner! Sushi was super fresh, expertly prepared, and reasonably priced! Between the 4 of us. Got an order of gyoza (delicious and tender), 2 miso soups (really good), 2 orders of negotiation Hama (hamachi/yellowtail w/ chives)- super fresh, 2 orders of maguro tataki (my husband!'s favorite), the oyster sampler special, 2 orders of the hat trick (delicious combo of fish) - so amazing! And 2 Godzilla rolls w/ shrimp tempura and avocado. Everything was over-the-top delicious. Totally recommend!

I had a Mai Tai (good), the shrimp tempura (good), and the two-sushi roll lunch special with miso soup. The spicy tuna roll was great, but the Red Sox roll with salmon and avocado wasn't so great -- the salmon tasted odd. The busboy (in this case, busman) kept coming to my table every few minutes -- it was annoying. I felt rushed, even though I was eating at a normal pace and the restaurant wasn't busy. He needs more training. Otherwise, it was okay.

We were able to get a table 20 minutes before closing. The waitstaff was kind and quick! The sushi chefs were efficient and made THE BEST sushi we’ve had in a long while.

Would give them a 3.5 if we could. Food was decent, service was nice enough but food came out in stages. We sat outside on an evening in May. Outdoor heaters went out and was a little chilly before they were able to get them back up and running

Pretty good. Always busy so plan ahead and call for a reservation. Very nice outdoor space and good food. Service can feel a little rush but in general, good. Very nice area with excellent parking. Our favorite destination for sushi in Portland!

Supreme waite staff! Unquestionable freshness in all items served. Chirassi bowl is a must try. Accompany your selections with hot sake. Yosaku made our evening out top notch. Can't wait to go back!

Meal was excellent, in all areas. Comfortable establishment with friendly staff and great quality sushi. Highly recommend!

Heated seats, heated back rests if you're nice! The sushi was fire!!! If you're looking for authenticity, you'll find it here!

Awesome food and great service. Very reasonable prices. Fresh soft shell crab was amazing.

Dumplings were overdone and rubbery. Sushi was good. Server was knowledgeable and polite. Good atmosphere.

-Perfect sushi rice -Squid Amuse Busch -The Tuna Supreme was amazing, the toro inside tasted like eating a chunk of Kobe and erupted with flavor as the fat melted in your mouth immediately coating the rest of the Tuna cuts on top. -Delicious seaweed salad, cucumber avocado and tempora appetizers. -Perfect eel -Amazing King Salmon.