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Yakitori Zai Reviews List
Yakitori Zai
Authentic Japanese Yakitori restaurant, serving variety of meat and vegetables grilled over the Japanese Binchotan charcoal grill.
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44 Current Reviews
Summary of Diner Ratings & Reviews
Overall
(Very Good)
3.9
/
5
Rating Breakdown 44 reviews
5 stars
(13)
4 stars
(17)
3 stars
(10)
2 stars
(3)
1 star
(1)
Food
(Very Good)
3.9
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
4.1
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
3.8
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
Filter Reviews By:
Diners classify this restaurant as:
- fit for foodies(30)
- neighborhood gem(24)
- romantic(9)
- special occasion(8)
- hot spot(6)
- great for outdoor dining(4)
Yakitori Zai Reviews List
Review 1 for Yakitori Zai
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Authentic Yakitori in Boston
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"The yakitori was quite authentic, using charcoal. We had the sampler and they were great! Do try their sake sampler also."
Dined on 5/15/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, special occasion
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Review 2 for Yakitori Zai
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Traditional Yakitori
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Good)
3
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"very traditional in al respects. if you enjoy traditional Japanese cooking you will enjoy this place. if you are new to the experience do not expect large quantities of food but rather artistically prepared chicken and vegetables that have nice flavors. The Saki selection is excellent. Only complaint I have was the purpled haired women who kept leaning and reaching across my plates to clear other dishes - it would have been nice for her to do so when we finished and move to a closer position to the dishes so that it would have been less invasive"
Dined on 5/10/2013
Special Features: good for groups, great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem
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Review 3 for Yakitori Zai
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
Food
(Good)
3
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Fair)
2
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"i love yakitori -- it was a great menu but only a mediocre execution of the genre. the food didn't taste smoky or charred enough, the meat cuts maybe weren't fatty enough...in all, just not enough flavor. however, the chicken soup and the neck skewer were both great, so if i lived in the area i could imagine myself stopping in for a nosh of those."
Dined on 5/03/2013
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Review 4 for Yakitori Zai
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
New prices
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"A great place for the South End. Appears the prices have been lowered, smart move. The food was very good and the atmosphere and the service was well timed. This is not a place I would take children as there wasn't much on the menu a child might like and the restaurant itself is small, with all adults when we were there. I would definitely recommend Yakitori Zai."
Dined on 5/03/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for outdoor dining, scenic view, neighborhood gem
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Review 5 for Yakitori Zai
Overall rating
(Fair)
2
/
5
Radical menu change
Food
(Good)
3
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Since I've been there last, radical menu change. Not for better. If they started out with present menu being a yakitori bar would be different they had awesome fish and vegetables previously . Lose the Italian mozzarella it's ridiculous...used to be one of my favorite spots.
Miss the variety. Sadly, very quiet on a Thursday night, I fear demise of this once lovely restaurant. Not rushing back unless it reverts back. Ramen dish over salted, tasted pedestrian. I'm disappointed"
Miss the variety. Sadly, very quiet on a Thursday night, I fear demise of this once lovely restaurant. Not rushing back unless it reverts back. Ramen dish over salted, tasted pedestrian. I'm disappointed"
Dined on 5/02/2013
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Review 6 for Yakitori Zai
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
authentic
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"I lived in Japan for 5 years and have to say that this is a authentic as it gets with high end yakitori."
Dined on 04/26/2013
2013
Special Features: fit for foodies
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Review 7 for Yakitori Zai
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Finally, welcome real Yakitori
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Finally, welcome real Yakitori to Boston after trying various yakitori joints in NYC."
Dined on 04/20/2013
2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, special occasion
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Review 8 for Yakitori Zai
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
The food is just sublime.
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"The food is just sublime. One of the best yakitori restaurants I've ever been to. Must try is the grilled squid and the sake samplers. Owner was very attentive and knowledgeable with his sake."
Dined on 04/12/2013
2008
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, romantic, special occasion, hot spot
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Review 9 for Yakitori Zai
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
A small gem of a yakitori,
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"A small gem of a yakitori, with excellently prepared dishes and friendly helpful service. This went so far as to have the staff offer to reseat us without us asking when it was obvious a boistrous group of 10-12 across from us were being too loud.
Staff does a goneed some explaining as it's mostly a "tapas-style" menu (so figure at least 3 items per person.) Standout menu items were the Sanshoku Don (rice, minced organic chicken, scrambled egg, seasonal green vegetables) and the Jidori Karaage (Japanese-style fried chicken, grated daikon radish).
There are many more adventurous chicken items including heart and various offal, which given the excellent quality of what I had, I'd take a chance on."
Dined on 04/07/2013
2005
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem, scenic view, hot spot
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Review 10 for Yakitori Zai
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
Valuable Restaurant in Boston
Food
(Fair)
2
/
5
Service
(Good)
3
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"The genre of the Yakitori the price might be a little expensive, I think there is value in the restaurant Boston.
Service of the people of the staff of this restaurant was of a very high standard."
Service of the people of the staff of this restaurant was of a very high standard."
Dined on 03/23/2013
2013
Special Features: good for groups, kid-friendly
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Review 11 for Yakitori Zai
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Food is delicious and arrives
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"Food is delicious and arrives directly from the grill. Menu has expanded in the last few months and offers some adventurous options, also delicious. Staff is attentive and never overbearing. The ramen at lunch on weekends is a revelation. A favorite!"
Dined on 03/15/2013
2005
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem
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Review 12 for Yakitori Zai
Overall rating
(Fair)
2
/
5
Not recommend
Food
(Poor)
1
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Fair)
2
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"The parking is not easy. You need to finder we parking in parallel street. The food is very expensive which seems not worth the money for what I spent."
Dined on 03/09/2013
2013
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Review 13 for Yakitori Zai
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Amazing! So amazing that
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Amazing! So amazing that they unfortunately ran out of food."
Dined on 03/02/2013
2006
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem
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Review 14 for Yakitori Zai
Overall rating
(Fair)
2
/
5
Yes, yakitori means grilled chicken
Food
(Fair)
2
/
5
Service
(Fair)
2
/
5
Ambiance
(Poor)
1
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"I was very much looking forward to this dinner. We both decided to get the Omokase at $70 a piece. The meats were cooked very well, but honestly there were nothing special or exciting about these dishes. Perhaps I am missing the point. The skewers of meat had no marinade or exciting accoutrements. They were just grilled well. Perhaps that is the point, but then they have missed and aggressively developed their rice point.
I see this happening: first timers think it is fun and different. However when you leave you ask yourself if you could have got more bang for your buck elsewhere. The answer is a resounding yes."
Dined on 03/01/2013
2004
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Review 15 for Yakitori Zai
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
The food was really special,
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"The food was really special, even for one of our friends who is on a restricted salt diet. The servers were attentive and helpful. We were the only seniors in the restaurant, but we did not mind. (The stairs to the loo in the basement would be hard for anyone with issues, young or old.)"
Dined on 03/01/2013
2006
Special Features: fit for foodies, special occasion
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Review 16 for Yakitori Zai
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
Good food & service; tiny portions
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"The food and service were very good but you don't get much for your money. I was visualizing skewers like I use on my BBQ grill but they were closer to toothpick sized. We really enjoyed what we had but bailed out after a few rounds of mini-skewers and did Chinese takeout on the way home."
Dined on 02/13/2013
2003
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Review 17 for Yakitori Zai
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
Potential, but not there yet.
Food
(Fair)
2
/
5
Service
(Good)
3
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"This gourmet yakitori restaurant has great potential, but does not reach it. We had the omakase menu. It would have been better if it were less food, more refined courses and less chicken dishes.
Perhaps self selecting from the menu, rather than relying on the chef, would have achieved a better result."
Dined on 02/23/2013
2005
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Review 18 for Yakitori Zai
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Really liked Yakitori Zai.
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Really liked Yakitori Zai. Only Yakatori restaurant in Boston, and you feel like you're in Japan. The food is very good and small portions allow you to taste and share many items. Try the chicken liver, Japanese eggplant, or crispy rice ball. The place has a very warm ambience, and sitting at the bar to watch the cooking is a prime spot."
Dined on 02/22/2013
2012
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem
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Review 19 for Yakitori Zai
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
If you like various meats
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Good)
3
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"If you like various meats and veggies on sticks, this is definitely a good place for it. I especially enjoyed their ramen and the quail eggs wrapped in bacon. There are lots of options from the grill which is cool. I wish some of the stuff was a bit more simplified I guess. There seemed to be a lot going on on the menu that it's hard to know where to start. Everything was well prepared and cooked right. Tasty for sure.
Service was spotty, we had one great waitress and two other not-so-great servers assisting.
Seems like they are still getting their act together.
For my money I'd rather mosey on down to Coppa (right down the street) and do death by pork and pizza."
Service was spotty, we had one great waitress and two other not-so-great servers assisting.
Seems like they are still getting their act together.
For my money I'd rather mosey on down to Coppa (right down the street) and do death by pork and pizza."
Dined on 02/15/2013
2012
Special Features: fit for foodies, romantic
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Review 20 for Yakitori Zai
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
Adventurous food, not for
Food
(Good)
3
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Adventurous food, not for everyone but the quality is top notch"
Dined on 02/14/2013
2010
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, romantic
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Review 21 for Yakitori Zai
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Outstanding service, amazing food
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"This was our first visit but will definitely not be our last! The service was impeccable and the food was stunning. We cannot wait to return, and will be checking out the weekend ramen soon."
Dined on 02/01/2013
2008
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, romantic, hot spot
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Review 22 for Yakitori Zai
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Went to Yakitori with my wife
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"Went to Yakitori with my wife last week and had an absolutely wonderful time. We'd heard about the idea of skewer-based Japanese street food and were excited to see a shop come to Boston. All of the food was memorable, but let me single out the chicken oysters (small muscles on the back of a chicken) and kalbi wagyu beef skewers as delicious. We also loved the bacon wrapped inoki mushrooms and the grilled onions.
Basically the concept is a skewer-based tapas style meal, with many small courses coming out in little bunches. We also shared an order of their fried chicken which was a slightly larger plate. The wine list might not be extremely lengthy, but we had a bottle of house Cotes du Rhone for a very very reasonable price.
LOVE"
Dined on 01/25/2013
2006
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, notable wine list, romantic
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Ratings-Only Reviews for Yakitori Zai
Based on the average of (22) ratings-only reviews
Overall
(Very Good)
3.8
/
5
1 out of 1 recommend this product
Food
(Very Good)
3.9
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
3.9
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate