Yuna Japanese Bangkok: The Secret Sukhumvit Sushi Spot

Yuna Japanese Restaurant Bangkok: The Tiny Sukhumvit Gem I’m Completely Obsessed With (And You Will Be Too)

Let me get this out of the way right now: Yuna Japanese on Soi Sukhumvit 11/1 is my favourite restaurant in Bangkok. Full stop. Not “favourite Japanese restaurant”. Not “favourite in Sukhumvit”. Favourite. Period. I’ve eaten in a ridiculous amount of places across this city over the last few years (from Michelin-starred tasting menus to 30-baht street-pad-thai that makes grown men cry), and nothing has me marching back as often as this 20-seat neighbourhood joint that most tourists walk straight past. Here’s why.

Location: Literally One Minute From My Hotel Bed.

I live (semi-permanently these days) at the Hyatt Regency Bangkok Sukhumvit. From my room, I can be sitting at Yuna’s counter, chopsticks in hand, in under 60 seconds if the lifts are kind. You exit the hotel, hang a sharp right down the little alley next to the 7-Eleven, duck under the vines, and boom: tiny little sign that just says “Yuna” in Japanese and English. Blink and you’ll miss it. I love that. In a city full of neon billboards screaming for attention, Yuna whispers… and wins.

First Visit: The “Quick Lunch” That Started the Addiction

I wandered in on a random Tuesday, still half-hungover from the night before, thinking “I’ll just grab a quick California roll or something”. The lunch menu slapped me awake. Their, sushi sets the size of my forearm, donburi bowls that could feed a small Japanese village, and then I saw it: Japanese Curry with Pork Tonkatsu.

Game over.

If you’ve never had proper Japanese curry, imagine the most velvety, deeply savoury, slightly sweet gravy you’ve ever met, poured over rice, then crowned with a slab of pork loin that’s been breaded and fried so perfectly it makes a sound like breaking glass when you bite it. I ordered it mild because I’m a coward with spice in the morning. It arrived in under eight minutes, molten hot, with a little side of pickled vegetables that cut through the richness like a katana. I demolished the entire plate so fast the waitress actually laughed when she came to clear it. 580 baht including iced green tea. Worth every single satang.

Return Trip #1: The Tonkatsu Set That Ruined All Other Tonkatsu For Me

Two days later I was back. This time I went full send on their Tonkatsu Set (lunch version). We’re talking:

• A mountain of cabbage so finely shredded it’s basically angel hair
• Miso soup that actually tastes like it has soul
• The aforementioned pork cutlet, thick, juicy, zero grease
• Rice cooked so perfectly I want to write it love letters
• House-made tonkatsu sauce that’s fruity and tangy and borderline addictive

Cost: 650 baht. I left in a carb coma so deep I needed a nap before I could even think about dinner.

Dinner Mission: Sushi & Yakitori Time

Look, I’m not a sushi snob. I’m the guy who used to think Sushi Express at the mall was “pretty decent”. Yuna ruined me.I went for dinner on a Thursday night around 8 pm. Place was happily humming but not slammed (four counter seats free, two tables open). I posted up right in front of the chefs because I’m nosy like that and ordered:

• Chef’s selection of nigiri (10 pieces)
• Gizzard yakitori (because I’m a psychopath)
• Chicken skin yakitori (because I’m a genius)
• Thigh meat with spring onion
• One draft Asahi to keep everything honest

The fish. Oh my god, the fish. Toro that actually melts. Salmon belly so buttery I had to close my eyes. Beautiful sweet shrimp with the heads fried separately because the chef knew I’d want to suck the brains out like a savage. Every piece was impeccable. Rice seasoned just right (warm, slightly vinegary, not too packed). Yakitori came off the grill smoky and glistening. The gizzard had that perfect pop, the skin was pure sin.Total damage: 1,650 baht including two beers. The beer was honestly more expensive than the food. I regret nothing.

The Vibe & Little Details

That Make It Perfect. Yuna is tiny. I mean really tiny. There’s one long L-shaped counter that seats maybe 12–14, and four small tables for two tucked against the wall. That’s it. Well, there are more tables upstairs but i’ve never been up there. Counter is best.

No fancy decor, no mood lighting, no thumping EDM. Just Japanese pop from the 90s, the sound of knives on wooden boards, and the occasional sizzle from the yakitori grill.You can (and should) sit at the counter. Watching the two chefs work is free dinner theatre. One guy is laser-focused on rice and slicing, the other is a yakitori ninja flipping skewers like he’s conducting an orchestra. They’re fast, quiet, and clearly love what they do.Pro tip: every table and counter spot has a tiny laminated card with the WiFi password. No awkward “excuse me, what’s the WiFi?” dance required. Password changes every month or so, but it’s always written right in front of you. Genius.

Price Reality Check (December 2025)

Lunch: 500–800 baht per person if you go for a set (totally doable)
Dinner: 1,000–2,000+ baht depending on how many skewers and how thirsty you are
Draft Asahi: 220 baht (yes, really… welcome to Sukhumvit pricing) It’s not cheap by Bangkok standards, but it’s a screaming bargain for this quality. You’re paying central-Bangkok rent prices for fish that flew in from Japan yesterday.

Who Should Go

• Tonkatsu addicts (you know who you are)
• Anyone staying at Hyatt Regency, Grande Centre Point, or any of the Soi 11 hotels
• Japanese expats who are homesick (I see them here all the time)
• Solo travellers who want counter seating and zero awkwardness
• Couples who want a “local secret” date night without trekking to Thonglor

Who Can Maybe Skip It

If you’re on a super-tight 300-baht-per-meal budget, this isn’t your spot. Walk five minutes in any direction and you’ll find something great for less.

If you hate counter seating or small spaces, maybe not.

If you think “sushi” means the 99-baht conveyor belt place… please stay away and leave more toro for me.

Final Verdict

Yuna isn’t trying to be the hottest, trendiest, or most Instagrammed Japanese restaurant in Bangkok. It’s just trying to be really, really good every single day. And it nails it.I’ve been back four times in the last three weeks. My waistline is furious. My taste buds are sending thank-you cards.Next mission: the full omakase dinner they apparently do if you call ahead. I’ll report back with photos once I’ve sold a kidney to fund it.Until then, if you’re anywhere near Sukhumvit Soi 11, do yourself a favour and walk down that little alley. Tell them the farang who always orders extra tonkatsu sauce sent you. They’ll know.Yuna Japanese Restaurant,

Soi Sukhumvit 11/1 (tiny alley right next to Hyatt Regency)
Open daily, lunch ~11:30–14:30, dinner ~17:30–22:30
No reservations needed for lunch, call ahead for dinner if you want counter
Cash and card accepted (finally!)

See you there. I’ll be the guy hogging the counter with curry breath and zero regrets.

Yuna’s Official Facebook Page

More Bangkok food obsessions:

• My 2nd favourite Japanese restaurant in Bangkok
• Little Tokyo Bangkok
• The Top 10 Japanese Restaurants in Bangkok

Check out the location of Yuna Japanese Restaurant in Sukhumvit Bangkok