Yamaya Seafood

A wonderful cozy hole in the wall spot downtown. The chef runs the whole show, and you can taste the love and attention he puts into every dish. Be patient, and savor the atmosphere, you’ll be delighted.

Never have I ever had a culinary experience like I had here. I was recommended to come here by a local and wow was I impressed with the overall experience. The location is small and located in the heart of Anchorage making it easily accessible.

This is a one person shop as Sam is the host, server, order taker, chef, dish washer, cashier, and on top of it all he sings karaoke. Make sure to plan a good chunk of your evening. Plan to sit, enjoy the quaint little place, making new acquaintances, and eating authentic Japanese food that is not catered to the Americanized pallet.

I will forever be grateful for experience I had here and I hope to return soon. I 100% recommend.

Also, please call in advance if you are planning a party of 3 or more. You will be turned away as he will not be able to accommodate.

Fantastic sushi restaurant in the heart of downtown Anchorage. Come hungry when you're NOT in a hurry, there's only one chef, but the food is delicious and the owners are lovely. I'll certainly be returning the next time I visit Anchorage.

there must be a warmhole or quantum physics at play. this place belongs to japan, yet can be accessed from anchorage. walk through the door from a random parking lot and you are in japan with karaoke on tv from the 70s.
great food and experience, a gem in this town.

Little patience is not enough, you need a lot of patience to dine here. It took me 1.5 hours to get the first dish. And reservation is needed.
The food is nice, very authentic traditional Japanese food. Chef prepares every dish with his heart. Feel like I’m in Japan, lots of traditional Japanese decorations. Recommend to try if you are not in a hurry.

Everything was 10/10 from the man who runs the restaurant to the food he made for us. Everything here is top quality, fresh, made with love. Every bite was an experience and in winter you will barely ever need a reservation

Dining here is the most precious experience for my winter Alaska trip. For sure, the space is limited and if you do not want to spend more than one hour for having dinner, this is not a choice for you. The food here is very authentic (I am Asian and a Japanese food explorer, much more affordable cuisine than most Seattle Japanese restaurants having the same-quality food) and I really love the hot sake here. I visited twice during my stay in Anchorage. The owner is super nice, highly recommended.

If you’re looking for an authentic Japanese dining experience, you found it in Anchorage! I’ve been to Japan many times and this compares in so many ways.
Very limited seating and reservations are required (While there, I witnessed two groups of walk-ins get denied).
The food comes out as it’s cooked so don’t expect to get everything at once. They don’t time anything. My suggestion is to order a bunch of items and eat everything as a group.
This experience also takes a chuck of time so if you’re on a time crunch, this might not be a good idea. Give yourself at least 2 hours, if not more.
This visit, there was one guy doing everything (host, bar tender, cook, cleanup) so be nice and treat him well!

I have never been a huge fan of sushi, but i stopped in with a friend on our trip. I was put off by the outside. The inside was not what I expected either. I tried the big eel roll, and it was delicious. The gentleman who prepared it was very nice and did an amazing job. I will definitely come back when I'm in the area again.

Cute hole in the wall type place that serves great food.

Came in with a group of 5. There is only 1 person working so understandably the time was slow but the food was flavorful and I don’t regret coming here. Chef/Waiter/Owner(?) was very personable and friendly 🙂

This was my favorite restaurant I had the privilege of eating at. The food is hands down amazing and authentic. The sushi and sashimi are to die for. he also has the original Japanese curry recipe and shared the history of the dish with me. I've always wanted to try natto but never had the courage. I figured this chef knows food so I asked him if he would make it even though it was not on the menu. I would give more stars if I could!

Way more authentic than you'd expect from the outside. Wow, this place is incredible. The yakitori is as good as any I've have in Japan, and the udon is absolutely delicious too.

The menus are hand written, posted on the wall, and the chef is also the only waiter. Go on Friday nights if you want a fun night - there's a karaoke machine that sometimes gets used.

Anchorage version of Midnight Diner. Friendly Japanese owner and outgoing guests. Drinking a dip of Sake while listening life stories from all parties. Learn to enjoy life.

Reminder: Make reservation for a group of 3 or more!

Absolutely happy I went to Yamaya for dinner tonight. I had the Shrimp Tempura Udon and it was by far the best udon I’ve had.
Growing up in a Japanese household I have pretty high expectations for Japanese food and they were more than met.
It’s a small quiet location, it was nice to chat with the owner (I didn’t get his name sadly, I forgot to ask).
He took care when making the food and it turned out very well. I definitely will come back when I come back through Anchorage again.

It was an unforgettable experience, Mr. Sam is very friendly, he cooked very delicious, very professional, everything we ate was very delicious, the fish was very fresh and melted in your mouth like butter, plus the interesting conversation made everything very special, very recommended 🙌🏼🙏🏼 Thank you.

This Japanese restaurant. The chef is really Japanese. Has a good craftsmanship. Especially the beef is from the Japanese beef.Tofu is delicious.牛肉の串燒き Very good. With beer. Really great.

Authentic Japanese food, izakaya style. Absolutely loved it.

Please note that they ask for reservations for party of 3+.

Absolutely go here, everything is made with attention and intention and tastes amazing. High quality seafood and sake. The vibe is definitely more suited for a quiet night out or an intimate date.

Update 2024: after 7pm reservations are required, and for parties of 3 people and over.

I ordered here. It's as authentic as it gets, and nostalgic. The place is small and a genuine Izakaya. If you have 3 people you need to reserve. I ordered the oyakodon.
The menu is written on the walls just like how it is in Japan!
Its a seat youself and letting them know youre there.

This is a casual joint where you can become friends with the owner and he sings with you, and cooks it all. All he wants to know for starters is "where you are from?" And "what do you want to eat?" Its charming.

The food is not similar to the typical japanese joints you see around and is much more home cooked, and all is served at once.

*Note for journalists: don't ask for interview, owner doesn't like it. Just sit down to eat and chat

A very tasty bowl of shrimp udon. There is one cook, server and bar tender. He does it all and the food is very authentic and tasty. I recommend coming with an empty stomach and patience if it’s busy as he’s the only one running the shop. It worth it!