Yamato Japanese Restaurant

[Evil Penevil]

Yamato is the oldest Japanese restaurant in Pattaya, with about 30 years of continuous operation under its kimono.  It also has the distinction of giving its name to the street on which it is located, better known as Soi Yamato than Soi 13/1. It's popular with both Japanese and non-Japanese visitors and ex-pat residents of Pattaya.

 

 

 

It's nicely decorated inside, a spot of Japanese calm in the madness that is Pattaya. There's a platform, tatami-covered area for traditional dining ...

 

 

 

 

... as well as Western-style table dining.

 

 

 

 

About a week ago, I had a quick supper there consisting of various Japanese appetizers:

 

 

 

 

And katsu don, a personal favorite of mine.  It was excellent value at 160 baht. 

 

 

 

Together with a large bottle of Asahi, the whole meal cost 300 baht.

 

Several things figured prominently in the meal at Yamato that I shared with two young ladies a few days later.

 

 

The appetizers and Japanese "salads" were excellent.

 

 ...

 

 

 

 

We all had salmon sashimi ,,

 

 

and fried shrimp.

 

 

The ladies continued with salmon sashimi rice bowls (they really liked salmon sashimi) ...

 

 

 

while I had mixed tempura as my main dish.

 

 

The total cost for the food for three was 1,300 baht.

 

The ingredients were very fresh and the sashimi was the best I've had in Pattaya.  Everything else was done well.  I'll definitely be back.

 

Evil

[footopic]

Excellent review. Thank you for this. Worth to try it.

 

SM-N9000Q cihazımdan Tapatalk kullanılarak gönderildi

[COLD SODA]

Yes fully agree Evil , I love Jap food and have eaten at Yamato many times , loved it ... Thanks for bringing back some nice memories ...

[expatdude]

Thanks yet again for the review.

[simguy_jp]

I have walked by there many times and always thought it was a run down restaurant but after seeing your pics I see I was wrong, will give it a try next time. Yes these Thai Girls sure do seem to love Salmon Sashimi.

[nixonsbest]

Evil if you get a chance, try the Japanese restaurant on Soi 3. See my signature l.

 

Sent from my GT-S7560M using Tapatalk

[coxy]

Eaten there many times,best Japanese food in pattaya

[Christie]

Ive eaten there several times, every time I was the only customer or one other table and the surly sushi chef guy kind of irks me. They need to declutter the place and focus back on service and get some good waitresses and for christ sake some music wouldnt kill the mood, its not like its Jiro in Tokyo... I would love to see something other than the usual boring sashimi salmon, tuna, squid if you are lucky. Why cant they have sashimi scallops (which are frozen after all so shouldnt be a problem) and some good white fish (they had no good white fish when I was there). BUT having said that the Salmon Sashimi was very good, but lets face it the salmon comes from Norway or Australia and its not that hard to keep it fresh (salmon last quite a long time for Sashimi around 3-4  days if wrapped up). Some atmosphere and some love and some more interesting sashimi would be very much appreciated. Sake was good and not too expensive. Tell the chef to smile.

[vimto66]

I wouldnt have bloody clue what to order in a japanese restaurant,i would be well and truly stuck.I`ve only just manged to get to know certain thai dishes and i`ve been coming years!Once went to a Korean place in central festival with a girl,needless to say she did the ordering.

[robw]

I went to this restaurant a few years ago,and the food was good.

Must go back next time.

[Evil Penevil]

A brief update on Yamato:  I ate there with BM Uncle-V in August and it was as good as always.  We had quite a feast, with sashimi, appetizers and main dishes.  The total cost for two was about 1,750 baht, but 550 baht or so went to alcohol, a flagon of saki and two large bottles of Asahi.

 

The complimentary appetizer:

 

 

Really high-grade sashimi:

 

 

 

 

 

We also had an outstanding dish of grilled squid:

 

 

 

My main dish was the tonkatsu set, which came with several "sides," including miso soup.

 

 

 

The pork cutlet was tender and breaded perfectly.

 

 

 

Bottom line:  Yamato is probably the best option for Japanese dining near WS, perhaps all of central Pattaya.  It's not cheap and "all-you-can-eat" Japanese buffets abound in the area, but Yamato offers top-quality traditional Japanese food in relaxed surroundings. 

 

It was a pleasure to meet up with you again, Uncle-V, and I look forward to our next meal in Pattaya.  I'm sorry I forgot to take pics of your main course, maybe you can add them?

 

One interesting side note:  While riding the baht bus to the restaurant, several other riders complimented us on our "high level" discussion of the upcoming U.S. presidential election.  That kind of spontaneous compliment was a first for me in Pattaya!

 

Evil

[Uncle-V]

Thanks for adding this Evil. My mouth is watering already.

 

Unfortunately I did not take pics of my main dish. To be honest it wasn't as outstanding as the other stuff. Just some noodles with beef . Tasty but not as great as what you ordered. I will definitely give that Tonkatsu a try next time. 

 

It was great to meet up with you as always. It's nice to have someone you can talk to about subjects besides the price of ST vs LT, what constitutes GFE, and where the best three holers can be found? 555 

 

I look forward to our next meeting! 

[Madzar]

Looks delicious must try when I am back in Patts... not to mention every TG I have come across love Japanese food.

[wogggy]

I love yamato, sometimes I will go there three meals in a row!

 

I always get ika and salmon Nigiri and haven't really tried their cooked main dishes. That tonkatsu looks good ill give it a try next time

[Peeping Tom]

 

Yamato is the oldest Japanese restaurant in Pattaya, with about 30 years of continuous operation under its kimono.  It also has the distinction of giving its name to the street on which it is located, better known as Soi Yamato than Soi 13/1. It's popular with both Japanese and non-Japanese visitors and ex-pat residents of Pattaya.

 

 

 

It's nicely decorated inside, a spot of Japanese calm in the madness that is Pattaya. There's a platform, tatami-covered area for traditional dining ...

 

 

 

 

... as well as Western-style table dining.

 

 

 

 

About a week ago, I had a quick supper there consisting of various Japanese appetizers:

 

 

 

 

And katsu don, a personal favorite of mine.  It was excellent value at 160 baht. 

 

 

 

Together with a large bottle of Asahi, the whole meal cost 300 baht.

 

Several things figured prominently in the meal at Yamato that I shared with two young ladies a few days later.

 

 

The appetizers and Japanese "salads" were excellent.

 

 ...

 

 

 

 

We all had salmon sashimi ,,

 

 

and fried shrimp.

 

 

The ladies continued with salmon sashimi rice bowls (they really liked salmon sashimi) ...

 

 

 

while I had mixed tempura as my main dish.

 

 

The total cost for the food for three was 1,300 baht.

 

The ingredients were very fresh and the sashimi was the best I've had in Pattaya.  Everything else was done well.  I'll definitely be back.

 

Evil

 

The fried shrimp is not original Japanese.

They learnt from the Portuguese how to cook it.

[Evil Penevil]

The fried shrimp is not original Japanese.

They learnt from the Portuguese how to cook it.

 

It's true that the Japanese first learned of batter frying in the late 1500's from Portuguese merchants, but the method and recipe was quickly altered to better suit Japanese tastes.  By the early 1600.s, food stall vendors were selling battered seafood that was close to modern tempura.

 

Evil

[jpmelville]

Excellent review as always. Thanks Evil.

[Peeping Tom]

It's true that the Japanese first learned of batter frying in the late 1500's from Portuguese merchants, but the method and recipe was quickly altered to better suit Japanese tastes.  By the early 1600.s, food stall vendors were selling battered seafood that was close to modern tempura.

 

Evil

BTW tempura is also made from vegetables.

[bluechef]

When I was there in august, I was in the bar opposite, the office I think it was called. The time was about 9 pm, yamato looked very not open to me.

[Evil Penevil]

When I was there in august, I was in the bar opposite, the office I think it was called. The time was about 9 pm, yamato looked very not open to me.

 

Last order at Yamato is at 9.30 pm, so if it was a slow night, they might have closed around then.  I also believe they close for a month each year while the owner is in Japan, so it might have been then.  Just guessing.

 

Evil

[heiddegger]

I agree with that, Yamato is definitly the best Japanese restaurant in Pattaya