James, the sushi chef at Hamamori delivered a 10x better experience than i was actually hoping for during a lunch pop-in! His sushi selections and preparation built upon one another, and were all delightful in their own right! His service and hospitality were equally excellent, and i look forward to dining at his table again in the future. The restaurant is humble and understated. The host who greeted me was polite, patient, and completely present. When she asked me how i was, she actually waited for, and listened to my answer. The atmosphere was very comfortable! I cant wait to return with my wife!
Irwan A.
The South Coast Plaza mall has many good restaurants and this is definitely on the top of the list. Assorted Sushi Platter- Fish seemed fresh and the fish to rice ratio was very similar to what can be found in Japan as the grade of each piece (Ebi/Maguro/Hamachi/Madai/Unagi/Hotate/Tamago) was excellent. Crispy Rice Spicy Tuna - a great starter as the rice was warm and the spicy tuna was a good portion size. Good portion size for lunch and excellent service staff!
Deanna M.
Excellent in all levels: food, service and ambiance. Never disappoints. Freshest and tastiest sushi , sashimi and more. Definitely our favorite Japanese joint!
Isis L.
This review is written with the price point in mind. I liked how the tempura sauce was warmed so it didn't cool the tempura itself. The place is lit with natural lighting and they give you baskets for your purses. Service was very good and the servers were attentive. I know Japanese food is not supposed to be salty like American food, but everything I had today was bland. I'm not an expert but I have been to Japan so I do have a vague reference point. If the salt is lacking the flavor of the ingredients themselves should be brought out but it wasn't there. The tempura batter was a bit thick for my taste and the sauce was more like a flavorful broth due to lack of salt. The udon didn't taste much different from packaged instant udon. And the sushi...some of the fish smelled fishy, some of them had a bit too much wasabi for my taste and the rice was dry. I have never had shari that dry other than from prepackaged refrigerated sushi. Oh and the tamago tasted like castella bread for some reason. And this is a one off experience but a load of dishes fell behind the bar and nobody apologized to the guests (it was LOUD). Maybe the grill menu is better but I was disappointed with the menus we tried today.
Navid Goharian
Among the freshest and most delicious sushi rolls and hand rolls I've enjoyed in Orange County.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Roy C.
Outstanding food and service!! Try their Omakase!! Kitchen prepares awesome dishes also
Shadi F.
Wow!!! The omakase was SOOO bad we left after the second dish! AWFUL! Bad service, bad ambiance and awful food
Elaine C.
Chef James made this experience so fun! You can call ahead of time to make a reservation. Definitely would recommended doing the Omakase.
Tim O.
Located in south coast plaza next to skywalk. Elegant but casual vibe. Sashimi is among the freshest and best anywhere. Also loved the spicy pork bellies. Service is outstanding; polite and professional. A nice respite during a long day of shopping. Looking forward to going back.
Joseph E.
It's a place where your senses witness a symphony of colors , flavors and wonderful vibes .The food is perfectly prepared by a pleasant chef who stands right in front of us serving our meal fresh.James is a true composer of art pieces that have heavenly flavors. There isn't one sushi creation that I could pick as my most favorite, all were equally tasty and unique. This is a treat I would always appreciate. The wait staff are courteous and friendly. The atmosphere is upbeat and service was excellent.Place is neat and so welcoming and I am definitely becoming a regular and highly recommended it to all sushi lovers .
This restaurant is my recent favorite in OC area. Haven’t tried the omakase yet but tried most sashimi pieces and a few other item on the menu. Every piece is yummy and melting as you put it in your mouth. The service is a little bit slow but believe me it worth the wait.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Sushi
Sabrina Li
Best sushi in OC so
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ma Theresa B.
Got the Chirashi bowl - rice was dry and definitely not japanese rice. The fish itself didnt taste fresh, quality was not good. The only thing that was ok was the uni and thats about it. I would compare it to eating Japanese airplane food in economy at best. Ordered tempura, soba and salad as well - also not good. :(
Amber Steeves
I stopped in for dinner with a friend during the week, our server was absolutely amazing with great recommendations on not only what to order but also how much to order ? The food was fresh and delicious, my taste buds were LOVING IT as the plates kept getting delivered to the table. Great experience ??
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Joann V.
I used to love the food here but a lot of it kinda missed the mark and they pumped the place full of glade and those plug ins... made the food very underwhelming. Same of the pieces were good but for $345 for 4 persons I was unimpressed
James, the sushi chef at Hamamori delivered a 10x better experience than i was actually hoping for during a lunch pop-in! His sushi selections and preparation built upon one another, and were all delightful in their own right! His service and hospitality were equally excellent, and i look forward to dining at his table again in the future. The restaurant is humble and understated. The host who greeted me was polite, patient, and completely present. When she asked me how i was, she actually waited for, and listened to my answer. The atmosphere was very comfortable! I cant wait to return with my wife!
The South Coast Plaza mall has many good restaurants and this is definitely on the top of the list. Assorted Sushi Platter- Fish seemed fresh and the fish to rice ratio was very similar to what can be found in Japan as the grade of each piece (Ebi/Maguro/Hamachi/Madai/Unagi/Hotate/Tamago) was excellent. Crispy Rice Spicy Tuna - a great starter as the rice was warm and the spicy tuna was a good portion size. Good portion size for lunch and excellent service staff!
Excellent in all levels: food, service and ambiance. Never disappoints. Freshest and tastiest sushi , sashimi and more. Definitely our favorite Japanese joint!
This review is written with the price point in mind. I liked how the tempura sauce was warmed so it didn't cool the tempura itself. The place is lit with natural lighting and they give you baskets for your purses. Service was very good and the servers were attentive. I know Japanese food is not supposed to be salty like American food, but everything I had today was bland. I'm not an expert but I have been to Japan so I do have a vague reference point. If the salt is lacking the flavor of the ingredients themselves should be brought out but it wasn't there. The tempura batter was a bit thick for my taste and the sauce was more like a flavorful broth due to lack of salt. The udon didn't taste much different from packaged instant udon. And the sushi...some of the fish smelled fishy, some of them had a bit too much wasabi for my taste and the rice was dry. I have never had shari that dry other than from prepackaged refrigerated sushi. Oh and the tamago tasted like castella bread for some reason. And this is a one off experience but a load of dishes fell behind the bar and nobody apologized to the guests (it was LOUD). Maybe the grill menu is better but I was disappointed with the menus we tried today.
Among the freshest and most delicious sushi rolls and hand rolls I've enjoyed in Orange County.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Outstanding food and service!! Try their Omakase!! Kitchen prepares awesome dishes also
Wow!!! The omakase was SOOO bad we left after the second dish! AWFUL! Bad service, bad ambiance and awful food
Chef James made this experience so fun! You can call ahead of time to make a reservation. Definitely would recommended doing the Omakase.
Located in south coast plaza next to skywalk. Elegant but casual vibe. Sashimi is among the freshest and best anywhere. Also loved the spicy pork bellies. Service is outstanding; polite and professional. A nice respite during a long day of shopping. Looking forward to going back.
It's a place where your senses witness a symphony of colors , flavors and wonderful vibes .The food is perfectly prepared by a pleasant chef who stands right in front of us serving our meal fresh.James is a true composer of art pieces that have heavenly flavors. There isn't one sushi creation that I could pick as my most favorite, all were equally tasty and unique. This is a treat I would always appreciate. The wait staff are courteous and friendly. The atmosphere is upbeat and service was excellent.Place is neat and so welcoming and I am definitely becoming a regular and highly recommended it to all sushi lovers .
Restaurantji Recommends
This restaurant is my recent favorite in OC area. Haven’t tried the omakase yet but tried most sashimi pieces and a few other item on the menu. Every piece is yummy and melting as you put it in your mouth. The service is a little bit slow but believe me it worth the wait.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Sushi
Best sushi in OC so
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Got the Chirashi bowl - rice was dry and definitely not japanese rice. The fish itself didnt taste fresh, quality was not good. The only thing that was ok was the uni and thats about it. I would compare it to eating Japanese airplane food in economy at best. Ordered tempura, soba and salad as well - also not good. :(
I stopped in for dinner with a friend during the week, our server was absolutely amazing with great recommendations on not only what to order but also how much to order ? The food was fresh and delicious, my taste buds were LOVING IT as the plates kept getting delivered to the table. Great experience ??
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I used to love the food here but a lot of it kinda missed the mark and they pumped the place full of glade and those plug ins... made the food very underwhelming. Same of the pieces were good but for $345 for 4 persons I was unimpressed