Yakitori Kona

I had a great time catching up with a friend at Yakitori Kona. This intimate spot has a cozy ambiance, and the service was top-notch. For my main entree, I tried the Yellow Tail Crudo, which was fresh and bursting with flavor, though I did hope for a slightly more generous portion given the price ($25). The highlight was the "Yes, Yes You Do" cocktail ($11). Its delicate blend of lemongrass and lychee was delightful!

I came to this place because the previous place I attended was closed. I looked them up online and it said they close at 11 pm so I paid 15 on a lyft to check them out. Once I arrived it looked like a small intimate place to have good food and conversation. Unfortunately I did not get to taste the food because the waitstaff made me feel like I was a problem and that is the worst thing you can do to a guest. When I arrived in around 9:45 the told me the kitchen was about to close and threw me a menu. I had never been there so it would of been nice to be offered a recommendation or some assistance but the waiter just stood there as if I need to hurry up. I said ive never been here and im not sure what to get. He then stated again the kitchen is about to close so im not sure. I said you know what never mind I can see you are in a hurry so I will go somewhere else I got up and left. I understand that the hours at this point may be for the business and not the kitchen but really that should be disclosed on the website, and the waiter bar tender could have been better at offering me options so I could come to a decision faster rather than making me feel as if I am an inconvenience to him. If he would have talked to me been nicer and more helpful the experience could of been tons better. this place looks like it would of been amazing. But I did not get to find out on this trip unfortunately

Great experience here trying the Yakitori tasting which included one of each of the meats and veggies and a dessert one for 9 total plus a salad and rice pilaf for $65. We had one each and it was def enough food. We like the chicken a lot, steak was just ok {maybe bc we prefer med rare and having well cooked in general just wasn't our jam} , lobster was a large piece tempura style and super yummy. Veggies were all awesome. We didn't need our shishedo pepper app since they were part of the veggies skewers oops lol. Mushroom and squash and also tomato were all so good. The tuna ball app was huge and came with crispy wonton chips -also very good. Service was outstanding. Our server was so helpful and made great recommendations and points to help up select our food and accommodate our toddler and his food. We got the kiddo two chicken skewers {sans onions } and some rice. Ambience was a bit different than expected--but it matched the VaHi vibe and felt a bit more low key and casual than the Kinji other spots {kinji room MF} Doors open to the street, which is inviting however we got a whiff of smoke while eating since the spot is pretty quaint and has a clear view to outside. Some tables out on the street, bar seating, and table/booth options as well. Overall def worth checking out and pretty awesome if you are trying to eat clean and simple.

Atmosphere was spot on. Cocktails were incredible- James one of the owners was supper attendant

I came into Yakitori Kona on a whim. I came out here by mistake and wandered around a for a minute. When I realized where I was (an area I visited as a 23yr-old on a bar-hopping venture), I instantly remembered some fun stories that I simply cannot share here. However, as I wandered around, I found myself gravitating towards the Japanese-esque decor. I really quite like the dark-alley look that the bar exudes while being a prominently placed corner bar. Oddly enough, with the interesting variations between high-end and back-alley bars and restaurants in this little corner of Atlanta, the general public seems to range from absolute vagrant to college students to business people. It's a really interesting combination of people from many different backgrounds- which speaks to Atlanta's population. Anyhow, the bar itself is dark, but has easy-going rock, pop, and "oldies" playing at a medium level while the cooking equipment gives off quite a bit of sound since they use wood charcoal for their stove and a professional kitchen hood (fan and exhaust). The back walls and all above the bar are lined with bottles of interesting liquors, shochus, wines, and all manner of things of niche value. The dark-stained countertops and tables add to the darkened theme. The low lighting lanterns keep everything you NEED to see we'll-lit and they have plenty of light behind the counter. The drinks are their specialty. They use "clear ice" that they chop into usable blocks for drinks. I had the "Live A Little" (rum, lime, bananaberry, and goat cheese foam) as my final drink before departing. So we'll start at the end. I quite liked this drink and was surprised at how mild it actually was while still being intoxicating. The garnish of a fresh, juicy, and sweet blackberry was delicious. The mint leaf was mostly for looks, but if you drop it into your drink and muddle it around a bit, you get a nice little lift to the flavor. I also finished my meal with the "crunchy hand roll" which was fresh, super crunchy, and very flavorful with the fresh fish inside it. I had their pork belly, dark chicken meat, and shishito pepper skewers as my main dish. They were very good- with soy sauce. Otherwise, they were just mediocre. The salty soy sauce brought out the meatiness of the pork belly and the rich charcoaled meaty flavor of the chicken very well. I can't really recommend their dipping sauces at all. I tried the meat with the spicy Korean ketchup, and the other two, but honestly- all of them made my shishito peppers and chicken taste like cheap hotdogs fresh off the grill (not something you want). I started my meal with the Takoyaki (with which the sauce - on it -worked very well) and they used Kewpie mayonnaise + what I'm assuming was a type of barbecue sauce. It had a tiny little spicy kick and the octopus inside was cooked almost perfectly. 90% of the octopus popped when biting into it. They could have (maybe) been a bit more piping hot- for those looking for the ones that basically burn your mouth into oblivion, but honestly, they were the perfect temperature for popping the whole thing in your mouth instead of taking bites. I did both. Both are good ways to eat takoyaki. Prior to my meal, I ordered the "Highfalutin Sour" (Michter's Rye, lemon, pecan orgear, Strega, and Angostura Bitters) which was sour, sweet, but with a nice bite. It was a good start to a good small-bites-meal. I SPENT $129 (including tip) on just me. So, this place is kind of up-there on being expensive considering the type of foods they serve. However, everything was good (aside from the dipping sauces), the customer service was good, and the bar crawlers were the type you can have conversation with, without having to worry. Definitely give Yakitori Kona a shot. They're new, they're aiming for quality, and I think they deserve their corner spot.

Yakitori Kona is a compact but cozy izakaya and robata spot located right in the heart of Virginia Highland. We stopped in for happy hour on a recent Friday night and were delighted to sit at their small bar, with the breeze rolling in from the open doors onto the busy sidewalk. We started with cocktails- an All the Feels, a tequila number, for her, and a deliciously fruity red gine and tonic for me. We snacked on a well seasoned and charred order of shishitos, plated elegantly and dusted with togarashi. A perfect, new spot in the neighborhood for casual drinks and light Japanese fare.

The food is really good. There are a lot of different specials, and it is really awesome. My favorite so far has been the teriyaki bacon wrapped filets, as well as the chicken teriyaki box. It came with seaweed salad, ponzu sauce, lemon togarashi seasoning, rice, and even chicken gyoza. It's one of the filling items on the menu. It was definitely worth the money. The drinks are especially delicious. I recommend to all my friends whenever they ask where to eat.I'll always come back no matter what. It's soo good They have so many good apps as well. The grilled shishito peppers with carrot ginger dressing is sooo good. I enjoy because it's like playing Russian roulette. I never get the spicy one, but its always a delicious dish.The service is amazing. The chefs make time to talk to me, and explain everything to me. Its so nice that the chefs are all interactive. It's nice because all the sauces are all made in house as well

Food here is great, but the bartender here is even better! Ask for Sebastian, he'll take amazing care of you. Definitely one of my favorite places in Virginia Highlands.

Great food! We ate here for the first time last night and it was wonderful. We shared the gyozas (6 total) which were delicious and then I had the Kona Chirashi Bowl. The bowl had a TON of spicy salmon (just the way I like it) and was huge! I even took home some for leftovers and it tasted just as good today! My boyfriend got the assorted 6 piece platter which included chicken, steak, shishito peppers, tomatoes, and zucchini (forgot what the last one was) + rice. All were served to perfection! We ate here around 8pm on a Thursday night so it wasn't crowded but we were shocked by how surprisingly small the space is. It felt a little cramped and I'm glad it wasn't busy or else I'd feel a little claustrophobic. Overall the food quality is top notch and I'd recommend this to anyone!

Iykyk! Ask for the secret menu! Make sure you get a Yes Yes You Do (Lychee Martini on steroids with subtle hints of elderflower) from James!