Yao Atlanta

⭐⭐⭐☆☆ We’ve dined at Yao Atlanta a few times in the past and had positive memories, but unfortunately this visit didn’t live up to our expectations. Right as we walked in, we were hit with a strong kitchen scent—understandable given the open kitchen concept, but it made us feel like the ventilation system could use improvement. The small round table for two also made it tough to comfortably manage all the food and drinks we ordered. We had cocktails, oysters, vegetables, a whole fried fish, and the Crying Tiger steak. The oysters were served on regular ice cubes, which melted quickly and left the oysters soaking in water—not ideal. The dry ice placed for presentation even made contact with one of the oysters, which was off-putting. The vegetables were overcooked and surprisingly sweet. The Crying Tiger steak ($38) had a nice presentation but came out overcooked (well-done instead of medium) with a slightly burnt edge. When we asked for rice, we were told it doesn’t come with any side—which was odd since the fried fish came with jasmine rice (which, by the way, was dry and lacked flavor). The salt & pepper fish, priced at $75 (market price), was decent but again leaned on the sweet side. In general, all dishes skewed too sweet for our taste, and given the price point, the overall experience didn’t match up to the cost. We hate to leave negative reviews, and this would typically be a 2-star experience—but we’re giving 3 stars as a form of constructive feedback in hopes that management takes it to heart and makes adjustments. Sadly, we won’t be returning.

I visited a beautiful restaurant that offers free parking for up to two hours in the garage. We arrived at 5:15 PM, and the atmosphere was quiet and relaxing. We had a nice open view and appreciated the decor. They have a special night-out menu, and it's necessary to make a reservation online. I loved the crab fried rice and salmon curry, and the soup was very good—authentic, full-flavored, and well-portioned. However, I found the Mongolian dish to be slightly sweet for my taste. The service was acceptable. I would come back next time to try their pad Thai and more fried rice.

The food was great, I got duck noodles. Someone at my party got a chicken dish, and it tasted great, but the meat is a bit hard. Decor is nice, but all just fake flowers to make it appealing. The service was great, and our server was very nice.

Mixed feelings about this. Service was good and fast. Food was tasty, portions weren't to my satisfaction but it was okay, just went ahead and ordered two portions for myself. Two things I didn't quote like, seating arrangement was not the best. Too tightly packed, you could pick something from the plate on the next table without stretching! Lol! Second, the live music was way too loud. Had to scream to have a conversation, felt like we were in the club.

The most DELICIOUS snapper!!! Omg! This thing was MASSIVE and so good. The first time my boyfriend and I went was for a pre-Valentine’s day treat. We were glad they weren’t packed so our experience didn’t feel rushed. We ordered cocktails and also had the calamari as an appetizer. Yum! I ordered the snapper and he ordered the crab fried rice. The portions are MASSIVE so you’ll definitely be taking some home. The tables were a little tiny for the amount of food/drinks we had on the table. I would recommend this spot for a cute date night.