Iasai - Bratislava

Bratislava culinary scene is not honestly among the most exciting. While you can easily find standard good food, when we talk upscale or fancy there is not much choice and with the permanent closing of Foo Zoo and Zazasu, the options have been further reduced. Between pandemic and forced closures of restaurants I still didn't have the chance to try Iasai and I faced the experience with hope and some concerns also due to read reviews on Tripadvisor. The place: the restaurant presents itself as a modern contemporary venue, with a certain attention to design and vibe, but too many details feel cheap (among others the use of paper placemat with printed menu that are really ugly and cheap paper napkins). We had dinner in the veranda and while it tuned down along the dinner with the departure of customers, at the beginning the noise was a bit overwhelming forcing myself and my friend to raise our voice pitch to hear each other. Overall the ambience (veranda) does not reflect the price range of the place nor convey the sense of upscale experience. The service: while the service didn't start very well, it improved along the evening and reached normal standards. Our order was taken by a waiter obviously in a rush without making us feel welcome nor giving much information about the dishes, but more like we were a burden. Along the dinner the attitude re-adjusted and we felt more at ease. The food: in general the food is pricey for Bratislava scene. Appetizers, while good, are way overpriced. Main dishes were remarkable and fairly priced for what we got. Dessert was good but missed a wow factor (price though was fair). Funny note, the portion of plain Jasmin rice was lower than in a Chinese takeaway (a mystery to me). Soft drinks are the most expensive I ever experienced in the city. More attention should be put on plating. The Bao burger Nippon was sadly seating in the plate while the Korean beef was a bit messy (btw, the empty plate was left on the table until end of dinner). Overall I would recommend Iasai for people that don't mind spending 40 to 60 euro for a good dinner, experiencing something new and good but without being rewarded by any particular wow factor, nor in service nor in environment. Considering Bratislava restaurant scene, the place is a nice addition that should catch the opportunity to improve in order to stand out (especially at that range of price relatively to the local scene). As said, we ate in the veranda. We will try the sushi counter next time for a different vibe. Personally I may return to try some other dishes I'm curious about and to have a sushi night. But being aware that I will focus on the culinary experience without expecting much more.

Great experience! really friendly staff and delicious eating! we visited on Monday afternoon so it was quite empty and service was really fast! the prices are the same with the quality of eating! highly recommended when they visit bratislava

I can't emphasize enough that the chestnut parfait is perfect.

We absolutely loved Iasai. We sat at the bar, watched chefs at work and enjoyed the amazing food. The waiters and chefs were very attentive, willing to answer any questions and make recommendations if asked to. We tried quite many of the dishes and really enjoyed them all, but highlights for us were wasabi prawns, hamachi sashimi with truffle, chess nut parfe with miso ice cream and the mixed drinks. We will defo be back and we consider this place amongst the very best restaurants in Bratislava.

If you're looking for high-end cuisine slap in the middle of the old town and love Asian food with a twist, this place is a no brainer. I've been visiting Iasai since they opened, and each time, be it during lunch or dinner I'm baffled, blown away, and my taste buds experience another unforgettable set of tastes. During this particular visit we had Ribs in a Japanese Plumb sauce, Pekin Duck Gyoza hands down the best Donut (what we call Šiška) with Apricot jam and a topping I could eat every day. The atmopshere is peaceful if not a little preppy, staff is caring professional. Overall this is a gem situated in the old town and more than worth visiting if you book a table.