Yayoi

About Yayoi

Yayoi is a Japanese restaurant on University Avenue in downtown Palo Alto, at number 403. It belongs to a large Japanese chain that specializes in teishoku, the set meal built around one main dish with rice and sides. The brand says it has more than 600 branches worldwide, with restaurants in Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia and Australia as well as the United States.

In the US, Yayoi lists three restaurants, all in the Bay Area: this one in Palo Alto, one on Homestead Road in Cupertino and one at Hillsdale Mall in San Mateo. The brand describes its food as authentic, nutritionally balanced Japanese meals, with a variety of fresh ingredients cooked on the spot and seasonal dishes that reflect nature.

What is on the menu

Yayoi's best sellers, as the brand lists them, are pork katsu curry, wagyu sukiyaki, sushi bites and the wagyu yakiniku ju, a rice box topped with grilled wagyu beef. The to-go menu gives a good picture of the full range:

• Grilled fish: saba shio (salt-grilled mackerel), shima hokke (grilled hokke fish) and teriyaki salmon.
• Meat dishes: shoga yaki, the ginger pork classic, teriyaki chicken, niku yasai itame (a meat and vegetable stir fry) and wagyu sukiyaki, including a double wagyu version.
• Katsu and curry: ton katsu, chicken katsu, curry rice and katsu curry with pork or chicken.
• Rice boxes: wagyu yakiniku ju and una ju, grilled eel over rice.
• Noodles: tonkotsu ramen, spicy tonkotsu ramen and wagyu niku udon.
• Small plates: gyoza and veggie gyoza, takoyaki, edamame, squid karaage, chicken karaage and a tofu salad.
• Dessert: matcha warabi mochi.

Many mains come as a full set meal or a la carte. The brand also runs limited-time promotions, such as a Teppan Fair of sizzling iron plate dishes that it launched globally in 2025. Menus change, so check the website for what is current.

Drinks and promotions

Yayoi serves beer and tea. It has promoted Sapporo draft beer, including a large mega mug paired with an appetizer set. It has also hosted a Sapporo beer event at dinner time at the Palo Alto location. It has also run a fair featuring Ito En teas and discounts on matcha iced tea. The chain uses a Fivestars rewards program, which it has promoted with bonus points during some months.

How to order

You can eat in or order to go. The Yayoi website links to online ordering for pickup and delivery at the Palo Alto location. The brand also lists DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub and Postmates. If you need utensils with a delivery order, the website asks you to say so in the order comments. The Palo Alto phone number is 650-494-4437.

Who it suits

Yayoi suits a solo lunch, a quick dinner downtown or a family meal where everyone wants their own complete plate. The set meal format means you get a balanced tray rather than having to build a meal from small dishes. Fans of katsu curry and ramen will find familiar comfort food, while the grilled fish sets are a lighter choice. Vegetarians have fewer options, but veggie gyoza and the tofu salad are on the menu.

How the Palo Alto branch fits the chain

Some Yayoi promotions run only at certain branches. The brand's news page has flagged items as Cupertino only, such as a new menu and a curry fair. It has also run summer drink promotions just at Cupertino and Hillsdale. Other events, such as the Sapporo beer evenings, have been Palo Alto only. Global fairs like the Teppan Fair and a nabe hot pot fair have reached all locations. If you see a promotion online, check which branch it applies to before you go. The news page on the Yayoi US website is the quickest way to see what is running.

Tips for visiting

• Check the hours. The website does not post Palo Alto hours in a form we could confirm, so call ahead.
• Try a set. The set version of a main dish is the classic teishoku experience.
• Explore downtown. Our downtown guide covers University Avenue. For more Japanese food, see our Japanese food and sushi guide.

Location and getting there

Yayoi is at 403 University Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94301, in the Downtown area of Palo Alto. Our Downtown guide covers what else is around.

The nearest train stop is the Palo Alto Caltrain station, about 0.4 miles away. That is roughly a 9 minute walk.

Parking: street spaces and city garages with posted limits (see parking in Palo Alto).

What is nearby

• Peninsula Optical, practice, under 0.1 mi
• Marugame Udon, quick-service spot, under 0.1 mi
• Olivia & Lash, salon or spa, under 0.1 mi
• Visual Comfort & Co., store, under 0.1 mi
• U.S. Bank University Avenue, service business, under 0.1 mi
• Cogswell Plaza, 0.2 mi
• University Avenue, 0.2 mi
• Johnson Park, 0.2 mi

Other restaurants nearby: Cafe Venetia (under 0.1 mi); Taste (under 0.1 mi); Crepevine (under 0.1 mi); Sushirrito (under 0.1 mi). Browse the full restaurants list.

Before you go

• Popular dinner spots in Palo Alto fill up on Friday and Saturday nights, so book ahead where the restaurant takes reservations.
• Many kitchens close earlier than in big cities. Plan to order by about 9 p.m. on weeknights unless the posted hours say otherwise.
• If you have allergies or dietary needs, call ahead or check the current menu on the restaurant's website.

About this listing

Checked October 30, 2026 against Yayoi US official website; Yayoi to-go menu and locations. How our listings work. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

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