Lviv Restaurant Review: YOKI

Lviv is well known in Ukraine for its cafe and restaurant society. There are a big amount of good hidden themed restaurants that serve mostly Ukrainian cuisine. There are also many places that serve international cuisine, especially sushi. Lviv also has a few fancy places for which people make reservations and dress up, like Bachevskyi restaurant or Pretty High Kitchen. Recently opened in Lviv is a new place that you can totally describe as “trendsetting” – YOKI restaurant. 

YOKI Food 

YOKI is an Asian restaurant that serves a variety of Asian food. On the menu you can find sushi (of course), ramen, dim sum, wok/stir-fry, and charcoal grilled meats. 

YOKI Lviv Menu

Sushi

YOKI restaurant has a big selection of sushi. And although they are not nearly as good as in Japan, YOKI’s sushi is better than at most places in Lviv. 

California Roll – 185 UAH

Golden Dragon – 300 UAH

Philadelphia– 220 UAH

Recommend: Yes

Dim Sum

It is a rare treat to find dim sum in Ukraine, so I was really happy that YOKI has them. There are just two kinds of dim sum there: both steamed dumplings. One with shrimp that is sort of like a har gow, and one with duck and masago and tobiko caviar. Both of them tasted delicious, but again not as good as Hong Kong Dim Sum or Singapore for example. 

Shrimp dim sum – 190 UAH

Duck dim sum – 170 UAH

Recommend: Yes

Ramen

There are a few places where you can get ramen in Lviv. Unfortunately one of the best one was closed due to Coronavirus. We were hoping that YOKI would become our new favorite place to get ramen, but that never happened. We tried two types of ramen and both of them had some issues. First of all, they were basically room temperature, almost cold, which surprised me a lot. And I know that some ramen is served cold, but that wasn’t the type we ordered. Second, the broth was kind of weak, it didn’t have this deep and rich taste that ramen should have. Thirdly, the duck ramen, just like my duck breast hoisin, consisted of overcooked and dry duck meat. 

Salmon ramen – 180 UAH

Duck ramen – 170 UAH

Recommend: No (although I do know that YOKI just opened up two weeks ago, so maybe they were just having an off day. I will go back again as friends from Kyiv will want to go, so I’d like to give their ramen another chance)

Duck Breast Hoisin

This duck breast is cooked on a charcoal grill, served with Hoisin sauce, cucumbers and thin Chinese pancakes. You eat this dish the same way you eat Peking duck. Take a pancake, put some duck, cucumber and a bit of sauce, make a roll and then just have a bite. 

Well, I must tell you that it is definitely not anything like Peking duck. The duck meat was overcooked (dry) and cut into massive pieces. It is quite difficult to eat and you constantly need liquid after every bite. 

Duck Breast Hoisin – 320 UAH

Recommend: No

YOKI Drinks

YOKI restaurant has a great selection of drinks. There are around 50 classic cocktails that they serve in this restaurant plus 10 of their signature cocktails. 

We decided to try some of both, so we got a Cuba Libra and two of their signature drinks. And I must say that we enjoyed all of them.

The Yangtze River Flows Into The Ocean (140 UAH)

This cocktail is definitely pretty, and it has a good mix of flavors. However I don’t really see how any of the ingredients could inspire such a name (and if you’ve seen the Yangtze…I don’t see how the color would either). 

The ingredients comprising this cocktail are Tequila, Mezcal, Blue Curacao, Lemongrass, Aloe Water, Tarragon, and Black Volcanic Salt

Balance Of Sweet And Sour In The Zen Garden (170 UAH)

I have to admit I got this drink just because the presentation on the menu looked fantastic. Luckily it is quite a tasty drink as well. At the most basic descriptor this drink is a sour, but we all had a sip and agreed this was the best drink of the night.

The ingredients in this cocktail are Kaffir Lime Leaf Infused Vodka, Plum Syrup, Lime Juice, Egg White, and an ‘umeboshi’ (Japanese Pickled Plum.

Drinks Menu: Yoki Lviv Drinks Menu

Service 

The service at YOKI is great. All the waiters were very attentive to your needs, plus it seemed like there were more than three managers at the restaurant that would help you as well as soon as they see that you need something.

For the service I give my top mark!

Atmosphere

YOKI restaurant is a very trendy place. This is the place where you would like to be dressed up and look your best. The place just screams “hip” as soon as you enter it. 

Final Review Of YOKI Lviv

While not everything we ordered at YOKI was great, I will say that I still had a good time and appreciate what they are trying to do in Lviv. 

I will say that it is not a place that I would visit on a regular basis (unless they up their ramen game), but once in a while I just crave dim sum and YOKI seems like it will hit the spot. 

Pros: Sushi, Cocktails, Dim Sum, Atmosphere, Service

Cons: Ramen, Duck

I am not putting price in the pro or con category as, while YOKI is not the cheapest place out there, you do get great quality and service. I think the prices are fair. 

YOKI Address: Akademika Hnatyuka Street, 12а, Lviv, Lviv Oblast, 79000

Jet Set Together was not paid by YOKI restaurant which was featured in this article, nor were we compensated with free food for a good review. This is just a restaurant I happened to eat at and write a review.