Spicy Beef Teriyaki
Yagi Japanese

Yagi Japanese

6324 E Santa Ana Canyon Rd, Anaheim, United States

Soup • Asian • Sushi • Japanese


"Yagi is an intimate sushi restaurant located in an unassuming shopping center, anchored by Big Lots. Finding parking will not be an issue. The minimalist blond wood interior and soft jazz music was a welcome respite from the oppressive heat outside. Service is attentive; our friendly waitress displayed a ready knowledge of the intricacies of the menu. Specials of the day included an extensive selection of fish flown in from Japan, including uni, barracuda, and amberjack. The special items fish was exquisitely fresh. The king salmon and bluefin o-toro melted in the mouth. The amberjack was perfectly set off by the tiniest dab of yuzu kosho. The barracuda was flavorful and smoky. The Japanese uni was sweet and generously portioned. The only mildly disappointing item was the regular tuna sushi, which was a touch dry. Yagi's menu has more than enough options for the raw fish averse. There are a variety of cooked rolls, udon, your choice of chicken or salmon teriyaki and even a kids menu selection. Typically, I have fairly low expectations of sushi restaurants where it comes to desserts. However, Yagi's panna cotta is about as close to ideal as one can come. Dusted with matcha powder, the gentle wobble promised (and delivered) a silky smooth texture that is seldom encountered. Served with chilled spoons, the creamy panna cotta was richly redolent of dairy and almond extract. I silently added this to my last-meal-before-dying list. That attention to detail that is reflected in a lot of the choices made by the restaurant. The small but well curated alcohol menu offers pleasant surprises like the Okinawan beer Orion, two beers from Echigo, one of Japan's first microbreweries and a Handley pinot gris. The shochu selections are chosen with an eye to what will pair well with food, like the oak barrel aged Kakushigura mugi. Yagi offers excellent value at the price point. They have an extensive happy hour menu that is available all week as well as very reasonably priced lunch and dinner Omakase menus. They provide free refills on the sodas. Yagi would be the perfect choice for a date night or even an after work treat. Highly recommend."