45 Best Japanese Restaurants in Costa Mesa

“place is awesome. quick and tasty“

“Authentic, great service, fun staff!“

“One of my favorite sushi bars in CM!!! 2 orders 3 roll Maki special Tuna Lover, White Tiger, Shrimp Super Crunch, Soft shell crab, baked scallops, Newport special Salmon 👍🏽“

“Very good“

“Pricey but we ate deliciously.

Left in the picture: belly roll (amazing, soft fish that is so soft it melts in your mouth)

Right in the picture: Yummy Roll. (With a smokey touch, perfect combination of flavors)

I also recommend the crispy rice and the edamame.“

“this was me and my husband's anniversary dinner
We happen to stumble across this restaurant
Hats off too this place! Everything was so delicious so fresh, and not only that it was so beautiful the presentation the taste the quality of the food was top-notch“

“So good!!! A must when in Orange County!“

“I really like the sashimi style rice bowls this place has to offer. My favorite is the spicy tuna rice bowl. My daughter loves the regular tuna bowl. The have many different styles bowls to offer, tuna, salmon, etc. there is a nice window display presenting the many different offering.

They are a fair value for what you get. I feel you can spend just as much anywhere else or more but here the fish is fresh and clean. Worth the value to me.

By the way, their Oyako Don Buri is also excellent. The egg omelet cooked just right. It’s a popular dish in Hawaii and Japan. Comfort food“

“The service was great and the sushi was delish! Great job redecorating and the music was nice too! 👍✌️🍣“

“This is an amazing restaurant with fantastic food and truly incredible owners who give back to the community. I recently learned that they’re one of the diamond sponsors supporting Tzu Chi USA, a nonprofit humanitarian organization that has provided significant disaster relief here in the U.S. — including over $2.5 million in cash aid to wildfire survivors in Los Angeles and ongoing support efforts for Maui wildfire survivors and other disaster-affected communities. Thank you for your generosity and leadership.🙏🙏🙏“

“So happy they finally opened! Always great service! Amazing quality meat and fresh veggies!“

“Sushi Town in Costa Mesa was such a nice surprise! It’s right by the I-55 freeway, kind of easy to miss, but totally worth finding. From the moment we walked in, the staff were super friendly, attentive, and made us feel right at home.
We started with the yellowtail collar appetizer, which was amazing — perfectly grilled, crispy on the outside and juicy inside. Then we tried a few nigiri pieces like fatty tuna, negi toro, and fatty yellowtail, and wow — everything was so fresh and just melted in our mouths. The Edo Mae combo was also fantastic, a great mix of traditional and flavorful pieces that showed off the chef’s skills.
We finished it all off with some nice warm sake, which was the perfect way to end the meal.
Honestly, Sushi Town feels like a hidden gem right off the freeway. Great sushi, amazing service, and a cozy vibe — can’t wait to come back!“

“Amazing and delicious food. Had the regular karaage and the sweat and sour karaage. Both were juicy and flavorful. Portions were larger than I expected. The miso was also pretty good. Enjoyed the meal with a Calpico but they had beers available.

Best karaage we have had outside of Japan! Karaage was gluten free so that was great. The potato croquettes are not gluten free. Sad we didn't find this place sooner. We will be back!“

“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I had the best experience at Tabu Shabu! I sat out on the patio with my dog and it was absolutely perfect—comfortable, welcoming, and such a great vibe. I ordered a glass of wine and started with the cucumber appetizer and edamame, both super fresh and full of flavor. The highlight was the salmon bowl with rice…so delicious, perfectly cooked, and so satisfying. The service was friendly, the food came out quickly, and they made me (and my pup!) feel totally at home. I think everyone came out at some point to visit with me and my pup. Highly recommend if you’re looking for great food, a relaxing atmosphere, and a dog-friendly spot for a drink and apps (cant do hotpot outside, but still worth it).“

“This place is located inside the Mitsuwa market in Costa Mesa, a few blocks south of South Coast Plaza and not far from I-405. It's a typical Japanese Donburi fast-food restaurant, with no surprises on the menu. What's surprising is the more-than-reasonable prices, which may indicate that the food quality is mediocre. Not the case here, trust me.

We had Katsu-curry and a combo of Udon+Katsu-don. The meat was thick and tender, and the Udon was delicious. The food was nicely prepared and delivered promptly. I highly recommend this place not because it's the best Japanese food I've ever had (still pretty good though), but because the value for your money is very high here. I'll definitely be back...“

“Marugame always hits the spot. Gotta say this place is a little bit behind the Hawaii and Bay Area location, but better than the sawtelle one.

Fast service and filling meal at a solid price point. The innout of udon for sure.“

“I’ve been to this store quite a few times, and it’s definitely one of my favorite places to grab a bite. The food is fantastic, especially the Ishiyaki—whether it’s pork belly or beef, it’s simply the best. I always try to get the rice extra crispy at the bottom. The service is top-notch and the staff are so friendly and attentive. They really listen to what customers suggest, which makes it even better. I highly recommend it!“

“This place is one of the best Sushi place I've ever been to. I would definitely recommend this place to everyone because everything here tastes really good. The service is really nice, too.“

“Could not ask for a better dinner spot to end the day!!!“

“The Best food especially the kimchi and cold noodle soup I’ve ever had. Bring your friends and family it’s a wonderful place to eat I’m going to be a regular here for my first time being here I was in heaven the menu is amazing you won’t be disappointed 😋😋😋😋😋“

“Got take-out from here and it ended up being pretty decent. Went with the kaisen yakisoba which I was worried would be too garlicky given the way it smelled on the drive home but it was really pleasantly seasoned with a good amount of seafood. Also grabbed karaage because it was 50% off the day I went (Tuesdays). I probably didn't need this: it was nicely seasoned but the crispiness was a bit lacking and parts of it were frankly soggy.

The food court itself is pretty solid with a bunch of rice/noodle/etc options. I will say most of the things here, including this takeout and the market itself, are rather on the pricy side. However, the food was made quickly and I got a little buzzer so I could explore the market while waiting. It's overall a pretty lively place and it's nice that they have a parking garage.“

“Amazing Japanese cuisine in Costa Mesa, CA. This place is one of the best Japanese restaurants in all of Orange County. The interior style resembles what all Japanese restaurants should look like, and most importantly, the food and service was top notch. They have an extensive sushi menu and it has always been very fresh and also Japanese imported. Hands down, my top 5 favorite Japanese restaurants in California.“

“Impressive array of the best ingredients unavailable in most Japanese restaurants in the US prepared in different styles“

“The food was wonderful, and we had an amazing experience there. Not sure what other people are saying about the service, because we had a 5-star experience. The tonkatsu is as good as the best we’ve had in Japan, and we were treated so well the whole time we were there.

Our server (brownish hair with a hair clip) provided excellent service from the get-go, greeting us with warmth, patiently answering our menu questions, and then attentively and proactively checking up on us during our meal even though it was packed! 10/10, definitely coming back!“

“Chef Stanley and the staff served what has been hands-down, the best sushi experience. I’ve had the United States so far.

Words cannot express absolutely delightful. This entire meal was the atmosphere the freshness the choice of ingredients execution absolutely top notch! Not to mention, I have quite a few allergies and they went above and beyond to take excellent care of me and serve me some of the best sushi I’ve ever had“

“Unit shots and Madai with yuzu kosho“

“Fresh and authentic. An amazing delight and will be back!“

“Flavorful Nigiri & Great Service
A solid, casual spot whether you’re looking for a quick dine-in meal or a takeout option. The staff here is super nice, which makes the experience even better.

Flavor Profiles: I really enjoyed that the nigiri and yubu come pre-seasoned/flavored. It adds a nice touch and keeps the flavors consistent without needing much extra.

Portions & Pricing: You’ll likely need to spend at least $20 for a full meal.“

“Nice place, clean and friendly staff. Most importantly, the food is so awesome. The owner takes pride with his food! Not only the plating looks nice, but it’s so tasty. I don’t even understand those 1 star reviews. Will definitely come back for more!“

“Found by accident great food and service excellent. Patio and in four dining. Had beef teriyaki with tempura and miso soup and salad and California roll. ReAsonable priced too“

“The striploin was so great! but i was not able to taste the other meat because they didn't sent my entire order due to holiday rush. No worry,mistake can happen the Customer service was great, and i will definitely order again!!“

“This place is perfection. We've eaten here so many times and it just keeps getting better and better. Wonderful friendly attentive staff, and lovely lo-fi chillout music to relax to. Honestly one of my favourite dining experiences is at this restaurant. Long May they reign.“

“Don’t really know the ambience and service yet I’m excited to check it out in person, usually order online and for delivery and they always deliver! Dessert worth the calories and sugar intake. They’re beautifully packaged as well every delivery I get.“

“Came here with a group of four, one of whom being from Japan. We were all amazed by the variety and quality of food. It is presented as sharing plates and is much more than sushi. Daily specials were presented on a chalk board, but they had a set menu as well. The miso cheese was *chef kiss*. The service was excellent and friendly and we really enjoyed the atmosphere. Will be going back soon!!“

“One of my favorite family-owned, hole-in-the-wall sushi spots! 🍣 Been eating here for over 10 years and the quality has always been amazing! I usually get the rolls or combination specials (which comes with a lot of food). The owners are very kind and provide great service! If you’re craving sushi, definitely check out this authentic, yummy restaurant!“

“We stayed at the Hilton in Costa Mesa and had coupons for complimentary Continental breakfast 2 mornings. The first morning we upgraded to hot buffet breakfast that included scrambled eggs, hash browns, bacon, sausage, oatmeal. The eggs were powered, the sausage tasted like cardboard and bacon was so-so. The oatmeal was homemade and was good! This breakfast cost $18.00 + tax. The second morning we ordered off the menu and was better choices getting fresh cooked food. My wife had omelet with hash browns and toast and I had eggs Benedict with hashbrowns and tomato slice and coffee. We both enjoyed these menu options!“

“My favorite Shabu place. Great selection of broths.“

“We tried yuzu for first time, and it was very busy as usual . We had the calamari, the beauty roll, and laguna beach roll, and all were very good. A friend had the chicken teriyaki and it was great. Overall very good, but the signature rolls were pricey“

“I am in town visiting from across the country and this is one of the best sushi places I have ever been to. I say that as a person who worked for seven years in a sushi establishment. The service is so fast and the employees are so kind. Our sushi was delicious and even their desserts are great. We went back twice and it is truly just an exemplary restaurant. I know I have their staff to thank for my experience, so thank you guys! Keep it up 👍🏼“

“VERY generous portions. One of the best sushi places to go to. Staff is very courteous and you feel like you're eating right out of their home kitchen. We come here when we want great sushi and can not handle an AYCE offering. Clean, fresh food. Very limited variety of drinks, but they have what you would need at a simple sushi place. Though there really is nothing simple about the food.
Place is small, so you might have to wait if in a party of more than four.“

“Great service, My friends and I come from Germany, and our English is so so, most of this I had to use Google Translate. However, there was a kind young lady who was able to help us in German with a name something along the lines of Jessi, and she was very helpful, especially for my friends who can't really speak English well. So I wanted to give credit, and the food was great.“

“First time there and will return to try other menu items. We tried the Valentines week special. House made kimchi was amazing. Not your standard kimchi presentation. Loved the large chunks of daikon radish! Great hospitality from the moment we entered the restaurant. We decided to Uber bc it was noted parking could be an issue. It made the evening a lot more relaxing and enjoyable; appreciate the restaurant giving the heads up about the busy plaza, especially at peak hours.“

“Good food & good service highly recommend no waiting time“

“great food at a good price I would recommend this place to anyone“