Yopparai

"Upscale izakaya fare in an intimate bar/lounge setting, Yopparai is perfect for dates or small group dining. I went for a birthday and got a solid assortment of nigiri, tempura, homemade tofu as well as some more exotic (by USA standards) dishes like shirako (cod fish sperm) grilled over charcoal. It can get pricey - after drinks and tip we spent ~$450, but we felt it was fair given the quality of ingredients and diversity of the menu. Really photogenic bar too."

"Food is alright, nothing special. Very traditional but lacking in simple refinement. Ordered the tsukemono like dish and there was a carrot, daikon, and eggplant. There was nothing but salt to the flavour. The sushi is good, rice is firm annd well cooked and fish is fresh. Botan miso is also good. Yaki oni was lacking crunch and the rice just tasted dehydrated on the outside. The beef tataki was also fine but lacking in any flavour complexity. The miso butter scallop was extremely over cooked. To the point where the scallop almost didn’t taste like scallop any more. The flavour of the sauce was good though. Wagyu truffle nigiri is fantastic. Smoked mentaiko is alright but serving is quite large. Great drinking snack. All in all not awful but not worth."

"Overall I would give this place a 4.5. A traditional Japanese sake bar izakaya with a good selection of sakes to choose from, small dishes and sashimi. My favorite dishes are Washu Gyu Tataki and Gindara Saikoyoyaki. Super delicious. Sashimi and sushi also very yummy as well. Very good service and nice atmosphere."

"A very authentic Japanese place - styled as a traditional interior, it has a pleasant ambiance, and good friendly service. The food was great. I recommend ordering non-sushi/sashimi to taste all the authentic Japanese dishes. The restaurant is expensive: sushi/sashimi was good, but in my opinion overpriced, while other dishes were really original (I’ve been told by a Japanese friend that those are traditional/non-fusion) and somewhat more reasonably priced."

"Good food, small portions, EXPENSIVE pricing. Food was good! We got an assortment of dishes (portions are on the smaller side for sure), but the two winners were the miso black cod and the tuna (toro) roll... Also enjoyed the wagyu roll as well but definitely wasn't worth $25 The ambiance of the restaurant was very nice though. It was an intimate space with limited seating. I appreciated that - the noise level never got overbearing like so many other restaurants. Recommend counter seating - we got to sit next to each other but also interact with the chef on the other side. Expect to spend ~$50 - 75 per person all together."